Friday 5: 5 ABBA Songs That Belong in a New Musical

5 ABBA Songs The Belong in a New Musical

With Mamma Mia! back on Broadway, and the high profile revival of Chess coming in next month, its seems that ABBA is all the rage on the Rialto once again. (Really, were they ever out of style?) In recent years, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again was a box office success, and the Swedish super group came out with its newest (and Grammy-nominated) album in decades, Voyage, and went from there to create a new phenomenon, the digital-virtual reality concert/show, called, fittingly, ABBA Voyage. On the Chess front, the show has never really been too far from the public conscience, including the highly successful concert version starring Josh Groban, Adam Pascal, Kerry Ellis and Idina Menzel, and the Kennedy Center staged concert with a revised book, and starring Raul Esparza, Ramin Karimloo, Karen Olivo and Ruthie Ann Miles. It is that version which has progressed to the new Broadway revival starring Aaron Tveit, Nicholas Christopher, Lea Michele and Hannah Cruz.

So, how about a new ABBA scored musical featuring songs that haven't hit the Broadway stage yet? Here are 5 songs from their most recent albums that I think were made for theatricality. And this time, maybe something more dramatic...serious...

 

"The Day Before You Came" from The Visitors (Deluxe Edition)

Scholarly articles have been written about this song (I'm not joking). It deals with serious issues - relationships, feminism - and a purposely vague narrative that could be interpreted in a number of ways (again, I refer you to the articles written about the song). There's plot, defined characters, and devilishly mundane details. Is the narrator talking about life before meeting someone who changed her forever? Or is she being interrogated and giving a minute by minute accounting of her time before the police arrived? Or is it something else entirely? And the song is catchy as hell.

Though it has not been made a part of any ABBA theater work to date, it was included as a bonus track on the Here We Go Again soundtrack, interpreted by no less than Meryl Streep! Here is a lyric video for you to catch every word.

"Don't Shut Me Down" from Voyage

There's setting, plot, flashback, confrontation and transformation. Here we have a narrator at first contemplating what seeing a former lover again could be like, and then how it plays out.

Some of the lyric choices are interesting...Bjorn himself quipped during an album launch interview that the song is told by a robot - an avatar - and sounded funny. Of course, we now live in a post Maybe Happy Ending world. Is it really all that far-fetched?

"Keep an Eye on Dan" from Voyage

Here's another catchy song that lures you in with dramatic possibilities. A mother is leaving her son for a visit with his dad. She is fraught with anxiety and worries what will happen. The titular refrain begs the question: Is her son, Dan, in need of close supervision, and she's imploring her ex to be cautious and observant. And she gives the child reassurances and instructions, too. OR... Is she telling her son to watch out for what his dad, also Dan, might do? Maybe it is both? Neither? Drama abounds with this song.

Be sure to listen to the last notes as the song fades out...

"Two For the Price of One" from The Visitors

Here's a fun, slightly naughty story-song with named characters and a story that builds to a great plot twist. Even a serious musical needs to have its light moments. (No spoilers. Listen for yourself!)

"The Visitors" from The Visitors

Every show needs an enigma song. What is this about? Alien visitors? Ghosts? The musings of a mental patient? A paranoid recluse? The line between hysteria and reality are blurry here. You decide.

BONUS: "Soldiers" from The Visitors

Don't let the catchy, upbeat tune fool you. This is a song that deals with militarism, the human lust for war and our helplessness against it, and the power of propaganda. But there is a warning here, and with it a glimmer of hope. Written in the 80s during the Cold War (like Chess), this song has 2025 all over it.

At This Theatre: The Broadhurst

At This Theatre:

The Broadhurst

Since it opened in 1917, the Broadhurst has rarely been without a booking. It opened on September 27th of that year with the original production of George Bernard Shaw's Misalliance. Named for George Broadhurst, a theater manager, producer and playwright, the theater opened within days of the Plymouth. They sit back-to-back on 44th and 45th Streets, and their facades are the mirror image of each other. Over the years, 6 different productions penned by its namesake played there. Among the significant productions that played there are: Twentieth Century, the celebrated flop musical Flahooley, Victoria Regina, Agatha Christie's Ten Little Indians, Auntie Mame, Fiorello!, No Strings, Cabaret, The Tap Dance Kid, Dancin', and Amadeus. Here's hoping that its newest tenant, Boop! The Musical, continues the Broadhurst's outstanding long-run record!

