Seasons of Love - Rent - January 1996
Carnaval Del Barrio - In the Heights - March 2008
In a November 18 interview with A.V. Club discussing his direction of Jonathan Larson's Tick, Tick...Boom!, Lin-Manuel Miranda stated that "Rent was very clearly someone writing about his friends and his community. It was the most diverse cast I'd ever seen in a Broadway show, and that opened things up in me that I didn't know were possible." With this insight, it's easy for us to make the connection between Rent and In the Heights, Miranda's first major breakthrough. From Gershwin to Porter to Rogers to Sondheim to Larson to Miranda and many in between, it's an endless cycle of convergence and inspiration that drives this art forward.
Carnaval Del Barrio - In the Heights - March 2008
In a November 18 interview with A.V. Club discussing his direction of Jonathan Larson's Tick, Tick...Boom!, Lin-Manuel Miranda stated that "Rent was very clearly someone writing about his friends and his community. It was the most diverse cast I'd ever seen in a Broadway show, and that opened things up in me that I didn't know were possible." With this insight, it's easy for us to make the connection between Rent and In the Heights, Miranda's first major breakthrough. From Gershwin to Porter to Rogers to Sondheim to Larson to Miranda and many in between, it's an endless cycle of convergence and inspiration that drives this art forward.
Move On - Sunday in the Park with George - May 1984
Now he'll grace the heavens with his music. Rest in peace Stephen Sondheim.
Now he'll grace the heavens with his music. Rest in peace Stephen Sondheim.
I Got the Sun in the Morning - Annie Get Your Gun - May 1946
Perhaps we should just stop complaining about gas prices and bad fashion decisions and be thankful for the traditions we can rely on.
Perhaps we should just stop complaining about gas prices and bad fashion decisions and be thankful for the traditions we can rely on.
Magic to Do/Corner of the Sky - Pippin - October 1972
Pippin, a rock opera wrapped in a vaudeville wrapped in a revue wrapped in medieval history marks the year that Bob Fosse won the Trifecta of the popular arts; an Oscar for Cabaret, an Emmy for Liza with a Z and a Tony for directing this musical. Fosse, a lifelong cynic of epic proportions, commented that all of these honors thrusted upon him might ironically turn him into an optimist, and ruin his life!
Pippin, a rock opera wrapped in a vaudeville wrapped in a revue wrapped in medieval history marks the year that Bob Fosse won the Trifecta of the popular arts; an Oscar for Cabaret, an Emmy for Liza with a Z and a Tony for directing this musical. Fosse, a lifelong cynic of epic proportions, commented that all of these honors thrusted upon him might ironically turn him into an optimist, and ruin his life!
Everything Else - Next to Normal - April 2009
On rare occurrences, musicals tackle mental illness and the struggles of achieving what we conceive to be a normal life, but we learn throughout this musical and life itself that "normal" is unique to every one of us.
On rare occurrences, musicals tackle mental illness and the struggles of achieving what we conceive to be a normal life, but we learn throughout this musical and life itself that "normal" is unique to every one of us.
Think of Me - Phantom of the Opera - January 1988
Now back after nineteen months, the show is approaching 14,000 performances. No need to deny it. Admit you saw it, three times actually, and then had drinks at that revolving bar at the Marriott.
Now back after nineteen months, the show is approaching 14,000 performances. No need to deny it. Admit you saw it, three times actually, and then had drinks at that revolving bar at the Marriott.
Epiphany - Sweeney Todd - March 1979
Sondheim has given voice to the dark side of human nature, from the Witch in Into the Woods, to John Wilkes Booth in Assassins, to the greatest musical butcher of all, Sweeney Todd. His Epiphany is both descent into hell and joyous enlightenment at the same time. Here's Johnny Depp in the 2007 musical version and then a video of Sondheim himself conveying how he integrates music and emotion into dramatic rage. Broadway musicals are predominantly based on love stories, but rarely the love of death.
Sondheim has given voice to the dark side of human nature, from the Witch in Into the Woods, to John Wilkes Booth in Assassins, to the greatest musical butcher of all, Sweeney Todd. His Epiphany is both descent into hell and joyous enlightenment at the same time. Here's Johnny Depp in the 2007 musical version and then a video of Sondheim himself conveying how he integrates music and emotion into dramatic rage. Broadway musicals are predominantly based on love stories, but rarely the love of death.
The Ballad of Booth - Assassins - April 2004
Since his early career writing the lyrics for West Side Story, Sondheim has consistently shattered the boundaries of subject matter in Broadway musicals. Here's a show with no rousing dance routines or show stoppers, never attempting to glorify or defend the motives of those that have killed or attempted to kill US presidents. It just gives them a humanity and point of view. This musical has been passionately loved and reviled by many, but it says much about the great degree of freedom of expression in American Theatre, where a once great showman from a theatrical family can posthumously take the stage to defend why he did it.
Your Fault/Last Midnight - Into the Woods - November 1987
As we fall into the Halloween season, let's celebrate the macabre work of Stephen Sondheim, arguably the Hitchcock of the Broadway musical for a string of shows in the 70s and 80s. Into the Woods starts with the building blocks of the fairy tales of our youth; Cinderella, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, then adding an infertile couple wishing for a baby and the requisite wicked witch casting spells. Yes, their wishes come true, but in James Lapine's and Sondheim's universe, there's a great price to pay in horror and death. At this stage in the story, they're blaming each other for the twists of fate that befall them, but as in the world offstage, they'll learn that the fault lies not in our stars but in ourselves.
As we fall into the Halloween season, let's celebrate the macabre work of Stephen Sondheim, arguably the Hitchcock of the Broadway musical for a string of shows in the 70s and 80s. Into the Woods starts with the building blocks of the fairy tales of our youth; Cinderella, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, then adding an infertile couple wishing for a baby and the requisite wicked witch casting spells. Yes, their wishes come true, but in James Lapine's and Sondheim's universe, there's a great price to pay in horror and death. At this stage in the story, they're blaming each other for the twists of fate that befall them, but as in the world offstage, they'll learn that the fault lies not in our stars but in ourselves.
Young and Healthy - 42nd Street - August 1980
While 42nd Street is now considered a high note of the musical stage, we may forget that it was originally created for film and marks an important juncture in the relationship between Broadway and Hollywood, often symbiotic but frequently fraught falling well below expectations. The Roaring Twenties ended in shrieks of anguish as the nation’s financial system collapsed. The Broadway musical, already struggling with the competition from talking pictures, now reeled from the loss of financing for its perpetually escalating production costs.
Following the laws of media transformation, the traditional medium of the Broadway musical was absorbed by the emerging medium of talking films in the early 1930s. Its greatest talent moved to California, creating a fertile platform for innovation. Busby Berkeley, a WWI veteran well-versed in the rhythms of the march, would never be considered a great choreographer in the tradition of Jerome Robbins or Bob Fosse (who’s life has some interesting parallels), but he was a master of staging and movement in the tradition of Florenz Ziegfeld and his Follies. Now looking through a lens, he saw that the camera could dance as well. Berkeley would powerfully integrate dance, film and music by staging musical numbers that spilled off the stage into an expanded cinema space accessed from various heights and depths. The intersection of Broadway and sound film created a new synesthesia manifested in Berkeley’s geometric patterns driven by the music of Harry Warren and Al Dubin.
This was of course frivolous fun at first, but the United States was in the Great Depression and Berkeley was a veteran seeing many of his former comrades on bread lines. In his second film for Warner Brothers, Gold Diggers of 1933, he directed the stirring Forgotten Man finale. There’s no room here for cheerful melodies, glamour, or tap dancing, just impassioned singing and the rhythms of the march.
While 42nd Street is now considered a high note of the musical stage, we may forget that it was originally created for film and marks an important juncture in the relationship between Broadway and Hollywood, often symbiotic but frequently fraught falling well below expectations. The Roaring Twenties ended in shrieks of anguish as the nation’s financial system collapsed. The Broadway musical, already struggling with the competition from talking pictures, now reeled from the loss of financing for its perpetually escalating production costs.
