Round 8

Friday 3/27 Round 8 Bracket:

Jukebox Musicals & Teen Centered/Teen Character Musicals

BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL

(2014, King, McGrath, Mann, Weil, Spector, et al.)

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical is a jukebox musical with a book by Douglas McGrath that tells the story of the early life and career of Carole King, using songs that she wrote, often together with Gerry Goffin, and other contemporary songs by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Phil Spector, and others.

• San Francisco pre-Broadway tryout (2013)

• Beautiful: The Carole King Musical had a pre-Broadway try-out in San Francisco, California, at the Curran Theatre from September 24, 2013 through October 20, with an official opening on October 8. The production was staged by Marc Bruni, with choreography by Josh Prince and musical direction by Jason Howland. Jessie Mueller played Carole King.] The musical sold out its entire run at the Curran Theatre.

• Original Broadway production (2014–19)

• The musical opened on Broadway at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre on January 12, 2014, after previews from November 12, 2013. In addition to Mueller as King, the cast features Jake Epstein as Gerry Goffin, Anika Larsen as Cynthia Weil and Jarrod Spector as Barry Mann. King attended the April 3, 2014 performance and appeared on stage with the cast at the curtain call, singing "You've Got a Friend" together with them. On the fifth anniversary of the production's opening on January 12, 2019, Carole King appeared on stage to perform the show's closing number "Beautiful" and finale alongside star Chilina Kennedy. The production closed on October 27, 2019 after 60 previews and 2,418 regular performances. Upon closing, the production was the 27th longest-running musical in Broadway history.

• Original London production 

• A production in London's West End opened on February 25, 2015, following previews beginning February 10, 2015, at the Aldwych Theatre. Prior to the announcement, Baz Bamigboye from the Daily Mail reported that producers are looking for a full British cast for the transfer, meaning that Jessie Mueller would not transfer for the London production. It was announced on May 23, 2017 that the London production would close August 5, 2017.

• U.S. Tour (2015–16)

• The musical began a U.S. tour starting in September 2015 in Providence, Rhode Island, at the Providence Performing Arts Center, with engagements across the United States, ending in San Francisco in August 2016. The role of Carole King was played by Abby Mueller (the sister of Jessie Mueller), with Liam Tobin as Gerry Goffin, Ben Fankhauser as Barry Mann and Becky Gulsvig as Cynthia Weil

• UK Tour (2017–18)

• A UK tour began September 2017 at the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford and ends at the New Theatre in Oxford in May 2018, starring former Over the Rainbow contestant Bronté Barbé as Carole King.

• Second U.S. Tour (2018–)

• A second U.S. National tour began September 4, 2018, at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in Denver, CO. The role of Carole King is played by Sarah Bockel, with Dylan S. Wallach as Gerry Goffin, Alison Whitehurst as Cynthia Weil, and Jacob Heimer as Barry Mann.

WHAT IS THE STORY OF BEAUTIFUL?

Beautiful tells the true story of Carole King’s meteoric rise to fame as one of the twentieth century’s foremost singer-songwriters. We are introduced to Carole when she is 16 and pitching her first song (“It Might As Well Rain Until September”) to New York music producer Don Kirshner. Soon after, she meets her future husband and creative collaborator, Gerry Goffin.


In a musical whirlwind, the couple is married, King gives birth to their first child and the duo makes a name for themselves in the music business, knocking out hit after hit. However, while their careers are on the rise, Carole’s personal life falls apart. As Carole tries to negotiate marriage, adultery and personal happiness, she is supported by friends and playful rivals, Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann. Although they all compete for the number one hits on the pop chart, Carole relies on their support to change her life and find her own voice. Set in the vibrant pop industry of the 1960s and early 1970s, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical features a tapestry of musical hits from the creative songwriting teams of King and Goffin, Weil and Mann.

2014 Tony Awards

• Best Musical Nominated
• Best Book of a Musical Douglas McGrath Nominated
• Best Leading Actress in a Musical Jessie Mueller Won
• Best Featured Actor in a Musical Jarrod Spector Nominated
• Best Featured Actress in a Musical Anika Larsen Nominated
• Best Orchestrations Steve Sidwell Nominated
• Best Sound Design Brian Ronan Won
• Drama Desk Award Outstanding Musical Nominated
• Outstanding Book of a Musical Douglas McGrath Nominated
• Outstanding Actress in a Musical Jessie Mueller Won
• Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Anika Larsen Won
• Outstanding Orchestrations Steve Sidwell Nominated
• Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical Brian Ronan Won

2015 Grammy Award 

• Best Musical Theater Album Jessie Mueller (principal soloist); Jason Howland, Steve Sidwell & Billy Jay Stein (producers) Won

JERSEY BOYS (2005, Gaudio, Crewe, Brickman & Elice)

Jersey Boys is a 2005 jukebox musical with music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe, and book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice.

It is presented in a documentary-style format that dramatizes the formation, success and eventual break-up of the 1960s rock 'n' roll group The Four Seasons. 

The musical is structured as four "seasons", each narrated by a different member of the band who gives his own perspective on its history and music. Songs include "Big Girls Don't Cry", "Sherry", "December 1963 (Oh, What A Night)", "My Eyes Adored You", "Stay", "Can't Take My Eyes Off You", "Who Loves You", "Working My Way Back to You" and "Rag Doll", among others.

