Friday 5: The Bands of Broadway

 

The Bands of Broadway

Throughout its history, Broadway has seen many bands on the boards. Probably the most famous is the River City marching band, led by Harold Hill in The Music Man. Bands of all shapes and sizes have been seen on the stages of the theater district. This week we celebrate some of the most recent, including one from the current season.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Hedwig's back up band, The Angry Inch, doesn't say much of anything, but it would be difficult to imagine this show without them! Hard rocking and super supportive, Hedwig needs them as much as we do.

School of Rock

Child prodigies as part of the story, played by child prodigies are the perfect Broadway storm! It was exciting to watch and even better to listen to. Led by their teacher to rock and roll glory, these kids stole the show/

Stereophonic

With this band, we got to see how they made a record and much more. A lot more. Like a Behind the Music documentary, but much darker, we got to see what made these rock geniuses tick, warts and all. We were captivated for the entire time. Plus, we got some pretty good tunes to play over and over, too!

The Band's Visit

A story about how music brings strangers together, the lessons learned from this beautiful musical resonate as much today as ever. Getting to know these men and how they became community almost instantly was heart-warming and inspiring. And the music? Sublime!

The Lost Boys

Broadway's newest rockers, this boy band is dark, hard-edge and brooding. They sound great...just the kind of music your parents warned you was dangerous. The perfect way to gather a fan base...and victims. One might even say their music is...biting.

Broadway Games: The Broadway 10

With the 74th Tony Awards behind us, we thought we'd test your Tony winner knowledge. As you probably know, Moulin Rouge! The Musical won 10, including Best Musical, and as such becomes one of only five shows to reach that height. (Only two others have won more - Hamilton with 11, and The Producers with 12.) Today's game isn't about who won what, but which ones were won.

 

Broadway Games:

The Broadway 10

HOW TO PLAY: Match the show that won 10 Tony Awards with each of the 10 awards it won.

A. Billy Elliot: The Musical     B. Hello, Dolly!     C. Moulin Rouge! The Musical

D. South Pacific     E. The Band's Visit

1. Best Musical

2. Best Direction of a Musical

3. Best Choreography

4. Best Scenic Design

5. Best Lighting Design

6. Best Costume Design

7. Best Sound Design

8. Best Actor in a Musical

9. Best Featured Actor in a Musical

10. Best Featured Actress in a Musical

11. Best Book

12. Best Author of a Musical

13. Best Libretto

14. Best Score

15. Best Composer and Lyricist

16. Best Orchestrations

17. Best Conductor and Musical Director

18. Best Producer of a Musical

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Answers to Last Week's

Broadway Games:

Which Tony Award Nominee?

a. Jagged Little Pill          b. Moulin Rouge!          c. Tina

1. "Private Dancer" C

2. "Ironic" A

3. "What's Love Got to Do with It?" C

4. "Chandelier" B

5. "Your Song" B

6. "Smiling" A

7. "Come What May" B

8. "Firework" B

9. "We Don't Need Another Hero" C

10. "Uninvited"A

11. "You Learn" A

12. "River Creep - Mountain High" C

13. "Crazy - Rolling in the Deep" B

14. "All I Really Want" A

15. "I Don't Wanna Fight No More" C

16. "Predator" A

17. "El Tango de Roxanne" B

18. "Thank You" A

19. "Nature Boy" B

20. "Disco Inferno" C

At This Theatre: The Ethel Barrymore

Having been a legit theater for just over 92 years, it should not be a surprise that during its history the Ethel Barrymore Theatre has had some notorious tenants on its stage. Among them, the original productions of The Women, Pal Joey, and, notably, both A Streetcar Named Desire and A Raisin in the Sun. Of course, we haven't been around for as long, but we have seen our share of pretty amazing shows.

At This Theatre:

The Ethel Barrymore

The Shows We Saw There: The Life, Company (2006), Chaplin, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Band's Visit

How They Rate:

5. The Life (1997): Here's a show that everyone around me seem ecstatic about, while I sat there scratching my head. There were some terrific performances from Chuck Cooper, Pamela Isaacs, Sam Harris and especially Lillias White. And there were a few standout songs from Cy Coleman's score. But mostly, it wasn't as funny, meaningful or edgy as it thought it was.

4. Chaplin (2012): Mike and I were split on this one. We both enjoyed it, but I liked it more. The cast was aces, with stand out supporting performances from Wayne Alan Wilcox and Jenn Colella. Her songs, in particular, stood out for their catchiness and Colella's biting delivery. For me, though there were two stars of this underrated musical: the mesmerizing, detailed and completely magical star turn of Rob McClure, and the exciting tech that brought Chaplin to life as a black and white/sepia-toned movie. 

3. Company (2006): My second revival of one of my favorite Sondheims was so good, I saw it multiple times. We agreed that we loved the spare, actors-as-musicians, and it worked for us (though not everyone was as impressed). Barbara Walsh was an icy, delicious Joanne, and the vacant look in Elizabeth Stanley's eyes was something I don't think I'll ever forget. But it was the always wonderful Raul Esparza that really made this revival soar. I'm so glad it was recorded!

2. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (2014): Easily one of our favorite plays of all-time, it had spectacular production values (the lighting! the projections!) and a thoroughly engaging company of actors, lead, in our case, by the unbelievably superb Taylor Trensch, What really put this one to the top of our list, though, was the thrilling, edge-of-your-seat story. I held my breath for nearly three hours.

1. The Band's Visit (2017): I miss the singular feeling of being in a theater with over a thousand people in complete silence, so mesmerized were we all. I miss the singular feeling of being so involved in what I am watching that I completely lose track of time and space. The Band's Visit gave me both of those intense feelings. When was the last time a musical was as enthralling during its silent moments as during each of its gorgeous songs? The human experience of helping strangers because it is the right thing to do is something the world sorely needs, and that was the beauty of the show.

What's your favorite show or memory at The Barrymore? Email us at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com or Tweet us @jkstheatrescene.

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Mr. Broadway June 2020: Company's Etai Benson

His best friend is another Mr. Broadway, and he dates one of our favorite actresses. But that's not why Etai Benson is Mr. Broadway June 2020. In his young career on the stage, he's been in several regional productions, co-starred in two national tours, and now, with Company, he's been featured in three high-profile Broadway shows. We love him for the warmth and charm which seems to pour off of him in every show he's in. Like so many of you, we can't wait to get back to seeing live theater, and seeing him is high on our list for that return!

Mr. Broadway: June 2020

Company's

Etai Benson

GETTING TO KNOW ETAI BENSON:

• BIRTH DATE: February 20
• BIRTHPLACE: Parkland, Florida
• RELATIONSHIP: Dating Alexandra Socha
• EDUCATION: The University of Michigan, Moscow Art Theatre
• SELECT THEATER CREDITS: Broadway: Company (Paul), The Band's Visit (Papi), Wicked (Boq); National Tours: An American in Paris, Wicked (San Francisco Company), Wicked (Emerald City Company); Regional: My Name is Asher Lev, She Loves Me, A Room With a View, Next to Normal

REGIONAL

Next to Normal

A Room with a View

My Name Is Asher Lev

She Loves Me

NATIONAL TOURS/BROADWAY:

 

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