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Photo credit: Laurice Marier
In episode 6 of the Filmed Live Musicals podcast, I chat with actor David Colston Corris who portrayed Maximus the horse in the recently released filmed live Disney musical Tangled, which was performed aboard the cruise ship Disney Magic. We chat about puppeteering, working on a cruise ship, and what it took to bring Maximus to life.
Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, David has performed for audiences all over the world! National/International Tours: AVENUE Q (Princeton/Rod), RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER: THE MUSICAL (Coach Comet, Charlie-in-the-Box), CURIOUS GEORGE LIVE! (Freddy), and John Tartagila's IMAGINOCEAN (Dorsel). Cruise Lines: DISNEY CRUISE LINE (World Premier cast of TANGLED: THE MUSICAL (Maximus), FROZEN: A MUSICAL SPECTACULAR (Olaf, Duke of Weselton) and NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE (Nickelodeon Host). Regional Theaters: CASA MANANA, SAN JOSE STAGE COMPANY, THE HANGAR THEATRE, GEVA THEATRE CENTER. Theme Parks: WALT DISNEY WORLD, UNIVERSAL STUDIOS ORLANDO, SESAME PLACE and STORYLAND. In addition to performing, David designs and builds puppets. He has also taught puppetry privately, regionally, and for shows and workshops at WALT DISNEY WORLD. David is an active member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. David holds a B.F.A. in Musical Theater from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.
Available now on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Overcast and more! Click here for links!
Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, David has performed for audiences all over the world! National/International Tours: AVENUE Q (Princeton/Rod), RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER: THE MUSICAL (Coach Comet, Charlie-in-the-Box), CURIOUS GEORGE LIVE! (Freddy), and John Tartagila's IMAGINOCEAN (Dorsel). Cruise Lines: DISNEY CRUISE LINE (World Premier cast of TANGLED: THE MUSICAL (Maximus), FROZEN: A MUSICAL SPECTACULAR (Olaf, Duke of Weselton) and NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE (Nickelodeon Host). Regional Theaters: CASA MANANA, SAN JOSE STAGE COMPANY, THE HANGAR THEATRE, GEVA THEATRE CENTER. Theme Parks: WALT DISNEY WORLD, UNIVERSAL STUDIOS ORLANDO, SESAME PLACE and STORYLAND. In addition to performing, David designs and builds puppets. He has also taught puppetry privately, regionally, and for shows and workshops at WALT DISNEY WORLD. David is an active member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. David holds a B.F.A. in Musical Theater from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.
Available now on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Overcast and more! Click here for links!
Check out behind-the-scenes footage from Oh My Disney of David puppeteering Maximus, and learn more about Tangled in the database!
If you like what you hear, make sure to like and subscribe, and leave a review!
If you like what you hear, make sure to like and subscribe, and leave a review!
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With the pandemic came a plethora of filmed live theatre content being released online. Many in the industry were genuinely surprised that audiences wanted to watch theatre on screen, and even pay for it! As discussed with Caroline Friedman - CEO of the new theatre streaming service Scenesaver - in this month’s podcast, we have been recording live theatre since the invention of the moving picture.
Despite the fact that the first live broadcast of a musical took place in 1939, and even with the release of Hamilton last month, the theatre industry as a whole is still not savvy to the history, magic, and importance of filmed live theatre. In a recent interview for The TheaterMakers Studio, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of BroadwayWorld, claimed that “very little” has happened in the world of filmed live theatre despite decades of discussions. The nearly 200 musicals in the Filmed Live Musicals database heartily disagree! And that doesn’t even include the hundreds, possibly thousands, of operas, plays, ballets, and classical concerts that have been captured and enjoyed by literally millions of people around the world!
After the release of Hamilton, Jon Kamen, CEO of RadicalMedia, reportedly claimed that with the filming of RENT: Live on Broadway in 2008, RadicalMedia had "developed the nomenclature and a whole style of filming it in a very cinematic fashion.” Again, the producers of Pacific Overtures (filmed live in 1976), Into the Woods (filmed in 1991), and the cinematographers for the Met Live in HD, founded in 2006, all might have something to say about that.
We still have to answer questions of when to release films, and how to fairly pay the cast, crew, and creatives, but these should not be obstacles to documenting theatre. Filming live theatre provides access to theatre for people who may not be able to see a production due to geography, cost, or disability. It is an incredible educational tool, not just for students, but for historians, industry folks, and the wider public. Digital technology has made captures easier, more dynamic, and more watchable than ever.
All of this is why I started Filmed Live Musicals. As a place to catalog the musicals that have been legally captured for the screen and publicly distributed, to provide a space for people to find that content, and to show the historic value of filmed live musicals. Ultimately, it is a way to capture ephemeral moments in time so that we may enjoy them, learn from them, and remember the musicals, even when the bodies inside the now-disintegrated costumes have turned to dust.
Despite the fact that the first live broadcast of a musical took place in 1939, and even with the release of Hamilton last month, the theatre industry as a whole is still not savvy to the history, magic, and importance of filmed live theatre. In a recent interview for The TheaterMakers Studio, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of BroadwayWorld, claimed that “very little” has happened in the world of filmed live theatre despite decades of discussions. The nearly 200 musicals in the Filmed Live Musicals database heartily disagree! And that doesn’t even include the hundreds, possibly thousands, of operas, plays, ballets, and classical concerts that have been captured and enjoyed by literally millions of people around the world!
After the release of Hamilton, Jon Kamen, CEO of RadicalMedia, reportedly claimed that with the filming of RENT: Live on Broadway in 2008, RadicalMedia had "developed the nomenclature and a whole style of filming it in a very cinematic fashion.” Again, the producers of Pacific Overtures (filmed live in 1976), Into the Woods (filmed in 1991), and the cinematographers for the Met Live in HD, founded in 2006, all might have something to say about that.
We still have to answer questions of when to release films, and how to fairly pay the cast, crew, and creatives, but these should not be obstacles to documenting theatre. Filming live theatre provides access to theatre for people who may not be able to see a production due to geography, cost, or disability. It is an incredible educational tool, not just for students, but for historians, industry folks, and the wider public. Digital technology has made captures easier, more dynamic, and more watchable than ever.
All of this is why I started Filmed Live Musicals. As a place to catalog the musicals that have been legally captured for the screen and publicly distributed, to provide a space for people to find that content, and to show the historic value of filmed live musicals. Ultimately, it is a way to capture ephemeral moments in time so that we may enjoy them, learn from them, and remember the musicals, even when the bodies inside the now-disintegrated costumes have turned to dust.
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Pride Month may be over, but that's no reason to stop celebrating, and definitely not a reason to stop advocating for LGBTQI rights and representation. While there is an ever-growing list of mainstream musicals where gay and lesbian characters are treated as more than the punchline, very few of these musicals have been filmed live and publicly released. Oh, how I wish Head Over Heels (which in 2018 featured the first openly transgender woman, Peppermint, originating a role on Broadway) and The Prom (telling the story of a group of Broadway actors who help a lesbian student bring her girlfriend to prom) had been filmed live during their Broadway runs. #MORELesbiansOnBroadway!
In alphabetical order, here’s a look at some filmed live musicals with LGBTQ themes and central characters who identify as LGBTQ.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie tells the story of a gay teenager who lives in a Yorkshire council estate and dreams of becoming a drag queen. Composed by first-time theatre writers Dan Gillespie Sells (music) and Tom MacRae (book and lyrics), it was inspired by the 2011 BBC documentary Jamie: Drag Queen at 16. The musical opened on the West End in 2016. It was filmed live in 2018, and broadcast in cinemas throughout the UK and Ireland, and in the North America. A movie adaptation was due for release this year, but has been postponed due to COVID. I really hope they release the filmed live version, because it is GLORIOUS.
Falsettos
Adapted from earlier William Finn works, Falsettos tells the story of a dysfunctional but loving Jewish New York family in the late 1970s. Marvin leaves his family, wife Trina and young son Jason, when he falls in love with another man, Whizzer. Trina ends up with the family psychiatrist Mendel, and the “family” is completed by lesbian neighbors Dr. Charlotte and Cordelia. When Whizzer is diagnosed with AIDS, the whole family comes together.
The musical first opened on Broadway to rave reviews at the Golden Theater in 1992. Lincoln Center staged a highly praised revival in 2016, which was filmed live in 2017 for Live from Lincoln Center and later broadcast in cinemas across North America. The musical was also broadcast on PBS, and is now available to stream on BroadwayHD.
Fun Home
Composed by Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron, and based on Alison Bechdel’s best-selling graphic novel of the same name, Fun Home is an intimate musical in which grown-up Alison looks back on her life in relation to her closeted father’s suicide shortly after she came out as a lesbian.
After an award-winning run at the Public Theater in 2013, the musical transferred to Broadway where it played a the Circle in the Square Theatre and became the first musical to win a Tony Award for Best Original Score by an all-female writing team.
Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago staged a production well-received production in 2017 which was recorded for archival purposes. In response to the COVID-19 shutdown, Victory Gardens Theater streamed the archival recording for a limited time in May.
