Star of 'An American In Paris' on Musical's Revival
*By Bridgette Webb*
Musical theater is coming back to the big screen with a production of the Tony Award-winning musical "An American in Paris."
Robert Fairchild, who stars as the titular American alongside Leanne Cope, said it's all about the visuals.
"It's thrilling, we have the gorgeous show, and it's finally being allowed to be shown around the country," Fairchild said Thursday in an interview on Cheddar.
The story is based off the 1951 Oscar-winning film, which featured glitzy performances from Hollywood legends Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron. That movie was adapted into a musical that won four Tonys in 2015. The latest rendition was recorded during stage performances in London.
Translating a performance from theater to film is a risk, as the expectations for stage and screen are starkly different, but Fairchild thinks filmmakers were successful.
"They captured the show so brilliantly," he said. "It looks, at times, like you are at a Broadway show."
But he still holds the original film in high esteem.
"There's no way you can compare with Leslie Caron and Gene Kelly," he said. "They're such stars, and they are unbelievably gorgeous. You can't redo something that is perfect."
"An American in Paris" will be shown in select theaters in the U.S. and Canada on September 20 and 23.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/an-american-in-paris-from-the-stage-to-the-screen).
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