Billy Elliot: The Musical

Ah, Billy Elliot. This was the first show I saw on Broadway. I was so inspired and have been ever since. Billy Elliot started its run at the Imperial Theatre in 2008. I saw the show in 2011.

 Billy Elliot focuses on two crises that come head to head in a working-class community in  Country Durham in northeast England. One involves the 1984-1985 coal miners' strike that threatened the well-being of many families whose members struggled to survive while not being able to work. The other centers around 11 year-old Billy Elliot, the son and brother of the  two striking miners, who blows off boxing lessons for ballet classes. At first, his father was quite embarrassed by this, but then he realizes that his son has a real talent. He then sacrifices his own status among his co-workers by helping Billy realize his dream to attend a prestigious Royal Ballet School in London. (http://www.theskykid.com/billy-elliot-musical)


The show became an immediate hit soon after hitting broadway. The musical was in the capable hands of Stephen Daldry who directed it beautifully.


With music by Elton John, lyrics and book by Lee Hall, and Peter Darling as their choreographer, the shows ticket sales were through the roof.

The original cast included David Alverez, Trent Kowalik, Santonio Fontana, Frank Dolce, and many other broadway veterans.

Although the production is mainly dance oriented, it has some pretty incredible songs, too. My personal favorite song is "Electricity." It is so captivating and brought chills to me from the start. I was in total and utter awe. The choreography was… WOW!! Here is a clip…

Until next week, when in doubt, tap out!

Robin Hood

The most celebrated American operetta of the 19th century, Robin Hood was produced by a touring company that presented Chicago, The Bostonians, music by Reginald DeKoven, Lyrics and book by Harry B. Smith, and under the stage direction of Harry Dixton. Robin Hood was known as "The King of the Thieves."

The musical version of the story remains faithful to the familiar legend about Robin and his band of outlaws who dwell in Sherwood Forest and take from the rich to give to the poor. (https://archive.org)

The cast includes some famous thespians such as Tom Karl, Eugene Cowles, Caroline Hamilton, Jessie Bartlett Davis, W.H. MacDonald, Henry Clay Barnabee, and George Frothingham. (http://www.broadwayworld.com/shows/Robin-Hood-)

Robin Hood ran inside the beautiful Standard Theatre located in New York, New York. Its run began on the 28th of September in 1891.






Robin Hood has a brilliant collection of songs. The most popular include: "Song of Brown October Ale"; "Oh, Promise Me!"; "Tinkers' Chorus"; "Ah, I Do Love Thee".

For more information on Robin Hood history or synopsis, check out these links:

http://www.ovrtur.com

http://books.robinhood.com

http://robin.hood.scripts/reads.com

See you next week, thespians!!

Footloose!

"Let's hear it for the boy, let's give the boy a hand!" Footloose is one of my favorites. The show is full of catchy songs that will have you tappin' your foot.

Footloose, the musical version, is based on the screenplay for the 1984 film. Footloose is the story of a boy named Ren and his mother who move to a small Midwestern town when his parents divorce. Here, dancing is prohibited by the Reverend within the city limits because years earlier four teenagers, on of which was the Reverend's son, were killed in a car crash coming home from a dance. The Reverend's other child, Ariel, becomes enchanted with Ren. Ren challenges the Reverend and the City Council on the law. After a ton of soul searching, the Reverend has a change of heart and sees that dancing is not a crime.

Despite generally poor reviews, it ran for a year and a half on Broadway at the Richards Rodgers Theatre in 1998. There was recently a revival movie in 2011 staring Julianne Hough that was wildly popular. The movie did much better than the live performances.

The cast involved many amazing performers including Jeremy Kushneir, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Cathrine Cox, and many others.

The creative design and directing company included Walter Bobbie, A.C. Ciulla, Dodger

Endmol, Theatricals, Tim Snow, Dean Pitchford, and Kenny Loggins.

Footloose is a classic story that has found a way into our hearts. "Dancing Is Not A Crime," and neither is "Cutting loose, Footloose…"

Terrible puns everywhere. Sorry, I'm "Learning to be Silent." Haha, "I Must Confess" that last one was on purpose…

To read more about the classic production or to buy a copy of the recent revival film, visit:

http://www.libraryvideocompany.com/Footloose

http://www.imdb.com

http://www.tennessean.com

http://www.footloosemovie.com

Until next week, theatre nerds!

The Music Man

Seventy-six trombones in the big parade! You don't have to be a musical theatre nerd to know this one! This is  from the inspiring musical, The Music Man.

The story of the Music Man begins on the 4th of July, 1912, in River City, Iowa. Harold Hill, a conman, sells music lessons to the town and promises a grand marching band. He is a charmer and a salesman. During the show, Hill and the town's librarian Marian Paroo fall in love.

The show had a nice run beginning in 1957 in the Majestic Theatre. With music, book & lyrics by Meredith Wilson, Kermit Bloomgarden producing, Morton Da Costa directing, and Onna White as the show's choreographer, the musical ran to be

the third longest of all of the decade's musicals.

After the role of Harold Hill was rejected by several actors, it was finally accepted by Robert Preston. Preston gave a memorably dynamic performance in his first appearance on the musical stage. He also repeated the part in the film version of the show.

