Curtain Call - Issue 20

ISSUE 20

Letter from our team

Dear CurtainCall readers,

Welcome to 2023! Ready to embark on a new adventure?

As we wrap up 2022, there is a lot we want to reflect on. The world has changed, a lot has happened and affected our everyday lives.

But one thing stays the same: you can start over. Wherever you are in life right now, whatever you’re doing, whoever you are. You can start over. Sometimes it takes going through the darkest times to see a much brighter side.

As a team, we have grown. People--mostly you, readers--have taken a chance on us and we have come back stronger and ready to face any challenge!

So find the magic in everyday, take that step forward. Be bold, be bright, be ready for anything. Try and fail. Try again.

Thank you for 2022. 2023, let’s do it!

Love, always,

curtain call

content

Newsies p. 6-9

COVER STORY

Behind The Curtain with Grace Wylde p. 10-17

2:22 A Ghost Story p. 18-21 & Juliet on Broadway p. 22-25

Behind The Curtain with Carl Man p. 26-33

The Phantom Of The Opera p.34-37

In concert with Sierra Boggess p. 38-39

Musical by Candlelights p. 40-41

Matilda The Movie p. 42-47

Community Theatre Vs. Professional Theatre in Germany p. 48-49

LIVE REPORT Sam Pauly p. 50-51

Behind The Curtain with Krysta Rodriguez p. 52-57

Funny Girl Broadway Recording p. 58-59

Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade p. 60-61

Mean Girls The Movie p. 62-63

OPINION Stunt Casting p. 64-65

OPINION Aladdin p. 66-67

Behind The Curtain with Simon Sladen p. 68-73

Theatre Stars Who Passed in 2022: A Tribute p. 74-77 Stars Of Broadway p. 78-79

Playlist of the month

mighty as a god

Warrior Of The Mind EPIC Light Of The World Godspell

Son Of Poseidon The Lightning Thief

Our Lady Of The Underground Hadestown

Go The Distance Hercules Heaven On Their Mind Jesus Christ Superstar

My Own Place in the Pantheon Mythic: A New Musical

I Believe The Book of Mormon

Take Me To Heaven Sister Act

SHOW REVIEW

NEWSIES AT THE TROUBADOUR WEMBLEY PARK THEATRE

© Johan Persson

Kings of New York and London

Newsies first opened on Broadway in 2012, where it played for more than 1,000 performances before going on tour until 2014. In 2016, it was announced that the show would be filmed on the stage of the Pantages Theatre with several alumni reprising their roles (such as Jeremy Jordan, Kara Lindsay, and Ben Fankhauser…). The pro-shot was released in cinemas the following year for a limited time. ArtsEd, a London drama school, presented a student-led production of Newsies (with Jac Yarrow in the role of Jack Kelly) in February 2019 which quickly sold out.

And now, Newsies, the musical finally made its (off) West End debut in December 2022 and it is already a huge success! As soon as you enter the auditorium of the Troubadour Wembley Park theatre, you are immediately projected into 1899 New York: there is scaffoldings on the stage, alongside platforms all around the theatre. You already know that you are in for a treat.

This new production is sort of immersive and each set of seats is named after the different neighbourhoods of New York City (Richmond, Brooklyn, the Bronx…) where the story takes place. My friend and I were sitting in Brooklyn, facing the stage. I don’t believe there are any bad seats in this theatre as the cast walks, runs, dances and sings all over the auditorium. I say “sort of” immersive because the cast does not interact with the audience but rather around the audience. There is always something happening near you, so much so that you don’t know where to look! However, that means that the acoustics in the theatre were not very good and it was sometimes quite hard to understand what the actors were saying. Although, this experience would probably not have been possible in many other theatres so the long trip to Wembley was worth it.

Fresh off the Regents Park Open Air theatre’s summer production of Legally Blonde where he played Emmett, Michael Ahomka-Lindsay plays the leading role of Jack Kelly. Not having seen him on stage before, it was my

first introduction to this wonderful actor. Despite his not-so-convincing American accent, Michael AhomkaLindsay makes a great Jack Kelly, his rich deep voice and his dance moves made me wish I had seen him in Legally Blonde. In this version of Newsies, Jack Kelly takes part in more dance numbers than Jeremy Jordan’s Jack Kelly used to on Broadway.

Bronté Barbé plays a playful and witty Katherine Plumber. Following in the footsteps of Kara Lyndsay was not an easy thing to do but Bronté brilliantly rose up to the challenge. She made the character and her main song “Watch What Happens” her own. We even get to see her dancing a few times! On the other hand, Matthew Duckett (who plays Crutchy) is an amazing actor with acting credits such as Richard III, Tartuffe, Macbeth, etc. Yet, singing was unfortunately not his forte and it showed during his performance.

My favourite parts of the show were definitely the ensemble numbers: “Carrying the Banner”, “The World Will Know”, “King of New York” (...) but really the best one - and the audience’s standing ovation mid-Act One speaks for itself - was “Seize the Day”. What an incredible performance! I couldn’t help but think that it was also the perfect occasion for the cast to catch their breaths! Between jetés, pirouettes, cartwheels, split leaps and other acrobatic feats, the cast must be absolutely exhausted! Talk about triple threats!

However, to me, the song “That’s Rich” brings nothing to the story and neither does the character of Medda Larkin. Moya Angela is a great performer but her solo does not really do anything to advance the story and isn’t very necessary. Maybe it is to allow the “meet-cute” between Jack and Katherine or perhaps even, to give the ensemble the chance to catch their breaths between two dance numbers…

As with many other Disney works, Alan Menken wrote the music and he even won the Tony Awards for Best

Original Score in 2012. I want to give a special mention to Jack Feldman who wrote the lyrics. It did take me several listens to the original Broadway cast recording to realise that there was a play on words in “The World Will Know”: “And the World will know / And the Journal too”. I had not realised that “world” was the name of the newspapers Jack Kelly and the other newsies were selling and that “Journal” was the name of another newspaper. I thought it was very clever.

What really makes Newsies such a fabulous show is the choreography. Director and choreographer Matt

Cole (inspired by Mark Hummel’s original dance arrangements) has put together a variety of dance numbers. Tap dancing on table tops for the joyous and uplifting “Kings of New York”, kicks, punches and stomps when the newsboys are fighting for their rights.

In a context where the UK faces so many hardships, with half of the country on strike, it is my opinion that everyone can relate to the newsboys’ cause.

Words by Clémentine Pruvost

© Johan Persson

INTERVIEW IN CONVERSATION WITH GRACE WYLDE

Words by Constance Drugeot

BEHIND THE CURTAIN WITH GRACE WYLDE

Grace Wylde currently plays Rose Granger-Weasley in the West End Production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre (uk.harrypottertheplay.com). She previously starred in Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s 101 Dalmatians, went on tour with the UK production of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, as well as performed as part of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

It’s been really good! We’re settled in nicely and getting into the swing of the shows. It’s going well and we have had some nice audiences in - really receptive and we get lots of standing ovations!

What is it like playing such a famous character in such an iconic show?

I try not to think about it, actually. Because then I’ll get into my head about it. I try instead to see what I can bring to the role and how I see her by taking into account who she is and who her parents areRon and Hermione. That gives me a few things to go by but then, I just try to bring her to life in my own way.

Did you read the playbook before playing the role?

Oh yeah, but not before getting the role! When I was auditioning, I was given scenes for my character so I did these based on not much information. Once I got the job, I read the whole script so I could know it in its entirety. I did it the other way around! But it was quite nice because I got to bring my own things to it.

Were you a fan of the Harry Potter books growing up?

Yes, definitely! It is such a magical world where things that can’t happen in the real world happen and it’s reminding me so much of childhood and time in school. I remember when we were reading about going to Hogwarts and being put into Houses. By doing the show, I’m getting to navigate

that life, that childhood. So, I definitely loved it and the music from the film is incredible as well! It made everything so much cooler. Iconic characters like Hagrid and Dumbledore definitely had an influence on me growing up. It was really present for my generation. My oldest sister had all the books, they were all in a row in the doorway of our playroom downstairs and doing the show takes me back to that time!

How did you react when you found out you booked the show?

I didn’t know who to tell! I was so ecstatic and I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t want to ruin it by telling everyone, so I didn’t know what to do with it! I think I told my family first, I definitely danced in the street, and I did some silent screams. And I was just elated for the rest of the day.

As a witch going to Hogwarts, do you get to do a bit of magic on stage?

I do, I get to do a couple! It always happens so quickly. So, if you blink, you might miss it! I’ll leave it there, so I don’t give any spoilers.

Do you feel like a true witch when you’re up there?

Good question! [She laughs.] I feel like I’m a true student witch. Because my character is learning at the time - she’s very intelligent and she has a very good knack for it. She has all the knowledge from her mom, Hermione. She’s good at spells and she’s very independent but she’s also very popular at school. She’s a model student. So, at the moment, I’m learning these spells and tricks and I feel like I’m doing a very good job and I hope to be a very good witch in the future!

You recently started your run as Rose Granger-Weasley in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child as part of the new cast, how has this been?

Is your wand unique to you?

Oh, another good question! I think it does get passed down from actor to actor so it’s not just mine. We also have special wands for special things, that’s the magic of theatre. Each principal character has their own wand and I have more than one as well so… [She laughs.]

What’s your favourite thing about Rose?

I like the fact that she has a long and dramatic cloak, and she can use that to swish a lot. That’s part of her character. She wears it when she’s doing the ‘Wand Dance’ and it’s really fun. It’s when they’re learning to use and control their wands and not let the wands control them. Obviously, they are students, so they have to go on the journey of the dance, and it gets really intense and hot on the stage. But I really like that scene, it’s a really good moment for Rose!

a bit of both actually! Each role requires a different part of me so I bring whatever is needed for each specific role.

I saw you this summer in 101 Dalmatians at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, what was that experience like?

This was definitely a summer to remember for me! The cast was amazing, such a lovely group of people! The show was so fun and we had really great audiences. Because it was Open Air, we could see the audience and their reactions while the show was happening! It was quite amazing.

And the costumes were incredible!

They were really great but so warm! It was the hottest summer to date and when I was doing the matinee under the sun with my leather leggings, I was very, very warm. The company manager would meet us at the interval with frozen lollies and give us one or two each to cool us down.

We do our first show at 2 pm and our second show at 7 pm and on Sundays, we do it one hour earlier. So, we do one at 1 pm and the other at 6 pm. We never split Part 1 and Part 2 over two days, it’s always all in one day. But the audience can come all in one day or decide to break it up and see it on different days. Part 1 will always be a matinee and Part 2 an evening show.

That’s really intense. And you even got to play the violin as well!

Yes, I did! That was fun! Just another element to add on top of the singing, the acting, the dancing, the puppeteering… So many elements! It was really challenging.

I think it’s actually quite a breath of fresh air! Because in other shows, you might have to do the same show twice in one day whereas here it feels like we’re doing two different shows in one day. It keeps it vibrant, and fresh and you come back with new energy in the evening! I think it’s a nicer way to do it! I’m really enjoying the schedule, it’s one of my favourite things about it.

It’s been a busy year for you, touring with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, doing 101 Dalmatians and now this. How do you balance your personal life and your career?

It’s only when you say it that I realise that I’ve been really busy indeed! You know what? I just take it as it comes and try to keep my days off quite relaxing and do what I want to do. Cursed Child is giving me a sense of feeling at home which is really nice. After having gone from job to job, I finally feel settled in one place and feel comfortable in the theatre and the cast. So, it’s really nice to just do one thing for a long time. It gives my body a bit of a rest!

I’ve done both in their own rights. I’ve done quite a few, smaller plays leading to this one and it was a good experience. I did primarily train in musical theatre but I think it’s nice to switch it up and do

It’s a very long play, how does it work with the show being cut into two parts?

Is it really different from playing the same show every time?

You’ve done lots of musicals before being in The Cursed Child, is it quite different to be in a play?

© Manuel Harlan

theatre?

Yes, I always knew I wanted to perform. I just really couldn’t escape it. I was about to take English Literature and Language as my degree at university and then I decided not to because the passion was too strong. As cliché as it sounds. But I’m really glad I didn’t because now I can’t see myself doing anything else. I’m happy it worked out for me!

GRACE’S RUN-THROUGH

Do you have a dream role/show?

Tough question! Do you know what? I like to keep it open. Sometimes, you can have a dream role and get it and then it might not be as amazing as you thought it would be. Or the other way around! So, I like to keep it open for whatever comes to me. I’ll be surprised!

