What if I told you there was a place where you could legally access filmed live musicals for free? The answer will either make your eyes roll, or fill your heart with joy. It’s your local library. Libraries are treasure troves of information and resources. I have been an active member of 20 libraries in 4 different cities across 3 countries during my time on this planet. Libraries have allowed me to feed my potentially expensive habit of voracious reading and consumption of all things musical. Being a member of the New York Public Library is one of my greatest joys. Much of this very site has been researched, and written, from within the walls of the Performing Arts Library at Lincoln Center, and the many branches of the NYPL dotted across Manhattan. With my shiny red library card, I have access to countless books, recordings, databases, and expertise, all for free. In a world and time where seeing a live musical is often prohibitively expensive, I encourage you to visit your local library and see what they have on offer. There are currently 71 musicals in the database available on DVD. Check in at your local library to see if they have a copy, and if they don’t, see if you can request one. In my experience, libraries are accommodating to new requests, and chances are you are not the only person looking for the content. This post was written in celebration of the 60th anniversary of National Library Week in the United States. Producing this website is a labor of love that requires hours of time, and money to run the site and conduct research. If you enjoy what you find here, please consider becoming a Patron. You will be supporting research into filmed live musicals and allow me to continue growing the database.
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Andrew Lloyd Webber is having quite a moment. To celebrate his 70th birthday on March 22, the prolific composer published a new memoir Unmasked, and released a “personally curated” 4-disc album, Unmasked: The Platinum Collectionfeaturing hit songs from across his 50-year career in musical theatre. On March 28, NBC aired the documentary Andrew Lloyd Webber Tribute to a Superstar, and on April 1 broadcast Jesus Christ Superstar in Concert live on national television. The Lord Lloyd Webber has composed 20 musicals, 18 of which have played on the West End, and 13 on Broadway. In 2017, Lloyd Webber became the first composer since Rodgers and Hammerstein to have 4 shows running concurrently on Broadway — Cats, The Phantom of the Opera, Sunset Boulevard, and School of Rock. At the time of writing, The Phantom of the Opera and School of Rock are playing on Broadway and the West End, while Love Never Dies and Jesus Christ Superstar are on national tours of the United States. The Woman in White continues to run on the West End, and Sunset Boulevard, Evita, and Starlight Express are being performed throughout the UK and Europe. In honor of NBC’s triumphant Jesus Christ Superstar in Concert, let’s take a look at all the Lloyd Webber musicals that have been filmed live and released to the public. Filmed Live Musicals Jesus Christ Superstar
Tell Me On a Sunday
Song and Dance
Love Never Dies
The Phantom of the Opera
Other Films/Live Recordings Aspects of Love
Evita
School of Rock
Starlight Express
Film Versions In addition to filmed live musicals, several of Lloyd Webber’s shows have been adapted into film versions. By Jeeves
Cats
Jesus Christ Superstar
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
The Phantom of the Opera
To Andrew Lloyd Webber, thank you for your immense contributions to musical theatre, and for making so much of your work available to audiences around the world through the screen. Am I missing any productions? Remember bootlegs are not included in the database! Producing this website is a labor of love that requires hours of time, and money to run the site and conduct research. If you enjoy what you find here, please consider becoming a Patron. You will be supporting research into filmed live musicals and allow me to continue growing the database.
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