We had a fun ZIP-A-DEE-DOO-DAH day 4 of Broadway in Bryant Park featuring the music of Disney on Broadway.
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BREAKING NEWS: The Best of Broadway is coming to your Television screens this Fall. The 2018 edition of the PBS Arts Fall Festival is official set for November 2nd-23rd, 2018 (4 Fridays) all set to air on Great Performances l PBS. The lineup will be as follows….
An American in Paris – Filmed at the Dominion Theatre in London’s West End, this Tony winning smash hit starring Tony nominees and Internationally acclaimed dancers Robert Fairchild and Leanne Kay Cope. Based on the 1951 MGM film and featuring the music of The Gershwins, it tells the story of 3 friends struggle to find work in Paris. However, their friendship becomes complicated when 2 of them fall in love with the same woman. You can expect to hear songs like I GOT RHYTHM, THE MAN I LOVE, S’WONDERFUL, and THEY CAN’T TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME. For those who didn’t get to see An American In Paris on Broadway or in London’s West End, here is your chance,
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The Sound Of Music – A filmed live televised production in the UK back in 2015, this new production of the classic musical about a young woman who cares and changes the lives of 7 children of a retired naval officer features Kara Tointon, Julian Ovenden, and Maria Friedman. You can expect to hear all the classics like the title song, HOW DO YOU SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE MARIA, DO-REI-MI, MY FAVORITE THINGS, THE LONLEY GOATHARD, EDILEWEISS, and more. Remember, this was the UK version of the live production. NOT THE NBC VERSION (that starred Carrie Underwood),
John Leguizamo?s Road to Broadway – This documentary shows the Award winning actor’s journey in preparation for his recently acclaimed One Man Show LATIN HISTORY FOR MORONS that earned him a recent 2018 special Tony Award honor,
and Harold Prince: A Director?s Journey – This documentary will take you behind the scenes at the works of the legendary 21 time Tony Award winning director and producer of hits like The Pajama Game, West Side Story, Damn Yankees, The Pajama Game, Cabaret the Musical, Fiddler on the Roof, Evita – The Musical, Sweeney Todd NYC, Kiss of The Spider-Woman, The Phantom of the Opera, and more.
The official dates of what will air those 4 weeks will be announced soon.
Who is excited?
PBS Will Broadcast U.K. An American in Paris and The Sound of Music in November | Playbill
The Great Performances series will also feature documentaries about John Leguizamo?s Latin History for Morons and Tony winner Harold Prince.
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SING FOR ME MY ANGEL OF MUSIC! The legendary original star of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera herself Sarah Brightman is back. It has just been announced this morning she is set to release her all new album HYMN this Fall 2018. The album is produced by her longtime producer Frank Peterson.
For fans of Sarah Brightman, she is the known as the world’s most selling Female Soprano of all time. All her albums out there are well known for having an entire theme to go with it. For this HYMN album from what Brightman’s been sharing on social media, the theme is supposed to be mainly HEAVEN. No official date for the album has been announced yet.
In addition in promotion for the album, Brightman will once again embark on a World Tour. Fans of Sarah know that her concerts are spectacular with a Theatrical vibe to go with the theme of the album. No dates when she will launch it,
Who is excited?
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WHADDYA TALK, WHADDYA TALK, WHADDTA TALK! We are only 34 days away from Broadway’s biggest night of the year, the 72nd Annual Tony Awards playing you the best spectacular performances from the past telecast..
At # 34 today on our countdown, we take a trip to River City, Iowa where a superstitious sales conman is playing a game of hit and run trying to organize an all boys marching band leader and selling instruments before heading to the next down. However, his world turns upside down when he meets the town’s Librarian. That superstitious man I am talking about ?Professor Harold Hill?, better known as The Music Man. The musical features a score and book by Meredith Wilson and Franklin Lacey,
From the 1971 telecast (where some of the most famous Broadway stars at the time came back to recreate their iconic performances), the late Tony winning original star Robert Preston as “Professor Harold Hill” and the company perform the showstopper YA GOT TROUBLE.
