Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #musicaltheater, aggregated by home.social.
#DuncanSheik, Who Traded #Pop Stardom for #Broadway, Dies at 56
Weary of the heartthrob label after his 1996 hit “Barely Breathing,” he pivoted to #MusicalTheater & won 2 Tonys for composing “Spring Awakening.”
#music
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/18/arts/music/duncan-sheik-dead.html?unlocked_article_code=1.CFE.QgY-.2b36CQeLbrW-&smid=nytcore-ios-share
ENTERTAINMENT NEWSWIRE: Disney Acquires Rights to Hamilton Film
Disney has secured the rights to the filmed version of the Broadway musical Hamilton for 75 million dollars, marking a significant shift in theater access....
https://x.com/GetTheDailyDirt/status/2099291800305365408
#Hamilton, #DisneyHamilton, #HamiltonFilm, #Broadway, #DisneyPlus, #HamiltonMusical, #LinManuelMiranda, #HamiltonCast, #TheaterAccess, #DisneyAcquisition, #75MillionDeal, #ProShot, #BroadwayFilm, #HamiltonOnDisney, #MusicalTheater, #DisneyStreaming,
Das neue Musical „Kick Like a Woman“
Mehmert: Ich habe zufällig nachts auf sportschau.de eine Doku zum „Wunder von Taipei“ gesehen und war dav…
#Koeln #Koln #Cologne #Deutschland #Deutsch #DE #Schlagzeilen #Headlines #Nachrichten #News #Europe #Europa #EU #Köln #Depot #entsteht #Germany #Geschichte #GilMehmert #Musical #Musicalpalästen #Musicalregisseur #Musicaltheater #Mutmachergeschichte #Nordrhein-Westfalen #Ort #Proben #Regisseur #Spielerinnen #Theater
https://www.europesays.com/de/1299337/
Movie Review: Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened… (2016)
Title: Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened…
Release Date: November 18, 2016
Director: Lonny Price
Production Company: Abramorama
Main Cast:
Synopsis (via Letterboxd):
This film from acclaimed theater director Lonny Price charts the journey of the original cast of Stephen Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along” in the 30-plus years since the musical debuted on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre in 1981.
My Thoughts:
Since I’ve become obsessed with the musical Merrily We Roll Along, I decided to watch this documentary about the notorious original production which bombed on Broadway in 1981. Lonny Price, who originated the role of Charley Kringas, directs this movie and interviews his fellow cast and crew. The production originated with much enthusiasm as composer Stephen Sondheim and director Hal Prince had a string of hit Broadway musicals that had redefined musical theater. Footage from an abandoned 1980s ABC documentary about the making of the show forms a good portion of the film.
Merrily We Roll Along notably is a story told in reverse chronological order and the decision was made to produce the show with a young cast aged 16 to 25 who play the characters as they de-age from bitter 40-year-olds to idealistic 20-year-olds. Interviews with the cast display the joy and awe these young actors had at working with their heroes Sondheim and Prince so early in their career and the heartbreak of the show failing. The latter part of the documentary catches up the cast in the present day where their lives have not played out with the careers of Broadway superstardom they imagined (with the possible exception of Jason Alexander who became famous for his role on Seinfeld), but have found satisfaction in life’s surprises. The documentary in a sense reflects the same themes of youthful energy and the wisdom of age told in Merrily We Roll Along. This section includes the cast reuniting for a concert performance in 2002 as well as getting together in the Neil Simon Theatre closer to the time of the documentary’s production.
While it’s not the point of this documentary, I’m still curious to learn about what caused the original production to fail while later productions succeeded? The archival footage includes several shots of the opening scene with the ensemble cast at a graduation, without noting that this is one of the scenes dropped from subsequent productions. The most recent Broadway revival of Merrily We Roll Along was a big hit with a cast lead by actors in their late 30s. But could this show be a success with a cast of young actors as originally intended (since I first saw Merrily We Roll Along performed by college students, I would say “Yes!”).
