My readers often ask me about my favorite musicals, and I truly have a hard time answering that question at the exclusion of others. I have a very short list of musicals I do not like, but a long list of shows that I love, admire, and respect. For Thanksgiving, I thought I would share the ten that have had specific special meaning to me over the years and share why. I hope you’ll enjoy this piece and understand why these shows hold such importance to me.
What Does Disney+ Have For the Musical Fan?
The launch of Disney+ had a few snags during its initial rollout, with more subscribers signing on to the new steaming platform than were initially expected. As the kinks begin to be ironed out, it looks as though Disney+ will provide a host of wonderful options from the worlds of classic and contemporary Disney, Star Wars, Marvel, National Geographic, including many original films and series to enjoy. For those of us who love musicals (film, television, and stage), there are also plentiful offerings, some newer, but most that hold a place of nostalgia in our hearts. Here are some standouts that you can hope to find!
Thoughts on Ivo Van Hove’s West Side Story Cuts
It has been a few days now since the news officially dropped about the cuts and revisions made for the Ivan Van Hove-helmed revival of West Side Story preparing to open on Broadway. Some of my readers have pointed out to me that I have been noticeably quiet about what some have deemed is a massacre of a classic and some feel is an innovative take. They are correct. I have been mostly silent on the topic, taking some time to process how I felt about the changes and synthesizing these changes to decide whether or not they will truly influence the integrity of the piece. In recent years I have also tended to write about history, steering away from personal opinions in the hope that what I share ignites enthusiasm about musical theatre classics instead of turning people away from them. Even if a show is dated or is not in line with the thinking of our contemporary views, I believe most older shows (even the flops) have merit and are worthy of remembering. However, enough people have reached out to me over this West Side Story debacle that I suppose I am being called upon to speak in its defense. I will share my thoughts, at risk of much criticism (and maybe not for the reasons you might think). I do not expect everyone to agree with me and hope that each of you will apply your own reason and thought to whether you want to an altered West Side Story, making (or not making) your ticket purchases accordingly.
Remembering Song & Dance
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black created a heartfelt, funny, touching and palpably heartbreaking musical when they wrote Tell Me On A Sunday. Written as a one-woman show for British actress-singer Marti Webb, Tell Me On A Sunday was presented at the Sydmonton Festival in 1979. Telling the story of an English woman who has just moved to the United States, the musical follows her as she navigates her new home (first NYC, then Los Angeles) and explores the possibilities of love and career, writing letters to her mother back in England detailing her experiences. This is the basic premise for the first act of a musical that would come to London’s West End in 1982 under the title Song & Dance.