Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Rent "What You Own" OBC (Original Broadway Cast)
One of my favorite musicals is Rent. "What You Own" is by far my favorite song from it. I hope you all enjoy it, I believe it has one of the best messages of any song in a musical and so true to today's society.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Song Lyrics Of The Week 10-15-10
Here is a great song from the musical Assassins by Stephen Sondheim. The lyrics are to the song "The Balled of Czolgosz".
BALLADEER]
Czolgosz,
Working man,
Born in the middle of Michigan,
Woke with a thought
And away he ran
To the Pan-American Exposition
In Buffalo,
In Buffalo.
Saw of a sudden
How things were run,
Said, "Time's a-wasting
It's nineteen-one.
Some men have everything
And some have none,
So rise and shine-
In the U.S.A.
You can work your way
To the head of the line!"
[ATTENDANT]
Single line, ladies and gentlemen. Line forms here
to meet the President of the United States. Single
line to shake hands with President William McKinley.
[BALLADEER]
Czolgosz,
Quiet man,
Worked out a quiet
And simple plan,
Strolled of a morning
All spick and span,
To the Temple Of Music
By the Tower Of Light
At the Pan-American Exposition
In Buffalo,
In Buffalo.
Saw Bill McKinley there
In the sun.
Heard Bill McKinley say,
"Folks, have fun!
Some men have everything
And some have none,
But that's just fine:
in the U.S.A.
You can work your way
To the head of the line!"
[CROWD]
Big Bill-!
[BALLADEER]
-Gave 'em a thrill.
[CROWD]
Big Bill-!
[BALLADEER]
-Sold 'em a bill.
[CROWD]
Big Bill-!
[BALLADEER]
-Who'd want to kill
A man of good will
Like-?
[CROWD]
Big Bill!
[FAIRGOER #1]
Doesn't the President look Marvelous?
So round and prosperous!
[FAIRGOER #2]
Do you know what his favorite dish is?
It was in the paer. Beef.
[FAIRGOER #3]
I'm told that in his spare time he enjoys
collecting coins!
[BALLADEER]
Czolgosz,
Angry man,
Said, "I will do what
A poor man can.
Yes, and there's nowhere
More fitting than
In the Temple Of Music
By the Tower Of Light
Between the Fountain Of Abundance
And the Court of Lilies
At the great Pan-American Exposition
In Buffalo,
In Buffalo.
Wrapped him a handkerchief
"round his gun,
Said, "Nothin' wrong about
What I done.
Some men have everything
And some have none-
That's by design.
The idea wasn't mine alone,
But mine,
And that's the sign:
In the U.S.A.
You can have your say,
You can set you goals
And seize the day,
You've been given the freedom
To work your way
To the head of the line-
To the head of the line!
Thank you to stlyrics.com for filling in the blanks in my lyrics.
BALLADEER]
Czolgosz,
Working man,
Born in the middle of Michigan,
Woke with a thought
And away he ran
To the Pan-American Exposition
In Buffalo,
In Buffalo.
Saw of a sudden
How things were run,
Said, "Time's a-wasting
It's nineteen-one.
Some men have everything
And some have none,
So rise and shine-
In the U.S.A.
You can work your way
To the head of the line!"
[ATTENDANT]
Single line, ladies and gentlemen. Line forms here
to meet the President of the United States. Single
line to shake hands with President William McKinley.
[BALLADEER]
Czolgosz,
Quiet man,
Worked out a quiet
And simple plan,
Strolled of a morning
All spick and span,
To the Temple Of Music
By the Tower Of Light
At the Pan-American Exposition
In Buffalo,
In Buffalo.
Saw Bill McKinley there
In the sun.
Heard Bill McKinley say,
"Folks, have fun!
Some men have everything
And some have none,
But that's just fine:
in the U.S.A.
You can work your way
To the head of the line!"
[CROWD]
Big Bill-!
[BALLADEER]
-Gave 'em a thrill.
[CROWD]
Big Bill-!
[BALLADEER]
-Sold 'em a bill.
[CROWD]
Big Bill-!
[BALLADEER]
-Who'd want to kill
A man of good will
Like-?
[CROWD]
Big Bill!
[FAIRGOER #1]
Doesn't the President look Marvelous?
So round and prosperous!
[FAIRGOER #2]
Do you know what his favorite dish is?
It was in the paer. Beef.
[FAIRGOER #3]
I'm told that in his spare time he enjoys
collecting coins!
[BALLADEER]
Czolgosz,
Angry man,
Said, "I will do what
A poor man can.
Yes, and there's nowhere
More fitting than
In the Temple Of Music
By the Tower Of Light
Between the Fountain Of Abundance
And the Court of Lilies
At the great Pan-American Exposition
In Buffalo,
In Buffalo.
Wrapped him a handkerchief
"round his gun,
Said, "Nothin' wrong about
What I done.
Some men have everything
And some have none-
That's by design.
The idea wasn't mine alone,
But mine,
And that's the sign:
In the U.S.A.
You can have your say,
You can set you goals
And seize the day,
You've been given the freedom
To work your way
To the head of the line-
To the head of the line!
Thank you to stlyrics.com for filling in the blanks in my lyrics.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Musicals That Expressing Thoughts On Issues
Musicals are an art form that often takes the political views from the person who writes the book or lyrics. They can mirror modern issues or issues from the past.
Fiddler on the Roof is a musicals based in Russia in 1905. It centers around the Jewish customs of the time. Tevye is the poor milkman of his town of Anatevka. It has many undertones about the Jewish being forced away from their homes and the violence inflicted on them by the Russians. It also has themes of religion and the world as they know it changing. The "Fiddler" is a metaphor to the Jewish having to balance their lives and one slip might end everything.
