By Khalida Sarwari
Sixty-one years ago, a 19-year-old Julie Andrews got her big break as an actor in the Broadway production of “The Boy Friend.” Now, the West Valley Light Opera is bringing the lighthearted musical to the Saratoga Civic Theater stage on Feb. 28.
Written by Sandy Wilson, the award-winning musical comedy is about a boy and a girl in the south of France who pretend to be poor but in reality are rich, according to the show’s director, Bill Starr. Set in the Great Gatsby era, the show also features a parallel story involving the girl’s father, who meets an old flame who runs a finishing school.
“It’s really boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl,” said Starr. “It’s just pure entertainment. There’s a lot of dancing, a lot of music. It’s the kind of musical that you can sit back and be entertained. It’s just pure fun.”
The cast of 30 is led by Sandra Henschke, who plays Polly Browne (originally played by Andrews), Derrick Contreras, who portrays Tony, and Rachelle Abbey and Kyle Arrouzet, who play the supporting roles of Maisie and Bobby.
Reflecting the innocence and high spirits of the the 1920s jazz and flapper era, the score includes such tunes as “Won’t You Charleston With Me?,” “I Could Be Happy With You” and “It’s Never Too Late to Fall in Love.”
The musical’s original 1954 London production ran for 2,078 performances, which for a time made it the third-longest running musical in West End or Broadway history. In 1971, Ken Russell made a film based on the show, starring Twiggy and Christopher Gable, in which he offered an alternative interpretation. And in 2003, Andrews revisited her first Broadway success, this time as a stage director.
Formed in 1964, WVLO is a local nonprofit that offers theatrical productions under the guidance of experienced play directors. The company performs three Broadway-type musicals each season at the Saratoga Civic Theater. In November, WVLO put on a special sensory-friendly performance of “Oklahoma!” to give special needs children and their families and caretakers an opportunity to attend a quality live musical theater experience together.
“The Boy Friend” opens with a gala champagne opening night reception at 8 p.m. on Feb. 28 and runs through March 28. Tickets are $20 to $35 and can be purchased online at wvlo.org or at the door.
For more information, call 408.358.1896.
Link: Boy Friend’ is on stage in Saratoga, thanks to West Valley Light Opera
