Great Songs from Broadway Musicals

[InBangkok]

This is the trailer

 

 

I have watched it. Great cast but at this hour in the morning I find it difficult to understand what it is all about! I see that the show opened the 2018/19 season, got good reviews and ran for 300 performances. 

[savagegarden]

21 hours ago, doncoin said:

I enjoy fresh interpretations of shows as @InBangkok pointed out, it makes the show relevant for each new generation. I think one of the reasons I haven't seen Phantom in a theatre for nearly 20 years is because I felt I have seen all there is to see and there really is no desire to watch it. 

 

I think the smart producers will update the shows- I think of the last revival of Cats on Broadway like 5 or 6 years ago, there were updates to the cats themselves with more diversity and updated choreography. Even the juggernaut Miss Saigon had the sets revised and the lyrics updated. Even when Glenn Close revisited Sunset Boulevard, the entire show was transformed. Gone was the gigantic set, and replaced by more minimalist staging, but it did not take away her incredible performance. 

 

While having a show nearly identical to the original production is great, since you want to deliver the same experience to audiences everywhere, a revival is an opportunity to reimagine how the show could have been. I like to see the same show after a few years in-between just to see if it is still as enjoyable as the first time I saw it. 

 

Ditto.

 

I've seen amazing revivals with a fresh take on period material. And I'm not just taking about updated sets or lyrics but offering a fresh perspective and focus, even if verges on the radical or avant garde. It doesn't work all the time but when it works - you just see it in a new light. Recent examples were Daniel Fish's Oklahoma or Once in this Island - incidentally both staged at Circle in the Square.

 

But I feel that these transformations are more rampant with plays as you will need to give people a hook for them to return, unlike musicals where the music itself can be the main draw.

Edited October 23, 2020 by savagegarden

[InBangkok]

19 hours ago, savagegarden said:

I've seen amazing revivals with a fresh take on period material. And I'm not just taking about updated sets or lyrics but offering a fresh perspective and focus, even if verges on the radical or avant garde. It doesn't work all the time but when it works - you just see it in a new light. Recent examples were Daniel Fish's Oklahoma or Once in this Island - incidentally both staged at Circle in the Square.

 

But I feel that these transformations are more rampant with plays as you will need to give people a hook for them to return, unlike musicals where the music itself can be the main draw.

 

I started this thread using "Carousel" as an example, a show I love. Nicholas Hyntner's production initially shown in the early 1990s at London's National Theatre was superb. As the overture was playing, a real carousel was assembled as if magically on stage. At that time I had not seen the movie and assumed I was seeing a completely new interpretation. It was certainly a fresh look at the show, but the dialogue and the storyline were still basically outdated. And I do not see how musicals will change in any major way unless there is the possibility of major changes to the book and lyrics. With the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organisation being very protective of their copyrights, it will be 2049 before this can happen.

 

It was roughly similar with the old Gilbert & Sullivan operettas. In essence they were surely amongst the first musicals. But they always had to be produced and performed in virtually the same way. After Gilbert died in 1911 copyright protection was permitted for 50 years. So the first radical departure was in 1962. This had the result that each of the operettas was given a totally new lease on life. One revolutionary production was Jonathan Miller's "Mikado" for the English National Opera around 1982. Miller realised that the show was not about Japan and the Japanese. It's basically about the English class system and when the curtain rose there was not a kimono in sight. Instead the chorus wore traditional English frock coats.

 

So, yes, I totally agree it is a lot more difficult to alter the fundamentals of many musicals than it is plays. Each revival of a play can be a new revelation. I remember seeing a magical production by Franco Zeffirelli of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" updated to the end of the 19th century and with many of the cast riding bicycles. With a cast including some of Britain's finest actors like Maggie Smith, Albert Finney, Michael Gambon and Derek Jacobi, it was a total joy. Likewise, Japan's wonderful Ninagawa Theatre Company produced a Macbeth set in samurai Japan where the advancing Birnham Wood were warriors bering cherry blossom branches. Another stunning production and another perfectly valid interpretation of the basic text.

 

Edited October 24, 2020 by InBangkok

[doncoin]

An interesting thread to this topic I think can also be about the cinematic versions of theatrical productions and vice versa.  
 

Obviously , there has been a history of transferring these stage musicals to screen, however in the past decade or so there has been a reverse to this trend where the show originated in the cinema. 
 

Moulin Rouge, School or Rock, Waitress, Once,  etc. Not to mention pretty much every Disney on Broadway production except for Aïda. All of these were movies before they became Broadway shows. I have to admit that I haven’t seen any of them. Was supposed to see Moulin Rouge but COVID-19 had the show down. 
 

Sometimes I think the film version given the budget and time, can create a more immersive and expansive experience that the stage cannot replicate. However, what the cinema cannot do is to capture the ‘live’ experience. I always think of Sound of Music as an example. What made the movie glorious was the actual backdrop of the Swiss Alps. Climb Every Mountain is literally climb every mountain. The hills are alive... 

 

For the reverse treatment from movie to stage, I think some worked well because they take place in intimate settings like Once, where most of the scenes happen inside a bar or indoors somewhere. 
 

what do you guys think? Now the trend is to do live taping of shows to deliver the stage experience to home. 
 

 

[InBangkok]

11 hours ago, doncoin said:

Now the trend is to do live taping of shows to deliver the stage experience to home. 

