1984
Based on George Orwell’s dystopian novel, the opera includes roles for Winston, Julia, O’Brien, Syme, Parsons, and Charrington, as well as chorus sequences for the Two Minutes Hate rallies and Oceania’s national anthem.
Loading credits…
Loading credits…
Based on George Orwell’s dystopian novel, the opera includes roles for Winston, Julia, O’Brien, Syme, Parsons, and Charrington, as well as chorus sequences for the Two Minutes Hate rallies and Oceania’s national anthem.
In 1933 New York City, eleven-year-old Annie sleeps in an orphanage, with many other girls her age. When six-year-old Molly wakes up from a bad dream, Annie comforts her by singing about her own parents; even though they abandoned her at the orphanage as a baby, she holds on to the hope that they will come back for her ("Maybe"). Annie decides to escape to find her parents, but is caught by Miss Hannigan, the cruel keeper of the orphanage. To punish Annie's behavior, she forces all the girls to clean, and they lament the terrible conditions of the orphanage ("It's the Hard Knock Life"). Later on, Bundles the laundry man comes in to pick up the blankets, allowing Annie to escape in his truck. Miss Hannigan realizes she is gone and chases after the truck. The other orphans cheer her on but await punishment when Hannigan returns ("It's the Hard Knock Life (Reprise)"). Annie escapes, running into a friendly stray dog. She tells him of better days to come ("Tomorrow"). She fools a police officer into believing he is her dog, named Sandy. Later, Annie and Sandy stumble upon a Hooverville, a shanty town full of formerly well-off people suddenly rendered homeless by the Great Depression. They sarcastically toast the former president ("We'd Like to Thank You, Herbert Hoover"). The shanty town is broken up by the cops, who take Annie back to the orphanage, where Miss Hannigan punishes her with extra chores. At the orphanage, Miss Hannigan vents her frustration at being surrounded by children ("Little Girls"). Grace Farrell, the assistant to the billionaire Oliver Warbucks, comes to the orphanage, asking for an orphan to spend Christmas at his mansion. Seeing how poorly Miss Hannigan treats Annie, Grace insists on taking her ("Little Girls (Reprise)"). At Warbucks's mansion, Grace introduces Annie to the staff and explains that she will have every luxury available ("I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here"). Oliver Warbucks returns and is not happy to have Annie in his mansion, having assumed all orphans were boys. Warbucks instructs Grace to take her to a movie while he works, but when he realizes that Annie has never seen New York, he decides to take her there himself, walking the 45 blocks to the Roxy and seeing New York City in all of its glory ("N.Y.C."). Grace pays Miss Hannigan a visit to tell her that Warbucks wants to officially adopt Annie. Hannigan becomes furiously envious that the orphan she hated so much will suddenly have everything. Her ne'er-do-well brother Rooster and his girlfriend, Lily, drop by, in hopes of a handout. When Miss Hannigan mentions that Annie is going to be adopted by Warbucks, Rooster realizes they can use this situation to their advantage to bring Annie back to Miss Hannigan ("Easy Street"). Having noticed a broken locket around Annie's neck, Warbucks buys her a new, more expensive one from Tiffany's. When he offers Annie the locket and attempts to take off the old one, Annie bursts into tears, as the locket was the only thing left to her by her parents, and she still holds out hope that they will return for her. Warbucks pledges to find her parents, no matter what it takes, calling J. Edgar Hoover to get the Federal Bureau of Investigation on the job ("You Won't Be an Orphan for Long"/"Maybe (Reprise)"). Annie appears on Bert Healy's radio show ("Maybe (Reprise)"), where Warbucks announces that he is offering $50,000 to the couple who can prove they are her parents. Healy sings a song with the Boylan Sisters ("You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile"). At the orphanage, the girls are listening to the show. They joyously sing along ("You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile (Reprise)"). A couple claiming to be Annie's parents, Ralph and Shirley Mudge, arrive at the orphanage. In fact, they are Rooster and Lily in disguise. They believe they can pass themselves off as Annie's parents, with Hannigan's help, for which she demands half of the money ("Easy Street (Reprise)"). Warbucks brings Annie to Washington, D.C., where she meets President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Roosevelt and his Cabinet are inspired by her optimism and decide to make it a cornerstone of their administration ("Tomorrow (Reprise)"). Once back home, Warbucks tells Annie how much he loves her ("Something Was Missing"). Because all the people claiming to be her parents were frauds, he offers to adopt her, and Annie gleefully accepts. The delighted staff get Annie dressed for the formal adoption proceedings and tell of how her arrival has changed their lives ("Annie"). As Judge Louis Brandeis shows up to begin the adoption proceedings, Warbucks and Annie dance together ("I Don't Need Anything But You"). They are interrupted by Rooster and Lily in disguise. The two present forged documents, as well as the other half of Annie's locket, seemingly confirming their story. Warbucks requests that she be allowed to stay one more night, and they can take her away on Christmas morning. The next morning, Annie wonders if her life with her parents will really be as good as her life with Warbucks could have been ("Maybe (Reprise)"). Warbucks receives a surprise visit from Roosevelt and his Secret Service. The FBI has learned that Annie's parents are actually David and Margaret Bennett, who died long ago in a fire when Annie was a baby. Mr. and Mrs. "Mudge" show up to take Annie along with the money but are quickly revealed to be none other than Rooster and Lily; the Secret Service arrests them, along with Miss Hannigan, for their crimes. Annie is officially adopted by Warbucks, who notes that this Christmas is the beginning of a new life for them, for the orphans (all of whom are adopted by wealthy friends of Warbucks) and for the rest of the country, thanks to Roosevelt's New Deal ("A New Deal for Christmas").
Annie Warbucks is a musical with a book by Thomas Meehan, music by Charles Strouse, and lyrics by Martin Charnin. A sequel to the 1977 Tony Award-winning hit Annie, based on Harold Gray's Little Orphan Annie comic strip, it begins immediately after Annie ends.
