Description

“The Vanity”, is based loosely on the original characters in the classic story by Oscar Wilde, “The Picture of Dorian Gray”, but changes direction for a surprise ending.  It is a darkly humorous musical melodrama which plays like a marriage of “The Picture of Dorian Gray”, “Sunset Boulevard”, and “Valley of the Dolls”.  Mr. Gray is faced with an impossible choice and is temped in all directions by an array of technicolor characters to a most unusual ending result in the mirror of the vanity.  It plays as a sequel to the original “The Portrait” musical about 50 years later, about 1950 to 1970. This show has it all, lavish production numbers, duets, trios, etc., a love story, curses, a fall, murder, seduction, betrayal, immorality, redemption and forgiveness, and a fair amount comedy.  The overall style of the show is similar to “Phantom of the Opera” or “Les Miserable” in that there is a fair amount of background music and the music is not a pop rock style.  The musical numbers resemble and are very much like the original songs from the original show, “The Portrait”, but obviously with different lyrics. A full score (standard pit orchestra) with melodic songs and background music throughout enhance the strong story line.  All the lyrics are part of the script.  It is very unusual to have a sequel in a musical, but that is the basic idea though, either show, “The Portrait” or “The Vanity” can stand and have been produced alone equally well.

It is a darkly humorous musical melodrama which plays like a marriage of “The Picture of Dorian Gray”, “Sunset Boulevard”, and “Valley of the Dolls”.  Mr. Gray is faced with an impossible choice and is temped in all directions by an array of technicolor characters to a most unusual ending result in the mirror of the vanity.  It plays as a sequel to the original “The Portrait” musical about 50 years later, about 1950 to 1970. This show has it all, lavish production numbers, duets, trios, etc., a love story, curses, a fall, murder, seduction, betrayal, immorality, redemption and forgiveness, and a fair amount comedy.  The overall style of the show is similar to “Phantom of the Opera” or “Les Miserable” in that there is a fair amount of background music and the music is not a pop rock style.  The musical numbers resemble and are very much like the original songs from the original show, “The Portrait”, but obviously with different lyrics. A full score (standard pit orchestra) with melodic songs and background music throughout enhance the strong story line.  All the lyrics are part of the script.  It is very unusual to have a sequel in a musical, but that is the basic idea though, either show, “The Portrait” or “The Vanity” can stand and have been produced alone equally well.

Available for rental for $3000.00 and includes everything.

The music can be heard at the products listed under the portrait.