Ten years ago, Peter Filichia - that fabulous resource for all who love the
American musical theater - published this guide to the musicals that were then
available to schools, churches, synagogues, clubs, community theaters and
others who wanted to put on a show. It categorized them in groupings so it
was easy to focus in on the "kind" of show a group might want to produce, and
was filled with such relevant information as how many cast members would be
required, of what sex and age and what strengths would be needed. It became
a guidebook for many a group and also a quick resource for those who wanted
a single source to look up "just the facts" on the most commonly produced
musicals. Filichia, full of facts as he is, never seems capable of writing
dull recitations. His eye for detail, fascination for the subject and
irrepressible enthusiasm bubbled through the mix and made each entry a
delight. As the years have gone by, however, the book has become less and
less comprehensive because so many new musicals have become available (and a
few have dropped out of license or simply failed to find many productions).
Rejoice! A revised edition is now available covering seventy new shows for a
total of 207.
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Contents: Entries on the strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and pitfalls of producing each of over 200
musicals which are available for production by community theaters and
schools arranged in an easily scanned format for those searching for just
the right musical to produce. Each write-up includes information on such
things as the creators of the musical and its background, the story, famous
songs, the size and composition of the cast required and the resources
needed.Filichia, the theatre
critic for the Newark, New Jersey Star-Ledger and columnist for Theatre-Mania.com,
has that unique ability to recognize what is good and what is interesting
in any show while spotting difficulties that a possible production might
encounter. His love of musicals imbues whatever he writes with a sense of
enthusiasm that is positively contagious even when he's pointing out
problems or pitfalls. As a result, his entries are always interesting and a
pleasure to read as well as informative and useful for those looking for
just the right show for their needs.
Wading through 207 show entries, even well
written and entertaining ones, can be a daunting task and it can be
difficult to winnow so many down to a precious few. Therefore, Filichia has
gathered his 207 into 23 chapters, each concentrating on musicals with a
different aspect that potential producers may be looking for. Of course,
Filichia being Filichia, many chapter headings are quotes from a song or a
line. There's "The Good Old Reliable" standards, the "I'm The Greatest
Star!" showcases, "Gotta Dance!" for the shows that feature choreography
and, conversely "I Won't Dance, Don't Ask Me" for those that don't. He has
chapters on musicals that can be done on a small budget ("7 1/2 Cents
Doesn't Buy A Helluva Lot" - naturally!) musicals featuring a rock or
folk-rock sound ("No Day But Today") and musicals with Jewish themes ("This
Is The Land of Milk and Honey") .
Filichia is a born crusader, and therefore,
it isn't surprising to find a chapter advocating musicals he thinks can
become "cult" favorites given sufficient exposure. This chapter includes
Anyone Can Whistle, The Baker's Wife, The Big Bang, Children of Eden, Drat!
The Cat!, Floyd Collins, The Human Comedy, A New Brain, Passion, Summer of
'42, Violet and Working. Among those that have dropped out of the
book, however, is one he had in this chapter in the first edition of his
book -- Kander and Ebb's The Happy Time. Perhaps he gave up too soon,
however, since Signature Theatre is including
it in next year's Kander and Ebb festival. Maybe that will spark
renewed interest in this lovely work. Then it can be restored to the list
for the third edition.
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