Welcome to Davis Musical March Madness!
Please make sure to check out the first post here about the Davis Musical March Madness Challenge.
Please cast and make an informed vote by reading the background information on each of the musicals in today's bracket and watching the video clips found in the Davis Musical March Madness Voting Form for Bracket Day 1 which is located at the bottom of this post and on the links to the right of this post! All votes must be received by 5pm. Block 1, 2, and 3 students make sure to vote each day.
WHAT EXACTLY IS MUSICAL THEATRE?
Although music has been a part of dramatic presentations since ancient times, modern Western musical theatre emerged during the 19th century, with many structural elements established by the works of Gilbert and Sullivan in Britain and those of Harrigan and Hart in America. These were followed by the numerous Edwardian musical comedies and the musical theatre works of American creators like George M. Cohan at the turn of the 20th century. The Princess Theatre musicals (1915–1918) and other smart shows like Of Thee I Sing (1931) were artistic steps forward beyond revues and other frothy entertainments of the early 20th century and led to such groundbreaking works as Show Boat (1927) and Oklahoma! (1943). Some of the most famous musicals through the decades that followed include West Side Story (1957), The Fantasticks (1960), Hair (1967), A Chorus Line (1975), Les Misérables (1985), The Phantom of the Opera (1986), Rent (1996), The Producers (2001), Wicked (2003) and Hamilton (2015).
Musicals are performed around the world. They may be presented in large venues, such as big-budget Broadway (New York City) or West End (London) productions.
Alternatively, musicals may be staged in smaller venues, such as fringe theatre, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway, regional theatre, or community theatre productions, or on tour.
Musicals are often presented by amateur and school groups in churches, schools and other performance spaces. In addition to the United States and Britain, there are vibrant musical theatre scenes in continental Europe, Asia, Australasia, Canada, and Latin America."
It is one of the most popular and beloved art forms in the world.
Anything Goes (1934, Cole Porter)
Anything Goes is a musical that has continued to win popular success and professional awards for its composer and lyricist, Cole Porter, since it was first produced on Broadway in 1934. There are many connections between Porter's America and the United States of 2020, where celebrity is an obsession, the stock market can skyrocket or plunge in the blink of an eye, and anyone will do almost anything for love.
Since its 1934 debut at the Alvin Theatre (now known as the Neil Simon Theatre) on Broadway, the musical has been revived several times in the United States and Britain and has been filmed twice. The musical has long been a popular choice for school and community productions and is known for its rousing tap dance numbers.
What Is the Story of Anything Goes?
Anything Goes is a witty show about opulence, romance, celebrity, and fame that carefully represents its original nutty plot, zipping from a serious true-love story to one-liners, burlesque, and slapstick comedy. And in between, it gives you sensational representations of some of Cole Porter's best work, in which he lovingly celebrates a world in which anything goes.
The story concerns madcap antics aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London. Billy Crocker is a stowaway in love with heiress Hope Harcourt, who is engaged to Lord Evelyn Oakleigh. Nightclub singer Reno Sweeney and Public Enemy Number 13, “Moonface” Martin, aid Billy in his quest to win Hope. The musical introduced such songs as "Anything Goes," "You're the Top," and "I Get a Kick Out of You."
42nd Street (1980, Warren, Mercer, Dublin)
Based on the novel by Bradford Ropes and the subsequent 1933 Hollywood film adaptation, the backstage musical show focuses on the efforts of famed dictatorial Great White Way director Julian Marsh to mount a successful stage production of a musical extravaganza at the height of the Great Depression.
The show is a jukebox musical of sorts, in that, in addition to songs from the 1933 film 42nd Street, it includes songs that Dubin and Warren wrote for many other films at around the same time.
WHAT IS THE STORY OF 42nd Street?
Stephen Schwartz’s Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz takes place before L.Frank Baum’s classic Wizard of Oz story ever began. Before Dorothy was even alive, two young girls met in the Land of Oz, became rivals, and then friends. One was born with emerald-green skin, with a brilliant mind and a fiery spirit. The other was classically beautiful, with great ambition and incredible drive. The green-skinned Elphaba was ostracized by her family and by everyone at school. The beautiful Galinda was destined to be forever popular. Over the course of Wicked, we discover how these two young women became rivals and then the closest of friends – and how they ended up as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. Originally starring Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, Wicked is an amazing vehicle for two powerhouse actresses and also features a large, strong ensemble.
"In March 2016, Wicked surpassed $1 billion in total Broadway revenue, joining both The Phantom of the Opera and The Lion King as the only Broadway shows to do so. In July 2017, Wicked surpassed The Phantom of the Opera as Broadway's second-highest-grossing musical, trailing only The Lion King."