Kinky Boots
Inspired by a true story, Kinky Boots tells the story of Charlie, who reverses the sinking fortunes of his family’s shoe business after meeting Lola, a drag queen in need of a sexy but sturdy shoe. With a score by Cyndi Lauper and book by Harvey Fierstein, the musical adaptation opened on Broadway in 2013 starring Billy Porter in the role of Lola.
The West End production opened in 2015 and was later filmed live by BroadwayHD. It was aired in cinemas in 2019, and is now available to view on BroadwayHD.
Pieces of String
Pieces of String is an original musical set both in 1940 and the present day. When Jane returns to the family home after her father’s funeral to begin clearing out the house, she unfolds a devastating secret, the ramifications of which stretch across generations.
Writer and composer Gus Gowland was inspired to create Pieces of String after seeing a BBC documentary that briefly mentioned gay relationships in the UK and USA during World War II, and modern day stories of gay men being unable to donate blood. Gowland sought to widen the scope for the way gay male characters are portrayed in musical theatre (a topic which he later explored in his PhD dissertation), and attempted to ensure women were also equally represented in the musical.
Pieces of String premiered at the UK’s Mercury Theatre Colchester in 2019 where it was filmed live. The musical is currently available to rent on Digital Theatre.
RENT
A modern re-interpretation of Puccini’s La Boheme, RENT tells the story of a group of friends and artists living in the East Village in New York in the late 1980s. The musical features several gay characters, including Tom Collins, a college professor who is gay and HIV positive, Angel Dumott Schunard, a drumming drag queen who is also HIV positive, Maureen Johnson, a bisexual performance artist, and Joanne Jefferson a public interest lawyer and lesbian.
Following a sold-out run at the New York Theatre Workshop, RENT transferred to Broadway in 1996 and went on to play 5123 performances before closing in September 2008. The final night of the original Broadway production was filmed live, and RENT: Filmed Live on Broadway is widely available on DVD, YouTube, Amazon, VUDU, and Google Play.
Taboo
Taboo the Musical is a love story set against the artistic backdrop of the New Romantic period in 1980s England, interweaving autobiographical elements from the lives of Australian-born performance artist Leigh Bowery, and unashamedly-out pop star Boy George. The musical opened on the West End in 2002, and despite lukewarm reviews, was a smash hit with audiences. The original London production was filmed in 2003 and is available on DVD (Region 2 only).
Yank!
YANK! tells the story of male soldiers falling in love, depicting the gay world that “thrived just beneath the surface of the US Army in the 1940s.” The musical was a hit of the NY Musical Theatre Festival in 2005, and had a successful off-Broadway run in 2010. Below 54th hosted a 10th anniversary concert earlier this year, and the video is currently available on YouTube.
Extra content:
These musicals are not specifically focused around LGBT storylines, but feature LGBT characters or themes.
Bad Girls: The Musical
Based on the award-winning British drama, the musical premiered in 2006 before transferring to the West End in 2007. It was filmed live during its West End run is now available to rent on Vimeo.
Naked Boys Singing
A revue-style musical, with, as the title suggests, a group of men singing in a state of undress. Although the musical was a long-running off-Broadway staple, the filmed live version was panned by critics. If watching a bunch of naked dudes singing about things that affect dudes is your thing, you can watch it on Amazon.
The Rocky Horror Show
The cult-phenomenon started life as a stage show in 1973 that was put together in just three weeks.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Royal Court Theatre in 2006, a special production of The Rocky Horror Tribute Show was staged featuring original cast members from stage and screen. The event was filmed live and is now widely available on DVD.
A 40th anniversary gala production was staged at the Playhouse in London in 2015. and the event was livestreamed in cinemas across Europe and the UK. It was later briefly available in the USA on BBC America. The film has not yet been officially released.
Victor/Victoria
Starring Julie Andrews and based on the 1982 film of the same name, the musical tells the story of Victoria Grant, an out-of-work British soprano who unsuccessfully auditions for a jazz club in Paris. She befriends Toddy who convinces her to disguise herself as a man pretending to be a woman. Filmed live on Broadway for Japanese television in 1995 with the original cast, the musical is widely available on DVD and Blu-Ray.
Bonus Audio Content
Queer Music Heritage has an excellent list of musicals queer-centric musicals that received commercial cast recordings.
In alphabetical order, here’s a look at some filmed live musicals with LGBTQ themes and central characters who identify as LGBTQ.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie tells the story of a gay teenager who lives in a Yorkshire council estate and dreams of becoming a drag queen. Composed by first-time theatre writers Dan Gillespie Sells (music) and Tom MacRae (book and lyrics), it was inspired by the 2011 BBC documentary Jamie: Drag Queen at 16. The musical opened on the West End in 2016. It was filmed live in 2018, and broadcast in cinemas throughout the UK and Ireland, and in the North America. A movie adaptation was due for release this year, but has been postponed due to COVID. I really hope they release the filmed live version, because it is GLORIOUS.
Falsettos
Adapted from earlier William Finn works, Falsettos tells the story of a dysfunctional but loving Jewish New York family in the late 1970s. Marvin leaves his family, wife Trina and young son Jason, when he falls in love with another man, Whizzer. Trina ends up with the family psychiatrist Mendel, and the “family” is completed by lesbian neighbors Dr. Charlotte and Cordelia. When Whizzer is diagnosed with AIDS, the whole family comes together.
The musical first opened on Broadway to rave reviews at the Golden Theater in 1992. Lincoln Center staged a highly praised revival in 2016, which was filmed live in 2017 for Live from Lincoln Center and later broadcast in cinemas across North America. The musical was also broadcast on PBS, and is now available to stream on BroadwayHD.
Fun Home
Composed by Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron, and based on Alison Bechdel’s best-selling graphic novel of the same name, Fun Home is an intimate musical in which grown-up Alison looks back on her life in relation to her closeted father’s suicide shortly after she came out as a lesbian.
After an award-winning run at the Public Theater in 2013, the musical transferred to Broadway where it played a the Circle in the Square Theatre and became the first musical to win a Tony Award for Best Original Score by an all-female writing team.
Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago staged a production well-received production in 2017 which was recorded for archival purposes. In response to the COVID-19 shutdown, Victory Gardens Theater streamed the archival recording for a limited time in May.
Kinky Boots
Inspired by a true story, Kinky Boots tells the story of Charlie, who reverses the sinking fortunes of his family’s shoe business after meeting Lola, a drag queen in need of a sexy but sturdy shoe. With a score by Cyndi Lauper and book by Harvey Fierstein, the musical adaptation opened on Broadway in 2013 starring Billy Porter in the role of Lola.
The West End production opened in 2015 and was later filmed live by BroadwayHD. It was aired in cinemas in 2019, and is now available to view on BroadwayHD.
Pieces of String
Pieces of String is an original musical set both in 1940 and the present day. When Jane returns to the family home after her father’s funeral to begin clearing out the house, she unfolds a devastating secret, the ramifications of which stretch across generations.
Writer and composer Gus Gowland was inspired to create Pieces of String after seeing a BBC documentary that briefly mentioned gay relationships in the UK and USA during World War II, and modern day stories of gay men being unable to donate blood. Gowland sought to widen the scope for the way gay male characters are portrayed in musical theatre (a topic which he later explored in his PhD dissertation), and attempted to ensure women were also equally represented in the musical.
Pieces of String premiered at the UK’s Mercury Theatre Colchester in 2019 where it was filmed live. The musical is currently available to rent on Digital Theatre.
RENT
A modern re-interpretation of Puccini’s La Boheme, RENT tells the story of a group of friends and artists living in the East Village in New York in the late 1980s. The musical features several gay characters, including Tom Collins, a college professor who is gay and HIV positive, Angel Dumott Schunard, a drumming drag queen who is also HIV positive, Maureen Johnson, a bisexual performance artist, and Joanne Jefferson a public interest lawyer and lesbian.
Following a sold-out run at the New York Theatre Workshop, RENT transferred to Broadway in 1996 and went on to play 5123 performances before closing in September 2008. The final night of the original Broadway production was filmed live, and RENT: Filmed Live on Broadway is widely available on DVD, YouTube, Amazon, VUDU, and Google Play.
Taboo
Taboo the Musical is a love story set against the artistic backdrop of the New Romantic period in 1980s England, interweaving autobiographical elements from the lives of Australian-born performance artist Leigh Bowery, and unashamedly-out pop star Boy George. The musical opened on the West End in 2002, and despite lukewarm reviews, was a smash hit with audiences. The original London production was filmed in 2003 and is available on DVD (Region 2 only).
Yank!
YANK! tells the story of male soldiers falling in love, depicting the gay world that “thrived just beneath the surface of the US Army in the 1940s.” The musical was a hit of the NY Musical Theatre Festival in 2005, and had a successful off-Broadway run in 2010. Below 54th hosted a 10th anniversary concert earlier this year, and the video is currently available on YouTube.
Extra content:
These musicals are not specifically focused around LGBT storylines, but feature LGBT characters or themes.
Bad Girls: The Musical
Based on the award-winning British drama, the musical premiered in 2006 before transferring to the West End in 2007. It was filmed live during its West End run is now available to rent on Vimeo.