Rating: ***
#Broadway #Documentary #HalPrince #MovieReviews #Movies #MusicalTheater #StephenSondheim
The proshot of Starkid's Tomb Quest is now available for rental. I'm not sure when they plan on making it free on Youtube.
https://starkid.vhx.tv/products/tomb-quest-digital-rental
#TeamStarkid #TombQuest #MusicalTheater
https://www.europesays.com/ie/626594/ What Megan Hilty Watches (and Listens to) With Her Kids #Celebrities #Éire #Entertainment #FamilyEntertainment #IE #Ireland #MeganHilty #MickeyMouseClubhouse #Music #MusicalTheater #QualityTime #TV #VultureHomepageLede #VultureParents
Boy George Leaves ‘JCS’ After Pro-Israel AI Song
Photo: Tristar Media/Getty Images Do you really wanna hurt Boy George? Then tell him that the response to…
#NewsBeep #News #Celebrities #AI #AIMusic #AU #Australia #BoyGeorge #DoritKemsley #Entertainment #israel #JesusChristSuperstar #Music #musicaltheater #musicals #pkkemsley #Popmusic #rhobh #Theater
https://www.newsbeep.com/au/836393/
Boy George Leaves ‘JCS’ After Pro-Israel AI Song
Photo: Tristar Media/Getty Images Do you really wanna hurt Boy George? Then tell him that the response to…
#NewsBeep #News #US #USA #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Music #AI #Aimusic #BoyGeorge #doritkemsley #Entertainment #israel #JesusChristSuperstar #musicaltheater #musicals #PKKemsley #Popmusic #rhobh #Theater
https://www.newsbeep.com/us/795743/
Boy George Leaves ‘JCS’ After Pro-Israel AI Song
Photo: Tristar Media/Getty Images Do you really wanna hurt Boy George? Then tell him that the response to…
#EuropeSays #Headlines #News #Europe #Europa #EU #Israel #AI #aimusic #boygeorge #doritkemsley #JesusChristSuperstar #music #musicaltheater #musicals #pkkemsley #PopMusic #rhobh #theater
https://www.europesays.com/iran/230648/
https://www.europesays.com/iran/230648/ Boy George Leaves ‘JCS’ After Pro-Israel AI Song #AI #AiMusic #BoyGeorge #DoritKemsley #Israel #JesusChristSuperstar #music #MusicalTheater #musicals #News #PkKemsley #PopMusic #rhobh #theater
Free download codes:
Ultimate Rick Jones - I Remembered I Forgot
"A light-hearted number about a serial killer who gets arrested because he can't stop talking about his 'work.'"
#dark #funny #clarinet #showtune #musicaltheater #bignumber #serialkiller #music
‘Purple Rain’ Musical Goes to Broadway With a New Team
Prince performing. Photo: Prince via YouTube After making both doves and critics cry in its out-of-town tryouts, the…
#NewsBeep #News #US #USA #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Celebrities #brandenjacobs-jenkins #Broadway #Entertainment #givemyregardstobroadway #musicaltheater #musicals #peterduchand #Prince #PurpleRain #saheemali #Theater
https://www.newsbeep.com/us/787923/
https://www.europesays.com/ie/606947/ ‘Purple Rain’ Musical Goes to Broadway With a New Team #BrandenJacobsJenkins #broadway #Celebrities #Éire #Entertainment #GiveMyRegardsToBroadway #IE #Ireland #MusicalTheater #musicals #News #PeterDuchand #Prince #PurpleRain #SaheemAli #theater
Movie Review: Hadestown: The Musical (2026)
Title: Hadestown: The Musical
Release Date: July 24, 2026
Director: Brett Sullivan
Production Company: Steam Motion & Sound | National Theater
Main Cast:
Synopsis (via Letterboxd):
The tragic love of Orpheus and Eurydice is intertwined with the complex relationship of Hades and Persephone. Eurydice, struggling with poverty, is lured to the industrial underworld of Hadestown by Hades, while Orpheus, a struggling musician, ventures down below to bring her back.
My Thoughts:
A professionally-shot stage show provides an opportunity for people to see a production that they may never have the chance to see in a live performance. In the case of Hadestown, which I saw in a touring production in 2024, it was an opportunity to see the show with its original cast on a somewhat different set.
And of course, the camera shows details one might not notice from a balcony seat. There’s even one shot in this movie that no audience member would ever see looking up through the trap-door on the stage. There’s a lot of great camera work in this film that captures contrasts, reactions, and connections among the characters. One shot of Orpheus singing his song pans along perfectly to reveal Hades just as he says “Oh, it’s about me!” The end product is a perfect blend of the stage arts and the art of film, akin to what Stop Making Sense did for the concert film.
