This past summer I was lucky enough to be included in a group to preview two of the summer shows at the 2018 Broadway at Music Circus season.
First I saw 7 Brides for 7 Brothers and WOW that was a show! The dancing and music were outstanding! It was amazing how much acrobatic dancing they could do in a theater in the round. And the music and singing was just wonderful. I remember watching this movie on TV with my parents back in the 60s and really enjoyed it back then as well. The story is based in 1850s Oregon about a feisty young bride who marries a guy who lives out in the woods with his 6 other brothers. Unfortunately, they haven’t had a woman’s touch around the cabin in many years, so the bride works to clean everything up and get the place in order. Then she can’t help but notice the other 6 brothers are lonely and need to have a wife of their own too. Of course things go comically wrong which leads to more great songs and dance numbers including “Bless Your Beautiful Hide,” “Goin’ Courtin’,” “Sobbin’ Women.”Don’t worry, it all works out in the end!
Credits: Book by Lawrence Kasha and David Landay, music by Gene de Paul, Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn and lyrics by Johnny Mercer, Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn. Based on the 1954 Stanley Donen film of the same name.[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5E1g1cwVyQ&w=560&h=315]
The next show I had the privilege to see was Gypsy, based on the life of burlesque queen Gypsy Rose Lee. This was another show I was familiar with as a child, but I never had actually watched it so I was eager to see what it was all about. It starts out with this overbearing crazy stage mom, trying to get her daughter with the cute blonde curly hair into show business. She takes them cross country, chasing after the dying Vaudeville circuit, trying to get the big break for her girls. There are some great songs that I heard throughout my life that came from this show including “Everything’s Coming up Roses,” “Together (Wherever We Go),” “You Gotta Get a Gimmick,” “Let Me Entertain You.”
Credits: Music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Arthur Laurents. Loosely based on the 1957 memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNKGw0xI3Qg&w=560&h=315]Last but not least, I want to give a shout out to the absolutely wonderful live music at each show. The orchestra does an amazing job and really adds to the experience.
The Broadway At Music Circus 2019 Season will be announced on October 30, 2018!
Shows – Broadway Sacramento
Broadway At Music Circus is a truly unique musical theatre experience, renowned by theatre professionals and fans across the country. Each summer the Broadway At Music Circus series features new productions of classic musicals with some of the most talented professional actors available, Tony-winning Broadway veterans and stars of touring Broadway, film and TV.
