All tagged Mike Ockrent

Remembering Big

Movies have long been the inspiration for Broadway musicals. It is easy to say that this is a recent trend, but that simply is not so. Just as there have been many musicals that have taken their inspiration from plays, books, and historical events, there have been musicals that draw from cinema (from the 50’s on, anyway). In the 1990s, the trend toward adapting films for the musical stage seemed to gain even more traction, and by the turn of the century, everywhere you looked on Broadway you could find movies reimagined for the stage.

Downton on Broadway - Me and My Girl

When I think back on all of the Broadway musicals and national tours that I have seen over the years, trying the remember how I felt before, during, and after each performance, I try to relive the emotions and exhilaration I felt watching most of them. There were a few musicals over the decades that left me cold, but most of them left me inspired, invigorated, and sometime even breathless. However, one musical has always stood out for having provided me with sheer joy. Everything including its hilarious characters, intoxicating melodies, clever direction, evocative design elements, and its memorable choreography (which was both graceful and full of humor) added up to an evening of perfection. This musical was Me and My Girl.