To create the film, the original cast returned to their roles on stage at the Lyric Theatre in London in February 2025. The theater looks enormous and I imagine that people who attended these shows in the fourth-level balcony will get a treat watching this movie. Eva Noblezada stood out to me for her compelling performance as Eurydice, while Amber Gray steals every scene she’s in as Persephone who turns to drink to deal with her untenable situation with Hades. Patrick Page injured his foot before the performance, but his walking cast was incorporated into his costume in a way that added fluidity to his movement across the stage.
I enjoyed watching this movie on a big screen and encourage you to check it out during it’s limited theatrical run.
Rating: *****
#Drama #fantasy #GreekMythology #MovieReviews #Movies #MusicalTheater #Musicals #Romance
https://www.europesays.com/africa/344293/ Reviving a legend: Farrah El Dibany to star in new musical bringing Dalida’s life story to the stage #40thAnniversary #CairoPressConference #Dalida #Dalida:TheUnendingSong #Egypt #EgyptianRoots #EgyptianFrenchCollaboration #EricChevallier #FarrahElDibany #FrenchAmbassadorInCairo #KhairyBeshara #MusicalPlay #MusicalTheater #Opera #WaleedKhairy
‘Cats: The Jellicle Ball’ Brings Vogue to ‘The Tonight Show’
Photo: Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images Not to commit the sin of choosing a favorite cat from Cats:…
#NewsBeep #News #TV #AU #Australia #Broadway #cats #cats:thejellicleball #emmasofia #Entertainment #jimmyfallon #lastnightonlatenight #musicaltheater #musicals #revivals #skimbleshankstherailwaycat #that’swheniwouldappear #TheTonightShow
https://www.newsbeep.com/au/756036/
Fans of Jo - The Little Women Musical, #sheetmusic of your favorite songs are now available!
#music #broadway #westend #musicaltheatre #musicaltheater #theatre #livemusic
https://symbolsofsound.com/2026/06/12/jo-the-little-women-musical-sheet-music/
Billy Porter and Wayne Brady Perform "With You on My Arm" from "La Cage Aux Folles."
Rehearsal footage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHv1DSNw93k #Broadway #MusicalTheater
THE MUSIC MAN ('62): "Ya Got Trouble"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2ySBtVLCYA #MusicalTheater #Music #Movies #Film
The TV version
People should listen to both of these, then listen to Robert Preston's recording of "Trouble!" to appreciate what he did.
Chenoweth and Gasteyer are both very talented vocalists and know how to sing a song for meaning as well. But having a good vocal instrument isn't the whole shebang. And Preston, despite not having what most would call a standout vocal instrument, did such an amazing read of that song. Every phrase had such oomph to it, beyond the actual notes written.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PmS5JIfSkk #MusicalTheater #Music #TV
A Performance from Schmigadoon!: Tribulation | The Tonight Show
I didn't get to see Schmigadoon! on TV, but I think one of the conceits is parodies of well-know musical theater tunes.
I wonder how many more parodies of "Trouble!" there have been - the one I know best is "Monorail!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpwCZokDwmE #MusicalTheater #Music #TV
https://www.europesays.com/ie/515568/ Pink’s husband Carey Hart makes difficult confession about daughter Willow, 15, following family’s NYC move #15thBirthday #CareyHart #Éire #Entertainment #IE #Ireland #JamesonMoonHart #Music #MusicalTheater #NewYorkCity #NightOnBroadway #WillowSageHart
‘Flower Drum Song’ musical returns to the spotlight
Revival of David Henry Hwang's rewrite of the Rogers & Hammerstein musical, put on by LA's East West Players.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHP8BNx8O8o #MusicalTheater #Theatre
Book Review: The Complete Book of 1990s Broadway Musicals by Dan Dietz
Author: Dan Dietz
Title: The Complete Book of 1990s Broadway Musicals
Other Books Read by the Same Author:
Publication Info: Rowman & Littlefield (2016)
Summary/Review:
The 1990s feels like a transitional decade for Broadway. On the one hand, after a couple of decades of financial decline, the Broadway theater district felt thriving and viable again. On the other hand, many critics – including author Dan Dietz – saw the decade as the Disnification of Broadway.
