Monday, March 28, 2022

Broadway Show Art: GOAT Tournament: Round 1

Thank you, show art lovers, theater fans and all of you fantastic readers! After more than two years, more than 500 logos, and thousands of your votes, we have reached the end of our search for The Broadway Show Art GOAT!

That's right. We have crowned 8 Best Show Art works, spanning plays, musical revivals and 6 decades of original productions. Now we pit the best of the best against each other to crown The Greatest of All Time!

The eight winners: Cabaret, Follies, Cats, Rent, Wicked, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, M. Butterfly and Pippin (revival) are seeded on the bracket below in order of the number of votes they received during their respective tournaments.

Thanks as always for playing along!

WHAT IS THE GREATEST BROADWAY LOGO OF THEM ALL?
BROADWAY SHOW ART 
GOAT TOURNAMENT: 
ROUND 1!
(THE ACTUAL SURVEY IS BELOW THESE FULL-SIZED VERSIONS)
HOW IT WILL WORK:
  • Each week, we'll open the voting for a different segment of the bracket, and you will select your favorite from each pairing.
  • Your selection should be based on the logo/window card ONLY. We are NOT looking for your favorite show! It is possible to like a logo more than show!
  • We will provide pictures of the full window card above each week's ballot, then you scroll down and make your selections. You MUST click/tap the "Click Me to Count Your VOTES" button at the bottom of the survey.
  • REMINDER: Due to the large number of images used, the poll will take a few extra seconds to fully load.
THIS ROUND WILL CLOSE ON FRIDAY, APRIL 1ST AT 5 PM!

Here we go again! May the best logo win! BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE FULL LOGOS BEFORE YOU VOTE! THE ACTUAL BALLOT IS BELOW THE FULL-SIZE LOGOS/WINDOW CARDS!

MATCH-UP #1:                                                        MATCH-UP #2:
                         

MATCH-UP #3:                                                        MATCH-UP #4:
                         

Thursday, March 24, 2022

Broadway Games: History in Order

How well do you know significant (and not so significant) moments in Broadway history? Better yet, do you know when they happened? This week's game asks you to test that knowledge. Good luck!

Broadway Games:
History in Order

Hint: The 9th and 10th events are tricky. They only happened 2 months apart! (All of the others take place in different years.)


A. The original Broadway production of Les Miserables opens.

B. Andrew Garfield wins a Tony Award for Angels in America.

C. Donna Murphy wins her second Tony Award (The King and I).

D. South Pacific wins the Pulitzer Prize.

E. Hamilton debuts off-Broadway.

F. Fun Home debuts off-Broadway.

G. Aladdin's Telly Leung is born.

H. Hadestown wins the Tony Award for Best Musical.

I. Audra McDonald wins a Tony Award for The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess.

J. Be More Chill closes at the Lyceum Theatre.


Answers to Last Week's Broadway Games:
What's in a Name? Part 2


Can you name...:

... 2 theaters named for New York history? The Hudson, The New Amsterdam

... 2 theaters named for previously demolished theaters? The Winter Garden, The Lyceum

... 1 theater named for an older theater incorporated into this new one? The Lyric

... 2 theaters named for theater impresarios? The Nederlander, The Belasco

... 1 theater named for the hotel that surrounds it? The Marquis

... 2 theaters named for leaders in the Shubert Organization? The Bernard B. Jacobs, The Gerald Schoenfeld

... 1 theater named for a brother who died before his other brothers finished building it? The Sam S. Shubert

... 1 theater built specifically to house Irving Berlin musical revues? The Music Box

... 1 theater named for the British-American producer who was the first to rent this space? The Broadhurst

... 1 theater named for a disco, itself named for a television broadcasting space? Studio 54

... 1 theater named for the builders of the skyscraper it is a part of? The Minskoff

... 1 theater named for a producer (in fact, it's the second theater named for him!)? The John Golden

... 1 theater named for an acting school? The Circle in the Square

... 1 theater named for its corporate sponsor? The American Airlines

... 1 theater named for a Broadway publicist? The Samuel J. Friedman

... 1 theater named for a London theatre? The St. James

Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Broadway in a Box CD Review: West Side Story (1957 OBCR)

At Christmas a few years ago, Jeff gave me a copy of Broadway in a Box: The Essential Broadway Musicals Collection. He has now given me the opportunity to use his blog to share my impressions of each of the 25 cast recordings contained in the set, in alphabetical order. 

