Getting Personal

For the next two weeks, Alexandra, one of our many talented Overtures students, is taking over our blog. Check back for daily updates and come to the Overtures showcase Saturday at 11 AM in Signature's MAX Theatre!

Overtures students work on blocking for "King of New York," one of the group numbers they'll perform at the showcase.

In the past week and two days, our Overtures company has worked so incredibly well together. We have made great strides as an ensemble, making beautiful music and putting together tricky choreography. But at the end of the day we all go home with our individual homework and challenges to overcome. Whether running lyrics until all hours of the night so we won’t flub a word the next day or daring to stretch our emotional range in order to perform a more truthful monologue, we all recognize the work that must be done is, ultimately, personal.

Overtures has been like a buffet table; we are given multitudes of approaches to the work, ways to find vocal placement, ways to act a monologue, ways to connect to text and lyrics. Then we must pick and choose which approaches fit best. My swimmer’s shoulders do not drop into proper posture as easily as others, a fellow company member may have old knee injuries and alignment difficulties, and still another might simply psych themselves out every time a pirouette shows up in choreography. But we all still need to land that double, so we practice in our down time and when we return home at night after our eleven-hour days. We push past our own fears and inhibitions in order to be better the following morning.

During this evening’s staging rehearsal I was reminded just how personal and individually meaningful the work is and must be. Though we all sang the same words - “I pull myself together, I’m focused on the prize” - they clearly meant something different to every one of us. Our prize could be Broadway, maybe a Resident Artist contract with a company here in DC, or perhaps just graduating high school and heading off to a stellar collegiate theater program. We gave meaning to those words with a knowing smile, a flicker of hope in our eyes, similar enough but still personal.

Performing requires ruthless bravery: the willingness to take risks, to push ourselves beyond boxes of “type”, to test our presumed limits is integral to our training and development as actors. While we can be technically proficient, there are skills beyond the physical that we will not learn from manuals or how-to videos. Instead, we exhaustively search our souls in order to better bare them under the bright lights of the stage. And thankfully, at least for another four days, we are surrounded by an encouraging and truly caring group of fellow artists all going through the same process of discovery and personal perseverance.

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Breakthrough

For the next two weeks, Alexandra, one of our talented Overtures students, is taking over our blog. Check back for daily updates!

Wednesday, June 19

The dictionary defines “breakthrough” as an act of breaking through an obstacle, a sudden advance, or a person’s first notable success. As Day Four of Overtures came to a close, I could no longer count  the number of breakthrough moments our company had already had.

So much of what we do as actors, musicians and dancers is done behind the scenes in table work and rehearsal that it is easy for the audience to forget the effort that goes into a final performance. But with two weeks devoted entirely to working through our own individual preparation processes, as well as learning from others’ practice, our company is seeing so many of those vulnerable moments of frustration, so many of the incredibly satisfying moments of discovery - those breakthroughs.

It can often feel that as actors we are constantly throwing ourselves to the wolves in auditions and cattle calls. We can spend months scrambling for work. We can be proud to put something up on its feet and then be devastated by that one really horrible review. So when we do have the opportunity to revisit how we prepare, the chance to repair our creative routines, the freedom to explore once again, we may find ourselves somehow both reluctant and anxious  for the sting of honest feedback. We were warned on Sunday that we might need to invest in Kleenex after all. Acting is work. Acting is emotional.

But we wouldn’t be here if we didn’t truly love it. All of it (the joys and the tears). Over the next two days, as we wrap up Week One of Overtures 2013 with midterms (a word that, I’ll admit, brings back many an unnerving memory from my college days!) we are bound to have many more breakthroughs. Sure, those moments may follow near breakdowns, however, those critics offering brutal honesty and insight are also our closest friends (our fellow company members) and our greatest advisers (our reassuring instructors). We could not be among more encouraging people as we work through dance phrases, practice monologues on lunch breaks, or check in with each other after particularly frustrating classes or one-on-one sessions. Just like one of our final showcase songs says, “I could almost go to pieces, but I’m not quite there yet.”