Following the laws of media transformation, the traditional medium of the Broadway musical was absorbed by the emerging medium of talking films in the early 1930s. Its greatest talent moved to California, creating a fertile platform for innovation. Busby Berkeley, a WWI veteran well-versed in the rhythms of the march, would never be considered a great choreographer in the tradition of Jerome Robbins or Bob Fosse (who’s life has some interesting parallels), but he was a master of staging and movement in the tradition of Florenz Ziegfeld and his Follies. Now looking through a lens, he saw that the camera could dance as well. Berkeley would powerfully integrate dance, film and music by staging musical numbers that spilled off the stage into an expanded cinema space accessed from various heights and depths. The intersection of Broadway and sound film created a new synesthesia manifested in Berkeley’s geometric patterns driven by the music of Harry Warren and Al Dubin.
This was of course frivolous fun at first, but the United States was in the Great Depression and Berkeley was a veteran seeing many of his former comrades on bread lines. In his second film for Warner Brothers, Gold Diggers of 1933, he directed the stirring Forgotten Man finale. There’s no room here for cheerful melodies, glamour, or tap dancing, just impassioned singing and the rhythms of the march.
Way Down Hadestown - Hadestown - March 2019
The musicals are finally returning to Broadway, and what better show to signal the return than this soulful operetta based on the Orpheus myth? We've been to hell and back, although we're not fully out of the hole yet. In the coming weeks, a wave of shows will re-open, and if we keep getting our shots and wearing our masks for now, we can hope that the only reasons for future closings will be incoherent librettos, uninspired melodies, unreliable investors, high costs, and incorrigible personalities, the plagues Broadway's been dealing with from the beginning.
The musicals are finally returning to Broadway, and what better show to signal the return than this soulful operetta based on the Orpheus myth? We've been to hell and back, although we're not fully out of the hole yet. In the coming weeks, a wave of shows will re-open, and if we keep getting our shots and wearing our masks for now, we can hope that the only reasons for future closings will be incoherent librettos, uninspired melodies, unreliable investors, high costs, and incorrigible personalities, the plagues Broadway's been dealing with from the beginning.
Lion King Sing-A- Long Medley - October 1997
It’s important that we remember the role that this musical and the theatre that cradled its debut played in the resurgence of the Theater District. The New Amsterdam Theatre began with lofty ambitions 1903, resplendent with ornamental reliefs and murals, presenting Shakespeare and literary plays. It wouldn’t hit its stride until Florenz Ziegfeld made it the home of his elaborate “Follies” revue in 1913. As cinema and radio would render this grandiose entertainment obsolete, the theatre attempted to convert to movies and television production. Unfortunately, as Times Square declined in the 60s and 70s, the New Amsterdam was centrally located within the deepest circle of hell, 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenue. It was given landmark status in 1979 and was the studio from which the daily lottery ball runs were broadcast for a time, perhaps a metaphor for its fight against very long odds. A gem among ruffians, she was simply too good for the riffraff that trafficked around her and the only solution was to close the doors.
As the district gradually revived in the early 90s, the New Amsterdam needed desperately to transform. Michael Eisner of the Walt Disney Company trenched through its flooded ruins and entertained the idea of revitalizing it to showcase Disney’s nascent move into musical plays. With major concessions from the city and state in hand, the New Amsterdam was rechristened by Disney, and while the role this played in the revival of Times Square is perhaps more myth than reality, the interplay between the theatre and the conglomerate is an epic in media transformation.
None of this would have worked if the content that eventually filled the medium was no more engaging than a Disney on Ice show transformed to Broadway (the ice would have probably melted and flooded the basement for the second time). Disney strived for a breakthrough production, commissioning a promising up and coming performance artist, July Tramoor, to transform the movie Lion King into a Broadway production. The result was an innovative work that even Ziegfeld would have appreciated, highlighted by intricate costumes that convincingly transformed actors into animals while retaining their human personas. Disney had apparently seen the wisdom of being innovative and opted for an experimental, risky project rather than a shoveled version of its standard theme park fare. Set in the opulent design of the New Amsterdam, Lion King became a smash success and only a global pandemic could temporarily sideline it from what will likely be many more years on Broadway. The symbiosis between traditional and new media forms created a heightened ratio of the senses and an advance in human experience.
It’s important that we remember the role that this musical and the theatre that cradled its debut played in the resurgence of the Theater District. The New Amsterdam Theatre began with lofty ambitions 1903, resplendent with ornamental reliefs and murals, presenting Shakespeare and literary plays. It wouldn’t hit its stride until Florenz Ziegfeld made it the home of his elaborate “Follies” revue in 1913. As cinema and radio would render this grandiose entertainment obsolete, the theatre attempted to convert to movies and television production. Unfortunately, as Times Square declined in the 60s and 70s, the New Amsterdam was centrally located within the deepest circle of hell, 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenue. It was given landmark status in 1979 and was the studio from which the daily lottery ball runs were broadcast for a time, perhaps a metaphor for its fight against very long odds. A gem among ruffians, she was simply too good for the riffraff that trafficked around her and the only solution was to close the doors.
As the district gradually revived in the early 90s, the New Amsterdam needed desperately to transform. Michael Eisner of the Walt Disney Company trenched through its flooded ruins and entertained the idea of revitalizing it to showcase Disney’s nascent move into musical plays. With major concessions from the city and state in hand, the New Amsterdam was rechristened by Disney, and while the role this played in the revival of Times Square is perhaps more myth than reality, the interplay between the theatre and the conglomerate is an epic in media transformation.
None of this would have worked if the content that eventually filled the medium was no more engaging than a Disney on Ice show transformed to Broadway (the ice would have probably melted and flooded the basement for the second time). Disney strived for a breakthrough production, commissioning a promising up and coming performance artist, July Tramoor, to transform the movie Lion King into a Broadway production. The result was an innovative work that even Ziegfeld would have appreciated, highlighted by intricate costumes that convincingly transformed actors into animals while retaining their human personas. Disney had apparently seen the wisdom of being innovative and opted for an experimental, risky project rather than a shoveled version of its standard theme park fare. Set in the opulent design of the New Amsterdam, Lion King became a smash success and only a global pandemic could temporarily sideline it from what will likely be many more years on Broadway. The symbiosis between traditional and new media forms created a heightened ratio of the senses and an advance in human experience.
My Shot - Hamilton - January 2015
When Miranda wrote this song a several years ago, he bestowed upon it the ability to convey multiple meanings. Its most apparent function is to convey the scrappy ambition of the young revolutionary leader downing shots, but it also foreshadows the duel where Hamilton loses his life. Seemingly giving his best shot at every opportunity throughout life, he throws away his last shot, and I’ll leave it to the lyricists, the historians and the Hamilton fanatics to interpret what his motivations were. And yet now a new meaning, as the song becomes an anthem for us to get vaccinated. A disease that has kept the Theater District and much of society restrained now for nearly a year and a half can be defeated.
When Miranda wrote this song a several years ago, he bestowed upon it the ability to convey multiple meanings. Its most apparent function is to convey the scrappy ambition of the young revolutionary leader downing shots, but it also foreshadows the duel where Hamilton loses his life. Seemingly giving his best shot at every opportunity throughout life, he throws away his last shot, and I’ll leave it to the lyricists, the historians and the Hamilton fanatics to interpret what his motivations were. And yet now a new meaning, as the song becomes an anthem for us to get vaccinated. A disease that has kept the Theater District and much of society restrained now for nearly a year and a half can be defeated.
