'Funny Girl' Video - First Orchestral Rehearsal

Funny Girl is headed back to Broadway. Here is a first look at the cast's first orchestra rehearsal, with snippets of stars Beanie Feldstein, Ramin Karimloo, Jane Lynch, and Jared Grimes performing the classic score.

The Musical Journey Of 'Beautiful' . . .

We missed Beautiful, The Carole King Musical on Broadway but we finally caught up with the national tour at Philadelphia's Academy of Music.

The historic Academy of Music is just that -- a famed opera house and orchestral venue. But since the world-renowned Philadelphia Orchestra now makes its home in the nearby Kimmel Center, the Academy hosts traveling Broadway shows. The Academy's mammoth stage has been altered to accommodate theatrical events but this cavernous venue still seems cumbersome hosting musicals, especially smaller, more intimate ones like Beautiful. The environment itself overpowers the show.

Having said that, we can note that Beautiful is an enjoyable show but it's basically what Broadway has come to call a "jukebox show". We personally loathe the term but the moniker has gained traction. It's not like these shows are small enough to be called "tribute" acts which now see to be as ubiquitous as karaoke nights once were. No, these shows are bigger than that and, as with Beautiful, they often contain a complete story. Of course, Beautiful tells the story of Carole King and her tenacious route to the top of the pop world as a songwriter and, finally a compelling, full-throated performer. 

It's an inspiring story, all the more so because it portrays the travails of a woman making her way in what was traditionally a man's business. As King moves up, each step along the way is punctuated with one of her memorable, chart-topping songs. And here, the songs are often performed by tribute style acts which recreate the look and sound of the original. So, familiar musical figures like Neil Sedaka, The Drifters, The Shirelles, The Righteous Brothers and Little Eva make their appearances and they're all faithfully portrayed.

Naturally, there's a romantic story here as well in the complicated relationship between King and her songwriting partner (and later husband) Gerry Goffin. A parallel love story also unfolds between the related songwriting team (and King/Goffin friends) of Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann. There's a competition between these pairs but also a mutual respect and much honest affection. In these four roles Sara Sheperd, James D. Gish, Sara King and Ryan Farnsworth perform convincingly.

And the music? Well, that's really what drives the whole show. The string of hits includes Will You Love Me Tomorrow, You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling, The Locomotion, Some Kind of Wonderful, Up on the Roof, Pleasant Valley Sunday, Uptown, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman and, of course, Beautiful.

Seeing a show likes this makes us wonder if it wasn't better when Broadway simply presented revues celebrating great composers and lyricists. We're talking about shows like Ain't Misbehavin', Sophisticated Ladies, Eubie, Oh, Coward, And The World Goes Round, Smokey Joe's Cafe and many others. These shows wisely didn't pretend to be anything other than what they were and they would up being pure, irresistible entertainment. But then a show like Jersey Boys comes along, turns out to be a mammoth hit and it spawns something like Beautiful or Ain't Too Proud or MJ and the soon-to-arrive Beautiful Noise. If it sells, who's to argue with it? On we go . . . 

A Music Man For The Ages? Well . . . .

There comes a moment toward the middle of the first act in the lavish, new, star-studded Broadway production of Meredith Willson's The Music Man when you begin to wonder if all the razzle dazzle on the stage will be just that -- an incredibly slick production with little more to show for itself. 

After all, by this point in the show the great Hugh Jackman has already delivered two boffo numbers (Ya Got Trouble and Seventy-Six Trombones) that literally define the iconic role of the roaming con man Harold Hill who simultaneously charms and hoodwinks a small Iowa town in the early 1900s. And Jackman moves so quickly and with such confidence that it almost takes your breath away. And yet . . . .  to what purpose? 

But then something happens. The action slows down a bit and Hill finally confronts the biggest challenge he's ever faced when he enters the hushed domain of the seemingly constricted Marian Paroo (Sutton Foster), the town librarian. She's shrewd, she's smart and she's the most formidable object standing between him and the fast buck scheme he hopes to pull off. Jackman takes the pace down a few notches and glides into the brilliantly choreographed Marian The Librarian number, an elaborate ensemble piece that involves carefully crafted tosses, turns and delicate gymnastics among Jackman and the younger  townsfolk. It's fascinating to watch. 

And here, the subtle chemistry between Hill and Paroo nurtures a graceful ballet. Yes, he's testing his luck but he's doing it with an agility that is as light as a feather. And yes, she's feigning annoyance but she's actually more than intrigued; she's increasingly captivated. And it's all told wordlessly through Warren Carlyle's ingenious choreography and Jerry Zaks' careful direction.

At this moment The Music Man loses whatever hard edge it may have had and turns romantic. Now, it's a love story. And it's the love story that will propel it forward to its inevitable, exuberant conclusion. Of course, the first act closer, The Wells Fargo Wagon is one of the most joyous moments in all of musical theater and here it's played to the hilt. By the time the wagon comes around the bend and rolls onto the stage you can feel the giddy expectation of a small town and the wonder of a little boy with a dream. In his Broadway debut as Marian's little brother, Winthrop, Benjamin Pajak melts your heart. And this is part of the love story, too.

From there on in, The Music Man is on its way to heaven. Still, it's the intimate, more poignant moments that give the story depth and lend it meaning. Again, a smaller number like Gary Indiana captures a magical moment and Foster's rendition of Till There Was You is so lushly romantic that you can hear those "bells on the hill" ringing. 

