Can You Tell The Broadway Musical From Just The Scene?
- by Jessica
- – on
- in Entertainment
Musical Theatre is one of the most over-the-top pastimes available. Consequently, many people profess to hate it. Filled with singing and dancing, an energetic atmosphere, wholesome family fun, gaudy costumes, and extravagant sets, some seem to find it too eccentric an activity. Broadway offers narratives from every genre, even if you're too cool to admit you enjoy it.
Musicals generally run in big cities and are shunned by the respective city's inhabitants who tend to view them as a tourist attraction. Indeed, this is partially true because a night on Broadway is a compulsory element to your New York vacation. However, when a particularly appealing and well-reviewed play comes out (*cough* Hamilton) even New Yorkers trip over themselves to sit in those coveted seats. Yet another example that no one is too cool for Broadway.
Beginning in the early twentieth century and situation on West 42nd Street, Victoria Theatre is a cultural institution that has catapulted many stars, composers and directors to fame. Each interaction with the audience is different in these long running productions; the atmosphere of musicals can change given political or social circumstance. Next time you're in New York, treat yourself to Broadway; you'll walk out elated and singing, in a different world.
Can you tell which musical this is from its description?
Which centres on Tevye and his five daughters in Imperial Russia?
Beginning on Broadway in 1964, this musical was the first production to run past 3,000 performances. It follows a Jewish father, Tevye who tries to preserve his religious and cultural identity despite shifting political circumstances. The name of the musical comes from a famous Marc Chagall painting depicting a Jewish cultural figure. Though heavily adapted from the Aleichem novel it was based on, it provided accessible insight into Jewish culture and mindsets. The Jewish Daily Forward noted it was the first post-Holocaust depiction of the vanished Eastern European Jewry.
Which is an alternative telling of the Wizard of Oz?
This 2003 production is based on the backstory of all-time classic, The Wizard of Oz. It introduces witches Elphaba and Galinda as peers at Shiz University. It talks of their relationship, their aspirations, and their sufferings under the Wizard's corrupt government. Given context, Elphaba or the wicked witch is presented as an amiable animal-lover who won't compromise her values. The story leaves you questioning your original interpretation of the Wizard of Oz. It recently became the 9th longest running Broadway show.
Which is set during the French Revolution?
Based on the novel by Victor Hugo, this musical explores both romance, and vengeance. It occurs roughly during the revolutionary period when prisoner Jean Valjean is released on parole after twenty years in prison for a misdemeanor. After shaming himself and being subsequently given a second chance, he vows to shed his convict identity and become an honest man. The musical interweaves several relationships through unfortunate circumstances. The antagonist, Javert is a fastidious police inspector who has been looking for prisoner 24601 since he escaped parole.
Which celebrates the successes of R&B acts?
Protagonist trio "The Dreams" venture from 1960's Chicago to Apollo Theatre in Harlem hoping to make it big. The production hosts a majority African American cast and originally starred Jennifer Holiday, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Sheryl Lee Ralph and more. Their showcasing at Harlem lands them with a manager who books them as backup singers behind a popular R&B artist. The story then turns to their time during fame in the 1970's and how "The Dreams" manage band drama and new sounds. The production won six Tony Awards.
Which was inspired by Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet?
This 1957 Broadway production followed the tale of two teenage street gangs in New York. Rife with racial tension and testosterone, the Jets and the Sharks battle it out one fatal night after they've been flirting with violence for weeks. This conflict was of course sparked by Maria, a woman of Puerto Rican descent who falls in love with Tony, a loosely related member of the Jets. First a production that was going to be centered on anti-Semitism, the new project instead highlighted the fractured, dangerous nature of New York street gangs.
Which is based on a novel by Gaston Leroux?
Andrew Lloyd Webber collaborated with Chris Hart and Richard Stilgoe to make this 1986 classic. The frame opens in 1905, with an auction of old theatre props from the Oprea Garnier in Paris. The scene changes to 1881 and follows beautiful orphaned soprano Christine who has an intimate connection with an "Angel of Music". The story is shrouded with dark longing and admiration, as this outcast "Angel" convinces her to join him for the first time under the Opera. It remains the longest running musical on Broadway and will leave you crying if you have an ounce of empathy.
Which is about a lucky young orphan?
Premiering in 1977, this musical was based on a popular Harold Gray comic strip. We follow an eleven year old spunky girl who is determined to escape the orphanage find her parents. She doesn't get far on the wintry streets of New York and is instead returned to the dreaded Miss Hannigan's office. Circumstances enable her to spend Christmas Eve at a billionaire's house. However when he tries to get close to her and suggests adoption she adamantly rejects him saying she just wants her original parents.
Which drags you for being "special" like everyone else?
Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx composed this 2003 Broadway production. This musical addresses the reality of post college anxiety; it focuses on a English B.A. who struggles to find an apartment and a job. The title juxtaposes PBS's Sesame Street, a program which encouraged the message that every child is different and valuable. That is just one of the stereotypes this musical reexamines to reject. The piece's incorporation of puppet characters teasing the human ones along. It comes with a feel-good ending: you may not be special but you'll get what you need.
Which is based on a T.S. Eliot book?
This masterpiece was composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber to premier in 1981. It focuses on feline culture, and a special Jellicle tribe during the special time of the Jellicle ball when they make their Jellicle choice. The audience is introduced to every sort of personality in the community from the rambunctious Rum Tum Tugger to the bourgeois Bustopher Jones. At the end this tribe chooses someone to ascend and reclaim their new Jellicle life (after all they have nine). It is the fourth longest running show in Broadway history.
Which is based on a Walt Disney animation?
This Disney-come-to-life musical was an instant success before hitting Broadway. A flexed production team with Elton John on music and Tim Rice on lyrics assured that you are Feeling The Love when you enjoy this classic. The plot generally follows the Disney sequence except mandrill Rafiki is female because otherwise this would have left no room for a woman lead. There were also several new reflective monologues added. Costume and set production were superb, the recreation of the safari animals and drought was extremely elegant.
Which is about a magical British nanny?
This musical premiered on Broadway in 2006 and follows the 1964 Disney film outline. Set in London, Banks children Jane and Michael are dreading being assigned another incompetent nanny. They pen their own list of required qualities a nanny must fulfill and within moments the "Practically Perfect" one shows up. The three and handy-man Burt and go on many adventures and she teaches them to not judge people and to begin tasks with an optimistic perspective. Once their family is reunited at the end she realizes her work is complete.
Which is about a mad barber?
This musical, recreated by Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and Tim Burton features a wonderfully macabre barber and baker who get together to exact revenge upon London. Tim Burton's version of the movie seems to have been perfectly suited to his style since it features over the top, kooky, yet devilishly dark characters that already seem like they came out of his Nightmare Before Christmas universe. The musical might be dark, but its music is amazing, with beautiful ballads, insane anthems, and some wacky solos.
Which is about murderesses?
Inspired by the 1926 play of the same name and based in Prohibition-era America, the musical is a satire focused on the criminal justice system. The initial author was fed up with internal corruption and noticed the sensationalized nature of woman murderers. The piece follows these women behind bars to where they live in a sort of prison hierarchy that cherishes the woman getting the most front page news titles. It explores psychological motives for murders as well as how quickly the world forgets you once you're inside.
Which heavily borrowed from Giacomo Puccini's La Bohème?
Born out of New York Theatre Workshop in 1993, this rock musical paints some of the realities of this 1980's artistic borough. Composer and writer Johnathan Larson died abruptly before the off-Broadway premier, and didn't get to see it win the Tony Award for Best Musical. It is situated after the opera La Bohème, with the the plague of tuberculosis mirrored by the New York City HIV/AIDs outbreak. A 2005 movie came out starring most of the original cast members.
Which is about the Von Trapp family?
This Rodgers and Hammerstein II production came out in 1959 and was based on an Austrian family memoir. It follows the story of a nun Maria, who becomes governess to the Von Trapp family and teaches them to enjoy life's spontaneity. Their father has a different parenting philosophy, centered instead around rigid schedules and discipline because he has a military background. Maria and he clash over parenting techniques and they eventually develop a more intimate relationship. The 1965 film adaption gained success with five Academy Awards.
Which is set to a repurposed Swedish pop album?
This 1999 jukebox musical was set to the 70's hits of Swedish pop group ABBA. The production invented the narrative of the musical; on the eve of her marriage a girl is eager to identify her father and has invited the three most plausible suspects to her wedding! Her mother, Donna has lived on the Greek islands since birthing her daughter and has no idea which of three individuals could be him! The production is eighth longest running show in Broadway history, finally closing in 2015.
