Music Book Review: Attack of the Monster Musical: A Cultural History of Little Shop of Horrors by Adam Abraham

Attack of the Monster Musical: A Cultural History of Little Shop of Horrors
by Adam Abraham (Music 782.14 Abr)

In light of the recent Lincoln Community Playhouse production (September 23-October 1, 2023) of the musical Little Shop of Horrors (and the library book list that came out in support of it), I was intrigued by this detailed examination of the the development and history of this dark-humored theater staple, and decided to give it a look.

 

While at times a bit dry and academic, I still found Attack of the Monster Musical to be a fun look back at the origins of Little Shop of Horrors, starting with the creation of Roger Corman’s 1960 low-budget b&w horror film, which was the inspiration for the musical over 20 years later. There’s lots of juicy historical tidbits about the different stages of the musical’s development, including the background of creators Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, how the various Audrey II puppets were created, the changes to the story that were required for the filming of the movie version, and the many musicals that were inspired by Little Shop in the years since. This was definitely an enjoyable read, and I learned a lot about Little Shop of Horrors I had not been aware of before. I do wish that there were more illustrations — the book has about a dozen or so black-and-white photos or drawings, but Little Shop is such a visual-oriented show, I would have loved to have seen more pictures in this.

 

This book should absolutely appeal to anyone who is a Little Shop of Horrors fan, but even if you’re just a musicals fan who’s not so familiar with Little Shop, you should appreciate the detailed background info about what it took to create a quirky off-Broadway show.

 

( Wikipedia entry on the Little Shop of Horrors stage musical ) | ( official Adam Abraham web site )

 

See Scott C.’s review of multiple versions of Little Shop of Horrors in the October 2018 Staff Recommendations here on BookGuide!
See the Recommended Reading List for fans of Little Shop of Horrors among the Lincoln Community Playhouse booklists here on BookGuide!

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Check out this, and all the other great music resources, at the Polley Music Library, located on the 2nd floor of the Bennett Martin Public Library at 14th & "N" St. in downtown Lincoln. You'll find biographies of musicians, books about music history, instructional books, sheet music, CDs, music-related magazines, and much more. Also check out Polley Music Library Picks, the Polley Music Library's e-mail newsletter, and follow them on Facebook!

Music Book Review: Musical Theatre for Dummies by Seth Rudetsky

Musical Theatre for Dummies
by Seth Rudetsky (Music 782.14 Rud)

I’ve been a fan of both Seth Rudetsky, and the “…for Dummies” series of books for years, so this was a perfect combination! I regularly listen to Rudetsky as he hosts the “On Broadway” program on SiriusXM radio, playing Broadway music, interviewing fellow Broadway stars, and dishing about Broadway history. And, since the inception of the “For Dummies” series in 1991, I can easily say I’ve read at least 20 “For Dummies” volumes on topics as widely diverse as Guitar Playing, Wine Basics, Digital Photography, various computer software packages, and Playwriting.

 

Seth (with his co-authors Ryan M. Prendergast and Bill Jenkins) breaks the world of Musical Theatre into three major sections (with multiple sub-sections) — Getting Started With Musical Theatre, The People Who Make Musical Theatre Happen, and The Blood, Sweat and Tears of Theatre Life. He follows this up with an extra, fourth, section “The Part of Tens”, covering “Ten (Plus) Songs You Didn’t Realize Came From Musical Theatre” and “Ten Celebs Who Started in Musical Theatre”. Seth uses the typical format of the “For Dummies” series to include sidebar articles marked with little icons: “Seth Speaks”, in which he shares tangential stories; “Tip”, in which he highlights useful tips for those wanting insider info; and “Remember” for his most important points.