Number of Shows We've Seen Here: 12

A Beautiful Noise, Aspects of Love, Baby It's You, Broadway Bound, Fosse, Getting Away With Murder, Into the Woods (2002), Jagged Little Pill, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Lucky Guy, Mamma Mia!, Tuck Everlasting

The 5 Shows We Enjoyed the Most at the Broadhurst:

5. Getting Away With Murder: Stephen Sondheim's only play did not enjoy a long run, but I'm sure glad I got to see it. It was smart, witty and pretty intense. Not surprisingly, it was an intricate puzzle and a crafty whodunit, as only Sondheim could create. It also gave theatergoers the rare opportunity to see its three leads - John Rubenstein, Terrence Mann and Christine Ebersole - in non-musical roles.

4. Broadway Bound: As a huge Neil Simon fan, there was no way I was going to miss the third play in his "B" trilogy. And the chance to see Linda Lavin live? I got a center orchestra seat! Part comedy, part drama, this memory play was easy, yet profound and thought-provoking. Its universality only endeared it even more. From her stunning 16 page monologue, her masterclass in table polishing, and iconic dance with Jonathan Silverman, it was a Tony-winning performance for the ages. Of course, getting to see John Randolph and Phyllis Newman was also a privilege. But it's really cool to have seen a pre-Seinfeld Jason Alexander. too.

3. Fosse: If you've followed this blog at all, you know how much I idolize the late, great Bob Fosse. With the equally great Gwen Verdon supervising, and Ann Reinking choreographing, this Best Musical was like watching a living history. It was breathtaking. I was lucky to have seen it several times, including seeing the original company, as well as with "guest stars" Reinking, Bebe Neuwirth and Ben Vereen. The "Sing Sing Sing" sequence is one I'll never forget.

2. Jagged Little Pill: Sure, I knew and loved Alanis Morissette's legendary album, but I was dubious about it being turned into yet another jukebox musical. I've never been so glad to be wrong! The "Broadway-fication" of the songs (by Tom Kitt) not only didn't lessen their impact, they actually amplified it. A powerful book by Tony-winner Diablo Cody, ingenious choreography by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, and tight direction by Diane Paulus, combined to make a thrilling evening of theater. Oh, and the cast was impeccable, too.

1. Kiss of the Spider Woman: This was one of those shows where I sat there mouth agape and holding my breath the entire time. I was captivated from the first notes of the opening number through the final tragic, yet uplifting, finale. As with all of Kander and Ebb's shows, it was entertaining on first listen, and relentless in its pursuit of my thoughts for months later. Seeing it several times (5 or 6...), my love for it just grew. Over those times, I was thrilled by the stunning performances of Chita Rivera, Brent Carver, Anthony Crivello, Jeff Hyslop, Vanessa Williams, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Howard McGillin.

What are your favorite memories at the Broadhurst? Let us know!

Opinion: Is Fun Enough For a Good Broadway Musical?

Opinion: 
Is Fun Enough For a 

Good Broadway Musical?

 

 

The reviews I post are, I think, well-considered and honest. And I really enjoy getting your feedback. My favorite type of feedback might surprise you: when readers don't agree with me. Well, I'll be more specific. Even when readers don't agree with me, they are respectful and try to understand my views. Those are the kind I love, a dialog between true fans of the theater where differences of opinion are opportunities to learn, grow, and see things in a new way.

Then there are the ones where people are, well, mean. Accusatory. Insulting. It usually happens when I don't like a show. "You just didn't get it." "You like everything, so why are you dumping on this?" It's just as true when I like something where the court of social media has collectively turned up its nose at a show. You should have seen some of the emails I got when I liked Bad Cinderella.