Instructors Tracy Lynn Olivera and Matthew Gardiner give Sarah Anne feedback on her performance.



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Today in Theatre History: Re-Imagining the Past

TODAY IN THEATRE HISTORY: June 12th

In the “Today in Theatre History” series, we take a specific event in theatre history and use it as a starting point for discussion about aspects of theatre – past, present, and future.

By Irene Casey, Education Intern 

On June 12th, 1977 the original Broadway production of Pippin closed after 1,944 performances
 

The cast of the 1972 Broadway production of Pippin.Source: http://dramaleague.org/blog/2012/03/12/diane-paulus-to-stage-new-pippin-at-a-r-t-this-winter/ 

Broadway today is filled with "revivals." But what do people mean when they say that something is a revival? That the show has already been produced somewhere? Or that it has already been on Broadway? How different are revivals from the original production? Typically, a revival means a new production of an old show, which brings us to what happened today in theatre history: the original Broadway production of Pippin closing in 1977.

The original Broadway production of Pippin opened on October 13, 1972 (after a try out in D.C.). Pippin's book was written by Roger O. Hirson, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and was originally directed by Bob Fosse. Fosse saw the musical, which follows a medieval prince as he becomes embroiled with a troupe of players on his quest to find his place in the word, as a surreal experience and wanted his production to disturb audiences.

Since its first production, Pippin has been performed all over the country and the world. This year, for the first time, Pippin returned to Broadway. The revival was developed at the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) and directed by Diane Paulus. Just this week, it won four Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical and Best Direction of a Musical. While the A.R.T. revival differed from the original production by trimming the first musical number and using an alternate ending, the biggest change was the way that Paulus envisioned the players. Instead of a troupe of actors, they became a troupe of circus performers, filling the musical with wild, bold spectacle. 

Paulus's revival of Pippin departs from the original in several ways. Major re-imaginings of shows are not out of the ordinary today. Whenever directors approach scripts, they think about how they want the story to be told. Each production is different because each production has different directors, designers and actors developing it. It's true that some productions stick fairly closely to the interpretation of the original production, while others take the musical or play in an entirely different direction, choosing to highlight or introduce different elements in the show. More and more productions of classic musicals and plays are closer to being adaptations than simply revivals, with directors re-imagining them to bring them into the modern day. 

Signature is know for taking big musicals and performing them in our black box theatres, creating intimate original stagings of shows that were often originally seen in giant proscenium theatres.

Signature's production of Les Miserables transformed the musical. Trevor Nunn's internationally acclaimed original production, relied heavily upon a turntable in its design. But director Eric Schaeffer used a 3/4 thrust stage that pushed the action into the middle of the audience, creating a grittier production happening just feet away from the audience. Chairs hung from the ceiling and set pieces moved on and off from the stage, entering as one thing only to re-enter a scene later as something completely different.

In 2006, the Washington Post described Signature's Assassins as a "startling new staging." Director Joe Calarco (a Signature regular) went beyond merely placing the piece in a black box and onto a way that had never been seen before. The set was a literal mirror image of the audience: rows and rows of chairs on risers, all identical to what the audience was sitting in. This brought the idea that these disenfranchised assassins and would-be assassins 
are just like the rest of us home in frightening and unsettling ways.

What dramatic re-imaginings of blockbuster musicals will be seen on Signature's stages next season? First up, will be an environmental production of Miss Saigon, meaning the entire theatre will become part of the set. As soon as the audience enters the theatre, they will enter the broken world of 1970s Vietnam. Check it out here.

 

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Summer at Signature: Stage One and Overtures

It's generally acknowledged that it's in the theatre industry's best interest to nuture the next generation of talent: The best way to ensure the quality of your future shows? Provide top-notch training. Signature is no stranger to this principle. In fact, Signature has been hosting summer musical theatre programs for young performing artists for over ten years. In both Stage One Workshops and Overtures, students are given the opportunity to further develop their performing skills in a professional and focused environment.

Overtures students rehearse for their final showcase.

Stage One Workshops: A Musical Theatre Intensive for Ages 14-17

In Stage One Workshops, high school students go through two weeks of all-day training in singing, dancing, and acting. An audition-based admission program, Stage One is competitive and those admitted have their work cut out for them. Trained by some of the best in the DC Metro area, students learn what will be expected of them as theatre professionals.

Overtures: Signature Theatre's Musical Theatre Institute 

Overtures in the next step in a musical-theatre hopeful's training. It is designed to benefit college students, recent grads, and early professionals seeking to advance their performing abilities. While two weeks in length like Stage One, Overtures requires longer hours, includes mock auditions in front of real casting directors and master classes with NY actors, provides individual as well as group coaching, and concludes with a public showcase performance. Overtures is grueling, but ultimately rewarding: "I have gotten some of the best training I have ever received here at Overtures... I really love that we are pushed out of our comfort zone... I can feel my growth as a performer" (2012 Overtures participant). Students leave Overtures with a better understanding of the business and more mature as artists.

 

"It's amazingly complete... I feel like I learned more that was practical for a life in the theatre than I did in four years of college." (2011 Overtures participant)
2011 Overtures Showcase. Photo: Dennis Deloria

Auditions 

Auditions for Overtures and Stage One typically occur in April and May, although this year we're having an additional day of auditions for Stage One on June 1 (read more here). For both programs, auditioners are asked to prepare to contrasting vocal selections and demonstrate their movement abilities in an open dance call.

The Pay-off

Do these programs really produce "good" performers? We'll let you be the judge:

• Matthew Gardiner: Associate Artistic Director at Signature Theatre. 
• Michael Mainwaring: DC actor currently in Thunder Knocking at the Door at Creative Cauldron, recently in Signature Theatre's Dreamgirls.
• Florrie Bagel: NYC actor, recently in the US National Tour of Sister Act.
• James Gardiner: DC actor currently in Company at Signature, book writer for the musical Glory Days. 
• Hannah Willman: DC actor, recently in My Fair Lady at Arena Stage.
• Nick Blaemire: NYC actor, recently in the Broadway revival of Godspell, lyricist and composer for the musical Glory Days.
• Aaron Reeder: DC actor, currently in Show Boat at The Kennedy Center.

Looks like Signature should simply keep up the good work!

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Cookies, Entrepreneurship, and the Heart of Theatre

"Entrepreneurship"

TEDxBroadway 2013 Series (Part II)

In this three-part opinion series, Signature Theatre staff look at their favorite talks from the TEDxBroadway 2013 conference sharing thoughts, insights, and an analysis of the issues facing the theatre industry at large and how Signature Theatre is handling them. Read Part I here.

Today’s blog author is Hunter Styles, Signature’s Public and Community Relations Manager.

How odd, when you think about it, that theatre artists gather together in a box in order to work at thinking outside the box. Sometimes it’s a blackbox theatre; sometimes it’s a more traditional auditorium space. Either way, the decree is to think differently about how to tell a story onstage, using the particular skills of the artists assembled.

But gathering in the blackbox is the easy part. It’s the individual-sized boxes we inhabit – walled in by our self-imposed comfort zones and by the assumptions others have about us – that can be hard to climb out of.

Zachary Schmahl is an actor from Nebraska who wandered into the New York theatre scene a few years ago only to end up starting a business of his own: an old-fashioned cookie shop storefront in Hell’s Kitchen. The box Schmahl identified with – the small oven in his 400-foot-square apartment – seemed at first the source of a hobby rather than a full-time job. But then he took the time to reflect on his life of constant auditioning. It had begun to feel unsustainable.

"When you’re unfulfilled," Schmahl said, "that’s life telling you that it’s time to adapt. To reimagine. To move on. To continue to dream big." His breezy, fun 10-minute TEDx talk encourages us all to think beyond the perfunctory limitations we put on how we imagine what might best come next. "Why photocopy something that someone else has already perfected?" Schmahl asked, arguing that hard work – and attention to your deep-down interests – pays off.

