Side Show

Side Show is playing at the St. James Theatre located at 246 West 44th Street. It runs two hours and twenty five minutes with one intermission. It is an open ended run.

The show is based on conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton. They were Vaudeville stars in the 1930’s.

The musical opened on Broadway at the Richard Rogers Theatre on October 4, 1997. It closed on January 4, 1998 after ninety one performances. The show was nominated for four Tony Awards. It was the first and only time two actresses were co-nominated for Best Actress.

Bill Condon is the director. He is also well known screenwriter, winning an Academy Award in 1998 for best adapted screenplay for “Gods and Monsters”.

Henry Krieger is the composer. He was nominated for two Tony Awards for “Side Show” (1998) and “Dream Girls” (1981). Henry won a Grammy Award for the cast album of “Dream Girls” and received an Academy Award nomination for the songs he wrote for the 2006 film.

David Rockwell is the set designer. He designed the sets for “Kinky Boots” and “Lucky Guy”.

Bill Russell is the lyricist. He was nominated for a Tony Award for Side Show (1998).

Anthony Van Laast is the choreographer. He was nominated for a Tony Award for “Bombay Dreams” (2004).

Robert Joy is known for his role CSI: NY “Dr. Sid Mammerback from 2005-2013.

Violet (Megan McGinnis) and her sister Daisy (Emily Padgett) are the star attraction at a “Freak Show” in Texas.

Terry Connor (Ryan Silverman) and Buddy Foster (Matthew Hydzik) strike up a conversation with the girls. Jake an African an American who is in the show keeps an eye on them. Terry tells them they have connections in vaudeville. He would teach them a new song and dance and encourages them to leave.

Sir won’t let them go. He is their legal guardian. They are the star attraction of his show. Violet and Daisy were born in England to an unwed mother. She thought her children turned out this way because she was unwed. The mid wife Auntie (Blair Ross) takes them. She exploits them and makes money showing off their birth defect. When she marries Sir they move to the United States. He becomes their guardian when Auntie dies.

They sue Sir in court and win their freedom.

The rest of the story dwells on their life after leaving the freak show. They never separated. Doctors told them the operation might be a success but then one or both could die.

This is a wonderful show.

The cast is large, some play several roles. They do a great job. Each adds to the show.

Megan and Emily are amazing. They keep in harmony both in movement and singing. You are convinced they are joined together. They were fantastic.

Megan’s role is “standby”, if the lead actress doesn’t go on she does. This was the second time she has performed this role in front of an audience. She was a pro and deserves a lead role. Congratulations on a job well done.

David St. Louis is touching as the man in love with Violet. When he proposes to her she refuses him because he is African American. He has such a beautiful voice. “WOW”!

Robert Joy is so convincing in the role. If I had a rock in my hand I would have thrown it at him.

The show sparked my interest on what happen too Violet and Daisy. I found out a lot. I will tell you they were born in 1908 and died in 1969 of the Hong Kong Flu. Violet died first and Daisy died two to four days later.

Don’t let the freaks scare you away this is a good show to see.

Review by Rozanna Radakovich

Photos by Annazor.

To read a candid interview with the cast, scroll down to the left for recent photos. Click on recent photos for this and other shows.