This week’s entry is about the 1957 Original Broadway Cast Recording of West Side Story.


Broadway in a Box CD Review:
West Side Story (1957 OBCR)

It’s difficult to listen to this original recording without making comparisons to subsequent versions that I’ve seen and heard: the classic 1961 movie; the great-but-not-perfect 2009 Broadway revival; the super-heated, incredibly moving 2020 Broadway revival; and of course the 2021 movie, which (like many of you, I’m sure) I’ve watched multiple times. I’m happy to report that the original holds up very well, and if it won’t necessarily become my go-to recording of the show, it boasts a couple of unique virtues that make it well worth revisiting.



The talents of the legendary original cast definitely shine through on this recording. Chita Rivera’s torrid performance as Anita set a very high bar for all who followed (thank goodness that list includes the likes of Rita Moreno, Karen Olivo, and Ariana DeBose). The thing that really sets this recording apart, though, is the definitive performance of Larry Kert as Tony. With the passionate people who surround Tony in the show, and with the deliberately introspective music Tony is given in this score, it can be a challenge for an actor to really make a mark in this role, but Kert’s singing has an intensity and elegance to it that is unmatched in any subsequent version I’m familiar with.


In terms of the content of the CD, I was struck by two differences between this original version and the more recent and familiar stage and screen versions. This earliest iteration of “America,” of course, only features the Puerto Rican women, and that makes it seem less tense and dramatic than the movie version (now also used in stage productions) that pits Bernardo directly against Anita in a battle for the soul of their community. On the other hand, it was lovely to hear “Somewhere” performed in its original form and setting, as the centerpiece of the second-act ballet. It’s been a long while since I’ve heard the few jagged lines sung by Tony at the start of the ballet, and it was jarring in all the right ways.




The sound quality of this recording, from the early stereo era, is quite good, with a nice balance between orchestra and singers and a wide dynamic range. I’m always surprised, given how stacked with music this show seems to be when seen in full, that the entire score fits comfortably on one disc, with few noticeable cuts. In this case, there’s even room for Symphonic Dances, a beautiful twenty-minute suite of music from the show, performed by Leonard Bernstein’s New York Philharmonic Orchestra.


The inclusion of that particular bonus material highlights one inevitable drawback of this original cast recording: orchestra size. When it comes to the score of West Side Story, bigger is better, and even a large Broadway orchestra is no match for something like the New York Philharmonic, which can also be heard on the recent film soundtrack. 


Monday, March 21, 2022

1960s Broadway Musical Show Art Tournament: The Championship!

It's the 1960s and the Golden Age of the American Musical is in full swing, though, by the end of the decade it is replaced by the Modern Era. What a time to be a musical theater fan! Award-winners, popular titles, classics and flops are all here. We started with 64 works of art, and now we are down to The Championship! 

Now, your votes this week determine the best of the best! 

As always, we thank you for playing along. (Next week, we'll start The Show Art Tournament of Champions!)

Scroll down to see the match-ups, then vote! (Be sure to look at the rules!) Thanks for playing along!

              WHAT IS THE BEST 1960S BROADWAY MUSICAL LOGO OF THEM ALL?   
THE 1960s BROADWAY MUSICAL
SHOW ART TOURNAMENT: 
THE CHAMPIONSHIP!
(THE ACTUAL SURVEY IS BELOW THESE FULL-SIZED VERSIONS)
HOW IT WILL WORK:
  • Each week, we'll open the voting for a different segment of the bracket, and you will select your favorite from each pairing.
  • Your selection should be based on the logo/window card ONLY. We are NOT looking for your favorite show! It is possible to like a logo from an unsuccessful show!
  • We will provide pictures of the full window card (in most cases) or logo above each week's ballot, then you scroll down and make your selections. You MUST click/tap the "Click Me to Count Your VOTES" button at the bottom of the survey.
  • REMINDER: Due to the large number of images used, the poll will take a few extra seconds to fully load.
THIS ROUND WILL CLOSE ON FRIDAY, MARCH 25TH AT 5 PM!

Here we go again! May the best logo win! BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE FULL LOGOS BEFORE YOU VOTE! THE ACTUAL BALLOT IS BELOW THE FULL-SIZE LOGOS/WINDOW CARDS!

