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Tag Archives: Stephen Sondheim
Making Musicals: The Rhythm
As you begin to write music, keep two things in mind. First, the music helps us understand the feeling underneath the words. Is the character feeling happy and excited or anxious and afraid? The music will let us know. That … Continue reading
Posted in Writing
Tagged Big River, Company, Oklahoma!, Richard Rodgers, Roger Miller, Songland, Stephen Sondheim
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Making Musicals: Organizing Your Rhymes
Organizing your rhymes is like organizing your stanzas. The first rhyme you hear is “a,” the second is “b,” the third is “c,” and so on. If you repeat a stanza of music, you should use the same pattern of rhymes. … Continue reading
Making Musicals: The Song Moments
“Story” is what happens. It’s the narrative center. “Plot” is why it happens. It’s the emotional center. This should be familiar, if you read last week’s post on finding an idea. In Aspects of the Novel (1927), E.M. Forster put … Continue reading
Making Musicals
Usually in April, I’m gearing up for summer workshops and shows. I’ve taught musical theater writing for the past decade at regional theaters and national festivals, so I thought I’d do it virtually this year, during our collective self-isolation. I’ll offer … Continue reading
Posted in Writing
Tagged BMI, Hamilton, Ken Davenport, Stephen Sondheim, Thespian Musicalworks, Tom Jones
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Passion Review Roundup
Classic Stage Company’s Off-Broadway revival of the 1994 Broadway musical Passion, adapted from Ettore Scola’s 1981 film Passione d’Amore, has received generally positive reviews. For the record, the creative team includes James Lapine (book), Stephen Sondheim (lyrics, music), John Doyle … Continue reading
Posted in Off-Broadway, Shows
Tagged CSC, film adaptation, John Doyle, musical revival, Off-Broadway musical, one-act, Passion, Stephen Sondheim
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2013 Grammy Nominations
The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences kicked off the nomination announcements for its 55th annual Grammy Awards yesterday during a concert at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville hosted by Taylor Swift and LL Cool J. The roster of works … Continue reading
Posted in Awards, Music
Tagged Alan Menken, Follies, George Gershwin, Glen Hansard, Grammy Awards, Marc Shaiman, Newsies, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Once, Porgy and Bess, Stephen Sondheim
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Marry Me a Little: Review Roundup
The Keen Company has received mixed reviews for its first-ever musical production, a “revisal” of the 1980 one-act Marry Me a Little, which was last revived Off-Broadway in 1987. The creative team includes Craig Lucas and Norman Rene (book), Stephen … Continue reading
Into the Woods: Review Roundup
The second New York revival of the 1987 musical Into the Woods has opened Off-Broadway, as the closing show in the Public Theater’s summer season at the Delacorte in Central Park, to decidedly mixed reviews. For the record, the creative team … Continue reading
Posted in Off-Broadway, Shows
Tagged Donna Murphy, Into the Woods, James Lapine, musical revival, Off-Broadway musical, Stephen Sondheim
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Merrily We Roll Along: Album Reviews
PS Classics has released the cast recording of this February’s Encores! concert version of Merrily We Roll Along, the musical adaptation of Kaufman and Hart’s 1934 play, to positive critical and popular reviews, landing atop the Billboard Cast Album Chart … Continue reading
Playlist: iPod Favorites
Every year after the Tony Awards, I review and update my MP3 list of favorites. The following are the show tunes that have earned the highest play counts on my iPod over the past year. Each of these songs hits … Continue reading
Posted in Playlists, Reference
Tagged Ahrens & Flaherty, Altar Boyz, Ben Vereen, Bernadette Peters, Chicago, Chita Rivera, Chorus Line, City of Angels, Craig Carnelia, Cy Coleman, Diamonds, Dreamgirls, Ellen Greene, Forbidden Broadway, Galt MacDermot, Gary Adler, Gerard Alessandrini, Hair, Into the Woods, Is There Life After High School, Jason Robert Brown, Jennifer Holliday, Jerry Herman, Juilliard, Kander & Ebb, Len Cariou, Les Miserables, Little Night Music, Little Shop of Horrors, Lonny Price, Mack and Mabel, Marin Mazzie, Marvin Hamlisch, Menken & Ashman, Merrily We Roll Along, Pippin, Priscilla Lopez, Ragtime, Randy Graff, Schonberg & Boublil, Stephen Schwartz, Stephen Sondheim, Sunday in the Park with George, Sweeney Todd, Tyler Maynard, Wall to Wall Sondheim, Working
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