Very interesting comments. I have only highlighted the last one because I do agree that the 'live' recording of "CATS" from London's Adelphi Theatre is vastly better than Tim Hooper's disastrous movie. That failed in large measure because Hooper failed to realise that "CATS" is not a narrative show, apart from the focus on Grizabella being reborn. It is a show where there are no stars, no plot to speak of, only amazing singing dancers and costumes and make up that take one's breath away in the theatre.

 

But my comparison is relative. I happen to believe that with few exceptions nothing beats the experience of a live performance in a theatre. I once read an interview with Cameron Mackintosh who said he believed the audience experience does not begin when the overture starts or the curtain goes up. It is when a ticket holder first enters the threatre. That results in a feeling of anticipation and excitement, of leaving the real world outside and entering a dimly lit, packed foyer and auditorium leaving the patron better prepared to suspend disbelief. Mackintosh believed this makes his job as a producer much easier.

 

This can work in major theatrical centres but is much more difficult for short season touring productions as in Asia. I have seen musicals in Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Taipei, Seoul and Tokyo. Only in Bangkok did I feel some of that theatrical experience - perhaps because the Rajadalai theatre was built by the Broadway-mad son of a local billionaire. It is a perfect 1,400 seat theatre for musicals.

 

Film offers a director a much wider canvass of real locations, much larger sets, huge screens, surround sound, a variety of camera angles and close ups. But a cinema version also has drawbacks. Most had the soundtrack recorded in advance and some actors find it difficult to mime really effectively. Yes, they can mouth the words but the movements of other parts of the face, especially the eyes, can make the miming too obvious. Tim Hooper changed this with "Les Miserables" which had live singing to an orchestra in another studio and that did work for me. But it must have cost a fortune and I wonder how many producers can find the cash required for this.

 

To sum up, I will always prefer the 'live' stage performance to a film. I loved the movie of "My Fair Lady" with its wonderful cast and gorgeous Cecil Beaton costumes. When I attended a reduced scale version from London at the Esplanade some years ago, I was afraid I would be disappointed. I loved it. All thoughts of Rex Harrison, Wilfrid Hyde White and the others in that movie cast quickly disappeared.

 

Perhaps there is one more reason. I hate popcorn and particularly the smell of popcorn. It's hard to avoid that when seeing movies these days! 👎

Edited October 25, 2020 by InBangkok

[savagegarden]

This topic of taping live theatre for home viewing is actually quite timely and being debated in theatre circles because of COVID-19. Critics will always say nothing beats the live theatre experience (which I totally agree - nothing beats seeing the spectacle yourself and being in the middle of an appreciative audience). A number of theatre companies in the UK like the Old Vic had tried to do live streaming of plays in an empty theatre. 

 

Of course National Theatre Live has been doing this for ages. And they are definitely doing it right as it's always professionally done. Their catalogue of taped theatre productions is quite extensive and the one's we've seen for free on youtube during the lockdown is just a small part of it.

 

In the US, apparently the logistics and legalities are more complicated and hence we don't see it too often - except for archiving purposes (those static, one-camera set-ups). There's equity issues (for royalties) and other considerations. Hamilton was an exception as Disney had deep pockets. Funny thing is that all these obstacles became even more obvious when Broadway shut down and people were wondering how else can they put up shows in the middle of a pandemic. 

[InBangkok]

Can I go off on what is probably a slight tangent? The works of Kurt Weill are not billed as musicals but I believe some can indeed qualify. Many years ago I saw a stunning performance in Tokyo''s Theatre Cocoon in Shibuya's Bunkamura complex. It was a one woman show featuring music ny Kurt Weill sung by the outstanding German artiste Ute Lemper. Years later I saw her in the London production of "Chicago" but it is that cabaret evening that remains in my memory.

 

'Mack the Knife' would grace any musical. Here is one of Lemper's versions. It is an encore from a performance of songs by another composer. Interestingly it was recorded at one of the world's most stunning concert halls - the Palau de la Musica in Barcelona. If you are ever in Barcelona you absolutely must take a tour around this extraordinary building.

 

 

[doncoin]

@InBangkok I love Ute Lemper. Saw her at Carnegie Hall donkey years ago. She is stunning.

[doncoin]

I was watching something on YouTube and it occurred to me another trend that happened. We have a movie that became a stage musical, which then becomes a musical version of the film. 

 

The Producers is an example. Apparently Tina Fey is doing the musical movie of Mean Girls soon, and there are others that I cannot think of right now. 

[InBangkok]

I loved the original movie of "The Producers". The stage show had fun moments but I did not enjoy it as much. The movie seemed to be more a film of the musical rather than a reimagining. Did not enjoy it nearly as much.

 

I happen to think that one movie/musical/musical movie that could work even though it was not a financial success in the theatres is "Sunset Boulevard".  But its theatre director Trevor Nunn should be allowed nowhere near the film! He just got the stage show so wrong. He's a great director and has done some great work on musicals, but I reckon it was his poor direction as well as John Napier's massive set which overwhelmed what was going on within it that all but doomed "Sunset".

 

Interesting, I think, that John Napier studied at the Central School of Design in London where his main teacher and inspiration was the great designer Ralph Koltai (designer of "Metropolis"). At the same school Koltai was a mentor to the young Maria Bjornson.

