Alley to Stage World Premiere of The Gershwins' An American in Paris with Book by Ludwig

Playbill.comBy Zachary Pincus-Roth27 Mar 2007The Alley Theatre's 2007-08 season will include the world premiere of The Gershwins' An American in Paris — featuring the music of George and Ira Gershwin — which will be presented in late spring 2008.Songs will include "S'Wonderful," "They All Laughed” and "Stairway to Paradise." The new book is by Ken Ludwig, who also wrote the book for the Gershwin musical Crazy for You.The musical gives a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a fictional 1950s movie musical (distinct from the classic 1951 MGM musical of the title). According to press notes, "When the crazy but loveable French music hall star Michel Gerard fails to show up for filming of the movie, comic hysteria results as the Hollywood crew collides with their Parisian colleagues in a musical filled with glamour, laughter and romance."Also on the schedule for the Houston theatre's 61st season is John Patrick Shanley's Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning play Doubt, Martin McDonagh's The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Glen Berger's Underneath the Lintel, Michael Wilson's adaptation of A Christmas Carol, Scott Schwartz's production of Othello, Joseph Kesselring's Arsenic and Old Lace and Love, Janis, a musical about Janis Joplin, who was from nearby Port Arthur, TX.