Friday 5: 5 Musicals Based on Children's and Young Adult Books

  5 Musicals Based on

Children's and Young Adult Books

With the success of The Outsiders on Broadway these days, it got me to thinking about other musicals based on children's and young adult novels. There have been some major successes and some major flops in this sub-genre, as with any other, of course, but here are 5 of my favorites. Each are magical in their own way.

Book by T.S. Eliot

Musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber

Love it or hate it, Cats is a fantastical journey, whether its the more literal, traditional version - full feline make up and big piles of junk, or the more current drag ballroom kitties working the runway and posing their, um, tails off. People often forget that it all started with a book of cat-themed poems written by one of the world's greatest poets to be read to the little ones in his life. I have loved it since my first trip to the Jellicle Ball.

Book by Louisa May Alcott

Musical by Allan Knee, Jason Howland and Mindi Dickstein

While the musical version of this classic wasn't a success by most measures, it was like opening a treasure chest for me. I went into it knowing nothing. Zero. I knew only the title, so every moment was a prized discovery. The score is full of great numbers, clever and tuneful. And the demise of Beth came as a devastating surprise. I noisy-sobbed. Since then, I've read the book and have seen several film versions. My favorite? The Gerwig, with beautiful performances all around.

Book by Roald Dahl

Musical by Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin

As a child, I loved the books of Roald Dahl, but Matilda was published well into my adulthood. I never saw the movie version of the book, either, so the events of the show were completely new to me. A beautifully fantastical show full of outrageous characters, stunning staging and choreography, and a technically impressive production, I laughed, cried and cheered like a delighted child. Its message is poignant with a not too subtle message about being an adult, too. One of my favorites of all time.

Book by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Musical by Marsha Norman and Lucy Simon

At the risk of sounding sexist, this classic, like Little Women, escaped my boyish clutches. After seeing the utterly gorgeous production - beautiful costumes, stunning scenery and thrilling performances of a thrilling book and score - I made sure to read this wonderful novel. I was just as enamored of young Mary, her friends, family (relative and chosen) in the pages of the book as I was with the stage version. I hope a well-produced revival comes around sooner rather than later.

Book by Natalie Babbitt

Musical by Claudia Shear, Tim Federle, Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen

Somehow, I missed this novel completely, as well as any filmed versions of the work. So I went into this show with a completely blank slate. I adored this show which reveled in the wonder that only live theater can create. Unlike anything Casey Nicholaw has directed/choreographed before or since, its ballet centerpiece sticks with me all these years and shows later. The score was wonderful, the script tight and fun, it was a feast for the senses, the mind, and most importantly, the heart. I would love to see this again, and am still surprised by its very short run. I'm thankful that I got to see it.

Broadway Who's Who: Gregg Edelman

Gregg Edelman is one of an increasingly rare breed - the working Broadway actor. In a career spanning more than 40 years, he's really done it all: ensemble work, supporting roles, leading roles, originating, replacing. Beyond New York, he's done a lot of regional work, world premiers, and national tours. Along the way, he's been nominated for four Tony Awards, and has been involved in many of Broadway's landmark productions (and a fair share of flops, too).

These days, he's playing the older Jacob in Water For Elephants, but chances are you've seen him in one of these shows!

Broadway Who's Who:

Gregg Edleman

DID YOU KNOW?

• Birth Date and Place: September 12, Chicago, Illinois
• Education: Northwestern University
• Family: Previously married to Carolee Carmello; they have two children.
• Broadway Debut: The original Broadway production of Evita.
• Other Theater: He's an Artistic Associate at the Berkshire Theatre Group, where he's directed such productions as Once, White Christmas and Arsenic and Old Lace.
• Fun Fact: He appeared in both the film and pre-Broadway musical version of First Wives Club.

Doonesbury - National Tour

Cats - Broadway - Growltiger/Bustopher Jones/Asparagus

Cabaret 1987 Revival - Broadway and National Tour - Cliff

City of Angels - Broadway - Stine

1990 Tony Award nomination: Best Actor in a Musical

   

Anna Karenina - Broadway - Constantine Levin

1993 Tony Award nomination: Best Featured Actor in a Musical

1776 - Broadway - Rutledge

1998 Tony Award nomination: Best Featured Actor in a Musical

Les Miserables - Original Broadway Production - Javert

Into the Woods - 2002 Broadway Revival - Wolf/Cinderella's Prince

2002 Tony Award nomination: Best Featured Actor in a Musical

Wonderful Town - Broadway Revival - Robert Baker

Sweeney Todd - Regional - Drury Lane - Sweeney Todd

The Mystery of Edwin Drood - Broadway Revival - Crisparkle

Water For Elephants - Broadway - Mr. Jankowski

Mr. Edelman also originated roles in Passion and A Tale of Two Cities.

40 Years of Broadway: Big Trends: The Mega Musical Era

 40 Years of Broadway: Big Trends

The Mega Musical Era

I came upon the Broadway scene as the Mega Musical Era was just ramping up. While Evita was a harbinger for things to come a few years earlier, it was really Cats that got this particular ball rolling. It makes sense, really, that the 80s through mid-90s was the time for this. It was the Decade of Excess, after all. 

I'm referring to Cats (1982), Starlight Express (1987), Les Misérables (1987), The Phantom of the Opera (1988), Miss Saigon (1991), and Sunset Boulevard (1994).

Today, it seems quaint, passé and really kinda silly (depending on your feelings about these relics). I mean, singing cats? Trains that sing and dance on roller skates? But they were all the rage, trust me. Their hallmarks were mostly sung (even completely) scores with belt your face off power ballads, very presentational staging, huge sets that were characters in the show by themselves, and iconic set pieces that people left talking about (usually more than the show itself). Loud volume = brilliant music. People stopping dead in their tracks and singing in loud unison = standing ovation guarantee. Opulence = ticket price justification. As I write this, I am beginning to see some similarities between them and now...

  

  

These were the days before social media and internet searches. And yet, even people who knew nothing about theater knew these shows. I'm talking world-wide. They made their rounds on late night talk shows, and rarely on daytime TV (not like today), and, of course, they did the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. But what really got this out to the masses was their incredible word of mouth, punctuated by genius marketing and merchandising. Everyone instantly recognized their logo iconography, and I do mean everyone* knew what these symbols meant. (* = My dad, who never stepped foot in a professional theater not only knew about Phantom, he actually took us to see it as a family!) Wearing one of those show shirts around college campuses gained the wearer instant status. And it wasn't just shirts - posters, backpack buttons and coffee mugs permeated the suburbs from coast to coast. 

It also helped that, except for the train show, the national touring companies were nearly exact duplicates of Broadway, so you didn't have to live on a coast to see the real thing. 

So much of all of this continues to this day, and we have these shows to thank for it. (Again this may depend on how you feel about this kind of show today.) I still enjoy them, and have some very fond memories. And I still wrap myself up in my (now vintage) show shirts. I had them incorporated into a great quilt!

Where do you stand on the Mega Musical front? Love it? Hate it? Or does it depend on the show? More importantly, do you still have any original merch from these shows? Let us know!

Contest Question #10:

4 of the above Mega Musicals have music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Which two did not have music by him?