Disney introduced only two musicals during the decade – adaptations of Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King – but the overall effect is that family-friendly megamusicals that attracted tourists edged out shows intended for grown-up audiences and local theater buffs. Revivals of books musicals continued to outnumber new productions, including Chicago, which became more successful than its original run and still plays to this day. Speaking of long running shows, any new production on Broadway had to compete with hits like Cats, Les Miserables, and Phantom of the Opera which occupied theaters throughout the decade.
The decade also saw an increase in adapting relatively recent movies as musicals including My Favorite Year, The Goodbye Girl, Big, Victor/Victoria, and Footloose. There were also a number of revues of songs by Rodgers & Hammerstein, Stephen Sondhem, Johnny Burke, Johnny Mercer, George and Ira Gershwin and blues and swing by Black artists. This trend presaged the 2000s when movie adaptations and/or jukebox musical rely on reiterating the familiar and nostalgic at the expense of the new. Nevertheless, several memorable musicals made their debut in the 1990s including: Once on This Island, The Secret Garden, The Will Rogers Follies, Crazy for You, Falsettos, Jelly’s Last Jam, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Passion, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Sunset Boulevard, Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk, Titanic, Ragtime, Fosse, and Parade. Dan Dietz, who grows crankier with each volume of this series, disliked most of these shows, and trashed Rent and Ragtime (two shows I love). Dietz’s obvious prejudices which manifest themselves in his rents against “political correctness” make this unpleasant read. But I do still enjoy that he’s gathered together so many facts about each show in one place that are hard to find anywhere else.
Rating: ***
#BookReviews #Books #Broadway #Criticism #MusicalTheater #Reference
Video: Hopscotch "The Warning” | New Original Musical Demo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usQB_goEJ1A&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon #MusicalTheater #OriginalMusical #TheWarning #HopscotchMusical #DemoPerformance
Team Starkid Productions has launched a Kickstarter for their newest live musical, Tomb Quest, which appears to be a spoof of D&D, but as a stage musical.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/starkid/tomb-quest-a-new-dungeon-crawling-musical/
#TombQuest #Starkid #TeamStarkid #MusicalTheater #Crowdfunding
The part of the musical 1776 that seems the least realistic today is all the conservatives' attitude towards starting a war they aren't sure they can win. Imagine if when Trump decided to invade Iran, all the congressional Republicans started singing
What we do we do rationallyand voted against the war?
We never ever go off half-cocked not we
Why begin till we know that we can win?
And if we cannot win why bother to begin?
Saw a regional production of 1776 today. It had been almost 20 years since I last saw it, but when I was a kid my parents played the music in the car a lot, so I still felt like I remembered all the songs pretty well. But dang, I'd forgotten about the intense irony in some of Franklin's lines.
The Franklin in the musical says the founding fathers will be remembered as ordinary men, not as gods. Peter Stone uses Franklin's mouth to criticize the lionization of the members of the Second Continental Congress (while ironically contributing to the lionization of George Washington).
Also, the cast album I used to listen do didn't have the introduction section of "Is Anybody There," so I forgot about that part of the song entirely until today.
And even though I knew it was coming, I still laughed pretty hard at the "surprise" coda to "The Lees of Old Virginia."
#1776 #MusicalTheater
Free download codes:
Ultimate Rick Jones - I Remembered I Forgot
"A light-hearted number about a serial killer who gets arrested because he can't stop talking about his 'work.'"
#dark #funny #clarinet #showtune #musicaltheater #bignumber #serialkiller #music
Seeing #AvenueQ at the Brunish Theater, which I did not know existed. 20 years of going to the Schnitz and Keller, I don't know that I've ever been in this building.
#pdx #musicaltheater
I saw Chess on Broadway today. Let's start with the good stuff.
The score remains among my favorite of any musical. Every song is excellent, from the Overture all the way to "You and I." The only downside is there isn't time to include every great song from every past version of Chess, with perhaps the most notable exclusion being "The Russian and Molokov." I was surprised by the placement of several songs, notably placing "Someone Else's Story" anfter "Endgame," but they all worked.
The orchestra and cast were all spectacular, with the lead trio Aaron Tveit, Leah Michele, and Nicholas Christopher pulling me into a trance each time they sang. The picture of Lea Michele I had in my head before today was the girl on Glee, but she embodied Florence in a way that rivaled past stars Elaine Paige, Judy Kuhn, and Cassidy Janson. I'd likewise place Christopher in my top three Anatolys, along with Michael Ball and Tommy Körberg. I was a bit skeptical of him in the opening, but as he gets closer to Florence he opens up his emotions more, and he completely brought down the house during "Anthem" and "Endgame" Tveit, meanwhile, is far and away the best Freddie I have ever seen.
