Broadway Games: Openers or Closers...or Both?

Broadway Games:

Openers or Closers...or Both?

Often, a Broadway musical's initial impression or closing moments are what stay with audiences. Right out of the gate, first timers at A Chorus Line were invested with "I Hope I Get It," and left the Shubert on a cloud, humming, "One." Today's shows are no different!

DIRECTIONS: For each of today's current musicals, we've listed a song or two. You tell whether it is the opening number, the closing number, or both!

For example, Moulin Rouge!: "Come What May" Answer: Closing Number

1. "Can't Stop the Feeling!" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

2. "Arabian Nights" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

3. "Candela" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

4. "Endgame/Someone Else's Story/You and I" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

5. "Hot Honey Rag" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

6. "The End" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

7. "Road to Hell" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

8. "Alexander Hamilton" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

9. "Empire State of Mind" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

10. "This Could Be the Start of Something New" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

11. "Why Love?" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

12. "Wanna Be Startin' Something/You Just Can't Win" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

13. "Born to Lead" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

14. "Ragtime" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

15. "Ex-wives" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

16. "Hello!" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

17. "Roaring On" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

18. "The Circle of Life" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

19. "Tulsa '67" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

20. "New York" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

21. "No One Mourns the Wicked" 

a.  Opening Number    

b.  Closing Number    

c. Both

Broadway 3-Peats: The Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre

Recently, we started a series of Broadway 3-peats, celebrating artists who we think had three great successes in a row. We will be continuing that series, but today we are starting a similar series aimed at all of you Broadway show and theater lovers (just like us). We will highlight 3 shows in a row that we loved - no skipping - that played the same theater. 

Broadway 3-peats:

Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre

1. Life of Pi (2023)

All three of the shows on my list today were based on another art form - books, films, a recording - that I was largely unaware of prior to seeing the show on Broadway. Life of Pi was the one I knew least about, so most of it was a complete surprise to me. But what made this first of three in a row so wonderful to me was the sheer theatricality of the piece. The staging, the lighting, the projections were all exciting. But it was the performances - human and puppet - that will always stick with me. Seeing it come to life right in front of me was a thrill I don't think I'll ever forget. That tiger, and that "boy" were absolutely spectacular!

(Review HERE.)

2. The Notebook (2024)

I may have been the only person in the Schoenfeld who had only read the book and had never seen the film. Well, I read the book years ago, and so the events of the show were practically new to me, so it held more than a few surprises for me. I was excited to hear a new score by a new composer and one of my favorite music performers, Ingrid Michaelson, and I was really looking forward to seeing several of my favorite performers, including Ryan Vasquez, Joy Woods, John Cardoza and the always amazing Maryann Plunkett. All of them were thrilling, as was the entire company. Though I loved all three of the shows mentioned today, this was my sentimental favorite. 

(Review HERE.)

3. Buena Vista Social Club (2025)

The newly minted Grammy-winning show was perhaps the biggest surprise of all. Who knew the story behind an album I'd never heard of before - and entirely sung in Spanish - could be so compelling? Led by Tony-winner Natalie Venetia Belcon and the Special Tony-winning band, this show was a non-stop feast for the ears and eyes. And that made it three in a row for the Schoenfeld!

(Review HERE.) 

Broadway Musical Logos: 2025-2026 Season (So Far) - The Revivals

I've been asked a lot this season, "why haven't you been reviewing show logos this year, Jeff?" Well, to be honest, it's because I am pretty disappointed in them so far. But, due to popular demand, I will provide my two-cents on each after all. Up first, the season's two new revivals (I'm not counting the returns of Mamma Mia! or Beetlejuice. Both are recycling the original staging and the original logos.). I will start by saying that the original Broadway logos for both of these are among my all-time favorites. Having said that, I am not going to compare them any more than that.

Broadway Musical Logos: 2025-2026 Season

The Revivals

Chess

This one's a partial head-scratcher. Partial because while I don't find it creative, it does make sense to use a photograph of the show's stars as part of the key art. It is a fair hedge for the advertisers. Chess was a huge flop last time around, and using photos of the stars will certainly draw their fans if the title won't. Using black and white seems to add to the gravity and seriousness of the work, too. If you know the show, it suggests the love-triangle aspect of the plot. But for the uninitiated, since they aren't looking at each other, many people will miss that. 

The rest of the logo, and admittedly there's not much more to it, has me at a loss. Chess as a topic for a show has always been a bit of a stretch, but literally nothing about this even hints at the game - not even the title. With a font as boring as the game's reputation and an absolutely ridiculous choice of color, it is beyond me how this was green-lit. And don't get me started on the teeny-tiny "THE MUSICAL" in red. Finally, why is the title font not the same as the rest - or better, why isn't it more substantially different than the rest? Even a couple of chess pieces and a new font couldn't save this, as these earlier iterations prove:

Grade: D

Ragtime

Why oh why couldn't James McMullen come out of retirement to do something really beautiful for this important production. Bless him, at 91, I get it. But damn, what a missed opportunity. Even more egregious is what they came up with. This reeks of rudimentary clip art and Microsoft word art. While I appreciate that the colors are Old Glory adjacent, the red is pretty unattractive, and is saved only by the blue that is close to the green hue of the Statue of Liberty.

Speaking of that, the saving grace of this lackluster show art is the Lady Liberty torch held up by a variety of multicultural hands, all reaching for it. It really is the perfect metaphor for what happens in the show (and in America generally throughout time). But could the title be any less interesting? Not even the Word Art wave style doesn't help. Is it the flag waving?  Uninspiring.

Grade: C-

Broadway Quiz: 2016

Lately, there's been a social media trend where people post photos of themselves from a decade ago. Was it a simpler time? Was it a nostalgic time? I guess any time but now seems quaint by comparison. Personally, I can't believe the past decade has gone by so quickly!

Today's quiz is all about Broadway in the year 2016 - specifically shows that opened between January 1 and December 31, 2016. That covers the end of the 2015-2016 season, and the start of the 2016-2017 season.

Broadway Quiz:

2016

DIRECTIONS: Answer these questions about show that opened during the 2016 calendar year.

1. TRUE or FALSE: The Tony-winning Best Musical of 2016 actually opened in 2015.

2. TRUE or FALSE: The Tony-winning Best Musical of 2016 actually opened in 2016.

3. TRUE or FALSE: The Tony-winning Best Musical of 2017 actually opened in 2016.

4. TRUE or FALSE: A revival of the same musical opened in 2016 and will open in 2026.

5. TRUE or FALSE: Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons played a Broadway engagement in 2016, while the musical about them, Jersey Boys, was still running.

6. Ariana deBose left Hamilton to co-star in which 2016 musical?

   A. In Transit    B. Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812

   C. A Bronx Tale    D. Shuffle Along

7. Current Death Becomes Her star Betsy Wolfe appeared in the original cast what show that opened in 2016?

   A. Falsettos    B. Waitress    C. Bright Star    D. American Psycho

8. All of the following are true about 2016 Broadway, EXCEPT:

   A. Cirque du Soleil opened a new musical on Broadway.

   B. Broadway's first fully a capella musical opened on Broadway.

   C. A Broadway musical closed early to accommodate a star's pregnancy.

   D. One new musical that opened in 2016 was deemed ineligible for the Tony Awards.

9. Which of these Tony Award nominees for Best Musical that opened in 2016 had a score by someone who had never written one before?

   A. Bright Star      B. Waitress    C. Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812

   D. Shuffle Along    E. Disaster!    F. American Psycho    G. Tuck Everlasting

10. Which of these 2016 musicals had a pro-shot made that was also released to the public?

   A. School of Rock   B. Waitress    C. Falsettos    D. Holiday Inn

11. TRUE or FALSE: 2016 was the last year that had no jukebox musicals open on Broadway.

12.  TRUE or FALSE: American Psycho was Broadway's first show to officially have a trigger warning.

13.  TRUE or FALSE: Only some of the original Broadway cast of The Humans also appeared in the film version.

14. TRUE or FALSE: A Bronx Tale, which ran for 700 performances, is the longest running show to ever play the Longacre Theatre.

15.  TRUE or FALSE: The revival of She Loves Me that opened in 2016 at Studio 54 was the first Broadway revival of that classic musical.

BONUS: What actress is currently co-starring in a musical that is playing in the same theater where she made her Broadway debut in 2016?

Star-To-Be: Jack Wolfe

⭐⭐ Star - To - Be ⭐⭐

Jack Wolfe

I suppose the case could be made that Jack Wolfe is already a star. He has several London stage credits, and was a star of Netflix's Shadow and Bone, and has appeared in several British television series. He also plated the lead role in the German film musical, The Magic Flute, based on the classic opera.

Like many of you, he first came to my attention as Gabe in the West End production of Next to Normal, here shown on PBS' Great Performances. I was bowled over, and fully understand why his was an award-winning (WhatsOnStage) and Olivier-nominated star turn. And so, when it was announced that he was coming to Broadway as Orpheus in Hadestown, I snapped up a ticket! I was not disappointed. He is everything I hoped for and more. (You really should get to see him if you can before he leaves on March 1!) At a mere 30 years of age, it seems he is just getting started. I hope he returns to the Broadway stage soon and frequently.