 

Two of the most enjoyable things about listening to Seth on the radio are his encyclopedic knowledge about all things Broadway (and his inherent love for the subject matter), and his brassy, sassy, over-the-top personality. Both of those come through in this volume in spades. For anyone only vaguely familiar with the wild and crazy world of musical theatre — from Broadway to small community theatres — Musical Theatre for Dummies may feel a bit like an overdose. But for anyone who has a passion this field, reading this will feel like sitting in on a multi-hour dish session with one of the most knowledgeable Broadway insiders you’re ever likely to encounter — and not someone with a dry “informational/educational” tone, rather someone who simply loves musical theatre and can’t wait to tell you all about it.

 

(Reading all the tidbits Seth shares in this book may make you wish to read more books about Broadway history and the shows made famous there — our Polley Music Library on the second floor of the downtown library has tons on this topic. I also recommend Razzle Dazzle: The Battle for Broadway (no longer in the libraries) and Singular Sensation: The Triumph of Broadway by Michael Riedel.)

 

( official Seth Rudetsky web site )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Check out this, and all the other great music resources, at the Polley Music Library, located on the 2nd floor of the Bennett Martin Public Library at 14th & "N" St. in downtown Lincoln. You'll find biographies of musicians, books about music history, instructional books, sheet music, CDs, music-related magazines, and much more. Also check out Polley Music Library Picks, the Polley Music Library's e-mail newsletter, and follow them on Facebook!

Compact Disc Review: Music Man - The 2022 Broadway Cast Recording

Music Man: The 2022 Broadway Cast Recording
by Meredith Willson (Compact Disc 782.14 Mus)

I’ve been a huge fan of the actor Hugh Jackman for years, and have really enjoyed his performances in such musical films as Les Miserables and The Greatest Showman. Similarly, I’ve enjoyed what performance by Sutton Foster that I’ve had the chance to see and hear, including her multi-season fun on Younger, and her contributions to soundtrack albums like Young Frankenstein, Anything Goes and The Drowsy Chaperone. But I’ve never had the chance to see either of them live, in person, in a stage show. None-the-less, I had high hopes for enjoying them as the leads in the soundtrack to the 2022 Broadway version of The Music Man, the classic American musical.

 

This soundtrack is fine, on its own, and is particularly rewarding as a two-disc set, which includes a LOT more music than has been on the single-disc releases associated with earlier stage and film productions. And, I actually did enjoy listening to it in the end. Both Jackman and Foster are enthusiastic performers and more-than-capable singers. BUT…and it’s a big but…as someone who grew up listening to the soundtracks to both the 1957 Broadway production and the 1962 feature film version, Jackman and Foster simply do not inhabit the characters of Harold Hill and Marian Paroo like Robert Preston did for both stage and screen, and Barbara Cook and Shirley Jones did for the stage and screen versions. The late Robert Preston simply IS Harold Hill, and Jackman was a mere pretender.

 

For Broadway soundtrack fans, I do still recommend this 2022 version…its got an infection sense of energy, and some of the tracks featuring group performances are outstanding. And if you’ve never heard the songs of The Music Man before, you may end up loving this version. But for someone well-versed in the history of Broadway music, this one ultimately falls a bit short. Its main selling point, for me, is the fact that there’s twice as much music represented as in previous production albums.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to see if you can find the soundtracks to both the 1957 Broadcast Cast Album, and the 1962 movie version of this story. But by all means, avoid the 2003 TV-movie version, starring Matthew Broderick, as it is far inferior to all other versions.)

 

( official Music Man on Broadway 2022 web site )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Music CD Review: MJ: The Musical, based on the life and works of Michael Jackson

MJ: The Musical
based on the music of Michael Jackson (and others) (Compact Disc 782.14 MJ)

 MJ: The Musical is what they call a “jukebox musical” — in which a variety of songs (usually by a single artist or group) are integrated into the plot of an on-stage storyline, often featuring the artist(s) who created or performed the music. But not always, for instance the hit Mamma Mia exclusively featured the music of ABBA but not those performers as characters.

