Broadway Games: True or False: Composer Edition

The Gershwins. Jason Robert Brown. Sir Andrew. Steve.  How much trivia do you know about Broadway composers? This week's game will test your knowledge! Good luck! (Look for the answers next Friday!)

Broadway Games:

True or False

Composer Edition

1. TRUE or FALSE: Jason Robert Brown's first Broadway credit was as a rehearsal pianist.

2.  TRUE or FALSE: The Gershwin song "Someone to Watch Over Me" appears in more than 2 book musicals.

3. TRUE or FALSE: Both Andrew Lloyd Webber and Stephen Sondheim have shows that include a song called "Beautiful."

4. TRUE or FALSE: There is only one Broadway theater currently named for a composer.

5. TRUE or FALSE: Carole King is the only person who has both been in a Broadway show and has been the subject of a Broadway show.

#2426

One That Got Away: Parade

With the recent passing of Brent Carver, I've been thinking a great deal about how fortunate I was to have seen his Tony-winning turn in Kiss of the Spider Woman three times. So natural, so intense, so heart-breaking. I've also been thinking of another of his acclaimed performances - as Leo Frank in Parade. Like many theater fans, this was One That Got Away from me. 

It wasn't that the 1998-1999 Broadway season was a crowded one. It was that the show had an unfortunately short run. And so I had to settle with imagining the performance while listening to the wonderful original Broadway cast recording. What I wouldn't have given to see the cast belting "The Old Red Hills of Home" and "Where Will You Stand When the Flood Comes?" Or to have seen Mr. Carver and Carolee Carmello singing "All the Wasted Time" live before me. The score of the show is full of so many of such moments; the regret at missing out ran deep.

Fortunately, I did finally get a chance to see the show, in a wonderful regional production at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C. starring Euan Morton. I'm so glad I saw it; it is a cherished memory. Still, I regret missing the original, and I look forward to an eventual Broadway revival.

The original production played at the Vivian Beaumont at Lincoln Center, playing 39 previews and 85 performances before closing. It was nominated for 9 Tony awards, including Best Musical and Best Direction (Harold Prince). It won Best Book (Alfred Uhry) and Best Score (Jason Robert Brown).

#2425

Musical of the Month: Hairspray

As we live in another age of civil unrest and protests for equality, racial justice, it seems more than appropriate to celebrate Hairspray as Musical of the Month. This week, we'll take a look at the background of the show, its impressive Broadway statistics, and other major productions.

Musical of the Month:

Hairspray

Origins, Stats and Productions

Origins:

Hairspray the musical is based on the John Waters film of the same name. That cult classic movie was based on Waters' experiences as a teen in 1960's Baltimore, where he saw first-hand the injustice of segregation and racism. Set against a backdrop of "normalcy": high school, working-class values, the not-so-subtly subversive plot also basked in the glow of quintessential Baltimore, with its teen TV dance show and famously high hairdo'd Hons. (I can tell you that this cultural phenomenon continues to this day in Charm City.) Their famously generous, inclusive spirit serves to highlight the capacity for good with a healthy dose of hilarity.

   

The Stats:

• Previews began on July 18, 2002, with an opening night on August 15, 2002 at the Neil Simon Theatre.
• Hairspray was nominated for 13 2003 Tony Awards, winning 8, including Best Musical, Best Book, Best Score, Best Direction (Jack O'Brien), Best Actor (Harvey Fierstein), Best Actress (Marissa Jaret Winokur) and Best Featured Actor (Dick Latessa).
• The Drama Desk Awards honored the show with 14 nominations, with 10 wins, including Best Musical.
• Both Marissa Jaret Winokur and Jackie Hoffman earned Theatre World Awards for their performances.
• The show closed on January 4, 2009 following 31 previews and 2,642 performances.

Stage Productions:

Pre-Broadway: Hairspray's world premiere took place at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre.

West End: In 2007, Hairspray opened in London, starring Michael Ball as Edna, Leanne Jones as Tracy, and Tracie Bennett as Velma. The production was nominated for a record-breaking 10 Olivier Awards, and won three, including Best Musical, Best Actor and Actress.

Royal Caribbean: The cruise ship giant produced a shortened, but spectacular version of the show that played 4 performances each week.

Other Productions: Hairspray has had several national and international tours, a Las Vegas production, international productions, including in Australia and Argentina. In 2011, there was an all-star production at the Hollywood Bowl, again starring Fierstein and Winokur, along with Drew Carey, Corbin Bleu, Susan Anton, John Stamos, Darlene Love and Nick Jonas.

As of this writing, a brand new revival, again directed by Jack O'Brien and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell is in the works, with its premiere set for the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore.

We'll be discussing the filmed version of the show later this month.

#2424

LOGOS: The Music Man (2021)

Like most of us that are into the theater scene, we, too, are craving anything that could possibly count as new content. Which brings us to the installation of a new marquee for a new Broadway show - the new revival of The Music Man. Today, we'll share a few thoughts about that marquee and the logo itself.

