JK's TheatreScene: Books

Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts

Monday, January 2, 2023

Our 2023 Theatrical Resolutions

It's a new year and it's time for a reset and fresh start, right? While both Mike and I surely have personal goals for 2023, today we thought we would share our theater related resolutions. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Jeff: To see more plays and see more shows at a variety venues.

Every year, I hope to see every musical (new or revival) that opens on Broadway. More often than not, I manage to accomplish that goal. Unfortunately, time and money prevent me from seeing more. This year, I am hoping to expand my theater-going to include more plays. Further, I'm looking forward to taking a fuller advantage of the plentiful regional theater in my area. Already, I am working on this with tickets secured for Broadway and regional productions, both non-musical and musical productions!

Mike: To revisit and spend more time listening to my cast recording collection.

I can verify that Mike has a fair sized collection of such recordings. Talk about a variety, too. From classics to rarities, Broadway and beyond, and current to vintage, he has a lot to choose from. And you, readers, may just benefit from all of this!

Jeff: To catch up on my reading.

I have a growing collection of theater-related books. Deep dives into specific shows, a series of volumes on the history of Broadway theaters, books about the late, great Stephen Sondheim, and more are sitting in a stack in my living room. This is the year that pile gets smaller!

Mike: To organize (and clean!) my show magnet collection.

The man has amassed an enormous number of magnets - hundreds - over the years. It's a visual history of his love of theater. Like most of us, he throws them up on the refrigerator and there they sit, sparking fond memories each time he opens the door. This year, they get taken down, organized and cleaned up!

Want to share YOUR theater resolutions? Please find us (and follow) on Twitter (@jkstheatrescene), Instagram (@jkstheatrescene), or hit the comment link below and leave us a message there!

COMING UP ON WEDNESDAY: LOGOS: Into the Woods and 1776

COMING UP ON FRIDAY: CD Review: & Juliet

Thursday, November 29, 2018

#TBT: Xanadu: The Book (Seriously!)

Like many young kids in the early 80's, I played the soundtrack to the movie Xanadu to death, and I knew every lyric, pause and audible breath on the Olivia Newton-John side. And I played, if I do say so myself, a mean air guitar and air keyboard, to every song on the E.L.O. side. It was also (around the 100th time I sang along to "Magic") that I first, finally, admitted to myself that it wasn't a straight crush I had on Olivia, but my first gay crush on someone who would become an amazing gay ally.

So, imagine my delight to find out that Xanadu was being made into a musical. Everyone around me was predicting disaster and a fast flop. I bought a ticket anyway, and went in thinking, "well, at least we can say we saw it and laugh about it after." Neither Mike nor I expected what we saw, and we didn't expect to love it. But we did, and ended up seeing it several more times, including from onstage. I've got all the different Playbills, including my coveted first edition including James Carpinello above the title (I didn't see him, but I did see Cheyenne Jackson's first credited performance), the cast recording, as well as both versions of the window card, plus an autographed copy, too.

Which brings me to today's Throwback Thursday memorabilia, the coffee table book, Xanadu: The Book! I love everything about this tome, from its irreverent send up of other such books - the audacity of publishing it in giant soft cover!

There's a lot packed into these 80+ pages: dozens of full color production photos, interviews with the producers and Douglas Carter Beane (book), and a fun questionnaire with director Christopher Ashley. There are also great articles about each design element, along with photos of those things that inspired the designs. One of the funniest things is the interview with the screenwriter of the movie!

If you can get your hands on a copy of this, grab it up, put on your leg warmers, put on the cast recording, and get to reading!

Here's a look back at the show that inspired the book - seriously!

FUN FACTS ABOUT XANADU:

The show began previews at the Helen Hayes Theatre on May 23, 2007, and opened on July 10th after 49 previews. The show closed after 512 performances on September 28, 2008.
Olivia Newton-John came to see the show and loved it!
Whoopi Goldberg played the part originated by Jackie Hoffman for several weeks during the run.
The show was nominated for 4 Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
Several of today's most popular Broadway people were in the show: Kerry Butler (Mean Girls, Beetlejuice), Cheyenne Jackson (Finian's Rainbow), Jackie Hoffman (On the Town, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Addams Family), Mary Testa (Queen of the Mist), Kenita R. Miller (Once on This Island), Anika Larson (Beautiful), Curtis Holbrook (SpongeBob SquarePants, West Side Story), Marty Thomas (King Kong), and Andre Ward (Rock of Ages). Patti Murin (Lysistrata Jones, Frozen) and Annie Golden (The Full Monty, Violet) were understudies. The national tour included Elizabeth Stanley (On the Town, Company, Jagged Little Pill) and Max von Essen (Evita, An American in Paris, Anastasia).

The National Tour

(Click on the pictures to enlarge!)

#1950

Friday, September 28, 2018

The Friday 5: 5 Favorite Shows Based on Books

We talk so much these days about shows based on films. Rarely, it seems, much is discussed about shows that come from books. Some of the greatest musicals of all time are based on novels and short stories - Cabaret (Goodbye to Berlin) and Fiddler on the Roof (Tevye and His Daughters) are but two. This past season featured two - Once on This Island (My Love, My Love) and Mean Girls (Queen Bees and Wannabes). Here are 5 of my favorites (plus 3 GIANTS of Broadway history). I didn't realize until after I finished the list that all 8 are also Best Musical Tony Award winners!

The Friday 5:

5 Favorite Musicals Based on Books

THE MOTHER(S) OF ALL MUSICALS BASED ON BOOKS: