All tagged Thoroughly Modern Millie

Movie Musicals On the Stage: Part Two – What Is the Recipe for Success?

Movie Musicals On the Stage: Part Two – What Is the Recipe for Success?

Mark Robinson
Music That Makes Me Dance, Stage To Screen

In the last “Music That Makes Me Dance” column, we explored movie musicals that did not successfully transfer to the stage. From Meet Me in St. Louis to The Little Mermaid, there have been more than a few titles that failed to ignite when they ventured a life upon the wicked stage. We surmised that the art of looking at a musical through the lens of a camera is not the same beast as the art of filling a theatre auditorium with the same story, songs and characters. No, the stage requires a different recipe for success altogether.

The House of Broadway Musical Flops

The House of Broadway Musical Flops

Mark Robinson
Theatres We Love

One of the exciting things about seeing a Broadway show is the theatre that houses a production. Many Broadway houses have been around for almost one-hundred years. Ensconced within these artistic dwellings are the ghosts of shows gone by, a rich history of great, long running masterpieces ... and the occasional flop. Some theatres have had a lucky streak of success: The St. James, The Winter Garden, The Majestic. Others, have, for one reason or another, been a doomed house. Pouring through my notes, there is one theatre that has had more than its share of flops in its 30-year tenure as a Broadway house: The Marquis Theatre.

Big and Brash: a Thing of the Past? — What Happened to the Musical Comedy?

Big and Brash: a Thing of the Past? — What Happened to the Musical Comedy?

Mark Robinson
Music That Makes Me Dance

Musical comedies: full out, "make them laugh" musical comedies peppered Broadway seasons in abundance from the 1920s through the 1960s. They were everywhere and just about everyone was writing them. Sure, there were always musicals of deeper substance and that had a darker edge making us think, but it was the big and brash musical, filled to the brim with colorful characters, lively music, and zany antics that, for many, became the epitome of what the Broadway musical was. Pure escapist fun like Anything Goes, Guys & Dolls, Damn Yankees, Bells Are Ringing, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Hello, Dolly!, Mame, and even lesser revered titles like Goldilocks, Wildcat, and I Had a Ball were the go-to for a joyous outing of theatre. Why are they just not as plentiful as they used to be?