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:



Friday, March 18, 2022

Broadway Games: What's in a Name? Part 2

A couple of weeks ago, to celebrate the re-naming of the Cort Theatre to the James Earl Jones Theatre, we played a game that asked you to name 21 Broadway theaters based on simple descriptions. This week, let's see if you can name the remaining 20! 

To help you out, at the bottom of this article, we give you the answers to Part One, and remind you that none of the theaters are used twice!

Broadway Games:
What's in a Name? Part 2




Can you name...:

... 2 theaters named for New York history?

... 2 theaters named for previously demolished theaters?

... 1 theater named for an older theater incorporated into this new one?

... 2 theaters named for theater impresarios?

... 1 theater named for the hotel that surrounds it?

... 2 theaters named for leaders in the Shubert Organization?

... 1 theater named for a brother who died before his other brothers finished building it?

... 1 theater built specifically to house Irving Berlin musical revues?

... 1 theater named for the British-American producer who was the first to rent this space?

... 1 theater named for a disco, itself named for a television broadcasting space?

... 1 theater named for the builders of the skyscraper it is a part of?

... 1 theater named for a producer (in fact, it's the second theater named for him!)?

... 1 theater named for an acting school?

... 1 theater named for its corporate sponsor?

... 1 theater named for a Broadway publicist?

... 1 theater named for a London theatre?


Answers to Broadway Games:
What's in a Name? Part 1
Can you name...

... 5 theaters named for actors? (not including the James Earl Jones) Booth, Barrymore, Lunt-Fontanne, Vivian Beaumont & The Hayes

... 3 theaters named for playwrights? Neil Simon, August Wilson & Eugene O'Neill

... 2 theaters named for critics? Brooks Atkinson & Walter Kerr

... 3 theaters named for composers/lyricists? Stephen Sondheim, Richard Rodgers & Gershwin

... 4 theaters with names that just sounded theatrical? (they aren't named for anything special) Majestic, Imperial, Ambassador & Palace 

... 2 theaters named for their location? Broadway & Longacre

... 1 theater named for a caricaturist? Al Hirschfeld

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Broadway in a Box CD Review: Sweeney Todd - Highlights (1979 OBCR)

At Christmas a few years ago, Jeff gave me a copy of Broadway in a Box: The Essential Broadway Musicals Collection. He has now given me the opportunity to use his blog to share my impressions of each of the 25 cast recordings contained in the set, in alphabetical order. 


This week’s entry is about the 1979 Original Broadway Cast Recording (highlights) of Sweeney Todd.


Broadway in a Box CD Review:

Sweeney Todd (Highlights) 1979 OBCR


This is another one of those recordings that has been so familiar to me, for so long, that it’s hard to hear it with fresh ears. Accordingly, I’ll spend most of my blog space discussing the status of this CD as a “highlights” recording. Suffice it to say that, after seeing and hearing many versions of this singular and stunning piece of musical theater, the original is still probably the best.



The cast is, of course, stellar from top to bottom. Needless to say, no one will ever top the delicious humor and desperation conveyed in every moment of Angela Lansbury’s performance as Mrs. Lovett. In the title role, I’ve probably heard some actor-singers who lean more dramatically into the bitterness of this character in songs like “Epiphany” - and I’ve heard opera singers perform with greater technical prowess - but Len Cariou’s stoic approach stands the test of time. 


Inevitably, one of my biggest curiosities about this CD was what would be included and what would be cut from the full two-disc recording. Given the completeness of the full version, and the airtight musical integration of the score, the producers surely had to make some difficult choices. Understandably, almost all of Todd’s and Lovett’s material was kept at the expense of some of the secondary characters. Overall, the highlights recording preserves the smooth flow of the score, with little sense of discontinuity; in that respect, I can’t really fault the choices that were made (though I will express my disagreement on one or two things).



The main songs (or sections of songs) that were omitted from the highlights recording include:


  • “Poor Thing”

  • “Green Finch and Linnet Bird” and “Ah, Miss”

  • “Johanna (Mea Culpa)” (sung by the Judge, which I believe was also cut from the original production)

  • “Pirelli’s Miracle Elixir” and “The Contest”

  • “Parlor Songs” (probably the easiest decision to cut)

  • The Wigmaker Sequence/"The Letter"

  • the “City on Fire” section of the Final Sequence


On the other hand, these sections were included but strike me as very much on the bubble:


  • two first-act sections of “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd”

  • “Ladies in Their Sensitivities”

  • all of the music with Sweeney and Judge Turpin leading up to “Pretty Women”


I think it’s likely that “Ladies in Their Sensitivities” would have been cut if it were at all possible, but was kept to avoid leaving a gaping hole between the two halves of “Kiss Me.” If I had been in charge, I think I would have cut the “Ballad” sections and the lead-in to “Pretty Women” in favor of either “Green Finch and Linnet Bird” or “Pirelli’s Miracle Elixir.”