If you could play any other character in the show, who would it be?

I was thinking about it yesterday, actually! The character I would most like to play is Scorpius because he’s such a loveable character. He’s a bit geeky, like me. He goes on such a journey and it’s so lovely and nice to see! I think it would be really cool to do his part - maybe during a role-reversal show?

Rose is a Gryffindor but what is your Hogwarts House?

I’m actually a Gryffindor too! We were meant to be!

Do you have a favourite spell?

Expecto patronum, I think. It’s a cool one and it’s such a beautiful part of the play as well. It’s very clever!

Finally, do you have any advice for aspiring theatre performers?

I would say: keep training in all areas because you don’t know what might pop up and what you might need to rely on. Try to keep your foot in each discipline so that you’re prepared for everything. Preparation is key!

Did you always know you wanted to do

© Manuel Harlan

LONDON’S NOT SO SCARY HORROR PLAY

Recently, I attended a performance of 2:22 A Ghost Story at the Criterion Theatre in Piccadilly Circus. According to the summary of the show on its website, 2:22 is “an adrenaline-filled night where secrets emerge and ghosts may or may not appear. What do you believe? And do you dare discover the truth? Jenny believes her new home is haunted, but her husband Sam isn’t having any of it. They argue with their first dinner guests, old friend Lauren and her new partner Ben. Can the dead really walk again? Belief and scepticism clash, but something feels strange and frightening, and that something is getting closer. So they’re going to stay up until 2:22….and then they’ll know.”

Laura Whitmore stars as Jenny, a new mother who worries about her child and fears that her new home is haunted. Jenny’s husband, Sam (played by Felix Scott), does not believe in ghosts and is convinced that Jenny is driving herself crazy with concern over something that is just in her head. They are joined in their new home by Lauren (Tamsin Carroll) and Ben (Matt Willis), a couple who have come over for a housewarming dinner.

Unfortunately, while the actors put on good performances (I particularly enjoyed Matt Willis as Ben, the most comedic role of the four), 2:22 A Ghost Story fails to deliver on its promise of being a “supernatural thriller.” I found myself thinking of the play as a melodrama with a random ghost story thrown in, as most of the story focuses on the relationships between the four characters and does not build up the horror aspect as expected. Writer Danny Robbins has some interesting points to make when speaking about love and wealth, topics that would have been better explored in a play that did not attempt to focus on scaring the audience. There are some moments with talks of difficult subjects like gentrification that made me wonder if the real horror was 2:22 being a political play all along.

In terms of the “Ghost Story” part of 2:22 A Ghost Story, there is not much to be said. I found myself guessing the answer to the “horrifying” mystery within the first few minutes, leaving the rest of the play to some unsatisfying jumpscares and dramatic monologues.

Cindy Lin’s costumes are simple and express the personalities of the characters while still blending together. The set design by Anna Fleischle is interesting as it is quite simple, but has some surprising aspects that work well with the horror theme of the play. There is clever usage of the digital clocks displaying the time leading up to 2:22 AM.

The lighting design by Lucy Carter can be quite jarring at times - I can only assume most of the sudden blackouts and flashes of light were meant to scare the audience but fail to tie into the story itself, leaving those watching in a state of confusion instead of fear. There are red lights that outline the stage in a similar fashion to the central digital clock, but the lights fail to connect with Fleischle’s set. The scene changes are accompanied by screams, which are explained in the context of the play, but they quickly end up becoming annoying after the first one or two, no longer causing audience members to jump in their seats. Ian Dickinson for Autograph’s sound design is decent but fails to be effective for the storytelling of 2:22.

Ultimately, 2:22 A Ghost Story attempts to be a horror story but ends up being a slightly dull melodrama that fails to delve into the scary aspects it promises. Director Matthew Dunster is unable to bring together the works of the creative team, leading to a disjointed production with no true sense of horror.

2:22 A Ghost Story runs until the 8th of January at the Criterion Theatre. The show will then be running at the Lyric Theatre for fourteen weeks starting on January 21st, 2023.

Words by Kat Mokrynski

SHOW REVIEW

&JULIET AT THE STEPHEN SONDHEIM THEATRE

© Matthew Murphy

The most famous love story of all time is getting a makeover. The newest jukebox musical, & Juliet, opened on Broadway with glitter, pop songs, and empowerment. The show transferred from its Olivier-winning run in London and a pre-Broadway engagement in Toronto. This is the third time I have seen the show after previously seeing it twice in London and I was excited to see this cast and their take.

Before I continue this review, I must admit: I am not a fan of most jukebox musicals. It is not that I don’t see the point in them, they just are not usually the first shows I want to see. And yet, I loved this one. It is full of joy, empowerment and the most fun you will have on Broadway right now. Max Martin, the Swedish producer behind many of the top pop hits in the last twenty-five years, is behind all of the songs in the score. The songs include hits from the Backstreet Boys (seven of them to be exact), Katy Perry, Britney Spears, and more pop stars. The songs combined with a book by David West Read, the writer of Schitt’s Creek, make for a fabulous time at the theater.

& Juliet picks up with Shakespeare introducing his new play Romeo and Juliet to his company of players. The players and his wife, Anne, disagree with the ending and suggest Juliet does not have to die with Romeo. After some reluctance, Shakespeare agrees to change the plot and we are introduced to Juliet at Romeo’s grave, dagger and walkman in hand. She decides not to kill herself and goes to Romeo’s funeral where she discovers his other lovers. With her Nurse, and her best friends May and April (aka Anne who has written herself into the show), she does what any young widow would do and takes off to Paris to avoid being sent to a nunnery. There she meets François Dubois and they agree to marry to please their parents with Juliet not aware he has eyes for another. Juliet has to decide between pleasing others and making decisions for herself.

Lorna Courtney and Ben Jackson Walker are the starcrossed lovers in this iteration of the story. Courtney, previously seen on Broadway in Dear Evan Hansen and West Side Story, gives a star-turning performance in the titular role. Her powerful vocals and delightful personality

are well-suited to the role. Courtney truly comes alive in the second act with strong performances of “Stronger” and “Roar” emphasizing her character’s strength and autonomy. I only wish the show gave her more to work with, instead of making her the supporting character in what is supposed to be her story. More attention is given to her friends’ choices and lives than her own…

Walker makes his Broadway debut as Romeo and leaves a truly memorable performance. He is full of charisma and commands your attention as soon as he is on stage. I won’t spoil his character’s role but he certainly makes himself known.

The show may be titled & Juliet, but the heart of the show lies with Phillipe Arroyo and Justin David Sullivan as François and May, respectively. Arroyo’s charm and endearment work well for François and his chemistry with Sullivan is undeniable. Their love story is the most compelling and their duets are my favorite moments of the show. Their second act number, “Whataya Want from Me”, where François admits his feelings for May but cannot act on them, is heartbreaking. Justin David Sullivan makes their Broadway debut as May and what a performance she gives! His performance as May is so important for non-binary representation and they play on every moment in the show from gender dysphoria to euphoria to struggling to find love. Sullivan’s performance of “I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman’’, which was originally written about age, is an emotional ballad about gender identity that left me in tears. I can only imagine the impact this character and performance will have on LGTBQ+ people and it’s so refreshing to have this story on Broadway eight times a week.

The other couple that stood out for me was Paulo Szot and Melanie La Barrie as Lance and the Nurse, respectively. Szot, a Tony winner and opera star, puts his baritone to good use with his duet performance of “Teenage Dream/Break Free” with La Barrie. La Barrie reprises her role from the West End production and it’s clear why the production brought her over. Her wit brings life to the show in key moments but also shows her tender side with Juliet with a beautiful performance of “F***in Perfect”. You cannot help but root for Lance

and the Nurse as an example of love being found later in life.

Stark Stands and Besty Wolfe give strong performances as Shakespeare and his wife Anne, and both are well cast in their roles. However, the subplot of their marriage feels unnecessary and crowds a musical with three other main couples. Little is known about their marriage but the implication he cared more about his work than his family is not a potentially shocking truth given the standards of the Elizabethan era. Additionally, their disagreements about the course of the plot do not always make sense. Shakespeare wants to add conflict but Anne disagrees and as any English teacher would tell you, conflict is essential to any story.

The production is visually identical to the one on the other side of the pond. The minimalist sets designed by Soutra Gilmour and the video and projections designed

by Andrzej Goulding make for an eye-catching musical. The creative costumes from Paloma Young are a smart combination of Elizabethan and modern styles. The one big difference for me was the theater itself. The Stephen Sondheim Theater is a few hundred seats smaller than the Shaftesbury Theatre in London and the projections sometimes feel too big for the space.

& Juliet is certainly a musical made for millennials and Gen Z-ers with its pop songs and “yassification” of the most famous love story. What could be cringy is what makes it work. The show is completely aware of who its target audience is and leans into that 100%. But this show can appeal to all generations and you’re bound to be on your feet for the finale! This is the show Broadway needs and one I hope roars for years to come.

Words by Helen Sullivan

© Matthew Murphy

INTERVIEW IN CONVERSATION WITH CARL MAN

BEHIND THE CURTAIN WITH CARL MAN

After making history as the first performer of Asian descent to play the role of Fiyero in an English-language production of Wicked, Carl Man is currently starring in the & Juliet ensemble as Gregory. He is also the first cover for Romeo and the second cover for Shakespeare. We got to chat with him about his inspiring career and his time in the show.

You have been in & Juliet for over eight months now, how is it going? Is it still as fun?

Yeah, it’s super fun! It’s such a rewarding show because I think the storyline is so relevant and every time we do the show and we leave the theatre, the fans are so appreciative of it. People who have never seen the show are like, ‘I can’t believe I’ve never seen this show!’ It just means a lot to people so I think that is always very rewarding. And I think this show also presents new challenges all the time, so it’s super rewarding!

You’ve done shows in the US as well, right?

Yeah, I went to America to do a version of Aladdin, in California for Disneyland, and I did some other tours there as well.

That’s amazing! So, do you prefer working in England or the US?

I loved being in America because it was so new and exciting, but I love being in London obviously because I’m from England and my family are close so they can come and watch me perform all the time. They couldn’t come to America to see me, so I love being back home for that.

What would you say has been the highlight of your career so far?

So I grew up listening to all of Max Martin’s music like Britney Spears, NSYNC, and Backstreet Boys— it was the soundtrack of my growing up. So, when & Juliet first came out I thought, ‘Wow this is gonna be amazing!’ And I saw the show and it blew me away. It was a show that I never thought I would do—especially Romeo, he sings so high. Jordan Luke Gage is fantastic! But when the auditions came around I thought, ‘I’m gonna give this a go’, and then I got the job and I was super happy!

I think, being half-Asian and half-white, growing up there weren’t a lot of roles—you could do The King and I, or maybe Aladdin, so in my mind, there are certain roles I never thought I could do, they weren’t on my radar. So when I got Wicked, and I got to play Fiyero, that for me was something very special as I never thought that that would be in my path. That was very special, I would say that is definitely a highlight and something I’ll never forget.

And you were with the show for a long time too!

I’ve always loved singing and dancing for as long as I can remember. My grandma took me to my first musical, which was Oliver!, and that was the first time I’d seen people on stage, I think I may have been around six. During the show I asked her, ‘How did those boys get that job?’ and she went ‘They just worked really hard!’ And then I was like ‘Okay, I’m gonna do that.’ And so, from then on I just did local theatre, I went to a local dance school, and did drama classes… That was my start in performing.

Well, I only did technically two years, but because of Covid, it’s stretched out. On paper, I was in the show from 2018 to 2022!

Who are your inspirations in life and the theatre community?

Anyone who is passionate, and follows their dream, but with integrity and is a good person, and their talent just shines through—that’s inspiring!

Can you tell us about your first encounter with the show, and why you wanted to be a part of it?

Going back a little further now, can you tell us how you first got into theatre?

© Danny Kann

I like to sing along to the songs during the show if I’m not on stage—well actually for these jobs I’m always on stage [as part of the ensemble] so I can’t do that. When I go on for Romeo, I always sing through a couple of the songs in the dressing room before I go on stage. And there’s something, it happened in Wicked and it’s kind of a bit of a superstition, a ritual, but I have to do ten push-ups in the wing before I go on stage. Especially with Romeo because you sit for so long in the dressing room doing nothing, so it kind of helps to wake me up. And I’ve also just added three squat jumps! So, I do ten push-ups and three squat jumps, and then I’m ready to go on.