But on a different note, Kiss Me Kate a musical by Cole Porter had themes about woman's rights especially shown in the song "I Hate Men" and "I Am Ashamed The Women Are So Simple".
Also on a similar but different note, West Side Story takes on the idea of racism and equality. This is shown by the hated of the love between Tony and Maria. It also tackles the idea of when girls become women with the song "I Feel Pretty". Also with the song "America" it takes the idea that some people are happy with immigration and others are not. Also this show shows gang violence and police brutality. Ending the murder of three young men in the show, it shows the consequences of the gang life they all thought was "fun".
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street shows the evils of men that can happen when something bad happens to them. It also shows Benjamin Barkers (who is now using the name Sweeney Todd) as his quest to get revenge.
Fiddler on the Roof is a musicals based in Russia in 1905. It centers around the Jewish customs of the time. Tevye is the poor milkman of his town of Anatevka. It has many undertones about the Jewish being forced away from their homes and the violence inflicted on them by the Russians. It also has themes of religion and the world as they know it changing. The "Fiddler" is a metaphor to the Jewish having to balance their lives and one slip might end everything.
But on a different note, Kiss Me Kate a musical by Cole Porter had themes about woman's rights especially shown in the song "I Hate Men" and "I Am Ashamed The Women Are So Simple".
Also on a similar but different note, West Side Story takes on the idea of racism and equality. This is shown by the hated of the love between Tony and Maria. It also tackles the idea of when girls become women with the song "I Feel Pretty". Also with the song "America" it takes the idea that some people are happy with immigration and others are not. Also this show shows gang violence and police brutality. Ending the murder of three young men in the show, it shows the consequences of the gang life they all thought was "fun".
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street shows the evils of men that can happen when something bad happens to them. It also shows Benjamin Barkers (who is now using the name Sweeney Todd) as his quest to get revenge.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Throw Back Day- Radio Plays
Back in the day, radios not TV were a popular source of entertainment, and one type of entertainment were radio plays like The Devils Hand.
Technology has changed entertainment so much since than but is that such a good thing?
TV, computers, and video games now consume the lives of today's youth, getting rid of such simple pleasures as reading and watching plays or musicals.
Today's lives have become so complicated you can't stop and smell the roses. We all need to take some time today to think about the past and how our lives have changed since than.
Enjoy simpler forms of entertainment, read a book or listen to some radio today.
Thank you all who will do this.
Technology has changed entertainment so much since than but is that such a good thing?
TV, computers, and video games now consume the lives of today's youth, getting rid of such simple pleasures as reading and watching plays or musicals.
Today's lives have become so complicated you can't stop and smell the roses. We all need to take some time today to think about the past and how our lives have changed since than.
Enjoy simpler forms of entertainment, read a book or listen to some radio today.
Thank you all who will do this.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Musical sequels
MUSICALS!
Musicals rarely have sequels, but is that such a bad thing?
Most musical sequels are relatively plot-less that have sub-par musical trying to follow the originals success
Bye Bye Birdie which was a successful musical about Conrad Birdie (Elvis Presley) going into the army and fading into obscurity. Bring Back Birdie was the sequel about Albert getting Conrad back for a performance at the Grammys. Lets just say Conrad should have just disappeared, the show ran for only four performances.
That would be the only major example of a musical sequel. Most never make it to Broadway! But it proves that once a show dies it should stay dead (Except for revivals maybe....).
Musicals rarely have sequels, but is that such a bad thing?
Most musical sequels are relatively plot-less that have sub-par musical trying to follow the originals success
Bye Bye Birdie which was a successful musical about Conrad Birdie (Elvis Presley) going into the army and fading into obscurity. Bring Back Birdie was the sequel about Albert getting Conrad back for a performance at the Grammys. Lets just say Conrad should have just disappeared, the show ran for only four performances.
That would be the only major example of a musical sequel. Most never make it to Broadway! But it proves that once a show dies it should stay dead (Except for revivals maybe....).
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Musicals Based on Filmed
Musicals always have to have a base, and recently the base has often been Movies.
To quote Jeff Bowen in his musical [Title of Show]
Blank Paper: "More recently movies have been adapted into musicals"
Hunter: "So movies make good musicals!"
Blank Paper: "Well, they make musicals"
The first major movie-musical was Big. Based on a movie staring Tom Hanks, it hit Broadway in 1996.
It had an all original lyrics and music by Richard Eldridge Maltby, Jr
Since than many movies have become musicals. The most famous of which have always been Disney, Beauty and the Beast is longest running movie-musical.
But one of the most famous now is Hairspray which went from movie to movie-musical to musical-movie.
So it's inevitable that movies will become musicals. This weeks question is What movie should be made into a musical? I have taken some of the best selling movies of all time and put them on the list. Enjoy!
To quote Jeff Bowen in his musical [Title of Show]
Blank Paper: "More recently movies have been adapted into musicals"
Hunter: "So movies make good musicals!"
Blank Paper: "Well, they make musicals"
The first major movie-musical was Big. Based on a movie staring Tom Hanks, it hit Broadway in 1996.
It had an all original lyrics and music by Richard Eldridge Maltby, Jr
Since than many movies have become musicals. The most famous of which have always been Disney, Beauty and the Beast is longest running movie-musical.
But one of the most famous now is Hairspray which went from movie to movie-musical to musical-movie.
So it's inevitable that movies will become musicals. This weeks question is What movie should be made into a musical? I have taken some of the best selling movies of all time and put them on the list. Enjoy!