Musicals

[Alice Kane]

Tonight was opening night of Rent at the Dr. Phillips Center here in Orlando. It was my first time seeing the show and didn’t really know a lot about it going in. It’s definitely a show that’s thought provoking, emotional while also being a lot of fun. I thought it blended humor and serious moments very well. The cast did a great job, especially nailing those more emotional moments. The set design and visuals were stunning, really brought you into the story. I can definitely see why it still resonates with audiences 20 years later.

 

From the offical website:

In 1996, an original rock musical by a little-known composer opened on Broadway… and forever changed the landscape of American theatre. Two decades later, Jonathan Larson’s RENT continues to speak loudly and defiantly to audiences across generations and all over the world. And now, this Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award®-winning masterpiece returns to the stage in a vibrant 20th anniversary touring production. A re-imagining of Puccini’s La Bohème, RENT follows an unforgettable year in the lives of seven artists struggling to follow their dreams without selling out. With its inspiring message of joy and hope in the face of fear, this timeless celebration of friendship and creativity reminds us to measure our lives with the only thing that truly matters—love.

Measure

 

Rent runs now through June 10th at the Dr. Phillips Center.

 

 

Thanks, Dallas, for sharing your review of RENT and for the terrific photos.  Rent was quite a hit off-Broadway and then 'on' for many years, and it was definitely the "hot" ticket to get a hold of!  (The Dr. Phillips Center looks like a great piece of architecture.  I love the way it lights up at night.)  Glad you enjoyed Rent - and I can't believe it's on its 20th Anniversary Tour!  

 

Alice

[Nrthwnd]

Just a reminder for this evening....

 

TONYTONYTONYTONYTONY...

 

Starts at 8 pm EST ~ 5 pm PST if you can catch it live; 8 pm PST for the taped broadcast.

 

And truthfully, I think what I'm most interested in, is whether both two-part plays,

Harry Potter & The Cursed Child, and Angels In America will win Best Play

and Best Revival of A Play, respectively.

 

First time in TONY History, if they do both win. And the odds are in their favour to win.

[Nrthwnd]

 

Well, it's obvious that the talk around theatre people (or anyone who watched it) will NOT be "The Band's Visit" winning all but one of it's 11 TONY nominations (a very impressive surprise!), but what Robert De Niro actually said, when he came up to the microphone, near the end of the show. Woah that was wild! And apparently Australian TV didn't censor the broadcast, unlike every probable broadcast station in North America.

 

 

A very suprising near-ending to it all. And definite congrats to "The Band's Visit" (best musical), "Angels In America" (play revival), "Once On This Island" (for musical revival, woo hoo!), and "Harry Potter & The Cursed Child" (best play).

 

 

I have also figured out where this awesome TONY win that "The Band's Visit" racked up, with other best original musicals' wins of 10+.

And this does not include TONY wins for eventual revivals of the shows, of which there are two*. But they still won big on their first run...

 

1 ~ The Producers 12

2 ~ Hamilton 11

3 ~ The Band's Visit 10

4 ~ Billy Elliot 10 (I'm still only counting the three young men who jointly won Best Actor, as 1 win.)

5 ~ *Hello Dolly! 10 ~ 14 with the current revival's wins.

6 ~ *South Pacific 10 ~ 17! with 2008 revival's wins.

 

So, since I'm bored with nothing to do right now here's how it goes for Top 5 with Total TONYs, original and revival wins:

 

1) South Pacific ~ 17

2) Hello Dolly! ~ 14

3) The Producers ~ 12

4) Hamilton ~ 11

5) TIE ~ The Band's Visit; Billy Elliot ~ 10

 

(In hindsight, there are actually several more musicals that can claim top ten here,

when they include their revivals' wins, etc. But this is what I've got... for now.)

[Alice Kane]

 

Well, it's obvious that the talk around theatre people (or anyone who watched it) will NOT be "The Band's Visit" winning all but one of it's 11 TONY nominations (a very impressive surprise!), but what Robert De Niro actually said, when he came up to the microphone, near the end of the show. Woah that was wild! And apparently Australian TV didn't censor the broadcast, unlike every probable broadcast station in North America.

 

 

A very suprising near-ending to it all. And definite congrats to "The Band's Visit" (best musical), "Angels In America" (play revival), "Once On This Island" (for musical revival, woo hoo!), and "Harry Potter & The Cursed Child" (best play).

 

 

I have also figured out where this awesome TONY win that "The Band's Visit" racked up, with other best original musicals' wins of 10+.

And this does not include TONY wins for eventual revivals of the shows, of which there are two*. But they still won big on their first run...

 

1 ~ The Producers 12

2 ~ Hamilton 11

3 ~ The Band's Visit 10

4 ~ Billy Elliot 10 (I'm still only counting the three young men who jointly won Best Actor, as 1 win.)