THE MUSIC MAN was inspired by Meredith Wilson?s 1948 memoir entitled AND THERE I STOOD THERE WITH MY PICCOLO talking about his early life in Iowa and playing in a John Phillip Sousa band. The book did so well, he originally conceived his story as a Musical Television special. However, it did not work out. Wilson later teamed up with Franklin Lacey to edit the book of the show.
In the original script, the character of ” Harold Hill” had literally an 8 minute monologue which slowed down the show. They read through it and Wilson started seeing it more as a lyric. The long monologue was then changed into an entire musical named considered as an early version of rap. That song happened to be YA GOT TROUBLE. The inspiration of the leading lady role of “Marian The Librarian” was a woman named that Wilson met during World War II named Marian Seely who as a medical librarian in Utah.
After many years of rewrites, the show had its World Premiere in 1957 at Broadway’s Majestic Theatre for 1,375 performances. The creative team featured direction by Morton DaCosta and choreographed by Onna White. The cast starred?.
Tony winners Robert Preston (later Eddie Albert and Bert Parks) as “Professor Harold Hill”
and the late Barbara Cook Officialas “Marian?
The original production was nominated for 9 Tony Awards that same year winning 5 including Best Musical, Best Leading Actor in a Musical (for Robert Preston), and Best Leading Actress in a Musical (for Barbara Cook).
The show went on to become a worldwide hit. It was later revived 3 times in New York City.
In 1965, New York City Center presented a limited run of 16 performances stint. The creative team featured direction by Gus Schirmer Jr. and choreography by Vernon Lusby. The cast featured…
Bert Parks as “Professor Harold Hill”,
and Gaylea Byrne as ?Marian?
The show was then brought back to New York City Center in 1980 for another short stint of 29 performances. This time, the creative team featured direction and choreography by Michael Kidd. The cast starred?.
Dick Van Dyke as “Professor Harold Hill”.
and Meg Bussert as ?Marian?.
Both New York City Center engagements did not receive and Tony Award nominations or wins.
The most recent Broadway revival of THE MUSIC MAN happened in 2000 at Broadway’s Neil Simon Theatre running for a total of 721 performances. This production was directed and choreographed by Tony winner Susan Stroman. The cast starred?
Tony nominee Craig Berko (later Robert Sean Leonard and Eric McCormack) as “Professor Harold Hill”
and Tony nominee Rebecca Luker as “Marian”.
The revival was nominated for 8 Tony Awards that year including Best Revival of a Musical but lost all the categories.
In addition to THE MUSIC MAN being a successful stage musical. It also became a huge hit on the screen as well.
The original film adaptation was directed by Morton DaCosta (who directed the original stage production) and was released in 1962 from Warner Bros. Entertainment. The cast featured?
Robert Preston reprising his Tony winning performance as “Professor Harold Hill”
and Shirley Jones as “Marian”.
The original film was nominated for The Academy Awards 6 times that year winning only 1 for Best Score.
In 2003, THE MUSIC MAN was captured on film again. This time it was made as a TV Movie for Disney and ABC Television Network.. It was directed by Jeff Bleckner and featured choreography by Tony winner Kathleen Marshall. The cast starred Tony winning and Broadway favorites?
Matthew Broderick as “Professor Harold Hill”
and Kristin Chenoweth as “Marian”.
This TV movie remake was also nominated for a 5 technical Emmy Awards.
Doesn’t this show make you want walk out singing the songs?
#TonyAwards #CountdownToTheTonys #BroadwaysBiggestNight #NYBTTonyAwardsCountdown #NewYorkBroadwayTours #Top40Countdown #ThisIsBroadway
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ON THE MARQUEE: The front of house billboards of the Music Box Theatre have been updated welcoming Phoenix Best to the company of Dear Evan Hansen.
Beginning tomorrow night, March 13th, 2018, the actress who appeared in the recent Tony winning revival of The Color Purple Musical and as “Eponine” on the current National Tour of Les Mis?rables US takes over the role of the smart and ambitious nerd herself “Alana Beck” succeeding original cast member Kristolyn Lloyd (who took her final bow yesterday).
Welcome and break a leg Pheonix.
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