CHRISTOPHER CURTIS


Pianist, singer, composer Chris Curtis has performed in Los Angeles, New York, Japan, and Ireland. He has performed with Stevie Wonder and Rita Coolidge. He opened for The Temptations at a fundraiser hosted by Willie Brown in Sacramento. As a composer he wrote and sang the theme song for the popular Discovery Channel/The Learning Channel TV series "A Wedding Story" as well as the songs for the Discovery Channel's "Travelers" and "On the Inside". He wrote and sang the theme song to the Trimark Pictures film,"The Break" starring Martin Sheen. Chris was signed to the songwriter program at Disney Animation where he composed the songs for the in-development animated film, "Rapunzel". He also has written a musical on the life of Charlie Chaplin, "Behind the Limelight" that the Shuberts have helped develop with a reading in New York.
The CD "The Best of our Lives" is also available at Colony Records in New York City.

More info on Behind the limelight at
www.behindthelimelight.com
review of Behind the limelight
Behind the Limelight: Charlie Chaplin musical

New York Musical Theatre Festival
Review by Oscar E. Moore from the rear mezzanine for talkentertainment.com


With the bases loaded (Book, Lyrics and Music) Christopher Curtis hit a grand slam right out of the Theatre at St. Clements with his new musical Behind The Limelight – based on the life and career of the infamous “Little Tramp” Charlie Chaplin. What a fantastic show. Open the champagne and toast Broadway’s newest triple threat talent. What an entertaining backstage look at Chaplin – as a child, as a star and as an old man. It takes three actors – all superb – to fill Chaplin’s controversial shoes. As a young boy (Danny Hallowell) who learns from his mum to watch people and learn from them to the vaudevillian on his way to stardom (Luther Creek) who does a smashing job of inhabiting the soul of Chaplin without making a caricature out of him to the old man (Robert Langdon Lloyd) who bookends the show with grace, dignity and wonderment. Mr. Curtis does have some super help to mount this complicated yet clear as can be story in the name of director Michael Unger – who deserves his own bottle of champagne to celebrate their joint success.


There are times when a show begins and you just know that you are in for something extraordinarily special – this is such a show. It has a great story that is told in a concise and taught manner – you get all the points needed to me made without any excess fat which lead right into what matters most in a musical. The songs. And they are so right. They further the story and give insight into the characters. The songs are memorable. Melodic. The words are witty and intelligent. I can’t remember the last original cast recording I purchased but this one will be immediately scooped up when it’s available.


Chaplin was a womanizer and we see the many women in his life (quite comically popping in and out of his bed one right after another) but the one standout is Oona O’Neill – whom he truly loved. Garrett Long looked stunning and gave an embarrassed, nervous and yet thrilling reading to the character who truly loved him – despite all his faults and his political problems. As one of his cast-offs, Edna Purviance (Brooke Sunny Moriber) has a power ballad – “Somebody’s Going To Love Me More” – which she sings to the hilt. Wouldn’t be surprised if Streisand picks it up. Sean Palmer as Charlie’s brother Sydney is the perfect foil – steadfast, always there and understanding without being sappy. Andrea McArdle (Hedda Hopper sans hat) gives new meaning to the words “witch hunter”. She goes after Chaplin with a vengeance to get him out of the country for not giving her, her due respect in Hollywood, his immorality, for being an alleged commie, and if that wasn’t enough - for never becoming a citizen and being ungrateful to the country which helped make him a millionaire. All of this happens in the best traditions of musical comedy style.


Whatever you feel about his political alliances, Chaplin was a consummate performer, known worldwide, and you will be moved to tears by the last song of the show, “This Man”. Charlie Chaplin wanted to make the world laugh and cry at the same time - at the foibles of humanity. Behind the Limelight does just that with Chaplin’s life. Splendidly. See it.




Learning to fly lyrics

Don't you try to tell me what to feel
For the tears of this life
Aren't even real
I have learned the lessons that you taught
But now I need the truth that
I have forgot
(chorus)
I'm learning to fly again
Finding that place in the sky
I knew back when
Learning to fly again
Finding that place
Deep inside
To take me home and take me back again

Don't you try to tell me what to see
For the visions of this world
Are what have blinded me
Don't you try to tell me what to say
For your many words of wisdom
Have led me astray
(chorus)

Don't you try to tell me that I'm wrong
For I've walked your narrow roads
For far to long
Don't point out the proverbs of the past
For the lessons of my youth
Were never built to last
(chorus)
I'm learning to fly again
Finding that place in the sky
I knew back when
Learning to fly again
Finding that place
Deep inside
To take me home and take me back again
I'm learning to fly