Would you like to one day be a full-time principal, or do you prefer alternating between ensemble and principal?

I think I’m at a place now where I would love to progress onto playing principals. It’s more challenging, and I feel more fulfilled when I get to act!

Any roles on your bucket list that you’d like to play?

There are a few but I feel like a lot of stuff that comes my way is shows I’d never thought I’d ever do, so I think the next show I will do will probably be something I didn’t see coming!

Or something brand new!

I would definitely say get good sleep! If I don’t get enough sleep then my voice is definitely not where it should be. Don’t drink too much alcohol [he laughs]. Drink water! I think a good vocal warmup is super important too and I’ve gotten into vocal tubing and bubbling; that’s been very, very helpful. And I just think staying on top of your technique is really important. I sing differently now than how I did like, six years ago. You learn new things along the way! So, I would just say never stop learning about your voice and your craft, that’s very important.

That would be cool, I would love to originate something. But Fiyero and Romeo—they have their own challenges but I feel like there’s also something very relaxing about them in a way. So the next show I do, I’d like something that’s maybe more intense, more challenging, maybe more dramatic, maybe I’ll need to cry… [He laughs.] You know what I mean?

Yes! And it’s true Fiyero and Romeo are not roles where you spend a lot of time on stage.

Yeah, like a show where I never leave the stage! That would be quite fun. I’d be tired, but it’d be fun.

What is the best thing about being in & Juliet?

I am primarily an actor and a singer, dancing is a step down for me. So, of course, I love going on for these roles, that’s something that I’ve always aspired to do—act and play roles. But especially with Fiyero and Romeo and probably a lot of other principal roles, you’re very separate from the ensemble and you never really interact with them. So when I do go back to playing ensemble, I get to have more fun with the cast and interact with them, and that’s always fun. It’s kind of the best of both worlds.

Wow, that’s a good question. I think the best thing about being in & Juliet is telling a story that resonates with so many people and so many different types of people, that each role will have someone in the audience relate to it. You have the Nurse and Lance storyline about finding love again when you didn’t think it was possible. And Anne and Shakespeare have a storyline which possibly represents a lot of husbands and wives that come to see the show and who may have lost touch for a little bit and can finally come back and fall in love again, appreciating each other again. Second chances are also a big theme with & Juliet, and I think everyone deserves a second chance so my favourite bit is telling this story which everyone will relate to in that way.

Your last two big jobs in the West End have included covering two very demanding roles, Fiyero in Wicked and Romeo in & Juliet; how do you manage to always stay ready to go on? Do you have a special routine when you go on?

Do you have any advice on vocal health for such demanding roles?

Do you ever miss doing your ensemble track whenever you’re on for your principal track for a long time?

I think Anne would be super fun. She gets to have really funny moments; I think she’s probably one of the funniest characters in the show. But then it all comes back down to her relationship with Shakespeare and it’s like a complete flip, that’s one of the most heartbreaking scenes of the show. She really gets to act her arse off! And then obviously ‘That’s The Way It Is’ is probably my favourite song in the show. I’d love to sing that song.

We’d love to hear you sing it!

Maybe one day I’ll do a version of it, at a concert!

What advice would you give to aspiring performers?

Work your craft and be the best you can be, but I think the number one thing I’ve found in my career and everything I’ve done is, just to be a good person, a good company member, always have integrity, and always be nice to everyone. Whether it’s cast members, creative teams, backstage staff, or the person who does your wig—everyone! Just be nice because it’s really important to have a good reputation, people will think of you and be like ‘Oh he’s a really nice guy!’ I think ultimately that is important. So, be a good person, and never stop learning. I think you can never stop improving or developing new skills and finding new ways to explore your talent. But also another thing I would say is—this obviously is our passion and we love doing it, but ultimately remember that this isn’t everything in the world, so I would say also have interests elsewhere- hobbies that you enjoy when you’re not performing.

What are yours?

I’m trying to figure it out but I love being creative so I think I would love to explore more creative activities like interior design.

If you could work in theatre in any department other than an actor what would you choose?

I would love to work in casting! I always think I have a really good ear, and a good eye for which performer would suit a role, so I think that’d be really fun. I’d love to be able to do that.

When you do the show so many times, there’s always a funny moment! There’s gotta be a few but anytime anyone falls on stage I don’t want them to get hurt but anytime anyone falls is always really funny. There was someone in my first Wicked cast, she would fall all the time and it would just crack me up. If she was laughing, I knew that I could laugh as well! When people forget lines as well, but I think falling is funny! [He laughs]

What would you say to your younger self if you could talk to him?

I definitely would say that everyone has their own path and not everyone has the same timing for their life, some people may be booking jobs as soon as they leave school and other people have to go on a different route to get to where they’re going. So, trust your own path and trust your own timing, your own journey. And if you believe, if you know something will come to you, then it will.

And if you could play any other role in the show, regardless of gender or age, who would you pick?

Can you tell us about any funny mishaps on stage that you can think of?

CARL’S RUN-THROUGH

Fiyero. Definitely!

Favourite Gregory costume?

That would be my ‘Blow’ costume. I love the gold corset and the tight white trousers! Actually, when I did the costume fitting, they were kind of baggy. I was still doing Wicked at the time and I asked them to make them really tight so the costume designer said, ‘Oh, like Fiyero’s trousers?’ and I was like, ‘Exactly like that!’

Sometimes I do an Instagram live. It kind of goes very quickly though so once I sit down I have a little snack, and then I sing through each Romeo song at least once, and then it’s kinda time to go down! And I just scroll on Instagram which is very bad…

Favourite show tune?

Guilty pleasure, even before I was in the show it was my favourite song—I think ‘Defying Gravity’ is the best song. Everyone loves that song! And probably ‘One Day More’ from Les Misérables, I love that song. It’s very uplifting and inspiring.

Describe your experience in the & Juliet company in 3 words!

Challenging, because I am not a hip-hop dancer or anything like that, so when I got the ensemble role with the cover I thought, there’s no way I’m gonna do this dancing, I won’t be able to learn this. But then I did, and I’m so proud of myself that I managed to do it!

Exciting, because I think it’s quite a unique show, and I’m excited that I get to be part of it.

Inspiring, because I think the show reaches an audience that might not see themselves in other shows, so I’m inspired that they get to be inspired too.

Words by Clélia Gessner

Who would win in a fight between Romeo and Fiyero?

Favourite thing to keep yourself busy during Act 1 when you’re on for Romeo?

FOCUS ON

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA A TIMELESS SPECTACLE

© Johan Persson

Celebrating 36 years in the West End, The Phantom of the Opera is the musical not to miss! Andrew Lloyd Webber’s classic is acclaimed all over the world with its music being an international phenomenon. It is a mesmerising show that will make you want to see it over and over again as soon as you’re leaving the theatre. Running since 1986 at Her Majesty’s Theatre with several Olivier Awards to its name, the show has managed to keep its heart and soul throughout the years and still remains the same renowned masterpiece that everyone loves.

The Phantom of the Opera, famously composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, tells the story of a young Soprano, Christine Daaé, who becomes the obsession of a mysterious Phantom that inhabits the Opera. This strange Phantom, clever and manipulative, will cause chaos within the Opera House, leading to terror and death. The story is beautifully staged with grand sets and sumptuous musical and dance scenes. The music is an absolute wonder in itself, especially the iconic title song ‘The Phantom of the Opera’. Other numbers such as ‘Masquerade’, ‘All I Ask of You’ and ‘Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again’ are as stunning as the main song. The music alongside the gorgeous sets and costumes as well as a well-written book makes the show a triumph! Even though the story can be seen as rather wrong - and let’s be honest, the Phantom is a dangerous stalker and murderer -, we are so immersed in the world and music that by the end, we are moved by this astonishing piece of theatre.

I was personally first introduced to The Phantom of the Opera through the filmed version of the 25thanniversary concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Being a fan of Sierra Boggess, I really wanted to see the show but I still lived in France. This concert version, however, allowed me to witness the magic of the musical in a beautiful adaptation that remained true to the original production. Of course, I didn’t know that when I watched it and so, when I saw it in real-life for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised to see that everything up to the costumes, props, and sets were similar. It was as if I was seeing the 25th production come to life - with, of course, a different cast and a much smaller stage. I had the same reaction when I went back recently and watched the show that I fell in love with all those years ago. It was magical for me to be able to witness the

musical as I knew it. It’s no wonder it’s still a successeven after so many years!

Naturally, over the years, shows are subjected to change as is the entire theatre industry. So, it is not rare to see costumes being adapted or sets being rethought. For instance, Les Misérables was shut down for six months in 2021 in order to renovate the now Sondheim Theatre. When it returned to the theatre, it was a new production from Laurence Connor and James Powell that had been touring around the world. Much stayed the same such as the score, the costumes, and the text. However, the design was rethought by Matt Kinley and contrasts daringly with John Napier’s original one. Yet, the show being such an international hit and its story so popular, there’s no doubt that no matter the changes, it will continue to have great success.

It is necessary and usually brings forth modernity and diversity. But I do believe that this can be done while keeping the heart of the show intact. And that’s what The Phantom of the Opera has done. Over the years, the show has seen little to no changes in terms of design, sets, costumes, and music but has however embraced more diversity within its casting. Since July 2021, Lucy St Louis has been leading the company in the West End as Christine Daaé. As the first Black woman to play the role, she is making history. Broadway has also seen Ali Ewoldt as the first Asian-American Christine, Jordan Donica as the first African-American Raoul, and Norm Lewis as the first black Phantom. Clearly, there is still a lot to be done, especially in the West End, to make sure the show continues to evolve with its time and keeps its raging success.

While talking about the cast, I need to mention Lucy St Louis’ stunning performance as Christine. She handled herself with grace, talent, and wonder - truly bringing to life the innocent soprano. I was particularly in awe of her

‘‘OVER THE YEARS, THE SHOW HAS SEEN LITTLE TO NO CHANGES IN TERMS OF DESIGN, SETS, COSTUMES, AND MUSIC BUT HAS HOWEVER EMBRACED MORE DIVERSITY WITHIN ITS CASTING.’’

during ‘Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again’ which is probably my favourite song of the show – Lucy looked so ethereal in her blue cape and gown. The iconic ‘Phantom of the Opera’ was also spectacular, with Lucy and Killian Donnelly as the Phantom giving their absolute best!

Killian was both bewitching and terrifying in this role. His rendition of ‘Music of the Night’ was gorgeous while his ‘Point of No Return’ was full of passion. He was able to bring to life an incredibly emblematic character with his own twist and personality. Similarly, it was a pleasure to witness Connor Carson (1st cover) as a kind-hearted and resolute Raoul. He particularly moved me during ‘All I Ask of You’ where he and Christine declare their love for each other on the rooftop of the Opera House. The entire cast, especially the stunning dancers, made the whole story come alive in a heartfelt and powerful spectacle.

Another highlight for me was the Masquerade Ball where everyone comes disguised. The costumes are not only stunning and very creative, but they are also

timeless. They are still the same gorgeous costumes from the 25th concert and from the very first production. It’s quite incredible to be able to see them in front of your very eyes after loving the show from watching it on a screen! Similarly, the much-loved title number remains the same in terms of costumes, staging, and setting. No matter how many times I’ll see it, the moment when the music starts until the fog clears in the Phantom’s lair, it is impossible not to have goosebumps.

As the second-longest-running show in the West End - and the longest-running show on Broadway - it is a spectacle for all ages that showcases the beauty of music, staging, and of art in general. It is quite a shame to see the Broadway production closing on April 16th, it will be dearly missed. For now, however, The Phantom of the Opera in London has been open for 36 years and I hope it will continue to play its music for many years to come.

Words by Constance Drugeot

© Johan Persson

SHOW REVIEW

SIERRA BOGGESS IN CONCERT IN LONDON

The Broadway star Sierra Boggess finally made a comeback in London in December 2022 for a concert at Cadogan Hall, two years after her firstever London concert in February 2020. 2022 was an incredible year for London: Fourth Wall Live brought several Broadway stars to London, including Jeremy Jordan and Audra McDonald, and ended with the gorgeous Sierra Boggess at Cadogan hall.

