All in Stage To Screen

Driving Out Jack Frost - Movie Musicals to Warm You Up

Driving Out Jack Frost - Movie Musicals to Warm You Up

Mark Robinson
Stage To Screen, Cinematters

The weather was pretty brutal this weekend in upstate New York, and from the weather map, it appears that most of the country has been plunged into a deep freeze that even the creators of Frozen hadn't envisioned. I spent my weekend curled up under a blanket, drinking coffee and watching movie musicals. I do this on warm days as well, but considering the draft that was coming in the window via 40 mile-an-hour winds this Sunday, I decided to put together the ten-best movie musicals to watch on a cold winter's day. 

Summer Stock in a Winter Storm

Summer Stock in a Winter Storm

Mark Robinson
Stage To Screen, Cinematters

Before I even knew what a Broadway musical was (and it is hard to believe that there was ever such a time in my life), I spent my childhood waiting for old movie musicals to play on television. We lived in the country, and the odds of getting anything on your television outside of the three major networks, was pretty slim. Still, with my little black and white television, wrapped in aluminum foil, me with coat hanger in-hand and leaning out my bedroom window, I could sometimes pick up PBS and the occasional movie musical. I saw Kiss Me, Kate and Brigadoon this way. 

Follies? Broadway the Long-Haul: Stage to Screen

Follies? Broadway the Long-Haul: Stage to Screen

Mark Robinson
Stage To Screen

There has been some whisperings in the air that, with the financially successful transfer of Into the Woods to the screen, director Rob Marshall is considering a screen adaptation of the Stephen Sondheim musical Follies. If that film were to happen today, the gestation from stage to screen would be 44 years. Given that it would take a few years for the film to be completed, we would be looking at closer to 46 years from opening night on Broadway to sitting at our local Cineplex and finally devouring Follies in movie form. This inspired me to start thinking: what are some of the longest gestations between opening night and film adaptation in Broadway history? If Follies does happen, would it hold the record?

Let's Not Whiz on The Wiz!

Let's Not Whiz on The Wiz!

Mark Robinson
Stage To Screen, Music That Makes Me Dance, Tube Tied

The renaissance of the television musical is a wonderful idea that has been executed poorly with the "live" concoctions as of later. Both The Sound of Music and Peter Pan were highly anticipated and resulted in stellar ratings, but artistically lacked any spark of inspiration. The interest is fortunate because this is a terrific opportunity to introduce the uninitiated to the world of musical theatre. The lack of quality is a different matter as the producers of these "events" should strive to not only capture this new audience, but deliver them top drawer experiences. Help them see WHY theatre is magical and life-changing when all of the elements come together into one cohesive, sparkling creation. 
 

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