Naked Boys Singing
A revue-style musical, with, as the title suggests, a group of men singing in a state of undress. Although the musical was a long-running off-Broadway staple, the filmed live version was panned by critics. If watching a bunch of naked dudes singing about things that affect dudes is your thing, you can watch it on Amazon.
The Rocky Horror Show
The cult-phenomenon started life as a stage show in 1973 that was put together in just three weeks.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Royal Court Theatre in 2006, a special production of The Rocky Horror Tribute Show was staged featuring original cast members from stage and screen. The event was filmed live and is now widely available on DVD.
A 40th anniversary gala production was staged at the Playhouse in London in 2015. and the event was livestreamed in cinemas across Europe and the UK. It was later briefly available in the USA on BBC America. The film has not yet been officially released.
Victor/Victoria
Starring Julie Andrews and based on the 1982 film of the same name, the musical tells the story of Victoria Grant, an out-of-work British soprano who unsuccessfully auditions for a jazz club in Paris. She befriends Toddy who convinces her to disguise herself as a man pretending to be a woman. Filmed live on Broadway for Japanese television in 1995 with the original cast, the musical is widely available on DVD and Blu-Ray.
Bonus Audio Content
Queer Music Heritage has an excellent list of musicals queer-centric musicals that received commercial cast recordings.
Filmed Live Musicals is a labor of love that takes many hours of research and hundreds of dollars to run.
Thank you to patrons Mercedes Esteban-Lyons, Jesse Rabinowitz & Brenda Goodman, David & Katherine Rabinowitz, and Bec Twist, for financially supporting the site.
Become a patron and support original research into filmed live musicals.
Tiers start at $1/month. $5+ patrons receive early access to content with a monthly newsletter, and $10+ patrons will also receive early access to the new Filmed Live Musicals podcast.
Thank you to patrons Mercedes Esteban-Lyons, Jesse Rabinowitz & Brenda Goodman, David & Katherine Rabinowitz, and Bec Twist, for financially supporting the site.
Become a patron and support original research into filmed live musicals.
Tiers start at $1/month. $5+ patrons receive early access to content with a monthly newsletter, and $10+ patrons will also receive early access to the new Filmed Live Musicals podcast.
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The title of this week's blog is a line from the 1979 filmed live musical When Hell Freezes Over I’ll Skate. The musical is one of less than a dozen filmed live musicals with Black people in the creative team, and also one of less than twenty musicals in the current database with a female director.
Filmed Live Musicals is a space for documenting stage musicals that have been legally filmed and publicly distributed. Writing as a white cisgender female, I recognize my biases of being drawn to things that look like me, and that in the past I have skimmed over the fact that much of musical theatre is created by white people, and, usually white men. Due to the fact that I am only fluent in one language, English, the database does not currently have any musicals in languages other than English.
Going forward, I am committed to making Filmed Live Musicals a space for addressing white male dominance in musical theatre by amplifying non-white voices, and amplifying musical theatre created by non-white artists and creatives.
Over time, I will be updating the database to state when a musical is lacking gender and racial diversity in its creative team and/or cast, and providing a search function that will allow visitors to the site to find musicals by non-white, and female-identifying, writers and directors. I also plan to add a Search by Subject feature which will include Kid Friendly musicals.
This work is a labor of love. It is detailed, on-going, and necessary. I am thankful to my Patreons for financially supporting the site.
Filmed Live Musicals is a space for documenting stage musicals that have been legally filmed and publicly distributed. Writing as a white cisgender female, I recognize my biases of being drawn to things that look like me, and that in the past I have skimmed over the fact that much of musical theatre is created by white people, and, usually white men. Due to the fact that I am only fluent in one language, English, the database does not currently have any musicals in languages other than English.
Going forward, I am committed to making Filmed Live Musicals a space for addressing white male dominance in musical theatre by amplifying non-white voices, and amplifying musical theatre created by non-white artists and creatives.
Over time, I will be updating the database to state when a musical is lacking gender and racial diversity in its creative team and/or cast, and providing a search function that will allow visitors to the site to find musicals by non-white, and female-identifying, writers and directors. I also plan to add a Search by Subject feature which will include Kid Friendly musicals.
This work is a labor of love. It is detailed, on-going, and necessary. I am thankful to my Patreons for financially supporting the site.
Recent studies show we still have a long way to go to shifting the dominance of white bodies, voices, and creatives, in American theatre.
In an earlier post, History Has Its Eyes, I spotlighted filmed live musicals with Black actors in lead roles. This month, I’m taking a look at filmed live musicals with at least two Black people on the production team. Black lives matter, and it matters who gets to create the theatre that we consume and the stories that we tell.
Researching the racial make-up of creative teams is a tricky task as bios, articles, and websites often do not mention ethnicity. I have used self-identification, my own knowledge, and pictures. This method is not always reliable or accurate. For a start, it is possible for a person to pass as white, but still identify as Black. Another difficulty is that producers are sometimes listed as companies, rather than as individuals, so, although statistically small, it is possible that shows and people have been missed as a result.
If I have misidentified, or left off, a person from this list, please let me know and I will rectify the error.
Here is a chronological list of filmed live musicals with at least two Black people in the production team.
When Hell Freezes Over I’ll Skate
Producer: Urban Arts Corps
Director: Vinnette Carroll
Music: Cleavant Derricks and Clinton Derricks-Carroll
Musical Director: Cleavant Derricks
Based on poetry by: lindamichellebaron, Julian Bond, Linda Cousins, Countee Cullen, Walt Delegal, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Jacqueline Earley, Paula Giddings, Sam Greenlee, Langston Hughes, Saundra Sharp, and Quincy Troupe.
Founded by Vinnette Carroll in 1967, the Urban Arts Corps had the goal of developing the careers of Black and Hispanic actors in New York City, and creating accessible art for Black, Puerto Rican, and under-served communities. Carroll was a multi-talented and highly influential actor, director, and writer who found success in both the UK and the United States. She was the first, and still remains the only, African American nominated for a Tony Award for Best Director.
Staged at the Urban Arts Theater in 1979, When Hell Freezes Over I’ll Skate was a musical drama featuring the poetry of Black poets. The show was directed by Vinnette Carroll, and filmed live for Theater in America in 1979. The recording released on VHS in 1999, and DVD in 2003.
Ain’t Misbehavin’
Music and Lyrics: Fats Waller
Musical Director and Orchestrations: Luther Henderson
Set in a Harlem nightclub, Ain’t Misbehavin’ is a musical revue featuring the music of stride pianist Fats Waller. The Broadway production opened at the Longacre Theatre in May 1978. It won the 1978 Tony Award for Best Musical, and went on to play 1604 performances before closing in 1982. NBC aired a filmed live recording of the musical in June 1982. It hasn’t officially been released, but a copy has been uploaded to YouTube.
Sophisticated Ladies
Based on a concept by: Donald McKayle
Music: Duke Ellington
Musical Director: Mercer Ellington
Orchestrations: Al Cohn
Dance arrangements and incidental music: Lloyd Mayers
Vocal Arrangements: Malcolm Dodds and Lloyd Mayers
Choreography: Donald McKayle
Co-Choreography and Tap Choreography: Henry LeTang
Sophisticated Ladies is a revue celebrating the music of Duke Ellington. The musical opened on Broadway in March, 1981, and in November 1982, it became the first Broadway musical to air on pay TV. Due to difficult contract negotiations, and fears the telecast would affect ticket sales, most of the Broadway cast did not appear in the taping. The telecast was released on DVD in 2005, and it is currently available on BroadwayHD.
The Gospel at Colonus
Producer: Yvonne Smith
Make-Up Design: Toy Russell
The Gospel at Colonus is a re-telling of Sophocles’ Oepidus at Colonus through a pentecostal sermn. It was filmed live during the American Music Theater Festival in 1985 and aired on PBS’ Great Performances. The cast included Morgan Freeman, Carl Lumbly, Robert Earl Jones, The Institutional Radio Choir, Clarence Fountain and the Five Blind Boys of Alabama. It was released on DVD in 2008.
Passing Strange
Producer: Spike Lee
Book/Music/Lyrics/Orchestrations: Stew
Loosely based on the life of rock musician Stew, Passing Strange is a rock musical about a young man who leaves his conservative Californian home to find “the real” in Europe. The musical opened on Broadway at the Belasco Theatre in February 2008. Spike Lee filmed the Broadway production shortly before it closed in July 2008. Passing Strange: The Movie was released in 2009 to much acclaim. The film was aired on PBS in 2010, and also released on DVD. Passing Strange: The Movie is available to view on DVD.
FELA!
Producer: Jay Z, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith
Book: Bill T. Jones
Music & Lyrics: Fela Anikulapo-Kuti
Director/Choreography: Bill T. Jones
Hair, Wig, and Make-Up Design: Cookie Jordan
FELA! is a biographical musical about the pioneering Nigerian musician Fela Kuti. The musical was directed by choreographer and director Bill T. Jones, and featured Sahr Ngaujah in the title role. When FELA! opened in London in 2010, it became the first National Theatre musical production to be concurrently running on Broadway. The London production was filmed live for the National Theatre’s NT Live program, and broadcast in cinemas around the world. It is disappointing that the National Theatre did not release FELA! as part of its National Theatre at Home programme. The musical is not currently available to view.