Zachary Schmahl presents at TEDxBroadway 2013.

Source: http://bit.ly/12GtLpc

Now he sells cookies to the public, and to numerous professional theatres in New York, as the owner of Schmackery’s bakery. Since opening in 2011, the shop has become home to what Schmahl calls "the unofficial cookie of Broadway."

"The more that I sold, the more I fell in love with what I was doing," said Schmahl. "And I gave myself no option but to succeed and grow my business as fast as I possibly could."

Not everyone finds a way to latch onto this killer combination of industry and imagination. It takes hard work, but it also takes some aggressive dreaming. And if a theatre can’t pull that off, the entire community misses out.

Fortunately, the box that Eric Schaeffer put himself into in the early 90s – an old garage on Four Mile Run Drive – became as much a source of inspiration as a center for hard work. "We had to go through about four inches of water just to get into the building," Schaeffer has written about his first time inside what would become Signature’s Theatre’s home until the 2007 move to Shirlington Village. "We finally got in the back door to find it was flooded inside. I looked up and saw the sky – not a roof. Rats were running in the shadows. But I also saw all these individual girders, and the strength in the building. Right away I knew this could be something."

Signature Theatre's original garage space.
Source: http://bit.ly/185JUba

Schaeffer’s wet, empty garage space – like Schmahl’s little-oven-that-could – transformed. Signature didn’t become a nationally-respected, multi-million dollar arts organization because Schaeffer saw a garage as a garage. A garage became a source of art. And a professional theatre space has to become one too, over and over and over again.

New York theatergoers don’t love Schmahl for his oven – they love him for his cookies. And theatergoers don’t love Signature for the building. They love the feeling of being dropped into the thick of the Vietnam jungle in this summer’s immersive production of Miss Saigon. They come to see a simple train platform become a portal across time and space in this fall’s world-premiere musical Crossing. They come for the raw, stripped-down pleasure of seeing two exceptional actors go head-to-head in the cold, cosmic void of next winter’s experimental drama Tender Napalm.

And with the level of trust and attention that Schaeffer puts into fostering creative relationships with his staff, artists, and community, it’s hard not to start knocking down some presumed inner walls of your own. Over time, in increasingly exciting ways, Signature has evolved from a product of inspiration to a source of it.

"Be that business that has a heart and soul alongside a quality product," Schmahl reminds us. To me, that's Signature’s ongoing summons: to be a home to theatergoers everywhere,  but also  to work relentlessly at un-boxing their assumptions about what theatre should be. It takes diligence, but a big heart can make much of what are initially small tools. Your biggest dreams float right into your hands, Schmahl suggests, when you can see more in the little things.



Check out the rest of the talks from TEDxBroadway 2013 here.

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"Why do you want to be on Broadway?"

"Why do you want to be on Broadway?"

TEDxBroadway 2013 Series (Part I)

George Takei is not a name one would necessarily associate with Broadway. Neither is Randi Zuckerberg or Susan Salgado. And yet these individuals, along with 14 others, were speakers at this year's TEDxBroadway conference on Janury 28th. These highly successful and inventive individuals gathered together in front of a 450 member audience to discuss the future of Broadway. The big question posed was "What's the best that Broadway can be -- on stage, in the community, and throughout the world?"

In this three-part opinion series, Signature Theatre staff look at their favorite talks from the TEDxBroadway 2013 conference sharing thoughts, insights, and an analysis of the issues facing the theatre industry at large and how Signature Theatre is handling them. Read Part II here.

Today’s blog author is Marcella Toronto, Signature’s education intern.

I have chosen a career in theatre because I can’t picture myself doing anything else. Creating and sharing through this medium fills me with energy, purpose and a passion that I can’t explain. Many other theatre artists express similar sentiments when asked why they do what they do. So why is it that not all theatre productions reflect these feelings? As much as we may hate to admit it, many of us have either seen or been in a less-than-inspiring show. In Terry Teachout’s talk entitled, “Why Do You Want to be On Broadway?” he challenges the theatre industry to gamble on greatness.