Boggess is probably one of the most famous Christine Daaé ever. She has played the role on Broadway, in Las Vegas, Tokyo and the West End in both Phantom of the Opera and Love Never Dies For the concert, she was accompanied by her sister, Summer Boggess-Hertz, on the cello and her brother-in-law and musical director, Brian Hertz, on the piano. The set was quite simple, seven large lights behind the trio, a mic stand, a high chair for Sierra to sit on now and then and a large Christmas tree at the back to set up the mood for the concert.

True to herself, Boggess sang “Think of Me” from The Phantom of the Opera in four different ways: the Las

Vegas way, also known as the Britney Spears way, always hilarious, followed by a more classical reprise of the song in Japanese, French and finally English. I must admit, the first time I heard Sierra sing that song in my mother tongue (French), I could not understand half of the words she was singing, but now, I can say that she has greatly improved her pronunciation! Does that mean they are thinking of bringing Phantom to Paris after the missed opportunity in 2016? Probably not, but a girl can dream!

To end the first part of the concert, Sierra Boggess sang the title song from Love Never Dies. As problematic and controversial as this musical is, it is one of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s finest scores, albeit not my personal favourite – I much prefer Phantom of the Opera or Jesus Christ Superstar

Sometimes, this concert also felt like a one-woman show. Boggess has an amazing sense of humour. When she came onstage for the first time, she was holding a cup of tea that she raised for the audience’s

health. Similarly, during the break between the two parts, Sierra Boggess made sure to call it “interval” and not “intermission”. She knows how to please her audience! I do wonder, though, what was in her teacup as she drank from it for one whole hour! She loves to interact with the audience, asking people who had tickets to go see Phantom of the Opera in Paris and jokingly telling us that her interpretation of “Think of Me” in French was a way of paying us back for what we missed. On another occasion, when she sat down she revealed her beautiful long legs and vertiginously high heels and said “Heels and legs, you didn’t see that on Zoom!” She also joked that she was opening and closing the show - concert - on the same day, “the shortest run ever”!

During the second part, we were graced with a rendition of “I Could Have Danced All Night” from My Fair Lady and “Feed the Birds” from Mary Poppins. These two songs really suit Boggess’s beautiful soprano voice! Apart from the Phantom songs, these two ballads were my favourite. Speaking of Phantom of the Opera, it would be amiss not to mention her

rendition of “Wishing You Were Somewhere Here Again”. Oh, I wish I could have heard her perform this song when she played Christine Daaé… I watch the 25th Anniversary of the show every now and then, and every single time I am always blown away by her singing but it doesn’t hold a candle to hearing it in real life, in the front row, with the artist being five metres away from you.

In the middle of all the musical theatre songs, Boggess also sang some Christmas lullabies to get us in the mood for the holidays. I do enjoy Christmas songs but I do not particularly love them. In my opinion, it is a pity that most of the setlist was very similar to her previous concert with only the Christmas songs being different. Even the anecdotes she told the audience were the same as two years ago…

Now, all I want for Christmas is for Sierra Boggess to be cast in a show - any show really - in the West End!

Words by Clémentine Pruvost

© All Rights Reserved

AN

Set in St Paul’s Church at the heart of Covent Garden, Musicals by Candlelights is a new series of candlelit concerts exploring some of the most iconic musical theatre songs. Following the success of Candlelight Concerts where a live string quartet would pay tribute to different songwriters, singers, and composers, it was only natural to highlight the work of some of the greatest musical theatre composers in London’s West End.

These concerts make for a lovely and relaxed evening spent in a beautiful - and most perfect - venue. St Paul’s Church, also known as the Actors Church due to its central location in Theatreland, was decked with hundreds of flickering candles, covering the floor near the altar and bathing the 400-year-old church in warm light. With our tickets, we were given complimentary mulled wine that was served at the entrance of the church. Although the church wasn’t particularly warm, it was such a nice way to take shelter from the cold and unwind in this beautiful and intimate setting. The gorgeous ambience already guaranteed an evening of harmony and serenity.

And we were not disappointed! When the musicians walked to the altar - which served as a stage - and set up their instruments, the entire church quieted down. The music was performed by the AwardWinning quartet, Icon Strings Quartet, which is a collective of some of the most talented chamber musicians and concert artists in London. They have performed in prestigious venues across the world and are very versatile musically. During the entire evening, our ears - and our hearts - were blessed with beautifully played compositions from some of the most legendary songwriters in theatre.

Starting with a dazzling rendition of ‘One Day More’ from Les Misérables, the quartet performed dozens of classics including songs from Mary Poppins, Wicked, The Phantom of the Opera, Frozen, My Fair Lady, and so much more. I particularly enjoyed ‘A Million Dreams’ from The Greatest Showman, ‘Tango de Roxanne’ from Moulin Rouge and their Frozen medley. The musicians, who had amazing chemistry with each other, finished the show with a surprise song from Shrek the Musical! The concert ended on

a playful note.

Alongside the music, the talented musicians would add a few words of introduction and anecdotes before the songs - adding warmth and conviviality to the evening. We definitely had a perfectly entertaining and charming time listening to gorgeous music, surrounded by flickering candles.

The last performance of Musicals by Candlelights took place on December 23rd, however they followed with a new series entitled Christmas by Candlelights, where, obviously, they played some of the most popular Christmas songs. From February 10th, Icon String Quartet will also perform a new candlelight concert, Valentines by Candlelights, for a romantic evening listening to love songs. Tickets are affordable and the quartet is most gifted, so do not miss them!

Words by Constance Drugeot

© All Rights Reserved

Matilda the musical adaptation

Words by Clélia Gessner Art by @artventurerz

ust over a year ago, I wrote a paper for a uni class entitled “Adapting British and Irish Theatre in the 21st Century” and the topic of my paper was Roald Dahl’s Matilda’s adaptation into a musical. One thing I learned in that class before even writing my paper was that there is no such thing as a ‘faithful’ adaptation–when going from one medium to another, some things are lost, others are added, like in translation! What’s interesting is to examine their differences and what makes each version unique.

In 1988 Roald Dahl published a book about a young genius called Matilda, who is misunderstood by her family and persecuted by her tyrannical, cruel headmistress at school. The book also features iconic illustrations by Quentin Blake. In 1996, Danny De Vito directed a film adaptation of the novel, which took great liberties but is a muchbeloved adaptation that millions of children grew up with! In 2011, the book was adapted again but into a stage musical for the Royal Shakespeare Company, with music and lyrics by Tim Minchin and a book by Dennis Kelly. It is still running in London’s West End, enjoyed a four-year-long run on Broadway and has been performed in theatres and schools across the world. The duo returned to adapt their musical into a long-awaited film which came out in UK cinemas last Autumn and finally hit Netflix for the rest of the world on Christmas Day.

You can imagine that, as someone who wrote a 6,000-word essay on adapting Matilda into a musical, I was more than excited to finally watch this new adaptation! It has been a long time coming, and finally, on Christmas Day I sat down and watched it. Here is my review:

With the original musical’s creative team returning, we could expect that this film would be as “faithful” an adaptation of the musical as possible. Some changes were made to fit the medium of cinema of course but the story remains mostly the same. A couple of characters and songs were cut–mostly in the Wormwood family, focusing much more on what happens at school than in Matilda’s house. A brand new song was written for the film, titled ‘Still Holding My Hand’. It comes at the very end of the film after all has been resolved. Musically, it was not my favourite song but it did make sense in the film and was quite emotional so I’m glad they added it

to tie things together.

In terms of aesthetics, I am not quite convinced with the ‘Miracle’ scene opening up the film as it is very different from what the rest of the film looks like, but I guess we can write this off as being the opening credit scene so it is okay if it looks a little different. I loved trying to spot all the West End cameos in that sequence though, and Matt Henry’s performance as the Doctor was delightful. For the rest of the film, I thought everything was quite nice to watch! The costumes are great, I loved the little bower hat they added to the school uniforms.

What I was looking forward to the most was the visual treatment of the Acrobat and Escapologist’s story, and I was not disappointed. This aspect of the story is unique to the musical and features neither in the original novel nor in the 1996 film but it is my favourite thing about the musical as it is such a fascinating way to frame the story and gives you a story within a story. In the stage musical, while Matilda tells the story to the librarian Mrs Phelps, she first uses dolls to illustrate her words, then in the next segment, we see actors physically embodying Matilda’s characters in the back. In the next, the actors are downstage in the centre while Matilda is on the side, and in the last segment which she tells only to the audience, she becomes a character in the story and the actor embodying the Escapologist hugs her and sings with her. Thus, the tale becomes more and more alive. In this new film adaptation, we get to see everything, because cinema allows it very easily, but this graduation is still present: at first we see images of the Acrobat and Escapologist while Matilda tells her story, then Matilda and Mrs Phelps are in the scene but watching from the audience or on the side while Matilda’s story unfolds, and finally, for the last segment, Matilda becomes the Escapologist’s daughter in a quite similar way as in the stage musical. It was really nice seeing the actual acrobatics, in a circus tent, with an audience, it made the story feel more real, which again works because of the medium of cinema.

Another sequence which had to be told differently in the film was the iconic song, ‘When I Grow Up’. It is perhaps one of the best-known songs to come out of the musical yet it does not advance the plot, nor really does it say anything new about the characters.

In the stage musical, it comes right after the opening of Act 2 (‘Telly’, cut in the film). According to Tim Minchin, it helps bring the fourth wall back up slowly and re-enter the world of Matilda after the interval. How do you translate that into film? I think it was wise not to cut this song because of how beautiful and beloved it is but also because it brings its own kind of magic to the story. In the musical, there is a very simple but very touching choreography/staging with swings. That would not have worked in a film. Instead, we see the children actually do things that adults do, such as driving a motorcycle, a bus or a plane, but still as children and behaving like children and I thought it perfectly illustrated the core of the song. It was very touching!

By now I am sure all of us have seen the incredible choreography for ‘Revolting Children’ on TikTok–it is probably my favourite song in the show and the film’s version definitely lives up to it! It made me clap and sing along and gave the same high energy and pure joy that the stage number provides, with incredible moves by the children ensemble. Similarly, the song ‘Bruce’ was very well adapted, going into a sort of dream sequence which allowed for a very theatrical staging. I also feel like they either re-used some of Peter Darling’s stage choreography in this scene, or emulated the style, because it almost felt like I was watching the show on stage! Overall, Ellen Kane’s choreography worked perfectly for the film and made for some great ensemble numbers. I think the only number I was disappointed in was ‘School Song’ – the choreography and staging are wonderful but I just do not think it is possible to come close to how cleverly the number was staged for the theatre!

In terms of direction and visuals, I wanted to touch on one last thing. Matthew Warchus was the original director for the stage musical but he is also no stranger to directing films and it shows: Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical definitely works as a film. I am no cinema specialist but I do go to the cinema a lot and I can appreciate good direction. Of course, this is not auteur cinema–it is a film marketed for children and families first and foremost after all–but there were some interesting things there. I think my favourite thing about the visuals was the recurrent aesthetics of lying down on the roof of a trailer/ vehicle, which ties the beginning of the film when Matilda lies on the roof of Mrs Phelps’s bookmobile

and the very end when Matilda and Mrs Honey hold hands while lying on the roof of Mrs Honey’s shackturned-trailer in their garden. I thought it added to the film some of the poetic aspects that were lost from the stage musical–one of those specificities of the medium that make an adaptation unique and worth doing!

Now, I cannot write this review without mentioning the performances. Let me start by saying, to me, Alisha Weir is Matilda. She embodies the character, and especially the way she is portrayed in the stage musical, to perfection. She is utterly convincing on screen as an actress and her vocals are flawless too! Of course, this is not the same as singing live but she has done some TV appearances singing live to promote the film and it really sounds like she could have performed the role on stage in the West End too. Another highlight is definitely Lashana Lynch as Miss Honey. In my humble opinion, Miss Honey’s songs in the stage musical are the least interesting ones but Lynch genuinely moved me to tears with her rendition of ‘My House’. Embeth Davidtz’s Miss Honey (from the 1996 film) is very much beloved and in everyone’s mind when thinking of the character but Lashana Lynch is just as good–she is this generation’s, Miss Honey. Emma Thompson as Miss Trunchbull was great–I mean it’s Emma Thompson! I have to admit it was weird at first to hear the Trunchbull songs in a female key with an actual female voice but I just do not think the film would have worked with a man in drag anyway, and Thompson really nailed the Trunchbull essence. Stephen Graham, Andrea Riseborough and Sindhu Vee as Mr Wormwood, Mrs Wormwood and Mrs Phelps also gave out great performances despite not having their own songs in this version. But what really makes the film is the children ensemble! They are all incredibly talented as actors, singers and dancers and deserve all our praise!