Hairspray
"Hairspray is an American musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on John Waters’s 1988 film of the same name. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm and blues. In 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, plump teenager Tracy Turnblad's dream is to dance on The Corny Collins Show, a local TV dance program based on the real-life Buddy Deane Show. When Tracy wins a role on the show, she becomes a celebrity overnight, leading to social change as Tracy campaigns for the show's integration.
In 2003, it won eight Tony Awards, including one for Best Musical, out of 13 nominations. It ran for 2,642 performances and closed on January 4, 2009.
WHAT IS THE STORY OF HAIRSPRAY?
It’s 1962 in Baltimore, Maryland, and quirky, plus-sized, teenage Tracy Turnblad has one dream: to dance on The Corny Collins Show. When she gets put in detention with the African-American students in the school, they teach her some of their dance moves, and her newfound groove wins her a spot on Corny’s show. Overnight, Tracy transforms from a nobody into a star and uses her newfound influence to advocate for racial integration on the television show. Tracy faces scrutiny and bullying from the network producer, Velma, and her popular, but vicious, daughter, Amber. With the help of the teenage heartthrob Link, host Corny Collins, and Motormouth Maybelle, Tracy overcomes the odds and succeeds in her mission to integrate The Corny Collins Show. Tony Award-winning Hairspray continues to be one of the most widely produced musicals today, not only because of its wit and charm but also because of the beautiful message of acceptance and progress that it portrays. The bright, energetic story of Tracy Turnblad teaches us all to look past the color of one’s skin and fight for every human being’s equal rights.
Musical Madness Wednesday /18 Bracket: Crowd Pleasers- Toe Tapping and Being Yourself
Interested in learning more about Broadway Grosses and what each musical has grossed? Then click here for Broadway Grosses dating all the way back to 1996!
Anything Goes (1934, Cole Porter)
Anything Goes is a musical that has continued to win popular success and professional awards for its composer and lyricist, Cole Porter, since it was first produced on Broadway in 1934. There are many connections between Porter's America and the United States of 2020, where celebrity is an obsession, the stock market can skyrocket or plunge in the blink of an eye, and anyone will do almost anything for love.
Since its 1934 debut at the Alvin Theatre (now known as the Neil Simon Theatre) on Broadway, the musical has been revived several times in the United States and Britain and has been filmed twice. The musical has long been a popular choice for school and community productions and is known for its rousing tap dance numbers.
What Is the Story of Anything Goes?
Anything Goes is a witty show about opulence, romance, celebrity, and fame that carefully represents its original nutty plot, zipping from a serious true-love story to one-liners, burlesque, and slapstick comedy. And in between, it gives you sensational representations of some of Cole Porter's best work, in which he lovingly celebrates a world in which anything goes.
The story concerns madcap antics aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London. Billy Crocker is a stowaway in love with heiress Hope Harcourt, who is engaged to Lord Evelyn Oakleigh. Nightclub singer Reno Sweeney and Public Enemy Number 13, “Moonface” Martin, aid Billy in his quest to win Hope. The musical introduced such songs as "Anything Goes," "You're the Top," and "I Get a Kick Out of You."
42nd Street (1980, Warren, Mercer, Dublin)
42nd Street is an American musical with a book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble, lyrics by Al Dubin and Johnny Mercer, and music by Harry Warren. The 1980 Broadway production won the Tony Award for Best Musical and became a long-running hit. The show was produced in London in 1984 (winning the Olivier Award for Best Musical) and its 2001 Broadway revival won the Tony for Best Revival.
Based on the novel by Bradford Ropes and the subsequent 1933 Hollywood film adaptation, the backstage musical show focuses on the efforts of famed dictatorial Great White Way director Julian Marsh to mount a successful stage production of a musical extravaganza at the height of the Great Depression.
The show is a jukebox musical of sorts, in that, in addition to songs from the 1933 film 42nd Street, it includes songs that Dubin and Warren wrote for many other films at around the same time.
WHAT IS THE STORY OF 42nd Street?
One of showbusiness’s most classic and beloved tales, 42nd Street tells the story of Peggy Sawyer, a talented young performer with stars in her eyes who gets her big break on Broadway.
Peggy arrives in New York City from her hometown of Allentown, Pennsylvania, armed with her tap shoes and big dreams. Peggy’s talent catches the eye of legendary Broadway director Julian Marsh, who gives her a spot in the chorus of Pretty Lady, his newest show. Pretty Lady stars Dorothy Brock, the classic Broadway diva, who takes an instant dislike to the new girl in the cast. When Dorothy is injured during the show’s previews, Pretty Lady looks like it will have to close, unless a new girl talented enough to lead the show can be found — someone like Peggy Sawyer!