Memphis
Musical Director: Kenny Seymour
Orchestrations: Daryl Waters
Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
Stage Manager: Alexis Shorter
Conductor: Kenny Seymour
Memphis is an original musical about the power of music to overcome racial divides in 1950s America. Despite lackluster reviews, the musical won 4 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and played on Broadway for three years. Memphis was the first Broadway musical to be released in cinemas whilst playing on Broadway. It was subsequently released on Netflix, DVD, and Blu-Ray, and aired on PBS’ Great Performances. Memphis is now available to stream on BroadwayHD and YouTube.
Rockin’ Down Fairytale Lane
Producer: Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe
Book: Nate Jacobs & Joey James
Music & Lyrics: Nate Jacobs
Concept & Director: Nate Jacobs
Musical Director: James “Jay” Dodge II
Choreography: Donald Frison
Scenic Design: Annette Breazeale
Costume Design: Angela Franklin-Mayo
Lighting Design: Michael Pasquini
Stage Manager: Juanita Munford
Videography/Editor: Bill Wagy
Think Into the Woods meets The Wiz. Written by Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s artistic director Nate Jacobs. The 2018 production was performed at the Donnelly Theatre in Florida and was streamed throughout most of June on the WBTT website.
Your Arms Too Short to Box With God
Producer: Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe
Book: Vinnette Carroll
Music & Lyrics: Alex Bradford and Micki Grant
Director: Harry Bryce
Musical Director: Jay Dodge II
Choreography: Donald Frison
Scenic Design: Michael Newton-Brown
Costume Design: Adrienne Pitts
Lighting Design: Nick Jones
Stage Manager: Juanita Munford
Based on the Book of Matthew, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God is gospel-infused re-telling of Jesus’ final days. Written by the aforementioned Vinnette Carroll with Alex Bradford and Micki Grant providing music and lyrics, the musical originally opened on Broadway in 1976. The Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe staged a production in March 2020 as part of their 20th anniversary season celebrating Black women. The musical was filmed live and released as a result of the COVID-19 shutdown. Due to licensing and Equity agreements, the musical was only available until April 19th, 2020.
- According to Women of Color on Broadway, between 2008 and 2015, people of color represented less than 25% of the theater industry.
- According to the Asian American Performers Action Coalition in the 2016/17 season, across Broadway and sixteen of the largest non-profit theatres:
- 87.1% of all productions were directed by a Caucasian director
- 68.2% of all directors were male
- 95% of Broadway plays and musicals were directed by Caucasian directors
- According to a 2017 Actors’ Equity report studying contracts between 2013 - 2015
- 74% of national stage management contracts went to Caucasian members
- 74% of national stage management contracts went to Caucasian members
In an earlier post, History Has Its Eyes, I spotlighted filmed live musicals with Black actors in lead roles. This month, I’m taking a look at filmed live musicals with at least two Black people on the production team. Black lives matter, and it matters who gets to create the theatre that we consume and the stories that we tell.
Researching the racial make-up of creative teams is a tricky task as bios, articles, and websites often do not mention ethnicity. I have used self-identification, my own knowledge, and pictures. This method is not always reliable or accurate. For a start, it is possible for a person to pass as white, but still identify as Black. Another difficulty is that producers are sometimes listed as companies, rather than as individuals, so, although statistically small, it is possible that shows and people have been missed as a result.
If I have misidentified, or left off, a person from this list, please let me know and I will rectify the error.
Here is a chronological list of filmed live musicals with at least two Black people in the production team.
When Hell Freezes Over I’ll Skate
Producer: Urban Arts Corps
Director: Vinnette Carroll
Music: Cleavant Derricks and Clinton Derricks-Carroll
Musical Director: Cleavant Derricks
Based on poetry by: lindamichellebaron, Julian Bond, Linda Cousins, Countee Cullen, Walt Delegal, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Jacqueline Earley, Paula Giddings, Sam Greenlee, Langston Hughes, Saundra Sharp, and Quincy Troupe.
Founded by Vinnette Carroll in 1967, the Urban Arts Corps had the goal of developing the careers of Black and Hispanic actors in New York City, and creating accessible art for Black, Puerto Rican, and under-served communities. Carroll was a multi-talented and highly influential actor, director, and writer who found success in both the UK and the United States. She was the first, and still remains the only, African American nominated for a Tony Award for Best Director.
Staged at the Urban Arts Theater in 1979, When Hell Freezes Over I’ll Skate was a musical drama featuring the poetry of Black poets. The show was directed by Vinnette Carroll, and filmed live for Theater in America in 1979. The recording released on VHS in 1999, and DVD in 2003.
Ain’t Misbehavin’
Music and Lyrics: Fats Waller
Musical Director and Orchestrations: Luther Henderson
Set in a Harlem nightclub, Ain’t Misbehavin’ is a musical revue featuring the music of stride pianist Fats Waller. The Broadway production opened at the Longacre Theatre in May 1978. It won the 1978 Tony Award for Best Musical, and went on to play 1604 performances before closing in 1982. NBC aired a filmed live recording of the musical in June 1982. It hasn’t officially been released, but a copy has been uploaded to YouTube.
Sophisticated Ladies
Based on a concept by: Donald McKayle
Music: Duke Ellington
Musical Director: Mercer Ellington
Orchestrations: Al Cohn
Dance arrangements and incidental music: Lloyd Mayers
Vocal Arrangements: Malcolm Dodds and Lloyd Mayers
Choreography: Donald McKayle
Co-Choreography and Tap Choreography: Henry LeTang
Sophisticated Ladies is a revue celebrating the music of Duke Ellington. The musical opened on Broadway in March, 1981, and in November 1982, it became the first Broadway musical to air on pay TV. Due to difficult contract negotiations, and fears the telecast would affect ticket sales, most of the Broadway cast did not appear in the taping. The telecast was released on DVD in 2005, and it is currently available on BroadwayHD.
The Gospel at Colonus
Producer: Yvonne Smith
Make-Up Design: Toy Russell
The Gospel at Colonus is a re-telling of Sophocles’ Oepidus at Colonus through a pentecostal sermn. It was filmed live during the American Music Theater Festival in 1985 and aired on PBS’ Great Performances. The cast included Morgan Freeman, Carl Lumbly, Robert Earl Jones, The Institutional Radio Choir, Clarence Fountain and the Five Blind Boys of Alabama. It was released on DVD in 2008.
Passing Strange
Producer: Spike Lee
Book/Music/Lyrics/Orchestrations: Stew
Loosely based on the life of rock musician Stew, Passing Strange is a rock musical about a young man who leaves his conservative Californian home to find “the real” in Europe. The musical opened on Broadway at the Belasco Theatre in February 2008. Spike Lee filmed the Broadway production shortly before it closed in July 2008. Passing Strange: The Movie was released in 2009 to much acclaim. The film was aired on PBS in 2010, and also released on DVD. Passing Strange: The Movie is available to view on DVD.
FELA!
Producer: Jay Z, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith
Book: Bill T. Jones
Music & Lyrics: Fela Anikulapo-Kuti
Director/Choreography: Bill T. Jones
Hair, Wig, and Make-Up Design: Cookie Jordan
FELA! is a biographical musical about the pioneering Nigerian musician Fela Kuti. The musical was directed by choreographer and director Bill T. Jones, and featured Sahr Ngaujah in the title role. When FELA! opened in London in 2010, it became the first National Theatre musical production to be concurrently running on Broadway. The London production was filmed live for the National Theatre’s NT Live program, and broadcast in cinemas around the world. It is disappointing that the National Theatre did not release FELA! as part of its National Theatre at Home programme. The musical is not currently available to view.
Memphis
Musical Director: Kenny Seymour
Orchestrations: Daryl Waters
Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
Stage Manager: Alexis Shorter
Conductor: Kenny Seymour
Memphis is an original musical about the power of music to overcome racial divides in 1950s America. Despite lackluster reviews, the musical won 4 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and played on Broadway for three years. Memphis was the first Broadway musical to be released in cinemas whilst playing on Broadway. It was subsequently released on Netflix, DVD, and Blu-Ray, and aired on PBS’ Great Performances. Memphis is now available to stream on BroadwayHD and YouTube.
Rockin’ Down Fairytale Lane
Producer: Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe
Book: Nate Jacobs & Joey James
Music & Lyrics: Nate Jacobs
Concept & Director: Nate Jacobs
Musical Director: James “Jay” Dodge II
Choreography: Donald Frison
Scenic Design: Annette Breazeale
Costume Design: Angela Franklin-Mayo
Lighting Design: Michael Pasquini
Stage Manager: Juanita Munford
Videography/Editor: Bill Wagy
Think Into the Woods meets The Wiz. Written by Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s artistic director Nate Jacobs. The 2018 production was performed at the Donnelly Theatre in Florida and was streamed throughout most of June on the WBTT website.