 

Maria had an extraordinary career. She came from absolute poverty moving from Romania with her mother to London as a baby. Her talent for sketching and deign was noticed and she managed to enrol at the Central School of Design. After leaving she was engaged by one of the most innovative theatres in Britain, Glasgow's Citizens Theatre set in the midst of one of the biggest slum areas in the country. But the CItz as it was called was enjoying a heyday. Artists who took part in their productions included Pierce Brosnan, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Rupert Everett and Glenda Jackson. Other designers working there included Trisha Bigger who went on to design the costumes for first three "Star Wars" movies.

 

I had the pleasure of meeting Maria. She was almost a withdrawn young lady. She had a cleft palate and a slight stutter which gave her difficulty in speaking at length. But her designs for theatre, opera (all the world's major opera houses) and ballet were outstanding. She struck me as quite lonely despite her success, but in her early 50s she found love and clearly was earning a huge sum in royalties from "Phantom of the Opera". At age 53 she had an epileptic fit when having a bath and drowned. She was intensely superstitious but it was surely just coincidence that her death occurred on Friday 13th. Desperately sad. The theatre lost an amazing talent.

Edited October 28, 2020 by InBangkok

[savagegarden]

I get asked all the time what musical one should catch whenever they are in London or New York - and one of the safest recommendations I always have is Matilda (at least at the West End). It's not as pedestrian as Les Miz or Hamilton but, like its underdog protagonist, delivers the right punches in all the right places for a satisfying theatre experience. But I do have to admit that the accent can take awhile to get over. 

 

Quite a number of notable songs from Tim Munchin - such as "Naughty" that introduces us to the precocious Matilda and the energising "Revolting Children" - almost like a kid's version of Spring Awakening's "The Bitch of Living" that puts a spin between revolting to mean disgusting versus staging a revolt. My own personal favorite is "When I Grow Up", a song that expresses that strongest of childhood longings - no rules but my rules. 

 

"And when I grow up,

I will eat sweets every day,

On the way to work, and I will

Go to bed late every night.

And I will wake up

When the sun comes up, and I

Will watch cartoons until my eyes go square,

And I won't care 'cause I'll be all grown up"

 

I've always been a fan of thoughtful staging and this song is one example of how staging can visually extend the message of a song beyond the simplistic. The song starts with two kids on swings. As the kids become more emphatic in their longing to be adults, the higher they swing. And when song reaches its climax, the kids swing even higher, to way past the proscenium - suggesting that of finally breaking free. A very apt visual metaphor for what is essentially an anthem for freedom.  

 

But it doesn't stop there. The song then segues to a lone grown up - singing the same lyrics but this time reflecting on how being a grown-up isn't all that fun either - and that you still fight the demons underneath your bed and you now have responsibilities. She is also on the swing - but she is motionless - as if paralyzed even when she is already all grown up. And Matilda comes in with her uplifting "Naughty" refrain. 

 

"Just because you find that life's not fair, it

Doesn't mean that you just have to grin and bear it.

If you always take it on the chin and wear it, nothing will change.

Just because I find myself in this story,

It doesn't mean that everything is written for me.

If I think the ending is fixed already,

I might as well be saying I think that it's OK,

And that's not right!"

 

 

Here's a good round up of the songs from Matilda from the The Royal Variety Performance

 

Edited October 29, 2020 by savagegarden

[savagegarden]

Moulin Rouge just released this fresh video of "Come What May," probably to celebrate Aaron Tveit's lone nomination for best actor in a musical for this year's Tony awards (yes they are having one despite the season cut short by Covid). And I am reminded why I didn't like it when I saw it on Broadway. 

 

 

If you found the sequence flat - that probably best describes the rest of the production. It was definitely a sumptuous production, but also definitely flat. Karen and Aaron are powerful singers but there was just no chemistry. Aaron seems be more singing to himself, or if ever, begrudgingly. And without this central overriding love affair that powers the story - everything else felt unbelievable. 

 

Contrast this with the film version with Nicole and Ewan - which by the way is one of my all time favourite films - bringing pop songs into scenes at the drop of a hat -  and way before jukebox musicals became popular. Both are not the strongest of singers but you can definitely feel the love. Now that's how you cast a love story. 

 

 

 

 

 

[InBangkok]

I have spent some time wondering what the future of musicals will be - what trend if any will become apparent? Following the glitz and glamour of the 1920s and 30s the musical world sprang to real life with the opening of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma".  The trend through the rest of the 40s, 50s, 60s and much of the 70s seemed to take this further with occasional backward looking glamour stories and adaptations of plays and films.

 

Lloyd Webber extended the mould by mixing elements of both. It was his some time producer Cameron Mackintosh that re-invented the marketing of musicals with cast albums and singles put on to the market sometimes a year ahead to build public interest. Lloyd Webber himself believes that "Phantom" spelled the end of mega-musicals, although his own "Sunset Boulevard" was an attempt to continue the trend. Since then, he has tried stories based on the world of soccer, a political scandal in 1960s Britain, a sequel to "Phantom" and more than a dozen more. None has had anything like the success of his earlier shows.

 

Disney's shows continue to be popular and this trend will surely continue. If a Disney movie is successful, the company has a musicals division all set to turn it into a musical. Musicals related to any popular older movie should continue to succeed like "Wicked".

 

I am not nearly as well versed in the musicals of the 2000s and so cannot comment knowledgeably on current trends. But i wonder what we will be watching - and perhaps raving about - by 2030. Any ideas?

