David Monod’s “Vaudeville & The Making Of Modern Entertainment” 1890-1925
David Monod, professor of American social and cultural history, has undertaken a massive challenge in presenting a history of American
read morePosts Tagged 'Richard C. Norton'
“Eubie Blake: Rags, Rhythm and Race” By Richard Carlin & Ken Bloom
Eubie Blake: Rags, Rhythm and Race arrives as a most welcome and long overdue biography of pianist and composer Eubie
read more
The First Oscar Hammerstein and New York’s Golden Age of Theater and Music
With such an irresistible title as this, anyone with an interest in early American musical theater would want to read this newly
read more
“One Long Gender-Bender”: Berlin’s Queer Operetta Revolution In The Years 2010-2020
The Drama Review (TDR) is planning a special issue on the developments in the German theater scene from 2010 to
read more
The English Language Adventures of “Im weißen Rössl”
The overwhelming and instant success of Erik Charell’s operetta spectacle Im weißen Rössl at Berlin’s Großes Schauspielhaus (the so-called “Theater
read more
It’s Eliza’s Show: A “My Fair Lady” For The 21st Century
It’s Eliza’s show; My Fair Lady for the 21st century opens at Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theatre, 62 years after
read more
Rediscovering The 1945 Broadway Hit “Marinka”
Writing from the point of view as an American visiting Berlin, the Komische Oper’s second concert performance of Emmerich Kálmán’s
read more
Butchering Irving Berlin: The Screen-To-Stage Adaptation of “Holiday Inn”
When was the last time you saw a new 1947 musical for the first time? Roundabout Theatre Company and Universal
read more
Reviewing The Operetta Aspects In “New York’s Yiddish Theater”
As a companion volume to its recent exhibition on New York’s Yiddish Theater: From the Bowery to Broadway, the Museum
read more
“The Black Crook” Returns To New York For Its 150th Anniversary
You might truly hold your breath for a second: the famous show The Black Crook is being revived in New
read more
A Re-Written And New “Paint Your Wagon” In Seattle
How very much I wish I could recommend the all new version of Paint Your Wagon in its world premiere
read more
Ghostlight Records New Lerner & Loewe “Paint Your Wagon”: Starring Keith Carradine
In November 1951, composer Frederick Loewe and librettist Alan Jay Lerner premiered Paint Your Wagon, their homage to the American
read more
“Shuffle Along”: Re-Imagining the African-American-Classic From 1921
Why is the upcoming revival of Shuffle Along, or, The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That
read more
“Baby, You Can Can-Can Too”
In their 2015 summer season, the Ohio Light Opera presented the original stage version of Cole Porter’s Can-Can. It’s a
read more
Coming Up On Broadway: “Dames At Sea” And Other Delights
With the regular theater season in Europe re-opening with some funky returning operetta productions, e.g. at the Komische Oper Berlin
read more
The Origins Of Lerner & Loewe’s “Brigadoon”
You will recall that the Ohio Light Opera presented Lerner & Loewe’s Brigadoon as part of their 2015 summer season.
read more
“Hamilton”: America’s Founding Fathers Set To Hip-Hop
Quadruple threat librettist-composer-lyricist-actor Lin-Manuel Miranda (In the Heights) has conceived an utterly original, ambitious, irresistible new musical inspired by Ron
read more
“The Golden Apple”: A Holy Grail For Musical Theatre Buffs
Applause now, please, for PS Classics and Lyric Stage of Irving, Texas, whose combined resources bring us the first complete
read more
“Girls With No Clothes To Speak Of”: Broadway-Operetta Then And Now
There is a renewed interest in operetta internationally, not just the French and Austrian variety of the genre, but also
read more
A New German “Fiddler On The Roof” On CD
This past summer of 2014, Austria’s Mörbisch Lake Festival departed somewhat from its traditional programming of German operetta to present
read more
“The Golden Apple”: Reclaiming A Classic In Texas
The Golden Apple (1954) is widely acknowledged by musical theatre scholars as a much-neglected gem, and it is presently receiving
read more
“On the Town”: Leonard Bernstein’s Classic A Must-See On Broadway
In December 1944, composer Leonard Bernstein, choreographer Jerome Robbins, and librettists Betty Comden and Adolph Green all made their Broadway
read more
A Trip to Ohio. Or: Six Operettas (And More) in Four Days
For the last five days, I’ve been in Ohio. Yes, Ohio, USA. Yes, I know I said, years ago, that
read more
This Summer in Ohio: Seven Full-Scale Productions
Next week, the Ohio Light Opera is starting its 36th season – with 7 (in writing: seven!) productions on offer
read more
Disney’s “Aladdin” a Big, Family Friendly Spectacle
Yes, the magic carpet does really fly! Just how those Disney wizards manage it without visible wires, we’ll never know.
read more
Reviving Cole Porter’s “The Ambassador Revue”
Last Friday at New York’s Town Hall marked a major event for historians of musical theatre. For one night only,
read more
Coward & Novello
Noël Coward (1899-1973) and Ivor Novello (1893-1951), both English, both homosexual, were the two most enduring proponents of English language
read more
Why, Oh Why, Oh Why, Oh? First International Operetta Conference in Ohio
The founding Artistic Director of the Ohio Light Opera, James Stuart, has always taken the mission of his company very
read more