Your Arms Too Short to Box With God
Producer: Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe
Book: Vinnette Carroll
Music & Lyrics: Alex Bradford and Micki Grant
Director: Harry Bryce
Musical Director: Jay Dodge II
Choreography: Donald Frison
Scenic Design: Michael Newton-Brown
Costume Design: Adrienne Pitts
Lighting Design: Nick Jones
Stage Manager: Juanita Munford
Based on the Book of Matthew, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God is gospel-infused re-telling of Jesus’ final days. Written by the aforementioned Vinnette Carroll with Alex Bradford and Micki Grant providing music and lyrics, the musical originally opened on Broadway in 1976. The Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe staged a production in March 2020 as part of their 20th anniversary season celebrating Black women. The musical was filmed live and released as a result of the COVID-19 shutdown. Due to licensing and Equity agreements, the musical was only available until April 19th, 2020.
Filmed Live Musicals is a labor of love that takes many hours of research and hundreds of dollars to run.
Thank you to Star patrons Mercedes Esteban-Lyons, Jesse Rabinowitz & Brenda Goodman, and David & Katherine Rabinowitz, and Bec Twist, for financially supporting the site.
Become a patron and support original research into filmed live musicals.
Tiers start at $1/month. $5+ patrons receive early access to content with a monthly newsletter, and $10+ patrons will also receive early access to the new Filmed Live Musicals podcast.
Thank you to Star patrons Mercedes Esteban-Lyons, Jesse Rabinowitz & Brenda Goodman, and David & Katherine Rabinowitz, and Bec Twist, for financially supporting the site.
Become a patron and support original research into filmed live musicals.
Tiers start at $1/month. $5+ patrons receive early access to content with a monthly newsletter, and $10+ patrons will also receive early access to the new Filmed Live Musicals podcast.
- Published on
"And when our children tell our story..."
Today is Memorial Day, a day where we remember and honor the people who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. I don’t personally have loved ones who served for the United States, but my grandparents were liberated from Japanese occupation in the Philippines by American troops.
I think it is poignant that seventy years later, a Filipino actor, Lea Salonga, would depict a Japanese-American civilian interned on American soil in the Broadway musical Allegiance. Loosely based on actor George Takei’s experiences, Allegiance depicts the terrible treatment of Japanese-American citizens in the US, and the Japanese-American soldiers who fought for the US, during World War II. The musical opened on Broadway in 2015, and was later screened in cinemas around the US. It is now available on (a rather expensive) DVD, and from May 29 will stream for a limited time on Broadway on Demand.
Similarly set during the Second World War, Bandstand tells the story of Donny Novitsk, a musician who has returned from the war traumatized, but with the desire to re-build his life following the death of his best friend. Opening on Broadway in 2017, the musical was the first theatrical production to be certified by Got Your 6, a veteran’s advocacy organization whose work includes promoting the authentic portrayal of the military in entertainment. Bandstand was filmed live during its run and broadcast in cinemas across North America. To commemorate Memorial Day, the musical is available to stream for a small fee ($6.99 US) on Broadway on Demand from May 25th at 7.30pm, until June 2.
Also set on American soil, though two centuries earlier, the worldwide mega-hit and possibly the most-anticipated filmed live musical ever to be released, Hamilton, tells the story of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, and covers battles in the Revolutionary War. Hamilton, filmed live on Broadway in 2016, will be released on Disney+ on July 3.
Returning to World War II, and moving to the southern hemisphere, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 1949 musical South Pacific, was the first Broadway musical to explore stories of race and war. White characters Nellie Forbush, a nurse from Little Rock, Arkansas, and Lt Cable from Princeton, New Jersey, learn to overcome racial prejudice when they fall in love whilst stationed in Polynesia. The 2005 Carnegie Hall benefit production starring Reba McEntire, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Alec Baldwin is available on DVD. The 2008 Lincoln Center revival directed by Bartlett Sher, and starring Kelli O’Hara and Paulo Szot, was broadcast on American television on Live from Lincoln Center. It is not currently officially available to view.
Staying in the Asia-Pacific region, but moving to a later conflict, Miss Saigon tells of the ill-fated love between a young Vietnamese woman, Kim, and an American G.I., Chris. An adaptation of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly, Miss Saigon first opened in London in 1989 (starring the aforementioned Lea Salonga), and ran for ten years, becoming a worldwide sensation. To celebrate the musical’s 25th anniversary, producer Cameron Mackintosh revived Miss Saigon in the West End in 2014. The production was filmed and broadcast in cinemas, and is now available on Amazon (UK) and BroadwayHD.
Again returning to World War II, but this time in Europe, An American in Paris tells the story of a young American soldier who falls in love in Paris at the end of the war. Based on a film, which was based on George Gershwin’s “tone poem,” the stage production premiered in Paris at the Théâtre du Châtelet in 2014, before transferring to Broadway in 2015 and the West End in 2017. The London production was filmed live and broadcast in cinemas around the world, and is now available on BroadwayHD.
The lesser-known musical YANK! also tells the story of soldiers falling in love, depicting the gay world that “thrived just beneath the surface of the US Army in the 1940s.” The musical was a hit of the NY Musical Theatre Festival in 2005, and had a successful off-Broadway run in 2010. Below 54th hosted a 10th anniversary concert earlier this year, and the video is currently available on YouTube.
Apart from war, one of the recurring themes across all of these musicals is love. We honor and remember with love, and that is the story that will continue to be told.
Today is Memorial Day, a day where we remember and honor the people who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. I don’t personally have loved ones who served for the United States, but my grandparents were liberated from Japanese occupation in the Philippines by American troops.
I think it is poignant that seventy years later, a Filipino actor, Lea Salonga, would depict a Japanese-American civilian interned on American soil in the Broadway musical Allegiance. Loosely based on actor George Takei’s experiences, Allegiance depicts the terrible treatment of Japanese-American citizens in the US, and the Japanese-American soldiers who fought for the US, during World War II. The musical opened on Broadway in 2015, and was later screened in cinemas around the US. It is now available on (a rather expensive) DVD, and from May 29 will stream for a limited time on Broadway on Demand.
Similarly set during the Second World War, Bandstand tells the story of Donny Novitsk, a musician who has returned from the war traumatized, but with the desire to re-build his life following the death of his best friend. Opening on Broadway in 2017, the musical was the first theatrical production to be certified by Got Your 6, a veteran’s advocacy organization whose work includes promoting the authentic portrayal of the military in entertainment. Bandstand was filmed live during its run and broadcast in cinemas across North America. To commemorate Memorial Day, the musical is available to stream for a small fee ($6.99 US) on Broadway on Demand from May 25th at 7.30pm, until June 2.
Also set on American soil, though two centuries earlier, the worldwide mega-hit and possibly the most-anticipated filmed live musical ever to be released, Hamilton, tells the story of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, and covers battles in the Revolutionary War. Hamilton, filmed live on Broadway in 2016, will be released on Disney+ on July 3.
Returning to World War II, and moving to the southern hemisphere, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 1949 musical South Pacific, was the first Broadway musical to explore stories of race and war. White characters Nellie Forbush, a nurse from Little Rock, Arkansas, and Lt Cable from Princeton, New Jersey, learn to overcome racial prejudice when they fall in love whilst stationed in Polynesia. The 2005 Carnegie Hall benefit production starring Reba McEntire, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Alec Baldwin is available on DVD. The 2008 Lincoln Center revival directed by Bartlett Sher, and starring Kelli O’Hara and Paulo Szot, was broadcast on American television on Live from Lincoln Center. It is not currently officially available to view.
Staying in the Asia-Pacific region, but moving to a later conflict, Miss Saigon tells of the ill-fated love between a young Vietnamese woman, Kim, and an American G.I., Chris. An adaptation of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly, Miss Saigon first opened in London in 1989 (starring the aforementioned Lea Salonga), and ran for ten years, becoming a worldwide sensation. To celebrate the musical’s 25th anniversary, producer Cameron Mackintosh revived Miss Saigon in the West End in 2014. The production was filmed and broadcast in cinemas, and is now available on Amazon (UK) and BroadwayHD.
Again returning to World War II, but this time in Europe, An American in Paris tells the story of a young American soldier who falls in love in Paris at the end of the war. Based on a film, which was based on George Gershwin’s “tone poem,” the stage production premiered in Paris at the Théâtre du Châtelet in 2014, before transferring to Broadway in 2015 and the West End in 2017. The London production was filmed live and broadcast in cinemas around the world, and is now available on BroadwayHD.
The lesser-known musical YANK! also tells the story of soldiers falling in love, depicting the gay world that “thrived just beneath the surface of the US Army in the 1940s.” The musical was a hit of the NY Musical Theatre Festival in 2005, and had a successful off-Broadway run in 2010. Below 54th hosted a 10th anniversary concert earlier this year, and the video is currently available on YouTube.
Apart from war, one of the recurring themes across all of these musicals is love. We honor and remember with love, and that is the story that will continue to be told.
- Published on
Can’t wait for Hamilton on July 3? Catch Lin-Manuel’s one-act musical 21 Chump Street. Want a moving musical to commemorate Memorial Day? Try out the Millennium Wales Centre production of Only the Brave. Need something to occupy the kids? Try Chichester Theatre Festival’s production of The Midnight Gang. If you’re feeling literary, you can catch Wasted, a rock musical about the Brontë family, or Emma Rice’s joyous Wise Children. Science more your thing? You can watch Tangram Theatre’s The Element in the Room about Marie Curie. Or perhaps you'd like to celebrate some historic women? Take a look at the new song cycle Passion Project.
