Welcome to Part 2 of my year-in-review! Part 1 is here.
In this post, I will be telling you about the Broadway shows
I came across in 2021 that I think are somewhat or completely unknown but have
a lot of potential for the local community theatre stage.
Some of the questions that I thought about when selecting shows included: Is the music good? Does the story still hold up today? Would audiences want to come see it? Is it feasible for the limits of community theater? (For example, Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark would definitely be a NO on that last question.) Could I see a local community theater group succeeding at putting on this show?
[The fact is, I've seen shows from a lot of local groups in the past several years. I haven't seen a lot of racial diversity. The reasons are complex, and I know that some people are actively working on attracting and keeping diverse talent, but in the meantime, I don't know any community theater group that could do justice to a show like Motown: The Musical or West Side Story. For most of the shows on this list, any character could be played by an actor of any race or ethnicity, but in none of them is race a major plot point. (Some shows excluded by this criteria will be discussed in Part 3 of this series, so come back next week to check those out.)
Similarly, since my experience has consistently been that more women participate in community theater than men, I have excluded shows that have an overwhelming amount of male characters and an underwhelming amount of female characters. (If, for example, you help pick shows at an all-male high school, there may be some more shows to interest you in Part 3 of this series.)]
On to the list! Here are the musicals that I think are worth bringing back at the community theater level. For each show, I include the year it debuted on Broadway (or years, if it was revived), the company that holds the licensing rights, a brief synopsis, and my reasons for including it on the list. Most of these shows have cast albums on Spotify (where you can listen for free in a web browser), and for the others I have included a link to the music that other participants in the Broadway 2 A Day Challenge were able to get hold of. (One tip for searching on Spotify: if the show doesn't come up from the title alone, type "original" after it, as in "Original Broadway Cast." This will separate the musicals from albums of the same name by other artists.)
***
1. Of Thee I Sing
- 1931, 1933, 1952; Music Theatre International – only available for professional licensing currently, but I hope that will change
- Synopsis: A presidential candidate runs on a platform of “love,” which lands him a happy marriage but also an international crisis!
- Why this show: This show, which was revived for the first time after only two years, is very silly. It was also the first musical to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama! I thought this show was very funny, and the music is by the Gershwins - and actually written for this show, unlike plenty of later Gershwin shows.
2. Out of This World
- 1950, Concord Theatricals
- Synopsis: The Greek gods meddle in the affairs of recently married mortals, with chaotic effect.
- Why this show: Cole Porter. Greek gods. Isn’t that enough to make you curious? There are some very catchy songs (like Juno’s “I Sleep Easier Now”) and I think there’s a lot of room to really have fun with the aesthetic details.
3. No Strings
- 1962, Concord Theatricals
- Synopsis: A model and a writer in Paris fall in love, but love and creativity get complicated. Do they have a future or do they only have this moment?
- Why this show: This Richard Rodgers musical won a Tony for best original score. (You may recognize “The Sweetest Sounds” from the Brandy version of Cinderella.) The music is beautiful and the themes are still relevant.
4. Tovarich
- 1963, Concord Theatricals
- Synopsis: In the 1920s, two exiled Russian nobles lay low in Paris by taking jobs as servants to an American family, where things get complicated by new and old romance.
- Why this show: This is a delightful show with a lot of opportunities for fun accents!
5. Fade Out - Fade In
- 1964, Concord Theatricals
- Synopsis: The head of a 1930s movie studio sees a chorus girl that he wants to make into a movie star, but he accidentally sends the wrong chorus girl to Hollywood! With the studio head’s nephew, she makes most of a movie before the mistake is discovered – but the nephew realizes she really is a star.
- Why this show: The original starred Carol Burnett and had excellent reviews. By all accounts this is a great show, with a very fun lead role. There’s also a very cute scene where the lead, down on her luck, is doing street advertising dressed as Shirley Temple and performs a tap number with a man in a similar position dressed as Bill “Bojangles” Robinson (please do not cast a white man in this role).
6. Drat! The Cat
- 1965, Concord Theatricals
- Synopsis: A young woman held back by society’s rules becomes a cat burglar – which gets very complicated when the cop investigating the thefts falls in love with her.
- Why this show: This show is very, very silly and would be a lot of fun to perform and to watch. A 1997 recording can be found here (you may recognize the voice of Susan Egan, Broadway's original Belle): (link)
7. Henry, Sweet Henry
- 1967, Concord Theatricals
- Synopsis: Two teenage girls obsess over a famous composer (and philanderer) – things get especially chaotic when the composer gets involved with one of their mothers!