Rhythm of Life - Sweet Charity - January 1966
A great Broadway tune evolves over time as it takes on new form and messaging, often in ways that its original creators never dreamed of. Let's take the case of this catchy gem from the Bob Fosse/Gwen Verdon collaboration Sweet Charity, a musical based on Fellini's The Nights of Cabiria about a prostitute with indestructible optimism (in the musical she's a dance hall hostess, but this doesn't fool anyone). In its original form, Rhythm of Life is a Swinging Sixties parody sung by a charlatan preacher urging us to "fly" and "swim" to daddy:
A great Broadway tune evolves over time as it takes on new form and messaging, often in ways that its original creators never dreamed of. Let's take the case of this catchy gem from the Bob Fosse/Gwen Verdon collaboration Sweet Charity, a musical based on Fellini's The Nights of Cabiria about a prostitute with indestructible optimism (in the musical she's a dance hall hostess, but this doesn't fool anyone). In its original form, Rhythm of Life is a Swinging Sixties parody sung by a charlatan preacher urging us to "fly" and "swim" to daddy:
Despite its religion-mocking roots, the tune's intrinsic spiritual musicality compelled the choir-like among us to water down the lyrics and sing it in churches, yet it still can't disengage from its powerful Broadway beat:
And now its latest evolution is a public service message in the UK to get your vaccine, so that we all can return to the rhythm of life at least in commercial theatre. I would imagine however that most theatre folks are already vaccinated, and those most resistant may need preaching from the choir:
And finally, let's take the opportunity to honor the character that inspired it all, Cabiria the prostitute. Ditched again and tossed aside like a dog, she's still able to walk along the road among the young and smile, immersed in the music of Nino Rota. But life continues.
In a Sentimental Mood -Sophisticated Ladies- March 1981
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra produced this jazz ballad in April 1935, featured in this rousing musical of Ellington's life that debuted in 1981. Here it is transformed by saxophonist John Coltrane, who recalibrated jazz in the same fashion that Einstein recalibrated physics. If only we'd focus more on music than our divisive political discourse, surely we'd be at peace. For at the quantum level of our brains, we're all made of the same melodies, harmonies and rhythms.
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra produced this jazz ballad in April 1935, featured in this rousing musical of Ellington's life that debuted in 1981. Here it is transformed by saxophonist John Coltrane, who recalibrated jazz in the same fashion that Einstein recalibrated physics. If only we'd focus more on music than our divisive political discourse, surely we'd be at peace. For at the quantum level of our brains, we're all made of the same melodies, harmonies and rhythms.
The Room Where it Happens/You'll Be Back- Hamilton - January 2015
Hamilton shows us that despite the noble idealism of our Founding Fathers, much of the driving force behind this nation's birth was personality and fiery ambition, not patriotism. A deal is struck by the New Yorker Alexander Hamilton and the Virginians Thomas Jefferson and James Madison to move the nation's capital from New York to a swamp on the Potomac River. In exchange, Hamilton's financial framework for the young nation shall be accepted, ensuring his eventual deification on the ten dollar bill. An envious Aaron Burr sings his dismay from outside the room as he watches his once pupil Hamilton now usurp him. Their rivalry will eventually lead to a duel and the murder of Hamilton, with Burr ultimately regretting that Hamilton will be remembered as the martyred hero and he the villain. Fortunately the Founders' vision gradually took hold, that the foundation of an enduring republic is the strength of perennial institutions, not the cult of personalities. We have lost some of this strength in recent years to demagoguery, but let's be thankful that our institutions have persevered, including the free exchange of ideas on the musical stage. And let's watch the demagogues shamefully descend into the "da da da da daye da" madness of George III.
Hamilton shows us that despite the noble idealism of our Founding Fathers, much of the driving force behind this nation's birth was personality and fiery ambition, not patriotism. A deal is struck by the New Yorker Alexander Hamilton and the Virginians Thomas Jefferson and James Madison to move the nation's capital from New York to a swamp on the Potomac River. In exchange, Hamilton's financial framework for the young nation shall be accepted, ensuring his eventual deification on the ten dollar bill. An envious Aaron Burr sings his dismay from outside the room as he watches his once pupil Hamilton now usurp him. Their rivalry will eventually lead to a duel and the murder of Hamilton, with Burr ultimately regretting that Hamilton will be remembered as the martyred hero and he the villain. Fortunately the Founders' vision gradually took hold, that the foundation of an enduring republic is the strength of perennial institutions, not the cult of personalities. We have lost some of this strength in recent years to demagoguery, but let's be thankful that our institutions have persevered, including the free exchange of ideas on the musical stage. And let's watch the demagogues shamefully descend into the "da da da da daye da" madness of George III.
Be Italian - Nine - May 1982
While the mainstay of Italian weddings, Tarantella music has made only rare appearances on the Broadway stage. Nine was the creation of Jersey City born composer and music scholar Maury Yeston, who was mesmerized by Fellini's 8 1/2 as a teenager, seeing a man going through his second adolescence when he was going through his first. According to Yeston; "The great secret of Nine is that it took 8 1/2 and became an essay on the power of women by answering the question 'What are women to men?' And Nine tells you; they are our mothers, our sisters, our teachers, our temptresses, our judges, our nurses, our wives, our mistresses, our muses." I could easily see this show transformed with a female protagonist interacting with fathers, husbands, lovers and muses, made better by purging it of the overbearing Catholic schoolboy guilt. Yeston's creation has kept sailing along with revivals in recent years, more than can be said about Titanic, his second most notable Broadway launch.
While the mainstay of Italian weddings, Tarantella music has made only rare appearances on the Broadway stage. Nine was the creation of Jersey City born composer and music scholar Maury Yeston, who was mesmerized by Fellini's 8 1/2 as a teenager, seeing a man going through his second adolescence when he was going through his first. According to Yeston; "The great secret of Nine is that it took 8 1/2 and became an essay on the power of women by answering the question 'What are women to men?' And Nine tells you; they are our mothers, our sisters, our teachers, our temptresses, our judges, our nurses, our wives, our mistresses, our muses." I could easily see this show transformed with a female protagonist interacting with fathers, husbands, lovers and muses, made better by purging it of the overbearing Catholic schoolboy guilt. Yeston's creation has kept sailing along with revivals in recent years, more than can be said about Titanic, his second most notable Broadway launch.
Billy's Soliloquy - Carousel (Part 3) - April 1945
R&H powerfully capture the elation and trepidations of an expectant father, set beside the infinite potential of the sea. Who in the audience can resist a tear when Billy sings his anticipation of fatherhood while wrestling with his many flaws?
R&H powerfully capture the elation and trepidations of an expectant father, set beside the infinite potential of the sea. Who in the audience can resist a tear when Billy sings his anticipation of fatherhood while wrestling with his many flaws?
The Carousel Waltz - Carousel (Part 2) - April 1945
The amusement park is a setting of awe, escape and fantasy, where repressed wishes can be fulfilled, where sensations are heightened through thrills and music. But given the duality of human nature, we must be careful to avoid unleashing destructive forces, sometimes hidden within the elation of sexual attraction.
The amusement park is a setting of awe, escape and fantasy, where repressed wishes can be fulfilled, where sensations are heightened through thrills and music. But given the duality of human nature, we must be careful to avoid unleashing destructive forces, sometimes hidden within the elation of sexual attraction.
June is Busting Out All Over - Carousel (Part 1) - April 1945
Stephen Sondheim is known to have said "Oklahoma is about a picnic, Carousel is about life and death." After the phenomenon that was Oklahoma in 1943, a rousing work of optimism for a country in the midst of great war, Rogers and Hammerstein avoided the sophomore jinx by adapting the dark novel Liliom to the musical stage. Perhaps this was fitting since the victorious United States of 1945 was about to unleash the atomic bomb on Japan, and musicals were maturing to reflect human behavior in all its shades. But lets leave the dark side for later contemplation. This song is indeed a picnic, a great way to contemplate the promise of this young Summer.
Stephen Sondheim is known to have said "Oklahoma is about a picnic, Carousel is about life and death." After the phenomenon that was Oklahoma in 1943, a rousing work of optimism for a country in the midst of great war, Rogers and Hammerstein avoided the sophomore jinx by adapting the dark novel Liliom to the musical stage. Perhaps this was fitting since the victorious United States of 1945 was about to unleash the atomic bomb on Japan, and musicals were maturing to reflect human behavior in all its shades. But lets leave the dark side for later contemplation. This song is indeed a picnic, a great way to contemplate the promise of this young Summer.
America - West Side Story - September 1957
The concept of the integrated musical is easily put forward in theory but difficult to achieve in fact. West Side Story is one of the few works that truly achieve this high note of creativity. Its powerful mix of sensory stimulation is showcased here with music, dance and lyrics creating a satirical rooftop debate over the virtues of immigrant life in the United States. America has many challenges these days, but we'll continue to thrive if we can just keep our perspective and sense of humor.
