Television has “The Golden Bachelor” while The Villages has “Grumpy Old Men.”
At least on stage.
The musical “Grumpy Old Men” – based on the Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau 1993 movie—comes to Savannah Center Oct. 25-27.
Alex Santoriello, 66, is a self-proclaimed grumpy old guy who stars and directs the musical. He understands the difference between a golden bachelor and his character, based on the Jack Lemmon role.
“My character is a widower who hasn’t had sex in 19 years,” Santoriello said with a straight face. “The guy on ‘The Golden Bachelor’ has it all the time.”
So it goes in TV land.
Back in The Villages, meanwhile, a stellar local cast is ready to bring the grumpy music show to life. It features Lon Abrams as grumpy Max Goldman, who argues with and torments Santoriello’s character, John Gustafson.
Mary Jo Vitale plays Ariel Truax, the damsel who catches the eyes of the two rival, grumpies. Also appearing: Dawn DiNome, John Case, Linda Payne, Garry Gibbons, Lisa Jones and Vince Morris.
Santoriello, a Broadway stage veteran, has deep personal ties to the musical. He was living in New York City after the 9/11 attacks and shared an apartment with Jeff Gardner.
Gardner loved the movie and was trying to finance a stage play. “He was the guy who started the ball rolling to get the musical going. But it didn’t pan out for Gardner, Santoriello said.
Two other close friends of Santoriello made major contributions to the musical. “Neil Berg and Nick Meglin wrote the music and lyrics,” Santoriello said. “They are still getting royalties.”
The “Grumpy Old Men” musical had a rough start. It debuted about seven years ago, but never made it to the Broadway stage.
During the past few years, however, the musical has become a staple on local stages. “Grumpy Old Men: The Musical” will open an extended stay on Nov. 17 at the IceHouse theater in Mount Dora.
Thanks to the movies, the audience knows the plot.
“People can identify with these characters,” Santoriello said. “My character is vulnerable, and it’s a real challenge for me to play a vulnerable character.”
That character is also strongly identified with Jack Lemmon.
“I can’t be Jack Lemmon,” Santoriello said. “I’m actually about the same age he was, when Lemmon made this movie. He was a great actor but I believe that 90 percent of a character you play, has to be you. What makes a role unique is you.”
Santoriello has played a variety of demanding roles in The Villages, including recent appearances as Don Quixote in “Man of La Mancha” and Tony in “West Side Story.”
“I died in those roles,” he said.
But Santoriello, who soon turns 67, has his own real-life goal as he reaches the grumpy old man stage.
“Right now,” he said, “I’m trying to stay vertical.”
Tony Violanti covers music and entertainment for Villages-News.com. He was inducted into The Buffalo Music Hall of Fame as a music journalist.