5 ~ *Hello Dolly! 10 ~ 14 with the current revival's wins.

6 ~ *South Pacific 10 ~ 17! with 2008 revival's wins.

 

So, since I'm bored with nothing to do right now here's how it goes for Top 5 with Total TONYs, original and revival wins:

 

1) South Pacific ~ 17

2) Hello Dolly! ~ 14

3) The Producers ~ 12

4) Hamilton ~ 11

5) TIE ~ The Band's Visit; Billy Elliot ~ 10

 

(In hindsight, there are actually several more musicals that can claim top ten here,

when they include their revivals' wins, etc. But this is what I've got... for now.)

 

Thanks NW for your TONY updates!

I'm kinda in a quandary as to exactly HOW I feel about the event AND the awards.  Since all the top theater pundits seem to have guessed wrong about almost everything.....I guess I'm not alone in my occasional eye-rolling.  (The Band's Visit?!?  Noooo.)  And I'm still most curious to know why they didn't represent Carousel with a Joshua Henry number - as opposed to "Blow High, Blow Low!"  Or if they wanted to show only dance, why not the lovely final piece between father Billy and daughter Louise...  So weird that the show with the most revered score in musical theater history did NOT showcase a song.

 

Twas not a majorly disappointing evening, so without further comment, I think I will just say a "congratulations" to all those performers/shows that won....and a generous pat on the back to those who probably SHOULD have won.  Such is "Life Upon a Wicked Stage."

 

As for Robert De Niro!  He got the biggest ovation of the night.  (You can hear his comment(s) on You Tube thanks to Australian TV!)  Lawd, I LOVE NY's theater community!!!

 

Alice

[Kyle Coleman]

Just got back from seeing hamilton. If you have the means them go see it. It really is that good.

[Alice Kane]

Just got back from seeing hamilton. If you have the means them go see it. It really is that good.

 

Glad you got to see it! It remains one of the top shows in the city!

 

Alice

[anthonyg3521]

Don't forget to catch Bandstand at a local movie theater June 25 and 28. I've loved this show for a while and I'm psyched to finally be able to see it. I'll drop the link down here. https://www.fathomevents.com/events/bandstand

For those of you who saw Newsies in theaters, it'll be similar to that.

[Nrthwnd]

^ Darnit. There's no theatre up here (Vancouver) where Bandstand's screening. And we got the

screening of Newsies, too. There's also to be a screening of the stage musical "An American In Paris"

this September, but the time listings for it here, now say there is "no such performance on"

any of the four dates posted.

 

Hmmph. Well, things here do tend to suddenly pop up when you least expect it/them. Stay tuned...

[Alice Kane]

^ Darnit. There's no theatre up here (Vancouver) where Bandstand's screening. And we got the

screening of Newsies, too. There's also to be a screening of the stage musical "An American In Paris"

this September, but the time listings for it here, now say there is "no such performance on"

any of the four dates posted.

 

Hmmph. Well, things here do tend to suddenly pop up when you least expect it/them. Stay tuned...

 

 

A screening of the stage musical "An American In Paris" !??!? It may be worth it to get INTERPOL on it!

 

Good Luck!

 

Alice

[Nrthwnd]

^ Yeah, the dates for it around Sept.20 - I still have the spot

bookmarked and keep re-checking it for updates, if any.

Here's the advert for it.

Edited June 19, 2018 by Nrthwnd

[CedarFlags]

Another fun Tony fact... this year, Mean Girls has tied with Scottsboro Boys for the record of the most Tony losses.

 

Each show won 0 out of 12 nominations

[Alice Kane]

^ Yeah, the dates for it around Sept.20 - I still have the spot

bookmarked and keep re-checking it for updates, if any.

americaninparis01.jpg

Here's the advert for it.

 

Lovely advert!

 

Alice

[Nrthwnd]

^^ I totally forgot about "The Scottsboro Boys" 12 noms and 12 losses! And they came on The Broad Way after a successful

run Off-Broadway. And then... the show was gone! And then, months later - all those nominations! Which was great that they

remembered the production. And it definitely put Josh Henry on the road to stardom. (i.e.: "Violet," "Carousel")

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Just listening through a most excellent collection of numbers from nominated musicals (and the

non-nominated ones, lol), AND two actual PLAYS's music (!) on the second edition of the

2018 Tony Awards Season cd. This is really soooo much better than last year's first one.

That one included clips from shows that were either originals (since a few of the revivals

last season didn't do a new cast cd), and it was not a great collection. IMhO.

 

This one however, had the advantage of fewer musicals opening on Broadway this past season.

(Nine, compared to what? 16 the season before?) A bit fewer, but they included something

from all of them. And a few of the shows had cds ready to release, even before the show opened.