Terry Teachout
Source: http://bit.ly/10uiPJs

Teachout begins his remarks with a fact:

“Seventy-five percent of all Broadway shows lose money. Three shows out of four.”

To call odds like these discouraging would be an understatement. But I love how Teachout puts this statistic – and what all the play-it-safe-ers are probably thinking – on its head.

“What William Goldman said about Hollywood goes double on Broadway: nobody knows anything. And that means that there's only one reason for you to be on Broadway--and that's to have fun.

So how do you do that? If you're a creative person--and everybody on Broadway is, or should be, creative in one way or another--then the best way to have fun is to try to do something good. Really good. To roll the dice on excellence.”

I love working at Signature Theatre because one of the things Signature does best is, as Teachout put it, “roll the dice on excellence.” Over the past 23 years, Signature has developed a reputation for “definitive Sondheim productions, inventive adaptations of overlooked or forgotten works, and investment in fresh new projects.” And that’s what makes Signature Theatre so great, that’s what draws the audience. You know that when you come to Signature you’re going to see something that nobody else has ever done:

Assassins with the stage as a reflection of the audience

The cast of Assassins
Source: http://bit.ly/ZRTNXZ

“How do I convey the pow! factor in Signature Theatre’s startling new staging of Assassins without spoiling it for you? Absorbingly original… boldly, stylishly theatrical… exhilarating.”

  – Peter Marks, The Washington Post

Show Boat… with no boat

“What is being fondly called “No Boat” (no two-tiered riverboat is recreated onstage) may or may not be the future of this lavish, rarely performed show.”

– David Belcher, New York Times

Hello, Dolly! with no grand staircase

“Dusting off the script, Director Eric Schaeffer has created a fresh new Dolly that is personal, heartfelt, and engaging.”

– Mark Beachy, MD Theatre Guide

Les Miserables with no turntable

“The Signature experiment works on many levels. Bringing the production down to an intimate scale assuredly makes the characters more accessible, even when crooning those familiar larger-than-life numbers.”

– Paul Harris, Variety

There are shows I have forgotten or wish I could forget, but the breath-taking image of a magic ring of candles descending from the sky in Shakespeare’s R&J is a memory I will always cherish. Those are the kind of risks that make Signature great.




A magical moment in Shakespeare's R&J
Source: http://bit.ly/12hbBvp

 

I have to admit I’m going to steal Teachout’s closing. Because it’s just that good.

“If there's ever a time in life for you to shoot high, this is it. Don't start out settling for safe--gamble on great. Forget about making money. You're not going to make money. Instead, make something beautiful. Something special. Something new. Something that makes you proud. Do that and you always win...and who knows? You might even get rich.”

I only hope we can all live up to his challenge.

Read the full text of Teachout’s talk here.

Check out the rest of the talks from TEDxBroadway 2013 here.

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Today in Theatre History: The Mystery of the Long-Running Show

TODAY IN THEATRE HISTORY: May 8th

In  the “Today in Theatre History” series, we take a specific event in theatre history and use it as a starting point for discussion about aspects of theatre – past, present, and future.

The cast of Signature's Dreamgirls.
Photo: Chris Mueller

Today in theatre history:

-         “Rise and Fall of Little Voice” closes at the Neil Simon Theatre after 9 performances (1994)

-         “Earl of Ruston” closes at Billy Rose Theater  after 5 performances (1971)

-         “Shuffle Along” opens at Broadway Theater for 4 performances (1952)

-         “Funny Thing Happened” opens at Alvin Theater for 965 performances (1962)

All shows must close. The question then is how long will the show survive?

When it comes to theatre there are two terms used to define the "run" of the show (aka how long the show plays for):


The Broadway cast of The Phantom of the Opera
Source: http://bit.ly/12RbB2D

In an open-ended run there is no set end date. The greater the demand for tickets, the longer the run. When there is no longer a demand for tickets or when it becomes more profitable to license the show to other producers, a closing date is picked. Shows like The Phantom of the Opera,  Cats and Wicked all had open-ended runs on Broadway. Because Signature Theatre only has two performances spaces and produces up to eight fully-mounted productions a season, open-ended runs are simply not feasable. 

