Love Goddess: the Rita Hayworth Musical will premiere at The Cockpit in London this November, with performances beginning November 18.
Written by Almog Pail and Stephen Garvey, the musical deals head-on with the struggles experienced by Old Hollywood icon Rita Hayworth, ranging from the pressures of her bombshell image, her marital strife, and her early onset Alzheimer's.
Dubbed the "The Love Goddess" by the press and her fanbase, Hayworth was one of the most profitable box office stars of the 1940s and the 1950s. Born Margarita Carmen Cansino to two vaudeville dancers, her Romani identity was erased from her public image. Hayworth has been the subject of significant cultural discussion in recent years as an example of assimilation in the entertainment industry.
Love Goddess will present the story of Hayworth through the fractured prism of her deteriorating memory, which affected her for more than two decades before her official diagnosis at the age of 62. The production will feature five performers, who will portray more than 40 figures from throughout Hayworth's life. Almog Pail will lead the production as Hayworth, with additional casting to be announced.
Pail wrote the original solo play following her own family’s experience with Alzheimer’s. Her grandfather, Meir Pa’il, recognized for his distinguished military career and later political career in the Israeli parliament, suffered from the disease for the final 12 years of his life.
Love Goddess is created and co-written by Almog Pail. The book is co-written by Stephen Garvey (The Bardy Bunch, Five Golden Rings), with music and lyrics by Logan Medland (A Bronx Tale, Dr. Zhivago), who will also supervise and arrange the piece. The show will be directed by Steve North (Sisterhood, Greensleeves, Creegan), be choreographed by Jacqui Jameson (My Fair Lady, Fosse, Chicago), and feature music direction by Archie Combe. The design team will consist of scenic designer Mayou Trikerioti, lighting designer Danny Vavrečka, costume designer Alice McNicholas, and sound designer Nick Burkinyoung of Yerk Audio. Casting is by Danielle Tarento, Tarento Casting.
Visit TheCockpit.org.