(Hellooo Spongey, and Margaritaville!)

 

It also includes three great "Bonus Tracks" which honour both Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and Chita Rivera,

who received Special TONY Awards for all their life's work in Musical Theatre, this month. So there's

one each from "Phantom of The Opera, School of Rock," and the original CHICAGO's "All That Jazzzz"!

 

Here's the collection of the past 2017-18 Broadway Season...

 

(By the way, leafing through the booklet with the TONYs cd, I discovered that "Summer" is getting a

cast cd recording...from Republic Records! No release date given, at this time.)

When "Carousel" and "Summer" gets here...that's it! 10 for the count, with the TONYs cd as an add-on. (o;

The recent champ ~ The 2016-17 Season with 16 cast recordings, excluding the 1st "TONYs Season" cd!

This was also the season for three 2-cd sets: Falsettos, Great Comet, and Sunday In The Park With George.

[Alice Kane]

NW - Luscious looking collection! (And thank for all your 'scoops.')

 

Alice

[Nrthwnd]

^ Thanks. I "Live Darling, Live!" (shout out to Mame) for Broadway Musicals, LOL!

And I have had my lucky share of getting to New York and seeing a bunch of

original musicals and revivals (Chorus Line. Chicago. Sweeney Todd.) that keeps me

wanting to enjoy lots more, if only from afar through these cds I listen to.

Chita Rivera and The Girls doing their "Cell Block Tango"- Mar.1976 "Chicago". I loved it!

[Alice Kane]

^ Thanks. I "Live Darling, Live!" (shout out to Mame) for Broadway Musicals, LOL!

And I have had my lucky share of getting to New York and seeing a bunch of

original musicals and revivals (Chorus Line. Chicago. Sweeney Todd.) that keeps me

wanting to enjoy lots more, if only from afar through these cds I listen to.

 

"Live Darling, Live!"

 

It's so nice to share these musical memories with a fellow roller coaster fan. Ain't life strange?!?

 

By the way, the Dan Dietz books -- great stuff!

 

P.S. Had you heard that CHICAGO was considered a "dark" musical when it opened! The theme, the dances, songs, et al! One of the first of "the-not-so-innocent" Broadway musicals!

 

Alice

[Nrthwnd]

^ Yes I did, about "Chicago." Apparently Fosse wanted to make it much darker, but I guess others

talked him out of going that far. Before I saw it, Verdon had been ill and Liza Minnelli had filled in

for her, unannounced, and word got around fast. Then, the theatre started filling up, people

enjoyed what they saw and heard, lots of word of mouth, and it improved from there. I was lucky,

seeing it with a full house. And it was glorious! ... And "A Chorus Line" swept the TONYs that year.

"Chicago" didn't win one at all, and "Pacific Overtures" won the set and costume design awards.

 

The set alone made me feel this was a "different musical." Instead of wing curtains there

were "panels" with mardi gras-like faces all over them. And they turned as well. Then there was

the centerpiece, which was two staircases, one on either side of a revolving platform, which held

the orchestra up, and then had an elevator lift in it's middle, which is how Ms. Rivera made

her entrance, and then into "All That Jazz."

 

By the way, if you see a copy of the movie ALL THAT JAZZ, which was based very much on Fosse's

life, the ficticious musical they're working on in the film, uses the exact "Chicago" set design

(in model form) in that movie.

 

Back then, unless it was published in a magazine or the paper, or shown on tv, you really didn't know

what a set looked like, or how a show looked. Which made seeing "Chicago" all the more amazing!

It also won 4 Oscars, too! A very trippy film. With Jessica Lange as "Death."

[Alice Kane]

^ Yes I did, about "Chicago." Apparently Fosse wanted to make it much darker, but I guess others

talked him out of going that far. Before I saw it, Verdon had been ill and Liza Minnelli had filled in

for her, unannounced, and word got around fast. Then, the theatre started filling up, people

enjoyed what they saw and heard, lots of word of mouth, and it improved from there. I was lucky,

seeing it with a full house. And it was glorious! ... And "A Chorus Line" swept the TONYs that year.

"Chicago" didn't win one at all, and "Pacific Overtures" won the set and costume design awards.

 

The set alone made me feel this was a "different musical." Instead of wing curtains there

were "panels" with mardi gras-like faces all over them. And they turned as well. Then there was

the centerpiece, which was two staircases, one on either side of a revolving platform, which held

the orchestra up, and then had an elevator lift in it's middle, which is how Ms. Rivera made

her entrance, and then into "All That Jazz."

 

By the way, if you see a copy of the movie ALL THAT JAZZ, which was based very much on Fosse's

life, the ficticious musical they're working on in the film, uses the exact "Chicago" set design

(in model form) in that movie.

