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And now for a very different homage to a 50th anniversary. Much has been made here in recent weeks of some great 1973 events in musical theater. Two involved a certain composer-lyricist whose first name is Stephen. His A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC opened 50 years ago last month, and SONDHEIM: A MUSICAL TRIBUTE was celebrated […]

I don’t remember exactly where I was on March 11, 1973, but I certainly know where I wasn’t. Alas, you wouldn’t have found me at the Shubert Theatre in New York where SONDHEIM: A MUSICAL TRIBUTE was happening. That Sunday night, I was probably in my suburban Boston home watching M*A*S*H and Mannix when I […]

My turntable is spinning again. Recent vinyl reissues of some vintage cast albums and vinyl debuts of some new ones have me dropping a tone arm and stylus – the fancy term for needle – on one black platter after another. No – not every one of these cast albums is on black vinyl. Because […]

By Peter Filichia Perhaps it would have been a musical in which such words as “domineering” and such phrases as “Dear Frederick” would have appeared. Midnight would have been a significant symbol. Appreciation of the country, a dinner party and a gunshot would have been part of the plot, too. Characters would have included a […]

Last November, Jim Vagias had to be a little worried. Earlier in 2022, Vagias, the producing artistic director of American Theater Group, had arranged with Music Theatre International to produce PARADE in Basking Ridge, NJ in March of 2023. And why not? PARADE had resulted in Tony wins for Best Book (Alfred Uhry, of DRIVING […]