All tagged The Who's Tommy
Going into the 1992-1993 theatre Season, most theatergoers were anticipating the forthcoming musical The Goodbye Girl to be the big hit and Best Musical victor at the Tony Awards. By June of 1993, that supposed kick was to be challenged by two musicals that would instead face-off against each other for the Best Musical Tony: The Who’s Tommy and Kiss of the Spider Woman. Throw in the long-running British import Blood Brothers, and 1993 was suddenly a very uncertain outcome in regards to the Tony. Even on the night of the show, we remained on tenterhooks and even saw the possibility of a tie. Ultimately, Kiss of the Spider Woman would be the victor, rising like a phoenix from the ashes of its highly publicized and mostly maligned New Musicals production at SUNY Purchase a few years earlier.
A few weeks ago, I had the honor to interview the members of the British boy band Collabro for Broadway Direct. It was a terrific experience that I will always remember, not just because I got to speak to four talented gentlemen who sing my favorite style of music: showtunes, but because they were so earnest, kind, and extremely down to earth. It is refreshing to find talented people who love what they do and who share their enthusiasm with their fans, and who speak so highly of the people who revel in their music. These fans are called “Collaborators,” and they are a dedicated troupe of groupies who ardently admire this amazing band.
Quite possibly the darkest of all musicals to grace the Broadway stage, but also a musical that is overflowing with hope and courage, Kiss of the Spider Woman opened on Broadway in 1993 and went on to win the Tony Award for Best Musical. The amazing part of this show's journey is rewinding a few years and examining its genesis and uphill climb to reach Broadway. If ever there was a "Little Engine That Could", Kiss of the Spider Woman overcame many odds to reach the Great White Way.
