Author Archives: David Fick

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About David Fick

teacher + curator + writer + director + performer = (future maker + ground shaker) x (big thinker + problem shrinker) x (go getter + detail sweater)

STARLIGHT EXPRESS: Perfect for Animation?

Don’t you think that Starlight Express would work brilliantly as a CGI film? I think it’s possibly the only way to imagine an effective film adaptation of the show, especially if it was produced by a company like PIXAR who … Continue reading

Posted in Animation, Broadway, Movies, Musicals | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Michael John LaChiusa and the “Faux Musical”

Opera News published a super article by Michael John Lachiusa about the state of musical theatre. Entitled “The Great Grey Way”, the article is essential reading for anyone interested in musicals and how they are developing in this new century. … Continue reading

Posted in Broadway, Commentary, Dance, Musicals, Theatremaking, Theory and Practice | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 90 Comments

SWEENEY TODD on DVD: the Show or the Concert?

The question is simple: which of the two DVD versions of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd do you like better: the fully staged version with George Hearn and Angela Lansbury or the concert version with Hearn and Patti LuPone? For me, … Continue reading

Posted in Broadway, Concerts, Musicals | Tagged , , , , , | 15 Comments

CHESS Question: a Definitive Recording?

There are many recordings of Chess: the 1984 Concept Album, the 1988 Original Broadway Cast Recording, the 1994 Swedish Concert Cast, the released then withdrawn 2001 Danish Tour Cast Recording and the the 2002 Swedish Cast Recording (which is in … Continue reading

Posted in Broadway, Cast Recording Reviews, Concept Albums, International, Musicals, West End | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

The Most Frequent LION KING FAQ

Probably the most frequently asked question I see about Disney’s The Lion King on the Internet (along with whether it should have won the Tony Award or not – but that’s another debate for another blog) is whether or not … Continue reading

Posted in Animation, Broadway, Movies, Musicals | Tagged , , , | 14 Comments

THE STEPHEN SONDHEIM COLLECTION

Image Entertainment has released The Stephen Sondheim Collection, a beautiful DVD collection of six Sondheim DVDS: Into the Woods, Sunday in the Park with George, Follies in Concert, Passion, Sweeney Todd in Concert and A Celebration at Carnegie Hall. Presented … Continue reading

Posted in Broadway, General News, Musicals | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Opinions on Liza as Norma in SUNSET BOULEVARD?

Thought for the day: I’d love to see Liza Minnelli as Norma in a film version of Sunset Boulevard, however unlikely a casting that might be. If she was able to sing the role with whatever help the studio could … Continue reading

Posted in Movies, Musicals | Tagged , , | 20 Comments

Thoughts on a revival of A CONNECTICUT YANKEE

In his review of the Encores! production of the Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart musical, A Connecticut Yankee, Ben Brantley says of the show: There’s no pretending that A Connecticut Yankee… seems other than quaint today. The show, originally written … Continue reading

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THE BEAUTIFUL GAME: 2000 OCR Track by Track

The original cast recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Ben Elton’s new musical The Beautiful Game was released this past weekend. The production opened recently in London to mixed reviews, with many critics saving the most negative comments for Elton’s … Continue reading

Posted in Cast Recording Reviews, Commentary, In Depth Analysis, Musicals, West End | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Review Roundup: THE BEAUTIFUL GAME

Here’s a roundup of reviews for the new Andrew Lloyd Webber and Ben Elton musical, The Beautiful Game. With few outright raves or pans, the show has met with a mixed reception overall, with some reviewers being more decidedly negative … Continue reading

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