Godspell

Godspell is a contemporary musical with a rock-flavored score. Godspell is basically parables from the Gospel in song and dance. 

Music and lyrics were written by Stephen Schwartz and the book was directed and written by John-Michael Tebelak. Godspell opened on May 5, 1971 in New York. 

The show starts off when 12 free-spirited souls spot a man. This man turns out to be Jesus Christ and ends up teaching the wide-eyed kids about God and The Kingdom of Heaven. He does so through movement, poppy music, and comedic skits. The original twelve end up as Jesus' first twelve disciples. They follow Him through everything and learn a lesson through each step of the journey. Along the way, Judas, one of the disciples, is bribed and turns Jesus in. The story line provides a clear and fun way of understanding The Holy Word of Christ. 

The musical features several songs adored by many. These songs include:

All Good Gifts

Bless The Lord

We Beseech Thee

Prepare Ye

Turn Back, O Man

Day By Day

For more information on Godspell, check out:

https://www.mtishows.com

http://www.broadwaymusicalhome.com

Have a great weekend! 

The Cocoanuts

With music and lyrics by Irvin Berlin and book by George Kaufman, The Cocoanuts was the second of the tree musicals that the Marx Brothers starred in on Broadway. The Marx Brothers also starred in I'll Say She Is and Animal Crackers. The Cocoanuts left a lot of room for the comedic brothers to play with improvisational work throughout the run of the two act show.

Besides the Marx Brothers, the show also featured Margret Dumont, John Barker, and George Hale. The show opened in the Lyric Theatre when it opened in late 1925. The Cocoanuts is full of comedic songs that you will surely remember after you hear. For example, how could you forget a song called "Monkey Doodle Doo"? The five main songs featured in the show are lively, upbeat, and very 20s. 


The story is set in Florida where a man runs a hotel and is a shady real estate developer who is trying to cash in on the Florida land boom. Complications rise when guests to the hotel start pointing fingers. The production is a light comedy and was given fairly good reviews within its time on Broadway. 

For more information, visit:

https://www.osfashland.org/productions

Have a great week, theatre nerds! 

Cats The Musical

1. The musical tells the story of a tribe of cats called the Jellicles and the night they make what is known as "the Jellicle choice" and decide which cat will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new life.

   
   

   
   

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   1. Since Cats first opened on the West End stage in 1981, it has become one of the world’s best known and best loved musicals and has  over $1 billion. With a plot based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats and award-winning music composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Cats, originally directed by Trevor Nunn, has since been presented in over 20 countries.

In 1983, "Cats" won seven Tony Awards, including the award for the best musical. This musical is the longest running show in the whole history of musical theatre. The Original London Cast Recording of CATS won the 1982 Grammy Award for Best Cast Album . The next year the Original Broadway Cast Recording  won the same award.

Personally, my favorite things about the show would have to be the costumes and makeup. The actors are covered from head to toe. The makeup design is incredible and a bit different on every actor. They are so unique and intricate. It makes the show come to life. 


              Songs from the musical include:             

                             Jellicle Songs
                                Memory
                            Rum Tung Tugger
                       The Naming Of Cats
                  Grizabella, The Glamour Cat
                           Bustopher Jones

For more information about Cats The Musical:

             http://www.catsthemusical.com
       
       http://www.broadwaymusicalhome.com

                    http://www.rnh.com

Until next week…

The Fantasticks

Musically directed by Harvey Schmidt, produced by Marc Routh, staged by Janet Watson, and directed by Tom Jones, The Fantasticks is a show like no other. 

The Fantasticks is a funny and romantic musical about a boy, a girl, and their two fathers who try to keep them apart. The narrator, El Gallo, asks the audience to use their imagination and follow him into a world of moonlight and magic. The boy and the girl fall in love, grow apart, and finally find their way back to each other after realizing the truth in El Gallo's words that "without a hurt, the heart is hollow." See more at: http://www.mtishows.com

The show is based on Les Romanesques by Edmond Restand.

Songs from the musical include:

Try To Remember
Never Say No
Soon It's Gonna Rain
Much More
Round And Round





The show originally opened on Broadway in 1960 and was recently revived in 2006 at the Snapple Theatre Center. 

Have a great week, theatre peeps!

I Do! I Do!

"I Love My Wife!" is something you see a lot on mugs or tee shirts, but did you know that the saying gained its popularity from the musical, "I Do! I Do!" in 1966?

Directed by Gower Champion, produced by David Merrick, and musically directed by Harvey Schmidt, the musical was the first Broadway musical to have a cast of only two people. Mary Martin and Robert Preston starred in the production and critics say that it was a brilliant casting decision.

