NEXT SONG UP:

CURTAIN UP: This week we spotlight Houdini – Man of Magic, which opened at London’s Piccadilly Theater on November 16, 1966, running for 126 performances. It starred Stuart Damon as Houdini, Judith Bruce as Bess, and Stubby Kay as Houdini’s fictional manager, Toby Kester. It was described as “a musical fantasy suggested by incidents in the life of Harry Houdini.”

Magic and escape effects included the Needles, a buzz saw, three floating woman at once (in a dance routine), and the Chinese Water Torture Cell. The highlight of the show was Houdini’s suspended straitjacket escape from the Brooklyn Bridge, which was staged using elaborate puppetry by Bill Baird and the Hogarth Puppets.

Interestingly, Hugh Jackman has supposed to star in a Houdini musical for the 2013-2014 Broadway season. The reason given was Jackman’s busy schedule. The libretto was to be written by Aaron Sorkin with music by Stephen Schwartz (Danny Elfman and David Yazbek and the lyricist Glenn Slater were attached to the show at various times).

“Curtain Up” is our weekly program playing a complete cast recording from Overture to Finale. It premieres on Friday at 8pm EST with two re-broadcasts – the following Monday at 2am EST and Wednesday at 11am EST. You can listen online here on our website or via apps and devices (Apple iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Echo/Alexa etc.).