The concept of the integrated musical is easily put forward in theory but difficult to achieve in fact. West Side Story is one of the few works that truly achieve this high note of creativity. Its powerful mix of sensory stimulation is showcased here with music, dance and lyrics creating a satirical rooftop debate over the virtues of immigrant life in the United States. America has many challenges these days, but we'll continue to thrive if we can just keep our perspective and sense of humor.
You've Got to be Taught - South Pacific - April 1949
Of all the songs Rogers and Hammerstein brought to the stage, they seemed particularly proud of this one and its timeless message. It's sharp tempo and the angelic voice of William Tabbert, the original Lt. Joseph Cable, show how music can transcend barriers.
Of all the songs Rogers and Hammerstein brought to the stage, they seemed particularly proud of this one and its timeless message. It's sharp tempo and the angelic voice of William Tabbert, the original Lt. Joseph Cable, show how music can transcend barriers.
There's No Business Like Show Business - Annie Get Your Gun - May 1946
As we continue to demonstrate, many of the most successful integrated musicals take their content from real-life show business personas who worked in mediums that preceded it. In this case, it's the Wild West Show that enthralled East Coast audiences over a hundred years ago with the mythology around Western Expansion and the celebration of marksmanship, which unfortunately takes a dark tone in the frequency of gun violence today. In recent years, revivals of this musical have attempted to massage its rougher racist, sexist and violent edges. While we enjoy these rousing tunes and this show's escapist utility, let's consider that there's no business like show business in shining a mirror on both the glory and ugliness of the past.
As we continue to demonstrate, many of the most successful integrated musicals take their content from real-life show business personas who worked in mediums that preceded it. In this case, it's the Wild West Show that enthralled East Coast audiences over a hundred years ago with the mythology around Western Expansion and the celebration of marksmanship, which unfortunately takes a dark tone in the frequency of gun violence today. In recent years, revivals of this musical have attempted to massage its rougher racist, sexist and violent edges. While we enjoy these rousing tunes and this show's escapist utility, let's consider that there's no business like show business in shining a mirror on both the glory and ugliness of the past.
If Mama was Married - Gypsy - May 1959
Rose may be considered the mother of all Broadway mothers. Based on a real show business personality raised in vaudeville, she drove her daughters to succeed in the world she knew best, desperately clinging to a dying form of entertainment. In the end, she’s devastated by their rejection of her after all those years of auditions, performances and misdirected devotion. Just as vaudeville yielded to cinema, radio and eventually the integrated musical of which Gypsy is a fine example, parents must also learn to gradually yield to the desires of their children. If only Rose had listened to these early pleas from her daughters, she may not have been alone at the end.
Rose may be considered the mother of all Broadway mothers. Based on a real show business personality raised in vaudeville, she drove her daughters to succeed in the world she knew best, desperately clinging to a dying form of entertainment. In the end, she’s devastated by their rejection of her after all those years of auditions, performances and misdirected devotion. Just as vaudeville yielded to cinema, radio and eventually the integrated musical of which Gypsy is a fine example, parents must also learn to gradually yield to the desires of their children. If only Rose had listened to these early pleas from her daughters, she may not have been alone at the end.
You've Got Possibilities - It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman - March 1966
Despite superpowers including flying, X-ray vision, climbing buildings and defying Marlon Brando, superheroes have yet to conquer Broadway. The Spiderman musical of 2011 became inexorably entangled in its own web of incoherence and this campy musical of the Superman myth logged just 129 performances. Yet some tunes live on, such as this oft-performed standard written by Charles Strouse, a composer who would later have great success with another comic strip, the second time with a little orphan rather than a Man of Steel. The second video deconstructs why this musical no longer shows up on revival circuits, but word has it that more musicals are being considered based on superheroes. Considering their dominance in pop culture, the idea will always have possibilities.
Despite superpowers including flying, X-ray vision, climbing buildings and defying Marlon Brando, superheroes have yet to conquer Broadway. The Spiderman musical of 2011 became inexorably entangled in its own web of incoherence and this campy musical of the Superman myth logged just 129 performances. Yet some tunes live on, such as this oft-performed standard written by Charles Strouse, a composer who would later have great success with another comic strip, the second time with a little orphan rather than a Man of Steel. The second video deconstructs why this musical no longer shows up on revival circuits, but word has it that more musicals are being considered based on superheroes. Considering their dominance in pop culture, the idea will always have possibilities.
Aquarius - Hair - October 1967
Earth Day and a new focus on climate after several years of indifferent leadership brings back memories of this number. It's also a reminder that different cultural traditions can penetrate the stolid walls of traditional theater music, a growing phenomenon. As a potential new age of musicals rises from the ashes of the pandemic, the timing could be right to see a major shift in show music to diverse forms. In a radicalized and divided world, music stealthily slips under and climbs over the walls of intolerance with alluring melodies and rhythms.
Earth Day and a new focus on climate after several years of indifferent leadership brings back memories of this number. It's also a reminder that different cultural traditions can penetrate the stolid walls of traditional theater music, a growing phenomenon. As a potential new age of musicals rises from the ashes of the pandemic, the timing could be right to see a major shift in show music to diverse forms. In a radicalized and divided world, music stealthily slips under and climbs over the walls of intolerance with alluring melodies and rhythms.
Do-Re-Mi - The Sound of Music - November 1959
Many of us first learned to sing or play music with the guide of Do-Re-Mi. We may take for granted the power of this tool in aiding in the simple understanding of music and its underlying code. But if you're uninterested right now in becoming pitch perfect, just try to remember being one of several children playing a note in a scale, climbing steps in harmony with the other notes.
Many of us first learned to sing or play music with the guide of Do-Re-Mi. We may take for granted the power of this tool in aiding in the simple understanding of music and its underlying code. But if you're uninterested right now in becoming pitch perfect, just try to remember being one of several children playing a note in a scale, climbing steps in harmony with the other notes.
I Wanna Be a Producer - The Producers - April 2001
As the tax deadline approaches, many an accountant and many a taxpayer are very, very unhappy indeed. Like Leo Bloom, we may dream of a better life, one that is freed from the monotony of repetitive work resulting in a large chunk of earnings going to the IRS, where adding machines are replacing by tapping feet, where lunch at the deli is replaced by lunch at Sardi's. For a brief moment, let's place ourselves Leo Bloom's fantasy, and perhaps we'll be in a better mood as we hand more money over to the tax authorities.
As the tax deadline approaches, many an accountant and many a taxpayer are very, very unhappy indeed. Like Leo Bloom, we may dream of a better life, one that is freed from the monotony of repetitive work resulting in a large chunk of earnings going to the IRS, where adding machines are replacing by tapping feet, where lunch at the deli is replaced by lunch at Sardi's. For a brief moment, let's place ourselves Leo Bloom's fantasy, and perhaps we'll be in a better mood as we hand more money over to the tax authorities.
Willkommen - Cabaret - November 1966
While April 2 came and went without much ballyhoo, it may be remembered as an important day in the return to normal cultural life. Live indoor performance in New York is now permitted at 33% capacity and we'll see in the coming days what that really looks and feels like. Undoubtedly small venues will open modestly before the grand theaters, just like the blossoms of early spring. So lets shout WILLKOMMEN for the safe and gradual return of live indoor performance, and who better to shout WILLKOMMEN than the two entertainers who made the role of the Cabaret Emcee their career zenith, Alan Cumming and Joel Grey? First let's watch their work separately, and then together at a Kennedy Center tribute to Kander and Ebb. Catching the brief glimpse of Bill Cosby watching next to Bill Clinton reminds us of how far we've come since 1998.
While April 2 came and went without much ballyhoo, it may be remembered as an important day in the return to normal cultural life. Live indoor performance in New York is now permitted at 33% capacity and we'll see in the coming days what that really looks and feels like. Undoubtedly small venues will open modestly before the grand theaters, just like the blossoms of early spring. So lets shout WILLKOMMEN for the safe and gradual return of live indoor performance, and who better to shout WILLKOMMEN than the two entertainers who made the role of the Cabaret Emcee their career zenith, Alan Cumming and Joel Grey? First let's watch their work separately, and then together at a Kennedy Center tribute to Kander and Ebb. Catching the brief glimpse of Bill Cosby watching next to Bill Clinton reminds us of how far we've come since 1998.