[wilfgene]

15 hours ago, InBangkok said:

I have spent some time wondering what the future of musicals will be - what trend if any will become apparent? Following the glitz and glamour of the 1920s and 30s the musical world sprang to real life with the opening of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma".  The trend through the rest of the 40s, 50s, 60s and much of the 70s seemed to take this further with occasional backward looking glamour stories and adaptations of plays and films.

 

Lloyd Webber extended the mould by mixing elements of both. It was his some time producer Cameron Mackintosh that re-invented the marketing of musicals with cast albums and singles put on to the market sometimes a year ahead to build public interest. Lloyd Webber himself believes that "Phantom" spelled the end of mega-musicals, although his own "Sunset Boulevard" was an attempt to continue the trend. Since then, he has tried stories based on the world of soccer, a political scandal in 1960s Britain, a sequel to "Phantom" and more than a dozen more. None has had anything like the success of his earlier shows.

 

Disney's shows continue to be popular and this trend will surely continue. If a Disney movie is successful, the company has a musicals division all set to turn it into a musical. Musicals related to any popular older movie should continue to succeed like "Wicked".

 

I am not nearly as well versed in the musicals of the 2000s and so cannot comment knowledgeably on current trends. But i wonder what we will be watching - and perhaps raving about - by 2030. Any ideas?

Going down along with other live stage productions.

[InBangkok]

2 hours ago, wilfgene said:

Going down along with other live stage productions.

That may be true during the pandemic, but nothing could be further than he truth. Theatre has been alive and kicking since at least the Greek and Roman civilizations. If World War II failed to kill off theatre, nothing will.

[doncoin]

I just saw the movie Cats with Tom Hopper. (It's finally on HBO) and TBH, from my perspective, it wasn't as bad as most people said it was. Sure, the digital fur effects can be off-putting initially but after 20 minutes or so, it was no longer as distracting. At times, the movement were too slick and looked digital, but for the most parts when it comes to facial expressions, I think they got most of it down. 

 

I think Jennifer Hudson did a pretty good job with the role of Grizabella. I never saw Cats in the theatre so I have point of reference other than the Youtube videos with Elaine Paige, Betty Buckley, Leona Lewis recently, etc. I think her interpretation of the role was more fragile IMHO compared to the others. 

 

 

[InBangkok]

6 hours ago, doncoin said:

I just saw the movie Cats with Tom Hopper. (It's finally on HBO) and TBH, from my perspective, it wasn't as bad as most people said it was.

Interesting perspective. I haven’t seen the movie and have no real desire to do so. I have read lots of reviews and talked to some who saw both the stage show and the movie.

 
The comment made to me most often was the addition of characters and the attempt to turn the movie more into a story. The new characters really did nothing other than add an “Ohh - there’s XXX moments” and that is the opposite of the original show’s intentions. The story of the original is that there really is no story and no star apart from the cats having fun at The Jellicle Ball and one cat being chosen to return to the Heavyside Layer. 
 

The original is a show based on an amazing set, incredible singer/dancers, the cat costumes and make up, and one song! The director really wasn’t Trevor Nunn; it was the choreographer Gillian Lynne! That said, I’m not sure how you turn that into a movie unless, as discussed earlier in the thread, you plonk the cameras into the theatre and film the ‘live’ show!

[savagegarden]

On 11/1/2020 at 10:31 PM, InBangkok said:

I have spent some time wondering what the future of musicals will be - what trend if any will become apparent?

 

I am not nearly as well versed in the musicals of the 2000s and so cannot comment knowledgeably on current trends. But i wonder what we will be watching - and perhaps raving about - by 2030. Any ideas?

 

Based on my own observations, if there is any theatre trend apparent in the 2000s until now, at least material-wise - it's that there has been an increasing reliance on revived material or material borrowed from other sources (except book sources - always a traditional source). I suspect it's mainly economics driving this as producers are becoming more risk averse.

 

So you get safe movie adaptations (School of Rock, Beetlejuice, Newsies, Billy Elliot, Kinky Boots etc), jukebox musicals (Beautiful, Jersey Boys, On Your Feet, Tina, or Priscilla etc) or from pop culture (Spiderman, SpongeBob). Particularly for Broadway where the demand is driven mainly by tourists - shows with mass appeal will always prevail. But probably less so for the West End where they are a bit more willing to take risks - but this may be because they get government funding.

 

I'm not generalising, of course, as we still see original productions (but oftentimes starting out off-broadway and only graduating to Broadway once there is a market e.g., Hamilton, Fun Home) but I suspect this will continue to be the case as productions become more sophisticated and hence, cost more money to stage. 

 

How musicals will evolve, thematically, in the next few years is a bit more tricky to predict. What we are seeing is that original productions have been more grounded to reality, politically aware, and pop/rock sounding. There will also be more focus on themes like diversity and inclusivity, and less on big spectacle, big cast extravaganzas. Clear examples are Dear Evan Hansen, Come From Away and Hamilton. 

 

But who knows? This is always cyclical and maybe we will see a return of big spectacles years from now - if we get COVOD-19 under control, that is. Otherwise, live theatre will never be the same again. 

 

[savagegarden]

8 hours ago, InBangkok said:

Interesting perspective. I haven’t seen the movie and have no real desire to do so. I have read lots of reviews and talked to some who saw both the stage show and the movie.

