All tagged Into The Woods
A Broadway hit doesn’t always necessarily translate to a universal hit. There have been many musicals that opened in New York City, but when they premiered in London’s West End, they failed to ignite with audiences. In some cases, it was the production that floundered and the show proved to be a hit at a later date. Here are some musicals that were hits in NYC, but initially failed in the West End.
This might seem like a ridiculous subject for a piece about Broadway showtunes, but the more I thought about it, the more fascinated I became by the subject. In songwriting, there is no copyright on titles, so titles can repeat. I can sit down and write a song about Broadway and remembering fondly, then title it “Give My Regards to Broadway.” As long as the music and lyrics are different, it is perfectly acceptable (and legal) to do so. This got me thinking: what showtunes are there that share the same title? It turns out, there are several. Here is a sampling of some that I found.
With Bernadette Peters taking the stage as Dolly Gallagher Levi in the Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly!, I thought it would be fun and appropriate to create a compilation of some of Ms. Peter’s finest musical performances on stage, television, and the big screen. Just like the waiters at Harmonia Gardens are ecstatic to have Dolly return to her favorite haunt, we are beyond thrilled to have her back where she belongs in a Broadway musical. I hope you enjoy this tribute to one of Broadway’s finest leading ladies.
Stephen Sondheim is perhaps the most revered and worshipped composer-lyricist in the American Musical Theatre, and though he has earned that status with an extraordinary canon of work, certain musicals he has written are obviously better than others. Opinion and personal preferences, of course, play into one’s feelings about his shows. As an experiment to sort out my enthusiasm and criticism of his work, I have ranked Sondheim’s musicals from his worst to his best.
Let the judgment begin…