Here is a list of over 30 musicals you can currently watch online (legally!) for free! There truly is a musical for everyone!
Musicals are sorted below by Broadway & West End Composers, off-Broadway & off-West End Beyond London & New York, Musicals in Development/Concert Readings, & Family Friendly.
If you’re able, please consider making a donation to the theatre or company making their content available. As reported by producer Sonia Freedman this week, up to 70% of theatres in the UK risk permanent closure by the end of the year, and things are also looking grim in the US.
Here is a list of over 30 musicals you can currently watch online (legally!) for free! There truly is a musical for everyone!
Musicals are sorted below by Broadway & West End Composers, off-Broadway & off-West End Beyond London & New York, Musicals in Development/Concert Readings, & Family Friendly.
If you’re able, please consider making a donation to the theatre or company making their content available. As reported by producer Sonia Freedman this week, up to 70% of theatres in the UK risk permanent closure by the end of the year, and things are also looking grim in the US.
Broadway and West End Composers
21 Chump Street
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s 14 minute one-act musical based on This American Life episode “What I Did for Love” about a high school student who falls in love with an undercover police officer, and is arrested for selling drugs. Features Lindsay Mendez and Anthony Ramos. You can also purchase the full 2 hour concert, performed at Brooklyn Academy of Music, for $5 from This American Life.
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s 14 minute one-act musical based on This American Life episode “What I Did for Love” about a high school student who falls in love with an undercover police officer, and is arrested for selling drugs. Features Lindsay Mendez and Anthony Ramos. You can also purchase the full 2 hour concert, performed at Brooklyn Academy of Music, for $5 from This American Life.
Ghost Quartet at the McKittrick Hotel
The original production of Dave Malloy’s song cycle about love, death, and whiskey. A camera breaks and four friends drink in four interwoven narratives spanning seven centuries. Currently freely available on YouTube.
The original production of Dave Malloy’s song cycle about love, death, and whiskey. A camera breaks and four friends drink in four interwoven narratives spanning seven centuries. Currently freely available on YouTube.
From Here to Eternity
With music by Stuart Brayson, lyrics by Sir Tim Rice, and a book by Bill Oakes, the musical depicts the affairs of US soldiers stationed in Hawaii in the lead-up to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Available to stream for free during Memorial Day weekend on BroadwayHD.
With music by Stuart Brayson, lyrics by Sir Tim Rice, and a book by Bill Oakes, the musical depicts the affairs of US soldiers stationed in Hawaii in the lead-up to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Available to stream for free during Memorial Day weekend on BroadwayHD.
Off-Broadway and Off-West-End
The Dolly Mixtures
The incredible true story based on 8 South Shields womn who set up a variety act, The Dolly Mixtures when one of their husbands' Ken Graham, was diagnosed with cancer in 1972. For 15 years they performed in working men's clubs through-out the North East to raise laughs and money for Cancer Research. They raised £100,000 for Cancer Research in the male dominated clubs in the 70's and 80's. Available on YouTube.
The incredible true story based on 8 South Shields womn who set up a variety act, The Dolly Mixtures when one of their husbands' Ken Graham, was diagnosed with cancer in 1972. For 15 years they performed in working men's clubs through-out the North East to raise laughs and money for Cancer Research. They raised £100,000 for Cancer Research in the male dominated clubs in the 70's and 80's. Available on YouTube.
Molly Wobbly
The women of Little Happening are desperate - all three are trapped in loveless marriages and stuck with failing businesses. There is only one person who can help them - a woman they’ve never met. Her name is Molly Wobbly. Available via Paul Boyd Music.
The women of Little Happening are desperate - all three are trapped in loveless marriages and stuck with failing businesses. There is only one person who can help them - a woman they’ve never met. Her name is Molly Wobbly. Available via Paul Boyd Music.
Myth: The Rise and Fall of Orpheus
A modern retelling of Orpheus and the underworld, looking at mental illness and addiction in society through the rock music business. The storyline with echoes with the tragically short lives of some of music’s brightest stars, including Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse. Available on YouTube.
A modern retelling of Orpheus and the underworld, looking at mental illness and addiction in society through the rock music business. The storyline with echoes with the tragically short lives of some of music’s brightest stars, including Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse. Available on YouTube.
Sistas The Musical
The story of African-American women told through Top-40 music, from Bessie Smith to Beyonce. Available on TubiTv.
The story of African-American women told through Top-40 music, from Bessie Smith to Beyonce. Available on TubiTv.
The State of Things
A new British musical about a high school band, fighting to save their music course from being cut. Set against the backdrop of Austerity Britain, join this unlikely bunch of misfits as they stick two fingers up at the state of things! Available on YouTube
A new British musical about a high school band, fighting to save their music course from being cut. Set against the backdrop of Austerity Britain, join this unlikely bunch of misfits as they stick two fingers up at the state of things! Available on YouTube
Timpson the Musical
With a nod to Romeo and Juliet, Timpson: The Musical is a fictional origin story of how the British retailer came to provide both cobbling and key cutting services. Available on YouTube.
With a nod to Romeo and Juliet, Timpson: The Musical is a fictional origin story of how the British retailer came to provide both cobbling and key cutting services. Available on YouTube.
V for Victory
A British musical exploring the lives of a group of friends in the resistance against the German occupation of Jersey during World War II. Available on YouTube.
A British musical exploring the lives of a group of friends in the resistance against the German occupation of Jersey during World War II. Available on YouTube.
Waiting for the Ship to Sail
London-based theatre Chickenshed presents an artistic response to the urgent and pressing questions of global migration, and investigates the concepts of national and personal identity. Available on YouTube.
London-based theatre Chickenshed presents an artistic response to the urgent and pressing questions of global migration, and investigates the concepts of national and personal identity. Available on YouTube.
Wasted
A “rocumentary,” or documentary rock musical about the Brontë family. Available at Southwark Playhouse.
A “rocumentary,” or documentary rock musical about the Brontë family. Available at Southwark Playhouse.
Wise Children (UK only, until June 11)
A big, bawdy tangle of theatrical joy and heartbreak, Wise Children is a celebration of show business, family, forgiveness and hope. Expect show girls and Shakespeare, sex and scandal, music, mischief and mistaken identity. Emma Wise’s inaugural production with her new production, also called Wise Children. Only available in the UK until June 11. Available on BBC iPlayer.
A big, bawdy tangle of theatrical joy and heartbreak, Wise Children is a celebration of show business, family, forgiveness and hope. Expect show girls and Shakespeare, sex and scandal, music, mischief and mistaken identity. Emma Wise’s inaugural production with her new production, also called Wise Children. Only available in the UK until June 11. Available on BBC iPlayer.
Beyond London and New York
Friends: The One Where They Sing! (The UnAuthorized Musical Parody)
The title says it all. Available on YouTube
The title says it all. Available on YouTube
Mushy: Lyrically Speaking
Mushy, a young man with a debilitating stammer, finds himself at the centre of a television documentary. In a moment of inspiration from his teacher, Mr. Burton, he starts to find a rhythm in his voice through music. Social media erupts hailing it a miracle cure and both teacher and pupil become overnight celebrities. Available on Vimeo.
Mushy, a young man with a debilitating stammer, finds himself at the centre of a television documentary. In a moment of inspiration from his teacher, Mr. Burton, he starts to find a rhythm in his voice through music. Social media erupts hailing it a miracle cure and both teacher and pupil become overnight celebrities. Available on Vimeo.
Only the Brave
Wales Millennium Centre’s moving musical based on a true story. Only the Brave follows Captain John Howard and Lieutenant Denholm Brotheridge, and their wives Joy and Maggie, as the soldiers prepare for the D-Day landings. Available on Vimeo.
Wales Millennium Centre’s moving musical based on a true story. Only the Brave follows Captain John Howard and Lieutenant Denholm Brotheridge, and their wives Joy and Maggie, as the soldiers prepare for the D-Day landings. Available on Vimeo.
Three in the Bed
A new Australian musical comedic farce about the blunders of relationships and sexuality for twenty-somethings, written by songwriter & actor Jonathon Holmes. Jessica has always had a crush on Tim, who turns up to her party suddenly single. Unfortunately, Tim meets Zoe. But Zoe thinks she has a way to make all parties happy… what could possibly go wrong? Available on YouTube.
A new Australian musical comedic farce about the blunders of relationships and sexuality for twenty-somethings, written by songwriter & actor Jonathon Holmes. Jessica has always had a crush on Tim, who turns up to her party suddenly single. Unfortunately, Tim meets Zoe. But Zoe thinks she has a way to make all parties happy… what could possibly go wrong? Available on YouTube.
