There are so many musicals streaming online right now it's hard to keep up! 

Today alone, the 8th of May, there are THREE filmed live musicals being made available for a limited time for free (not to mention all the musicals already available online)!

If you are so able, please consider making a donation to the institutions providing these streams, especially the independent theatres. Times are tough for everyone right now, and the theatre industry is facing an incredibly difficult time. Theatres rely on ticket sales to bring in income, and with the shutdown, many institutions are facing serious economic difficulty. If we can, let's give back to the places that give us so much joy.  

Pieces of String 
A new British musical set simultaneously in 1940 and the present day exploring LGBT themes, and the impact of secrets on generations. Free to watch from 10am - 11.59pm (GMT) on May 8 only at Mercury Theatre Colchester. If you miss the free screening, it's also available for a small fee from Digital Theatre. 

The King and I 
Bartlett Sher's gorgeous Lincoln Center revival starring Kelli O'Hara and Ken Watanabe filmed live during its West End run at the London Palladium. Free watch party on May 8 at 8pm (EST) hosted BroadwayHD and Playbill. Only available in North America. Also available through a BroadwayHD subscription. 

By Jeeves 
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Alan Ayckbourn's musical based on the book by P.G. Wodehouse. Will be available to stream for free from 2pm on May 8 for 48 hours on YouTube. 

Royal Court Livestream
Missing being inside an actual theatre? This one is not a musical, but London's Royal Court theatre is live-streaming from within the empty auditorium on May 8th with Caretaker, a "durational installation" by Hester Chillingworth. 7.30pm GMT. Visit Royal Court for more info. 

Still want MORE musicals?! You can visit the Filmed Live Musicals database and search for musicals to watch online! There are currently 75 musicals listed as available online, with more being added each week. 

Happy viewing! 

My dance card is getting full! The end of 2018 is shaping up to be something wonderful for Filmed Live Musicals with several new filmed live releases on the horizon. Find out what's coming to a cinema near you!

October
Emma, a new “soundstage musical” created by Paul Gordon (co-creator of Daddy Long Legs, the first off-Broadway musical to be livestreamed), was released on the newly launched Streaming Musicals on October 3.

Funny Girl starring Sheridan Smith and filmed live on the West End by Digital Theatre will screen globally in select cinemas on October 24. Go to https://www.funnygirlincinemas.com/ for local listings.

To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the hit Broadway musical Wicked, NBC will present "A Very Wicked Halloween” on October 29th. The concert will be performed at the Marquis Theatre, with original leading ladies Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel hosting.
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November
Filmed live in London, An American in Paris will air on PBS on November 2. It will also be available to stream through the PBS website on November 3, and is already available to stream on BroadwayHD. 

The West End musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie will be screened in select cinemas across the United States on November 7, with encore screenings on November 11 and 14. To find local listings visit https://www.jamieincinemas.com/.

The acclaimed Lincoln Center revival of The King and I transferred to the West End this year, opening at the Palladium. The production was filmed live and will be released in the United States on November 29 and December 4 under the title The King And I: From The Palladium. Find local listings at https://www.kingandimusicalcinema.com. 

British actor and writer Carrie Sutton has performed in many West End musicals including Sister Act: The Musical, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Little Women, Cabaret, Imagine This, and Kiss Me, Kate. She also worked as a dresser on the recent West End musical The Wind in the Willows. You can catch Carrie performing as Laurey in Oklahoma! later this month at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage.

Imagine This, Kiss Me, Kate, and The Wind in the Willows were all filmed live. I recently chatted with Carrie about her experiences working on these filmed live musicals. 

What difference is there between acting for camera and acting on stage? How does that translate when you’re filming a live stage show? 
You’re still giving a theatrical performance, but there is an awareness of the camera. It’s a different scale. I aimed for the middle of the audience rather than the back, and in close-up moments, I tried to be still. The audience is recorded too, and that energy translates on camera. 

For “Kiss Me, Kate” and “The Wind in the Willows,” we did pick-ups after the performance. For example, a mic went down during the show, so afterwards we re-recorded some scenes out of sequence.