The story centers around Akaash, a young man from the slums of Bombay who dreams of becoming the next big star in Bollywood. Fate steps in when a rich lawyer and his fiancée, an aspiring documentary filmmaker, arrive to prevent the demolition of Akaash's slum. Akaash quickly falls in love with the lawyer's fiancée, Priya, who happens to be the daughter of a famous Bollywood director. Complications arise as Akaash faces the reality of show business, fame, his love for Priya, and his obligations to his family, friends, and his Paradise slum. The story also deals with the change of name from Bombay to Mumbai and the identity issues that this raises.
Chaplin: The Musical, formerly titled Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin, is a musical with music and lyrics by Christopher Curtis and book by Curtis and Thomas Meehan. The show is based on the life of Charlie Chaplin. The musical, which started at the New York Musical Theatre Festival in 2006, debuted at the La Jolla Playhouse in 2010, and then premiered on Broadway in 2012.
In Baltimore 1954, the first annual Anti-Polio Picnic and Vaccination Carnival is being overseen by Mrs. Vernon Williams, the president of Baltimore Women’s Club. Baldwin and the Whiffles lead a group called "The Squares" made up of well-behaved teens (“The Anti-Polio Picnic”). Their performance is interrupted by a rival group, "the Drapes", who enjoy terrorising the Squares (“Watch Your A**”). Wade “Cry-Baby” Walker arrives to receive his polio vaccine. Allison, Mrs. Williams' granddaughter is particularly taken by him which unnerves her (“I’m Infected”). Baldwin and the Whiffles perform (“Squeaky Clean”) at the Maidnenhead Country Club for Safety Awareness Day. Cry-Baby and his loyal trio interrupt and he invites Allison to the Jukebox Jamboree, though Mrs Williams forbades this. This deeply upsets Cry-Baby. (“Nobody Gets Me”). Allison questions being a Square and sets off the emergency alarm, sending the everyone into a panic. Amidst the chaos, she sneaks off with Cry-Baby (“Nobody Gets Me – Reprise”). At the Jamboree, Cry-Baby's friends are trying to deter a girl, Lenora, who's obsessed with him. They then give advice to Allison on how to be a bad girl (“A Whole Lot Worse”). Lenora then sings a ballad about her mental health and love of Cry-Baby (“Screw Loose”). Dupree, who's emceeing, introduces Cry-Baby and the Teardrops onto the stage (“Baby, Baby, Baby, Baby (Baby, Baby) Baby”). Afterwards, Allison and Cry-Baby drive to a spot in Turkey Point, where they grow closer (“Girl, Can I Kiss You with Tongue?”). He gifts Allison a gold-plated guitar-pick (“I’m Infected – Reprise”). However, their moment is interrupted by a sudden wildfire. Immediately blaming Cry-Baby, Baldwin has him and the Drapes arrested, where they are put on trial (“You Can’t Beat the System”). The Judge finds them guilty and they are sent off to jail. Lenora claims she is pregnant with Cry-Baby's child which shocks Allison and the courthouse, as he is taken away. At home, Allison longs for Cry-Baby (“Misery, Agony, Helplessness, Hopelessness, Heartache and Woe”). Baldwin informs her that the Whiffles will be performing at a newly built theme park to celebrate the Fourth of July, to which she hesitantly agrees to sing. Her grandmother finds her crying and comforts her (“Misery, Agony, Helplessness, Hopelessness, Heartache and Woe – Reprise”). At a jewellery store, Baldwin and Lenora bond over their dislike of each others respective love interests as they shop for wedding rings (“All in My Head”). Dupree, now imprisoned, works on the farm creating license plate presses (“Jailyard Jubilee”). Cry-Baby hears Baldwin and Allison get engaged over the radio and becomes enraged. Dupree attempts to calm him down but he starts a riot (“A Little Upset”). During the uproar, Cry-Baby escapes, heading straight for Allison. He turns up at her house and her Mrs. Williams helps him avoid the police. She overhears Baldwin admitting to the Whiffles that he framed Cry-Baby for the arson at Turkey Point (“I Did Something Wrong Once”). She settles on doing the right thing. At the Star-Spangled Funland, the Whiffles, with Allison, perform (“Thanks for the Nifty Country”). After exposing Baldwin's confession, the Judge, Mrs. Williams and a newly exonerated Cry-Baby arrive at the theme park. Judge Stone sentences Baldwin, the true culprit to hard time in prison. Still vying for Allison, Baldwin challenges Cry-Baby to a musical battle for her heart (“This Amazing Offer”). Cry-Baby wins (“Do That Again”). Lenora, not actually pregnant, arrives with his "baby", a teddy bear, and states that she now loves Baldwin instead. Mrs. Williams, now accepting of Cry-Baby and Allison's relationship, asks him to be a part of their family. (“Nothing Bad’s Ever Gonna Happen Again”).