Signature shows therefore have what is called a limited engagement run. This means that there is a specific end date set for the show before performances even start. If the show is selling very well towards the end of the run, sometimes a show will receive an extension, meaning that another week or two of performances are added. While this is one way for patrons to gauge whether or not a show is selling well, there are times when a show is selling well but there is no extension because the space is needed for another production.

So why do some shows get extended and others don't? Why do some open-ended runs only last for five performances and others 5,000? In looking at Signature Theatre's production history, some themes became apparent:

Star Power

Big names have a tendency to draw big crowds. A popular actor's fan base will fill a surprising number of seats. In Signature Theatre's recent production of "Dreamgirls" actress Nova Y. Payton garnered an impressive amount of attention for her phenomenal performance of Effie. By the end of the show many people were coming to see Payton perform because they had heard great things and tickets were in such high demand that the show was extended. 

Nancy Robinette and Sherri L. Edelen in Walter Cronkite is Dead. Source: http://bit.ly/18Uh2kF

Signature's production of Walter Cronkite is Dead was extended before the show even opened because the show's two actresses, Sherri L. Edelen and Nancy Robinette, were (and still are) both DC area stars.

Known Titles

The barricade in Signature's production of Les Miserables.

Source: http://bit.ly/109oKXg

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard of Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera or Sweeney Todd. In today's economy the average person is less-inclined to spend money on a show they've never heard of, as unfortunate as that is. Tourists in New York are more likely to spend money on a ticket to The Phantom of the Opera than a ticket to Return to the Forbidden Planet (the irony being that Phantom started off as an unknown show - but that's a discussion for another blog post). When Signature produced Les Miserables tickets sold incredibly well and the run was extended

because of the combination of a quality product

and also a well-known show.

An Overall Good Production

Fiona Shaw in The Testament
of Mary.
Source: http://bit.ly/11QOAxy

Then there are the shows that don't have a star or a well-known title and still manage to be incredibly successful. Shows like Really, Really that had a young cast and a young playwright but would have been extended if not for another show needing the space.

And let us not forget the shows with great casts and great scripts which, artistically speaking, deserve a longer run; shows like The Testament of Mary that managed to nab several Tony Award nominations but will shortly be closing.

Statistics show that three out of four shows on Broadway are a financial failure. Who gets the open-ended run? Who gets the extension? Who closes after four performances? The ticket-buyers will ultimately decide.

Sources
http://www.tdf.org/tdf_servicepage.aspx?id=103
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_longest-running_Broadway_shows
http://www.artsjournal.com/aboutlastnight/2013/01/tt_the_one_good_reason_to_take.html



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Celebrating Signature's Sondheim Award Gala

Source: http://bit.ly/17X0VVS

Sondheim. Signature's signature. Since 1991 Signature has produced at least one Sondheim musical as part of their season. This past Monday evening marked the fourth annual Sondheim Gala, an event where Signature Theatre presents the Stephen Sondheim Award to "an individual for his or her career contributions to interpreting, supporting, and collaborating on Stephen Sondheim’s music works." This year's award honored 21-time Tony Award-Winning director Harold Prince. In honor of this incredible event, the award and these two incredible men, we have a few videos and pictures below celebrating their numerous collaborations.

In 1979 Sondheim's musical Sweeney Todd hit the stage with direction by Harold "Hal" Prince. The musical took the Tony Awards by storm, garnering nine nominations and eight wins, including best direction for Prince and best original score for Sondheim.

Be sure to check out this clip from Signature's 20th Anniversary production of Sweeney Todd as well!

Source: http://bit.ly/10zBObr

While Sweeney Todd may be one of Sondheim and Prince's better known collaborations, it was neither the first nor the last. Together they worked on such shows as Follies, Pacific Overtures, Merrily We Roll Along and Company, many of which have enjoyed productions at Signature Theatre.

