With songs by Magnetic Fields super-genius Stephin Merritt, adapted for the stage from Neil Gaiman's instant classic by downtown luminary David Greenspan, directed by wunderkind Leigh Silverman and starring theater royalty Jayne Houdyshell, MCC Theater's production of the new musical Coraline at the Lucille Lortelle Theater was the summer's hot ticket. In a coup of counter-intuitive casting, the pivotal role of the Cat went to Julian Fleisher, about whom the critics had to say this:
"But for me the most completely drawn character is a cat. Portrayed by Mr. Fleisher, who isn’t remotely feline-looking, this yawning, stretching Cat (who plays an important role in Coraline’s deliverance) has all the compelling self-containment and capriciousness of his species." -- Ben Brantley, NYT
"Julian Fleisher is a knockout as the slyer-than-sly cat who befriends Coraline. Mr. Fleisher, a theatrical novice, is a not-quite-lounge singer whose smoothly ironic cabaret act is familiar to habitués of the nightclubs of downtown Manhattan. I didn’t know he could act, but he does a first-class job in “Coraline,” and I expect we’ll be seeing more of him on stage." -- Terry Teachout, Wall Street Journal
"When Coraline returns home to find her real mother and father missing, she enlists the help of an inscrutable black cat -- a sublimely disdainful Julian Fleisher." -- David Rooney, Variety
"Still, some of the songs do stand out, such as the Cat's solo number -- terrifically delivered by Fleisher" -- Frank Sheck, Hollywood Reporter
"Absolutely the best cat I have ever seen onstage" -- Michael Feingold, The Village Voice
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Score the Music for an Off-Broadway Play:
Playwright John Cariani's Almost, Maine is an indelible portrait of one cold night under the vivid skies of rural Maine. Detailed, magical, poignant and hilarious, this baker’s dozen of interlocking 2-person vignettes is now the most frequently produced play in America, beating out A Midsummer Night’s Dream for the first time ever! Read the fascinating piece about this play’s unprecedented success in the NY Times.
Cariani (himself a performer whose portrayal of Motel the Taylor in the Broadway revival of A Fiddler on the Roof won him a TONY Award nomination) asked Julian to score the show...a job which yielded over 30 minutes of music that itself was published along with the play.
Click on some samples of the more than 20 separate “cues” from the final production:
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Produce CDs for Kiki & Herb:
Legendary downtown performers Kiki & Herb, whose manic evenings of song styling cum gestalt therapy have attracted an enormous and rabid following, have gone from the bars of the village all the way to Carnegie Hall and now Broadway. Their shattering and ingenious interpretations of pop songs both old and new have been written about in countless articles, reviews and even a dissertation or two. Along the way, Justin Bond and Kenny Mellman (as they are often and otherwise referred to) recorded two full-length CDs -- both of which are produced by Julian.
The first, the essential Christmas album Kiki & Herb: Do You Hear What We Hear, is a pristine and twisted account of many holiday favorites (and more than a few shocking surprises) and features special appearances by some of the duo's favorite friends including Debbie Harry, Alex Gifford, Molly Ringwald, Lilly of the Valley, Isaac Mizrahi, the Eerie Institutional Gospel Choir.
The second, Kiki & Herb Will Die for You at Carnegie Hall, is a 2-CD record of their storied concert at the world’s most prestigious concert venue and is a much a testament to the passion of their fans as it is to their own monumental talent.
Information about both CDs can be found at the Kiki & Herb website.
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Write some books:
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Be in a Movie:
The latest feature from cinemaster George Hickenlooper -- auteur behind Hearts of Darkness, Dog Town, The Brass Ring and the indispensable guide to cinema's second golden age Reel Conversations-- promises actually to have some popular appeal.
The Man from Elysian Fields stars Andy Garcia, James Coburn, Angelica Houston, Olivia Williams and Mick Jagger. It received its world premier at the Toronto International Film Festival, was picked up by Lion's Gate at Sundance and Roger Ebert decribed it as "wonderful because of its -- I hesitate to say 'old-fashioned values,' but there you are. Maybe 'traditional craftsmanship' is a better world. George Hickenlooper's The Man From Elysian Fields has sharply defined characters, dialogue of intelligence and wit, a fascinating premise, and keeps building through all three acts. It feels like work by Preston Sturges or Ernst Lubitsch; there is an elegance and confidence that trusts the audience."
Julian appears as himself: a self-deprecating (if highly-evolved jazz singer) who, well, sings! His own tune, no less, the redoubtable All I Require. Go here to see the stunning results!
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Get and lose (and get back?) a partner:
Ok, so it didn't last forever. But during their brief run on the boards Julian Fleisher and Martha Plimpton had 'em lining up for more. After a couple of one-offs in the trenched of NYC, this daring duo headed to LA, scene of many of Martha's greatest triumphs. A one month run at Tim Robbins' Actors Gang theater, quickly became the hottest ticket in town, grabbing rave reviews and selling out every seat in the house.
"Intoxicating...Fleisher and Plimpton make an irresistible team,with unerring chemistry,obvious regard and fabulous voices,her delicate belt a perfect fit with his soaring instrument...a triumph of intimate spontaneity." -- The LA Times
"For once,the publicity is accurate...they play off each other with reckless, almost magical precision" -- LA Weekly
"Delightfully bizarre...two spectacularly large and soulful voices" -- Backstage West
"The most unique and polished duo in town...fun in this upbeat, slyly wacky way" -- Curtain Up.com
"This seemingly unlikely pairing of the nightclub entertainer and the award-winning actress...could end up with the dynamic duo becoming the next Steve and Eydie" -- Theatermania.com
"It's terrific...There's enough energy and adoration between the two to light up the Hollywood skies. They captivate the audience." -- Hollywood Reporter
"Priceless." -- Variety
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Julian has been presenting and producing other performers for several years, most notably at his Monday Music series in the East Village. The New York Times included the series in a short list of venues (along with BAM and Joe's Pub) in which one is “most likely to find the future Norah Joneses” while the good people of Gothamist had this to say.
To see a gallery of the many artists Julian presented, as well as some of the unique events curated, check out the Julian Fleisher Presents page.
