By SCOTT NILES Courier staff writer
June 20, 2008 11:19 am
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FAIRFIELD — “Open Heart” is a hilarious adult-themed musical written and starring well-known actor/writer Robby Benson.
It will play at the Stephen Sondheim Center in Fairfield for two weekend performances.
Robby Benson is no stranger to the stage or big screen. The three-time Golden Globe nominee has written and starred in several films in the 1970s and ’80s.
At age 17, he starred in the basketball movie “One-On-One,” which he also wrote. He was in the movie “Ice Castles” when he was in his 20s and also was the voice of the Beast in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.”
Benson met his wife, Karla DeVito, while acting in the theater. After they had semi-retired from acting, Benson wanted to get his wife on stage again, so he wrote a musical for her.
“She sings like an angel from the heavens,” he said.
After numerous attempts, he finally came up with “Open Heart” in 1999, which has been performed in New York and Utah theaters and several others.
“I wrote the female musical parts for her,” Benson said.
The three main performers in the musical are Benson, DeVito and Stan Brown, who have been in all the performances of this production.
As an addition, while at the Sondheim Center, they will also have a cast of another 22 interns and an orchestra.
The musical provides adult comedy and tasteful, but colorful, humor but is not appropriate for children to see.
“It’s for a mature audience,” Benson said. “It has made people laugh and it has made people cry.”
Benson said “Open Heart” is a love story about finding out who a person is and what things mean to them.
“The character goes through what many people go through. He evaluates his life and where he has been and what is important to him. I think a lot of people will be able to relate to it,” he said. “Many people come to a point in their lives where they have to recognize who they are, and that is what this is about.”
Benson said he loves working with a director and getting input on things and he is always open to new ideas.
“When I work with a director and they have a better idea than me, I get a giddy feeling. It makes me happy to see the show get better and better each time we do it,” Benson said.
In addition to musicals and screenplays, Benson was most recently accredited with a best-selling novel.
The 52-year-old writer/actor’s novel, “Who Stole the Funny,” was on the LA Times Best Selling List last year.
“I think that is quite an accomplishment,” Benson said. “Once you do something like that, you are pretty well set.”
Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts and “Open Heart” director Randy West said that it has been a “thrill” working with Benson.
“He just has so much talent,” West said.
Showtimes for “Open Heart” are: June 20-21, 7:30 p.m.; June 21-22, 2 p.m.; June 26-28, 7:30 p.m. and June 28-29 at 2 p.m.
Tickets for the show are $25 and $35 dependent upon seating, or by season pass. For tickets or more information, call the Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts Box Office at (641) 472-2787. Box office hours are 12 noon-6 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Scott Niles can be reached at (641) 683-5360 or via e-mail at sjniles@mchsi.com.
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