It’s that time of year, when shows are starting rehearsal, full casts are being released and the Spring Broadway buzz is starting! It’s exciting!
Last year I posted the 2011 Spring Broadway Posters and it started a lot of interesting commentary in the comments, on Twitter and Facebook. After 192 votes, Born Yesterday and Wonderland ended up being everyone’s favorites from last year. (Interestingly enough, both of those shows closed early last season.)
Let’s take a look at this year’s posters. I’ve included every play/musical that is on Broadway this Spring season because a lot of the shows have changed their graphics like Chicago,Sister Act, and Memphis. Others like Wicked and The Jersey Boys are too iconic to change (though Phantom has varied it up).
My favorite poster of the new musicals is Newsies. I love the font, the background newspapers and how the star, Jeremy Jordan, is singing and dancing at the same time. The infectious energy is bursting from the poster. It’s gonna be amazing. My close second is Once. I love the simplicity of the poster and how the words come from the guitar. It’s perfect for that show!
My least favorite is Leap of Faith. It seems like a “mock-up”, instead of a finished product. It doesn’t show what the show is about. It doesn’t give us any clue to what we should expect and frankly, as much as I love Raul Esparza, his name is almost bigger than the title of the show. Most people are going to be like: “Who the hell is Raul Esparza?” I’m thinking that they pushed this show to open this Spring and it’s all too soon. (Have you seen their website? It’s terrible.) Hopefully, they will have a new poster before they open this Spring.
Overall, the best play poster is Peter and the Star Catcher. The font is magical, child-like but interesting and makes me want to see the show. It seems so inventive. I absolutely love it. One of my other favorites is A Street Car Named Desire. It’s beautiful.
I don’t really care for the other play posters — big block letters isn’t catchy, or original.
Which poster grabs your attention the most?
Check out all of the 2012 Spring Broadway Posters below… and don’t forget to vote in our poll below.
Now it’s your turn to decide… what’s your favorite new Broadway poster?
Vote below.
Make sure you comment and let us know your thoughts…
Last night, the first musical of 2012, Porgy & Bess, opened to great reviews. This upcoming six months on Broadway should be a very exciting. At least, it’s going to be a lot better than the 2010-2011 season, and the first half of this season. The 2011-2012 Broadway season started off with a few major flops: Bonnie & Clyde, Lysistrata Jones, and On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. Another revival, Godspell is doing fairly well but might be overlooked come Tony season, especially with the new revivals that are opening in the next couple of months.
There’s a few shows this Spring that you can not miss! Here are my top five Broadway shows that I’m most looking forward to this upcoming season:
5. Evita
Starting previews on April 10th, this is a musical revival that I’ve been waiting for an extremely long time. Out of all of the Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musicals, Evita is my absolute favorite. I fell in love with it a long time ago, and I’ve never seen it produced professionally. Pop star Ricky Martin and Olivier Award-winning actress Elena Roger portray Che Guevara and Eva Perón and it also stars Michael Cerveris as Peron — can’t get much better than that!
4. Leap of Faith
It has Raul Esparza in it. What else do you want? I’ve seen him in Tick, Tick Boom, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Company (twice). And luckily, Brooke Shields is not part of the project anymore!! Leap of Faith received mixed reviews during its out-of-town tryout, but it looks like they’ve revamped it for Broadway and they are ready to go. They only announced this Broadway production yesterday, when it was announced that On a Clear Day You Can See Forever is closing at the end of January.
3. Ghost
Straight from the wildly successful West End production, Cassie Levy and Richard Fleeshman are starring in this new musical. It apparently has some incredible stage illusions that I’m dying to see. Generally, I’m not too thrilled in seeing 80′s movies reimagined for the theatre but every once in awhile it works (like Hairspray). We will see though. This show’s success will come from two main things: brand recognition (just like how Addams Family ran on Broadway a lot longer than it should have) and reviews. Let’s hope they are good reviews, because if not, I could see it running through the summer months and dying off. I’m still very excited to see it.
2. Once
If you had to turn a movie into a musical, then Once is the perfect choice. Straight from its hugely successful, sold-out run at the New York Theatre Workshop, Once is going to be a huge hit on Broadway. I’m dying to see this for a number of reasons, but mainly because the music is absolutely fantastic. And from what I’ve heard from clips, the new arrangements sound gorgeous. Lucky for us, the cast recording is being recorded fairly soon and will be released this Spring. So even if you don’t get a chance to go to New York City, you’ll be able to get your hands on the CD. I have a feeling that Best Musical will either go to Once or Newsies – either way I’m happy.