 
The comment made to me most often was the addition of characters and the attempt to turn the movie more into a story. The new characters really did nothing other than add an “Ohh - there’s XXX moments” and that is the opposite of the original show’s intentions. The story of the original is that there really is no story and no star apart from the cats having fun at The Jellicle Ball and one cat being chosen to return to the Heavyside Layer. 
 

The original is a show based on an amazing set, incredible singer/dancers, the cat costumes and make up, and one song! The director really wasn’t Trevor Nunn; it was the choreographer Gillian Lynne! That said, I’m not sure how you turn that into a movie unless, as discussed earlier in the thread, you plonk the cameras into the theatre and film the ‘live’ show!

 

Never been a fan except for one song and those men in tights. Hmmm.

[PBoi]

Love Hedwig and the Angry Inch. 

[savagegarden]

Schadenfreude - happiness in the misfortune of others.

 

Very few shows actually taught me a new word and Avenue Q - that small show that did big (big enough to deny Wicked a Tony for Best Musical) taught me a useful new word, and a German word at that. If you like watching epic fails - that's what it's called in German.  

 

Avenue Q ushered in a new age in Broadway with its irreverence, unapologetic political incorrectness and humour that challenged stage conventions then (out with the angst and safe conversations) and paved the way for other such theatre pieces such as Hand of God or Book of Mormon. And did I mention there's puppets on stage? I remember when I first saw the show - I was equally aghast and delighted at the same time. Finally somebody was saying what was in everybody's mind but were afraid to say. 

 

Quite a number of witty/funny ditties in the show, including, Everybody's a little bit racist, If you were gay, and my personal favorite - The internet is really really great... for porn. And that finale song For Now - the puppet version of "No day but today".

 

My other personal favorite is "There's a fine, fine line" - that plaintive song that Karen Monster sings when confronted with Princeton's search for "purpose" in life (very millennial) against her own needs. It's like a less self-absorbed, more practical version of "On my own." Next time somebody comes to you for advice - sing this one and say - it's a waste of time and move on (Thank you, next). 

 

There's a fine, fine line

Between together,

And not.

And there's a fine, fine line

Between what you wanted,

And what you got.

You gotta go after the things you want

While you're still in your prime.

There's a fine, fine line

Between love,

And a waste of time.

 

 

 

[glowingember]

Not sure if A Chorus Line has been mentioned before. I've seen it twice in Singapore.

I enjoyed how the concept was created - the producers/creators did not have the capital needed for a usual musical, they can only rely on the music, the plot and the actors themselves. The musical became an audition process and dived into the essence of the dancers who are auditioning, each has his own story to tell, his own demon to conquer, his aspiration, their common demons...(lol the idea itself brings tears to my eyes)

In the end, out of the 20 odd performers, only 2 boys and 2 girls would be selected. I read that some times, the actors don't even know if they would be the final 4. 

'One' is the most familiar songs from the musical. I love the way the choreography acknowledged the the performers individually and as a group. And in the end, all faded into obscurity...

 

What I did for love - how all the dancers love dancing and performing even if it means facing rejection almost all the time...

 

[glowingember]

The other musical which I absolutely love is Cabaret.

Almost all the songs are hits to me...

The idea of a pre-WWII Germany, where gays are still commonly in the open, Bob Fosse's sophisticated choreography (I noticed one part used by Paula Abdul and Madonna in their choreography), the coolness of the performers...and the exploration of bisexuality.

 

And the iconic Liza Minelli's performance of Mein Herr (used by Madonna). The chairs were nailed to the floor for the other dancers.

 

[InBangkok]

1 hour ago, glowingember said:

Not sure if A Chorus Line has been mentioned before. I've seen it twice in Singapore.

I enjoyed how the concept was created - the producers/creators did not have the capital needed for a usual musical, they can only rely on the music, the plot and the actors themselves.

 

There was a post earlier in the thread but I think the clip posted was from the Richard Attenborough (badly) directed movie. It’s always good to see more of this iconic show.
 

I saw it on Broadway. I am not sure you are correct about the Singapore producers not having enough capital to mount the usual musical. I did not see Singapore production but on Broadway the stage was basically bare with just the revolving mirrors behind them. I suspect Singapore was similar.

Edited November 12, 2020 by InBangkok

[InBangkok]

43 minutes ago, glowingember said:

The other musical which I absolutely love is Cabaret.

Almost all the songs are hits to me...

The idea of a pre-WWII Germany, where gays are still commonly in the open, Bob Fosse's sophisticated choreography (I noticed one part used by Paula Abdul and Madonna in their choreography), the coolness of the performers...and the exploration of bisexuality.

 

And the iconic Liza Minelli's performance of Mein Herr (used by Madonna). The chairs were nailed to the floor for the other dancers.

 

Totally agree about “Cabaret”. Have you read the book by Christopher Isherwood in which it was based “Goodbye to Berlin”? This was included in a larger volume of collected stories “Berlin Diaries”. The playwright John van Druten adapted it into a stage play “I am a Camera”. It was from this that “Cabaret” was fashioned into the musical.

 

About 20 years ago I saw a fascinating revival in New York’s Studio 54 with the androgynous Alan Cumming as the Master of Ceremonies. Since the theatre had been set up as a nightclub with tables I felt very much part of the action.

[glowingember]

3 hours ago, InBangkok said:

I saw it on Broadway. I am not sure you are correct about the Singapore producers not having enough capital to mount the usual musical.

Oh, what I meant was the original A Chorus Line in US. At that time, the producers didn't have enough capital, that's why the stage was bare minimum. The music was by Marvin Hamlisch. 