Danny Strong's new book gives Freddie bipolar disorder, showing him with manic episodes at the beginning of the story, and show a positive side to his relationship with Florence. We also see Freddie resent the pressure that comes from being a national champion since age 11. The changes give Freddie depth I have never seen in previous productions, and Tveit brings him to life with a physicality, voice, and movement that pulls me in. During a couple of songs, Tveit swung on bars in a manner reminiscent of what he did in Next to Normal while still singing. I wonder if Tveit talked with Alice Ripely about portraying someone dealing with bipolar disorder. When Florence and Freddie break up, it hits much harder than in any previous production I've seen, due to Freddie having more depth and excellent performances by Michele and Tveit. During "Endgame," Freddie sings some parts of the song that have traditionally been sung by the ensemble, and the difference in his portrayal from earlier productions brings a new energy to a song I've heard hundreds of times.
Strong also establishes that Florence and Anatoly already knew each other and expressed mutual attraction prior to the start of the show. Moreover, we are told four years pass betweet acts, giving much more time for Florence and Anatoly's relationship to develop, further increasing the tension when their relationship is threatened.
Hannah Cruz brings a jaded, cynical attitude to Svetlana that pleasantly surprised me. Also carrying over from the original Broadway cast is the reprise of "Where I Want to Be," sung by Svetlana and Anatoly. New to this production, Strong has Svetlana find Florence's weakness. Florence ultimately tells Anatoly he should go back to the USSR: Not because of her father, but so that his kids can have their father.
Now, let's move on to the stuff that is not as good. Bryce Pinkham's Arbiter is the narrator for the show, and he frequently speaks in a tongue-in-cheek humorous tone, with jokes that are at odds with the solemn authority The Arbiter projects during his epynomous song, as well as "Quartet" and "The Deal." The subject matter of the show is serious, and the main trio all deal with serious issues in a serious tone singing serious songs, only for the narrator to interrupt with jokes. Walter and Molokov also joke with each other, but this feels much more in keeping with their characters.
The creative team made efforts to keep the story relevant to audiences born long after the cold war ended, with mixed effects. One part I really liked was when Walter threatened Florence with deportation to Hungry. Less effective was when The Arbiter sarcastically mentioned politicians from the 2020s by name, which pulled me out of the story and into the present. I believe the story is sufficiently relevant to critique modern politics without needing to explicitly name any real contemperary politicians, and audiences are already going to think about one partuclar person due to Freddie's last name.
There were more scenes than usual of Molokov and Walter negotiating, and so I was surprised we didn't hear them perform "Let's Work Together" from the original Broadway production.
The song that gave me the most mixed feelings was "The Interview." The stronger relationships between the lead trio give a stronger payoff when they reunite on TV. But, as with the original West End production, Freddie only has a pre-recorded video of Svetlana. I believe this is a step down from the 2018 West End production, when Freddie surprises Anatoly by revealing Svetlana and her son are actually in the station in person. We ultimately don't see Anatoly's kids at all during the show, which weakens the ending in which his kids are the reason he returns to Russia.
But all my criticisms vanished from my mind as Florence and Anatoly embraced for the final time during "You and I." The score, cast, and orchestra make up for any faults I may find with the book for one of the most enjoyable Broadway experiences of my adult life.
#Chess #MusicalTheater
Friend Destiny took us on a day trip to New York City a few years ago, to see "BEETLEJUICE" on Broadway. It was amazing! #newyork #nyc #newyorkcity #beetlejuice #betelguise #ghost #ghosts #ghoststory #ghoststories #lydia #timessquare #broadway #bustrip #daytrip #vacation #hottestdayoftheyear #hightemps #theater #theatre #cococola #musical #musicaltheater #musicals
we've been listening to the wicked soundtrack so much recently and it's so so so so so fucking good everyone say thank you stephen schwartz
Free download codes:
Ultimate Rick Jones - I Remembered I Forgot
"A light-hearted number about a serial killer who gets arrested because he can't stop talking about his 'work.'"
#dark #funny #clarinet #showtune #musicaltheater #bignumber #serialkiller #music