 

Back then, unless it was published in a magazine or the paper, or shown on tv, you really didn't know

what a set looked like, or how a show looked. Which made seeing "Chicago" all the more amazing!

 

VERY great information here, NW! Thanks! (I'd read that Gwen Verdon was 'in trouble,' and the show was having problems, but I'd forgotten that Liza M stepped in. My parents had seen Verdon in Damn Yankees ('58) and she was quite beloved at the time.) How awesome that you saw "Chicago' with Minnelli!

 

I'll definitely check out a copy of the film ALL THAT JAZZ -- I'd love to see the exact "Chicago" set. I remember many years ago, a theater group offered weekly tours of a Broadway show backstage, and you are so right that sets were "magical mysteries" to both regular theater goers and tourists, alike!

[Nrthwnd]

^ Oops, no, I didn't mean I saw Minnelli, myself! Only that she had subbed prior to me seeing the show (March 1976),

and that the crowds were back for it. I was thrilled I got to see Chita Rivera and Gwen Verdon in her last onstage

role, before switching to tv and films ("Coccoon").

 

But as a matter of fact, I did get to see Minnelli, in her pre-Broadway musical "The Act", in San Francisco.

Before Broadway, it was called "Shine It On." She won The TONY for "The Act." It was an "okay" musical, and

by Kander and Ebb of all people! I have the CD for it, but it was more of a Vegas showcase for Minnelli, rather than

an actual musical theater piece. To me, anyway. But there she was, live and singing and dancing, lol.

 

And I have both posters (for both titles) for the musical, framed together.

 

P.S. The musical was directed by Martin Scorsese!

The original cast CD (1977).

Up above me here....LIZA with a Z!

[Alice Kane]

^ Oops, no, I didn't mean I saw Minnelli, myself! Only that she had subbed prior to me seeing the show (March 1976),

and that the crowds were back for it. I was thrilled I got to see Chita Rivera and Gwen Verdon in her last onstage

role, before switching to tv and films ("Coccoon").

 

But as a matter of fact, I did get to see Minnelli, in her pre-Broadway musical "The Act", in San Francisco.

Before Broadway, it was called "Shine It On." She won The TONY for "The Act." It was an "okay" musical, and

by Kander and Ebb of all people! I have the CD for it, but it was more of a Vegas showcase for Minnelli, rather than

an actual musical theater piece. To me, anyway. But there she was, live and singing and dancing, lol.

 

And I have both posters (for both titles) for the musical, framed together.

 

P.S. The musical was directed by Martin Scorsese!

 

GREAT posters! Liza was quite something back then. And, I agree - "The Act" was for sure a "Vegas showcase" for her. I think a lot of her audience were there JUST to see Liza. Hence - the TONY! But, like her mom, she was definitely an "entertainer!" It's exciting that you got to see Chita Rivera perform. AND Gwen Verdon! (Actually, they should have gotten together as a duet -- and called it "The Act!"

 

Alice

[Nrthwnd]

This just in! Promotional photo posted at http://www.broadway.com for

 

Moulin Rouge ~ The Musical

 

The musical starts previews tomorrow in Boston. Then, on to The Broad Way!

Karen Olivo as Satine.

[Kyle Coleman]

Anyone here seen the Broadway frozen show. I got a trip to knoebels coming up in a bit and was thinking of running up to new York to catch it.

[Nrthwnd]

Now listening to a 2-cd set I nearly threw in to the charity box. Truth!

It got referenced a couple of months ago, because before she was the

Broadway Mary Poppins, Ashley Brown was part of this revue of all things

musical and Disney, up to the animated film "Tarzan", at that time.

 

It toured from Nov.2004 through to the following year. But it ended there. On tour.

 

Fortunately, they did made a double cd of it all, without Emily Skinner from the

original company. But her replacement was more than up to the singing required.

 

And if you are a real Disney Music fan, like I must admit I am (YAY Frozen!), then

I am definitely glad I gave this a re-listen, 14 years later! So, if you can get yourself

a copy of it, I would highly recommend...buy it!

 

 

And ^ If you can afford the ticket(s), I'd say do it! Remember, it's a LIVE version of

the movie, with a lot more to it, including the score. And hearing a LIVE version

of "Let It Go" (which ends Act 1) makes the audiences go nuts, I have heard.

[Alice Kane]

This just in! Promotional photo posted at http://www.broadway.com for

 

Moulin Rouge ~ The Musical

 

The musical starts previews tomorrow in Boston. Then, on to The Broad Way!

 

OOH LA LA! Will keep an eye out! (And ears, for out-of-town reviews.)

 

Alice

[Nrthwnd]

^ And here's the Set Design for it. Subject to change, of course.

 

But for now...Oooo lah lah, indeed! Spectacular, Spectacular!

So ~ much ~ RED! And Satine's elephant apartment?... <3 <3 <3