 

MJ: The Musical, however, really does tell the story of Michael Jackson, from his very earliest days performing with The Jackson Five, up through 1992, and the beginning of his Dangerous World tour. The music doesn’t appear in purely chronological order — in fact, the musical opens with Jackson’s hit Beat It, before segueing backwards to the early years.

 

MJ: The Musical has a complicated history. It was originally supposed to open on Broadway in 2020, but was one of many shows impacted by the Broadway closures due to COVID-19. After a recasting of the lead role, which lead to Myles Frost playing the adult Michael Jackson, the show did eventually open in February of 2022 (after two months of previews). Critics have not been kind to the show, but it has been popular with audiences. In the 2022 Tony Awards, the show was nominated for 10 Tony Awards and won four: Best Lead Actor for Frost, Best Choreography, Best Lighting Design and Best Sound Design. Obviously, the show’s soundtrack can’t really show up dance, lighting and sound design effective, but it DOES shine a spotlight on Myles Frost’s incredible singing. He truly “becomes” Michael in this show, and the medleys of Jackson music come across beautifully in this production. There are only a few moments in a few of the songs where it sounds like somebody else singing these highly recognizable songs.

 

I highly recommend listening to this soundtrack, if you’re a Michael Jackson fan, and catch MJ: The Musical when it begins its national tour in 2023 or 2024.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try all the original albums/music by Michael Jackson himself.)

 

( official MJ: The Musical web site ) | ( MJ: The Musical page on the official Michael Jackson web site ) | ( Wikipedia entry on MJ: The Musical )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Check out this, and all the other great music resources, at the Polley Music Library, located on the 2nd floor of the Bennett Martin Public Library at 14th & "N" St. in downtown Lincoln. You'll find biographies of musicians, books about music history, instructional books, sheet music, CDs, music-related magazines, and much more. Also check out Polley Music Library Picks, the Polley Music Library's e-mail newsletter, and follow them on Facebook!

Book Review: Playing With Myself by Randy Rainbow

Playing With Myself
by Randy Rainbow (Biography Rainbow)

Randy Rainbow, if you are not already aware, is the fellow on social media who parodies anyone and everyone through Broadway musical show tunes and his own witty lyrics. Turns out he’s actually very shy so even though he moved to NYC, in the end he didn’t have the confidence to try-out for anything. So he worked for several years in show business periphery jobs, finally began a blog, and one day posted a musical parody created in his studio apartment with his cell phone, laptop, green fabric stretched along his walls, and software editing programs available to anyone. And the rest, as they say, is history. Though it took him several years to get there.

 

His biography is linear, starting with his youth in Florida, his experiences in children’s theater and through high school drama clubs, then finally his move to NYC and his various jobs there. A lot of name-dropping occurs but that’s half the fun of this biography. Turns out he can be as star-struck as any of us.

 

There’s swearing and standard Rainbow snark that we’ve come to expect from viewing his videos. I enjoyed his behind-the-scenes stories of how several of his videos came about. His reminisces of growing up, struggling in NYC, figuring out a career, and meeting people are funny, sometimes sad, and always entertaining. (P.S. He has a website, and you can buy your own pair of the pink eyeglasses!)

 

If you’re a fan of Randy Rainbow, this is a fun, light, enjoyable read. Playing With Myself is also available from the library as a downloadable audio book narrated by the author himself, and as a downloadable e-Book.

 

( publisher’s official Playing With Myself web page ) | ( official Randy Rainbow web site )

 

Recommended by Charlotte M.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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DVD Review: In the Heights by Lin Manuel Miranda

In the Heights
(DVD In)

If you think the musical Hamilton was Lin-Manuel Miranda’s breakthrough into superstatardom, you’re only partially correct. That 2015 musical may have cemented his fame, but Miranda rose to earlier prominence with his musical, In the Heights, about life in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City, which was on Broadway in 2008 and earned The Tony Award for Best Musical and Best Score, a Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album and the Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music.

