All tagged Carousel
On Friday night at Carnegie Hall, The New York Pops orchestra performed a top-notch program celebrating the revolutionary musical partnership of composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II with guest vocalists Max von Essen and Laura Michelle Kelly, and the Essential Voices USA chorus.
By my count, I’ve attended 246 performances of theatre, dance, music, opera, and cabaret during 2018. Out of a field that large, it’s hard to pick just ten, but nevertheless, here are my top ten favorite shows I saw in New York (including no new musicals and only three Broadway shows!).
Last night at Carnegie Hall, the New York Pops presented “Song and Dance: The Best of Broadway”, a concert celebration of musical theatre’s finest orchestral selections, featuring the Essential Voices USA chorus and dancers from New York Theatre Ballet.
Director Daniel Fish delivers a glorious and terrifying production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s groundbreaking 1943 musical “Oklahoma!” at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn, completely deconstructing this canonical and totemic masterpiece of American musical theatre by stripping it of its corn and highlighting the darker themes of violence and injustice that have always been simmering underneath. Sexually charged and presented with a striking naturalism, this masterful new production is a revelation.
"Ain't Too Proud" books the Imperial; "The Illusionists" returns to the Marquis for the holidays; Laura Benanti to replace Lauren Ambrose in "My Fair Lady"; Cuba Gooding Jr. returns to "Chicago"; "Beetlejuice" announces full cast; "Waitress" headed to London, "Anastasia" to our U.S./world; "The Play that Goes Wrong" recoups; look at "Hello, Dolly!" finances; RIP Neil Simon, Craig Zadan, Barbara Harris, Brian Murray, and Vivian Matalon
"Carousel" closing September 16th; “Tootsie” books the Marquis; "Network" to play the Cort; all female revival of "Glengarry Glen Ross" coming to Broadway next May; Michael C. Hall will star in "Thom Pain (Based on Nothing)"; "Pipeline" to play select cinemas; "Once on This Island" wins Equity award for diversity; trans actor Kate Bornstein responds to heckling; list of the most produced high school musicals and plays; producer John Glines dead at 84
2018-2019 Broadway season preview; new plays "The Lifespan of a Fact" and "American Son" announced for the fall; long-planned renovation of the Palace Theatre/hotel complex threatens to shudder "SpongeBob SquarePants"; Natalie Walker ranks all 41 Broadway theatres; Public Theater announces 2018-2019 season; MCC Theater moves to midtown in November; “Carousel” cast recording released
Roundabout to mount Fiasco Theatre "Merrily We Roll Along" in 2019; City Center announces its 75th anniversary; Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman writing musical adaption of “Some Like It Hot”; Ben Levi Ross to lead tour of “Dear Evan Hansen”; national tour and cast album update; Drama League and Chita Rivera Awards winners; Tony winner Ruthie Ann Miles loses unborn child following death of her 2 year old daughter
Take a look at the 2018 Tony Award Nominations - I highlight some surprises, snubs, and quirks.
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Carousel” is back on Broadway in a big, bold, and beautiful new production that is both soaringly operatic and heart-wrenchingly intimate, thanks to a quintet of smashing principal performances, stunning choreography, enchanting sets, and a generously sized orchestra. Great musicals of the golden age deserve to be seen; pay a visit to this glorious “Carousel”.