Chanced upon Hamilton doing a tribute to A Chorus Line...

 

[glowingember]

3 hours ago, InBangkok said:

Totally agree about “Cabaret”. Have you read the book by Christopher Isherwood in which it was based “Goodbye to Berlin”? This was included in a larger volume of collected stories “Berlin Diaries”. The playwright John van Druten adapted it into a stage play “I am a Camera”. It was from this that “Cabaret” was fashioned into the musical.

 

About 20 years ago I saw a fascinating revival in New York’s Studio 54 with the androgynous Alan Cumming as the Master of Ceremonies. Since the theatre had been set up as a nightclub with tables I felt very much part of the action.

I've been fascinated with Alan Cumming...I think he is underrated. I remember him in the first X-Men and as the role of a gay man with AIDS. 

 

I remember seeing the book being mentioned but I've not read it. Took years to be able to see the movie. I think it could have been banned in Singapore when it was first released, or heavily censored.

 

[InBangkok]

43 minutes ago, glowingember said:

Oh, what I meant was the original A Chorus Line in US. At that time, the producers didn't have enough capital, that's why the stage was bare minimum.

I had totally forgotten about the lack of production capital. It had to borrow US$1.6 million to get as far as Broadway. But the investors got really lucky. While most musicals were losing money “A Chorus Line” generated US$277 million just in the USA before it finished on Broadway and the national tour.

[savagegarden]

In any musical, there is always that pivotal "I want/I need" song that the protagonist sings in the first act that serves as as the motivation factor that drives the rest of the story. It's always a fun game to come up as many "I want" songs as you can name. I have my own picks but my favorite has always been "Corner of the Sky" from Pippin. If you watch The Politician with Ben Platt - you may recall he sang this in the second season. 

 

Pippin is the story of prince in search of purpose in life - having tried war, religion and whatever else is there to try (sex included). Corner of the Sky comes immediately after the first song and, as intended, sets the stage for Pippin's adventures. 

 

Rivers belong where they can ramble
Eagles belong where they can fly
I've got to be where my spirit can run free
Got to find my corner of the sky....

 

 

The other notable song in Pippin is that opening number - "Magic to Do" that not only introduces us to the performance troupe that is central to Pippin's adventures, but also to that signature Bob Fosse 'jazz hands' choreography.  It has this very catchy 70s, Carole King vibe that I have always found to be the perfect invitation to a fun time. (Never mind that the Tony clip below has a very pitchy "Corner of the Sky" delivery) 

 

 

[savagegarden]

@InBangkok the sequel to Michael Riedel's Razzle Dazzle is out if you are interested. The book "Singular Sensation" covers the 1990s from Rent to the Producers. 

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/books/story/2020-11-18/review-michael-riedels-singular-sensation-the-triumph-of-broadway

[InBangkok]

1 hour ago, savagegarden said:

@InBangkok the sequel to Michael Riedel's Razzle Dazzle is out if you are interested. The book "Singular Sensation" covers the 1990s from Rent to the Producers. 

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/books/story/2020-11-18/review-michael-riedels-singular-sensation-the-triumph-of-broadway

Many thanks for this,

[savagegarden]

On 11/5/2020 at 2:16 PM, savagegarden said:

Schadenfreude - happiness in the misfortune of others.

 

Very few shows actually taught me a new word and Avenue Q - that small show that did big (big enough to deny Wicked a Tony for Best Musical) taught me a useful new word, and a German word at that. If you like watching epic fails - that's what it's called in German.  

 

Avenue Q ushered in a new age in Broadway with its irreverence, unapologetic political incorrectness and humour that challenged stage conventions then (out with the angst and safe conversations) and paved the way for other such theatre pieces such as Hand of God or Book of Mormon. And did I mention there's puppets on stage? I remember when I first saw the show - I was equally aghast and delighted at the same time. Finally somebody was saying what was in everybody's mind but were afraid to say. 

 

Quite a number of witty/funny ditties in the show, including, Everybody's a little bit racist, If you were gay, and my personal favorite - The internet is really really great... for porn. And that finale song For Now - the puppet version of "No day but today".

 

My other personal favorite is "There's a fine, fine line" - that plaintive song that Karen Monster sings when confronted with Princeton's search for "purpose" in life (very millennial) against her own needs. It's like a less self-absorbed, more practical version of "On my own." Next time somebody comes to you for advice - sing this one and say - it's a waste of time and move on (Thank you, next). 

 

There's a fine, fine line

Between together,

And not.

And there's a fine, fine line

Between what you wanted,

And what you got.

You gotta go after the things you want

While you're still in your prime.

There's a fine, fine line

Between love,

And a waste of time.

 

 

 

An updated version of 'For Now' for the Covid era. Remember Covid is only for now.. as well as sex and your hair. 😄

 

 

[InBangkok]

1 hour ago, savagegarden said:

Remember Covid is only for now.. as well as sex and your hair. 😄

Well, so far, I have little problem with either!! LOL

 

But you are right. The theatre and musicals will survive the pandemic just as they survived the Great Depression, World War 2 and then, of course, the AIDS pandemic which devastated the industry. I just feel that it will take more than a vaccine to get audiences back in any numbers. As one poster mentioned earlier, Broadway depends on tourists, both national and local. With the travel trade predicting another 2 or 3 years before numbers will return to the levels of last year, New York theatre is surely likely to follow the same time frame. For all those who have made their livings out of successful musicals, this must be a frightening thought - that so many individuals talented in the arts and crafts that create the performances are likely to remain out of work for so long.