The recording itself is top-notch, and I’m sure the full recording was a shoo-in for the cast album Grammy Award that year. This is probably a feature rather than a bug, but I found myself frequently adjusting the volume while listening to this CD; if the sound level is comfortable for listening to “The Barber and His Wife” or “My Friends,” it will make the whole house shake when you get to the choral sections of the “Ballad” or the end of “Kiss Me.” In my experience cast recordings typically even things out a bit, with these kinds of dynamic extremes more typical of classical recordings; but that’s probably appropriate for this particular score. 


The next (and final) CD in the box set is the Original Broadway Cast Recording of West Side Story.

Monday, March 14, 2022

1960s Broadway Musical Show Art Tournament: The Final 4!

It's the 1960s and the Golden Age of the American Musical is in full swing, though, by the end of the decade it is replaced by the Modern Era. What a time to be a musical theater fan! Award-winners, popular titles, classics and flops are all here. We started with 64 works of art, and now we are down to The Final 4! We are so close to picking the best of the best!

Now, your votes this week determine who will face-off in THE CHAMPIONSHIP! 

As always, we thank you for playing along.

Scroll down to see the match-ups, then vote! (Be sure to look at the rules!) Thanks for playing along!

              WHAT IS THE BEST 1960S BROADWAY MUSICAL LOGO OF THEM ALL?  


THE 1960s BROADWAY MUSICAL
SHOW ART TOURNAMENT: THE FINAL 4!
(THE ACTUAL SURVEY IS BELOW THESE FULL-SIZED VERSIONS)
HOW IT WILL WORK:
  • Each week, we'll open the voting for a different segment of the bracket, and you will select your favorite from each pairing.
  • Your selection should be based on the logo/window card ONLY. We are NOT looking for your favorite show! It is possible to like a logo from an unsuccessful show!
  • We will provide pictures of the full window card (in most cases) or logo above each week's ballot, then you scroll down and make your selections. You MUST click/tap the "Click Me to Count Your VOTES" button at the bottom of the survey.
  • REMINDER: Due to the large number of images used, the poll will take a few extra seconds to fully load.
THIS ROUND WILL CLOSE ON FRIDAY, MARCH 18TH AT 5 PM!

Here we go again! May the best logo win! BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE FULL LOGOS BEFORE YOU VOTE! THE ACTUAL BALLOT IS BELOW THE FULL-SIZE LOGOS/WINDOW CARDS!

GAME 1:                                                                     GAME 2:
                         

Thursday, March 10, 2022

Broadway Games: Knowing the Season

Broadway Games:
Knowing the Season
How well do you know the shows that will be opening between now and the April 28th Tony Awards deadline?

MATCH THE SHOW TO THE DESCRIPTION:


1. This play revival features the entire original cast.
2. The production features an original cast member of both 
A Chorus Line and In the Heights.
3. This show features a Tony winner, an Emmy winner and an Oscar winner.
4. This show has already won a Pulitzer Prize.
5. This anticipated show co-stars a Glee Emmy winner.
6. The only show this season to star a James Bond.
7. Will's roommate headlines this play.
8. This musical features music and lyrics from the people who brought us Parade and Hands on a Hardbody.
9. This show's website includes a tab marked "Meet Neil."
10. This show returns to Broadway now starring a Schitt's Creek cast member.
11. The last time one of the stars of this play was on Broadway, she played Judy Garland.
12. This revival stars a former Spelling Bee contestant.
13. A former Slave Play standout headlines this original musical.

 

Wednesday, March 9, 2022

Broadway in a Box CD Review: South Pacific (1949 OBCR)

At Christmas a few years ago, Jeff gave me a copy of Broadway in a Box: The Essential Broadway Musicals Collection. He has now given me the opportunity to use his blog to share my impressions of each of the 25 cast recordings contained in the set, in alphabetical order. 


This week’s entry is about the 1949 Original Broadway Cast Recording of South Pacific.