You knew Kiss Me, Kate was going to be filmed from the outset. Did you rehearse for the stage or for the camera? 
We rehearsed it as a piece of theatre, and it was filmed as a piece of theatre. In fact, John Wilson [the conductor], told us to “chip your teeth on the words” because Royal Albert Hall is so big. You really have to work hard to make yourself understood in that space. So we definitely worked for the live performance of it. 

We had rehearsals at the Town Hall in Belsize Park, and then the camera guys would come in and see the work. They would check angles and close-ups, and compare it to marked-up scripts. There is a lot of back and forth between the director, the DP [director pf photography], and the choreographer. It’s very much a group effort.

"Kiss Me, Kate" aired during prime time on Christmas Day. That was so exciting for me. A real bucket list item. 

Stage musicals are sometimes altered when the cameras come in. What aspects of Imagine This were changed for the filming?
Some slight blocking changes were made to accommodate the cameras, but from the actors’ perspective very little was changed. 

What was it like working as a dresser on “Wind in the Willows”? 
It was filmed over three days. We had a dress rehearsal for close-ups, and where they got pick-up footage for when things go wrong in live filming, like a child screaming in the audience, or costume failure. The costumes had to be immaculate — it has to be perfect for film. What passes on a regular show won’t pass on a recording. Socks have to be level, ties have to be straight. There is extra attention to detail on quick changes because all the clothes use velcro, ties are stuck on with velcro, shirts do up with velcro, it has to be exact or it doesn’t look right. 

How do contract negotiations work for filmed live musicals? 
All the negotiations are done through the producer. For “Imagine This” we were given a fee for filming, or perhaps we waived it, and were bought out for the broadcasts. “Kiss Me, Kate” was all done prior and we just signed a standard BBC contract. If you had a step out, you received extra. 

You get reimbursed for royalties. It’s all worked out with the cast and crew and everyone is allocated points based on how much you work during the rehearsals and during the show. Like in “The Wizard of Oz,” we ended up distributing points based on word count. The female ensemble had a lot more to do in that show, so we were given more points. 

EPKs [Electronic Press Kit] are included in new contracts. We spend around a day in the theatre shooting scenes for promotional copy. The scenes are different from what’s in the show, we learn new blocking that works better for the camera, like a dance will be more spaced out, or the angles will be slightly different. “The Wizard of Oz” were on Children in Need. We did a montage specifically for that show. It was covered in the EPK as “reasonable promotion.” 

What do you think of filmed live musicals or filmed live theatre in general?
It’s both theatre and film. It’s a record. It is important to have records of shows. People who would otherwise never be recorded are able to have a record of their work, especially ensemble members. It creates revenue for the production. It brings art back to the people. It makes the West End accessible to people who are far away. 

Do you have a favorite filmed live theatre event?
The entire Kenneth Branagh season. I saw it filmed live, and I watched the films. I loved the Royal Ballet’s “Alice in Wonderland.” I felt really involved in the production, even though I was watching it in the cinema. Also the RSC’s “Henry” plays. 

Why are filmed live musicals important? 
The “Imagine This” DVD potentially gives that show a future life. It honors the work of the all the people that create the show, all the creatives, and the cast. The level of work that went into the show is incredible. Everything was handmade for the production, and every moment of work is captured. It was just a flash in the pan, but all the work, and commitment, and artistry, it isn’t lost. 

Learn more about Carrie at www.carriesutton.com  and  http://www.londonvoiceover.com/carrie-sutton/. 

It’s an exciting time to be a lover of filmed live musicals. It sometimes seems like new shows are being announced every week, and in the coming months we will be able to enjoy recent Broadway and West End musicals on the big screen.  

Here is a list of recent releases and what is coming up in 2018.

Recent Releases
The Toxic Avenger 
Filmed live during its run at the Arts Theatre in London in 2017, The Toxic Avenger is a quirky and dark humored musical about New Jersey’s very own superhero. The musical was recently screened at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, and is now available to stream on BroadwayHD.

The Wind in the Willows
Filmed live during its West End run in 2017, this new Stiles and Drewe musical was screened in cinemas throughout the UK during the Easter period in 2018. The Wind in the Willows is now available to stream on BroadwayHD.

