The Rink

November 22 – December 8, 2024

Joan & Edgar Booth Theatre

Boston University College of Fine Arts School of Theatre presented The Rink, Broadway’s original roller skating musical, at Boston University’s Joan & Edgar Booth Theatre from November 22 through December 8. For the first time in 40 years, The Rink, a rarely produced musical, will feature a newly restored book and orchestrations. Written by Terrence McNally, with Music and Lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb, this innovative musical is set in a sort of Coney Island of the mind, on the ragged fringe of the New York show-biz world.

Italian housewife Anna Antonelli’s roller rink is about to be demolished, and with it Anna’s sour memories of her Lothario of a husband and her painfully shy and estranged daughter Angel. Angel returns after a long absence, hoping to save the rink and rekindle the relationship with her mother. The rink becomes an arena in which mother and daughter examine their past, present and future.

Liza Minnelli and Chita Rivera originated the roles of Angel and Anna on Broadway in 1984. Rivera won a Tony award and Drama Desk Award for her performance as Anna.

This will be the first time in four decades that anyone will have heard this story and music as originally intended. You are a part of theater history at BU.

– Gregg Wiggans (CFA’25) MFA Directing student and Director of The Rink

BU School of Theatre’s production of The Rink is being directed by MFA Directing student Gregg Wiggans (CFA’25), as part of Wiggans’ thesis project. “Working with Music Director and Musical Theatre Assistant Professor, Harry Castle, John Kander’s team, and Concord Theatricals, this rarely produced musical will feature a newly restored script and score – back to the original Broadway production of 1984. This will be the first time in four decades that anyone will have heard this story and music as originally intended. You are a part of theater history at BU,” says Wiggans.

The show’s artistic producer is MFA Production Management student River Hayes (CFA’25), for whom, “personally, this project is the culmination of a multi-year thesis exploration. Boston University has one of the only graduate programs in the country that allows for applied research in the emerging field of Artistic Producing, so we are able to fight for the possibility of tomorrow and build storyworlds in new ways because of a place like CFA,” says Hayes, who is also pursuing an Advanced Graduate Certificate in Arts Administration through BU Metropolitan College. “Audiences can expect to see Broadway’s original roller skating musical with even more glitter and magic, and to make musical theatre history together as audiences hear remastered orchestrations from Kander & Ebb (Chicago, Cabaret) for the first time ever.”

Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre, Harry Castle, who joined the ranks of CFA’s faculty this fall, is The Rink‘s Music Director. “It is so exciting to be music directing The Rink as my first show at BU. It’s been great to work on this challenging and varied musical material with my students, and especially to be playing the original orchestrations for the show, which haven’t been heard on stage in nearly 40 years,” says Castle, a composer, lyricist, educator, and music director. “I’m looking forward to bringing this 16-piece orchestra to the Booth, and to be collaborating with so many wonderful musicians, both School of Music students and local professionals. There have been so many opportunities for learning and growth through this process, and I can’t wait for everyone to see it!”

Wiggans adds,“History will be examined as The Rink moves decade-by-decade through the post-World War II glow of the 1950s, the disillusionment of the 1960s, and the political and social turmoil of the 1970s Coney Island – where New York City was broke. High inflation. Salary stagflation. The Middle East was in crisis. Gas and grocery prices were doubled and tripled over night. Presidential corruption crippled American trust. A government that struggled with the cultural shifts that marginalized communities demanded recognition. Sound familiar?”

Boston University has one of the only graduate programs in the country that allows for applied research in the emerging field of Artistic Producing, so we are able to fight for the possibility of tomorrow and build storyworlds in new ways because of a place like CFA.

– River Hayes (CFA’25) MFA Production Management student and The Rink‘s Artistic Producer

@bostonu Ready to roll? 🛼 BU’s College of Fine Arts presents The Rink, skating into the Joan and Edgar Booth Theatre Nov 22 – Dec 8! 🎟️ Tickets are $20, or free at the box office 30 minutes before curtain (subject to availability)! #theatre #theatretiktok #broadway #broadwaymusicals #bostonuniversity ♬ Cooking show, cute piano violin – ISAo

Program

Flip through the program book to learn more about the production.

School of Theatre Presents Tony-Nominated Musical The Rink at Booth Theatre

Show features a newly restored book and orchestration. “Especially as an acting major,” says Ava Cronin (CFA’26), “it’s not super common to get to do super Broadway-esque musical shows. Getting to experience that this year has been the greatest gift… This role is truly everything I could dream it to be.”

THE RINK is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com