Santa Claus, annoyed that his football game has been recorded over, opens a large pop-up book to read a story. Buddy is the happiest and tallest elf by far ("Christmastown"). It turns out that Buddy is human. Santa explains that Buddy's mother had died, and, as an orphan, he had crawled into Santa's toy sack; arriving at the North Pole, he was raised as an elf. Santa encourages Buddy to go to New York City to find his birth father, Walter Hobbs, who is on the naughty list because he doesn't believe in Santa. Nevertheless, Buddy hopes that Walter will be the "World's Greatest Dad". Walter works long hours as a book publisher in the Empire State Building. Too busy to shop for gifts with his son, Michael, and wife, Emily, he laments that Christmas gets "In the Way". Dressed in his elf clothes, Buddy finds Walter's office, where he is mistaken for a singing telegram entertainer, but he sings that Walter is his father. Walter does not believe him and has building security take Buddy to the nearby Macy's Department Store North Pole village. The employees there love Buddy's happy Christmas spirit ("Sparklejollytwinklejingley"). Buddy quickly falls for Jovie, a practical-minded Macy's elf, and persuades her to go on a date with him. The next day, however, Buddy sees Macy's Santa and declares that he is not the real Santa, causing a fracas. The police bring him to the residence of the Hobbs family. There, Michael and Emily are struggling to build a science project. Buddy helps them to complete the project, in exchange for Michael and Emily sending a letter to Santa asking for quality time with Walter ("I'll Believe in You"). Walter gets home, and they convince him to let Buddy sleep there for the night. In the morning, they receive the results of a DNA test that Emily arranged; it proves that Buddy is Walter's son ("In the Way" (reprise)). Reluctantly, he takes Buddy to his office, because Emily has a meeting. Buddy, wearing a new suit like his dad's, hopes to be "Just Like Him". Mr. Greenway, Walter's boss, tells Walter that if he does not publish a hit children's book by Christmas Eve, he will be fired; Walter, under pressure, grows even more frustrated by Buddy's distracting exuberance. Buddy takes Jovie on a date, and the two have romantic chemistry. He plans to fulfill her Christmas wish by taking her to dinner at Tavern on the Green. Jovie enjoys Buddy's enthusiasm as he encourages her to spread Christmas Cheer by loudly singing "A Christmas Song". Buddy is eager to tell Walter that he is in love and decides to cheer up his dad by making it snow in his office, so he shreds up some paper that turns out to be the manuscript of the children's book that Walter is feverishly working on. Walter angrily tosses Buddy out of the office, asking him never to return. Buddy is despondent ("World Greatest Dad" (reprise)). Santa recounts that Buddy left a farewell message for the Hobbs family. On Christmas Eve, hungry and alone on the streets of New York, Buddy finds a Chinese restaurant, where he meets unhappy, out-of-a-job fake Santas complaining that "Nobody Cares About Santa". Buddy is two hours late for his date with Jovie, who is waiting angrily in front of Tavern on the Green. She vows: "Never Fall in Love (With an Elf)". When Buddy shows up, he gives her a snow globe that Santa had given him when he departed from the North Pole, but she is too disappointed and departs. Emily and Michael find Buddy's letter and wish to retrieve him. Out of their apartment window, they see Santa's sleigh and realize that they have been wrong: "There Is a Santa Claus". They go to the Empire State Building, where Buddy also arrives, to find Walter sweating as he works to pitch a book idea to his boss. Buddy suggests "The Story of Buddy the Elf". Mr. Greenway loves the idea but says the book should be about a horse, rather than an elf. He demands that Walter work through Christmas to produce the book. However, Mr. Greenway overplays his hand by rudely criticizing Walter's sons, and Walter quits his job. Michael relates that he and his mother saw Santa's sleigh land. This alarms Buddy, as he knows this means that the sleigh must have lost power from a lack of Christmas spirit in New York City. The Hobbs family rushes to Central Park ("Nobody Cares About Santa" (reprise)). Buddy is struck by a plan. He sees a news crew covering a purported UFO event. Grabbing the reporter's microphone, he encourages all New Yorkers to spread the Christmas spirit to repower the sleigh and speed Santa on his way. Jovie appears, and she starts to sing "A Christmas Song" (reprise). Other New Yorkers begin to sing, and their collective Christmas cheer works. Santa invites Buddy to come home with him to the North Pole, but at last, Buddy feels that he has a place in New York, where he can continue making everyone happy. On Christmas Day at his home, Santa closes the big book and hears a knock on his door. There he finds Buddy, Jovie, their new baby, Buddy Jr., and the rest of the Hobbs family arriving to celebrate Christmas with him. This becomes their annual tradition. Instead of Santa Claus, the film is narrated by Papa Elf, who does not appear in the musical. Other minor changes from the movie to the musical include Santa Claus using an iPhone instead of a list of names while delivering gifts, Buddy and Jovie's child being changed from a girl to a boy, the department store scenes taking place at Macy's instead of Gimbels, and Buddy being dropped off at the Hobbs house instead of being bailed out of jail by Walter. The musical also adds a subplot about Michael and Emily Hobbs' disbelief in Santa Claus. And instead of having an elf named Ming Ming, they changed the name to Charlie and had a girl elf named Shwanda. Several scenes from the film are absent, including Buddy's visit to the mail room of the Empire State Building, and Buddy rescuing Michael from school bullies in a Central Park snowball fight. The character of Miles Finch is cut in the musical. In the musical, Walter's staff writers happen upon the only copy of an unpublished manuscript for a Christmas story by deceased famous author Chris Smith. Buddy shreds the document, not understanding its significance. This is when Walter angrily says he wishes Buddy wasn't his son, instead of in the aftermath of the Miles Finch scene. The film and musical strongly deviate in the character of Walter. In the film, Walter is portrayed as greedy, obsessed with his work, and deliberately neglectful of his family duties. In the musical, he is shown as merely bumbling, forgetful, and overworked. Santa Claus explains in the film that Walter is on his "naughty" list because of his greed and general meanness, whereas in the musical it is because he doesn't believe in Santa. In the musical, after Buddy pitches the idea of making the book about how he came to the North Pole (leading into the song, "The Story of Buddy the Elf"), Mr. Greenway loves the story, but Walter quits after Mr. Greenway insults his sons; in the film Walter chooses to go with Michael to bring Buddy back home, instead of pitching anything to Mr. Greenway, which leads to his firing.
In 1962 Baltimore, teenager Tracy Turnblad wins a place on a local television dance show and campaigns to integrate it.
I Remember Mama is a musical with a book by Thomas Meehan, lyrics by Martin Charnin and Raymond Jessel, and music by Richard Rodgers. The musical ran on Broadway in 1979.