It's clear that the Broadway gods have been at work here, lovingly embracing and recreating a show that has come to epitomize what's now looked upon as the Golden Age of American musicals. And in this case the gods are the producers (Barry Diller, David Geffen, Kate Horton and Fictionhouse), director Zaks, choreographer Carlyle, scenic and costume designer Santo Loquasto and the entire cast. Jackman and Foster have given this great production a youthful, playful feel and they are obviously enjoying every minute of it. Plus, Jefferson Mays as the Mayor, Jayne Houdyshell as Eulalie, and Marie Mullen as Mrs. Paroo all shine in their respective roles. In fairness though, it's hard to find a miscast person in the entire bunch.

With a cast of more than 30  and a 24-piece orchestra, The Music Man is a big production that faithfully holds true to Meredith Willson's vision but does so with a modern sensibility and up-to-the-minute stagecraft. It's really a spectacle but a spectacle rooted in small-town values with an enduring, uniquely American lesson that should resonate with all of us right now: we're not perfect; we're not even always honest or true to ourselves; we've all got a bit of chicanery in us but with faith and a little help from one another, we can find our way forward.

This is why Broadway was born!

A word about tickets: This is one of the hottest tickets on Broadway right now and prime seats do not come cheap. Most of those who are finally seeing the show today wisely  purchased their tickets a couple of years ago before the pandemic and the lockdown. Fortunately, because the show is so big you don't need to buy the top-priced ticket and you can still enjoy it. Also, $49 rush tickets are available on the day of performance at the Winter Garden Theatre Box Office. Rush tickets are available on a first-come/first-served basis starting when the Box Office opens each day. Limit two (2) tickets per person. Subject to availability and be prepared to stand in line!

B'way Theater Renamed For James Earl Jones

The Shubert Organization, Inc., today announced that the 110-year-old Cort Theatre (138 West 48th Street) will become the James Earl Jones Theatre, in recognition of Mr. Jones’s lifetime of immense contributions to Broadway and the entire artistic community.

Mr. Jones’s Broadway career began in 1957, and in 1958 Mr. Jones played his first role at the Cort Theatre in Sunrise at Campobello. Over the following six-and-a-half decades Mr. Jones rose to star in countless stage and screen productions (including twenty-one Broadway shows), becoming one of a small number of lifetime “EGOT” (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) winners. 

Mr. Jones’s Tony awards include Best Actor in a Play for The Great White Hope (1969) and Fences (1987), as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017. He has additionally won seven Drama Desk Awards and has been awarded the National Medal of Arts and the Kennedy Center Honor.

“The Shubert Organization is so incredibly honored to put James—an icon in the theatre community, the Black community, and the American community—forever in Broadway’s lights,” said Robert E. Wankel, Shubert CEO and board chair. “That James deserves to have his name immortalized on Broadway is without question.”

“For me standing in this very building sixty-four years ago at the start of my Broadway career, it would have been inconceivable that my name would be on the building today,” said Mr. Jones of Shubert’s decision to rename the Cort Theatre in his honor. “Let my journey from then to now be an inspiration for all aspiring actors.”

During the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, Shubert has performed extensive renovation and construction work at the site of the Cort Theatre (including construction of a new, contemporary wing off of the building’s western face). The work is planned for completion in the summer of 2022, and when the building reopens for productions, Shubert will hold a formal dedication ceremony.

Mr. Jones has appeared in fourteen Broadway productions at Shubert theatres, including two at the Cort Theatre. Most recently Mr. Jones portrayed Weller Martin across from Cicely Tyson’s Fonsia Dorsey in the 2015 Broadway revival of Donald L. Coburn’s The Gin Game at Shubert’s John Golden Theatre.

The Cort Theatre opened in 1912, having been designed in the style of an Eighteenth-Century French palace by renowned theatre architect Thomas Lamb to house productions of theatre impresario John Cort. The building was sold to the Shubert brothers in 1927.

THE SHUBERT ORGANIZATION

The Shubert Organization is America’s oldest professional theatre company and the largest theatre owner on Broadway. Since the dawn of the 20th century, Shubert has operated hundreds of theatres and produced hundreds of plays and musicals, including the current Broadway shows Come From Away, Company and Macbeth and the upcoming Some Like It Hot. Shubert currently owns and operates 17 Broadway, six Off-Broadway theatres, and the Forrest Theatre in Philadelphia. Under the leadership of Robert E. Wankel, Chairman and CEO, The Shubert Organization continues to be a leader in the theatre industry. Shubert delivers innovative ticketing solutions via its Telecharge interface, API distribution, and private-label technology, offering unparalleled distribution and marketing to the theatre industry and beyond. Its consumer-facing brands—Telecharge for retail ticket sales and Broadway Inbound for group buyers, tour operators, and the travel industry—sell millions of tickets each year. The Shubert Foundation, sole shareholder of The Shubert Organization, Inc., is dedicated to sustaining and advancing live performing arts in the United States. The Foundation provides general operating support to not-for-profit theatres and dance companies. Foundation grants in 2021 totaled $32.1 million.

The board members of Shubert are Laura Forese, Wyche Fowler, Jr., Pamela Newkirk, Diana Phillips, Richard J. Poccia, Lee J. Seidler, Stuart Subotnick, and Robert E. Wankel.