But this time around, I really didn't like Once Upon a One More Time. Hell hath no fury like a Britney fan. Oh I heard it all. "You have no taste." "It was perfect. You must be old." (For the record, I've enjoyed Ms. Spears since her earliest hits when they actually came out, which does make me old, I guess.) But the most grating response, that I heard from multiple people, including a "legit critic" from a popular Broadway website, is that I don't like "fun" musicals. What??!!

Let me respond by saying when I see a new show, I assume I'll have fun. Maybe I need to explain this. For me, all musicals have the potential to be fun. Fun means that I was entertained. Maybe I laughed a lot. Maybe I cried. Maybe I was dazzled by big, splashy dance numbers, stunning sets and costumes. Or maybe I was awed by a sparse, but packed with theatricality, staging. My point is that Sondheim can be fun. Rogers and Hammerstein can be fun. An ABBA musical can be fun. So can a Britney Spears musical.

 

But is "fun" alone enough to make me love a show? Sure. Let's be honest, Mamma Mia and Moulin Rouge! are really meant to be fun diversions, and they are wildly successful musicals. Head Over Heels, the same thing, but not as successful. I loved all three, all for a variety of reasons, including the fact that they are simply fun. But they are all also very well staged. All are clever and even thought provoking. Their stories are simple but compelling, and their characters have depth, even in their silliest moments. None of these criteria are (in my opinion) in One More Time.

Although all of these examples are jukebox musicals - which seem to bring out the best and worst in theater fans - there are plenty of shows that are meant to be fun that are more traditional. The same year that Mamma Mia came to town, so too, did Urinetown and Thoroughly Modern Millie. The former was hilarious and irreverent, but it was also smart and clever, winning Best Book and Best Score. The latter was also meant only to be a fun extravaganza. It won Best Musical. I enjoyed all three - Urinetown checked all my musical theater boxes; Millie was a fun throwback (and the one I liked the least of the three). And yet it was Mamma Mia! that I saw an embarrassing number of times. I loved the music, the staging, and the characters. I was guaranteed to be swept away for two and a half hours.

Musical theater history is full of "fun" shows that want nothing more that to give audiences a good time: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Damn Yankees and Bye, Bye Birdie are great Golden Age examples. There is a reason that these shows are still produced and popular more than half a century after they were first produced. Every show doesn't even need to be a comedy to be fun. Look at Parade, The Band's Visit, Titanic. I loved them all and had a fun time at each. 

 

You see, fun for me is a show that makes me feel alive and better off than when I arrived at the theater. That means my mind, heart and appreciation for the effort have all been sated. I guess that the answer to the question posed in the title of this piece is no. Fun alone is not enough for a good Broadway musical.

For me it isn't. Maybe it is for you. I'm glad Once Upon a One More Time is there for you. And I won't call you names or call your taste into question.

Broadway Games: ABBA Returns!

Yesterday came the announcement that ABBA was coming back with a whole new album, Voyage and a new concert of sorts. To celebrate our favorite Swedish phenomenon, we bring you a new Broadway Game! Good luck!

Broadway Games: ABBA Returns!

Below are 20 songs by Benny and Bjorn of ABBA. Which 10 are NOT from Mamma Mia?

Summer Night City        Knowing Me, Knowing You        Under Attack

Gimmie, Gimmie, Gimmie         Money, Money, Money        Ring Ring

Voulez Vous        Someone Else's Story        I Know Him So Well

Does Your Mother Know        The Day Before You Came

Two For the Price of One            One Night in Bangkok        Super Trouper

Our Last Summer         Lay All Your Love on Me        Angel Eyes

Fernando        Kisses of Fire        Thank You For the Music

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Answers to Last Week's Broadway Games:

The Missing Lyrics of Kander and Ebb

1. Chicago

Come on babe, why don't we PAINT THE TOWN?