In New York in 1959, theatre producer Max Bialystock opens Funny Boy, a musical version of Hamlet. Reviews are overwhelmingly negative, and the show closes after one performance ("Opening Night"). Max, who was once called the King of Broadway, tells a crowd of down-and-outs of his past achievements and vows to return to form ("King of Broadway"). The next day, Leo Bloom, a mousy accountant, comes to Max's office to audit his books. When one of Max's elderly female "investors" arrives, Max tells Leo to wait in the bathroom until she leaves. She plays a sex game with Max, who persuades her to give him a check to be invested in his next play, to be called "Cash". Leo reveals his lifelong dream to be a Broadway producer. After recovering from a panic attack caused by Max touching his blue blanket, Leo tells Max that he has found an accounting error in his books: Max raised $100,000 for Funny Boy, but the play only cost $98,000. Max begs Leo to cook the books to hide the discrepancy; Leo reluctantly agrees. After some calculations, he realizes that, by bilking investors, a producer could profit more from a flop than from a hit. Inspired, Max proposes a scheme to find the worst musical ever written, hire the worst director and actors in New York, raise $2 million of investment from elderly women, produce the work on Broadway, close it after one night, and escape to Rio de Janeiro with the money. However, Leo refuses to help Max with his scheme ("We Can Do It"). Leo's antagonistic boss, Mr. Marks, reprimands him for arriving at work six minutes late and calls him a nobody. While he and his miserable co-workers toil over accounts, Leo daydreams of becoming a Broadway producer ("I Wanna Be a Producer"). He realizes that his job is terrible, quits, and returns to Max ("We Can Do It" (reprise)). The next day, they search for the most offensive play they can find and discover Springtime for Hitler: A Gay Romp with Adolf and Eva at Berchtesgaden, an admiring tribute to Adolf Hitler written by ex-Nazi soldier Franz Liebkind. They go to the playwright's home in Greenwich Village to get the rights to the play, where Franz is on the roof of his tenement with his pigeons reminiscing about life back in Germany ("In Old Bavaria"). The producers get him to sign their contract by joining him in singing Hitler's favorite tune ("Der Guten Tag Hop Clop") and reciting the Siegfried Oath, under penalty of death, promising never to dishonor Hitler's spirit or memory. In doing so, Franz gives Hitler's middle name as "Elizabeth", explaining that his ancestors include "a long line of English queens". At the townhouse of the flamboyant transvestite and failing director Roger De Bris, Roger and his domestic partner Carmen Ghia initially decline the offer to direct because of the serious subject matter. After much persuading and invoking the possibility of a Tony Award, Roger relents and tells the producers that the second act must be rewritten so the Germans win World War II while also insisting that the play be more "gay" ("Keep It Gay"). Max and Leo return to the office to meet Ulla, a beautiful Swedish woman who wants to audition for their next play ("When You've Got It, Flaunt It"). The producers are impressed, mostly by her sex-appeal, and hire her as a clerical worker. Max leaves to raise $2 million to produce Springtime for Hitler by calling on elderly women from all over New York ("Along Came Bialy"), and succeeds at raising the money ("Act I Finale"). Leo and Ulla are left alone in Max's office, which she has "redecorated", and they start to fall in love ("That Face"). Max walks in and sees the tempting form of Ulla's covered behind ("That Face" (reprise)). At the auditions for the role of Hitler, Roger rejects one actor after another in summary fashion. Finally, a frustrated Franz performs his own jazzy rendition of "Haben Sie Gehört Das Deutsche Band?", at the end of which Max approves Franz's audition. Opening night arrives ("Opening Night" (reprise)), and after Leo curses the production by wishing everyone "good luck" rather than the traditional "break a leg" ("You Never Say 'Good Luck' on Opening Night"), Franz literally breaks his leg falling down the stairs. Roger is the only one other than Franz who knows the part of Hitler, and he rushes to the dressing room to get ready. The curtain rises, and Max and Leo watch the opening number ("Springtime for Hitler"), which shocks the audience, before sneaking away. Unfortunately, Roger plays Hitler so flamboyantly that the audience mistakes the show for satire, and it becomes a surprise smash. Back at the office, Max and Leo are horrified that the IRS will learn of their actions as they read positive critical reviews for Springtime ("Where Did We Go Right?"). Roger and Carmen come to congratulate them, only to find them fighting over the accounting books. Franz bursts in, waving a pistol, outraged by Roger's portrayal of Hitler. Fearful for his life, Max suggests that Franz shoot the actors instead of the producers as a way to close the show. The police are summoned by the commotion and arrest Franz, who breaks his other leg while trying to escape. They also arrest Max and take the books. As Leo hides, Ulla finds him and persuades him to take the $2 million and run off to Rio with her. In jail awaiting trial, Max receives a postcard from Leo, now living in Rio and having eloped with Ulla. Feeling betrayed, he recounts the events of the story ("Betrayed"). At his trial, Max is found "incredibly guilty", but Leo and Ulla arrive in the nick of time. Leo turns in the stolen money and tells the judge that Max is a good man who has never hurt anyone despite his swindling, and the only man he has ever called a friend ("'Til Him"). Touched by their friendship, the judge decides not to separate the partners, sending them and Franz to Sing Sing prison together for five years. In prison, they write a new musical entitled "Prisoners of Love", and they are pardoned by the governor of New York for bringing joy into the lives of their inmates by having them act in the play. Soon after taking Prisoners of Love to Broadway, with Roger and Ulla in the main roles, Leo and Max become successful producers and walk off into the sunset ("Leo & Max"). Everyone comes back for one last song, telling the audience to leave ("Goodbye!").
Young Frankenstein (promoted as The New Mel Brooks Musical: Young Frankenstein) is a musical with a book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, and music and lyrics by Brooks. It is based on the 1974 comedy film of the same name written by Gene Wilder and Brooks who also directed and has described it as his best film. It is a parody of the horror film genre, especially the 1931 Universal Pictures adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and its 1935 and 1939 sequels, Bride of Frankenstein and Son of Frankenstein. After tryouts in Seattle and four weeks of previews, the musical opened on Broadway on November 8, 2007 to mixed reviews. The Broadway production closed on January 4, 2009, after 29 previews and 485 performances. A U.S. tour started on September 29, 2009, in Providence, Rhode Island. A revised version of the show opened in London's West End at the Garrick Theatre on October 10, 2017 (after a tryout at the Theatre Royal, Newcastle) to positive reviews.
Based on George Orwell’s dystopian novel, the opera includes roles for Winston, Julia, O’Brien, Syme, Parsons, and Charrington, as well as chorus sequences for the Two Minutes Hate rallies and Oceania’s national anthem.
In 1933 New York City, eleven-year-old Annie sleeps in an orphanage, with many other girls her age. When six-year-old Molly wakes up from a bad dream, Annie comforts her by singing about her own parents; even though they abandoned her at the orphanage as a baby, she holds on to the hope that they will come back for her ("Maybe"). Annie decides to escape to find her parents, but is caught by Miss Hannigan, the cruel keeper of the orphanage. To punish Annie's behavior, she forces all the girls to clean, and they lament the terrible conditions of the orphanage ("It's the Hard Knock Life"). Later on, Bundles the laundry man comes in to pick up the blankets, allowing Annie to escape in his truck. Miss Hannigan realizes she is gone and chases after the truck. The other orphans cheer her on but await punishment when Hannigan returns ("It's the Hard Knock Life (Reprise)"). Annie escapes, running into a friendly stray dog. She tells him of better days to come ("Tomorrow"). She fools a police officer into believing he is her dog, named Sandy. Later, Annie and Sandy stumble upon a Hooverville, a shanty town full of formerly well-off people suddenly rendered homeless by the Great Depression. They sarcastically toast the former president ("We'd Like to Thank You, Herbert Hoover"). The shanty town is broken up by the cops, who take Annie back to the orphanage, where Miss Hannigan punishes her with extra chores. At the orphanage, Miss Hannigan vents her frustration at being surrounded by children ("Little Girls"). Grace Farrell, the assistant to the billionaire Oliver Warbucks, comes to the orphanage, asking for an orphan to spend Christmas at his mansion. Seeing how poorly Miss Hannigan treats Annie, Grace insists on taking her ("Little Girls (Reprise)"). At Warbucks's mansion, Grace introduces Annie to the staff and explains that she will have every luxury available ("I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here"). Oliver Warbucks returns and is not happy to have Annie in his mansion, having assumed all orphans were boys. Warbucks instructs Grace to take her to a movie while he works, but when he realizes that Annie has never seen New York, he decides to take her there himself, walking the 45 blocks to the Roxy and seeing New York City in all of its glory ("N.Y.C."). Grace pays Miss Hannigan a visit to tell her that Warbucks wants to officially adopt Annie. Hannigan becomes furiously envious that the orphan she hated so much will suddenly have everything. Her ne'er-do-well brother Rooster and his girlfriend, Lily, drop by, in hopes of a handout. When Miss Hannigan mentions that Annie is going to be adopted by Warbucks, Rooster realizes they can use this situation to their advantage to bring Annie back to Miss Hannigan ("Easy Street"). Having noticed a broken locket around Annie's neck, Warbucks buys her a new, more expensive one from Tiffany's. When he offers Annie the locket and attempts to take off the old one, Annie bursts into tears, as the locket was the only thing left to her by her parents, and she still holds out hope that they will return for her. Warbucks pledges to find her parents, no matter what it takes, calling J. Edgar Hoover to get the Federal Bureau of Investigation on the job ("You Won't Be an Orphan for Long"/"Maybe (Reprise)"). Annie appears on Bert Healy's radio show ("Maybe (Reprise)"), where Warbucks announces that he is offering $50,000 to the couple who can prove they are her parents. Healy sings a song with the Boylan Sisters ("You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile"). At the orphanage, the girls are listening to the show. They joyously sing along ("You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile (Reprise)"). A couple claiming to be Annie's parents, Ralph and Shirley Mudge, arrive at the orphanage. In fact, they are Rooster and Lily in disguise. They believe they can pass themselves off as Annie's parents, with Hannigan's help, for which she demands half of the money ("Easy Street (Reprise)"). Warbucks brings Annie to Washington, D.C., where she meets President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Roosevelt and his Cabinet are inspired by her optimism and decide to make it a cornerstone of their administration ("Tomorrow (Reprise)"). Once back home, Warbucks tells Annie how much he loves her ("Something Was Missing"). Because all the people claiming to be her parents were frauds, he offers to adopt her, and Annie gleefully accepts. The delighted staff get Annie dressed for the formal adoption proceedings and tell of how her arrival has changed their lives ("Annie"). As Judge Louis Brandeis shows up to begin the adoption proceedings, Warbucks and Annie dance together ("I Don't Need Anything But You"). They are interrupted by Rooster and Lily in disguise. The two present forged documents, as well as the other half of Annie's locket, seemingly confirming their story. Warbucks requests that she be allowed to stay one more night, and they can take her away on Christmas morning. The next morning, Annie wonders if her life with her parents will really be as good as her life with Warbucks could have been ("Maybe (Reprise)"). Warbucks receives a surprise visit from Roosevelt and his Secret Service. The FBI has learned that Annie's parents are actually David and Margaret Bennett, who died long ago in a fire when Annie was a baby. Mr. and Mrs. "Mudge" show up to take Annie along with the money but are quickly revealed to be none other than Rooster and Lily; the Secret Service arrests them, along with Miss Hannigan, for their crimes. Annie is officially adopted by Warbucks, who notes that this Christmas is the beginning of a new life for them, for the orphans (all of whom are adopted by wealthy friends of Warbucks) and for the rest of the country, thanks to Roosevelt's New Deal ("A New Deal for Christmas").
Annie Warbucks is a musical with a book by Thomas Meehan, music by Charles Strouse, and lyrics by Martin Charnin. A sequel to the 1977 Tony Award-winning hit Annie, based on Harold Gray's Little Orphan Annie comic strip, it begins immediately after Annie ends.