The Music Man has so many memorable songs that never seem to escape your soul. From beautiful ballads such as "Goodnight, My Someone," to spunky upbeat songs like, "Trouble," no one leaves the theatre in a bad mood after hearing these tunes. A personal favorite of mine is "Seventy-Six Trombones" and it always makes me smile. Check out this video from the film version of the show:

For more information about the show or National
Touring Cast, go to http://www.ticketmaster.com/



Stay out of trouble, theatre geeks.
                                                                         

Wicked

The first time I saw Wicked, I was in love. Now, 4 years later I still am. Wicked is one of those musicals that will always stick with you. No matter where you go, or what you do, it will always be in your heart.  

With music and lyrics by the glorious Stephen Schwartz, you already know it's a great show. Wicked is well known for it's famous songs such as Defying Gravity, Popular, The Wizard and I, etc. 

                         

Wicked is loosely based on MaGuire's interpretation on the story of the Wizard of Oz. MaGuire thought that it would be more interesting if the audience could see the story from the perspectives of the witches. Obviously, it is.

Summarization: 

The Shiz University, presided over by headmistress Madame Morrible, is where student witches Eplhaba, "Wicked Witch of the West," and Glinda, "the Good Witch," become the most unlikely pair of best friends. Within the show, the origins on Dorothy, Toto, the Tin Man, Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion, Yellow Brick Road, munchkins, and the Wizard are all explained. The production captivates audiences with major plot twists that you would have never expected. 

The show began its successful run in 2003 at Gershwin Theatre and is currently on Broadway today. Wicked is one of the most popular shows of all time and I believe that it deserves to be. The production has Joe Mantello as their director (http://www.broadway.com/buzz/stars/joe-mantello/profile/) and Wayne Cilento (http://www.masterworksbroadway.com) as their choreographer, so I would expect nothing less than perfection. 

For more information about the cast or to purchase tickets, visit http://www.wickedthemusical.com/broadway-tickets

Have a wicked weekend, theatre nerds!

Broadway's Cinderella Casts Keke Palmer and Sherri Shepherd to Inspire Audiences

Keke Palmer and Sherri Shepherd invited to join Cinderella's Broadway  Ball!

Broadway's Cinderella has been all of the rage recently. Previously, Carly Rae Jepsen (Call Me Maybe Artist) starred as Cinderella in the hit musical. The Broadway smash has been wildly popular and has ticket sales soaring at an all time high. 

"This is UNBELIEVABLE." Keke tells interviewers about the recent casting. You may remember Keke Palmer from her unforgettable roles such as Akeelah (Akeelah and the Bee), Izzy Daniels (Jump In!), True Jackson (True Jackson VIP), etc. Everyone is talking about Keke's placement as Cinderella. "For me, coming from film and TV, and also being the first African American to play it on Broadway… It never occurred to me, and I have to find myself taking a moment in and i want to do my very best." Palmer says. Well said, Keke!

Sherri Shepherd is also excited to play the role of Madame. "Eight shows a week? Uh-uh!! How am I supposed to do that?" Shepherd jokes to interviewers. "Sherri will be a delightful addition to the cast. She keeps us on our toes and laughing." says the show's writer. (http://www.broadway.com) Shepherd is most well known for her TV show, The View. Audiences are pumped to see Shepherd perform. Interviewers from www.BroadwayInterviews.com, asked Sherri Shepherd what she thinks about having Keke being the first black Cinderella. Shepherd responded, "You have little brown boys and girls who will look up and see her and realize that the impossible is possible! I think that little chocolate boys and girls are just going to LOVE her! My son already has a little crush on Keke!"

 

(Ballroom Scene)

                  

(

To purchase tickets or read more about the magical production, view the following pages:

http://cinderellaonbroadway.com/tickets, http://www.broadway.com/shows/cinderella/, https://www.telecharge.com/Broadway/Cinderella/Overview

Have a magical weekend, theatre nerds!

RIP Joan Rivers

      What an eventful week in the world of theatre! The most tragic, by far, was the fact that  the amazing Tony nominee, Joan Rivers, passed away Thursday of this week. At 81 years old, Rivers was an iconic comedian and supporter of the arts. 

         Rivers was not only a comedian, but a fashion icon, actress, writer, producer, and mother. She touched the lives of many and her unexpected death left many in tears. Twitter was blowing up within minutes of her death. (https://twitter.com/#ripjoanrivers) #RIPJoanRivers currently has over 100,000 tweets. 

        Melissa Rivers, Joan's daughter, made the courageous decision to let her mother rest in peace. Melissa took her Joan off of life support and spent every last minute with her mom. She reports to TMZ, "She passed peacefully at 1:17 PM surrounded by family and close friends. My son and I would like to thank the doctors, nurses and staff of Mount Sinai hospital for the amazing care they have provided for my mother." For more information, visit http://www.tmz.com. Melissa explains how proud she is of her mother. "She has a big heart." Melissa says.  

         During her lifetime, Joan Rivers did many things worth remembering. Since this is a musical theatre blog, we must not brush over the fact that she was Tony nominee! Her nomination was for best actress in a play. Unfortunately, Rivers did not win the award, but what an amazing honor it is to be nominated. She has been a cheerleader for the arts since she first began her career 50 years ago. Joan was well rounded in all subjects of the arts. Including theatre, writing, and television, Joan lived a remarkable life and she will be in our thoughts forever. 

                            RIP Joan Rivers. May you still critique our wardrobes from heaven. 

              

                                  

                           Visit Joan's memorial page: www.joanriversmemorial/ripjrivers.com

                                                                See you next week.