New Broadway Musicals
Thu, 24 June 2004, 05:12 pmWalter Plinge15 posts in thread
New Broadway Musicals
Thu, 24 June 2004, 05:12 pmI made this post earlier today on one of the other boards, but I think it got lost somewhere in all the stuff about young actors...
OK, the basic trend of previous posts was, why do we do the same old musicals all the time.
So... a little test for everyone, these are all the musicals currently running on Broadway:
How many of the 21 do you know?
Brand New Musicals:
Caroline, or Change
Wicked
Avenue Q
Hairspray
Aida
Rent
Bombay Dreams
The Phantom of the Opera (original production still running!)
New Musicals based on pre-existing songs:
The Boy from Oz
Mamma Mia!
MovinÂ’ Out
New Stage Musicals adapted from films:
The Producers
The Lion King
Beauty and the Beast (original production still running!)
Non-Broadway Musicals making Broadway debut:
The Frogs
Assassins
Little Shop of Horrors
Revivals:
Fiddler on the Roof
Wonderful Town
42nd Street
Chicago
Personally, not counting what IÂ’ve seen on Tony broadcasts, I know a little bit about all of them, but I can only admit to knowing 11, only one of which came from the first category, and that was Phantom. But IÂ’m working on it!
Paul Treasure
OK, the basic trend of previous posts was, why do we do the same old musicals all the time.
So... a little test for everyone, these are all the musicals currently running on Broadway:
How many of the 21 do you know?
Brand New Musicals:
Caroline, or Change
Wicked
Avenue Q
Hairspray
Aida
Rent
Bombay Dreams
The Phantom of the Opera (original production still running!)
New Musicals based on pre-existing songs:
The Boy from Oz
Mamma Mia!
MovinÂ’ Out
New Stage Musicals adapted from films:
The Producers
The Lion King
Beauty and the Beast (original production still running!)
Non-Broadway Musicals making Broadway debut:
The Frogs
Assassins
Little Shop of Horrors
Revivals:
Fiddler on the Roof
Wonderful Town
42nd Street
Chicago
Personally, not counting what IÂ’ve seen on Tony broadcasts, I know a little bit about all of them, but I can only admit to knowing 11, only one of which came from the first category, and that was Phantom. But IÂ’m working on it!
Paul Treasure
Re: New Broadway Musicals
Fri, 2 July 2004, 08:13 pmWalter Plinge
Caroline or Change? Have a cd on order. But the music is by Jeanine Tesori (think that's how you spell her last name) and she's a phenomenal composer.
Avenue Q? Well it won all the Tony's and will most likely continue to win the biggest crowds. But judging from the CD it is not the world's most exciting score.
Wicked? The latest by Stephen Schwartz and just as witty, just as challenging, as many good tunes and as theatrically exciting as anything he has ever written. You should get the Cast Recording.
Anyway... I could go on. But you're right. The problem, as you say, is how to educate audiences. If your group has a regular "following" then one of the best ways is to put people in it that they know and love... your society's regulars... and feature them prominently in the advertising.
Jess suggests a concert, and if you do a limited run, just use the accompaniment of a pianist (+maybe bass and a kit) and again put singers in it that your audiences know and love, then in my experience good advertising will put such a show on the right track. And then before you know it, word starts to spread and your audience will start to self-educate. Sounds like an ideal world but it is possible!
What else? Well there are lots of good music shops and CD shops across the country that are dedicated to advancing Australia's knowledge of music theatre. The CD Collector in Sydney and Fine Music in Melbourne are just 2 such organisations. So it's not as though help isn't available.
Sorry if these comments are unwelcome or unhelpful. I don't know you and I apologise if I'm speaking out of turn. But if you want to discuss anything please feel free to email me. I'd be only too happy to try and figure something out!
Cheers :-)
Ben
benvt@tasmail.com
Avenue Q? Well it won all the Tony's and will most likely continue to win the biggest crowds. But judging from the CD it is not the world's most exciting score.
Wicked? The latest by Stephen Schwartz and just as witty, just as challenging, as many good tunes and as theatrically exciting as anything he has ever written. You should get the Cast Recording.
Anyway... I could go on. But you're right. The problem, as you say, is how to educate audiences. If your group has a regular "following" then one of the best ways is to put people in it that they know and love... your society's regulars... and feature them prominently in the advertising.
Jess suggests a concert, and if you do a limited run, just use the accompaniment of a pianist (+maybe bass and a kit) and again put singers in it that your audiences know and love, then in my experience good advertising will put such a show on the right track. And then before you know it, word starts to spread and your audience will start to self-educate. Sounds like an ideal world but it is possible!
What else? Well there are lots of good music shops and CD shops across the country that are dedicated to advancing Australia's knowledge of music theatre. The CD Collector in Sydney and Fine Music in Melbourne are just 2 such organisations. So it's not as though help isn't available.
Sorry if these comments are unwelcome or unhelpful. I don't know you and I apologise if I'm speaking out of turn. But if you want to discuss anything please feel free to email me. I'd be only too happy to try and figure something out!
Cheers :-)
Ben
benvt@tasmail.com
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