And all that jazz

I'm gonna rouge my knees and ROLL MY STOCKINGS DOWN

And all that jazz

2. Kiss of the Spider Woman

When you feel you've gone to hell IN A HANDBASKET

And the world in which you dwell's no paradise

I've some counsel I can give

You need but ask it

I'm so very glad to share THIS GOOD ADVICE

You've got to learn how not to be

WHERE YOU ARE

3. Zorba

Life is what you do while you’re waiting TO DIE,

Life is how the time goes by!

Life is where you wait while you’re waiting TO LEAVE,

Life is where you grin and grieve!

4. 70, Girls, 70

Try to get the curtain to go up,

Then try to get the window TO GO DOWN,

Then try to get the super on the phone,

I've got another leak, oh,

But he's PUERTO RICO.

5. The Scottsboro Boys

Come

And watch them

Sing and DANCE

Come and share

Their tears and joys

Come

This is your FINAL CHANCE

To meet

THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS!

At This Theater: The Winter Garden

I've often written about my experience seeing my first Broadway show, the 1983 revival of Mame at the Gershwin. But I also have a vivid memory of that day before we even sat down for the show. Early for the matinee, we walked down the block toward Broadway. There it was. The Winter Garden Theatre, with its flickering light name plate and its signature giant billboard, at the time advertising Cats. It was still new, and tickets were very tough to get; an international phenomenon can be like that, especially after winning a Best Musical Tony Award. I remember thinking that I'd never get in there to see it. Ah, the extremity of teenage emotion. Actually, I got my first opportunity to see a show at the Winter Garden less than a year later. Over the years, I've been inside there many times, though I've only seen five different shows there - mainly because two of those shows were there for many years each.

At This Theater:

The Winter Garden

Like many theater-goers of my generation, the Winter Garden was synonymous with Cats, a dark junkyard, that upon entering closed you off from the chaos of Times Square. Since it was primarily an immersive production, especially in the orchestra section, it was difficult to imagine what it looked like as a traditional theater space. Imagine my jaw dropping to the floor the first time I went to see Mamma Mia!

The Shows We've Seen There:  Cats, Mamma Mia!, Rocky, School of Rock, Beetlejuice

How They Rate:

5. Beetlejuice (2019): I'm sure I'll probably get some kickback on this, but I didn't really care for this show. Despite wonderful performances (Alex, Sophia, Rob and Kerry - bravo to each) all around, and some truly clever staging and spectacle, I found it to be a generally tedious affair - one of those shows where a little less of everything would have made it more.

4. Rocky (2014): I might get some kickback on this one, too. Why? Because I really loved it. Andy Karl is such a star, and, if there's any justice, Margo Seibert will be a major one in quick order. We splurged and got "ring side" seats, which afforded us the chance to catch up close the blood, sweat and tears of the climactic fight. What a blast to be on the stage, and on moving scenery to boot!

3. School of Rock (2014): Now here's a show for which I had zero expectations. I knew almost nothing about it, never having seen the movie. And though I had followed its unusual path to Broadway with much interest, I went into it pretty much a blank slate. Maybe that's the way it should always be. The kids were amazing, and Alex Brightman won my heart. We saw the show from the back of the mezzanine, and I'm pleased to report that they offered an excellent view.

2. Mamma Mia! (2001): Say what you will about jukebox musicals, this ABBA-fest set the gold standard for an all out fun evening at the theater. Funny, clever and even touching, I remember the first time I saw it vividly. I literally could not sit still. I was vibrating with joy and excitement. Not everything has to be Sondheim to be great.

1. Cats (1982): Don't even bother emailing me. Yes, the notion of people playing cats is a silly one, and yes, A Chorus Line did the story significantly better. But, the way they did it  - so genuinely artistic - was brilliant. The movement, the singing, the score, the costumes and make-up, and the spectacle of the giant trash culminating in the flight to the Heavyside Layer was all jaw-dropping. And yet, for all of spectacle, there was something so basically theatrical about the presentation. All you have to do is watch the movie to realize that this piece thrives in a live, theatrical environment, and much less so when reality is attempted. Like it or not, Cats changed Broadway now and forever.

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