The Musical

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The Musical: Stories With Songs

Stories With Songs

BBC Radio 2 - The Musical, Stories With Songs

Dame Sian Phillips asks why so few musicals have an original story?

The first of a season of documentaries celebrating 'The Musical'.  1. 'Stories With Songs': Sian Phillips asks why so few musicals have an original story?

Another chance to hear the landmark documentary series celebrating the most popular and successful form of theatrical entertainment in the world: The Musical.  
The musical is a global entertainment form, but even though you can experience many of the same shows in the theatre districts of the major capitals in the world, for most of us it's still associated with the place where it was born: Broadway - the road that runs the full length of Manhattan and especially that part between 42nd and 53rd Streets that is known as The Great White Way.  It’s a versatile genre of theatre: there are comedies, dramas and histories, and shows that address social, political and even religious ideas. But whatever the subject matter, one thing is certain, to be a good musical, you need a good story or 'book'. 
This opening documentary asks, if the book is so important, why are there so few musicals that have an original story as opposed to being adapted from some other medium?
The 'case studies' for this programme are: 'The Boy Friend', 'A Chorus Line', 'Chess', 'Starlight Express' and 'Sunday In The Park With George'.
Key contributors include: Stephen Sondheim, actors Patti LuPone, John Barrowman, Elaine Stritch, and Maria Friedman.  We also hear from the creator of ‘The Boyfriend’, Sandy Wilson, actor Victor Spinetti, West End star Ruthie Henshall, writer Don Black, lyricist Tim Rice, actor Donna McKechnie, critic Michael Riedel, choreographer Gillian Lynne, and actor-producer, Elaine Paige. There are additional contributions from writer Richard Stilgoe, composer Marvin Hamlisch, director Michael Grandage and the co-creator of ‘Avenue Q’, Robert - Bobby - Lopez.
Written by Brian Sibley and produced for Radio 2 by Malcolm Prince.
First broadcast in 2010

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Documentaries

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

Music: Easy Listening, Soundtracks & Musicals

A series of documentaries celebrating the most successful form of theatrical entertainment

A series of documentaries celebrating the most popular and successful form of theatrical entertainment

A series of documentaries celebrating the most popular and successful form of theatrical entertainment in the world. Each programme is presented by a leading name from the world of musical theatre.

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