The story centers around Akaash, a young man from the slums of Bombay who dreams of becoming the next big star in Bollywood. Fate steps in when a rich lawyer and his fiancée, an aspiring documentary filmmaker, arrive to prevent the demolition of Akaash's slum. Akaash quickly falls in love with the lawyer's fiancée, Priya, who happens to be the daughter of a famous Bollywood director. Complications arise as Akaash faces the reality of show business, fame, his love for Priya, and his obligations to his family, friends, and his Paradise slum. The story also deals with the change of name from Bombay to Mumbai and the identity issues that this raises.
Chaplin: The Musical, formerly titled Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin, is a musical with music and lyrics by Christopher Curtis and book by Curtis and Thomas Meehan. The show is based on the life of Charlie Chaplin. The musical, which started at the New York Musical Theatre Festival in 2006, debuted at the La Jolla Playhouse in 2010, and then premiered on Broadway in 2012.
In Baltimore 1954, the first annual Anti-Polio Picnic and Vaccination Carnival is being overseen by Mrs. Vernon Williams, the president of Baltimore Women’s Club. Baldwin and the Whiffles lead a group called "The Squares" made up of well-behaved teens (“The Anti-Polio Picnic”). Their performance is interrupted by a rival group, "the Drapes", who enjoy terrorising the Squares (“Watch Your A**”). Wade “Cry-Baby” Walker arrives to receive his polio vaccine. Allison, Mrs. Williams' granddaughter is particularly taken by him which unnerves her (“I’m Infected”). Baldwin and the Whiffles perform (“Squeaky Clean”) at the Maidnenhead Country Club for Safety Awareness Day. Cry-Baby and his loyal trio interrupt and he invites Allison to the Jukebox Jamboree, though Mrs Williams forbades this. This deeply upsets Cry-Baby. (“Nobody Gets Me”). Allison questions being a Square and sets off the emergency alarm, sending the everyone into a panic. Amidst the chaos, she sneaks off with Cry-Baby (“Nobody Gets Me – Reprise”). At the Jamboree, Cry-Baby's friends are trying to deter a girl, Lenora, who's obsessed with him. They then give advice to Allison on how to be a bad girl (“A Whole Lot Worse”). Lenora then sings a ballad about her mental health and love of Cry-Baby (“Screw Loose”). Dupree, who's emceeing, introduces Cry-Baby and the Teardrops onto the stage (“Baby, Baby, Baby, Baby (Baby, Baby) Baby”). Afterwards, Allison and Cry-Baby drive to a spot in Turkey Point, where they grow closer (“Girl, Can I Kiss You with Tongue?”). He gifts Allison a gold-plated guitar-pick (“I’m Infected – Reprise”). However, their moment is interrupted by a sudden wildfire. Immediately blaming Cry-Baby, Baldwin has him and the Drapes arrested, where they are put on trial (“You Can’t Beat the System”). The Judge finds them guilty and they are sent off to jail. Lenora claims she is pregnant with Cry-Baby's child which shocks Allison and the courthouse, as he is taken away. At home, Allison longs for Cry-Baby (“Misery, Agony, Helplessness, Hopelessness, Heartache and Woe”). Baldwin informs her that the Whiffles will be performing at a newly built theme park to celebrate the Fourth of July, to which she hesitantly agrees to sing. Her grandmother finds her crying and comforts her (“Misery, Agony, Helplessness, Hopelessness, Heartache and Woe – Reprise”). At a jewellery store, Baldwin and Lenora bond over their dislike of each others respective love interests as they shop for wedding rings (“All in My Head”). Dupree, now imprisoned, works on the farm creating license plate presses (“Jailyard Jubilee”). Cry-Baby hears Baldwin and Allison get engaged over the radio and becomes enraged. Dupree attempts to calm him down but he starts a riot (“A Little Upset”). During the uproar, Cry-Baby escapes, heading straight for Allison. He turns up at her house and her Mrs. Williams helps him avoid the police. She overhears Baldwin admitting to the Whiffles that he framed Cry-Baby for the arson at Turkey Point (“I Did Something Wrong Once”). She settles on doing the right thing. At the Star-Spangled Funland, the Whiffles, with Allison, perform (“Thanks for the Nifty Country”). After exposing Baldwin's confession, the Judge, Mrs. Williams and a newly exonerated Cry-Baby arrive at the theme park. Judge Stone sentences Baldwin, the true culprit to hard time in prison. Still vying for Allison, Baldwin challenges Cry-Baby to a musical battle for her heart (“This Amazing Offer”). Cry-Baby wins (“Do That Again”). Lenora, not actually pregnant, arrives with his "baby", a teddy bear, and states that she now loves Baldwin instead. Mrs. Williams, now accepting of Cry-Baby and Allison's relationship, asks him to be a part of their family. (“Nothing Bad’s Ever Gonna Happen Again”).