Overall, the new film adaptation of Matilda The Musical is a success. It has its flaws and it will not give you exactly the same thing as the book or as the stage musical but it works on its own and will leave you after two hours with a big smile on your face!

OPINION

COMMUNITY THEATRE VS. PROFESSIONAL THEATRE IN GERMANY

Like the UK or the United States, Germany is a theater-loving country, filled with many aspiring actors and singers. In the UK or USA, there are many community theaters which invite students and citizens who love theater to join their productions. However, this is not the case in Germany. Community theater is not that common in non-English speaking countries in Europe, making it hard for amateur theatre lovers and theater-hungry youths to get involved in an otherwise beautiful art form.

We do have many big theater productions. In Hamburg, which is our equivalent of West End or Broadway, many professional shows play every single day. These shows include Hamilton, Wicked, Frozen, and many others. In most big cities across the country, we have more professional productions and even touring productions that visit all cities. Yet, community/local theater is not a big thing here.

We do have local theaters in Germany that put on productions by their hired seasonal actors or puppet shows, but theater is still quite restricted.

Other “community theaters” are often just based on memberships - like a subscription. You’d have to be a member to act in these shows and these memberships can be pricey! Up to 200€ a month!

As a child growing up in Germany, I struggled to get involved with theater, especially musical theater. No theaters around me did productions for children to be a part of, and we had no such thing as theater camps or workshops. We do have schools that offer dance classes, singing classes, and acting classes, marketing themselves as “Musical Theatre” academies, but in reality, these schools don’t teach much about performing onstage, but more about how to sing a pop song expressively and how to speak in public. Sure, these are important skills, but they don’t fill a musical theater lover’s needs.

Furthermore, community theater in Germany can not be offered to minors because of our child protection laws. These unpaid community theaters would be seen as child labor so they are not allowed. That means that a child wanting to get involved with

theater would have to get a job in that production, and “work” according to the German Youth Actor law.

For instance, Anastasia is one of Hamburg’s most popular shows. But if a young girl from Berlin wanted to play young Anastasia, she’d have to move to Hamburg and be hired. That sounds reasonable. But, she could only play young Anastasia three-four times a month. She would share the role with five or six other girls, alternating the part so she would have time for schoolwork and her personal life.

Although these laws and rules are in place to keep actors in Germany safe, getting involved with theater productions is quite difficult as there are not many. People would way rather see a professional production of Mamma Mia, than a group of Teenagers and Young adults, performing for fun. Growing up in Germany as a young girl with a big heart for theater, it has been difficult to practice my craft.

However, things are looking up! Not only the professional Theater scene is changing, but so is the community theater scene all over the world. Slowly, more and more community theaters and musical theater schools are starting to pop up all over Europe. In Paris, Vienna and even Berlin! The theatre industry is changing, for the better, and I can not wait for the future generation of theatre-loving children and teenagers in Germany and their opportunities to get involved with musical theater. I feel very glad that these kids will get the opportunity to enter a world of expression and passion, all through art!

Words by Maya Patt

© Johan Persson

IN CONCERT WITH SAM PAULY

Words and pictures by Helen Sullivan

All you wanna do is see Sam Pauly’s solo show! As she finished her reign as Katherine Howard in Six: The Musical on Broadway, Samantha Pauly brought her solo concert to 54 Below on November 27th to finish off the holiday week. The NYC venue, known as “Broadway’s Living Room” was a perfect setting for an intimate evening with stunning vocals and a performance fit for a queen.

Sam Pauly first brought her show to Chelsea Table + Stage on November 1st. The first show sold out so fast, a second was added which subsequently also sold out. As I was unable to make the performance in person, I tuned into the live stream for both shows. The performances felt so personal that it was as if I was in the building myself. I enjoyed the mix of musical theater songs and stripped-down versions of pop hits. When the 54 Below show was announced, I was thrilled at getting to see her concert in person.

The setlist was a mix of musical theater and pop songs that beautifully showcased her voice and highlighted parts of her journey in the last few years. Sam was joined by Adam Cole Klepper on keys and as musical director, Jed Feder on drums and Nick Potocki on Guitar. Sam opened with “God is a Woman” by Ariana Grande which was her audition song for Six. Other songs by Ms Grande, “POV” and “Better Off”, were wonderful vehicles for her vocal prowess. She also showed off another side of pop with songs by Paramore, Hayley Williams and Billie Eilish. A highlight for me was the beautifully haunting “When the Party’s Over” by Ellish.

Sam also sang a selection of musical theater songs that I enjoyed hearing, including “Don’t Cry for Me

Argentina” from Evita. I was fortunate to see her as Eva Peron in the Regent Park production in 2019 and memories of seeing that incredible show came flooding back. Another highlight for me was “No One Else” from Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812. Great Comet is one of my favorite musicals and I could absolutely envision her as Natasha. The surprise guest for the evening was Brittany Mack, who originated the role of Anne of Cleves in Six. She joined Sam for a duet of “For Good” from Wicked with Britt as Glinda and Sam as Elphaba. It was an emotional duet, more so because of the impending cast change at Six a week after the show. They were originally meant to sing it at Sam’s first show at Chelsea but Britt was unable to make the performance due to illness and I felt privileged to see them sing this song live together for the first time. Other than that, it would not be a Sam Pauly show without some Wild Party and she brought down the house with “Look at Me Now”.

What made the performance so special was the personal nature Sam brought to it. In between songs, she would share stories about the meanings of the songs and how they related to her life. After “God is a Woman ‘’, Sam talked about her initial rejection of auditioning for Six because she was contracted to another show and was not as passionate about pursuing theater. Then, came a period of weeks leading to offers in the U.S. premiere of Six and a London revival of Evita, which Sam embarked on. I could feel the vulnerability in every song she sang and I loved seeing the smile on her face throughout the night.

I had the opportunity to talk to Sam about her solo show including the rehearsal process, her first shows and how she sees her show evolving.

What was the thought process behind the setlist? How did you decide which songs to pick and which to leave out?

I just started compiling a huge list of songs that I like to sing. Eventually, they whittled down to a list of 13 or so, and they all just kind of happened to fit together nicely. I eliminated songs that I felt didn’t serve me or the set as a whole. Then my MD helped me with a running order.

What was the rehearsal process like? Did the show change as you did the rehearsals? If so, how?

I only do one full band rehearsal before a show, usually for 2-3 hours. The show is set in stone at that point, but I’ve got a great group of musicians who offer amazing ideas. If anything changes it’s usually adding in an instrument or background vocals.

How was the experience of doing the first solo shows?

The first one at CT+S I was very nervous. I was afraid no one would come. But I was pleasantly surprised at how it turned out. The venue itself is my favorite one in NYC. The sound balance, venue, and staff are incredible.

How do you see your show evolving as you do more? Are there any songs you hope to add for future ones?

For future shows, I have maybe 6 songs that will always be staples. I’ve got a giant list of songs on my phone to add over time, duets and trios and all kinds of things. I’m hoping to always have a different show with new guests every time!

Sam will return to 54 Below on April 11th for an encore performance and will bring a holiday-themed concert to Chelsea Table + Stage on December 20th and 21st. Get your tickets for an intimate evening with one of Broadway’s most impressive performers!

INTERVIEW IN CONVERSATION WITH KRYSTA RODRIGUEZ

BEHIND THE CURTAIN WITH KRYSTA RODRIGUEZ

After a successful run in London in early 2022, the play The Collaboration has arrived on Broadway as part of a collaboration between the Manhattan Theatre Club and the Young Vic. The show, written by Anthony McCarten and directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah, imagines a conversation between two art legends, Andy Warhol [Paul Bettany] and Jean-Michel Basquiat [Jeremy Pope] in 1984. Warhol and Basquiat are joined onstage by Maya [Krysta Rodriguez], Basquiat’s partner, and Bruno Bischofberger [Erik Jensen], a Swiss art dealer.

Recently, I had the chance to speak with Krysta Rodriguez, who plays Maya, a fictional character based on some of Basquiat’s partners during the 1970s and 1980s. We discussed how she got involved in The Collaboration, her admiration for Warhol and Basquiat, and her time playing Liza Minnelli in Halston!

So, how did you get involved with The Collaboration?

It was unconventional in a way… I got asked to do a reading of it – they were presenting it to MTC [Manhattan Theatre Club] after it had been at the Young Vic. So they were just doing a Zoom reading of it over the summer and I got the call. I looked at the cast list and was like, “Yeah, obviously I want to be involved in this!” I read the play and really responded to the character pretty quickly. When we did the reading, I remember hanging up after the Zoom and seeing those two guys just be incredible and saying, “Oh, man, I wish I had another crack at that, because I think I get her now in a way that you can’t always do on an almost cold read.” Then the next day, they called and asked if I wanted to be involved in the production. Hopefully, they also saw that I had more to give to the role.

You’re playing a fictional character, Maya. Can you tell us more about her?

So Maya is an amalgamation of a couple different first-hand accounts of Jean-Michel’s partners throughout that time. A lot of it is drawn from one woman, Suzanne Mallouk, in the book Widow Basquiat, which is an incredible, prosaic version of their time together. I drew a lot of inspiration from that. But essentially, we see in the first act a very small instance of them in a happier time, of what their dynamic is, their attraction to each other. And then by the second act, it’s a full fast forward between the time they are not together anymore and the fallout of that relationship. What’s funny

is that my main scene in the show is with Andy Warhol - It’s not even with Jean-Michel! The story is a lot about the two of them discussing art and their feelings about it. Then by the second act, I burst in and make them confront what is going on outside. And then the rest of the act has to adjust to the information that I bring in. So while I do play a relationship with Jean-Michel, my function in the show is more to bring the outside world in.

Did you do research on Warhol and/or Basquiat for the role?

Definitely. I had already done a lot of research on Andy Warhol because I had played Liza Minnelli in Halston a couple of years ago. The height of his power was in the 60s and 70s and this version is now the 80s so I had to taper off my research on what he was doing at that time. And then with Basquiat, I had a working knowledge of him but not about his internal relationships. So that’s why the book Widow Basquiat was really important for me to be able to see behind closed doors, behind the photos, behind the paintings. How he was as a person, as a partner, as a friend.

Had you been a fan of either of the artists before?

Definitely. I think with Warhol, it’s hard to really feel his impact now because he’s so ubiquitous. What he did changed the course of everything – we now live in a post-Warhol world. So when you get to go back and see that research of what he was able to do, it’s quite astounding, for better or for worse. In a lot of ways, we have similar experiences

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with our pop culture icons. He was an artist, but he was a pop culture icon. We will never know a world pre-Kardashian. We’ll never know a world that doesn’t have fame attached to art – Andy was able to merge those two things together. What I think is really cool about the story of Jean-Michel is that Andy was an original disruptor and then you bring in a new disruptor – what happens when you disrupt the disruptor? Every new generation believes the other one is an old hat but doesn’t ever give acknowledgement to how they were ripping the seams apart when they came out. So, I think what Jean-Michel did, as a disruptor, was bring the forefront of black artists. He started in that graffiti era and then was able to put himself into museums, which had never happened before. That is a huge legacy that he was able to put forth. They’re both icons and will never be “uniconic” [Laughs].

What’s it like being a part of a fictionalized conversation between two very famous artists that people probably come in with their own conceptions about?

What’s always exciting is to be able to imagine the conversations that happen between people behind closed doors. Again, having played Liza and having had to do the conversations between her and Halston that you would never see, it’s really fun to take the public personas of these people. Because we didn’t have social media, we didn’t have a lot of ins into their private moments – who their best friends were, who they trusted and didn’t, you get to create that. The script writer gives you those tools and then you get to draw from your own experiences about what kind of conversations you would have with your best friend - If you’re dressed in your finest one day, what happens when you’re in your PJs on the couch? That’s a really fun thing for an actor to get to do. So, with this, it’s about these two very different people who did have a very close, personal, and trusting relationship. They worked together to push things forward in a massive way. To be able to see what happens when they sit around and talk about what they love the most, which is art, and then to be able to play somebody who gets to give you an even deeper insight as to who they are, who gets to represent what takes these two men who are at the top of their game and topples them. That’s a fun challenge to play.

