Category Archives: Commentary

FAME: Movie Musical or Musical Movie?

Posted on April 25, 2007 by David Fick

An offshoot from the eternal question: what exactly defines a musical in terms of the relationship between music and drama? I’m not convinced that this particular film can be called a musical, although the stage production sharing the same name … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Movies, Musicals | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

The Legacy of Alan Jay Lerner

Posted on December 24, 2005 by David Fick

Where does Alan Jay Lerner fit into the history of musicals? A prolific librettist and lyricist, Lerner had moments of genius (most of My Fair Lady and the film version of Gigi and parts of Camelot, On a Clear Day … Continue reading →

Posted in Broadway, Commentary, Movies, Musicals | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tony Award Caged Death Match: SUNDAY vs. LA CAGE

Posted on December 20, 2005 by David Fick

Picture it. It’s 3 June 3 1984 and you’re watching the Tony Awards. You’ve watched the performances of each of the nominated musicals: “I Want It All” (performed by Liz Callaway, Catherine Cox, Beth Fowler) from the charming, but uneven … Continue reading →

Posted in Broadway, Commentary, Musicals, Tony Awards | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Mixed Race Musical Theatre Casts

Posted on December 9, 2005 by David Fick

One of the hot topics in musical theatre at the moment seems to be the validity of mixed race casting. The trend seems to have been pushed into the spotlight by the television remakes of Cinderella (which featured a completely … Continue reading →

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RENT Rant: Living and Dying Hollywood-style

Posted on December 2, 2005 by David Fick

The film adaptation of RENT certainly has its flaws, none more offensive than that which it inherited from its source material: the death of homosexual transvestite Angel and the miraculous survival of Mimi because of the endurance of “straight” love. … Continue reading →

Posted in Broadway, Commentary, Movies, Musicals, Theatremaking | Tagged , , , , , , , | 31 Comments

RENT Rant: Cut Numbers and Spoken Lyrics

Posted on December 2, 2005 by David Fick

On stage, RENT was a rock opera. It’s unquestionable that it is one: the story is told primarily through a series of episodic and eclectic musical numbers that are grounded in the idiom of popular music. On film, RENT looks … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Movies, Musicals, Theatremaking, Theory and Practice | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

CHICAGO in London and Ute Lemper as Velma

Posted on November 6, 2005 by David Fick

Thought for the day: This is probably a rather unpopular opinion but I really do not like the London Revival Cast Recording of Chicago much at all. For me, there is just something missing. I don’t find it particularly entertaining. … Continue reading →

Posted in Cast Recording Reviews, Commentary, Musicals, West End | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Michael John LaChiusa and the “Faux Musical”

Posted on August 2, 2005 by David Fick

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

Thoughts on a revival of A CONNECTICUT YANKEE

Posted on February 10, 2001 by David Fick

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

Posted on November 27, 2000 by David Fick

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 →

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