Tyneham: No Small Sacrifice
In 1942, more than 200 residents of Tyneham had to leave their homes when the area was needed as part of a tank firing range. The villagers were promised their homes would be returned, but this promise was never fulfilled. Tyneham remains military property to this very day. Available on YouTube
In 1942, more than 200 residents of Tyneham had to leave their homes when the area was needed as part of a tank firing range. The villagers were promised their homes would be returned, but this promise was never fulfilled. Tyneham remains military property to this very day. Available on YouTube
Albert Einstein: Relativitively Speaking
It’s 1933 and Einstein is giving his inaugural lecture on Special and General Relativity at Princeton University. But it's tough when your two wives and mother keep coming in, your equations are being used to make atomic bombs and there’s the small (rather large) matter of the Universe to explain. Available on SceneSaver.
It’s 1933 and Einstein is giving his inaugural lecture on Special and General Relativity at Princeton University. But it's tough when your two wives and mother keep coming in, your equations are being used to make atomic bombs and there’s the small (rather large) matter of the Universe to explain. Available on SceneSaver.
The Element in the Room
Marie Curie's story is a tale of of glowing powders with extraordinary powers, lives saved and destroyed, and unparalleled achievements in the face of unbelievable odds. Available on SceneSaver
Marie Curie's story is a tale of of glowing powders with extraordinary powers, lives saved and destroyed, and unparalleled achievements in the face of unbelievable odds. Available on SceneSaver
The Origin of Species
Charles Darwin is hard at work on his new book about barnacles. To boost sales, his publisher has invited you young and not so young naturalists to watch him at work. Easily distracted, Charles begins sharing his family history, songs he has written and some of his new discoveries about barnacles. However today is about to prove to be no ordinary day. Available on SceneSaver.
Charles Darwin is hard at work on his new book about barnacles. To boost sales, his publisher has invited you young and not so young naturalists to watch him at work. Easily distracted, Charles begins sharing his family history, songs he has written and some of his new discoveries about barnacles. However today is about to prove to be no ordinary day. Available on SceneSaver.
Musicals in Development/Concert Readings
Golden Bricks and Ruby Shoes
Inspired by a news article about the FBI assisting in the recovery a pair of stolen ruby slippers, Golden Bricks and Ruby Shoes is an in-development song cycle about the famed Wizard of Oz pumps, and the people who were obsessed with them. Available on YouTube.
Inspired by a news article about the FBI assisting in the recovery a pair of stolen ruby slippers, Golden Bricks and Ruby Shoes is an in-development song cycle about the famed Wizard of Oz pumps, and the people who were obsessed with them. Available on YouTube.
Passion Project in Concert
A song cycle about twelve unsung women from history who sing to their great loves: the object of their careers. An aviator sings to her airplane, an acrobat to her tightrope, an astronomer to her comet. Available on Facebook.
A song cycle about twelve unsung women from history who sing to their great loves: the object of their careers. An aviator sings to her airplane, an acrobat to her tightrope, an astronomer to her comet. Available on Facebook.
Family Friendly
The Hunting of the Snark
Inspired by the genius of Lewis Carroll and his much beloved classic poem, a sparkling new musical extravaganza for the whole family. Available for a limited time on YouTube.
Inspired by the genius of Lewis Carroll and his much beloved classic poem, a sparkling new musical extravaganza for the whole family. Available for a limited time on YouTube.
The Midnight Gang
Based on David Walliams book of the same name. Twelve-year-old Tom lands in the children’s ward of the spooky Lord Funt Hospital and meets a gang of fellow kids whose missions of wish fulfillment begin at midnight. Available until May 29 via Chichester Festival Theatre.
Based on David Walliams book of the same name. Twelve-year-old Tom lands in the children’s ward of the spooky Lord Funt Hospital and meets a gang of fellow kids whose missions of wish fulfillment begin at midnight. Available until May 29 via Chichester Festival Theatre.
Beauty and the Beast
Not the Disney musical, but a new version by Chichester Festival Theatre. Available until June 19. Available at Chichester Festival Theatre.
Not the Disney musical, but a new version by Chichester Festival Theatre. Available until June 19. Available at Chichester Festival Theatre.
Stellaluna The Musical
Stellaluna the bat, Verdi the snake, and Pinduli the hyena all seek refreshment at a watering hole one hot day, only to find themselves the subjects of a bullying lion's ridicule. But by sharing stories about building self-confidence, these three misfit animals find wisdom, peace, and friendship. Available at Broadway On Demand.
Stellaluna the bat, Verdi the snake, and Pinduli the hyena all seek refreshment at a watering hole one hot day, only to find themselves the subjects of a bullying lion's ridicule. But by sharing stories about building self-confidence, these three misfit animals find wisdom, peace, and friendship. Available at Broadway On Demand.
StarKid Musicals
A Very Potter Musical
StarKid’s first production and a viral sensation that launched Darren Criss’s career. The sequels, A Very Potter Sequel and A Very Potter Senior Musical are also freely available online. Available on YouTube.
StarKid’s first production and a viral sensation that launched Darren Criss’s career. The sequels, A Very Potter Sequel and A Very Potter Senior Musical are also freely available online. Available on YouTube.
Ani: A Parody Musical
A musical parody of Star Wars. Available on YouTube.
A musical parody of Star Wars. Available on YouTube.
Holy Musical, B@tman
It’s Batman, singing and dancing. Available on YouTube.
It’s Batman, singing and dancing. Available on YouTube.
Me and My Dick
Adults only. A coming of age story about Joey Richter whose best friend is...his dick. Available on YouTube.
Adults only. A coming of age story about Joey Richter whose best friend is...his dick. Available on YouTube.
Starship
Bug wants to be a Starship Ranger, but there's one thing they are he's not... human. Available on YouTube.
Bug wants to be a Starship Ranger, but there's one thing they are he's not... human. Available on YouTube.
The Trail to Oregon
Produced in Chicago in 2014. Claims to be the most historically accurate musical portraying the Oregon Trail. Available on YouTube.
Produced in Chicago in 2014. Claims to be the most historically accurate musical portraying the Oregon Trail. Available on YouTube.
Twisted
Hop on your flying carpet, because this musical parody retells the classic tale of Aladdin... from the villain's point of view! Available on YouTube.
Hop on your flying carpet, because this musical parody retells the classic tale of Aladdin... from the villain's point of view! Available on YouTube.
Still want MORE musicals?
Use the Filmed Live Musicals database to search for musicals to watch online!
Use the Filmed Live Musicals database to search for musicals to watch online!
Filmed Live Musicals is a labor of love
that takes many hours of research & hundreds of dollars to run.
Become a patron and support original research into filmed live musicals.
From June 2020, Patrons will receive a monthly newsletter with bonus content not available on the site, and Star Patrons also receive a filmed live musical review.
that takes many hours of research & hundreds of dollars to run.
Become a patron and support original research into filmed live musicals.
From June 2020, Patrons will receive a monthly newsletter with bonus content not available on the site, and Star Patrons also receive a filmed live musical review.
- Published on
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!
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!
- Published on
Cities around the world are banning public gatherings of more than 1000 people. Some places are implementing city-wide lock downs. Broadway has shut down for at least a month. Productions, tours, concerts, and events are being cancelled at a rapid rate, and venues across the globe are closing their doors to help stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Can the show go on in the face of a worldwide pandemic?
It seems that with performers wanting to share their talents (check out the delightful thread started by Tony Award winner Laura Benanti encouraging school-age performers to share their songs, #SunshineSongs), and audiences with internet connections sitting at home seeking theatre in a time of crisis, the show indeed must go on, online.
The Met Opera, always a leader in making digital content available to audiences around the world, has already announced it will provide nightly screenings from its filmed live catalog beginning March 16.
BroadwayWorld have begun hosting #LivingRoomConcerts, featuring intimate performances by Broadway performers including Jagged Little Pill's Katherine Gallagher, Dear Evan Hansen's Andrew Barth Feldman, and Pretty Woman's Andy Karl and Orfeh.
As reported on BroadwayWorld, Broadway Licensing have announced that 400 plays from their Playscripts catalog have been specially approved for live-streaming, so watch this space for more new content to be made available in the coming weeks and months.
To help you find content in the meantime, I've added a new page to the site: Where to Stream Live Theatre Content. It's a wide-ranging list of legal, already existing, companies streaming theatre content to the world. A lot of it is viewable for free, or available at a discount during this unprecedented time.
And finally, below is a list of upcoming musical theatre livestreams. This post will be updated on a rolling basis as new online productions are announced.
Online with the show!
Can the show go on in the face of a worldwide pandemic?
It seems that with performers wanting to share their talents (check out the delightful thread started by Tony Award winner Laura Benanti encouraging school-age performers to share their songs, #SunshineSongs), and audiences with internet connections sitting at home seeking theatre in a time of crisis, the show indeed must go on, online.
The Met Opera, always a leader in making digital content available to audiences around the world, has already announced it will provide nightly screenings from its filmed live catalog beginning March 16.
BroadwayWorld have begun hosting #LivingRoomConcerts, featuring intimate performances by Broadway performers including Jagged Little Pill's Katherine Gallagher, Dear Evan Hansen's Andrew Barth Feldman, and Pretty Woman's Andy Karl and Orfeh.
As reported on BroadwayWorld, Broadway Licensing have announced that 400 plays from their Playscripts catalog have been specially approved for live-streaming, so watch this space for more new content to be made available in the coming weeks and months.
