The Magic of Theatre

Good afternoon

HOLY HELL!
What? Never seen a zombie before? C'mon, I'm eating brains and taking names. Let's go.

Yes, it has been an eternity since our last post. And yes, we have had about as many viewers here as North Dakota has tourists. But I'm back to pump life into this decrepit blog. Like...the revival of Pippin! And would you look at that, I've transitioned flawlessly into the body of the post.

Recently, our theatre elite groups took an enlightening trip to NEW YORK! WOOOOHOOOO.

I had to pick the best picture of Robin

No big deal.

I mean, the buildings climbed so high that you could stare down the street and still not see the tops. The streets were so dirty, full of trash, and real. The bricks in the buildings seemed like they would crumble under the weight of history. The people were so naturally fashionable, fast-paced, and talented. The theaters were so unbelievably small, and our drama teacher was so famous, and we got to do incredible, mind-blowing workshops with professionals and live as though we were a part of the theatre scene.

Like I said, no big deal.

While we were living the good life, we had the opportunity to see three big-ticket Broadway shows.

And they were "big-ticket" for a reason.

Pippin has since premiered on Broadway (yeah, we saw it in previews) and received 10 Tony award nominations.
The revival features astounding circus elements tied with new concepts for choreography and design, as well as incorporating the timeless Fosse as seen in the original. The biggest change, however is seen in the sex of the musical's "Leading Player". Originated by Ben Vereen, the leading player role has been gender swapped and revived by the fabulous Patina Miller. A powerhouse of vocals and wit, Miller really reinvents the role, and keeps the entire musical moving forward with her cheshire grin. The entire show, with combined talent from the vocal and visual departments is an emotional journey that I had the pleasure of sharing with our instructor.
Yeah, "emotional journey" means I cried. I'm a real man, you're not.

Manly tears

The Big Knife was another "revival", you could say. It last premiered on Broadway 60 years ago.
2013's rendition included an incredible set, some great acting, and was chock full of big names, such as: Bobby Cannavale, Richard Kind, Marin Ireland, and Chip Zien. Yet set a good example for what a too-slow story line feels like.
But yeah. It was like seeing a movie in real life,

That sounds familiar...

If you haven't heard of Matilda: The Musical, you must be living under a rock. Matilda came over from London with high expectations after winning almost every Olivier Award possible (the London equivalent of a Tony). Now it's here on Broadway and taking over. With an astonishing 12 Tony nominations, Matilda is a pleasureable punch in the metaphorical face featuring adorable child-actors (reminding one of Billy Elliot), mesmerizing set design and lighting, laugh out-loud comedy, and an all around memorable score.
An unforgettable experience. Period. Every scene and song carried the impact of a pre-intermission song. You know, that one in every musical where the whole cast comes together to belt every melody in harmony. The one that never fails to give you goosebumps.

Dammit.... Mother! It happened again...

IN CONCLUSION,

Well...there is no conclusion, really. I began writing this post to revive the lifeless blog that is Bitching Backstage, and I ended up reviewing musicals and bragging endlessly about my first trip to the Big Apple.

But there is one lesson to be taken from this experience.

The magic of theatre is that it can take you places you've never gone before. It can turn you into people you never thought you can be. And maybe, change your entire perspective on life and send you reeling in another direction, pursuing your dreams and ultimately achieving happiness. Yep. All it takes is an audition. A life-altering line of dialogue said aloud, or a song sung with passion. That's all. Now go on out to your local theatre club, or group, or troupe or whatever it's called and put yourself out there. You are magic waiting to be heard. Join us!

and embrace our spandex

The day Broadway took over.

Today, Broadway is becoming more and more prominent in the lives of all.

With the introduction of hit shows such as Glee and Smash, and the rising popularity of the annual Tony award ceremony, musical entertainment is showing its "mainstream" side. Here, I am going to give you some  details of "the day (or new era) that Broadway took over".

1) Smash
(first season aired: 2012)

First, my personal favorite.

Smash is a television drama about what goes on behind the curtains of a *fictional* big Broadway musical.

The show is named "Bombshell" and follows the beautiful/tragic life of Marilyn Monroe.
From casting to pre-production to opening night, the characters of Smash duel for roles, sabotage competitors, and sing out their emotion. But that's not the only singing they do. Of course, since it is a musical they are making, numbers are introduced throughout the season, bringing in a nice mix of covers and original compositions. The best part for me is envisioning how a producer could pick up this idea, and turn the fantasy production into a real-life showstopper. And damn, could it be good.

2) Glee

(first season aired: 2009)

Yes...Glee.

As much as any of us would hate to admit it (meaning I. I hate to admit it), Glee has played a huge role in getting musical-type entertainment into the headlines. For anyone who's not in the loop, I'll explain.

Glee is a television comedy/drama/whatever you want to call it, about a High School Spanish teacher who takes over the dying glee club and renews it. In this show, you have all the basic teenage hormonal drama- packed with love interests, sexuality conflicts, and other issues. But they sing! So what...it may be heavily lip-synced and auto-tuned, and yeah, there's no original compositions, but they are singing. My generation (sigh) has made them so popular, that despite the previously mentioned facts, there's no way anyone could ignore that Glee has brought music and stage performance to a new level of recognition.



3) The Tonys!
(first...tony award given: 1947)

Yes! The Tony award ceremonies! Every Broadway writers/singers/actors/producers/directors dream!

Think of the breast....*ahhem!* I MEAN prestige!

For those of you who live under a rock (also...why are you reading this all-about-theatre blog?) who don't know what the Tony awards are:

The Tony's (named after the Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre) is an annual award ceremony -like the Academy awards, Oscars, etc..- designated to recognize the best and brightest of Broadway that year.

