About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (June 9, 2023)
CM K 4B Weekend Edition-June 9-10, 2023 The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com LIFE ‘Groundhog Day’ musical returns to London stage BY JILL LAWLESS Associated Press LONDON — Well this is fitting: “Groundhog Day” is back. Again. The story of a jaded weatherman fated to live the same day over and over began as a beloved movie, then became an award-winning stage musical. On Thursday it opened at London’s Old Vic Theatre, where it had its acclaimed original run in 2016. For writer Danny Rubin, it’s the latest chap ter in the three-decade journey of an idea that changed his life and added a new term to the dictionary: “Groundhog Day, noun: a situation in which the same usu ally negative or monoto nous experiences occur repeatedly.” Rubin said he imag ined weatherman Phil Connors — who wakes every morning to dis cover he’s still covering a weather-forecasting rodent in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania — as akin to Siddhartha, the ancient prince turned wandering monk who came to be revered as the Buddha. “It’s about a human being going through life’s journey,” said Rubin, who came up with the original story and co-scripted the 1993 film with director Harold Ramis. It also turned out to be a resonant metaphor for a modern-day ennui: fear of missing out, angst at getting stuck. The movie, starring a sardonic Bill Murray as Phil, quickly became a classic comedy in which generations of viewers have found deep — even spiritual — meaning. Phil can’t get unstuck until he undergoes a personal transformation. “It’s totally the existen ALBERTO PEZZALII Associated Press Screenwriter and playwright Danny Rubin poses outside the Old Vic Theatre, in London, Monday, June 5. tial situation,” said Rubin over coffee in London, where he’s helping tweak the musical for its new run. “None of us know why we’re here, how we got here, or what we’re supposed to do. How is that any different from Phil? “I think that’s one of the reasons it appeals to people in a very personal way. Phil’s transforma tion is not out of our reach. It’s pretty clear that the worst day of Phil’s life is also the best day of Phil’s life, and the only difference is Phil.” Years later, Rubin realized the story wasn’t finished with him. He considered turning it into a novel before settling on a musical. At one point, Broadway giant Stephen Sondheim expressed interest in adapting it. That didn’t work out, but it was a vindication of the concept. After a long search, Rubin teamed up with composer-lyricist Tim Minchin and direc tor Matthew Warchus, the team behind Roald Dahl-inspired hit show “Matilda: The Musical.” “When I met with Matthew, immediately (he) felt like the right partner,” said Rubin. “And then I met Tim and immediately felt like the right partner. They were like me in many ways that I appreciated, including the fact that we did the whole thing on a handshake and said, ‘Let’s keep the busi ness people out of it until we’ve written it com pletely and nailed down creatively the best show we can do.’” The musical is sharply funny and musically ebullient, but doesn’t shy away from darkness as Phil, in despair at real izing he is essentially immortal, tries varied ways of killing himself. The Old Vic website warns ticket-buyers that “the story ends happily but passes through some emotionally darker phases,” and includes phone numbers for men tal health charities. Rubin said the cre ative team agreed that “it really was a jour ney for Phil. And so if it had to go dark, it was going to go dark, and we weren’t going to rely on platitudes.” “Groundhog Day” stormed London in 2016 but had a relatively brief Broadway run the follow ing year, despite scor ing seven Tony Award nominations. One setback came when lead actor Andy Karl was injured early in the run, and, Rubin said the show was up against “many really remarkably good shows” in a bumper Broadway year. But “Groundhog Day” keeps popping back up. The new production has made some tucks and trims that will make it easier to tour, but remains essentially the same show that won Oliv ier Awards for best new musical and best actor for Karl, who returns in the lead role. It must be tempting to have another crack at Broadway, but Rubin said the team is proceeding by “baby steps.” “Let’s see how we’re received here,” he said. Rubin, who lives in New Mexico and teaches screenwriting, cheer fully acknowledges that “Groundhog Day” has defined his career. A huge early success can be hard to live up to — Orson Welles never surpassed his first film, “Citizen Kane” — but he has no complaints. “The groundhog has been very good to me,” he said. “These things that we do, we like to think that they’re going to make some kind of effect. And you never know how a career is going to go. I could have written ‘Por ky’s 3’ or 4 or 5 and had to apologize to people when I meet them at a party and they say, ‘What do you do?’ “It’s nice to be asso ciated with something that’s so loved.” Celebrate National Dairy Month with a cold glass of milk It seems like there is a celebration for everything. June is no dif ferent, as since 1937, it has been celebrated as National Dairy Month to encourage Americans to include more milk and dairy products in their daily food plan and promote a balanced, healthy diet. Dairy products contain a variety of nutrients beneficial for bone health and development, especially in young children, along with some of the essential nutrients our bodies need, including vitamin D, cal cium and potassium. They also contain protein helpful in developing strong muscles as well as fat, which is great for brain develop ment in young children. Cows’ milk and products made from cows’ milk reign more superior in these nutrients than their plant-based alternatives, especially protein. Dairy products can contain high amounts of fat, which consuming too much of can lead to unwanted weight gain. For this reason, the Dietary Guidelines of Americans recom mends getting most of your servings of dairy from low or nonfat sources. Some dairy products such as flavored milks and ice cream desserts may also contain extra sugar. Again, increasing the calorie content can lead to unwanted weight gain. For this reason, it is recommended to limit foods with added sugars in them. Foods that are considered dairy include milk, cheese and yogurt. These can easily be enjoyed by themselves or as part of a healthy diet. Milk can be added to vitamin fortified cereals including hot and cold cereals as well as soups or stews to thicken. Cheese may be used to top a food or paired with fruit or whole grain crackers as a snack. But be careful; cheese can be highly caloric and should be consumed in moderation. A1- to 2-ounce serving should be sufficient. Yogurt can be incorporated in a variety of ways. Mix with a dash of cinnamon and splash of vanilla for a quick dip for fruit. Or with your favorite savory seasonings for a vegetable dip. In most recipes, it is perfectly fine to substitute half of the mayonnaise for plain yogurt. This can help lower your calorie intake and include good-for-you nutrients. Try this the next time you make a mayonnaise-based sauce or dish. Finally, a quick note about those who cannot tolerate milk. Often, people have a condition called lactose intolerance. This means their bodies do not process the lactose in milk well and can become sick when consuming too much. Of course, there are lactose-free milk and other dairy products as well as medication that can be taken in order to enjoy full lactose products. However, there are also people who are allergic to the pro teins in milk and therefore must avoid all dairy products. Individuals with such a condition may consider plant-based alter natives such as soy, almond, oat or rice milk as alternatives to cows’ milk. These can be good alternatives, however, plant-based milks often include added sugars to make them taste more like cows’ milk. Choose unsweetened or lightly sweetened versions to limit your intake of added sugars. Celebrate dairy this month in whatever way you choose. For more information on how to include each of the five food groups in your daily diet contact me at the Hall County UGA Extension Office. 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