Broadway in a Box CD Review:

South Pacific (1949 OBCR)



A perennial favorite for its combination of grand entertainment and weighty social issues, this original recording of South Pacific holds up as a very satisfying representation of this seminal Rodgers and Hammerstein score. On balance, I prefer the music and performances from the most recent Lincoln Center revival, but it’s a pretty close call.

   


At the center of things, of course, are the characters of Nellie Forbush (sung by Mary Martin) and Emile de Becque (sung by Ezio Pinza). Naturally they both sound wonderful, separately and together (and sort-of together in “Twin Soliloquies”). I slightly prefer both Kelli O’Hara and Paolo Szot from the revival; they have equally amazing voices but bring perhaps a little more personality to their interpretations. However, I can’t imagine that anyone has ever provided a more perfectly sung delivery of “Some Enchanted Evening” than Pinza, who manages to make it sound simultaneously grand and intimate.


Juanita Hall tears it up in the role of Bloody Mary, certainly one of the juicier roles in the musical theater repertory; she oozes warmth and humor, as well as pathos. “Bali Ha’i” is the highlight of the entire recording; with the combination of Hall’s pitch-perfect characterization and one of Rodgers’ most vividly evocative melodies, it’s easy to imagine what it would have been like to be on this special island.


Sharing a stage (or, in this case, a CD) with these three vocal powerhouses, William Tabbert struggles to keep up in the relatively thankless role of Lt. Cable. He does a fine job with one of the show’s most beautiful songs, “Younger Than Springtime,” and does his best with “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught” - a song which has always struck me as somewhat underwritten, given its importance to the over-arching theme of the musical.




The oldest recording in the box set, this is a mono recording from the early LP era. The sound is still quite clear, with just a little too much echo in the “brassier” sections. The limited recording capacity means that cuts are made to reprises and other music that would probably be included in the era of CDs or digital media, but this CD makes up for it with a generous selection of bonus tracks. Two of these are songs for Nellie, sung by Martin, that were cut from the show in tryouts: “Loneliness of Evening,” a wistful ballad reminiscent of “Hello, Young Lovers,” and the somewhat bluesy “My Girl Back Home.” The third bonus track is Pinza’s version of “Bali Ha’i.” The final track is a very pleasant ten-minute suite of music from the show, conducted by Andre Kostelanetz with the Philadelphia Orchestra Pops.


Next up is the Original Broadway Cast Recording (highlights) of Sweeney Todd.

Monday, March 7, 2022

1960s Broadway Musical Show Art Tournament: The Elite 8!

It's the 1960s and the Golden Age of the American Musical is in full swing, though, by the end of the decade it is replaced by the Modern Era. What a time to be a musical theater fan! Award-winners, popular titles, classics and flops are all here. We started with 64 works of art, and now we are down to The Elite 8! We are so close to picking the best of the best!

Now, your votes this week determine THE FINAL 4! 

As always, we thank you for playing along.

Scroll down to see the match-ups, then vote! (Be sure to look at the rules!) Thanks for playing along!

              WHAT IS THE BEST 1960S BROADWAY MUSICAL LOGO OF THEM ALL? 

THE 1960s BROADWAY MUSICAL
SHOW ART TOURNAMENT: THE ELITE 8!
(THE ACTUAL SURVEY IS BELOW THESE FULL-SIZED VERSIONS)
HOW IT WILL WORK:
  • Each week, we'll open the voting for a different segment of the bracket, and you will select your favorite from each pairing.
  • Your selection should be based on the logo/window card ONLY. We are NOT looking for your favorite show! It is possible to like a logo from an unsuccessful show!
  • We will provide pictures of the full window card (in most cases) or logo above each week's ballot, then you scroll down and make your selections. You MUST click/tap the "Click Me to Count Your VOTES" button at the bottom of the survey.
  • REMINDER: Due to the large number of images used, the poll will take a few extra seconds to fully load.
THIS ROUND WILL CLOSE ON FRIDAY, MARCH 11TH AT 5 PM!

Here we go again! May the best logo win! BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE FULL LOGOS BEFORE YOU VOTE! THE ACTUAL BALLOT IS BELOW THE FULL-SIZE LOGOS/WINDOW CARDS!

GAME 1:                                                                     GAME 2:
                           

GAME 3:                                                                     GAME 4:                     
                         

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