As The Music Man celebrates (and slyly skewers) antiquated Americana, the feel of the complete logo is spot on, from its old-fashioned font, its sepia tinged coloring, and its use of antique iconography. The whole thing feels positively 1912! The details are actually quite amazing. Put together, they take us back in a comfortable way.  Of course, like the show itself, it is remarkable how there are subversive digs at the gullibility of Americans to be taken in by a trickster who knows how to exploit his next pigeons. (Sound familiar?) Including an "ad" for the music man's services is spot on. In short, I think the whole package is pretty terrific. Below, I've pieced together all of their logo pieces for you:

But the "whole package" is also a problem in terms of advertising. In order to catch the full power of this logo, you really have to look closely at it. Really close. Who has the time to do this while walking down Broadway? Is the gentle color pallet enough to make one stop or even give it more than a passing glance? The "whole package" is great when you have it to hold onto, say as a poster, Playbill or souvenir program. But as an inducement to buy (expensive) tickets. COVID may have changed the way the game is played, so just the title alone may be an inducement for those craving cheery Americana. I guess we won't know for awhile. But if traditional logos/advertising rules will continue to hold after all of this, I'm not entirely sold on it.

Then there's the marquee at the Winter Garden Theatre. As a whole, I think it's quite attractive. But I'm not sure I understand the set up. The only way to see what show is playing there is to be across the street and looking at the building directly. Who thought putting two names on the signage that you can see from the sidewalk or in passing traffic was a good idea? First, are you selling the stars or the show? What happens when one or both are out? What happens to any possible sales from people who don't know much about Broadway, but might know the title? Second, what happens when one or both leave the show? If the show is well done, why shouldn't it continue to run? Most, if not all, of the longest running shows are long runners because the show is good, no matter who is in it. 

But, like I said at the top, anything new is cause for hope and excitement. That sentiment is shared by my Twitter buddy, @broadwaybobnyc, who graciously shared the above photo. And as a person who actually saw it in person, he offers this take on it: "Honestly, I teared up a bit both from happiness at the marquee’s optimism and sadness at the current state of Broadway. I give them great credit for giving us something to looking forward to and lighting up those beloved Winter Garden lights."

Optimism and sadness - I agree. Let's stick with optimism. We need it now more than ever.

#2423

1990s Broadway Musical Logos Madness! Round 1 - Aurora Division

You know we are obsessed with show logos and window cards! We just LOVE them. Now, it's time to find out your top logo for the closing ten seasons of the 20th century. To get things started, we poured over the archives and came up with a 64 show bracket of musicals from the 1990s. In past weeks, you voted for your favorites from the Mufasa and Jelly Roll Divisions! Here are those results:

Each division includes at least 2 Best Musical winners, several Tony nominees, and a few bonafide Broadway misfires. 

#2422

1990s Broadway Musical Logo Madness!

Round 1: The Aurora Division

HOW IT WILL WORK:

• Each week, we'll open the voting for a different segment of the bracket, and you will select your favorite from each pairing.
• Your selection should be based on the logo/window card ONLY. We are NOT looking for your favorite show! It is possible to like a logo from a show you've never heard of before!
• We will provide pictures of the full window card (in most cases) above each week's ballot, then you scroll down and make your selections. You MUST click/tap the "Click Me to Count Your VOTES" button at the bottom of the survey.
• THIS ROUND WILL CLOSE ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9TH AT 5 PM!

Here we go again! May the best logo win! BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE FULL LOGOS BEFORE YOU VOTE! THE ACTUAL BALLOT IS BELOW THE FULL-SIZE LOGOS/WINDOW CARDS!

GAME 1:                                                                    GAME 2:

                   

GAME 3:                                                                    GAME 4:

                    

GAME 5:                                                                    GAME 6:

                        

GAME 7:                                                                    GAME 8:

                         

Broadway Games: Word Search: The Women of Broadway

Last week's word search was so popular, we decided to give you another one to work on. This week, we focus on the women who make the Great Bright Way shine. Yes, there are the divas, but also the writers, designers, directors and choreographers. Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Broadway Games:

Word Search

The Women of Broadway

Click here to play it online: Word Search

Tip: Each time you click that link, it generates a different puzzle!

 

#2421

The Late Great Howell Binkley

Chances are pretty good that if you've been to a Broadway show over the past three decades, you've had the privilege of seeing the work of Howell Binkley. You may not have even known you did. And that's not a slight, no, actually it's a compliment. The work of a lighting designer is generally at its best when you aren't conscious of it, and when it is really excellent, it makes you feel the moments of a show more deeply. Such was the work of Mr. Binkley, who lost his battle with lung cancer in August.

His legacy remains in our collective memories and production photos, beginning with his debut in 1993 with Kiss of the Spider Woman, and over the course of 52 Broadway productions. Among the shows he lit are Best Musical winners, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Avenue Q, Memphis, Jersey Boys and Hamilton. Along the way, he was nominated for 9 Tony Awards, winning for Jersey Boys and Hamilton. He also won Olivier Awards for Kiss of the Spider Woman and Hamilton on the West End.

Perhaps the greatest honor and memorial for his lasting influence on theatrical design comes from a lighting design company, Roscoe, who renamed one of their gobos (a light filter that creates light patterns on the floor and walls of a set) for him - The Binkley Reflections. What a lovely tribute.

   

   

The Binkley Reflection as seen in (clockwise) 

Avenue Q, A Bronx Tale, Hamilton and Come From Away

While he now lives in our grateful memories, we can still enjoy his work as seen in the current productions Ain't Too Proud, Come From Away and Hamilton.

Rest in peace, Mr. Binkley.

#2420