In a season that boasted such arresting musicals as The Secret Garden, Miss Saigon, and Once on this Island, we saw the Tony Award for "Best Musical" go to the bouncy, chirpy, twangy, and, at times, insipid The Will Rogers Follies. The impact, innovation, and depth of the previous three titles are underscored by the more traditional, vaudeville-pastiche of The Will Rogers Follies.Not to worry, though, as there are pleasures to be had in this often predictable Cy Coleman-Betty Comden-Adolph Green score.
DYING to Make a Point - Sondheim and His Themes of DEATH
Since I have started writing this blog, I've spent a great deal of time examining lyrics, several of which have been the terrific, insightful words of Stephen Sondheim. As I have been absorbing and cross-referencing, I have been noticing a recurring theme of death throughout most of his work. Death as part of emotional survival, death as part of losing one's self, impending death as part of an urgent warning for action, and actual physical death as life draws to a close. This is not to assert that Sondheim is maudlin, morose, or fixated, but it is arresting got explore how he uses themes of death to underscore the trials of life.
Broadway to Inspire - Top Ten Broadway Songs that Teach Us to Embrace Life
Clearly Broadway musicals inspire me, and if you are generously reading my blog, I bet a show tune puts some pep in your step as well. I think back on the cast albums and individual songs that have held my hand as I went through some tough times in my life, including heartbreaks, my parents' divorce, and bouts of sadness. These songs seemed to absorb the overflowing emotions and synthesize them into something manageable. Then, there were the songs that got me past my rough patches. These were the tunes that inspired and motivated me. These songs of hope and motivation compose my top-ten list for this week.
Gulity Pleasure Thursday - "Style" from The Magic Show
A delightful Stephen Schwartz score that people are not as familiar with as they are with Wicked and his other hits, The Magic Show features some poigniant character numbers and inventive melodies. Very few people remember that The Magic Show was one of the longest-running musicals of the 1970s, but it was, in fact, as popular as Stephen Schwartz's other musicals of the period: Godspell and Pippin. So, if the score is respected and the show was a hit, why doesn't anyone produce The Magic Show anymore? Surely this report card would have producers clamoring to revive the piece. The answer is simple: the musical was less of a reason for musical theatre and more a reason to show off the magic tricks of popular magician Doug Henning. Schwartz just happened to concoct some great music for a star vehicle that was almost absent of plot.