 

Miranda has been working to get this Broadway musical adapted to the big screen for several years, and in early 2021 (following several COVID-19 delays), the feature film version of In the Heights appeared, to critical acclaim. It features a huge cast of characters, headlined by Anthony Ramos, Corey Hawkins, Leslie Gace, Melissa Barrera, Olga Merediz, Daphne Ruben-Vega, Gregory Diaz IV and Jimmy Smits. The lives of multiplate characters are all at various turning points, in storylines that interweave and overlap, and their emotional highlights are told are explored through musical song-and-dance numbers — some massive, some involving magical realism (dancing on the side of a building), and others intimate.

 

In the Heights is a celebration of musical theatre of the modern era, while still harkening back to the days of classic film musicals like West Side Story (ironic, considering that a new film version of West Side Story was also released in 2021!). Instead of primarily ballads, this show/movie explores the musical styles of hip-hop and rap. The vocalists are all tremendous, but Olga Merediz as Abuela Claudia (the only Broadway cast member to reprise their role in the film) steals the show, particularly in her emotional number “Paciencia y Fe”.

 

In addition to terrific performances, this film was a visual feast for the eyes, with a broad and expansive range of bright colors in set design and costumes. Definitely one of my favorite films from 2021, and I highly recommend it for any fan of movie musicals.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try listening to the soundtrack album to this film or the original Broadway cast recording from 2008. A great “making of” book, In the Heights: Finding Home, chronicles the history of this musical and the production of this film.)

 

( Internet Movie Database entry for this film ) | ( official In the Heights web site )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

Have you watched this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Music Review: Diana - The Musical by Joe DiPietro and David Bryan (on Hoopla)

Diana: The Musical
by Joe DiPietro and David Bryan (Hoopla Music)

Few members of the British royal family have engendered such love and attention in our lifetime as the ill-fated Princess Diana. This stage musical features book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro (Memphis, Nice Work if You Can Get It) and music and lyrics by David Bryan (also Memphis). Diana: The Musical‘s story is the life arc of Diana Spencer from her first introduction to Prince Charles, at a formal event, through the years of their courtship/marriage/divorce, to her untimely and tragic demise.

 

Unlike feel-good princess-centered fairytales, Diana: The Musical tells her story with honesty and emotion, highlighting the complicated relationships between her, Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles, with the rest of the royal family as a backdrop — Queen Elizabeth II is another major role in this musical. the songwriters don’t shy away from controversy, choosing to portray some elements in that messy family which are scandalous, and others which have been accusations over the years but have never been proven.

 

Diana: The Musical was one of the victims of COVID-19 shutting down Broadway. However, the producers had the foresight to record a performance of the production, which has been available for viewing on Netflix. The show returns to live Broadway performances again in November 2021, and the soundtrack is available for purchase on CD. The libraries have the soundtrack available only through out Hoopla digital service. Jeanna de Waal is spectacular as Diana. Judy Kaye gives a heartfelt performance as Elizabeth II. Erin Davie as Camilla and Gareth Keegan as James Hewitt are good in supporting roles. Unfortunately, for my taste, Roe Hartrampf is poorly cast as Charles — his singing voice is much higher-pitched than the actual Charles, and that threw me out of the world of the play any time he sang. Royal apologists have attacked Diana: The Musical as bending the truth beyond acceptable levels, but I felt these songs told an emotional and engaging story, which gibes with my memories from the years that Diana was in the public spotlight. Your mileage may vary.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Andrew Morton’s biography, Diana: Her True Story.)

 

( official Diana: The Musical web site )

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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DVD Review: Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy

Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy
directed by Michael Kantor (DVD 782.14 Bro)

Fascinating episode of PBS’ Great Performances, which explores how the Jewish culture is inextricably connected to the history of the American popular Broadway music tradition. Lots of great mini-interviews and historical footage help us look back at such pioneering Jewish entertainers as Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, George and Ira Gershwin, Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim. Includes clips of performances by such Broadway stars as Barbara Steisand, Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, Kelli O’Hara, Nathan Lane, Bernadette Peters and many more.