And despite being run by a panel of about 700 like-minded judges, they usually make the right decisions.

Most major Broadway shows have either been popular and won a Tony, or won a Tony then became popular.

How about a list inside of a list!? Listception (had to be done)

1)Guys & Dolls                   6)Fiddler on the Roof  11)Evita           16)The Producers

2)My Fair Lady                   7)The Wiz                   12)Cats           17)Hairspray

3)The Music Man        8)A Chorus Line     13)Les Miserables 18)Spring Awakening

4)The Sound of Music         9)Annie                       14)Rent             19)Billy Elliot

5)How to Succeed 10)Sweeney Todd  15)The Lion King  20)The Book of Mormon

                                         
                                                 And this years...21) Once

All of those titles should be recognizable to the reader.

All of those shows won "Best" in their category.

But...anyone notice something? They're all musicals. (durr) And these are some of the winners since 1947. If you're doing the math right now, that's 38 years worth of winners that I did not list.

So, what do we have so far? Well, the list contains about a third of all the winners for Best Musical.

But wait! there's more. You forgot the runners-up for Best Musical! In that category, there are over 182 musicals that placed below the winner. These include (but are not limited to) 

1)West Side Story  6)Grease            11)Into the Woods          16)Wicked

2)Gypsy                  7)Pippin             12)Beauty and the Beast  17)Rock of Ages

3)Oliver!                 8)Chicago          13)Smokey Joe's Cafe     18)American Idiot

4)Hair                     9)Dreamgirls      14)Ragtime                19)Catch Me If You Can

5)Follies                10)Joseph & the ATD  15)Mamma Mia!               20)Sister Act

                             
                          And this years (popular) runner-up...21)Newsies

Holy Balls, did I get off topic.

Well, the main point of this whole article is to prove that musical entertainment is becoming more pronounced in our lives, right?

So tell me- how many of those titles did you recognize?

Maybe more then you'd expect, huh? Well there ya go. That has to be some kind of proof that the Tony's is worming it's way into your brain..like a parasite! Right? Right!?

Well okay, you get what I mean.

The essence of this article: Musical entertainment is all around you! Seek it out! There is a large group of fun, accepting people inching into daily society that are waiting for you to join them (not a cult).

But.. if you are really bent on not getting into our scene- persistently steering away whenever you hear those kids in the Black Box shout out a showtune, and changing channels as soon as you see Neil Patrick Harris doing his opening number- well...we'll probably just find you and force you to drink our fahbulous kool-aid. Whether you want it or not!

At which point you'll be whisked away to this heaven!
 (see you on the other side, Robin)

In defense of the showtune

Some may think that Broadway is reserved for gooey showgirls in flashy gowns, and dare I say it..frivolous musicals!
But au contraire. 
Broadway can be home to some of the most meaningful messages (that just so happen to be set to music)
Here's a list of some of the shows I think carry a heavier story.

1. RENT

Summary: Rent tells the story of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York in the thriving days of Bohemian Alphabet City, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS.

The Lyrics: "How can you connect in an age where strangers, landlords, lovers, your own blood cells betray?"-Rent 
"There's only us. There's only this. Forget regret, or life is yours to miss. No other road. No other way. No day but today."-Life Support

The Message: Most of the musicals I'm going to talk about with you here are going to have pretty straightforward meanings, that being said, the message of Rent is exactly what it sounds like. Coping with the difficulties of real life whether it be external or internal. Most characters, along with struggling in relationships, sexual identity, and finances, are also diagnosed with AIDS. A heavy-hitting virus both in Rent's time-setting and the present. The message (that applies to those not diagnosed with a fatal disease) is that life may be full of shit, but its what you make of it that counts.

2. Ragtime

Summary: Ragtime tells the story of three groups in America- represented by Coalhouse Walker Jr., a Harlem musician; Mother, the matriarch of a white upper-class family in the New Rochelle, NY; and Tateh, a Latvian Jewish immigrant.

The Lyrics: "Give the people a day of peace. A day of pride. A day of justice we have been denied."-Till We Reach That Day
"With the promise of happiness, and the freedom he'll live to know; he'll travel with head held high, just as far as his heart can go" -Wheels of a Dream

The Message: This musical is full of joyous moments and sorrowful ones, but every song is still designed to hit home and get the message across on what the characters are experiencing. Can I reveal the message of this amazing musical without spoiling it? Well I'll try. This musical (set in the early 1900's) is all about the struggle of living in America as any class, and expresses the horror of racial segregation and discrimination. This probably doesn't sound like a musical that would be enjoyable, but for those who like to feel that chill down their spine when they hear a piece of true music.. you wont be sorry if you give it a listen.

3. Hair

Summary: Defined as an "American tribal love-rock musical"..At first glance, this show is about a bunch of hippies insisting on the legalization of pot and the outlaw of violence. But NO. It is much more than that...or at least an expansion of that with deeper meaning (and sweet brass & bass)

The Lyrics: "We starve-look at one another; short of breath. Walking proudly in our winter coats, wearing smells from laboratories; facing a dying nation of moving paper fantasy. Listening for the new told lies with supreme visions of lonely tunes."- Flesh Failures(Let the Sunshine In)

The Message: This show never fails to make my heart feel like lead. Whether it be on the screen or on the stage, Hair has a heavy message to provide- War is an unbelievable mistake man has made. Unfortunately, this concept can be applied to every date from the 60's (when this was written) to now. And, I can guarantee that while walking out of the theater after a production of Hair, you will want to punch war straight in the face!
(whilst shouting rock opera, perhaps?)

I highly recommend each one of these musicals. Thanks for reading. (Part 2 to come)
*lyrics provided by allmusicals.com*