Sep 15

Sep 15 The Top-Ten Films I'd Like to See Made Into Musicals

I am the first person to say that I prefer original musicals, with original stories, to those adapted from films, but realistically, most major musicals of yesteryear were adapted from plays. It was inevitable that we would turn to film as the basis for our musicals. Truthfully, there have been some artful and/or delightful musicals adapted from films that I have quite enjoyed. Among them are Carnival!, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Full Monty, La Cage aux Folles, The Producers, Spamalot, Grey Gardens, and Little Shop of Horrors come to mind as fully realized adaptations that are augmented by the musical form.

Sep 9

Sep 9 "Lily's Eyes" - The Secret Garden - Music of Heartbreak

Mark Robinson

Music That Makes Me Dance

The Secret Garden - it was not my first Broadway musical, but it was the first time I saved up my own money and went to New York City by myself to see a Broadway show. I remember, since I was by myself, that I was able to secure a 6th row center ticket at the St. James theatre for about $65 (full price) to see this show without knowing anything about either the music or the story. I had never read the book. Truthfully, I had a big crush on John Cameron Mitchell and that's what got me into the theatre. In fact, I allmost saw Nick & Nora that weekend (in previews), but after seeing Mitchell's picture outside the theatre, I decided to see The Secret Garden. I figured Nick & Nora would be a hit and that it would be around for a while. It's the only time my teenage hormones worked in my favor (The Secret Garden) and not the only time my teenage judgement of what would run worked against me (Nick & Nora). It turns out that this was one of the most glorious days of theatregoing I would ever experience. Sorry Nick & Nora.

Sep 9

Sep 9 "Here's to Your Illusions" - Flahooley - When Flops Just Hurt

Mark Robinson

Music That Makes Me Dance

I have a deep affection for flop musicals. Maybe it's because so much hope and hard work is poured into any Broadway musical and I want to see the positive in them, or maybe I'm just a sucker for a lost cause. Whatever the reason, I love nothing more than finding some almost forgotten cast recording and hopefully stumble upon a handful of terrific songs that just happened to be saddled to a show that didn't take off. There are so many to have a deep affection for: The Baker's Wife, The Grass Harp, Anyone Can Whistle, Chess, Goldilocks, Allegro, Triumph of Love, Side Show, Carrie, The Bridges of Madison County, The Rink, and The Scottsboro Boys (to name a few). One of the flops that keeps me coming back is the delightfully quirky, magically delicious Sammy Fain (Music), E.Y. Harburg (lyrics) and Fred Saidy (book w/ Harburg) musical of 1951, Flahooley.

Sep 7

Sep 7 Broadway - The Top Ten Unsung Heroes of Musicals

Mark Robinson

Music That Makes Me Dance, Top Ten

We all have a deep affection for the underdogs of Broadway musicals, the characters who are truly the good people who make sacrifices for others, often in spite of their own interests or personal sanity. How many of us have cheered for Eponine in Les Miserables, torn by her choices to help Marius, in spite of her own love for the clueless boy? How about Kim in Miss Saigon who takes her own life to ensure that her son must return to the United States with his American father, in order to give the child a better life? We gravitate to these characters and their acts of utter selflessness. Over the years, however, I have noticed that there are certain characters who are the unsung heroes of musicals who do not get their due. This week's top-ten list is dedicated to those who haven't had their moment in the spotlight.

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