 

From the earliest days of pre-Broadway Yiddish Theater, through the Broadway heyday of such classics as Funny Lady and Mame, to modern-era hits with Jewish influences, such as Wicked, I found it absolutely fascinating to see both the broad and narrow strokes the Jewish culture paints across musicals. For me, the best part of this documentary are all interviews, particularly with current composers/lyricists like Mark Shaiman, in which they play a little piano refrain from a Jewish folk song or worship song, and show how it could be integrated into a Broadway pop hit. Terrific narration by Broadway legend Joel Grey (Cabaret), and a humorous bookending of the documentary at both the start and end, with David Hyde Pierce singing “You Won’t Succeed on Broadway (if You Don’t Have Any Jews)” which was a showstopping number for him in the Tony-winning Spamalot.

 

Intriguing viewing — just be aware that although the DVD release of this was just added to the library collection in 2021, it was produced for PBS and aired back in 2012.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try It Happened on Broadway: An Oral History of the Great White Way by Myrna and Harvey Frommer, The Secret Life of the American Musical by Jack Viertel or both Razzle Dazzle: The Battle for Broadway and Singular Sensation: The Triumph of Broadway by Michael Reidel.)

 

( Internet Movie Database entry for this documentar)]

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

Have you watched this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Music Review: Jagged Little Pill: Original Broadway Cast Recording

Jagged Little Pill: Original Broadway Cast Recording

based on music by Alanis Morissette (Hoopla Digital Music)

 

This 2019 Broadway musical makes extensive use of the songs of Alanis Morissette that appeared on her third studio album, Jagged Little Pill in 1995 (as well as other Morissette music). The musical credits the music to Morissette and Glen Ballard, with book by Diablo Cody, and additional music by Michael Farrell and Guy Sigsworth. Morissette wrote two new songs specifically for the musical, “Smiling” and “Predator”, the former of which has subsequently been included on one of her albums.

 

The music all serves as a framing sequence for a story about a family going through some complicated times. Mary Jane “MJ” Healy is a mother, trying to hold her family together, despite the fact that it’s falling apart. Her husband is addicted to pornography, her teenaged daughter Frankie is trying to figure out what her sexual identity is, her “perfect” son Nick can’t live up to his reputation, and MJ herself is addicted to painkillers following a car accident. Iconic Morissette songs, like “All I Really Want”, “Hand in My Pocket”, “Forgiven”, “Hand Over Feet”, “You Oughta Know” and “Uninvited” take on multiple new meanings as sung by these characters, who are trying to find their way through a painful world to some pockets of happiness.

 

Honestly, though I do love Morissette’s original album, the performances and interpretations of these iconic songs by the various cast members of this show have almost more emotional power than the original recordings. Morissette was closely involved in the transition of her work onto the Broadway stage, and is said to be very pleased with how the show turned out. Sadly, the show made its Broadway opening in December 2019, and was one of the many shows to have been shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic — whether the original cast will return to recreate the show once the pandemic is done is unknown. Jagged Little Pill did receive 15 Tony Award nominations, and this album won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. The libraries have it available as a digital album through Hoopla, though not as a CD.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the original Jagged Little Pill album by Morissette, or the sheet music from the Broadway musical by Alanis Morissette, available in the Polley Music Library.]

[ official Alanis Morissette web site ] | [ official Jagged Little Pill Musical web site ] 

 

See Jeremiah J.’s review of Alanis Morissette’s original Jagged Little Pill album in the July 2013 Staff Recommendations on BookGuide!

