SAROFIM HALL

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AT THE HOBBY CENTER

THEATRE UNDER THE STARS · 2012/ 13 CONTENT GUIDEAbout TUTS

Founded in 1968, Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) is Houston’s acclaimed non-profit musical theatre company. Since its founding by Frank M. Young, TUTS has produced more than 300 musicals including many local, national and world premieres. As a way to continue the tradition of musical theatre, TUTS’ Education provides barrier-free instruction and stage experience, through the Humphreys School of Musical Theatre and The River program for children

with special needs. TUTS also annually presents the Tommy Tune Awards, honoring the best and brightest in Houston’s high school theatre programs. TUTS is now housed in the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. Glance towards the sky before you enjoy a performance at the Hobby Center; the fiber-optic ceiling keeps TUTS “under the stars” all year long. TUTS is pleased to present the 2012/13 sensational season From Camelot to Spamalot:A Lot to Love!

THEATRE ETIQUETTE

Save snacks for intermission.

Turn your cell phones and electronics off completely.

No texting!

Arrive about 30 minutes before the show starts.

Applaud at the end of songs and scenes. Otherwise, shhhhh!

3

COMI

NG U

P IN

THE

2012

/13 M

AINS

TAGE

SEA

SON JEKYLL & HYDE

PETER PAN

CAMELOT

MAN OF LA MANCHA

SPAMALOT

FLASHDANCE

October 9-21, 2012

December 11-23, 2012

January 22 - February 3, 2013

February 26 - March 10, 2013

May 14 - 26, 2013

June 4 - 16, 2013

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STORY BEHIND THE STORYWHO’S WHO: THE CREATORS

VICTORIAN ENGLAND TIMELINELEARNING ACTIVITIES

5-6....... DETAILED SYNOPSIS

10 .........11 .........

11 .........12 .........

A BRIEF HISTORY PUTTING ON A SHOWTHEATRE ETIQUETTEABOUT TUTS

CURTAIN CALL: LEARNING ACTIVITIES

BACKSTAGE: ABOUT MUSICAL THEATRE

CENTER STAGE: BETWEEN JEKYLL AND HYDE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TUTS 2012/2013 STUDENT MATINEESLEGALLY BLONDE PG-13Sept. 14,2012at 10AM, Zilkha Hall

FLAT STANLEY GMarch 19-22, 2013at 9:30 & 11:15AM, Zilkha Hall

SCROOGE GNov. 27-30,2012at 9:30 & 11:15AM, Zilkha Hall

CAMELOT-MAINSTAGE GJan. 30, 2013at 10AM, Sarofim Hall

UNDER

$10

TUTS creates online content guides to further enhance students’ theatrical experiences. The content guides contain various discussion questions, projects and activities that encourage students to engage with parents and/or teachers that will hopefully foster a love and appreciation of musical theatre.

THEATRE UNDER THE STARS · 2012/ 13 CONTENT GUIDE

TEKS

Summary & Characters

RATING GUIDE

Jekyll & Hyde is the story of the duality of man and his struggle between good and evil. Convinced the cure for his father’s mental illness lies in the separation of Man’s evil nature from his good, