What does this have to do with the performing arts? Why, I’m glad you asked…

Everything’s Coming Up Musicals

I’ve written here before about the Creature From the Black Lagoon as a musical. But did you know there are others?

• Evil Dead the Musical
• Toxic Avenger the Musical
• The Fly
• Repo: the Genetic Opera
  

I didn’t know about some of these, until I read his column over on A&E. I was able to remind him of Point Break LIVE! which doesn’t really count, as it’s not a musical (but the fact that Keanu Reeves’ part is read by a random audience member off of cue cards is pretty interesting) . He also mentions the old standby, Rocky Horror Picture Show, but strangely enough missed the beginning of the genre, Little Shop of Horrors, and of course the newest Broadway fiasco noble effort, Young Frankenstein.

No, I’ve NOT Seen Dr. Horrible!

Of course, Joss Whedon is the talk of the town with his new Dr. Horrible  , and no, I’ve not seen it yet (about four of my friends suggested I write about it when I started this entry). I will subscribe to it tonight, watch it tomorrow on my new iPhone, and give it a proper Fame or Famine review. OK? So leave me alone already!

It makes one wonder, though…are we in a new age of musicals, clever and witty and pretty and gay…? 

Post from: Fame or Famine

The Long Tail of the Cat in the Hat

However, being produced on Broadway is not the only way to make money from a musical. Licensing a musical to be performed by smaller troupes can also be a money maker (as Disney has found to its joy with High School Musical). And for some reason, many, many theatre groups all over the country have wanted to produce their own Suessical, making it one of the most-produced shows there is. My daughters have even been in a local production of it.

Horton Hears a Revival

Something about that popularity made producers think that it might deserve a second chance, and so in 2007 Theatreworks took a revised Seussical off-broadway and on tour. “Several subplots have been eliminated — [including] General Genghis Kahn Schmitz and the Butter Battle, the Whos’ Christmas pageant with the Grinch, the ‘Havin’ a Hunch’ sequence…” says Stephen Flaherty, one of the composers (and I have a hard time believing I just quoted that particular sentence seriously). The revisions paid off, and several critics and organizations nominated it for Best Revival of 2007

It looks like the revised Broadway cast is gearing up for a recording session, as well, as JAY Records prepares to give the Theatreworks/USA cast their own shot at immortality. Will this be called a “RBC” as opposed to “OBC” recording? Either way, it will surely be interesting to contrast and compare the two, and maybe some other musical blunders (Frankenstein?) can learn from their example.

image courtesy of Newscom

Post from: Fame or Famine

Last night’s presentation on Great Performances was as good as promised. Anyone who has ever liked Seinfeld or Sex and the City will appreciate it – in fact, you might think the play was a rip-off of those ouvres until you realized that Sondheim wrote it in the 70’s. The music is also melodic enough that I was able to appreciate it more than the wandering tunes of Sweeney Todd, and included one of my favorites: “Not Getting Married“, a hilarious patter song sung by a nervous bride on her wedding day.

Raul Azara had an understated elegance to being the lead, content to be the lens through which the ensemble could explore their talents of acting, singing, and playing instruments (there’s something quite hilarious about a wide-eyed flight attendant with perfectly-coiffed blonde hair puffing away on a baritone in the middle of a large number). He really let his talent shine in the final number, though, “Being Alive“, and “Marry Me…a Little“.

One of the more difficult challenges in any production like this is the translation of the play from the intimacy of a theatre – an immersive experience – to a tiny screen in a living room. The directors met this challenge beautifully – the lighting, focusing our attention, giving dimly- seen presence to the ensemble at times, as well as the choreography of the camera served to augment the script and acting rather than simply documenting it.  And you were able to see Stephen Sondheim interviewed at the end and it really brought home the ground-breaking nature of this musical.

So I’m relieved to see the DVD is available through PBS.ORG, and I plan on purchasing it soon. It’s something I can see coming back to and enjoying again and again.

Blue Man Group: How To Be A Megastar LIVE! 

Not much to say about this, except that the bridge between the fine arts and the young new kid on the block, Performance Art, is Blue Man Group. Not just the music, but the entire commitment of their performances to this identity of alien-yet-familiar forms. So the idea of a DVD-CD-Book set coming out on March 25th, 2008 is pretty damn cool. The fact that this avant-garde group was performing in Dallas, TX, in front of over 40,000 Blue Man fans is even more astonishing – a great example of how cutting-edge art can support himself.

Post from: Fame or Famine