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

DVD Review: On the Town

On the Town
(DVD On)

 

This 1949 film, starring Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra, is an absolute classic of the American movie musical genre. It is based off of the 1944 Broadway show of the same name, which itself is based of a Jerome Robbins ballet, entitled “Fancy Free”, which was also first performed in 1944. The Broadway show featured music by Leonard Bernstein, with book and lyrics by Broadway legends Betty Comden and Adolph Green. The studio heads who bought the film rights to On the Town ended up bringing in composer Roger Edens to create an almost completely new soundtrack for the feature film, keeping only 4 of the 20+ Bernstein tracks and adding six new ones.

 

Kelly and Sintra, with Jules Munshin, play three sailors on leave for 24 hours in New York City from their naval vessel, starting at 6:00 AM. They want to experience everything the city has to offer before they must return to their ship by 6:00 AM the next day. For some, Sinatra’s Chip, this means all the cultural attractions, but for the rest it means girls and nightclubs. Kelly’s Gabey becomes obsessesd with finding the beautiful girl on subway posters as the current “Miss Turnstiles” (“Ivy Smith” played by Vera Ellen), while Chip is pursued by an amorous female cab driver (“Hildy”, played by Betty Garrett’s in the film’s funniest role), and Ozzie (Munshin) hooks up with a rich gal studying at the history museum (“Claire Huddesen” played by Ann Miller). The film follows their crazy antics around town, and the colorful supporting characters they keep encountering, including Hildy’s roommate Lucy Shmeeler (played by Alice Pearce, the only cast member to carry over from the Broadway production).

 

The music is marvelous, particularly “New York, New York”, and the dancing, especially Ann Miller’s tap number, is thrilling.

 

Overall, superb performances, superb location footage throughout New York City, and an unforgettable motion picture experience for anyone who appreciates classic film musicals.

 

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try any other classic movie musical from the late 1940s to the late 1960s.] [Script and printed music to this are available in The New York Musicals of Comden & Green.]

 

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ]

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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DVD Review: 1776

1776
[DVD 1776]

I may not have caught the premiere of the Hamilton movie on the Disney+ streaming service during the Independence Day weekend this year, but I did enjoy a Broadway musical about the Founding Fathers of the United States. That musical just happens to be 1776, a 1972 film adaptation of the 1969 Tony Award-winning musical, directed by Tony Hunt, with book and music by Peter Stone and Sherman Edwards. The hit Broadway show originally ran for over 1200 performances, and many of the original cast recreated their roles for this feature film.

William Daniels (St. Elsewhere, Boy Meets World, and the voice of K.I.T.T. on Knight Rider) is the central role of John Adams, who has been trying to convince his fellow delegates to the Continental Congress in 1776 to declare independence from England. Howard Da Silva was Ben Franklin, Ken Howard (The White Shadow) was Thomas Jefferson. John Cullem, Donald Madden and Blythe Danner all contribute significant supporting performances. The story tells the events of the final few weeks of deliberations that led to the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia in July, 1776. Being a Broadway musical, 1776‘s exposition-heavy dialog is frequently interrupted for peppy and memorable songs (and occasionally dances). Most noteworthy of those are: “Sit Down, John”, “The Lees of Old Virginia”, “He Plays the Violin”, “Cool, Considerate Men”, “The Egg”, “Molasses to Rum” and the heartbreaking “Momma, Look Sharp”. Performances across the board are marvelous. The vast majority of the story is set in the chamber where the Congress is convening, but a few other set pieces provide some variety. 1776 provides a terrific look at a significant period in U.S. history. My only two complaints are that there are only two roles for women in the entire production — Abigail Adams and Martha Jefferson. And the pacing is a bit slow at times, leading to a run time of just over 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Still, this musical film is both highly entertaining and educational. I strongly recommend it…whether or not you’ve seen Hamilton! (Note: A 2021 Broadway revival was planned for this musical — it’s uncertain, in light of all the COVID-19-related cancellations, whether it will still happen or not!)

[Also available: Vocal Selections From 1776.]

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ] | [ official 1776 web site ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library – Public Service

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