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The show, with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Michael Stewart and book by Mark Bramble, opened on Broadway in the spring of 1980 and enjoyed an 854-performance run.
The title role was first played by Jim Dale — who won a Tony Award — but over the years has been inherited by a wide array of performers, from Michael Crawford to Tony Orlando.
In Bridgeport, Barnum is being played by New York actor Scott Ramsey, who said in a phone interview Monday that he jumped at the chance to play a real-life character within the context of a musical comedy.
"There was so much more to his life than the circus," Ramsey said of Barnum's role as one of the creators of show business "ballyhoo" (i.e. public relations) and other innovations such as matinee performances of shows.
It's a huge part that demands lots of energy and focus from whoever plays Barnum, but Ramsey said, "The show is so well-written that you just jump on it at the beginning and ride it out." "Barnum" is an affectionate portrait of the showman and politician, but it doesn't hide the "humbuggery" involved in such publicity stunts as passing off the sixtysomething Joice Heth as a 161-year-old woman. Ramsey sees Barnum's bottom line as
"He brought the middle class into the theater at a time when it was viewed by some as a disreputable place to go — he invested tons of money in the theater space at (New York City's) American Museum. He made it a beautiful place to go and created the matinee to make it even easier for people to see shows," Ramsey added.
The role of Barnum is quite a contrast to the parts Ramsey has played in other regional theater productions over the past year, including a staging of the Richard Greenberg baseball drama "Take Me Out" in Nyack, N.Y., and a two-month run in an Ohio production of the musical "Thoroughly Modern Millie."
"It's a challenge, but I like the idea of playing a real person because there is so much information to look at. It's a really interesting experience for an actor to have all of that [biographical] material to play off of," he said.
"Of course, as an actor, you then want to live up to the character you're playing," Ramsey added.
The Bridgeport production will make up in intimacy whatever it might lack in terms of the physical size of the earlier stagings of the show.
"The Playhouse is such a great space. It's always nice to see big splashy shows on Broadway but it's also great to be in an environment where the audience can see every face and feel like they're part of the show," Ramsey said.
The performer said director Steven Smeltzer has included lots of Barnum's showmanship but also "chose to heighten the intimate moments — the personalities and the relationships come through."
The Playhouse's producing artistic director Matt Schicker says, "Although many remember the spectacle and star power of the original New York production with Jim Dale and Glenn Close, this Bridgeport production will be its equal in theatrical magic and the sheer talent of the artists and will prove that, as P.T. himself said, 'bigger isn't better.' "
"Barnum" is being presented in association with the Barnum Festival and The Barnum Museum.
In addition to Ramsey, the 10-actor ensemble includes Rebecca Barko of Hamden, Elayne Cassara of Weston, Michael Costantino of Fairfield, Bob Filipowich of Fairfield, Frank Gennarini of Milford, Steve Taylor of Bridgeport, and Adam Levinskas, Ginelle Nicolas, and Christine Nolan of New York.
"Barnum" opens Friday at Bridgeport's Playhouse on the Green, 177 State St., where it will run through June 22.
Performances this weekend are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.
Tickets are $27, with a $3 discount for senior citizens.
For more information, call 333-3666 or go online to www.playhouseonthegreen.org