Santa Claus, annoyed that his football game has been recorded over, opens a large pop-up book to read a story. Buddy is the happiest and tallest elf by far ("Christmastown"). It turns out that Buddy is human. Santa explains that Buddy's mother had died, and, as an orphan, he had crawled into Santa's toy sack; arriving at the North Pole, he was raised as an elf. Santa encourages Buddy to go to New York City to find his birth father, Walter Hobbs, who is on the naughty list because he doesn't believe in Santa. Nevertheless, Buddy hopes that Walter will be the "World's Greatest Dad". Walter works long hours as a book publisher in the Empire State Building. Too busy to shop for gifts with his son, Michael, and wife, Emily, he laments that Christmas gets "In the Way". Dressed in his elf clothes, Buddy finds Walter's office, where he is mistaken for a singing telegram entertainer, but he sings that Walter is his father. Walter does not believe him and has building security take Buddy to the nearby Macy's Department Store North Pole village. The employees there love Buddy's happy Christmas spirit ("Sparklejollytwinklejingley"). Buddy quickly falls for Jovie, a practical-minded Macy's elf, and persuades her to go on a date with him. The next day, however, Buddy sees Macy's Santa and declares that he is not the real Santa, causing a fracas. The police bring him to the residence of the Hobbs family. There, Michael and Emily are struggling to build a science project. Buddy helps them to complete the project, in exchange for Michael and Emily sending a letter to Santa asking for quality time with Walter ("I'll Believe in You"). Walter gets home, and they convince him to let Buddy sleep there for the night. In the morning, they receive the results of a DNA test that Emily arranged; it proves that Buddy is Walter's son ("In the Way" (reprise)). Reluctantly, he takes Buddy to his office, because Emily has a meeting. Buddy, wearing a new suit like his dad's, hopes to be "Just Like Him". Mr. Greenway, Walter's boss, tells Walter that if he does not publish a hit children's book by Christmas Eve, he will be fired; Walter, under pressure, grows even more frustrated by Buddy's distracting exuberance. Buddy takes Jovie on a date, and the two have romantic chemistry. He plans to fulfill her Christmas wish by taking her to dinner at Tavern on the Green. Jovie enjoys Buddy's enthusiasm as he encourages her to spread Christmas Cheer by loudly singing "A Christmas Song". Buddy is eager to tell Walter that he is in love and decides to cheer up his dad by making it snow in his office, so he shreds up some paper that turns out to be the manuscript of the children's book that Walter is feverishly working on. Walter angrily tosses Buddy out of the office, asking him never to return. Buddy is despondent ("World Greatest Dad" (reprise)). Santa recounts that Buddy left a farewell message for the Hobbs family. On Christmas Eve, hungry and alone on the streets of New York, Buddy finds a Chinese restaurant, where he meets unhappy, out-of-a-job fake Santas complaining that "Nobody Cares About Santa". Buddy is two hours late for his date with Jovie, who is waiting angrily in front of Tavern on the Green. She vows: "Never Fall in Love (With an Elf)". When Buddy shows up, he gives her a snow globe that Santa had given him when he departed from the North Pole, but she is too disappointed and departs. Emily and Michael find Buddy's letter and wish to retrieve him. Out of their apartment window, they see Santa's sleigh and realize that they have been wrong: "There Is a Santa Claus". They go to the Empire State Building, where Buddy also arrives, to find Walter sweating as he works to pitch a book idea to his boss. Buddy suggests "The Story of Buddy the Elf". Mr. Greenway loves the idea but says the book should be about a horse, rather than an elf. He demands that Walter work through Christmas to produce the book. However, Mr. Greenway overplays his hand by rudely criticizing Walter's sons, and Walter quits his job. Michael relates that he and his mother saw Santa's sleigh land. This alarms Buddy, as he knows this means that the sleigh must have lost power from a lack of Christmas spirit in New York City. The Hobbs family rushes to Central Park ("Nobody Cares About Santa" (reprise)). Buddy is struck by a plan. He sees a news crew covering a purported UFO event. Grabbing the reporter's microphone, he encourages all New Yorkers to spread the Christmas spirit to repower the sleigh and speed Santa on his way. Jovie appears, and she starts to sing "A Christmas Song" (reprise). Other New Yorkers begin to sing, and their collective Christmas cheer works. Santa invites Buddy to come home with him to the North Pole, but at last, Buddy feels that he has a place in New York, where he can continue making everyone happy. On Christmas Day at his home, Santa closes the big book and hears a knock on his door. There he finds Buddy, Jovie, their new baby, Buddy Jr., and the rest of the Hobbs family arriving to celebrate Christmas with him. This becomes their annual tradition. Instead of Santa Claus, the film is narrated by Papa Elf, who does not appear in the musical. Other minor changes from the movie to the musical include Santa Claus using an iPhone instead of a list of names while delivering gifts, Buddy and Jovie's child being changed from a girl to a boy, the department store scenes taking place at Macy's instead of Gimbels, and Buddy being dropped off at the Hobbs house instead of being bailed out of jail by Walter. The musical also adds a subplot about Michael and Emily Hobbs' disbelief in Santa Claus. And instead of having an elf named Ming Ming, they changed the name to Charlie and had a girl elf named Shwanda. Several scenes from the film are absent, including Buddy's visit to the mail room of the Empire State Building, and Buddy rescuing Michael from school bullies in a Central Park snowball fight. The character of Miles Finch is cut in the musical. In the musical, Walter's staff writers happen upon the only copy of an unpublished manuscript for a Christmas story by deceased famous author Chris Smith. Buddy shreds the document, not understanding its significance. This is when Walter angrily says he wishes Buddy wasn't his son, instead of in the aftermath of the Miles Finch scene. The film and musical strongly deviate in the character of Walter. In the film, Walter is portrayed as greedy, obsessed with his work, and deliberately neglectful of his family duties. In the musical, he is shown as merely bumbling, forgetful, and overworked. Santa Claus explains in the film that Walter is on his "naughty" list because of his greed and general meanness, whereas in the musical it is because he doesn't believe in Santa. In the musical, after Buddy pitches the idea of making the book about how he came to the North Pole (leading into the song, "The Story of Buddy the Elf"), Mr. Greenway loves the story, but Walter quits after Mr. Greenway insults his sons; in the film Walter chooses to go with Michael to bring Buddy back home, instead of pitching anything to Mr. Greenway, which leads to his firing.
In 1962 Baltimore, teenager Tracy Turnblad wins a place on a local television dance show and campaigns to integrate it.
I Remember Mama is a musical with a book by Thomas Meehan, lyrics by Martin Charnin and Raymond Jessel, and music by Richard Rodgers. The musical ran on Broadway in 1979.