I would definitely like to see stories of women. I think women are very good at having separate public and private personas and they can really unwind when they feel safe around people in a way that I think is maybe more than other people because we are constantly trying to put protections on in the outside world. There are some pretty famous women in history . . . Maybe Hillary Clinton would be interesting, to see what kind of chats she’s having behind the scenes. We got a little bit of that with her emails, but she loves Parks and Rec - I want a whole show of Hillary Clinton talking about Parks and Rec!

The word that comes to mind is explosive. I think that a flame gets lit at the beginning that pays off in a really exciting and bombastic way - You don’t know that it’s happening until it’s happening!

Thank you to Krysta for the wonderful interview and to Amy Kass, Bailey Piboolnuruk, and Lily Levy-Epstein for helping to arrange the interview.

The Collaboration is running on Broadway at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre through January 29th. Tickets can be purchased here. Masks will be required if attending a performance on Tuesday evening or a Sunday matinee. At all other performances, masks are still strongly encouraged.

Words by Kat Mokrynski

In the future, do you hope to ever be in another show like this? Is there anyone you would want to play in a show like this with a fictionalized conversation?

That would be fun! And finally, how would you describe The Collaboration in one word?

REVIEW FUNNY GIRL CAST RECORDING

On November 18th, 2022, Gemini Theatrical, Accidental Jacket and Sony Masterworks Broadway released the cast recording of the first Broadway revival of Funny Girl, but not with the original cast. This album immortalizes Lea Michele’s take on the iconic Fanny Brice, rather than Beanie Feldstein who had originally been cast in the role. Ramin Karimloo, Tovah Feldshuh and Jared Grimes lead along with Michele, providing lifelong fans with songs that had been cut, as well as updated orchestrations and a stunning mix. You’ll say “Oy vey” in the very best of contexts!

Due to a lack of funds brought in by the original cast of Funny Girl, producers believed that bringing in a big star such as Lea Michele would recoup their investments. Despite the recent accusations of racist behavior, she was hired as Feldstein left the company even earlier than expected. Michele’s presence brought up ticket sales, but the last ditch effort to produce even more money was, in fact, this recording. It is not made clear whether or not the original investment has been recouped, but $1.6 million in ticket sales weekly from Lea Michele is certainly helping.

Jule Styne’s original score and Bob Merrill’s lyrics remain

as written, bringing in Tony winner Harvey Fierstein’s revised book for the revival based on the real-life comic Fanny Brice. The early 1900s story is told beautifully through the orchestrations, as proven through the record.

Decorated with an unfaltering and flawless voice, Michele’s sweeping vocal phrases show what an impressive talent she truly is. As proven before through her many Broadway performances, and most notably her time on Fox’s Glee, we hear her updated take on Fanny. She already impressed us with her iconic rendition of “Don’t Rain on My Parade” in Glee, but it’s obvious she’s trying to separate Rachel Berry’s Fanny from her own.

A sweeping overture begins the journey for listeners, opening up the recording with that early 1900s feel and transporting listeners back to that time. Michele stuns with “Who Are You Now?” despite its short run time. “Did I give you too little? / Am I loving you too much?” she ponders, as the orchestra swells to cushion her, providing a structure of support towards the vulnerability displayed. We are then launched into the hysterical “If a Girl Isn’t Pretty” showing that though Funny Girl is known for its emotional and powerful ballads, it truly is just what it claims to be: funny!

Briefly shown to us before again on Fox’s Glee, Michele gets to provide another outlook on “I’m the Greatest Star.” While it is not the musical’s titular song, it emphasizes all that is great within the show itself. The upbeat instrumental and the hopeful lyrics reflect the confidence

Fanny has always had in herself despite what others may think: “Some ain’t got it, not a lump / I’m a great big clump of talent.”

“Cornet Man” is an album highlight for Funny Girl; a jazzy, exciting, ambient and powerful take on selfperseverance. Singing about the talent Fanny knows she has, and pleading to be taken seriously, Eddie agrees to aid Fanny before her next audition. The song is as stunning as the idyllic reflection portrayed in its lyrics. It continuously swells throughout its short two-minute runtime, starting with beautiful horns, mesmerizing keys, doo-wap backup and dreamy big band sound — by the end it divulges into a large crescendo, resulting in one of the most fun listening experiences of the album.

The classic skip-over song “Henry Street” remains as it has been. The joke made on the 90s sitcom The Nanny makes a good point: that you have to go through “Henry Street” to get to “People.” “People” is another track Michele already debuted on Glee, but we get the full scope now on this record. And boy, is it worth the trek through “Henry Street.” Even the siren song of the flute is enough to hypnotize the most absentminded listener. Michele continues to wow on this track, perhaps her best performance yet in the album.

As the second half of the record approaches, “You Are Woman, I Am Man” and “Don’t Rain on My Parade” keep the listeners’ attention with a quick wit and its most recognized song. Unlike the comedy-heavy pieces of the first act, there is a shift to propel themes of love,

determination and joy. Moments of the choreography can be heard, and the iconic tap moments that were so delicately worked on get their moment in the sun, specifically in “Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat.” The mixing on the record gets highlighted specifically in the second half, which most definitely deserves more recognition.

Ramin Karimloo’s gorgeous and playful voice suits Nicky Arnstein perfectly, surprising audiences due to his frequent casting as the dramatic tenor. Tovah Feldshuh wows with her comedic chops, making the wonderful “Who Taught Her Everything She Knows?” with Jared Grimes an entertaining and delightful take on the classic. More importantly, however, is Funny Girl’s ensemble. They work tirelessly to provide the record with the big band sound that brings back its 60s glamor.

Funny Girl is not a perfect musical. “Henry Street” is the classic skip-over, but the truth is that many songs on the album are. This record is exactly what it claims to be – the new cast recording. It’s hard to put an album out there or revive a show that is so infamous for being done the first time as flawlessly as it was, despite the flaws in the musical itself. All in all, the record delivers beautiful vocals, a stunning orchestra and an all-around fun time for those who choose to listen.

Words by Sophia Rubino

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REVIEW MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE

Every year the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade takes place in New York City, which, luckily, is the most notable city for theatrical arts and performances. As parade attendees swarm the city every year to get a taste of New York City’s holiday spirit, performers and crew gather together to celebrate by putting on a show!

This year at the parade, six different musicals performed across multiple different television stations. This year’s lineup included Funny Girl, The Lion King, Moulin Rouge!, Six, Some Like It Hot, and A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical.

For the channel that I watched, Funny Girl opened the parade with a bang! Lea Michele currently stars in the lead role of Fanny Brice and, alongside other cast

members, performed “Don’t Rain On My Parade”. A song that gave her plenty of fame on the notable television show Glee a few years ago. This was an amazing way to start the parade and the holiday season! While the title of the song speaks to the parade itself, the energy and upbeat style of the music also aided my excitement and helped me to wake up early on a Thursday morning. Funny Girl was one of the two shows that stood out to me in particular.

Another standout performance from the day was Disney’s The Lion King. While the show has been on Broadway for many years now and isn’t necessarily “new material” for the parade, it recently just celebrated an important milestone which is why we got to experience Disney magic once again. As a special moment in Broadway history, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade chose to help The Lion King celebrate its 25th year on Broadway! As someone who still has yet to see this show live and in person, I was blown away by the theatrics of it all! The use of puppets combined with costumes does an amazing job of telling the story of Simba and his family. I was fully captivated from just a television screen and

can only imagine this show is simply more astonishing in person.

Some Like It Hot and A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical contained wonderful choreography and musicality. Frankly, I didn’t know much about either of these musicals before the parade but each show had me intrigued in several ways. Some Like It Hot impressed me with the vocals and choreography. I love a good dance number and their performance at the parade certainly showcased that. As for A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical, I feel as though they played it safe with a song choice that they know everyone would like, but they also managed to pull it off wonderfully! I was singing along in my living room filled with the joy of the holidays.

Lastly, Moulin Rouge! and Six. Both of these performances were aired on CBS which I did not watch live but I did go back and watched later. While both performances were amazing, I was slightly disappointed that Moulin Rouge! was the only show to perform in their theatre and not on the parade route. To me, there is an importance to the live element in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Although considering their large and detailed set, I was able to set that complaint aside after initial hesitancy and become immersed in an amazing performance.

Six never fails to blow me away! These stunning queens opened up the parade on the CBS channel. The vocals in this show are insane. Each performer has an amazing stage presence and they are able to showcase their talents as individuals as well. With the pop element of the show, it is quite easy to make this story appealing to audiences.

Overall, while I feel like there have been more entertaining Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade performances in the past, I was not let down this year by the talents of every Broadway cast and crew member that worked incredibly hard to put on an amazing show for theatre fans everywhere. A wonderful and captivating theatre experience this year at the 2022 parade, bravo!

Words by Alecia Solorzano

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MEAN GIRLS MUSICAL TO BECOME A MOVIE

CASTING HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED

As of December 9th, the new Mean Girls moviemusical finalized the four main leads of their cast. Angourie Rice, Reneé Rapp, Auli’i Cravalho, and Jaquel Spivey are all announced to join the film’s cast. The film works as an adaptation of an adaptation, excitingly bringing the Tony-nominated musical Mean Girls back to the screen where it first was given life as Tina Fey’s 2004 film.

Rice will play Cady, the homeschooled “Plastics” recruit played by Lindsay Lohan in the original film. Rapp reprises her role as legendary queen bee Regina George, having played her before at the young age of 19 on the stage of the August Wilson Theatre on Broadway. Cravalho and Spivey join forces as the comedic team of Janis and Damian, proving once again what large talents they are.

Conceived and written by Tina Fey, Mean Girls, which

has been a household and movie theater hit since its debut, is also a musical which debuted at the August Wilson Theatre on April 18th, 2018. It played 804 performances before its closing on March 11th, 2020, amidst the pandemic. Since then, it has been touring around North America since September 21st, 2019, and still continues today!

Nell Benjamin, of Legally Blonde fame (another movie-musical adaptation), aids Fey’s husband Jeff Richmond with his orchestrations by writing the clever and iconic lyrics that fans of the movie look for at every performance. And don’t worry, you can still find the iconic mentionings of “fetch,” “Glen Coco’’ and “cool mom” throughout the course of the show. Arturo Perez and Samantha Jayne will collaborate as directors, with Fey writing the script. Broadway Video and Fey’s production company Little Stranger will produce for Paramount Pictures to release the film on their streaming service Paramount+.

Rapp has already played the role of Regina George and taken home the 2018 Jimmy Award for Best

Performance by an Actress. In her new EP, Everything to Everyone, she distances herself from the Broadway “vocal style,” and it has earned her some mainstream popularity, along with starring in Mindy Kaling’s The Sex Lives of College Girls on HBO Max. Cravalho reached fame with her debut performance as the voice of Moana in Disney’s Moana, solidifying her immense vocal talent. Spivey was most recently seen in Michael R. Jackson’s A Strange Loop, which won the Best Musical Tony in 2022. Spivey earned a nomination for Best Actor in a Musical for A Strange Loop in his role as Usher, making Broadway fans excited to have another true Broadway actor in the movie-musical! Rice, however, is a different story.

Rice appeared in her last series, Honor Society, also distributed by Paramount+ in 2022, in which she starred alongside Gaten Matarazzo, of Broadway and Stranger Things fame. This show did not showcase her vocals, but her work in HBO’s Mare of Easttown did. This is about the only glimpse into Rice’s vocal chops that we can grab until the debut of the movie-musical. This works well with Cady’s

image as the “new girl,” seeing as she really is joining Broadway vets and performers who come from the world of being musicians first and being recognized for that primarily.

There is no release date yet set for the adaptation, nor a full cast update. The roles of Gretchen Wieners, Karen Smith, Aaron Samuels, Kevin G, Mr Duvall and Ms Norbury/Mrs. George/Mrs. Heron throuple from the stage musical that could possibly appear in the movie-musical will round out the leading and supporting cast, leaving the mathletes and North Shore High students rounding out the ensemble.

Words by Sophia Rubino

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STUNT CASTING

Words by Maya Patt

We’ve seen it time and time again. Our favorite broadway shows getting re-casted with bigger and brighter names. Take Mean Girls’ Sabrina Carpenter stunt casting or Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, starring Carly Rae Jepsen. Some of these stunt castings end up being disastrous PR stunts, but some are magnificent casting choices. Lets deep dive into the ins and outs of stunt casting and answer some questions. Why do we need it? And What does Broadway gain from it?

Stunt casting on Broadway is often a publicity stunt to fill a role in a show. Stunt casting is often used on Broadway for re-casting or publicity. Although stunt casting doesn’t always have to be a Celebrity, it usually is. Sometimes it can be really big names! Take Jordan Fischer for example, who played Evan Hansen in Dear Evan Hansen, just a month after To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before: P.S. I Still Love You came out. After Jordan Fischer joined the cast of Dear Evan Hansen, the number of ticket sales drastically went up during the time of his run, proving that stunt casting works…maybe not in the long run though, because Dear Evan Hansen has now shut down after a six-year run, despite two stunt castings with big names (including Gaten Matarazzo from Stranger Things!).

Oftentimes, I’ve seen stunt casting which I really liked. I really loved Hugh Jackman for The Music Man. I really appreciated that they chose a celebrity who was a veteran of performing and had been a part of musical productions before. Hugh Jackman is a known name in the theatre and music scene. Playing Jean Valjean in the movie musical Les

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Misérables or having his own headlining tour, he is a born performer, blessing Broadway along with a talented cast. Other times, I’ve seen some interesting decisions in stunt casting. Such as Cameron Dallas who played the role of Aaron Samuels in Mean Girls. He received a lot of Backlash online after videos of his performance had been uploaded to Youtube. One comment on Youtube reads: “yes boy give us NOTHING”. I’m pretty sure the team behind Mean Girls was also dissatisfied with this casting choice. They even cut out some of his singing parts during the song “Someone Gets Hurt”.

In my opinion, I think stunt casting can be good and bad. Yes, it can save a show whose ticket sales are not doing well! I mean, who wouldn’t love to see their favorite actor be in a Broadway show? I for one would love to see Timothee Chalamet as Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors or Olivia Rodrigo as Anastasia. However, I think stunt casting needs to be more carefully thought through... It’d be great if we at least picked celebrities who could sing and perform well! Not some TikTok influencer

‘‘ONLINE POPULARITY IS EXTREMELY HELPFUL WHEN IT COMES TO TICKET SALES’’

or some YouTube star. Sure, online popularity is extremely helpful when it comes to ticket sales or an uprise in views, but Broadway and West End shows have a quality to uphold, and many famous media faces are just simply not able to uphold this quality.

It would also be amazing if we turned away from these celebrities who already have achieved goals many aspiring actors dream of achieving. Our theater industry is constantly blooming with new talent, waiting to get discovered. Every year, young actors come to these cities with big dreams and a readiness to put all they have into their careers. Casting fresh faces could alsohelp create a kinder and less toxic Broadway community, maybe even create a less competitive community, since more people would have a chance. If we would take a chance on these young and fresh actors, I’m sure we could create a show just as good. Theater all over the world is changing, no better time than now to open the doors of Musical Theater to fresh faces and new talent!

ALADDIN

A PANTOMIME PLAGUED WITH CONTROVERSY

Following a string of inappropriate and culturally insensitive productions of Aladdin pantomimes, the UK Pantomime Association has finally made a public statement about this issue, commenting that ‘there is no place for [racist] casting, writing and directing in the pantomime industry today.’

On the 19th of December, the UK Pantomime Association released a post stating, in full, ‘The UK Pantomime Association and Panto Day are champions of pantomime and take seriously the need for innovation and progression in the sector, including the appropriate casting of performers from the global majority, and removal of racist stereotypes which have historically been depicted in pantomimes. // We have been made aware of productions of Aladdin that employ racist stereotypes. There is no place for such casting, writing and directing in the pantomime industry today. // The UK Pantomime Association will be holding the first of its annual Pantomime Symposiums in association with Staffordshire University in February 2023 and can confirm that there will be a panel addressing inclusivity, diversity and representation.’

Whilst not specifically referenced within the

Pantomime Association’s social media remark, the specific production which is presumed to have influenced this decision, alongside the presence of a variety of bigoted productions past and present, was a recent Liverpudlian production. This panto sparked rightful outrage within the theatre community, and within wider non-theatrical spaces, following their announcements and teasers where it is shown that the show featured an all-white cast and harmful language. Actor Irvine Iqbal was the first to draw major attention to this production, stating in a tweet on the 18th of December that an ‘ALL white cast in a production of Aladdin where the lyrics are “Come on down to our oriental town” in the diverse city of Liverpool’ was ‘shameful’. The production, which opened on the 16th of December, has since deleted the video referenced by Iqbal, yet as of the 21st of December, other tweets promoting the show are still online.

This isn’t the first time a production of Aladdin has been under fire for its poor casting decisions. In 2020, a production of Aladdin in Billingham, Teesside was slated for its all-white cast - especially its casting of two white actors to play ‘The Chinese Policemen’. Instead of responding to this backlash

IS NO PLACE FOR [RACIST] CASTING, WRITING AND DIRECTING IN THE PANTOMIME INDUSTRY TODAY.’’

appropriately, they defended their casting choices, stating that these were ‘traditional characters in most traditional pantomime versions of Aladdin’ and not policemen who were Chinese, simply the characters of ‘The Chinese Policemen’. And in 2018, a pantomime in Coventry changed their characters’ names after they received heavy criticism for the racist naming of two of the characters: ‘Chow Mein Slave of the Ring’ and ‘PC Pong Ping’.

People have crawled to Twitter to yell the bigoted cry “cancel culture!”, with one user saying those criticising the Liverpudlian production are, quote, ‘Virtue Signalling Oversensitive Wet Wipes’ who are ‘[playing] the Race Card’. Comments like these show that many love to disregard valid criticism of racist activity by hiding their ignorance under the thinly veiled shield of cancel culture.

This isn’t an issue solely occurring within the “woke time” of 2022 - this is a repeated and deep-rooted problem within the pantomime industry and reflects a wider issue within the theatre industry. Whilst pantomimes play a big part in Britain’s theatre history, the UK Pantomime Association is correct in stating that pantomimes which uphold

racist structures within the theatre industry are unacceptable. Tradition is not an excuse for bigotry. Pantomimes may be a type of performance art steeped in history, but for them to survive they must, in the words of the UK Pantomime Association, ‘[include] the appropriate casting of performers from the global majority, and [remove] racist stereotypes which have historically been depicted.’

Words by Dorothy Grace Franklin

‘‘THERE

BEHIND THE CURTAIN WITH SIMON SLADEN

In November, I had the opportunity to visit V&A South Kensington’s musical-themed exhibition, Re:Imagining Musicals. The display has been curated for the V&A by Simon Sladen (Senior Curator for Modern and Contemporary Theatre and Performance), and Harriet Reed (Curator of Contemporary Performance). The exhibition takes you on a journey through the world of musical theatre, with music and audio guiding you as you explore the 100 objects displayed throughout the rooms. Some highlights include a dress worn by Julie Andrews as Eliza Doolittle in the 1958 West End production of My Fair Lady, a set model from Show Boat, Catherine of Aragon’s costume in SIX, an original Hamilton poster signed by the cast and creatives, a toy Olaf from Frozen, costume designs for Bobbie in Company, and even Shakespeare’s first folio!

I had the chance to speak with Simon Sladen about his experience curating the exhibition and what it has been like to introduce modern musicals to the museum world.

What inspired you to create Re:Imagining Musicals?

Re:Imagining Musicals is a project that’s been a long time in the mind. We were very lucky a few years ago to acquire the Overture’s Bunnett-Muir Musical Theatre Archive Trust, which has 10s of 1000s of records. We’d always wanted to do something with that. Although a display on records and past recordings would be lovely, we always want to push things a bit more at the V&A. We always want to bring a real experience of a display to the public. We’re very lucky that we have all manners of types of materials from 2D to 3D, complex, simple library, material, archives, objects . . . So when we were looking through those album covers, the artwork is incredibly striking, but you see how sometimes that artwork is a stage of the production – titles flow and ebb, characters change and come into new productions . . . It got us thinking about the evolution of productions, but also where the source material that made its way to the stage is. And that really is the nub of the show. That’s why it’s called Re:Imagining Musicals, with the double dots, regarding imagining musicals and then reimagining them.

We start with that case study of The Wizard of Oz from a book, to the film, to the stage show, and then the whole cultural phenomenon that is The Wizard of Oz inspiring new renderings like The Wiz and Gregory Maguire’s book, Wicked, which then inspires the musical. What we’re doing there is looking at those characters that have been embraced by many cultures and societies, and still have resonance today, 122 years after the publication of the book. In our first room, we focus on entertainment, literature, and popular culture – putting it bluntly, fiction. In the second room, we look at nonfiction. We look at bringing societies to the stage, whether that’s conflict, women, or biographies because there’s a whole manner of opportunities for inspiration. But with our confines of the project where we can only have 100 objects, where we’ve only got those three rooms, that’s how we felt was a very engaging and accessible way for our audiences to understand that.

Absolutely. I hope fans and practitioners of musical theatre will come and they’ll see themselves represented, and there’ll be shows that they know and love. But the V&A has a huge objective, to inspire future generations and to inspire people to get creative. Really it’s a call to action. How might you reimagine something? What story would you bring to the stage and how might you do that? We end on the big finale of 32 musicals from the National Video Archive of Performance being celebrated. The show builds in that way. As you go around, you get some snippets of songs and practitioners talking and reflecting on their practice, but we didn’t want to have any sort of visual footage in that because we want it to build to show that process. We’ve got lots of designs, models, costumes, music manuscripts, posters, and other things. So, the idea is that you see all those sections, all these people, and then you see this grand finale of it all coming together. It’s a whole world and we want to celebrate and honor these many divisions and people that go into pulling off that show. This is our big celebration of everyone who helps make it happen and is continuing to make it happen night after night.

It’s really difficult! It’s like going into a supermarket and saying you can only bake one cake, but you’ve got all of these options to bake one – how do you choose? One of the first things that we did was look at what material we had. All the material in there is part of the National Collection of Performing Arts. We had some areas of landscaping that we wanted to do, especially when we settled upon slicing it up into fiction/nonfiction. The other thing was realizing we’ve never done anything to this extent on musicals before, so let’s use this as an opportunity to engage with the industry to acquire some amazing new material to celebrate contemporary practice, which is one of the hardest to acquire because it’s happening now. There are never enough people in the production, so they already don’t have enough time to do that. Same as within the museum, we have a smaller team, so that’s a challenge. But we wanted to get some new material in to represent that very contemporary landscape. Our challenge as curators is that theatre is ephemeral – we know it’s different every night, the actual thing doesn’t exist, so we can only capture all of those materials around it. So it’s been such a beautiful show to work with our amazing teams across the museum.

What has it been like conserving the iconic dress Julie Andrews wore in My Fair Lady?

Within the museum, the National Heritage Act means that we have to make sure that everything that we have is here in perpetuity. So in future years, everybody will still be able to see the material and learn from it, which is why we have to be very careful because it will naturally degrade and perish. The costume that we have is from the 1958 West End production and it was bought for us by the Friends of the Museum at auction. Many decades have passed between 1958 and now and yes, themed costumes are robust, but they’re not meant to last forever. They go through a lot of strain and labor. So, the first thing when costumes come into the collection is generally, they have to be frozen. I explain it as a bit like reverse cooking a lobster. Imagine we brought moths or carpet beetles into the museum – it would absolutely destroy our collection, so we have to make sure that that doesn’t happen. People sweat in costumes and the sweat can degrade or eat away at certain dyes or aspects of the material, so that’s an area that we

So it’s very much intentional to have it appeal to everyone, not just musical theatre fans?

As a curator, what was it like choosing only 100 objects to represent all of these shows?

My Fair Lady - Costume for Eliza Doolittle in Lerner and Lowe’s musical My Fair Lady, designed by Cecil Beaton, worn by Julie Andrews, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, 1958.

Given by the Friends of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

have to try and stabilize. Wear and tear – elbows, knees, seams, especially if it’s a quick change! Now with this costume, in particular, there are lots of those types of issues because not only are there lovely zips and things, there are thousands of beads in all different directions. It’s got all of that lived experience of being worn in there, which you can’t reverse. It’s a part of it from that traffic on the stage. We don’t ever create facsimiles because we want to be looking at them as what survived, the original. We’re very much about honoring that original bespoke historical garment. This was worn for two years on stage, thousands of performances, that’s part of its legacy.

How have musicals impacted your own life?

