2024 - 2025 Broadway Musical Logos: A Wonderful World

Nearly every season in recent memory seems to include either a jukebox musical or a bio-musical (or both in the same season). Right now, Broadway is hosting two bio-musicals: Tammy Faye, with an original Elton John score, and A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical, featuring songs made famous by the titular jazz legend. How either one ultimately fares remains to be seen, but will their show art and ad campaigns help them separate themselves from the rest of the crowded season? 

2024 - 2025 Broadway Musical Logos:

A Wonderful World

You know how certain songs can instantly flood you with emotion? Well, for me, "A Wonderful World" is such a song. I hear the optimism in the lyrics, and the floodgates open. I become a mess, and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who has that reaction. To that end, I think they chose the perfect title. It is immediately identifiable with the subject, and likely triggers an emotional response.

The Jazz Age simple font immediately calls to mind the kind of old school neon signs that regularly hung outside the clubs, dance halls and bars in that era. The clean lettering in a vibrant red and striking blue against a dark background are eye-catching, while the slight variations in the letter styling force you to read and pay attention to the words, which is always a positive with show art.

The central image of the show's key art is an arty representation of the joyous vibe of "Satchmo" himself. His head is thrown back in a laugh frozen in time, with his signature toothy grin, tuxedo and, of course, his beloved trumpet. The reds and golds are warm and elegant - reverential. This seems only fitting for one of the greatest musicians that ever lived.

So far, this is probably my favorite logo of the season. If the show art is any indication, this latest bio-musical looks like it could be a hit.

Grade: A+ 

Friday 5: 5 Favorite Designs by Beowulf Boritt

5 Favorite Designs by Beowulf Boritt

Six-time Tony nominee and two-time winner, Beowulf Boritt burst on to the Broadway scene in 2005 with his scenic design for The 25th Annual Putnam County County Spelling Bee. Since then, he's designed 32 more productions, including Left On Tenth and Our Town this season. His work is never boring, and when you see his name in the Playbill, you know you are going to see some fascinating scenery. Here's our Friday 5 favorites:

Be More Chill

While we had some qualms with the show itself, the set was pretty cool. It felt like we were inside a computer chip...err...The Squip.

Chaplin

I loved the show, even though the critics didn't, and part of that was the dreamy aesthetic that played out in a black and white/sepia tone movie style. It was a sight to behold!

Come From Away

The homey Canadian solitude of Gander was presented on an expansive blue plank set, punctuated by trees whose roots extended into the auditorium. It was simple, but powerful - sometimes a clear September sky, sometimes a pub or Tim Horton's, and sometimes all at once. Magnificent and humble all at once, just like the subject of the show.

Rock of Ages

For my money, the set was the best thing about the show. As it stretched out into the house, you instantly felt like you were in the seedy 80s nostalgia of the Sunset Strip. The composite effect added to the overall rock and roll vibe.

The Scottsboro Boys

Still at the top of my list of the great musicals of the 21st century, this show's design might be a surprise to make this Friday 5. It was, after all very bare bones and representational. But that was the real genius of it. A plank and a chair could be a courtroom as easily as it could be a train car. Your imagination filled in the gaps, making you fully engage with the events as they played out. Brilliant.

Around the TheatreScene: September/October 2024

Over the course of each month, we'll collect pictures and newsy tidbits from the "TheatreScene." We'll be scouring Twitter, Instagram and other social media for interesting items. And we'd love to share your love of theater, too! Send us your pics from your theater scene - local stuff, school shows, fan art, stage door encounters! Send them to: jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com (careful of the spelling!).

Around the TheatreScene

September/October 2024

Deaf West's American Idiot

Mike and I would love to see this one! Deaf West captivated us with their beautiful exploration of Spring Awakening, so we can only imagine the power they'd bring to this Green Day rock musical! 

Stars at the Stage Door

This is a star-studded (and star-crossed) season to be sure! Here's Heartstopper heartthrob Kit Connor greeting fans of Romeo and Juliet at the Circle in the Square:

And, in what has to be a first, here's Broadway's newest Norma Desmond, Nicole Scherzinger, greeting Sunset Boulevard fans in full bloody costume! Of course, if her co-star, Tom Francis, can roam Shubert Alley in full costume, why shouldn't she!?

 

Speaking of strolling the streets in Sunset Boulevard, Joe Gillis understudy, Jimin Moon made his debut on October 10th. Congratulations!

Suffs Being So Relevant

The show certainly has a message for today's American audiences...