In New York in 1959, theatre producer Max Bialystock opens Funny Boy, a musical version of Hamlet. Reviews are overwhelmingly negative, and the show closes after one performance ("Opening Night"). Max, who was once called the King of Broadway, tells a crowd of down-and-outs of his past achievements and vows to return to form ("King of Broadway"). The next day, Leo Bloom, a mousy accountant, comes to Max's office to audit his books. When one of Max's elderly female "investors" arrives, Max tells Leo to wait in the bathroom until she leaves. She plays a sex game with Max, who persuades her to give him a check to be invested in his next play, to be called "Cash". Leo reveals his lifelong dream to be a Broadway producer. After recovering from a panic attack caused by Max touching his blue blanket, Leo tells Max that he has found an accounting error in his books: Max raised $100,000 for Funny Boy, but the play only cost $98,000. Max begs Leo to cook the books to hide the discrepancy; Leo reluctantly agrees. After some calculations, he realizes that, by bilking investors, a producer could profit more from a flop than from a hit. Inspired, Max proposes a scheme to find the worst musical ever written, hire the worst director and actors in New York, raise $2 million of investment from elderly women, produce the work on Broadway, close it after one night, and escape to Rio de Janeiro with the money. However, Leo refuses to help Max with his scheme ("We Can Do It"). Leo's antagonistic boss, Mr. Marks, reprimands him for arriving at work six minutes late and calls him a nobody. While he and his miserable co-workers toil over accounts, Leo daydreams of becoming a Broadway producer ("I Wanna Be a Producer"). He realizes that his job is terrible, quits, and returns to Max ("We Can Do It" (reprise)). The next day, they search for the most offensive play they can find and discover Springtime for Hitler: A Gay Romp with Adolf and Eva at Berchtesgaden, an admiring tribute to Adolf Hitler written by ex-Nazi soldier Franz Liebkind. They go to the playwright's home in Greenwich Village to get the rights to the play, where Franz is on the roof of his tenement with his pigeons reminiscing about life back in Germany ("In Old Bavaria"). The producers get him to sign their contract by joining him in singing Hitler's favorite tune ("Der Guten Tag Hop Clop") and reciting the Siegfried Oath, under penalty of death, promising never to dishonor Hitler's spirit or memory. In doing so, Franz gives Hitler's middle name as "Elizabeth", explaining that his ancestors include "a long line of English queens". At the townhouse of the flamboyant transvestite and failing director Roger De Bris, Roger and his domestic partner Carmen Ghia initially decline the offer to direct because of the serious subject matter. After much persuading and invoking the possibility of a Tony Award, Roger relents and tells the producers that the second act must be rewritten so the Germans win World War II while also insisting that the play be more "gay" ("Keep It Gay"). Max and Leo return to the office to meet Ulla, a beautiful Swedish woman who wants to audition for their next play ("When You've Got It, Flaunt It"). The producers are impressed, mostly by her sex-appeal, and hire her as a clerical worker. Max leaves to raise $2 million to produce Springtime for Hitler by calling on elderly women from all over New York ("Along Came Bialy"), and succeeds at raising the money ("Act I Finale"). Leo and Ulla are left alone in Max's office, which she has "redecorated", and they start to fall in love ("That Face"). Max walks in and sees the tempting form of Ulla's covered behind ("That Face" (reprise)). At the auditions for the role of Hitler, Roger rejects one actor after another in summary fashion. Finally, a frustrated Franz performs his own jazzy rendition of "Haben Sie Gehört Das Deutsche Band?", at the end of which Max approves Franz's audition. Opening night arrives ("Opening Night" (reprise)), and after Leo curses the production by wishing everyone "good luck" rather than the traditional "break a leg" ("You Never Say 'Good Luck' on Opening Night"), Franz literally breaks his leg falling down the stairs. Roger is the only one other than Franz who knows the part of Hitler, and he rushes to the dressing room to get ready. The curtain rises, and Max and Leo watch the opening number ("Springtime for Hitler"), which shocks the audience, before sneaking away. Unfortunately, Roger plays Hitler so flamboyantly that the audience mistakes the show for satire, and it becomes a surprise smash. Back at the office, Max and Leo are horrified that the IRS will learn of their actions as they read positive critical reviews for Springtime ("Where Did We Go Right?"). Roger and Carmen come to congratulate them, only to find them fighting over the accounting books. Franz bursts in, waving a pistol, outraged by Roger's portrayal of Hitler. Fearful for his life, Max suggests that Franz shoot the actors instead of the producers as a way to close the show. The police are summoned by the commotion and arrest Franz, who breaks his other leg while trying to escape. They also arrest Max and take the books. As Leo hides, Ulla finds him and persuades him to take the $2 million and run off to Rio with her. In jail awaiting trial, Max receives a postcard from Leo, now living in Rio and having eloped with Ulla. Feeling betrayed, he recounts the events of the story ("Betrayed"). At his trial, Max is found "incredibly guilty", but Leo and Ulla arrive in the nick of time. Leo turns in the stolen money and tells the judge that Max is a good man who has never hurt anyone despite his swindling, and the only man he has ever called a friend ("'Til Him"). Touched by their friendship, the judge decides not to separate the partners, sending them and Franz to Sing Sing prison together for five years. In prison, they write a new musical entitled "Prisoners of Love", and they are pardoned by the governor of New York for bringing joy into the lives of their inmates by having them act in the play. Soon after taking Prisoners of Love to Broadway, with Roger and Ulla in the main roles, Leo and Max become successful producers and walk off into the sunset ("Leo & Max"). Everyone comes back for one last song, telling the audience to leave ("Goodbye!").
Young Frankenstein (promoted as The New Mel Brooks Musical: Young Frankenstein) is a musical with a book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, and music and lyrics by Brooks. It is based on the 1974 comedy film of the same name written by Gene Wilder and Brooks who also directed and has described it as his best film. It is a parody of the horror film genre, especially the 1931 Universal Pictures adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and its 1935 and 1939 sequels, Bride of Frankenstein and Son of Frankenstein. After tryouts in Seattle and four weeks of previews, the musical opened on Broadway on November 8, 2007 to mixed reviews. The Broadway production closed on January 4, 2009, after 29 previews and 485 performances. A U.S. tour started on September 29, 2009, in Providence, Rhode Island. A revised version of the show opened in London's West End at the Garrick Theatre on October 10, 2017 (after a tryout at the Theatre Royal, Newcastle) to positive reviews.