To help you find content in the meantime, I've added a new page to the site: Where to Stream Live Theatre Content. It's a wide-ranging list of legal, already existing, companies streaming theatre content to the world. A lot of it is viewable for free, or available at a discount during this unprecedented time.
And finally, below is a list of upcoming musical theatre livestreams. This post will be updated on a rolling basis as new online productions are announced.
Online with the show!
Calendar of Livestreams
March 13, 2020
Broadway Jackbox
Broadway folks playing Jackbox games
March 13 @ 2.30pm (available online after event)
Access via YouTube
Cost: Free
Running time: 180min
Broadway folks playing Jackbox games
March 13 @ 2.30pm (available online after event)
Access via YouTube
Cost: Free
Running time: 180min
March 16, 2020
Telly Leung Live from Gary's with Alice Ripley
March 16 @ 1pm EST
Access via StageIt (not viewable after the event)
Cost: 50 tickets ($5)
Running time: 30min
March 16 @ 1pm EST
Access via StageIt (not viewable after the event)
Cost: 50 tickets ($5)
Running time: 30min
March 17, 2020
Shoshana Bean: Virtual Standards at the Standard (but not at the Standard)
March 17 @ 10pm EST
Access via: StageIt (not viewable after the event)
Cost: 150 tickets ($15)
Running time: 120min
March 17 @ 10pm EST
Access via: StageIt (not viewable after the event)
Cost: 150 tickets ($15)
Running time: 120min
March 20, 2020
Telly Leung Live from Gary's with Ann Harada
March 20 @ 1pm EST
Access via StageIt (not viewable after the event)
Cost: 50 tickets ($5)
Running time: 30min
March 20 @ 1pm EST
Access via StageIt (not viewable after the event)
Cost: 50 tickets ($5)
Running time: 30min
ACT of Connecticut
In conjunction with the Ridgefield Playhouse, ACT of Connecticut will livestream a concert featuring Broadway stars, including composer Stephen Schwartz, for free.
Access via: FacebookLive
March 20 @ 8pm
Cost: Free
In conjunction with the Ridgefield Playhouse, ACT of Connecticut will livestream a concert featuring Broadway stars, including composer Stephen Schwartz, for free.
Access via: FacebookLive
March 20 @ 8pm
Cost: Free
Ongoing Streams
(follow the artist/channel for regular content!)
(follow the artist/channel for regular content!)
Living Room Concerts (BroadwayWorld)
Hosted by BroadwayWorld in response to the COVID-19 shutdown, Living Room Concerts feature Broadway actors performing songs from their living rooms.
Watch at BroadwayWorld.
Hosted by BroadwayWorld in response to the COVID-19 shutdown, Living Room Concerts feature Broadway actors performing songs from their living rooms.
Watch at BroadwayWorld.
Stars in the House for The Actors Fund
Hosted by Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley, an intimate "concert" of songs and interviews with a different Broadway star each day. Slated guests include Kelli O'Hara, Judy Kuhn, Shoshana Bean and MANY others! The livestreams will raise funds for The Actors Fund.
Daily, 2pm and 8pm.
Watch on YouTube.
Hosted by Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley, an intimate "concert" of songs and interviews with a different Broadway star each day. Slated guests include Kelli O'Hara, Judy Kuhn, Shoshana Bean and MANY others! The livestreams will raise funds for The Actors Fund.
Daily, 2pm and 8pm.
Watch on YouTube.
Don't forget, if you're fixing for a full-length musical, you can always search the filmed live musicals database for some inspiration!
Know of other musical theatre events live-streaming during the pandemic?
Let me know!
Let me know!
Written by Luisa Lyons
follow me @filmedliveMT and @luisalyons
Filmed Live Musicals is a labor of love that takes many hours of research and hundreds of dollars to run. Please consider supporting the site by becoming a patron today!
With thanks to Star patrons Mercedes Esteban-Lyons, Jesse Rabinowitz and Brenda Goodman, and David and Katherine Rabinowitz for their ongoing support.
follow me @filmedliveMT and @luisalyons
Filmed Live Musicals is a labor of love that takes many hours of research and hundreds of dollars to run. Please consider supporting the site by becoming a patron today!
With thanks to Star patrons Mercedes Esteban-Lyons, Jesse Rabinowitz and Brenda Goodman, and David and Katherine Rabinowitz for their ongoing support.
- Published on
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.
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.
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.
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.
- Published on
Musical lovers, we live in a whole new world. Not only can we stream filmed live musicals on demand, we can experience them in 360º.
Well, stand alone numbers, at least for now.
In the past few years, musical theatre producers have started filming production numbers in 360º and releasing them for free on YouTube. Although perhaps best experienced in VR, 360º captures are available to anyone through a regular screen or mobile device.
Let’s take a brief chronological tour of 360º musical theatre captures!
In October 2015, School of Rock released a first-of-its-kind promotional 360º video which attracted over 1 million views within 3 days. A month later, Disney released its own 360º video of the opening number from The Lion King, which was filmed in front of a live audience.
In the lead up to the 2016 Tony Awards, CBS released a 360º video of the Hamilton cast preparing for the ceremony.
In November 2016, The New York Times launched “The Daily 360,” a daily series of 360º videos as a way of providing readers with a “new way to experience” journalism. The series capitalized on the success of the newspaper’s 2015 launch of NYT VR, an app for viewing specially created VR content. Broadway themed videos have included rehearsal footage from Cirque du Soleil’s Broadway show Paramour, the chance to descend in Glinda’s bubble from Wicked, and “last looks” at Amelie and Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812.
Never afraid to use new technology to promote his shows, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera released a video of the Broadway cast experiencing scenes from the show in VR in August 2017.
In September 2017, Dear Evan Hansen released a 360º video celebrating fans of the show, though the video did not include footage from the musical. Carnegie Hall also jumped in on the 360º action with the release of “Cool” from a new production of West Side Story directed by Marin Alsop.
Since September 2017, NBC Nightly News has been releasing 360º clips from Broadway musicals including Come From Away, Anastasia, The Band’s Visit, School of Rock, Once on This Island, and Waitress.
To celebrate Wicked’s 10th anniversary in London in December 2017, TimeOut London released a 360º video featuring backstage footage from the Apollo Theatre.
In June 2018, Disney released another 360º video, this time featuring “Friend Like Me” from Aladdin. The video features bonus content activated by turning “over, sideways, and under” as you scroll around.
It might be a little while until we can experience 360º captures of full-length musicals, but in the meantime, let’s hope more more producers allow us to take virtual spins through musical worlds.
Well, stand alone numbers, at least for now.
In the past few years, musical theatre producers have started filming production numbers in 360º and releasing them for free on YouTube. Although perhaps best experienced in VR, 360º captures are available to anyone through a regular screen or mobile device.
Let’s take a brief chronological tour of 360º musical theatre captures!
In October 2015, School of Rock released a first-of-its-kind promotional 360º video which attracted over 1 million views within 3 days. A month later, Disney released its own 360º video of the opening number from The Lion King, which was filmed in front of a live audience.
In the lead up to the 2016 Tony Awards, CBS released a 360º video of the Hamilton cast preparing for the ceremony.
In November 2016, The New York Times launched “The Daily 360,” a daily series of 360º videos as a way of providing readers with a “new way to experience” journalism. The series capitalized on the success of the newspaper’s 2015 launch of NYT VR, an app for viewing specially created VR content. Broadway themed videos have included rehearsal footage from Cirque du Soleil’s Broadway show Paramour, the chance to descend in Glinda’s bubble from Wicked, and “last looks” at Amelie and Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812.
Never afraid to use new technology to promote his shows, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera released a video of the Broadway cast experiencing scenes from the show in VR in August 2017.
In September 2017, Dear Evan Hansen released a 360º video celebrating fans of the show, though the video did not include footage from the musical. Carnegie Hall also jumped in on the 360º action with the release of “Cool” from a new production of West Side Story directed by Marin Alsop.
Since September 2017, NBC Nightly News has been releasing 360º clips from Broadway musicals including Come From Away, Anastasia, The Band’s Visit, School of Rock, Once on This Island, and Waitress.
To celebrate Wicked’s 10th anniversary in London in December 2017, TimeOut London released a 360º video featuring backstage footage from the Apollo Theatre.
In June 2018, Disney released another 360º video, this time featuring “Friend Like Me” from Aladdin. The video features bonus content activated by turning “over, sideways, and under” as you scroll around.
It might be a little while until we can experience 360º captures of full-length musicals, but in the meantime, let’s hope more more producers allow us to take virtual spins through musical worlds.
Filmed Live Musicals is a labor of love that takes many hours of research and hundreds of dollars to run.
Thank you to Star patrons Mercedes Esteban-Lyons, Jesse Rabinowitz and Brenda Goodman, and David and Katherine Rabinowitz for financially supporting the site.
Become a patron today.
For as little as $1 a month you can support original research and gain access to bonus content not available on the site.
Thank you to Star patrons Mercedes Esteban-Lyons, Jesse Rabinowitz and Brenda Goodman, and David and Katherine Rabinowitz for financially supporting the site.
Become a patron today.
For as little as $1 a month you can support original research and gain access to bonus content not available on the site.