'The Evolution Of The Broadway Musical'

Arts at St. Johns takes a trip through the history of Broadway 

THE EVOLUTION OF THE BROADWAY MUSICAL - a historic musical revue 

Arts at St. Johns presents a new revue about the birth and fruition of the American Broadway musical since its inception over 100 years ago.  The Broadway musical, a true American art form, often mirrors society - at its best and worst.  "Evolution," the creative work of Artistic Director David Kingery, demonstrates how musicals have evolved alongside American culture - and sometimes paved the way. 

Arts at St. Johns will explore, through a selection of songs, how the format of the Broadway musical originated in New York City in the late 1800's, through a collaboration of talented theater actors, vaudeville performers and burlesque dancers, led by the lavish producer Florenz Ziegfeld. The first popular shows, written by great American composers such as the Gershwins, Irving Berlin, and Jerome Kern, were campy, fun, and poetic, with various plots, songs, flashy costumes and, at times, risqué subject matter.  

The 1929 stock-market crash and the ensuing Great Depression profoundly affected Broadway theater, causing the number of productions to decline dramatically.  But writers and performers never gave up their passion and love of musical theater.   

Paradoxically, the period after the Depression was quite creative and spawned THE GOLDEN AGE OF BROADWAY, starting in the early 40's through the 60's with classic greats such as Oklahoma, The Sound of Music, The King and I, Hello Dolly and My Fair Lady.  Composers such as Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Lowe, Kander and Ebb, and Jerry Herman, churned out Broadway blockbusters.  These shows also created huge stars including Julie Andrews, Ethel Merman, Carol Channing, George M. Cohan, and Rex Harrison.

Musicals have explored diverse topics such as cultural differences, war, young love, murder, royalty, poverty, racism, religion and other controversial issues. Broadway has also paid tribute to many diverse ethnicities and cultures, with shows such as West Side Story, Miss Saigon, The Lion King,  Brigadoon and  Porgy n Bess. 

The music, politics and the media of 60's and 70's changed America - and Broadway shows.  Rock music that dominated the radio waves, also infiltrated the stage.  Arts at St. Johns features songs from these musicals -- Jesus Christ Superstar, Grease, Bye Bye Birdie, including the rock musical HAIR (filled with hippies, afros and nudity.)  

EVOLUTION OF THE BROADWAY MUSICAL will also cover modern musicals including the works of Andrew Lloyd Weber, Steven Sondheim and Steven Schwartz, paying tributes to shows like Cats, Sweeney Todd, Evita, Phantom of the Opera, and Wicked.   

The cast features Kingery, Kristen Fox, Ray Yanez and Nydia Noreiga. 

Broadway has survived two world wars, various political upheavals, the Great Depression and now faces another economic downturn. Arts at St. Johns shows the audience that this great American art form is strong and resilient and that Broadway will persevere. 

When: Feb. 21 & 22, Sat. 8 pm, Sun., 3 pm 

Where: Arts at St. Johns, 4760 PineTree Drive, Miami Beach FL 33140 

Cost: $20 adults, $15 online/seniors/students (some scholarships available) 

Box Office 305-613-2325 or email artsatstjohns@bellsouth.net  Website:  www.artsatstjohns.com

FALL IN LOVE TODAY!  ADOPT A PET FROM YOUR LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTER

 

 

 

To post a comment, you must register and login.