 

i have nothing to back this up but I have a feeling that London theatre will get up and running more quickly, despite the dreadful toll in the UK of covid19. Perhaps that could be something to do with government subsidy which has always played a major part in straight theatre (plays as opposed to non-gay, that is!) Cameron Macintosh made his first real profits after the UK Arts Councils gave him cash to mount a regional tour of “My Fair Lady”. It was later to be remounted in London where it was a huge success. Whether the Arts Council got a share of those London profits, I have no idea.

 

Then Macintosh had the brilliant idea of presenting “Les Miserables” as a joint venture with the heavily subsidized Royal Shakespeare Company which helped both with marketing and underwriting the costs. Several productions which originated at one of the National Theatre stages also found their way on to the West End and then Broadway.

 

I guess producers and investors will hold the key for Broadway, as they have almost always done.

[savagegarden]

Rent came out in 1996 but it took me 10 years before I discovered this gem - and it was purely by accident.

 

I remember I signed up for the ticket lottery for Wicked but didn't get it - so I was wandering around Broadway to find another show watch. It was almost curtains up for most shows so I decided to buy a ticket at the first theatre I stumbled upon. It was the Netherlander Theatre and the show was Rent.  

 

I remember how raw it sounded; how confusing the set design was. But mostly I remember the youthful bluster and optimism, with the world-weary angst of somebody forced to grow up (and die) quickly, and that recurring motif - "There's only us, there's only this/Forget regret, or life is yours to miss/No other road, no other way, no day but today". (It occurred to me now who millennial it sounds.) The show is made even more tragic by the background story of its writer who died before the show opened on Broadway. 

 

Quite a number of memorable songs, including the most mainstream "Seasons of Love" that opened the second act. It used to be a favorite until it grew old on me. But the one song that continues to be a favorite is "I'll Cover You" where Collins and Angel sing of love in the most joyous, practical way.  

 

"Live in my house,
I'll be your shelter,
Just pay me back
With one thousand kisses
Be my lover
and I'll cover you

 

 

Open your door,

I'll be your tenant

Don't got much baggage to lay at your feet

But sweet kisses I've got to spare

I'll be there and I'll cover you"

 

 

The song get more poignant when Collins sings a ballad version of this at Angel's funeral (spoiler alert). If you don't weep on this - you're stone. 

 

 

[savagegarden]

29 minutes ago, InBangkok said:

Well, so far, I have little problem with either!! LOL

 

But you are right. The theatre and musicals will survive the pandemic just as they survived the Great Depression, World War 2 and then, of course, the AIDS pandemic which devastated the industry. I just feel that it will take more than a vaccine to get audiences back in any numbers. As one poster mentioned earlier, Broadway depends on tourists, both national and local. With the travel trade predicting another 2 or 3 years before numbers will return to the levels of last year, New York theatre is surely likely to follow the same time frame. For all those who have made their livings out of successful musicals, this must be a frightening thought - that so many individuals talented in the arts and crafts that create the performances are likely to remain out of work for so long.

 

i have nothing to back this up but I have a feeling that London theatre will get up and running more quickly, despite the dreadful toll in the UK of covid19. Perhaps that could be something to do with government subsidy which has always played a major part in straight theatre (plays as opposed to non-gay, that is!) Cameron Macintosh made his first real profits after the UK Arts Councils gave him cash to mount a regional tour of “My Fair Lady”. It was later to be remounted in London where it was a huge success. Whether the Arts Council got a share of those London profits, I have no idea.

 

Then Macintosh had the brilliant idea of presenting “Les Miserables” as a joint venture with the heavily subsidized Royal Shakespeare Company which helped both with marketing and underwriting the costs. Several productions which originated at one of the National Theatre stages also found their way on to the West End and then Broadway.

 

I guess producers and investors will hold the key for Broadway, as they have almost always done.

Good for you . I have one but started to lose the other (won't say what hehe).

 

I have the same sense with you. The UK is better equipped (at least London and the main houses) to weather this. The government does give art grants pre-covid but from the sounds of it - funding has dried up because of covid as it's been categorised as non-essential.  

 

Broadway - it's dispiriting how the big players have largely adopted a wait and see attitude, and left it off-broadway or regional theatre to come up with new ideas. The inertia and red tape is just astounding. 

[InBangkok]

18 minutes ago, savagegarden said:

Good for you . I have one but started to lose the other (won't say what hehe).

 

I have the same sense with you. The UK is better equipped (at least London and the main houses) to weather this. The government does give art grants pre-covid but from the sounds of it - funding has dried up because of covid as it's been categorised as non-essential.  

 

Broadway - it's dispiriting how the big players have largely adopted a wait and see attitude, and left it off-broadway or regional theatre to come up with new ideas. The inertia and red tape is just astounding. 

And I won’t ask 😜

 

In the UK quite a lot of cash has been made available during the pandemic. In England £500 million has been made available in extra grants and a further £270 million in long term loans. The Scottish government has also been quite generous. The cash is for both companies and individuals.

[savagegarden]

10 hours ago, InBangkok said:

And I won’t ask 😜

 

In the UK quite a lot of cash has been made available during the pandemic. In England £500 million has been made available in extra grants and a further £270 million in long term loans. The Scottish government has also been quite generous. The cash is for both companies and individuals.