1. Newsies
If you have read my review of Newsies when it premiered at Papermill Playhouse, then you’ll know that I’m absolutely crazy for it. The music, choreography, set, and performances were all sensational. I was on the edge of my seat the entire show. The audience was eating it up, clapping mid-number, and hollering like it was a concert! This stage adaptation is absolute gold! Currently, it’s being sold as a limited run, but after the reviews come out and winning a few Tony Awards (namely for Jeremy Jordan, choreography and score), this show will sell and sell and sell. This is going to be a huge hit! Make sure you get your tickets early, because it will sell out in the small Nederlander Theatre.
Honorable Mentions:
Rebecca - It has Sierra Boggess attached, so I am interested in seeing her once again. (I loved her in Love Never Dies in London.) But, I don’t know anything about the show besides there is suppose to be a huge fire on the stage. It seems to be an epic show like The Pirate Queen, but hopefully it will be a lot better.
Nice Work If You Can Get It - I love Kelli O’Hara and Gershwin’s music, but I’m not that excited about this one. Maybe after some word-of-mouth hits the blogosphere, I might jump on the bandwagon, but right now, I’m playing it safe and will wait.
Jesus Christ Superstar - If I had a 6th place, this is the show that would be in that slot. I’ve heard great things about this production and it’s gotten rave reviews! I just don’t have any personal attachment to this show, yet. Maybe after seeing it, I will see what all the fuss is about.
What musical are you most excited to see this upcoming season? Be sure to take the poll below.
The energetic newsboys of Newsies are going to help change the Broadway landscape once again (if it does, in fact, land on Broadway this Spring). This show is a major throwback to an earlier era of musicals, and yet it seems completely fresh and unique. I walked out feeling like I’ve seen a old-school 50’s styled musical, but the updated vocal styling’s, choreography, and set design keeps Newsies in the 21st Century. That is the reason why there is so much hype and excitement surrounding this production. It’s fresh, yet familiar. The creators, Harvey Fierstein (book), Alan Menken (music), and Jack Feldman (lyrics), have done an incredible job recreating this cult movie classic into a theatrical masterpiece worthy of the Broadway stage.
Back in 1992, I remember seeing Newsies in the movie theatres as an 11 year old. The story seemed to be written just for me. I was ready to take on the world – the kids in Newsies did, so why couldn’t I? I realized that my dreams could actually come true. That power of dreaming is exactly why Newsies is going to be so successful. You can never stop dreaming. Even 19 years later, I’m still dreaming, being inspired and wanting to “seize the day”. And that’s the best part – every age can walk away from this production inspired to do something great. That inspiration and raw energy is infectious.
The Newsies, Newsies at Paper Mill Playhouse, Photo by T. Charles Erickson, courtesy of Paper Mill Playhouse
Starting with the music, Alan Menken’s score is absolutely thrilling. I was tentative at first when Jack (Jeremy Jordan) opened the show with a different arrangement of “Santa Fe”. I was nervous that my favorite songs would be changed and my expectations ruined. But as soon as the next scene started with the newsboys singing, “Carrying the Banner”, I knew I was going to love it. There are several new songs in the production. Katherine (Kara Lindsay), Jack’s love interest and daughter of newspaper mogul, Joseph Pulitzer (John Dossett), beautifully sings “Watch What Happens” toward the end of Act I. Another great addition is “Don’t Come a-Knocking” that Jack, Katherine and Medda (Helen Anker) sings in Medda’s Theatre.
The updated arrangements and orchestrations (Danny Troob) of classic songs like “Santa Fe” and “Seize the Day” are perfect. The best new song arrangement, besides “Santa Fe”, is “Once and For All” at the end of the 2nd Act. I get chills even thinking about it. The updated choral arrangements are absolutely fantastic, especially when an entire chorus of newsboys are blending together like glue. There is a reason that several times throughout the production, the show stopped (often mid-song) to thunderous applause. Basically, I’ll be extremely disappointed if this production doesn’t get a cast recording, because I wanted to relive the score the second I walked out of the theatre (and that’s a rare feat for any production in my book).
Then, there is the riveting newsboy choreography created by Christopher Gattelli that takes the original choreography by Kenny Ortega (High School Musical) and pumps it up with the best kind of steroids. These triple-threat newsboys could do it all and with the energy of a ten year old after a sugar rush. They flew across the stage with flips, cartwheels, and round-offs and then landed triple pirouettes with ease. Gattelli created a “newsboys” style of dance that connected all of the movement together and never once felt out of place. Throughout the production they would move across the stage during scene changes and kept the energy going throughout the entire production so there was never a dull moment. The beginning of Act 2, they blew the roof off with a full cast tap number to “King of New York.” It was unbelievable.