Peggy’s rise from showgirl to star is the stuff of show business dreams. 42nd Street is full of crowd-pleasing tap dances, popular musical theatre standards, and show-stopping ensemble production numbers.
Wicked (2003, Schwartz & Holzman)
"Wicked is a 2003 Broadway musical by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (published in 1995), itself a retelling of the classic 1900 novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film The Wizard of Oz (1939)."
WHAT IS THE STORY OF WICKED?
The musical is told from the perspective of the witches of the Land of Oz; its plot begins before and continues after Dorothy Gale arrives in Oz from Kansas, and includes several references to the 1939 film and Baum's novel.
Peggy arrives in New York City from her hometown of Allentown, Pennsylvania, armed with her tap shoes and big dreams. Peggy’s talent catches the eye of legendary Broadway director Julian Marsh, who gives her a spot in the chorus of Pretty Lady, his newest show. Pretty Lady stars Dorothy Brock, the classic Broadway diva, who takes an instant dislike to the new girl in the cast. When Dorothy is injured during the show’s previews, Pretty Lady looks like it will have to close, unless a new girl talented enough to lead the show can be found — someone like Peggy Sawyer!
Peggy’s rise from showgirl to star is the stuff of show business dreams. 42nd Street is full of crowd-pleasing tap dances, popular musical theatre standards, and show-stopping ensemble production numbers.
Wicked (2003, Schwartz & Holzman)"Wicked is a 2003 Broadway musical by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (published in 1995), itself a retelling of the classic 1900 novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film The Wizard of Oz (1939)."
WHAT IS THE STORY OF WICKED?
The musical is told from the perspective of the witches of the Land of Oz; its plot begins before and continues after Dorothy Gale arrives in Oz from Kansas, and includes several references to the 1939 film and Baum's novel.
Stephen Schwartz’s Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz takes place before L.Frank Baum’s classic Wizard of Oz story ever began. Before Dorothy was even alive, two young girls met in the Land of Oz, became rivals, and then friends. One was born with emerald-green skin, with a brilliant mind and a fiery spirit. The other was classically beautiful, with great ambition and incredible drive. The green-skinned Elphaba was ostracized by her family and by everyone at school. The beautiful Galinda was destined to be forever popular. Over the course of Wicked, we discover how these two young women became rivals and then the closest of friends – and how they ended up as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. Originally starring Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, Wicked is an amazing vehicle for two powerhouse actresses and also features a large, strong ensemble.
"In March 2016, Wicked surpassed $1 billion in total Broadway revenue, joining both The Phantom of the Opera and The Lion King as the only Broadway shows to do so. In July 2017, Wicked surpassed The Phantom of the Opera as Broadway's second-highest-grossing musical, trailing only The Lion King."
Hairspray"Hairspray is an American musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on John Waters’s 1988 film of the same name. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm and blues. In 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, plump teenager Tracy Turnblad's dream is to dance on The Corny Collins Show, a local TV dance program based on the real-life Buddy Deane Show. When Tracy wins a role on the show, she becomes a celebrity overnight, leading to social change as Tracy campaigns for the show's integration.
In 2003, it won eight Tony Awards, including one for Best Musical, out of 13 nominations. It ran for 2,642 performances and closed on January 4, 2009.
Hairspray has also had national tours, a West End production, and numerous foreign productions and was adapted as a 2007 musical film and as a live television special that aired live on NBC in 2016. The London production was nominated for a record-setting eleven Laurence Olivier Awards, winning four, including Best New Musical."
WHAT IS THE STORY OF HAIRSPRAY?
It’s 1962 in Baltimore, Maryland, and quirky, plus-sized, teenage Tracy Turnblad has one dream: to dance on The Corny Collins Show. When she gets put in detention with the African-American students in the school, they teach her some of their dance moves, and her newfound groove wins her a spot on Corny’s show. Overnight, Tracy transforms from a nobody into a star and uses her newfound influence to advocate for racial integration on the television show. Tracy faces scrutiny and bullying from the network producer, Velma, and her popular, but vicious, daughter, Amber. With the help of the teenage heartthrob Link, host Corny Collins, and Motormouth Maybelle, Tracy overcomes the odds and succeeds in her mission to integrate The Corny Collins Show. Tony Award-winning Hairspray continues to be one of the most widely produced musicals today, not only because of its wit and charm but also because of the beautiful message of acceptance and progress that it portrays. The bright, energetic story of Tracy Turnblad teaches us all to look past the color of one’s skin and fight for every human being’s equal rights.
Interested in learning more about Broadway Grosses and what each musical has grossed? Then click here for Broadway Grosses dating all the way back to 1996!
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