The show begins with Michael and Agnes on their wedding day. Their vows behind them, they look forward to spending the rest of their lives together. We watch as they go through their wedding night jitters, raise a family, and negotiate mid-life crises. Michael eventually admits to his infidelity, and although Agnes is angered by his actions, she forgives him and the couple reconciles. They re-discover how much they really need each other. Then, after 50 years of marriage, the couple leaves their house to the next pair of newlyweds. (See more at: http://www.mtishows.com)

Songs from the show include: "I Love My Wife"; "My Cup Runneth Over" ; "Love Isn't Everything"; "Nobody's Perfect"; "The Honeymoon Is Over"; "Where Are the Snows?"; "When the Kids Get Married"; "Someone Needs

  Me"; "Roll Up the Ribbons"






 ( To the left are headshots of Mary Martin and Robert Preston)

Unfortunately, it is difficult to find a live performance of the production. However, there is a video that has been linked on this post that is a recording of some of the music. Take a listen.




Until next week, theatre nerds!

-Olivia

Sweet Charity

Charity Valentine is the eternal optimist. 

While working at a dance club, she is often taken advantage of and continually experiences bad relationships. Finally, she seems to have met a decent fellow in Oscar. Trying to hide her true profession, she lies to him and tells her that she works in a bank. Soon, Oscar asks Charity to marry him. Unfortunately, Oscar discovers Charity's real profession and backs out of the marriage. Nevertheless, Charity continues to remain hopeful that good things will happen in her life.


The original production of Sweet Charity opened in The Palace Theatre in 1966. The first revival of Sweet Charity opened at the Minskoff Theatre in 1986. The latest revival opened in 2005 at Al Hirschfield Theatre. The show had a great team working on it. The creative team included the works of: Bob Fosse, Jerome Minskoff, James Nearlander, Arther Rubin, Joseph Harris, Neil Simon, Dorothy Fields, and Cy Coleman. 

The songs were racy and jazzy as you may imagine after reading the synopsis. "Big Spender,""Too Many Tomorrows,""Sweet Charity," "Where Am I Going?" are just a few of the many songs of this two-act wonder.

Big Spender

The show received many nominations and awards:

• Best Actress in a Musical - Gwen Verdon
• Best Featured Actor in a Musical - John McMartin
• Best Featured Actress in a Musical - Helen Gallagher 
• Best Scenic Design
• Best Direction of a Musical
• 1986 Tony Award Nominations
• Best Featured Actor in a Musical - Michael Rupert
• Best Featured Actress in a Musical - Bebe Neuwirth 
• Best Costume Design
• Best Reproduction (Play or Musical)
• Best Actress in a Musical - Debbie Allen
• 1986 Drama Desk Award Nominations
• Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical - Michael Rupert
• Outstanding Actress in a Musical - Debbie Allen
• Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical - Bebe Neuwirth
• Outstanding Director of a Musical
• Outstanding Orchestration
• 2005 Tony Award Nominations
• Best Revival of a Musical
• Best Actress in a Musical - Christina Applegate 
• Best Choreography
• 2005 Drama Desk Award Nominations
• Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical - Denis O'Hare
• Outstanding Revival of a Musical
• Outstanding Actress in a Musical - Christina Applegate
• Outstanding Set Design of a Musical

For more information, visit:

http://www.broadwaymusicalhome.com

http://www.musicalheaven.com/s/sweet-charity/

Until next week, theatre geeks!

One Upon A Mattress

Once Upon A Mattress was first created in as a one-act musical by Mary Rodgers and Marshall Barer at a summer camp. With the help of a few others, they expanded the show.

Mary Rodgers & associates at the piano

Carol Burnett made her mark on the show as Princess Winnifred. She brought much publicity to the show. Ken Berry played Prince Dauntless, Jack Gilford as King Sextimus, and Jane White as Queen Aggravain.

Carol Burnett on the Mattress set

"Due to an unhappy curse, King Sextimus is unable to speak. Meanwhile, his terror of a wife, Queen Aggravian, has taken over control of the kingdom. Most importantly, in an attempt to keep Prince Dauntless single, she has decreed that only the princess that can pass her test may marry her son. Further, no one else in the kingdom may marry until Prince Dauntless does. Lady Larken and Sir Harry are extremely disturbed by this fact since Lady Larken is now pregnant with Sir Harry's baby. Luckily, Sir Harry is able to find an amazing princess, Winnifred the Woebegone. She instantly catches the attention of Prince Dauntless, and in the end, is able to pass the Queen's supposedly impassable sensitivity test. When the Queen still tries to prevent the Prince Dauntless from marrying, he tells her to 'shut up' which ends up breaking the curse on the king. Now able to speak, King Sextimus regains his rightful position as leader of the kingdom, and all is well." (http://www.stageagent.com/shows)

The show began its run in May of 1959 at Phoenix Theatre in New York. The show only ran for about a year and ended its run in July of 1960.

Mattress continues to put a smile on our faces even today. "Shy," "Many Moons Ago," "Girl Named Fred," "Sensitivity," and "Happily Ever After" are songs many of us still hear at auditions and showcases. 

For more information on the show, characters, actors, songs or creators, visit:

http://www.tcm.com/Once-Upon-a-Mattress/

http://www.broadwaymusicalhome.com

http://www.bluegobo.com/production

"I've always been SHY!"