Comedy Tonight - A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum - May 1962
April Fool's Day belongs to the comics - Inspired by ancient Roman farces, this musical reminds of the comic vaudevillian roots of the Broadway musical. With plagues, barbarians, sadistic emperors, and bad plumbing to contend with, no wonder the Romans needed stuff to laugh at (as do we with many of the same ailments). Nothing with kings/Nothing with crowns/Bring on the lovers, liars and clowns. Evita and Salesman Tomorrow/Comedy Tonight.
April Fool's Day belongs to the comics - Inspired by ancient Roman farces, this musical reminds of the comic vaudevillian roots of the Broadway musical. With plagues, barbarians, sadistic emperors, and bad plumbing to contend with, no wonder the Romans needed stuff to laugh at (as do we with many of the same ailments). Nothing with kings/Nothing with crowns/Bring on the lovers, liars and clowns. Evita and Salesman Tomorrow/Comedy Tonight.
Proud Mary - TINA /The Musical - November 2019
When the lights went down on Broadway a year ago, this hot musical biography of Tina Turner went dark as well, a reminder of the cultural life we're missing out on. Most of these so-called Jukebox musicals rarely hit high levels of engagement, but this one has a great show business story to tell, from humble beginnings against long odds, to great professional and personal struggles, and eventually climaxing in triumphs and comebacks. Like Tina, New York never ever does it nice and easy, making the eventual comeback inevitable.
When the lights went down on Broadway a year ago, this hot musical biography of Tina Turner went dark as well, a reminder of the cultural life we're missing out on. Most of these so-called Jukebox musicals rarely hit high levels of engagement, but this one has a great show business story to tell, from humble beginnings against long odds, to great professional and personal struggles, and eventually climaxing in triumphs and comebacks. Like Tina, New York never ever does it nice and easy, making the eventual comeback inevitable.
Title Song - Jesus Christ Superstar - October 1971
As Andrew Lloyd Webber celebrates another septuagenarian birthday and spring bursts upon us with hope and renewal, let's reflect on the great achievement that catapulted his career. By the 1970s, Jesus Christ was competing with the Beatles, Ziggy Stardust, Jim Morrison and the Pinball Wizard, among others. Webber inserted JC into this realm of rock idol worship, advancing the musical template to a new level of engagement.
As Andrew Lloyd Webber celebrates another septuagenarian birthday and spring bursts upon us with hope and renewal, let's reflect on the great achievement that catapulted his career. By the 1970s, Jesus Christ was competing with the Beatles, Ziggy Stardust, Jim Morrison and the Pinball Wizard, among others. Webber inserted JC into this realm of rock idol worship, advancing the musical template to a new level of engagement.
Begin the Beguine - Jubilee - October 1935
It's hard enough for a composer and a lyricist to team up and churn out a string of songs for a musical. Yet some geniuses were able to do both, and their output demonstrates their unique synergy of poetry and melody. Cole Porter was the master of this, and while this song was made famous as a Big Band instrumental three years after the musical flopped, it's downright sinister to overlook his clever use of the English language in rhyme and verse. As this dreamy video shows, we can exponentially amplify the genius here by combining these words and melody with the voice of Dionne Warwick and the dance of Fred Astaire.
It's hard enough for a composer and a lyricist to team up and churn out a string of songs for a musical. Yet some geniuses were able to do both, and their output demonstrates their unique synergy of poetry and melody. Cole Porter was the master of this, and while this song was made famous as a Big Band instrumental three years after the musical flopped, it's downright sinister to overlook his clever use of the English language in rhyme and verse. As this dreamy video shows, we can exponentially amplify the genius here by combining these words and melody with the voice of Dionne Warwick and the dance of Fred Astaire.
Everything's Coming Up Roses - Gypsy - May 1959
The media theorist Marshall McLuhan expressed that the content of new media is the media that proceeds it. Considering that the modern Broadway musical evolved from the worlds of vaudeville and its racy cousin burlesque, it's fitting that the musical Gypsy is based on real people rooted in these forms of entertainment. Gypsy Rose Lee and her sister June were child vaudeville performers driven by a show-business obsessed, sadistic mother. The talented daughter escaped her tyranny and eventually blossomed on her own in theater and television. As this embellished fable presents it, the obsessed mother drove the older, less talented daughter to create a unique sort of comedy standup striptease that found its niche in New York burlesque. And through the evolving media platform that was 1950s musicals, a tyrannical mother turns her obsession into one of Broadway's most inspirational anthems.
The media theorist Marshall McLuhan expressed that the content of new media is the media that proceeds it. Considering that the modern Broadway musical evolved from the worlds of vaudeville and its racy cousin burlesque, it's fitting that the musical Gypsy is based on real people rooted in these forms of entertainment. Gypsy Rose Lee and her sister June were child vaudeville performers driven by a show-business obsessed, sadistic mother. The talented daughter escaped her tyranny and eventually blossomed on her own in theater and television. As this embellished fable presents it, the obsessed mother drove the older, less talented daughter to create a unique sort of comedy standup striptease that found its niche in New York burlesque. And through the evolving media platform that was 1950s musicals, a tyrannical mother turns her obsession into one of Broadway's most inspirational anthems.
The King of Broadway - The Producers - April 2001
Max Bialystock has become a familiar archetype of modern capitalism; the king of commerce who falls from grace and tries to gain it all back with one big scam. The past year witnessed the entire theater industry taking a Bialystockian trajectory; shows closing in the blink of an eye, some like Funny Boy that barely got off the ground. But to paraphrase Max, when you're down and everybody thinks you're finished, that's the time to stand up and shout.....I think we can end this statement better than Max does here. Now that the light is again rising in Shubert Alley, let's shout out for the triumphant return of shows like this.
Max Bialystock has become a familiar archetype of modern capitalism; the king of commerce who falls from grace and tries to gain it all back with one big scam. The past year witnessed the entire theater industry taking a Bialystockian trajectory; shows closing in the blink of an eye, some like Funny Boy that barely got off the ground. But to paraphrase Max, when you're down and everybody thinks you're finished, that's the time to stand up and shout.....I think we can end this statement better than Max does here. Now that the light is again rising in Shubert Alley, let's shout out for the triumphant return of shows like this.
An American in Paris - April 2015
From a teenager hustling piano rolls in Tin Pan Alley to writing scores for Hollywood films, George Gershwin transformed Broadway and Hollywood in a remarkable career that spanned the Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression. Who knows what he would have accomplished if his life hadn't been cut short at 37 from a brain tumor. While the creator of many Broadway standards, this one had a meandering path on its journey to Broadway. American in Paris was written on Gershwin's trip to the city in 1928, an attempt to expand his global reach like several other artists of the Roaring Twenties. An instrumental hybrid of classical, jazz and emerging American styles, it's just as much a testament to New York's syncopation as it is to any cosmopolitan world capital. The piece inspired the musical wing at MGM to create a film based on Gershwin's music, and brother Ira agreed to sell the rights to much of his music, which seems an awful decision in light of his brother's now iconic status. The result was a pretty standard musical film starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron that nonetheless beat out Streetcar Named Desire for Best Picture in 1952. It wasn't until 2015 that this musical film was adapted into a Broadway show, and the trip from Paris, to Hollywood, to Gershwin's home was finally completed. Nothing compares to the genius of Gershwin conducted by America's greatest conductor, Leonard Bernstein.
From a teenager hustling piano rolls in Tin Pan Alley to writing scores for Hollywood films, George Gershwin transformed Broadway and Hollywood in a remarkable career that spanned the Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression. Who knows what he would have accomplished if his life hadn't been cut short at 37 from a brain tumor. While the creator of many Broadway standards, this one had a meandering path on its journey to Broadway. American in Paris was written on Gershwin's trip to the city in 1928, an attempt to expand his global reach like several other artists of the Roaring Twenties. An instrumental hybrid of classical, jazz and emerging American styles, it's just as much a testament to New York's syncopation as it is to any cosmopolitan world capital. The piece inspired the musical wing at MGM to create a film based on Gershwin's music, and brother Ira agreed to sell the rights to much of his music, which seems an awful decision in light of his brother's now iconic status. The result was a pretty standard musical film starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron that nonetheless beat out Streetcar Named Desire for Best Picture in 1952. It wasn't until 2015 that this musical film was adapted into a Broadway show, and the trip from Paris, to Hollywood, to Gershwin's home was finally completed. Nothing compares to the genius of Gershwin conducted by America's greatest conductor, Leonard Bernstein.
Tonight- West Side Story - September 1957
I'll Cover You - Rent -January 1996
Broadway love songs cover all varieties of relationships and the vast scale of musical styles. Let's sample a small slice of that diversity with two pairs of lovers spanning different eras, Maria and Tony and Angel and Tom.
I'll Cover You - Rent -January 1996
Broadway love songs cover all varieties of relationships and the vast scale of musical styles. Let's sample a small slice of that diversity with two pairs of lovers spanning different eras, Maria and Tony and Angel and Tom.
We Both Reached for the Gun - Chicago - June 1975
The musical Chicago has become a Broadway fixture. It flashes a mirror on our sneering, manipulative state of affairs, where power is often in the hands of those who practice the best sleight of hand. The cynical genius of Bob Fosse is on full display here, and surely he would have sensed the theatricality of this week’s impeachment trial, a virulent mix of media, legal and political calisthenics. As the drama unfolds, let’s contemplate who will emerge as the puppets or the ventriloquists, and who will claim the title of the triumphant Billy Flynn, who’s mouth never moves, almost.
The musical Chicago has become a Broadway fixture. It flashes a mirror on our sneering, manipulative state of affairs, where power is often in the hands of those who practice the best sleight of hand. The cynical genius of Bob Fosse is on full display here, and surely he would have sensed the theatricality of this week’s impeachment trial, a virulent mix of media, legal and political calisthenics. As the drama unfolds, let’s contemplate who will emerge as the puppets or the ventriloquists, and who will claim the title of the triumphant Billy Flynn, who’s mouth never moves, almost.
Another Hundred People - Company - 1970
New York is the world's most syncopated city where human experience stretched to new heights of elasticity. Many are born here, many are attracted to live here, and as the song says, every day some go away. In a decentralized world devoid of urban dynamics, alas many more have recently left. This song is for those who have stayed and endured this troubled winter, demonstrating that as the city is drained of its natural vibrancy, its true soul is stretched and revealed.
New York is the world's most syncopated city where human experience stretched to new heights of elasticity. Many are born here, many are attracted to live here, and as the song says, every day some go away. In a decentralized world devoid of urban dynamics, alas many more have recently left. This song is for those who have stayed and endured this troubled winter, demonstrating that as the city is drained of its natural vibrancy, its true soul is stretched and revealed.
Money Makes the World Go Round - Cabaret - November 1966
Many liken the financial markets to a casino, but we propose that they are more characteristically in line with a cabaret. The multitudes sit in darkness amid a carnival atmosphere, and at times their repressed wishes become fulfilled, manifested into a feeding frenzy by a disturbing emcee, second rate dancers and strippers, all tenuously floating on the cusp of moral corruption. As financial markets continue to gyrate in the coming days, let’s attempt to focus on the stability of the melody rather than the volatility of the rhythm.
Many liken the financial markets to a casino, but we propose that they are more characteristically in line with a cabaret. The multitudes sit in darkness amid a carnival atmosphere, and at times their repressed wishes become fulfilled, manifested into a feeding frenzy by a disturbing emcee, second rate dancers and strippers, all tenuously floating on the cusp of moral corruption. As financial markets continue to gyrate in the coming days, let’s attempt to focus on the stability of the melody rather than the volatility of the rhythm.
If I Were A Rich Man - Fiddler on the Roof - September 1964
Every time someone wins a giant Mega Million jackpot, I remember Tevye, the philosophical milkman, asking the divine “Would it spoil some vast eternal plan, if I were a wealthy man?” The fact is that the odds of winning the last prize was 1 in 303 million give or take a few thousand. In the cold, indifferent realm of statistics, that means the chance of winning is the same as if you didn’t play at all (you actually win by not playing). So what is this flaw in human nature that allows us to believe in the impossible, ignore the inevitable, and embellish the ridiculous? While driving many of us to squander money on lotteries and believe conspiracy theories, it’s the same flaw that drives others to write musicals and create new technologies, in the hope that we’ll spoil that vast eternal plan. May the divine intervene in your favor.
Every time someone wins a giant Mega Million jackpot, I remember Tevye, the philosophical milkman, asking the divine “Would it spoil some vast eternal plan, if I were a wealthy man?” The fact is that the odds of winning the last prize was 1 in 303 million give or take a few thousand. In the cold, indifferent realm of statistics, that means the chance of winning is the same as if you didn’t play at all (you actually win by not playing). So what is this flaw in human nature that allows us to believe in the impossible, ignore the inevitable, and embellish the ridiculous? While driving many of us to squander money on lotteries and believe conspiracy theories, it’s the same flaw that drives others to write musicals and create new technologies, in the hope that we’ll spoil that vast eternal plan. May the divine intervene in your favor.
Circle of Life - Lion King - October 1997
In memory of Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. and in anticipation of when normal life will return to the theaters and subways.
In memory of Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. and in anticipation of when normal life will return to the theaters and subways.
A New Argentina - Evita - September 1979
There's a compelling message for our age in the music of Evita; Leaders Matter. This hybrid of opera and musical theatre captures the seduction and repulsion embedded in the rule of demagogues. As one of the leading societies in world, we should hopefully by now be contemplating this lesson in a theater with an orchestra rather than watching it on our phones and TVs. Yet this musical plays on in various degrees across societies throughout the world, demonstrating the need to continually strengthen our institutions and principles. The Arts will perpetually serve as a catalyst in this effort, clarifying the universal themes that endure through decades and warning us of the dangers. As we transition to new leadership and commemorate the birthday of Martin Luther King, let's remember our responsibility to embrace true leaders and see through the seductive sleights of hand that can turn dangerous in the blink of an eye.
There's a compelling message for our age in the music of Evita; Leaders Matter. This hybrid of opera and musical theatre captures the seduction and repulsion embedded in the rule of demagogues. As one of the leading societies in world, we should hopefully by now be contemplating this lesson in a theater with an orchestra rather than watching it on our phones and TVs. Yet this musical plays on in various degrees across societies throughout the world, demonstrating the need to continually strengthen our institutions and principles. The Arts will perpetually serve as a catalyst in this effort, clarifying the universal themes that endure through decades and warning us of the dangers. As we transition to new leadership and commemorate the birthday of Martin Luther King, let's remember our responsibility to embrace true leaders and see through the seductive sleights of hand that can turn dangerous in the blink of an eye.
Sit Down, John - 1776 - March 1969
In this challenging week, looking forward to the transition of leadership to a new president, let's contemplate a musical that memorializes the American Independence movement evolving through a fairly peaceful and orderly congress. While the passage of time has revealed a less noble origin to this nation, we must remember the principles of equality and fairness that the Founding Fathers envisioned, acknowledging the often bumpy, uneven road of progress that has brought us to this juncture. As Hamilton has shown us again nearly five decades after 1776, musicals can enlighten our understanding of American History with the clarifying harmony of song. Right now, I'm sure there's another playwriter out there contemplating how these times will eventually be understood through song and dance.
In this challenging week, looking forward to the transition of leadership to a new president, let's contemplate a musical that memorializes the American Independence movement evolving through a fairly peaceful and orderly congress. While the passage of time has revealed a less noble origin to this nation, we must remember the principles of equality and fairness that the Founding Fathers envisioned, acknowledging the often bumpy, uneven road of progress that has brought us to this juncture. As Hamilton has shown us again nearly five decades after 1776, musicals can enlighten our understanding of American History with the clarifying harmony of song. Right now, I'm sure there's another playwriter out there contemplating how these times will eventually be understood through song and dance.
Good Morning Starshine - Hair - October 1967
Hair was a transformation of the Broadway musical, reflecting a youthful, rock-driven, anti-establishment culture. The brave souls who brought this forward to the same theaters showing Fiddler on the Roof and R&H fought long odds, but its eternal success lies mainly in the timelessness of its music, whether the Age of Aquarius or the Age of Instagram.
Hair was a transformation of the Broadway musical, reflecting a youthful, rock-driven, anti-establishment culture. The brave souls who brought this forward to the same theaters showing Fiddler on the Roof and R&H fought long odds, but its eternal success lies mainly in the timelessness of its music, whether the Age of Aquarius or the Age of Instagram.
Old Man River - Show Boat - December 1927
Show Boat was an important milestone in the development of the integrated musical. By this time in his impresario career, Florenz Ziegfeld wanted more than just to present revues strung together with the thinnest of plots. Emerging now on Broadway was drama driving the songs rather than the other way around. The part of Joe was designed for the actor Paul Robeson who transformed the role and this song into a life-affirming anthem of perseverance. Perhaps the best musical number to inspire us as we embark upon the challenges and opportunities of a new year.
Show Boat was an important milestone in the development of the integrated musical. By this time in his impresario career, Florenz Ziegfeld wanted more than just to present revues strung together with the thinnest of plots. Emerging now on Broadway was drama driving the songs rather than the other way around. The part of Joe was designed for the actor Paul Robeson who transformed the role and this song into a life-affirming anthem of perseverance. Perhaps the best musical number to inspire us as we embark upon the challenges and opportunities of a new year.
Maybe this Time - Cabaret - 1972 (First appeared in movie version)
There are many parallels between the life of Judy Garland and her daughter Liza Minnelli. Both were born into show business and were on stage practically from the time they were born. Both were insecure about their appearance, no doubt in Judy’s case driven by the insistence of MGM that she control her weight with constant dieting and drugs. Their lives were earmarked with multiple marriages, some more successful than others but all contributing to some degree of suffering. Both were careers of great heights and depths, and in Judy’s case, an early death. But there is one great legacy that should lift us as we embark on the new year. Both are associated with a song of great hope. Judy Garland is often remembered for her association with Over the Rainbow and Liza with this great Kander and Ebb composition first appearing in the movie version of Cabaret. Basking in the promise of a new year, the odds are in our favor and something's bound to begin.
There are many parallels between the life of Judy Garland and her daughter Liza Minnelli. Both were born into show business and were on stage practically from the time they were born. Both were insecure about their appearance, no doubt in Judy’s case driven by the insistence of MGM that she control her weight with constant dieting and drugs. Their lives were earmarked with multiple marriages, some more successful than others but all contributing to some degree of suffering. Both were careers of great heights and depths, and in Judy’s case, an early death. But there is one great legacy that should lift us as we embark on the new year. Both are associated with a song of great hope. Judy Garland is often remembered for her association with Over the Rainbow and Liza with this great Kander and Ebb composition first appearing in the movie version of Cabaret. Basking in the promise of a new year, the odds are in our favor and something's bound to begin.
The Schuyler Sisters - Hamilton - January 2015
For a long time, I’ve wanted to see the musical Hamilton on Broadway, seemingly sold out for infinity. Then the pandemic hit and then the theaters went dark. Two months maybe? Through 2020? Summer of 2021? Hard to say when Hamilton will return. And I gain no solace knowing that regardless of economic status, we are all created equal in waiting to see the return of the rapping Founding Fathers. But tossing aside our current challenges, let us be grateful at how lucky we are to be alive right now. Let’s be inspired that despite this once in a lifetime respite from the onslaught of New Year’s Eve crowds, history is happening and we just happen to be in the greatest city in the world.
For a long time, I’ve wanted to see the musical Hamilton on Broadway, seemingly sold out for infinity. Then the pandemic hit and then the theaters went dark. Two months maybe? Through 2020? Summer of 2021? Hard to say when Hamilton will return. And I gain no solace knowing that regardless of economic status, we are all created equal in waiting to see the return of the rapping Founding Fathers. But tossing aside our current challenges, let us be grateful at how lucky we are to be alive right now. Let’s be inspired that despite this once in a lifetime respite from the onslaught of New Year’s Eve crowds, history is happening and we just happen to be in the greatest city in the world.
Night and Day - Gay Divorce - November 1932
One of the great milestones in the annals of Broadway is the junction of composer Cole Porter with the supreme singer/dancer Fred Astaire. Broadway musicals became a natural fit for the content of early sound films, especially when the camera started dancing as well. The Gay Divorce was a high note in Porter’s earlier career and became Astaire’s train to Hollywood. Sadly, the film version Gay Divorcee purged much of Porter’s work, another case of the problematic relationship between Broadway and Hollywood. Night and Day gladly survived the Hollywood chefs and will undoubtedly be sung on Broadway for years to come.
One of the great milestones in the annals of Broadway is the junction of composer Cole Porter with the supreme singer/dancer Fred Astaire. Broadway musicals became a natural fit for the content of early sound films, especially when the camera started dancing as well. The Gay Divorce was a high note in Porter’s earlier career and became Astaire’s train to Hollywood. Sadly, the film version Gay Divorcee purged much of Porter’s work, another case of the problematic relationship between Broadway and Hollywood. Night and Day gladly survived the Hollywood chefs and will undoubtedly be sung on Broadway for years to come.
Cell Block Tango - Chicago - June 1975
Bob Fosse was a performer and more importantly choreographer/producer who not only spanned the great age of musicals and the fall of Times Square, but was a walking embodiment of media integration. The on-stage/off-stage collaboration with his wife Gwen Verdon produced a series of successful musicals in the late fifties and sixties where Fosse progressively stretched himself to become the leading creative force; his star as a Broadway director rose as Times Square and the Theater District fell into disgrace, and his vision reflected this. His choreography was sensual and liberating within a framework that was more like a highly stylized vaudeville than a fully integrated musical. The number Cell Block Tango presented below captures much of Fosse's cynical, comedic, stylized vision.
Fosse’s life was pure chaos; a myriad of tenuous business and emotional relationships, huge swings of euphoria and depression, constant battles with health problems made worse by chain-smoking and pill-popping. This chaos mirrored that which reigned in Times Square from the late sixties through the eighties. Yet the theater industry survived and the light spectaculars, though dimmed, remained a force through the darkest period. Fosse’s cynical genius helped to keep the creative spirit alive by driving the sound and sights of Broadway across several mediums. By doing so through the darkest days of mayhem, he helped plant the seeds for Broadway’s great comeback.
Bob Fosse was a performer and more importantly choreographer/producer who not only spanned the great age of musicals and the fall of Times Square, but was a walking embodiment of media integration. The on-stage/off-stage collaboration with his wife Gwen Verdon produced a series of successful musicals in the late fifties and sixties where Fosse progressively stretched himself to become the leading creative force; his star as a Broadway director rose as Times Square and the Theater District fell into disgrace, and his vision reflected this. His choreography was sensual and liberating within a framework that was more like a highly stylized vaudeville than a fully integrated musical. The number Cell Block Tango presented below captures much of Fosse's cynical, comedic, stylized vision.
Fosse’s life was pure chaos; a myriad of tenuous business and emotional relationships, huge swings of euphoria and depression, constant battles with health problems made worse by chain-smoking and pill-popping. This chaos mirrored that which reigned in Times Square from the late sixties through the eighties. Yet the theater industry survived and the light spectaculars, though dimmed, remained a force through the darkest period. Fosse’s cynical genius helped to keep the creative spirit alive by driving the sound and sights of Broadway across several mediums. By doing so through the darkest days of mayhem, he helped plant the seeds for Broadway’s great comeback.
It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got That Swing-Sophisticated Ladies- March 1981
Duke Ellington knew Uptown, Midtown, Downtown, and every other direction in music and urbanity. He wrote this standard in 1931 with Irving Mills and it was a highlight of the 1981 revue Sophisticated Ladies that featured vignettes from his life, the best of over 1,000 tunes he wrote in his career, and great hoofing as seen here. Broadway is the 'swing' of New York - the city means a lot less to many of us until we light up the theaters again. And dancing feet is intrinsic to New York life, whether propelling a professional hoofer or a haggard pedestrian. We may miss the hustle of Broadway, but a walk through Central Park even on a winter day is still a symphony of street musicians, singers and dancers, eager to keep the spirit engaged. You may have just been entertained by the next Duke Ellington, Phyllis Hyman or Gregory Hines. And it won't be long before we're all pounding the pavement again and experiencing the natural synesthesia that's the great attraction of living in New York.
Duke Ellington knew Uptown, Midtown, Downtown, and every other direction in music and urbanity. He wrote this standard in 1931 with Irving Mills and it was a highlight of the 1981 revue Sophisticated Ladies that featured vignettes from his life, the best of over 1,000 tunes he wrote in his career, and great hoofing as seen here. Broadway is the 'swing' of New York - the city means a lot less to many of us until we light up the theaters again. And dancing feet is intrinsic to New York life, whether propelling a professional hoofer or a haggard pedestrian. We may miss the hustle of Broadway, but a walk through Central Park even on a winter day is still a symphony of street musicians, singers and dancers, eager to keep the spirit engaged. You may have just been entertained by the next Duke Ellington, Phyllis Hyman or Gregory Hines. And it won't be long before we're all pounding the pavement again and experiencing the natural synesthesia that's the great attraction of living in New York.
Tradition - Fiddler on the Roof - September 1964
Whether Jewish, Islamic, Catholic, Buddhist, Atheist, or belonging to any other creed or non-creed of one's choosing, we're all balanced by our traditions, enabling us to metaphorically fiddle on the roof. Broadway musicals are also tradition, and one of its great mavericks was Zero Mostel. A quintessential New Yorker who may have never blossomed if not for City College, Zero Mostel molded the character of Tevye, the philosophical milkman, into a Broadway archetype. And when the lights triumphantly return to Broadway in the next few months, Zero Mostel will be watching over us, swaying his chubby hips and gazing upward, content in the role he played embellishing our traditions.
Whether Jewish, Islamic, Catholic, Buddhist, Atheist, or belonging to any other creed or non-creed of one's choosing, we're all balanced by our traditions, enabling us to metaphorically fiddle on the roof. Broadway musicals are also tradition, and one of its great mavericks was Zero Mostel. A quintessential New Yorker who may have never blossomed if not for City College, Zero Mostel molded the character of Tevye, the philosophical milkman, into a Broadway archetype. And when the lights triumphantly return to Broadway in the next few months, Zero Mostel will be watching over us, swaying his chubby hips and gazing upward, content in the role he played embellishing our traditions.
My Favorite Things - The Sound of Music - November 1959
With no disrespect to the Broadway mavericks Rogers and Hammerstein, their tune My Favorite Things from The Sound of Music is pretty and catchy but overall a meek effort. In the hands however of the jazz genius John Coltrane, it is transformed into pure spiritual synesthesia. Let’s first experience the song from the movie version of SOM. Cozy with a pleasant upbeat melody,and the kids are great, but this is far from the emotional depth of other R&H classics like Beautiful Morning.
With no disrespect to the Broadway mavericks Rogers and Hammerstein, their tune My Favorite Things from The Sound of Music is pretty and catchy but overall a meek effort. In the hands however of the jazz genius John Coltrane, it is transformed into pure spiritual synesthesia. Let’s first experience the song from the movie version of SOM. Cozy with a pleasant upbeat melody,and the kids are great, but this is far from the emotional depth of other R&H classics like Beautiful Morning.
Now let’s experience how Coltrane transformed this into 'Sheets of Music.' As the physicist/musician Stephon Alexander explains in a video presented on the KNOWLEDGE INTEGRATION page of this website, jazz musicians consider all possible notes and paths across the musical spectrum as they create an improvisation. Rising from the foundation of a strong melody, let’s join Coltrane on sax and McCoy Tyner on piano. Don’t just hear one note at a time. Try to hear thousands emanating simultaneously in waves of potentialities. Try to envision the music working vertically over chord progressions and horizontally over scales. Listen how the syncopation thrusts the music forward, cleverly supported by accents and cross-rhythm. I wonder what Mother Abbess would have said about this, but I doubt she hung out at the Blue Note.
The Impossible Dream - Man of La Mancha - March 1968
It always fascinates me when artists pluck a great tune out of a musical and make it their own. The Impossible Dream is the quest of Don Quixote, who's author Miguel de Cervantes was menaced by the Spanish Inquisition just as Don Quixote was menaced by windmills he believed were dragons. These are characters teeming with contradictions, oscillating between realism and idealism, so perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that Elvis Presley made this anthem his own. Challenged by the highs and lows of his extraordinary fame, he succumbed to an untimely death just two years after this MSG performance. "When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where the madness lies?"
It always fascinates me when artists pluck a great tune out of a musical and make it their own. The Impossible Dream is the quest of Don Quixote, who's author Miguel de Cervantes was menaced by the Spanish Inquisition just as Don Quixote was menaced by windmills he believed were dragons. These are characters teeming with contradictions, oscillating between realism and idealism, so perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that Elvis Presley made this anthem his own. Challenged by the highs and lows of his extraordinary fame, he succumbed to an untimely death just two years after this MSG performance. "When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where the madness lies?"
As we await the triumphant revival of New York’s cultural institutions, let us gain inspiration from their grand heritage, dormant but breathing below the surface. The musicals of Broadway have pumped blood through the city’s veins for well beyond a century, as important to its fabric as financial exchanges, underground trains, and diversity. My hope is that once the theaters go bright again, we'll broadcast the anthems of Broadway from billboards across the Theater District every morning to inspire our workforce and every evening to usher in the theater crowds.
Everything's Alright - Jesus Christ Superstar - October 1971
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice enabled us to see the New Testatment in a new light, around the same time we started worshipping Ziggy Stardust and the Pinball Wizard. I look forward to the days when we can once again sit twelve at a table for supper (thirteen including the host).
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice enabled us to see the New Testatment in a new light, around the same time we started worshipping Ziggy Stardust and the Pinball Wizard. I look forward to the days when we can once again sit twelve at a table for supper (thirteen including the host).
Something's Coming - West Side Story - September 1957
Let’s explore the powerful mix of sensory stimulation, the synesthesia of West Side Story. Its literary source is Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet set to the gang wars of the city’s Upper West Side. Dance is an empowering motif, used to convey sexual awakening, satire in the way of gestures, and violent emotions. Soaring melodies celebrate the grit of dense urban life. But it is the drive of the story, supported by these elements, that creates the depth in emotion. The optimism we feel when Tony sings Something’s Coming is eventually shattered as we observe his death as the ultimate outcome of the drama. Every time I hear the song, I contemplate how optimism can be callously shattered if we allow dark forces to take control, so remember, something great is always just around the corner.
Let’s explore the powerful mix of sensory stimulation, the synesthesia of West Side Story. Its literary source is Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet set to the gang wars of the city’s Upper West Side. Dance is an empowering motif, used to convey sexual awakening, satire in the way of gestures, and violent emotions. Soaring melodies celebrate the grit of dense urban life. But it is the drive of the story, supported by these elements, that creates the depth in emotion. The optimism we feel when Tony sings Something’s Coming is eventually shattered as we observe his death as the ultimate outcome of the drama. Every time I hear the song, I contemplate how optimism can be callously shattered if we allow dark forces to take control, so remember, something great is always just around the corner.
Tomorrow - Annie the Musical - April 1977
Annie the Musical debuted in1977, another period of adversity for a city dealing with fears of financial collapse, high crime, Gerald Ford, leisure suits and pants that became umbrellas below the knee. Annie was a fount of optimism in tough times, and if it had flopped, perhaps Ed Koch would have never happened.
Annie the Musical debuted in1977, another period of adversity for a city dealing with fears of financial collapse, high crime, Gerald Ford, leisure suits and pants that became umbrellas below the knee. Annie was a fount of optimism in tough times, and if it had flopped, perhaps Ed Koch would have never happened.
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