Lazarus 
One of Bowie’s final projects was the off-Broadway musical Lazarus. The London production, starring Michael C. Hall, was filmed live during its run at the purpose built King’s Cross Theatre. The May 2 screening at the King's Theatre in Brooklyn featured live accompaniment by the original off-Broadway band.   

Coming Up in 2018
An American in Paris
The highly acclaimed and multi-award winning Théâtre du Châtelet production of An American Paris received Broadway and West End productions. The West End production was filmed live in 2017 and will be released in cinemas around the world on May 16, 2018. To find tickets, visit the musical’s official film website.

Everyone’s Talking About Jamie
Inspired by true events, Everyone’s Talking About Jamie is a musical about Jamie New’s coming-of-age on the Sheffield council estate, overcoming prejudice and finding the spotlight. More2Screen will screen the smash-hit West End musical in cinemas in the UK and Ireland on July 5, 2018. The rest of the world will be able to watch the popular musical in cinemas later in the year.

Bandstand
A Broadway musical about American soldiers returning home after World War II, Bandstand was filmed during its run at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. The musical will be available in cinemas through Fathom Events on June 25 and 28, 2018.

Allegiance 
Inspired by true events from George Takei's life, Allegiance is a musical about the internment of Japanese American citizens in the United States during World War II.  A DVD release of the live capture has been announced, but a date has not yet been set.
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Stage
A new streaming network dedicated to live theatre content is slated to launch in August. Learn more at http://www.thestagenetwork.com/.

myCinema
During the recently held CinemaCon in Vegas, digital content provider NAGRA announced the launch of myCinema. Similar to Fathom Events, myCinema will provide movie theatres with new alternative content, including live theatre. No announcements have been made about what offerings will be available through myCinema, but it’s exciting to see more platforms trying to make filmed live theatre content available to the world.

​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

• The 2012 Jesus Christ Superstar Arena Tour was filmed live in Birmingham. The production starred Tim Minchin as Judas, Melanie as Mary Magdalene, and Ben Forster as Jesus.
• NBC’s Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert was a departure from previous live television musicals as it was filmed in one location, and with a live audience.
• The 1992 Australian production starring John Farnham as Jesus, and Kate Cebrano as Mary was filmed live, but has not been officially released. A highlights album was released in 1992.

Tell Me On a Sunday

• The initial production was a made-for-tv special taped live at the Royalty Theatre, London on Jan 28, 1980. It aired on the BBC on Feb 12 and March 9 1980, and again a year later. The show starred Marti Webb performing with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Song and Dance

• A special performance of Song and Dance starring Sarah Brightman was held at the Palace Theatre, London on April 28, 1984. It was taped by the BBC and aired on August 27, 1984.

Love Never Dies

• The 2011 Australian production was filmed live in Melbourne. It was released in cinemas and on DVD.

The Phantom of the Opera

• The 25th anniversary gala at Royal Albert Hall was broadcast live to cinemas around the world. Footage from three performances was combined and released on DVD, and on American television.
• On the 30th anniversary of both the Broadway and West End productions, special curtain calls were livestreamed on Facebook. ​

​Other Films/Live Recordings 
Aspects of Love

• The Australian production directed by Gale Edwards was filmed in November 1992. The film is held at the University of New England Stage and Screen Collection.

Evita

• John Snelson’s biography on Andrew Lloyd Webber lists an “audio visual presentation of original recording” of Evita that was presented at the Sydmonton Festival in 1976.

School of Rock

• In October 2015, School of Rock became the first Broadway musical to release a 3D promotional clip. Filmed in a classroom, the clip featured cast members performing “You’re in the Band.” Within 3 days, the clip had been viewed over 1 million times on YouTube.
• In December 2017, NBC Nightly News visited School of Rock on Broadway and filmed another 3D video of “You’re in the Band.”

Starlight Express

• Selections from the long-running Bochum production were presented on German television in 1989. The Bochum production, which in 2018 will be celebrating it’s 30th anniversary, has released two live albums, one in 1989, and the second in 2013.

Film Versions
In addition to filmed live musicals, several of Lloyd Webber’s shows have been adapted into film versions. 

By Jeeves

• Made for television version produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Company, Really Useful Films, and Tapestry Pictures in 2001

Cats

• Directed by David Mallett, the film version of Cats was released in 1998. The film featured actors from both the London and New York original casts.

