Best of 2011
As 2011 comes to a close, what were some of your favorite theater moments of the year?
Twitter on Broadway – The Numbers
Which show’s tweets are the most popular online? Here’s the list of the shows with the most followers:
Wicked: 19,507
Book of Mormon: 16, 099
How To Succeed: 13,432
Rock of Ages: 12,182
Hair: 11,138
Spiderman: 8,749
Billy Elliot: 6,115
Phantom: 4,870
Memphis: 4,848
Mamma Mia: 4,593
The Lion king: 4,404
Priscilla: 4,115
Chicago: 3,917
Catch Me If You Can: 3,596
Mary Poppins: 2,850
Sister Act: 2,446
Anything Goes: 1,891
Addams Family: 1,798
Follies: 896
Baby It’s You: 545
Taking a Chance on Wildhorn
By: Michael Perkins
With the recent closing announcement of Frank Wildhorn’s latest work, Wonderland I began reflecting on the composer’s Broadway career. He has written five Broadway musicals, contributed music to another and even has a Tony Award nomination. He is a continually produced composer, yet none of his shows have been commercial successes. So why do producers continue to take a risk on Wildhorn musicals?
While success in art can never truly be measured, the closest Wildhorn came to “success” on Broadway was with his debut, Jekyll & Hyde. Although the show lacked stellar reviews (a common theme among his shows) and only recouped about 75% of its $7 million capitalization, it ran for nearly 3 and a half years, playing 1,543 performances and managed to cultivate a strong fan base.
His next Broadway work, The Scarlet Pimpernel, also faced its share of issues with several incarnations (Scarlet Pimpernel 2.0, 3.0, etc), did not recoup its entire investment, yet still managed to run for 772 performances.
His later musicals however did not see long Broadway lives: The Civil War (61 perfs), my personal favorite, Dracula (154 perfs) and Wonderland (33 perfs).
So why is Wildhorn still produced? Simple: because he is a fan favorite. Wildhorn has the ability to create sweeping melodies, memorable catchy tunes, and compose work that performers are dying to sing.
With his latest musical, Wonderland, Wildhorn asserts himself as one of the best Broadway-pop composers. For those of you who didn’t know, he is responsible for Whitney Houston’s #1 hit “Where Do Broken Hearts Go”. His shows are incredibly popular among theatergoers, reaching an almost cult-like status (his loyal Jekyll & Hyde fans were referred to as Jekkies) and are a popular choice for regional and school productions.
Although none of his shows have been a financial success so far, Wildhorn has established a strong career for himself on the Broadway stage and will certainly continue to be produced for years to come. (Bonnie & Clyde anyone?)
[Flash 10 is required to watch video]
BROADWAY ARTWORK
BY:Michael Perkins
I love Broadway advertising. A major component of a successful Broadway advertising campaign is the key art for each production. This artwork is an essential part of capturing a potential ticket buyer’s attention and saying something about the show. The artwork should provide some context about the plot, theme, message or idea of the show as well reflect a similar and cohesive look to the production design elements (sets, lighting and/or costumes). Personally, some of my favorite Broadway artwork contains a strong iconic image. Who does not immediate associate a mask with The Phantom of the Opera, or the helicopter with Miss Saigon? In addition to a strong icon, my favorite artwork is usually something unique or creative and relies heavily on creative type (ex- revival of Man of La Manch).
Here are my top 5 favorite Broadway artwork from shows which opened this season:
The Book of Mormon: The artwork is so simple, provides high contrast and after seeing the show felt so cohesive with the entire production.
Anything Goes: The poster art is so classic and styled so well based on the time period of the show, yet it is still so fresh, clean-lined, and modern.
Baby It’s You: The photo is nice and large, striking, reveals the idea of the show and the background colors provide an excellent contract for the 1960’s style title text.
The People in the Picture: The artwork seems to be taken from that classic optical illusion of the of the vase which reveals two faces, yet it is put in the context of the photograph and helps convey the ideas of the show.
Lombardi: The color is very different and stands out well. The text is also presented in a creative way, which helps reveal the context behind the show if the title didn’t automatically give it away. The image is also very striking.
What were your favorites this season?
Here They Are World! The 2011 Tony Nominations
Best Play
Good People Author: David Lindsay-Abaire
Jerusalem Author: Jez Butterworth
The Motherf**ker with the Hat Author: Stephen Adly Guirgis
War Horse Author: Nick Stafford
Best Musical
The Book of Mormon
Catch Me If You Can
The Scottsboro Boys
Sister Act
Best Book of a Musical
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson Alex Timbers
The Book of Mormon Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone
The Scottsboro Boys David Thompson
Sister Act Cheri Steinkellner, Bill Steinkellner and Douglas Carter Beane
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
The Book of Mormon Music & Lyrics: Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone
The Scottsboro Boys Music & Lyrics: John Kander and Fred Ebb
Sister Act Music: Alan Menken
Lyrics: Glenn Slater
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Music & Lyrics: David Yazbek
Best Revival of a Play
Arcadia
The Importance of Being Earnest
The Merchant of Venice
The Normal Heart
Best Revival of a Musical
Anything Goes
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Brian Bedford, The Importance of Being Earnest
Bobby Cannavale, The Motherf**ker with the Hat
Joe Mantello, The Normal Heart
Al Pacino, The Merchant of Venice
Mark Rylance, Jerusalem
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Nina Arianda, Born Yesterday
Frances McDormand, Good People
Lily Rabe, The Merchant of Venice
Vanessa Redgrave, Driving Miss Daisy
Hannah Yelland, Brief Encounter
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Norbert Leo Butz, Catch Me If You Can
Josh Gad, The Book of Mormon
Joshua Henry, The Scottsboro Boys
Andrew Rannells, The Book of Mormon
Tony Sheldon, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Sutton Foster, Anything Goes
Beth Leavel, Baby It’s You!
Patina Miller, Sister Act
Donna Murphy, The People in the Picture
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Mackenzie Crook, Jerusalem
Billy Crudup, Arcadia
John Benjamin Hickey, The Normal Heart
Arian Moayed, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
Yul Vázquez, The Motherf**ker with the Hat
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Ellen Barkin, The Normal Heart
Edie Falco, The House of Blue Leaves
Judith Light, Lombardi
Joanna Lumley, La Bête
Elizabeth Rodriguez, The Motherf**ker with the Hat
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Colman Domingo, The Scottsboro Boys
Adam Godley, Anything Goes
John Larroquette, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Forrest McClendon, The Scottsboro Boys
Rory O’Malley, The Book of Mormon
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Laura Benanti, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Tammy Blanchard, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Victoria Clark, Sister Act
Nikki M. James, The Book of Mormon
Patti LuPone, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Todd Rosenthal, The Motherf**ker with the Hat
Rae Smith, War Horse
Ultz, Jerusalem
Mark Wendland, The Merchant of Venice
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Beowulf Boritt, The Scottsboro Boys
Derek McLane, Anything Goes
Scott Pask, The Book of Mormon
Donyale Werle, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Best Costume Design of a Play
Jess Goldstein, The Merchant of Venice
Desmond Heeley, The Importance of Being Earnest
Mark Thompson, La Bête
Catherine Zuber, Born Yesterday
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Tim Chappel & Lizzy Gardiner, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Martin Pakledinaz, Anything Goes
Ann Roth, The Book of Mormon
Catherine Zuber, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Paule Constable, War Horse
David Lander, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
Kenneth Posner, The Merchant of Venice
Mimi Jordan Sherin, Jerusalem
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Ken Billington, The Scottsboro Boys
Howell Binkley, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Peter Kaczorowski, Anything Goes
Brian MacDevitt, The Book of Mormon
Best Sound Design of a Play
Acme Sound Partners & Cricket S. Myers, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
Simon Baker, Brief Encounter
Ian Dickinson for Autograph, Jerusalem
Christopher Shutt, War Horse
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Peter Hylenski, The Scottsboro Boys
Steve Canyon Kennedy, Catch Me If You Can
Brian Ronan, Anything Goes
Brian Ronan, The Book of Mormon
Best Direction of a Play
Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, War Horse
Joel Grey & George C. Wolfe, The Normal Heart
Anna D. Shapiro, The Motherf**ker with the Hat
Daniel Sullivan, The Merchant of Venice
Best Direction of a Musical
Rob Ashford, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes
Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker, The Book of Mormon
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys
Best Choreography
Rob Ashford, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Kathleen Marshall, Anything Goes
Casey Nicholaw, The Book of Mormon
Susan Stroman, The Scottsboro Boys
Best Orchestrations
Doug Besterman, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Larry Hochman, The Scottsboro Boys
Larry Hochman and Stephen Oremus, The Book of Mormon
Marc Shaiman & Larry Blank, Catch Me If You Can
THOUGHTS?!?!?!
Check out this behind the scenes video of my Evvy nominated scenic design for “Machinal”
Me falling into the rabbit hole with Alice at “Wonderland” which opened tonight!
Wonderland Reveals its New Rabbit Hole
By: Michael Perkins
Yesterday, Wonderland, the new musical, revealed its new theater artwork. However, this artwork will not make theatergoers look up to search in a cluster of billboards. No, this artwork is right under the toes of potential ticket buyers. The new musical, which opens this Sunday, revealed a new piece of 3-D artwork which was laid out on the sidewalk in front of the Marquis theater. The artworks represents the rabbit hole and gives pedestrians the feeling, though forced perspective, that they are looking down a hole in the sidewalk, the rabbit hole, where the world of Wonderland is waiting beneath.
With a passion for theater marketing and advertising this immediately caught my interest. I have seen online samples of three dimensional sidewalk art before as well as two dimensional painted decal ads on sidewalks, but I have never seen this tactic used before by a Broadway show.
I think this new artwork is a great idea. While making this ad relevant to the plot of the show, Wonderland has done something unique and different. They have broken through the clutter competition of Broadway billboards stories above tourists and created something people will notice. This is a great word of mouth tool and has potential to spread talk more easily because it is interactive. Tourists will be taking pictures on this new artwork and in the background of every picture will be the show’s logo and the theater. What a perfect ad! I think this is a great trend and hope to see other shows employ techniques similar to this in the future.
The reconfigured version of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark starts May 12, after a brief hiatus, meaning this weekend is the last chance to see Julie Taymor’s original vision. When the show returns, it will do so without the geek chorus, but with a lesser role for the villain Arachne (now a “guardian angel”) and a bigger role for the Green Goblin, who no longer dies in act one. In general, says the New York Times, the idea is to make this “family-friendly” entertainment in order to increase “grosses by a few hundred thousand dollars a week, which would give the show a better chance of someday paying back its investors.” A spokesperson for Taymor says: “Julie feels that the early reviews that published before the show was ready to open sadly do not reflect the show that is closing this weekend. Most critics, in fact, will have never seen this latest version before they see one that greatly changes major threads of the story, choreography and songs.” If ever there were a time for Sad Julie Taymor Ice Sculpture, truly, it is now. [NYT]
Sorry Julie but these changes are probably for the better. Though I don’t understand how Green Goblin and Arachne in act two is going to make things less confusing.
Last night I saw the final performance of “Prometheus Bound” starring Gavin Creel at the ART. I will be positing my thoughts shortly! I the meantime lets take a look back to Gavin’s debut and why we love him!
