Legends! Explained

Legends! is a comedic play written by James Kirkwood, Jr. It toured the United States with Mary Martin and Carol Channing in 1986, but never had a production on Broadway. The play concerns two aging rival film stars. Kirkwood wrote about the tour's adventures in his memoir Diary of a Mad Playwright.^[1]

Production history

• Mary Martin and Carol Channing U.S. tour: Martin and Channing started the US tour in January 1986 in a Center Theatre Group world premiere production^[2] at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, California and ended in Miami, Florida in January 1987, having played more than 300 performances. Although the producers of the show had hoped that it would open on Broadway, that did not happen. Martin left the production when her second-act speech about breast cancer was cut.^{[3] [4]}
• Joan Collins and Linda Evans tour: Joan Collins toured North America with former Dynasty co-star Linda Evans. The tour started in September 2006 in Toronto and concluded in New Haven, Connecticut in May 2007 after a 30-week, multi-city tour.^[5]
• Lypsinka in New York: John Epperson, better known as Lypsinka has adapted the play for two men in drag, and presented a staged reading on March 23, 2009 in New York City. The reading, which featured Charles Busch, was a benefit for Friends in Deed - The Crisis Center for Life-Threatening Illness.^{[6] [7]} In June 2010, Epperson brought the show to the Studio Theatre in Washington, DC, where he co-starred with James Lecesne.^{[8] [9]}
• Hayley and Juliet Mills Australian tour: Legends! made its Australian premiere in 2015 with Hayley Mills and Juliet Mills: The production, which featured Juliet Mills' husband Maxwell Caulfield, debuted at the QPAC (Brisbane) with a 2–14 June run having previewed from 28 May, subsequently playing a second and final 18 June-5 July engagement at the Theatre Royal (Sydney).^[10]

External links

• Photo Coverage: Legends! Collins and Evans in Toronto, broadwayworld.com, September 18, 2006
• Review, Raleigh, North Carolina, May 2007
• Review, Boston Globe, March 10, 2007
• Legends! character descriptions from StageAgent.com

Notes and References

1. Wasserstein, Wendy."Twenty Four Cities but No Cigar",The New York Times September 24, 1989
2. Web site: Press Kit. Center Theatre Group. 2016-11-04.
3. Kleiman, Dena. The New York Times, "'Legends' Turns a Profit Without Broadway", December 9, 1986, Section C; Page 21
4. Gans, Andrew."Legends! to Play Broadway with "Dynasty" Stars Collins and Evans", playbill.com, Feb 25, 2005
5. Gans, Andrew."Casting Complete for Joan Collins-Linda Evans Legends!; Tour Dates Announced", Playbill.com, August 4, 2006
6. [Simonson, Robert]
7. Jones, Kenneth."Wig Fitted and Costumes Adjusted, Stand-In Steps in for Goldberg at Legends!" playbill.com, March 24, 2009
8. Marks, Peter."Theater review: 'Legends!' at Studio Theatre", washingtonpost.com, June 22, 2010
9. Pressley, Nelson."Lypsinka gives James Kirkwood's 'Legends!' a face-lift at Studio Theatre", washingtonpost.com, June 19, 2010
10. News: Legends! review: Hayley and Juliet Mills shine but this star vehicle fades fast. Jason. Blake. 24 June 2015. The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 November 2021.