All tagged The Full Monty
On March 24, 2020, we were forced to say goodbye to prolific playwright Terrence McNally. He died at age 81 from complications brought about by the coronavirus. The author of such acclaimed plays as The Ritz, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair De Lune, Love! Valour! Compassion!, The Lisbon Traviata, Master Class, and Lips Together, Teeth Apart, McNally was a particularly potent voice in gay theatre. McNally was also a celebrated librettist for the musical theatre, an award-winning book writer for some of Broadway’s most stirring and memorable musicals. Since this site is devoted to the Broadway musical, I wanted to take a moment to look at the glorious work McNally crafted in that arena.
It’s that time of year again, that three-day weekend celebration commemorating the That unofficial end of summer and officially celebrates hardworking labor in America. That’s right, it is Labor Day. In its honor, here is a playlist of Broadway showtunes that honor the men and women who keep the world spinning with their industry!
With The Band’s Visit readying itself for its Broadway opening on November 9, I am reminded by how much I love a David Yazbek score. For me, Yazbek comes the closest to bringing the old-fashioned Broadway musical comedy sound into the contemporary musical. His work is tuneful, character-driven, brimming with emotion, and always laced with fun. Distinctly working in his own style, it is also clear that he is influenced by the likes of Cy Coleman, Jule Styne, and Frank Loesser. Today, I want to celebrate Yazbek’s work and revel in how it makes me feel. I am certain we will be adding some songs from The Band’s Visit to this list very soon, but for now, here are ten songs by Yazbek that we already love.
David Yazbek is a composer who really got my attention about 15 years ago, not just for his wonderfully melodic musicals and his sharp, often hilarious, lyrics, but for the fact he is not afraid to create musicals that have a touch of the great musical comedies of the 40s and 50s. That is not to say that his style and musicals are dated. His work is contemporary, but it brims with the musical comedy joy that seems to be void in much of Broadway's current market (It's okay to laugh and to enjoy a great melody, people).