- Why this show: This show was adapted from a novel by a father/daughter team, and wasn’t very successful on Broadway maybe just because of timing – it was a sweet, traditional show at a time when rock musicals were on the rise. But imagine if Bye, Bye, Birdie were actually compassionate toward its teenagers and what they were going through. In this show, the idolization is provoked by a lack of love at home, and when this is resolved, the teenage heroines can start finding value in what’s around them that’s real (and age-appropriate). Note: in the original there was a scene with some Asian stereotypes, which may have already been cut or may need to be cut, but it is certainly not essential to the plot or the characters. Cast recording available here: (link)
8. On the Twentieth Century
- 1978, Concord Theatricals
- Synopsis: In the 1930s, a down-on-his-luck theatrical director, tries to finagle investments and a leading lady (a former romantic interest and current film star) into a new show – before their train ride stops and his creditors can catch up to him.
- Why this show: This one is a little male-heavy, but the female lead (originally played by Madeline Kahn) is a great role, and there are some delightful bit parts of other people on the train.
9. My One and Only
- 1983, Concord Theatricals
- Synopsis: An adventurous pilot and a star swimmer fall in love, with ridiculous complications.
- Why this show: Of all the “Gershwin samplers” that hit Broadway, this is the only one I feel affection for. It’s primarily a dance show, and it is very silly. At one point, the two lovers crash land and are thrilled to find themselves alone on a deserted island – until (after a dance) they realize they’re only in New Jersey (or somewhere else not at all exotic or deserted; I don't recall and it doesn't matter). I saw it once and thought it was delightful.
10. Me and My Girl
- 1986, Concord Theatricals
- Synopsis: A Cockney man finds out he’s inherited a posh estate and a noble title. Should he try to fit into high society or stick with his roots (and his Cockney girlfriend)?
- Why this show: If you can’t get the rights to My Fair Lady, this could be a nice alternative! A Cockney fish out of water, comedic class conflict… The music didn’t stick with me like other shows, but the book was revised by Stephen Fry so is probably solidly funny.
11. Rags
- 1986, MTI
- Synopsis: Jewish immigrants arrive in America and struggle to make lives for themselves despite discrimination and terrible labor conditions.
- Why this show: Look, people might confuse this show with Ragtime, but this one did come out first. With a creative team of Joseph Stein (Fiddler), Charles Strouse (Annie), and Stephen Schwartz (Wicked), there’s a lot of good stuff going on in this show. The title song, for example, in which a young woman asks her father why he brought her to America just to work in a sweatshop, is a strong emotional scene! All in all, I think the show is very promising, although it went through some revisions so I’m not totally sure what the available version is like.
12. Stepping Out
- 1987, Concord Theatricals (rights may be different in the US and the UK)
- Synopsis: A group of women (and one man) attend a weekly tap-class. As they prepare for their debut performance at a charity show, they find themselves revealing quite a bit about their lives.
- Why this show: Finally, a musical for a bunch of adult women! All the roles are interesting characters with their own story to tell. But NINE WOMEN!!!
13. State Fair
- 1996, Concord Theatricals
- Synopsis: A small-town family post-WWII heads to the Iowa State Fair; while the parents have big dreams for their pig and their pickles, their young adult children find love.
- Why this show: This show isn’t unknown in the Twin Cities. But I had never heard of it before moving here! So I’m including it, for my theatre friends back home. This lesser-known Rodgers & Hammerstein show is sweet and sincere, and most of the songs are absolutely delightful. If you can get over the parents calling each other “Mother” and “Father,” you’ll be have a good time with it.
14. Triumph of Love
- 1997, MTI
- Synopsis: A Spartan princess is in love with the son of the man her father wrested the throne from. She disguises herself as a boy to get close to him, leading to more and more complicated lies, love, and confusion.
- Why this show: This is the show on this list that I would most like to see make a comeback (second: Henry, Sweet Henry). The lead role is amazing (again you’ll hear Susan Egan's distinct voice on the recording), as she pretends to be multiple people in order to stay in disguise. Meanwhile, the boy of her dreams has sworn to kill her! What a mess!
15. A Class Act
- 2001, Concord Theatricals
- Synopsis: After attending his own memorial service, Ed Kleban (the lyricist of A Chorus Line) tries to show the truth of his life by looking back on his work and relationships. His songs take him through struggles with mental health, success, failure, and ultimately his death.
- Why this show: Kleban’s friends put this show together after his death, with songs he had written throughout his career. It works better than most collaged musicals because much of the plot is about trying to write musicals! It has a strong emotional core and compelling relationships.
