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SALT LAKE CITY — Swordplay is in high gear at Pioneer Theatre Company for the American professional premiere of "The Count of Monte Cristo."
From the classic novel comes the betrayal and imprisonment of Edmund Dantes to his escape and revenge on those who wronged him. The story is now a Pioneer Theatre Company musical.
Multiple Tony Award-nominated Frank Wildhorn is the musical’s composer. In 1999, he was the first American composer in more than 20 years to have three shows running simultaneously on Broadway.
The combination of his love of history and his love of music inspires him to turn the classics into popular art.
"For me, the rule always is, ‘Are the characters bigger than life and are they in situations bigger than life?’” Wildhorn said.
He calls "Monte Cristo" a big, sweeping, melodic score and is thrilled to have the American professional premiere at PTC. His relationship with theaters at both BYU and the University of Utah goes back years. Wildhorn says Jeff Martin at BYU and Karen Azenburg at PTC have built professional relationships and friendships as well.
"From ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ to ‘Scarlett Pimpernel’ to ‘Civil War’ to ‘Bonnie and Clyde,’ it’s been kind of a wonderful relationship with Utah audiences, so Utah is important to me.”
And it's important, Wildhorn says, for Utah audiences to know that even though 'Monte Cristo' has been performed in other cities around the world, this production is new.
“It’s not a re-creation; it’s not a revival of what I’ve done around the world. It really is a reimagined, new musical.”
Making magic is often physically demanding — especially when actors are working with swords.
"It is a dangerous dance and it’s intended to look dangerous but everything is very specific and very planned,” said Chris Duval, a fight choreographer for 25 years.
There are three basic rules in stage combat:
Distance: their weapons don’t actually make contact with their opponent.
Targeting: they avoid the area of the face and head.
Tempo or speed: the actors are never going at full-speed but three-quarters speed, so that they are in control.
Duval coached the cast members for six to eight hours before rehearsals even began and then, as sets were being constructed on stage, he worked with them in the rehearsal room. Duval asks the cast members to first create the scene at half-speed then perform it in real time.
The action-packed, root-for-the-good guy adventure makes Wildhorn believe this will have appeal.
"I am the audience, I’m a regular guy, so I always think, if I like it, if it gets me going, it’s going to work. I hope they have a great time. It’s a rich story. I hope they get into the characters and the songs.”
And if you leave the theater humming his music, then Wildhorn says there's a good chance you'll come back.
"The Count of Monte Cristo" at Pioneer Memorial Theatre runs through May 21.
