All tagged The Color Purple

Broadway Showtunes that Share a Title

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.

The Gods Be Praised! Reviewing the New Cast Recording of Once On This Island

I thought it would be impossible for Broadway Records to top the sensational job they did recording the Broadway revival of The Color Purple, an album that was so alive with energy and pristine clarity that it made its way to a Grammy Award win. Well, hold onto your hats because a new hurricane is blowing in the Caribbean with the new cast recording of Once On This Island, and the gods be praised: Broadway Records has outdone itself. 

Best Musical Theatre Album: Grammy Nomination Rumination

The Grammy nominees were announced and, as usual, we theatre buffs are particularly interested in the nominees in the category for Best Musical Theatre Album. This last year has been rife with new cast recordings of Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, so it is with some frustration that we must accept Grammy’s ruling that only three albums would be nominated in this category, especially with a number of truly wonderful (and deserving) albums that could have rounded out this category. In the end, the three nominees in this category are Dear Evan Hansen, Come From Away, and Hello, Dolly!.

Nominees in this category are often a funny lot, often a popularity contest outweighing artistic merit or high quality technical know-how. Of course, last year, Broadway Record’s album of The Color Purple garnered a very deserving artistic win, but this isn’t always the case.

And I’m Telling You…I’m Not Understanding Jennifer Holliday and Inauguration

Theatre fans were most-assuredly shocked to hear that Jennifer Holliday will be singing at the inauguration ceremonies of President-elect Trump. Regardless of your political leanings, one has to admit that Ms. Holliday is her own person and that she will make her own artistic decisions as she sees fit. Will her performance affect her popularity? That remains to be seen, but by the outcry on social media, it appears that she will take a bit of a hit from many of the people who make up her fan base.