Gilligan's Island: The Musical
Come sit right back and you’ll hear a tale….again! When Falcon presented this delightful musical based on the cult television show back in 2003, we gave the show its Cincinnati premiere! Adding the element of music to the campy fun of the TV phenomenon, this reunion with your favorite castaways features everything you loved about the original…..the Professor’s inventions, unexpected inhabitants of a desert island, and that very special rapport between Gilligan and the Skipper. C’mon, sing along….you know it’s stuck in your head anyway….”Five passengers set sail that day/For a three hour tour….a three hour tour….”
Performance Dates: April 30, May 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 2010
Sponsored by:
Gilligan: Joshua Steele
Skipper: David Radtke
Professor: Ron Burrage
Mary Ann: Wendy Vogel
Ginger: Lauren Bailey
Mrs. Howell: Julie Pergrem
Mr. Howell: Patrick Carnes
Alien: Sean Mize
Director: Donnie McGovern
A Three Hour Tour: Gilligan’s Travels
In 1964, CBS launched these seven characters under the creative vision of Sherwood Schwartz, the same man who would later bring “The Brady Bunch” to American households. While only on the air for three years, “Gilligan’s Island”, has become indelibly imprinted on the American pop culture subconscious. For over 40 years, syndication has kept Gilligan, the Skipper, the movie star and the rest alive for generations of television viewers. While always a commercial success, “Gilligan’s Island” has never been a critical favorite.
In fact, the name of the ill fated ship that takes them all to the deserted island was named after perhaps the most well known critic of TV, FCC Chairman Newton Minow. Minow famously described the relatively new medium of television as a “vast wasteland”.
Regardless of it’s artistic merit, “Gilligan’s Island” has continued to endure and has been reprised several times in various incarnations (TV movies, cartoons and even a reality show). The phenomenon doesn’t appear to be slowing down as it was recently announced that a major motion picture is in the works and is slated for release in July of 2011.
Gilligan’s Island Trivia
- Jerry Van Dyke was originally offered the role of Gilligan but turned it down. He instead chose to star in “My Mother the Car”
- John Williams, the legendary composer (Star Wars, Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark) also composed the incidental music for the series
- The famous theme song for the show, entitled “The Ballad of Gilligan’s Island”, was written by Sherwood Schwartz and George Wyle. Schwartz was a proponent of setting up the story of the series with show theme songs. He replicated this process with “The Brady Bunch”