Of the opportunity to present Prince with the award, Sondheim said, “After nine major collaborations over a period of 55 years and a friendship that is even longer, it seems somewhat redundant, not to say bizarre, that I should be giving an award in my name to Harold Prince. But any award that acknowledges Hal’s skills, inventions, and generosity is an award worth giving. His achievements range well beyond his contributions as a director and a producer.”

Check out the video below to see Sondheim and Prince at work on Company:

Signature Theatre's upcoming production of Company begins previews on May 21st. For more info, click here.

SOURCES
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweeney_Todd_(musical)
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/177112-Harold-Prince-Receives-Stephen-Sondheim-Award-at-Arlingtons-Signature-Theatre-April-22

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Today in Theatre History: Musical Theatre Goes Global

TODAY IN THEATRE HISTORY: April 10th

In  the “Today in Theatre History” series, we take a specific event in theatre history and use it as a starting point for discussion about aspects of theatre – past, present, and future.

On April 10^th, 1994 the hit-musical Les Miserables, opened at the Hiten Theatre in Osaka, Japan.

Click here to listen to a recording of "One Day More" performed by the Japanese cast.

The Japanese "Les Mis" cast performs "One Day More."
Source: http://bit.ly/14bx6ln

“Japan? Last time I checked Les Miserables was not a Japanese musical.” Correct. However, what many people don’t realize is that there is a steadily growing musical theatre world outside of the United States. Musicals are no longer solely an American, or even British, art form.

Look at the Shiki Theatre Company in Japan – they’ve been producing original musicals since 1962. Look at the Shanghai Grand Theatre which in 2011 produced the first all-Chinese production of “Mamma Mia,” or even the partnership between the New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) and the Korean Daegu International Music Festival. And not only are these shows being produced and performed in their countries of origin, but Korean musicals are touring to Japan, Japanese musicals to Taiwan, etc.

COMPARE: Broadway "Mamma Mia" vs. Beijing "Mamma Mia"

EXPANSION AND EVOLUTION

"Butterflies" was China's first Broadway-style musical.
Source: http://bit.ly/10SoHxl

How is it that something so “quintessentially” American is finding its way into the hearts and minds of people all across Asia? The culture-specific evolution of the art form speaks for itself:

Asian countries are not only latching on to Western stories and scores, but they are now expanding on that foundation and creating their own works: “As countries have yearned for independence, musicals have had to accommodate their particular tastes. American and British productions have been staged in other languages, and new markets have been created and know-how accumulated. Now these countries are starting to make the things that people want to see.”

Who knows, perhaps in coming years the musical will no longer be defined as an American art form, but rather as an international art form. Best keep an eye out.

SIGNATURE THEATRE CROSSING BORDERS

For our 2013 SigLab project, Signature Theatre will be spending July 9th-27th workshopping a new musical called “Spin,” based on the hit Korean comedy, “Speedy Scandal”:

Faded pop star Evan coasts through life. However, when a surprise daughter and grandson arrive on his doorstep, Evan must choose between the gift of family and the glittering appeal of fame. Spin is a humorous, charming and heartwarming tale about what really matters in life.”

LEARN MORE:

Japan

‘Japan Musical Theater Looks Beyond the Bright Lights of Broadway’

Shiki Theatre Company website
‘Japan’s Storied All-Female Musical Theatre Troupe Wows Taiwan’

China

‘So Far Off Broadway It’s in China’

‘Musical Madness’

‘Spin: Chinese Musicals Take Center Stage’

Nancy Pellegrini talks to industry experts about the future of Chinese musical theatre.

Korea

‘“Hero: The Musical,” First Korean Musical Performed Overseas Premieres at the Lincoln Center’

‘NYMF in Korea’

‘Korean Musicals Here to Stay’

In this blog post we’ve focused on the expansion of musical theatre into Asia. However, the musical theatre movement in many other countries and continents is alive and well! Click here to learn about Theatre Communication Group’s international Music Theatre NOW Competition.

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