Jesus Christ Superstar

• Directed by Norman Jewison, the first film adaptation was released in 1973.
• A second film adaptation based on the Broadway revival directed by Gale Edwards was released in 2000.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

• Also directed by David Mallett, the 1999 film starred Donny Osmond, Maria Friedman, Richard Attenborogh, and Joan Collins.

The Phantom of the Opera

• Directed by Joel Schumaker, the 2004 film version starred Gerard Butler as the Phantom, and Emmy Rossum as Christine Daae.

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! 

In the final week of Women’s Month, let’s take a look at the producers.

In an earlier post, I took a look at the representation of women in the production teams of filmed live musicals. After costume design, the area where women had the highest representation was producing. In the current database, a total of 53 women have produced 34 filmed live musicals. Many musicals credit companies rather than people as producers, so these numbers may actually be higher.

Four of these women, Ellen M. Krass, Iris Merlis, Dione Orrom, and Bonnie Comley have been instrumental to bringing filmed live musicals to the world. Between them, these women have produced 19 filmed live musicals, which is 55% of all the musicals produced by women, and 15% of all the musicals currently in the database. Many of the musicals were Broadway or West End productions, and, in a fun tidbit related to last week’s post on Sondheim, nearly one-third of female produced musicals were written by Sondheim.

Ellen M. Krass
In a career spanning over 30 years, Ellen M. Krass has been instrumental in bringing theatre to film and television. Krass worked as an executive producer for RKO/Nederlander before forming her own company, EMK Productions. She has won 2 Emmy Awards, including the  Outstanding Classical Music-Dance Program for  Sweeney Todd in Concert in 2002 (shared with Iris Merlis and several others). Her filmed live musical credits include Sweeney Todd (1982 and 2001), Candide, Company, Gypsy, and She Loves Me. Krass also produced the 1985 concert production of Follies.

Dione Orrom
Dione Orrom has worked as a producer for film, opera, and live music concerts, with The English National Opera, Cirque du Soleil, The Three Tenors, Tina Turner, Elton John, and Cher among her many credits. Orrom has worked extensively in bringing live theatre to cinema and television. Her filmed live musical credits include the 25th anniversary productions of The Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables, Billy Elliot, Miss Saigon, and The War of the Worlds.

Iris Merlis
Since graduating from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1961, New York native Iris Merlis has worked as a stage manager, production consultant, and producer for film, television, and theatre. With credits spanning the ABC, HBO, and PBS, Merlis has been instrumental in producing theatre for television and film. Her filmed live musical credits include Candide, Into the Woods, Sunday in the Park with George, Sweeney Todd. Along with Ellen M. Krass, and several other producers, Merlis won an Emmy for Sweeney Todd in Concert.

Bonnie Comley
Bonnie Comley has worked as an actor, and producer for film, television, and Broadway. Over the past 14 years, Bonnie Comley, along with her husband Stewart F. Lane, has produced over 20 Broadway shows, including A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson, and Legally Blonde the Musical. In 2015, Comley and Lane launched BroadwayHD, a subscription-based streaming service for live theatre productions. The site features musicals such as Billy Elliot, Daddy Long Legs, Les Miserables, Jesus Christ Superstar, and most recently The Wind in the Willows.

I hope women and girls see the work of these tremendous women and are inspired to become producers themselves.

From Here to Eternity (2014)

• director: Tamara Harvey
• A musical based on the novel of the same name. Filmed live during its West End run and released in cinemas. Now available to view on BroadwayHD and on DVD. ​

Merrily We Roll Along (2012)

• director: Maria Friedman
• producer: Debbie Bindo, Sonia Friedman, Tanya Bink
• scenic & costume design: Soutra Gilmour
• musical director: Catherine Jayes
• The Menier Chocolate Factory’s smash hit 2012 production. Filmed by Digital Theatre, and released in cinemas and online. Not currently available to view. ​

When Hell Freezes Over I’ll Skate (1979)

• director: Vinnette Carroll
• Musical featuring poetry by people of color set to music. Conceived and directed by trailblazer Vinnette Carroll. Taped live and aired on Channel 13’s Theater in America. Now available on DVD. ​