 

That's certainly good to hear. At least the UK is doing something about this - and I hope it will help tide the industry over. 

[Chronicle]

As a Disney buff, I loved all the Broadway adaptations (not Frozen though, that was a hot mess).

 

One of my favourites was Aladdin, which I got to see when it came to Singapore. But what I enjoy more are the songs and so I found this channel where they host something called the Broadway Princess Party where Broadway singers perform renditions of Disney songs. 

 

[InBangkok]

The disastrous Spiderman musical was mentioned earlier in the thread. For those who know little about the reasons for the show’s failure there is an interesting article with some of the reasons on today’s BBC website -

 

https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20201125-how-a-spider-man-musical-became-a-theatrical-disaster

[savagegarden]

A bunch of West End musicians came together to put together this overture of overtures. Can you name all 18 shows? I can only manage 11.

 

 

[InBangkok]

5 hours ago, savagegarden said:

A bunch of West End musicians came together to put together this overture of overtures. Can you name all 18 shows? I can only manage 11.

 

 

Fabulous video! Someone deserves massive credit for putting this together. I hope the musicians were able to make some money out of it. 
 

On first hearing, I could only get 8 but there were a couple more I recognized but couldn’t place. I need to hear it again and again! 

[savagegarden]

The 'The Shows Must Go On' website had been offeringfree streaming of several important musicals. Late last month is was the recent staging of 'An American in Paris.' 

 

This weekend it will be streaming the Imelda Staunton-led cast of Gypsy as staged in the Savoy. It's only available for the weekend so catch it if you can. 

 

 

[InBangkok]

Many thanks for the heads up. I saw that production at the Savoy in July 2015. Imelda Staunton was absolutely marvellous, but I found I did not enjoy the show itself. I am certain that was my fault, though. I had been travelling in 11 cities over 4 weeks by that time and I was just so dead tired! I'm sure I will enjoy seeing it this time around.

[savagegarden]

1 hour ago, InBangkok said:

Many thanks for the heads up. I saw that production at the Savoy in July 2015. Imelda Staunton was absolutely marvellous, but I found I did not enjoy the show itself. I am certain that was my fault, though. I had been travelling in 11 cities over 4 weeks by that time and I was just so dead tired! I'm sure I will enjoy seeing it this time around.

I saw this twice there - not because I fully enjoyed it - but I had to bring a friend to see it. 

[savagegarden]

Over the weekend, a number of acts put together a show in support of Broadway Care/Equity Fights Aids.

 

 

[InBangkok]

What a lovely, moving video. Many thanks for posting. It's really important we remember all those whose livelihoods have been affected by the pandemic. Not just the actors and musicians, but the technicians, the scenery, props and costume makers, the directors and designers, the theatre owners, the box office staff, the ushers, the security and emergency staff, the programme editors and printers - so many people who are listed in the programmes when we attend a musical but whose jobs we know little about and tend to forget as we thrill to what we are seeing on stage.

 

Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS has raised many millions of $$ to help those affected by the AIDS pandemic. It has now launched a covid pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund. This had a goal of $1 million but has already raised a staggering $7,785,425 from 28,749 supporters. More info here - https://broadwaycares.org

[savagegarden]

This week it's the Cyndi Lauper/Harvey Fierstein penned "Kinky Boots."

 

It robbed Matilda of the 2013 Tony for best musical - some say more for being a home grown production versus the British import Matilda. I personally thought Matilda should have won. But the Tony's have always been more political than purely based on artistic merit. 

 

The entire show is only on this weekend so catch it while you can. 

 

 

[sgmaven]

 

Found this concert done in Sweden. Enjoy!

[doncoin]

Not entirely related, my lovely neighbour of 12 years who is retired and in her late 70s used to run a costume shop doing costumes for many of the Broadway shows back in the 80s-2000s before she sold her business and retired. Now she just work for fun with TV studios. Anyway, we were catching up recently, and she showed me photos of the work she had done in the past. I mean I was blown away. Pretty much every major show that ever appeared on Broadway and the tour productions, she did worked on them. She is funny and shared the backstage anecdotes etc. the design process, and how pretty much every character has 2 sets of costumes, and then every time there is a cast change, there might need a new one made, and the notes she kept on each costume etc. It was so fascinating. 

 

My

[InBangkok]

22 hours ago, sgmaven said:

 

Found this concert done in Sweden. Enjoy!

Thank you sooo much for posting this. I have for many years felt that Chess was one of the greatest of all musicals with some fabulous music. I am delighted the amazing Judy Kuhn is in the cast (much better in the role than Elaine Paige - but then Paige was Tim Rice’s girlfriend at the time!)) along with two of the original cast members, Tommy Korberg and Murray Head. The Chess Theme sounds quite wonderful played by the full orchestra.

 

I was at the original production in London, the one devised by Michael Bennett but then taken over by Trevor Nunn when Bennett fell sick with AIDS. Nunn clearly hated the high tech nature of Bennett’s concept. The end result was a mish mash production that never really worked. 

So much of this 1989 concert is just so good. Korberg’s rendition of the Anthem, Murray Head’s Pity the Child,  the beautiful choral opening of the Endgame leading to the ensemble in which Tim Rice incorporates the names of the Chess Grandmasters in the accompanying chorus - so many gorgeous things. I will keep listening to this for years. For me it works far better than the original cast album.