Random Theatre Thoughts

[malcolm1980]

The board game Monopoly is gonna be turned into a Broadway musical.

This is either gonna be surprisingly great or amazingly bad.

[Culturegeek]

Must read oral history of "Angels in America"

[misplaced validity]

I recognize I work at a school for the arts, but it was still a great moment last night when our first group of kids had their send-off dance and a song from Hamilton came on and they all got really excited and knew all of the words. Seriously, it was a group sing along by middle schoolers. Awesome.

[misplaced validity]

I write this post out of true ignorance. It's obviously a trend right now for there to be shows about the life of musicians featuring their music (going back to at least Jersey Boys and now including shows about Billy Joel, Carole King, Gloria Estefan). From what I can tell they have been generally well-received. Is there a perception that these are good for Broadway and being people in, or is there a perception that it's limiting the originality of the stories?

[dws1982]

I'm not the best to answer this question for sure, but I think that both perceptions could be there. Economically they tend to be a pretty solid proposition, but artistically speaking, shows like Jersey Boys and Beautiful--both pretty widely acclaimed--aren't exactly the norm.

[Culturegeek]

(07-21-2016 03:52 AM)misplaced validity Wrote:  I write this post out of true ignorance. It's obviously a trend right now for there to be shows about the life of musicians featuring their music (going back to at least Jersey Boys and now including shows about Billy Joel, Carole King, Gloria Estefan). From what I can tell they have been generally well-received. Is there a perception that these are good for Broadway and being people in, or is there a perception that it's limiting the originality of the stories?

The latter.

[Above the Title]

Eh. Broadway can't be all Rodgers and Hammerstein and Sondheim all the time. There are 30+ eligible Broadway houses and then there are touring companies regionally and all around the world. I'm of the opinion that anything that inspires people to see live theatre is a good thing. I don't look at something like "Mamma Mia!" as limiting originality - it's just another type of show. It may not be my cup of tea but, oh look, "The King and I" is playing down the street. "The Book of Mormon" is playing two blocks away. I understand that Broadway is more limited than something like TV, where there are literally hundreds of options at any given moment, but the hits enable people to make more hits. I feel like it's something that is constantly on the brink of being considered antiquated so I never mind if something comes out that people like.

[malcolm1980]

A new Stephen Sondheim musical could premiere next year.

[misplaced validity]

A friend posted his fave Broadway stars on facebook, and this is the collage:

https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t...e=586C9ACB

I know most of them and know at least 4 of them appeared in The Good Wife (which is what I am ultimately telling him), but can you all tell me who the first one in the second row is and the second one in the third row?

[stereoman]

"Waitress" gets a boost thanks to Valentine's Day and um, President's Day as did several other productions. News of Sara Bareilles being in her own musical for ten weeks also giving it a proverbial shot in the arm later on in the year.

http://variety.com/2017/legit/news/waitr...201993122/