Birthday Beefcake: Les Miserables

What a way to celebrate a birthday! We didn't see it in the West End, but we don't remember the barricade looking like this!

Tweet of the Month: All Things Do What?...

Seems a certain new pop princess couldn't take the heat after fans took exception to some of her more...political comments. So what did she do? She cancelled her appearance at a big concert called "All Things Go."

Seems we weren't the only theater fans who heard that and thought of something entirely different...

What I hear when y’all are tweeting about “All Things Go” pic.twitter.com/T2f2zWn5m5

— man in chair in training (@luxurytrash_) September 28, 2024

One That Got Away: Groundhog Day

One That Got Away:

Groundhog Day

Everything about Groundhog Day pointed toward me seeing it. Its score came from the brilliant minds behind one of my favorite musicals, Matilda, including director, Matthew Warchus, choreographer, Peter Darling, and designer Rob Howell and a score by Tim Minchin. It also starred one of my favorite leading men, Andy Karl, who has, of late, made an entire career of playing this role around the world.

So, why is this one that got away? Well, to be honest, I really don't care for the film upon which it is based. But mostly, I think it had more to do with its very brief run in a crowded season of must-see musicals, revivals and individual performances. (Another "one that got away" that season was Anastasia.)

 

    

Groundhog Day began its 31 previews on March 16, 2017 at the August Wilson Theatre, where it played 176 performances before closing on September 17, 2017. The show was nominated for seven Tony Awards, including Best Book, Score, Choreography, Direction, Leading Actor and Best Musical.

📸: J. Marcus

Broadway Games: One Word Musicals

Broadway Games:

One Word Musicals

      

What's in a name? A lot, when it's doing the heavy lifting of being the title of a big Broadway (or off-Broadway) show!

DIRECTIONS: Match the titles with the brief descriptions below.

A. Applause    B. Bare    C. Carrie    D. Dogfight    E. Evita

F. Flahooley    G. Grind    H. Hair    I. Irene    J. Jumbo

K. Knoxville    L. Lestat    M. Mame     N. Nunsense    O. Once

P. Purlie!    Q. Quilters     R. Rocky    S. Smile        T. Titanic

U. Urinetown    V. Violet    W. Wildcat    X. Xanadu    Y. Yank!

        

1. The only show out of all the ones above that is currently Broadway bound.

2. Things run amok when this doll isn't quite the Christmas hit the toy company thought it would be. 

3. More famous as a revival that starred mother and daughter duo, Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher.

4. A disfigured young woman takes a bus ride.

5. Pioneer women tell their histories through the garments they make.

6. As the title song of this off-Broadway smash hit says, "It is habit-forming!"

7. Margo Channing meets her match in Eve Harrington in this Tony Award-winning All About Eve adaptation.

8. A circus musical that isn't Water For Elephants

9. "Yo! Adrian!"

10. Plain girl meets the man of her dreams, but she doesn't know she's part of a cruel bet.

11. Before "don't ask, don't tell," there were gay soldiers. This show is about a few good men who served during WWII.

12. Boy meets girl and they fall slowly at the pub.

   

13. Peter and Jason fall in love in Catholic high school, and these star-crossed lovers are tragically torn apart.

14. It's a privilege to pee...but don't be the bunny! #IYKYK

15. A gorgeous tribute to the people involved in one of the world's greatest tragedies.

16. Flower power and social activism meet in the Age of Aquarius.

17. Burlesque and segregation were in conflict on Broadway's first fully automated sets.

18. Elton John tried his hand at a vampire musical with this Anne Rice adaptation.

19. Hey, look her over! Lucy is drilling for oil!

20. She held her "descamisados" captive as she pleaded her case from the balcony of La Casa Rosada.

21. There's never been a musical like her. Or a prom. 

22. The most fun aunt ever! And she kills on the bugle...

23. The title "Young American Miss" is up for grabs in this beauty pageant musical.

24. Seven muses, young love, and roller skating. It was magic.

25. The musical version of a brilliant play about a charismatic preacher.

2024 - 2025 Broadway Musical Logos: Gypsy and Sunset Boulevard

Two of this season's most anticipated shows are revivals, one a modern era classic, the other a Golden Age classic. Both shows have had previous revivals, but these both aim to be different than their predecessors. How successful they will be remains to be seen, but will their logos have any impact either way?

2024 - 2025 Broadway Musical Logos:

Gypsy and Sunset Boulevard

Gypsy

The wrap-around on the recently refurbished marquee at the recently refurbished Majestic Theatre calls Gypsy "The Greatest Musical of All Time!" While that declaration may be debatable hyperbole, it certainly is one of the best, and with an all-star cast and acclaimed director, there's a chance that its greatness may just be added to.