Everybody in the industry has just been so supportive and excited! Musical theatre is arguably one of the most complex forms to bring to the stage. Whilst people in the industry understand this, certain areas of society don’t give it the respect as a genre that it deserves and needs because there hasn’t been a level of engagement. We are shining a spotlight on the skills, excellence, and expertise that we have in the UK. We have loved working with many of these shows because we know that we’ve lost so many people during the pandemic. We’ve lost many of those people that have gone to other areas of industry or other jobs because of the precarious nature of the industry. Where’s the next generation coming from? What are the next steps to inspire people to learn a bit more, engage a bit more, and reach out? Our performance festival next April is going to do exactly that. We’re going to have lots of opportunities to learn. We had an amazing family dance workshop with The Lion King where people are now asking more about choreography, more about dancing who might not have been engaged with all that before. We had the most delightful prop-making workshop where families were making props inspired by the display. We had new versions of Elphaba’s hat, different umbrellas for Mary Poppins . . . It was just amazing to see the cardboard sheets that we had and the life that was brought to them by five to 11-plusyear-olds. It’s so striking to see these young people making and responding in that way, enjoying it and teaching their parents to do all of that. It’s all about communities. We want to get people engaged with material culture.

I had a very good teacher called Mr Wood, who came to our school in his first year and said, “We’re going to do Joseph.” And then a couple of years later, we did Oliver!. From that, I started to do amateur dramatics. We had a little musical comedy society. We did musicals every year, a pantomime every year, and a revue show. Honestly, these revue shows where we did about an hour with 40 to 60 songs from musicals, that was my sourcebook. I studied drama – that’s an area of my academic background. It’s thanks to Mrs Goodliffe, the dinner lady, who played Starlight Express, capturing my imagination. Knowing how powerful that can be for the next generation, me now presiding over areas of the National Collection and making those difficult decisions about what to display and how we can help.

What led you from studying the dramatic arts to curating?

It’s not really a career I ever thought about. So I was lecturing at several universities and one of these was Royal Holloway, the University of London, which is where I did my undergrad and my MA. We were doing a project with the Theatre Royal Haymarket and the V&A about the establishment of the West End as an entertainment district. Then, the credit crunch and global financial crisis hit and I no longer had my lecture job. A role for a cataloger came up at the V&A so I started out cataloguing 50 to 80 Victorian and Edwardian theatrical prints a day. I enjoyed the nature of thinking about material culture and formats. That really kickstarted my curatorial career working as a cataloger, then as an assistant curator, and now as a Senior Curator with a huge area of responsibility and privilege. I also teach a course that we run with the Royal College of Art about the history of design where I look at the performance aspect and how we can use the material culture of the performance to understand more about performance cultures and design. Everything from thinking about the physical buildings and where they’re situated all the way through to programmes and the material that we’ve got on display here. So, I feel very privileged to be working as an ambassador for the industry.

Did you find that the theatre industry as a whole was happy to cooperate with the exhibition?

exhibition?

I hope that they will understand, appreciate, and acknowledge the huge number of people that it takes to put on the show and the skill, expertise, and passion that goes into that. I hope they learn more about some of the shows that they know well or that they’ve never heard of. I hope that it will inspire some people to go into the industry, learn more and engage in new ways.

Favorite musical?

As I say to everybody, you can’t have a favorite musical just like you can’t have favorite children. However, close to my heart is Starlight Express because it’s the first musical I ever heard and saw on the West End. I was obsessed (and still am!) with trains. Second, Cabaret – Kander and Ebb are geniuses!

A favorite item from the collection that’s on display?

Professionally, bringing the Cecil Beaton Julie Andrews dress on display which has been not seen and has had so much work done to it is just so exquisite.

How would you describe the exhibition in one word?

Fabulous!

Re:Imagining Musicals will be running at the V&A South Kensington until November 27th, 2023. It is a free public display that is located in the Theatre and Performance Galleries.

Words by Kat Mokrynski

Wicked – Costume worn by Kerry Ellis as Elphaba in Wicked, Apollo Victoria Theatre, 2006. Designed by Susan Hilferty.

Given by Wicked London Productions Ltd. © Susan Hilferty. Image courtesy of Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

What do you hope audiences will take away from seeing this

Rain w ill the flowers grow

make

Theatre Stars Who Passed in 2022: A Tribute

By Dorothy Grace Franklin Pictures : All Rights Reserved

As we have drawn 2022 to a close, it’s time to honour the memory of the theatre stars we lost in the past year and enter the new year with an appreciation and love for everything they did for the theatre community.

Charities to Support

Bowel (colon) Cancer UK bowelcanceruk.org.uk

The Brain Tumour Charity thebraintumourcharity.org Breast Cancer Research Foundation bcrf.org

Care for Crash Victims (USA) careforcrashvictims.com Road Peace UK roadpeace.org

When The Lights Are Bright Again whenthelightsarebrightagain.com Worldwide Cancer Research worldwidecancerresearch.org

Dame Olivia Newton-John

26th of September, 1948 8th of August, 2022

When you think of the 1978 film adaptation of the stage musical Grease, Olivia Newton-John’s amazing portrayal of Sandy is what comes to mind. She was born to play the role - so much so that the creative team changed the character from an American teen called Sandy Dombrowski to an Australian teen called Sandy Olsson! Whilst Newton-John was a singer first and foremost, with some of her most famous songs being ‘Physical’, ‘Twist of Fate’ and ‘If Not for You’, role as Sandy is what turned her from a star to a superstar. Olivia was an activist within her lifetime, campaigning for animal rights, environmentalism and cancer research, the latter a cause extremely close to her heart due to her 1992 breast cancer diagnosis.

Anne Heche

25th of May, 1969 11th of August, 2022

Starring in the play Proof in 2002, Anne Heche made her Broadway debut as Catherine, alongside Neil Patrick Harris as Hal. In 2004, she originated the role of Lily Garland in Twentieth Century, where her incredible performance led to her Tony nomination for Best Actress in a Play. Before her time on Broadway, Heche worked on-screen acting and directing rolesher most recognisable being her role as Missy in I Know What You Did Last Summer and Marion Crane in the 1998 remake of Psycho In 2016, she starred in the musical-comedy film Opening Night. Whilst she had an extremely impressive career, her personal life was often the cause of media reports, eclipsing her talents from the public eye in favour of tabloid pieces – especially following her public relationship with Ellen Degeneres from 1997 to 2000. She commented in interviews that this relationship blacklisted her from many roles within the arts industry, causing her to shift her work from film to TV. Heche was an activist for mental health, gay rights and, most notably within her two memoirs, the latter of which was submitted not long before her death, and will be released posthumously. On the 11th of August, 2022, Heche was involved in a car collision, and she passed soon afterwards.

16th of October, 1925 – 11th of October, 2022

Angela Lansbury

One of the most recognisable faces in theatre, Angela Lansbury had made theatrical history time and time again. Appearing as Eglantine Price in the screen musical Bedknobs and Broomsticks in 1970, the Irish-American-British actor secured her place in the public’s heart. Whilst not managing to reach EGOT winner status, Lansbury was one of the only stars to achieve nominations in all four of the EGOT awards. She was nominated for seven Tony Awards and won five of them, including one for her performance as Mama Rose in Gypsy (first appearing in the role in the West End in 1973 before transferring for a U.S. tour and then to Broadway where she won the award in 1975) and for her, arguably, most iconic role: originating Mrs Lovett in Sweeney Todd in 1979. Her 1991 role as Mrs Potts in Disney’s animated musical Beauty and the Beast emphasised her status in screen musicals as well as stage. Her most recognisable non-theatrical roles include Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote, and Sibyl Vane in The Picture of Dorian Gray. Due to her exemplary career built on ‘wisdom and wit’, she received the GALECA (the society for LGBTQ entertainment critics)’s ‘Timeless Star’ award in 2011. Lansbury sadly passed just days before her 97th birthday.

Robbie Coltrane

30th of March, 1950 – 14th of October, 2022

Many knew Coltrane from his role as Hagrid in the Harry Potter film series - however, his acting career actually began on stage. His first stage credit was originating the role of Jack Hogg in The Slab Boys at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh. Two years later, he would go on to perform in the play Threads at the Hampstead Theatre in London. Although Coltrane only held two stage credits before his death, due to his shift towards television and film, we thought it was only fair to include him in our list.

Leslie Jordan

29th of April, 1955 – 24th of October, 2022

Known primarily for his work on TV shows such as and American Horror Story, Emmy-award-winning star Leslie Jordan brought light into the lives of many. A multi-talented individual, Jordan frequently graced the theatre scene, not only as a performer but as a writer too - more often than not taking on both roles at once, such as in the plays Trip Down the Pink Carpet and Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel, both of which he wrote and starred in. His most recent stage credit was in the off-Broadway musical Lucky Guy where he played the used-car dealer Big Al Wright –unfortunately, the show prematurely closed after just ten days with the broken promise of a cast recording that never came. His other stage credits include the role of Peanut in Southern Baptist Sissies, and the movie of the same name 13 years later. The Tennessee-born actor was regarded as a queer icon, and he received the ‘Timeless Star’ award in 2021 from GALECA for his career in film. In October of 2022, Leslie was in a car collision caused by an unknown medical episode and passed shortly afterwards.

Quenti n Oliver Lee

28th of January, 1988 – 1st of December, 2022

Quentin Oliver Lee was a Broadway performer and vocalist with a voice of an angel (of music) – his talents are most commonly associated with his incredible portrayal of the highly vocally demanding role of the Phantom of the Opera. Studying at Northern Arizona University, Lee graduated in 2012 with a BA in Vocal Performance. He began as a subway busker before being spotted and cast in Porgy and Bess –this led to the first step in his Broadway career as an opera singer. Other credits include Schaunard in La bohème and, most recently, a performance role in Oratorio For Living Things. Quentin Oliver Lee passed at the start of December from colon cancer.

Stephanie Bissonette

26th of October, 1990 – 17th of December, 2022

Choreographer, dancer, teacher, actor, and activist: Stephanie Bissonette was a woman of many talents. Starring in the Original Broadway Cast of the musical Mean Girls, Bissonette played the role of Dawn Schweitzer and stayed within the cast until the Broadway shutdown in 2020, having been in the show for two years. Later, Bissonette was involved in the documentary Ensemble, a film about dance ensembles in the wake of the Broadway shutdown, directed by Pierre Marais. Outside of theatre, Stephanie was actively involved with charity projects, such as When The Lights Are Bright Again; a book in the form of a collection of open letters by those in the theatre industry written to raise money towards the Entertainment Community Fund. In 2019, Stephanie Bissonette was diagnosed with medulloblastoma - a form of brain cancer.

stars OF Theatre

Words by Alecia Solorzano - PIctures: All Rights Reserved

Reneé Rapp

After winning the Best Performance by an Actress award at the Jimmy’s, Rapp continued her stage work and was eventually cast in her Broadway debut show, Mean Girls , as Regina George. It was recently announced she would be reprising the role in a movie adaptation of the musical. As of right now, she stars as Leighton in the HBO Max series, The Sex Lives of College Girls.

Solea Pfeiffer

After performing as Eliza in the first national tour of Hamilton, Pfeiffer has continued her work on the stage and behind the camera. Currently, she is starring in her Broadway debut show, Almost Famous, as Penny Lane. She originated the role in the musical adaptation of this notable movie and took the role to the Broadway stage. She also recently starred in the movie A Jazzman’s Blues as Leanne.

Eddie Redmayne

While he is most known for his work on screen, Eddie Redmayne began his career in theatre before moving to screen. Redmayne recently starred in Cabaret in the West End as The Emcee. He and his co-star Jessie Buckley won a 2022 Olivier Award for their performances in the show. Some of his other notable performances are as Marius in the Les Misérables movie and Newt Scamander in the Fantastic Beasts film series.

Carrie Hope Fletcher

This actress began her career at age 5 and continued her success without any “formal training.” Fletcher has experience across many different platforms and mediums. Not only is she an actress, but she is also a musician and an author. Some of her most notable works in the acting industry include Les Misérables, Heathers, The Addams Family, and Cinderella .

Leslie Odom Jr.

Best known for his role as Aaron Burr in Hamilton , Leslie Odom Jr made his way into the acting scene at just 17 years old! At that age, Leslie made his Broadway debut in Rent in 1998 where he played the role of Paul. While he has several other theatre credits, his main focus for the last few years has been screen work in films and shows such as Murder on the Orient Express , Harriet, and Central Park .