Which is known for the John Travolta/Oliva Newton John remake?
Written and produced by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, this musical made it to Broadway in 1972. A new girl at Rydell High School, Sandy is pleased to run into her summer lover. However he is head of the T-Birds Group and has to date a certain kind of girl to retain his important masculine position. Sandy ends up falling in with the popular girls and learning to be what he wants. In 1978 the musical became a star film with John Travolta and Olivia Newton John.
Which is based on both a book and a play?
This 1966 Broadway musical is based on both a book and a play set in 1931 Berlin when the Nazis are assuming power. It follows a relationship that began at the Kit Kat Klub between American writer and English cabaret performer. The changes at the club foreshadow later national changes in Weimar Germany. It shows how racism and hatred seeped in to once open cultural places and how difficult it is to question these changes when you are in the crowd.
Which is about America's Founding Fathers?
This fresh, record-breaking musical explores the history of America's founding father, Alexander Hamilton. It underlines his fight for his convictions, his personal relationship with George Washington and his perspectives as an immigrant. The cast is almost entirely people of colour; this is intentional and meant to portray the irrelevance of the Founding Fathers' race to their claim on America. The musical is rapped through using tunes from hip-hop, rhythm and blues. It won eleven Tony Awards and the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Which is about a trip to the speech language pathologist?
The 1956 Broadway production follows Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney girl. She crosses two linguists on the street, one is a speech language pathologist who bets he can teach her a standard British accent so that she could pass as a lady. She takes lessons from this pathologist and finds people do think she is from a higher class at a royal ball and can not place her accent. However she feels neglected and used after everyone congratulates her pathologist's work.
Which is based on the book Anna and the King of Siam?
Another by Rodgers and Hammerstein II, this musical follows the experiences of a British school teacher in Siam. The Siamese King wishes to modernize his country; he is smart, stubborn, and dangerous but has a vulnerable side he hides well. As Anna becomes acquainted with local customs and practices, she begins to judge them. She feels many do not empower women enough and clashes with the King frequently over this. A 1956 film gained an Academy Award for best male lead.
Which is about a Argentinian leader?
Produced by dream team Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice this musical was released in 1976 as a rock opera concept album. Narrator Che guides us through her rise from poverty and anonymity to the prestigious social lounges of Buenos Aires "Goodnight and Thank You". The piece is centered around wife of president Juan Perón and delves into Argentina's political history. It talks of Evita's support and public role in making Perón President, making the plot almost reminiscent of Shakespeare's Macbeth.
Which is about a transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania?
The 1973 British-American musical comedy horror. It begins with a young couple stuck in the rain, needing to seek help from a spooky castle run by an alien transvestite. The transvestite's pet project, a handsome blond and tan "Rocky" comes to life in a Frankenstein-like twist and commits suicide. This musical is seen as a satire to mocking outlandish musicals in the 40's and 70's. It has a cult following and is always reenacted on Halloween. Beginning in 1976, midnight showings encouraged audiences to engage with the movie.
Which follows a biblical outline?
This rock opera by duo Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice provides a corse interpretation of the gospels before Jesus' crucifixion. Slang, contemporary attitudes, and allusions to modern life punctuate the songs. The musical invents an interpersonal and tragic relationship between Judas Iscariot and Jesus during the successive events leading to Jesus' death. Judas is upfront about his betrayal and is portrayed as the most distraught over his suffering. Judas respects Jesus but sees him only as a charismatic human, not of divine origin.
Which is based on the band The Four Seasons?
This jukebox musical follows the 1960's rock'n'roll group The Four Seasons and includes their amazing original music. Bob Gaudio, an original band member, pitched a theatrical idea to repurpose their early music. The listening producer thought a band history would be more appropriate than an ABBA-style independent narrative. It is set up as four "seasons" with each bandmate giving his perspective of their run to fame. Brotherly band mates plus teenage dream voice Frankie Castelluccio (Valli) talk of their rise to fame and their inevitable fall into debt.
Which is adapted from the Monty Python group?
This production was designed after the comedic troop's Monty Python and the Holy Grail and came out in 2005. It veers a bit from the original 1975 film but retains the off-the-wall sketch sequence. The historian begins in medieval England, and mistakes several cultural figures and events along the way to Camelot. Characters from other musicals like Chicago, Grease, and Miss Saigon also somehow appear in medieval British history. Of course, this production could not be complete if it didn't at least feature the killer rabbit from the original.
Which is about a missionary trip to Africa?
This musical satirizes Mormon beliefs and follows two men sent to Northern Uganda on a missionary trip. They arrive in a city ruled by a General and meet other missionaries who have failed to convert anyone. The pious men are faced with uninterested Ugandan locals whose problems range from an AIDS epidemic to an aggressive local warlord. They question how a religion will solve these daunting day-to-day issues. The Church of Latter-Day Saints responded in polite disagreement to the musical's portrayal and later purchased advertising space in its pamphlets.
Which is based on Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly?
Produced by Schönberg and Boulil after Les Misérables, this musical was set in Saigon during the Vietnam War and chronicled a marriage between American Gi and Vietnamese bargirl. Like Madame Butterfly, the union ends in tragedy with the trope of the American lover leaving his Asian wife for an American one. The GI and Kim meet during the last days of occupation, Vietnamese girls at the local bar compete for a title. The girl who wins it will marry a U.S. Marine.
Which is about wanting a Broadway flop?
Adapted from a 1968 film, this musical premiered in 2001 and follows two theatrical producers who get rich by overselling a Broadway flop. To ensure they get to keep the fundraising money they sign the most offensive play: Springtime for Hitler: A Gay Romp with Adolf and Eva. They sign it but have to get creative when the show is actually successful. They end up in prison with the show writer Franz but are luckily pardoned. The musical won a record-breaking twelve Tony Awards.
Which is based on Verdi's opera?
Produced by Elton John and Tim Rice, this musical is a reworked version of the 1871 opera. Set in Ancient Egypt, the narrative tells of a love story between Captain of the Army, Radames and a captive Nubian woman. However, Radames and her are on opposing sides in this war and soon Amonasro, King of Nubia, is captured. Neither can remain loyal to both their nationality and their emotion. The original broadway recording won a Grammy and "Written in the Stars," is a remembered hit.
Which is about a boy enamoured with dance?
With music by Elton John and Lee Hall, this piece won ten Tony Awards and ten Drama Desk Awards. It follows an eleven year old boy navigating his rough upbringing, misunderstood personal interests, and local political unrest. Given all this pressure, the boy only finds peace and grace when he's dancing. His father and brothers are involved in the mining strikes so they don't find out about his secret hobby until he is really invested. Amidst these conflicts, he is preparing for an audition for the Royal Ballet School in London.
Which is based on the play Green Grow the Lilacs?
Set in 1906 Oklahoma, this musical is the archetype of a "book musical" where songs and dances develop an intricate plot and dialogue. It debuted on Broadway in 1943 and tells of romance between cowboy Curly McLain and farm girl Laurey Williams. The climax comes at the box social dance where Laurey is stuck between two admirers Jud and Curly. The composers Rodgers and Hammerstein II won a Pulitzer Prize in recognition of its success in 1944. There was later a 1955 Academy Award winning film adaption.
Which is inspired by Elvis Presley's conscription?
The musical had a 1960 Broadway staging and was so successful it soon inspired a film. The story is quintessentially American, a rock 'n' roll singer gets big but then is conscripted by the U.S. Army and forced to go to Germany for two years. (This was a true story for singer Elvis Presley) The protagonist's name is Conrad Birdie, a pun on Conrad Twitty-- a rival of Elvis' in the 1950's. The musical was designed as a satire, originally named "Let's Go Steady" and brought something different than what other family musicals were offering.
Which centres on an American nurse on an island?
Based on a 1947 Pulitzer Prize-winning book, this musical follows an American nurse during her deployment. Premiering in 1949 it was composed by duo Rodgers and Hammerstein II and explores themes of interracial relationships. The military base is filled with men lamenting how the American women are off-limits to them as fellow officers, and how they can't fall in love with racialized civilian women because their social status would decline. The American nurse decides to marry the French ex-patriot but before she knows he has two Creole children.
Which is centered on seventeen auditioning Broadway dancers?
Opened 1975 on Broadway and broke records for longest running production at the time. Set as a Broadway audition, the director and choreographer are looking for only four boy and four girl dancers. They invite the participants to speak about themselves and why they want to be in the production. The monologues give an pithy feel about how many different types of people end up on Broadway. Soon they are all put in the same gold costumes to rehearse and their earlier individuality dissolves in the dance sequence.