There are 3,679,200 minutes in seven years. That is 365 weeks or 2,665 days. There is a myriad of things that can occur in that time. An extraordinary musical was made in that period. It transformed the musical community and changed lives. That musical is Rent and it was written by an equally inspiriting man named Johnathon Larson. Rent earned its high acclaim and 12 year run on Broadway due to Johnathon and his team of people. These individuals were all dedicated to making a musical that was moving and inspiring for all. It only took 7 years (Lipsky).
Johnathan Larson was born on February 4, 1960 in White Plains, New York. He was the second child of Allan and Nanette Larson. Growing up, he was surrounded by an appreciation for the theater, since his parents enjoyed taking him and his sister, Julie, to shows all the time. He also took piano lessons during elementary school, which he excelled at and was encouraged by parents and teachers to continue his gift. Overtime, new talents arose, like singing, writing songs, and instrumental talent. The piano lessons paid off and through high school, he was known as “The Piano Man” (Asch). The piano, combined with his love for everything that pertained to music, persuaded Jon to enter the acting conservatory at Adelphi University. He was accepted in 1978, with a four year scholarship and in 1982 he graduated with honors. Once completed Jon was bursting with a passion to change the world (Asch).
The passion that raged inside him caused him to move to New York City in 1982 and he became a struggling artist. He waited tables at the Moondance Diner on Sixth Avenue, went to acting auditions, performed in nightclubs and composed songs for some musicals. He made only enough money to support hi...
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...ush. Our Musicals, Ourselves: A Social History of the American Musical Theater Hanover: Brandeis University Press, published by University Press of New England, 2003. Print.
Larson, Jonathan. Music from Rent. Milwaukee, WI: H. Leonard Corp., 1997. Print.
& Schuster, 2006. Print.
Lipsky, David. "Everything is Rent | Jonathan Larson & Rent." Everything is Rent | Jonathan Larson & Rent. Angelfire, 18 Jan. 2000. Web. 23 Apr. 2014. .
Page, Matthew. "The Life Of Johnathan Larson." ‘Cause Everything is Rent. N.p., 1 Jan. 2004. Web. 23 Apr. 2014. .
Pollock, Sean, and Frank Pollock. Newsmakers: the People Behind Today's Headlines. Detroit, MI: Gale Research, 1997. Print.
Rapp, Anthony. Without You: A memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent. New York, NY: Simon
Two thunderous voices can be seen in the arts during the late 20th century. James Earl Jones is well known for his roles in Hollywood films such as “Dr. Strangelove” and “Star Wars”, and has an even greater presence in the theatre community. His achievements as an actor were inspired by his hardships growing up, for he had a strong stutter until high school. Similarly, Geoffrey Holder suffered from a speech impediment at a young age, but would become a well-known artist. Holder is recognized for many different fields, he is an actor, dancer, choreographer, painter, and more. James Earl Jones and Geoffrey Holder overcame similar issues with speech, and built personalities around their professions, which were shown in all of their great works. Now they are known for their beautiful accomplishments, as well as their powerful voices.
Cullen, Frank, Florence Hackman, and Donald McNeilly. Vaudeville, Old & New: An Encyclopedia of Variety Performers in America. New York: Routledge, 2007. Print.
Sondheim’s music is well-appreciated by many people of all ages. He has won eight Tony’s, more than any other composer. Sondheim sculpted the musicality of musical theatre into what it is today by
The musical Rent by lyricist, librettist, and composer Jonathan Larson surprised Broadway in 1996. Rent stormed Broadway at the Nederlander Theatre and became a phenomenon. It won several prestigious awards, including a Pulitzer. Located on the eve of a new century, Rent depicts a year in the life of a group of friends living in the Lower East Side of New York. All in their twenties, they live a bohemian life, guided by principles that tend more towards the achievement of ideals to an agreed social mobility. This life somewhat offset from the rest of society ensures that the characters must face the inevitable gap between their dreams and reality. In their case, the reality is, among others, in the form of a concrete evil in this era: AIDS, which is the major theme of this musical. Indeed, throughout the play, everyone is affected directly or indirectly by the effects of the virus, whether interpersonal or social, and inevitably, medical. Yet despite the potentially disastrous consequences of such a syndrome, a positive momentum bonds the small community. In the end, despite some setbacks, rather than daunted, the eight friends learn to celebrate life and try to enjoy every moment with those they love. Aware of the terrible reputation of the virus, Larson tries to deconstruct the negative image of AIDS, not only insisting to live with it and
Green, Stanley, and Cary Ginell. Broadway Musicals Show by Show. 7th. Milwaukee: Applause Theatre & Cinema Books, 2011. Print. (Green and Ginell )
...frican American Musicians as Artists, Critics, and Activists. Berkeley, CA: University of California, 2002. 54-100. EBSCOhost. Web. 8 May 2015.
Art Blakey was born to a poor family in the heart of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1919. He was working in the steel and coal mills when he was only fourteen. There were no child labor laws in those times. He had to work to help support his family and put food on the table. Blakey turned to music as a way of escaping the exhausting day-to-day labor of the mills. Blakey taught himself how to play the piano. Even though he couldn't read music, and could only play songs in three keys, Blakey was a crowd favorite a several local venues. He used to make fifteen-twenty dollars a night in tips every night he went. At fifteen Blakey was leading his own band. They were small and unknown, but played at clubs all around the city.
In 1978, Jonathan entered the acting conservatory at Adelphi University with a four-year full-tuition merit scholarship. He told an interviewer in 1993 that the program was "an undergrad version of the Yale Rep [the theatre where students of the Yale School of Drama work alongside veteran professionals]. And I was serious enough about theatre to know that this was what I wanted to do." He earned his Equity card doing summer stock and received a BFA with honors in 1982.
... John, Fred Ebb, and Greg Lawrence. "Chicago on Broadway." Colored Lights: Forty Years of Words and Music, Show Biz, Collaboration, and All That Jazz. New York: Faber and Faber, 2003. 119-40. Google Books. Web. 1 May 2014.
RENT is only a musical. It was written by a man that was passionate for life. Jonathan Larson took his dream and made it a reality for everyone that sits in the audience. That passion is the reason it remains one of the most influential productions in Broadway history. If it weren’t for his dream and devotion, it would not be what it is today. That passion is what changed my life and the lives of thousands of others.
thesis of how the musical brought our inner child out to realize our true struggles in life.
When I first watched Chicago at the movie theater, I was not fully satisfied. I wanted more, so I went back to get some and watched it six more times with different friends and family members! Last summer during a visit to my native Mexico City, I had the opportunity to watch drag queens perform several numbers from the movie-musical. They did an amazing job, without surpassing the outstanding performances of the actors in the film. Last year, I visited NYC for the first time and indulged in the rows of the Ambassador theatre experiencing Chicago, the Broadway musical, and because I had seen the movie many times before, I knew all the songs and dances by heart. I loved it, but it was actually the movie that influenced me to become a “Chicago fan.” The movie is based on the 1996 Chicago revival of the original musical version of 1975. It was thrilling knowing that the making of the musical into a mainstream production would increase its accessibility and widen its distribution into all the corners of the world; now there is no excuse for people not to experience Chicago, and though not everyone can go to Broadway to see it, just about anyone can indulge themselves in this dazzling movie in the comfort of their homes. In addition to a fantasy world of singing, dancing and Vaudeville, the film also provides a narrative that is explicitly presented through Roxie’s point of view, creating a counter human side to Roxie’s fantasy world so that the audience can easily identify and engage. Chicago is a must see film for anyone who likes to spoil themselves with an outstanding award-winning musical composed of a catchy plot, truly superb acting, commendable direction, and a clever soundtrack.
American Theatre: History, Context, Form. Edinburgh: Edinburgh Univ, 2011. Print. Scott, Freda L. "Black Drama and the Harlem Renaissance."
Theatre has heavily evolved over the past 100 years, particularly Musical Theatre- a subgenre of theatre in which the storyline is conveyed relying on songs and lyrics rather than dialogue. From its origination in Athens, musical theatre has spread across the world and is a popular form of entertainment today. This essay will discuss the evolution and change of musical theatre from 1980-2016, primarily focusing on Broadway (New York) and the West End (London). It will consider in depth, the time periods of: The 1980s: “Brit Hits”- the influence of European mega musicals, the 1990s: “The downfall of musicals”- what failed and what redeemed, and the 2000s/2010s: “The Resurgence of musicals”- including the rise of pop and movie musicals. Concluding
Wells, E A. (2011) West Side Story Cultural Perspectives on an American musical. Maryland: Scarecrow Press, Inc.