I felt like I had seen something ground breaking like seeing the original Jerome Robbin’s choreography in West Side Story or Fosse’s iconic stylings in Cabaret. Some day, students will be learning the choreography of Newsies in their “Intro to Choreography” class as they earn their BFA degree in Musical Theatre.
Fierstein’s book was also updated and fully realized for the stage. Yes, there were some changes from the movie, but nothing that felt out of place or left out. The character developments and arcs were right where they needed to be especially for Jack Kelly at the end of Act 1 when he sang “Santa Fe” (which Jordan blew everyone out of their seat when he belted the climax of the song). Amazing. There were a few things that felt a little forced in the script, but I think they will be able to iron out those kinks if it transfers to Broadway.
The loyalty tying those working children together and their cause for better working conditions is compelling. It’s impossible not to love them and what they are fighting for. The interesting part is that even a 100 years later, the younger generation still needs to fight for their voice to be heard. Obviously, the conditions have dramatically changed, but children still need a voice and Newsies let’s them have one!
Kara Linsey (Katherine Plumer) and Jeremy Jordan (Jack Kelley), Newsies at Paper Mill Playhouse, Photo by T. Charles Erickson, courtesy of Paper Mill Playhouse
The cast could almost literally transfer as is to Broadway and I would be 100% happy. If I was transferring it to Broadway, I would make sure Jeremy Jordan was attached to the project. (That means, of course, that Bonnie & Clyde will have to close in January/February. With Wildhorn’s recent track record with Wonderland, it might very well happen.) Jordan is not to be missed. His love interest, Katherine (Kara Lindsay) was equally as impressive. This will be Ms. Lindsay’s Broadway debut and a perfect role to showcase her beautiful voice and tenacious attitude. (She reminded me of Sutton Foster in Thoroughly Modern Millie.) I wasn’t totally sold on Davey (Ben Fankhauser), Kelly’s best friend, but he did a fine job. I especially loved Crutchie (Andrew Keenan-Bloger). He always put a smile on my face. The newsboys were perfect – all triple-threats and one of the finest choruses I’ve ever seen on a stage. Each character was unique, yet they worked together as one. It was very impressive.
It’s rare for me to walk out of a production and feel so connected to it that I instantly want to see the show again. Newsies was one of those shows for me. It also happened with Spring Awakening, American Idiot and Next to Normal but those shows I was hooked for very different reasons. All three of those shows were breaking musical theatre boundaries and I applauded it. Newsies, on the other hand, sticks to old-fashioned musical theatre and yet seems completely updated and fresh as something like American Idiot and Next to Normal was. The best part is that even though Disney Theatricals is producing the piece, this doesn’t feel like one of Disney’s over-produced productions like The Lion King or Tarzan. It already has real “street” cred in New York (the New York Times absolutely loved it), and the Tony Awards wouldn’t be able to overlook it.
Not only will it be a critical success, but the show will easily recoup their investment. It has a universal appeal. My nieces, ages 10 and 13, loved it and they are some fiercest critics I know. The fan-girls and fan-boys will come out in droves and their parents will also enjoy it! It already has brand recognition with the 1992 movie, but it’s not based on an original dramatic movie turned into a musical like Legally Blonde or Shrek. It was already a musical and so there isn’t any awkward adaptations surrounding the production like Catch Me If You Can had.
It would be huge missed opportunity if Newsies doesn’t transfer to Broadway. Not only will the masses not be able to see this overwhelmingly fantastic production, but Newsies’ story deserves to make headlines in New York City. It will sell-out and I have a sneaking suspicion that if all goes as planned, then they should get ready to win the Tony Award for Best Musical. It’s just that good.
Every Friday look for a column written by The Broadway Critic Blog’s newest columnist, Tyler Martins (@mrtylermartins). His passionate love for Sondheim will probably dominate the conversation, but his love for musical theatre is palpable.
Growing up, I was a huge fan of Disney movies. It is not surprising that Disney’s animated musicals were my favorite. The way they made me suspend belief and burst out into song, the way the stories unfolded before my eyes with sweeping melodies and chilling harmonies. Whether I was transfixed by the world under the sea, or amazed by a magical rose, and flying carpets, the music within each of these movies always stayed with me. There is one man who is responsible for that music, for that magic, and that man is Academy Award winner (and Tony Award nominee) Alan Menken. Today, Alan Menken celebrates his 62nd Birthday.