The logo/advertising seems to depend on potential ticket-buyers' knowledge of the work and of its star. Simple, yet bold, and certainly eye-catching, you need to know that "Gypsy" is the title and not Audra's last name. Similarly, you'd have to know who the heck "Audra" is. Believe it or not, there are a lot of people unfamiliar with the multi-award-winning show and/or its star. 

The "name in lights" font is perfect for such a showbiz-y musical. And I especially like the spotlight-on-a-curtain look behind the words. Finally, the reflection at the bottom further brings home the idea that this is about the stage. "Curtain up! Light the lights!" indeed.

We are looking forward to it - it's a favorite score, and we love Audra. But are theater nerds like us enough? Will it draw a long-term and large audience to sustain a run and even a profit?

Grade: B-

Sunset Boulevard

Right across 44th Street, at the St. James Theatre, is a similarly austere logo that depends heavily on passersby knowledge of the show and its star. Here, the name of its world-famous composer might add some interest - let's be honest, even non-theater goers have heard of Sir Andrew. The rest of the names on the marquee may be famous depending on your interests. The star name at the top may draw you if you were ever a fan of The Pussycat Dolls. Theater fans may flock to see her because she's an Olivier Award winner for the role, or because she didn't come over with the Cats revival. Of course, knowing the director might help make sense of the relative plainness of the logo. Jamie Lloyd is renowned for extremely austere productions with boundary pushing staging elements, and so the plain font and red/white on black coloring matches that aesthetic. Those vivid colors against the black are also very eye-catching.

  

That aesthetic also matches the further iterations of the show's advertising. The poster, featuring Nicole Scherzinger in character, in black and white (save the blood red title) is striking. 

 

The cast in black relief against the blood red offers a more ominous reveal of the modern dress company. And befitting the larger-than-life character that Norma Desmond is, her staring down from the Empire State Building seems especially apropos for her "return" to New York.

Ultimately, I like it, though I'm not sure how the advertising may affect the ticket sales after the initial craze. You sure do have to know a lot to "get" what it is trying to sell,

Grade: A-

2023 - 2024 Broadway Top 40

2023 - 2024 Season

After tabulating all of your votes, it turned out pretty much as we expected. It was cool that each of the 12 shows from last season had at least one song that made the list. There were some surprises - songs that made it, songs that we were sure would make it but didn't, and I'll admit that I wasn't expecting the top 5 to turn out the way it did.

Here is your countdown!

Water For Elephants - "The Lion Has Got No Teeth" (#35)

40. Every Single Day - Harmony

39. Forgiveness - Days of Wine and Roses

38. How To Dance In Ohio - How to Dance in Ohio

37. Perfection - Lempicka

36. Bright (Version 1) - Stereophonic 

35. The Lion Has Got No Teeth - Water For Elephants

34. It Works - Back to the Future

33. Where It Goes - Harmony

32. Why Don’t You Love Me? - Here Lies Love

31. Child of the Philippines - Here Lies Love

The Great Gatsby - "Roaring On" (#24) & "My Green Light" (@23)

30. For the Dreamers - Back to the Future

29. Come to the Fatherland - Harmony

28. Coda - The Notebook

27.  Paris Is Catching Up to Me - The Great Gatsby

26.  New Money - The Great Gatsby

25.  The Road Don’t Make You Young - Water For Elephants

24.  Roaring On - The Great Gatsby

23.  My Green Light - The Great Gatsby

22.  Easy - Water For Elephants

21.  Wild - Water For Elephants

The Notebook - "Leave the Light On" (#19)

20. Building Momentum - How to Dance in Ohio

19. Leave the Light On - The Notebook

18.  The March (We Demand Equality) - Suffs 

17. I Will Paint Her - Lempicka

16. Just Ask the Flowers - Here Lies Love

15. Just This Way - Lempicka

14. Harmony - Harmony

13. Here Lies Love - Here Lies Love

12. God Draws Straight - Here Lies Love

11. Bright (Take 22) - Stereophonic 

Suffs - "Great American Bitch" (#10)

10. Great American Bitch - Suffs

9. Bright (Fast) - Stereophonic

8. Drive - Stereophonic

7. Something About the Boy - Back to the Future 

6. Stay Gold  - The Outsiders 

5.  My Days - The Notebook 

4. Great Expectations - The Outsiders 

3. Throwing In the Towel - The Outsiders 

2. Masquerade - Stereophonic 

1. Woman Is - Lempicka