16. The Wedding Singer
- 2006, MTI
- Synopsis: In the flashy 80s, a wedding singer gets dumped by his fiancée and sours on weddings but gradually falls for a waitress – who is engaged to a real jerk.
- Why this show: It doesn’t have the classic rock songs of the film, but the composers did manage to put a lot of 80s vibes into the music. There’s a big cast with a lot of opportunities for ensemble star moments (including a scene with an assortment of celebrity impersonators), and the design aspects could be a lot of fun. Plus, I think there’s plenty to be said for name recognition on bringing audiences in.
17. The Drowsy Chaperone
- 2006, MTI
- Synopsis: An agoraphobic man imagines a Broadway musical unfolding as he listens to the record; the show is a parody of a 1920s musical about the zany mishaps that threaten the marriage of an oil tycoon and a retiring Broadway star.
- Why this show: Look, I know this one isn’t unknown. It seems like plenty of people I know have been involved in this show at some point. So how come I've never had the chance to see it? It has everything a good comedic musical has! Did people do this show in high school and just forget about it, or what??
18. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical
- 2006, 2007, rights not currently available
- Synopsis: A Grinch tries to steal Christmas, and learns what Christmas is really about. An older version of the dog narrates.
- Why this show: Like many people, I watched some of the live-taped-for-TV version of this musical starring Matthew Morrison and I was not into it. But listening to the music by itself, I thought it was a perfectly reasonable Christmas show. Maybe it’s just a matter of not going overboard in the performance of the Grinch and also finding the right level of visual chaos. (If either of those is possible.)
19. Curtains
- 2007, Theatrical Rights Worldwide
- Synopsis: When a musical’s leading lady is murdered, a detective is called in to solve the case. But as more murders pile up and the detective gets caught up in the magic of showbusiness, how can the show go on?
- Why this show: See my comment on The Drowsy Chaperone. Both musicals have all the qualities of a Broadway standard! Why don’t I see anyone doing these shows?? They seem very funny!
20. The Pirate Queen
- 2007, MTI
- Synopsis: In 16th century Ireland, a chieftain’s daughter bucks tradition to become a pirate and a clan leader, which eventually puts her up against Queen Elizabeth II.
- Why this show: It’s another epic story from the creators of Les Misérables (the musical, not the book, obviously). Plus it’s about two powerful female leaders! I think the historical subject matter and the Irish setting would bring plenty of people in, both as performers and audience. This musical may not be as good as Les Mis, but I think there’s still plenty to recommend it. The cast recording is available to download here: (link)
21. It Shoulda Been You
- 2015, MTI
- Synopsis: A wedding is in danger from demanding in-laws, ex-boyfriends, nerves, and one big secret.
- Why this show: The “twist” is pretty far-fetched, but overall the musical is good. There are enough interesting emotional moments from the characters to ground the material, and although “wedding complications” is a well-worn theme, I don’t think it will keep people from coming to see the show.
22. Fun Home
- 2015, Concord Theatricals
- Synopsis: A lesbian cartoonist looks back on her own life and her father’s life, trying to understand why he committed suicide.
- Why this show: This show is sometimes triumphant, often heartbreaking, and there’s beautiful music throughout. This show was a finalist for the Pulitzer! Also, yes, I am putting this musical on the list for selfish reasons, because it includes one of my dream roles. Someone has to put it on so I can come audition!
23. Amélie
- 2017, Concord Theatricals
- Synopsis: An imaginative but sheltered French woman starts to take big risks to shake up the lives of the people around her, and maybe even her own.
- Why this show: The soundtrack didn’t wow me, but I think an actual performance might win me over. This story is so much about the characters and the Parisian setting, and that’s probably enough for an enjoyable show! I think there’s a lot of positive name recognition here and a lot of opportunity to create something memorable.
24. Head Over Heels
- 2018, Broadway Licensing
- Synopsis: The king of Arcadia tries to escape an ominous prophecy as his two daughters fall in love with people he considers completely unsuitable. New revelations about gender and sexuality add to the confusion.
- Why this show: This was the first Broadway musical with an explicitly non-binary character, and that’s definitely worth noticing. I’m a little ambivalent about the music, which is all songs by the Go-Go’s, but the show is a fun comedy of errors and I think is probably very entertaining on stage.
Thanks for reading! The list above is based mainly on my own opinions, and yours may vary. I hope that this list encourages people to listen to, talk about, and maybe even put on some of these shows.
Please check back in next week for Part 3 of this series, in which I will tell you about musicals that I don't think would work well in community theater, but which I definitely recommend listening to.
Comments
Post a Comment