The musical ran on Broadway from 2005 to 2017, and since its debut, it has been on two North American national tours and two national tours of The UK and Ireland. There have been productions of the show in London's West End, Las Vegas, Chicago, Toronto, Melbourne, and other Australian cities, Singapore, South Africa, The Netherlands, Japan, Dubai, and China. 

Jersey Boys won four 2006 Tony Awards including Best Musical, and the 2009 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical.

The Original Broadway Cast Recording, produced by Bob Gaudio, received the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album and has been certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

WHAT IS THE STORY OF JERSEY BOYS?
Jersey Boys is the inspiring rags-to-riches tale of The Four Seasons. When Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito, and Nick Massi met, they were just four New Jersey teens singing together under street lamps, scraping for gigs and money in their working-class neighborhood. As the quartet rises to international stardom, they celebrate the highs and endure the lows that come hand-in-hand with fame. Each member of the group takes a turn narrating events, illustrating how a ragtag group of guys from New Jersey -- and their decades-long friendships -- became music history. Jersey Boys is a smash hit that showcases The Four Seasons' most iconic hits and reveals the inspiring tale behind the music.


DEAR EVAN HANSEN
 (2015, Pasek, Paul & Levenson)

Dear Evan Hansen is a stage musical with music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and book by Steven Levenson.

The musical opened on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre in December 2016, after its world premiere at the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., in July 2015 and an Off-Broadway production at Second Stage Theatre from March to May 2016.

At the 71st Tony Awards, it was nominated for nine awards, winning six, including Best Musical, Best Score, Best Actor in a Musical for Ben Platt, and Best Featured Actress in a Musical for Rachel Bay Jones.

The musical has its origins in an incident that took place during Pasek's high school years at Friends' Central School. The musical "...takes the notion of a teenager, Platt's Evan Hansen, who invents an important role for himself in a tragedy that he did not earn."

There were several readings prior to the first stage production: in May 2014 at Pearl Studios (New York), July 2014 at Chelsea Studios (New York) and September 2014 at Manhattan Movement and Arts Studio (New York). A full workshop took place in March 2015 at Gibney Dance Center. The project was initially called The PPL Project. Ben Platt was involved in all of the readings and workshop.


WHAT IS THE STORY OF DEAR EVAN HANSEN?
Dear Evan Hansen tells the story of a young man with social anxiety disorder who so yearns to make a connection with his peers that he fabricates a relationship with a deceased student to become closer to the boy’s family. When a classmate commits suicide, shy Evan Hansen finds himself at the center of the tragedy and turmoil. In a misguided attempt to comfort the boy’s grieving family, Evan pretends that he was actually good friends with their son. He invents a fabricated email account to “prove” their friendship, and when a fake suicide note makes its way online, Evan finds himself the unintended face of a viral video about loneliness and friendship.

As his social currency skyrockets, Evan is drawn deeper and deeper into the lie. His relationship with his actual mother wanes in comparison to that of his “shiny new family.” He finally lands the girl of his d
reams, and most importantly--he’s no longer invisible.

Eventually, Evan is forced to make a decision: Will he give himself over to the fantasy he’s created, or will he bite the bullet and risk losing everything he’s ever wanted? With a fast-paced new score from fresh young songwriting duo Pasek and Paul, (not to mention a few Tony awards), Dear Evan Hansen has become an instant hit among theatergoers everywhere.


MEAN GIRLS 
(2017, Richmond, Benjamin & Fey)

This fiercely fetch queen-bee of Broadway will have you wearing pink...but only on Wednesdays.

Mean Girls is a musical with music by Jeff Richmond, lyrics by Nell Benjamin, and a book by Tina Fey. It is based on the 2004 eponymous film written by Fey. The musical premiered at the National Theatre, Washington, D.C., in October 2017 and opened on Broadway in April 2018 at the August Wilson Theatre.

Mean Girls was nominated for a staggering 12 Tony Awards.

Productions

• Broadway
• The musical made its world premiere at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C. on October 31, 2017, and ran through December 3, 2017. Mean Girls began previews on Broadway at the August Wilson Theatre on March 12, 2018, before opening officially on April 8, 2018. Casey Nicholaw is the director and choreographer and the musical is produced by Lorne Michaels and Stuart Thompson. The musical has costumes by Gregg Barnes, scenic design by Scott Pask, video design by Finn Ross and Adam Young, lighting by Kenneth Posner and sound by Brian Ronan. It was announced on January 23, 2020, that the Broadway production has recouped its capitalization.
• U.S. National Tour
• The U.S. national tour began in Buffalo, New York at Shea's Performing Arts Center, on September 21, 2019. Mary Kate Morrissey plays Janis Sarkisian, with Danielle Wade as Cady Heron, Mariah Rose Faith as Regina George, Megan Masako Haley as Gretchen Wieners, Jonalyn Saxer as Karen Smith, Eric Huffman as Damian Hubbard, Adante Carter as Aaron Samuels and Kabir Bery as Kevin Gnapoor.
• West End
• The show will head to London's West End in Spring 2021.
• Film
• On January 23, 2020, Tina Fey announced that a film adaptation of the musical was being produced.

WHAT IS THE STORY OF MEAN GIRLS?

Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the wild and vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. How will this naïve newbie rise to the top of the popularity pecking order? By taking on The Plastics, a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George. But when Cady devises a plan to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a Queen Bee without getting stung.

Friday 3/27 Round 8 Bracket: Jukebox Musicals & Teen Centered/Teen Character Musicals