2015 was an exciting year on Broadway. Who would have guessed it would prove to be such a sparkling year with such groundbreaking shows as Fun Home, Allegiance and Hamilton, as well as such stunning revivals as On the 20th Century, The King and I, and The Color Purple? As we look forward to 2016, the bar has been set high and here are some of MY wishes for what is to come...
The New Year’s Eve Musical: Close a Little Faster
With the end of 2015 almost upon us and the reassuring possibilities of 2016 ready to work their magic, I started thinking about musicals that place on December 31st as the world counts down to a new year. There are not many musicals that fit this distinction and the only one that instantly comes to mind is the notorious flop of 1983 called Dance a Little Closer, apparently so disastrous that it was nicknamed “Close a Little Faster.” As is the case with most hyperbolic statements, Dance a Little Closer wasn’t all awful. In fact, the score with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner has much to recommend and is, even at times, quite delightful.
Ten Best Christmas Movie, TV and Stage Musical Moments
On this Christmas Eve of 2015, I would like to thank my readers for just a little over a year of supporting and reading my blog. Many of you love musicals as much as I do, and it is nice to have a place where I can write about what I love and interact with people who understand.
As a Merry Christmas, I have assembled my top-ten favorite musical moments from film, television and theatre to help put you in the spirit. No commentary, just the joy of Christmas shared with you. May your days be merry and bright!
Holiday Christmas Specials: Early Musical Theatre Indoctrination
Every Christmas, the television fills up with a variety of holiday specials that help us get excited for the yuletide season. As a small child, I remember becoming giddy with Christmas anticipation when these television treats would air, with their promises of Santa Clause, presents, and stockings. Nowadays, all you have to do is turn on Freeform’s 25 Days of Christmas marathon and capture some of the most beloved of these made-for-TV specials (sometimes in frequent repetition). Much more readily accessible than Disney films in the 70s and 80s, (and available to anyone who owned a televisions set) many of them are musicals and began the early indoctrination of a young “me” into the world of musical theatre by providing stories with scores that were fully integrated with the plot, advancing the storyline and deepening our understanding of the characters. What is more, they often featured the talents of Broadway performers voicing and singing for many of the characters.
Today’s blog entry is a look back at some of the best examples of these holiday classics and the wonderful music that inhabited these Christmas specials.