Alan Menken composed the music to many animated films, such as “The Little Mermaid.” As I child, I would watch “The Little Mermaid” just to hear the opening measures to “Poor Unfortunate Souls” sung by the devilish and villainous Ursula. (Ursula happens to be one of my favorite Disney villains, thanks to this song. Besides, she’s cunning, ambitious and sassy, and who doesn’t love sass?)
When Ursula gave me nightmares, I would turn to another Menken film: “Beauty and the Beast.” One of my fondest childhood memories was my mother putting me to sleep with the title song, sung by the transcendent Angela Lansbury. It was only recently that I discovered that she was the voice of Mrs. Potts. I had grown to love Angie when I first entered the theater world. I loved Angie’s Rose, Aurelia, Lovett, etc. But now, my love for her runs deeper.
Perhaps the most famous Disney tune of all time, “A Whole New World,” comes from the Menken-penned “Aladdin.” Like many of Menken’s hit animated films (including “The Little Mermaid” and “Beauty and the Beast”), “Aladdin” was adapted for the stage and opened last night, at 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle. (Read review here.)
Also receiving a stage adaptation is another of Menken’s films, “Newsies.” “Newsies” was a total box-office failure but gained a cult following and this September, Paper Mill Playhouse (only a few miles away from me, in Millburn, New Jersey) will offer the musical as part of its season subscription. Featuring a book by Harvey Fierstein, more original music by Alan Menken and direction by Jeff Kalhoun, “Newsies: The Musical” has generated a large amount of buzz, hinting at possible future plans for the show. Jeremy Jordan will lead the cast as Jack Kelly, the role originated by Christian Bale in the 1992 film.
Menken recently received high acclaim for his score to “Tangled,” Disney’s latest animated film. “Tangled” is the story of Rapunzel, and stars Mandy Moore, Zachary Quinto and Broadway Diva Donna Murphy as Disney’s very own animated Mamma Rose, Mother Gottel. Menken received his 14th Academy Award Nomination for Best Original Song for “I See the Light.”
Menken hasn’t only been composing for the silver screen – he’s been working for the stage as well. The musical that launched Alan Menken to fame is one of my favorite works, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. Produced Off-Broadway in 1982, the show was based on the 1960 black comedy film of the same name. The musical was later made into a film to critical acclaim, starring Ricky Moranis and original stage Audrey, Ellen Greene. The musical is performed routinely around the world, and was revived on Broadway in 2003 starring Hunter Foster and Kerry Butler. (I wonder if his Dentist father was anything like the sadistic dentist in the musical.)
Just this past Broadway season, Alan Menken penned the score to the stage adaptation of the hit film SISTER ACT, receiving a Tony Award Nomination for Best Musical. (Read our London review here and Broadway review here.) The show opened in London to rave reviews in 2009 and is currently starring Patina Miller as funky Deloris and the ever-perfect Victoria Clark as Mother Superior, both receiving Tony Award Nominations for their performances.
While Alan Menken may not have won a Tony Award for Best Original Score or for Best Musical, he isn’t quitting yet. Currently, he is working with lyricist Glenn Slater on a stage adaptation of “Leap of Faith”, about the fraudulent Christian faith healer Jonas Nightengale. LEAP OF FAITH made its world premiere in Los Angeles, starring Raul Esparza as Nightengale and Brooke Shields as Marva McGowan, the woman whose love redeems Nightengale. Plans for a Broadway production are in the works, although no official announcements have been made.
Celebrate Alan Menken’s birthday today by watching your favorite film, or listening to your favorite Menken score. In the comments below, share (and post videos) of your favorite song, or moment from an Alan Menken score, film or stage work.
Happy Birthday, Alan Menken! Thank you for the music that filled my childhood with joy and allowed my imagination to grow wings and fly among the stars.
–
Wish Alan Menken a Happy Birthday on Twitter! @AIMenken
Find out when Broadway's most anticipated shows visit your city at Broadway Tour. Whether you are looking for Lion King tour details, West Side Story tour information or trying to find Wicked tour dates, we have you covered with showtimes, news, tickets and plenty more.
My least favorite is Leap of Faith. It seems like a “mock-up”, instead of a finished product. It doesn’t show what the show is about. It doesn’t give us any clue to what we should expect and frankly, as much as I love Raul Esparza, his name is almost bigger than the title of the show. Most people are going to be like: “Who the hell is Raul Esparza?” I’m thinking that they pushed this show to open this Spring and it’s all too soon. (Have you seen their website? It’s terrible.) Hopefully, they will have a new poster before they open this Spring.
