December 2- 8, 2004

artpicks

Thrill of the Chase

by Steve Cohen

theater

Let's see: a Christian in love with a Muslim in the Middle East? Chasing Nicolette, the "holiday" show opening Saturday at the Prince Music Theater, is not carefree fluff. Composer David Friedman says he was attracted to the project because "it's funny, but with a deep moral part."

Friedman, conductor of four Disney musicals including Aladdin, and writer and lyricist Peter Kellogg tell the story of Aucassin and Nicolette, two young 13th-century lovers who embark on a romantic adventure across continents. Clashes over race, religion and class are resolved through a series of swashbuckling sequences, chase scenes and kidnapping. Bronson Pinchot (Balki from the sitcom Perfect Strangers) lends comic relief as a servant-in-aid to the young couple.

Friedman has led musical direction of three Broadway shows, produced records, played concert piano and sung in a revue of his own works. In the early '80s, he met the late great Philadelphia vocalist Laurie Beechman when he led the pit band for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat on Broadway, and he went on to write some of her memorable hits (and some for Barry Manilow, Diana Ross and others).

Friedman still finds his greatest joy in composing. "I passed on arranging and conducting Hercules to devote my time to writing," he says. "I wanted to express my heart. And composing is the hardest of the things I do because your heart is out there."

After this show, Friedman and Kellogg will work on a country-and-Western version of Measure For Measure, called Desperate Measures. "Peter is the clever intellectual," says Friedman, "and I express the emotion of the piece."

Chasing Nicolette, Dec. 4-Jan. 2, $24-$52, Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St., 215-569-9700.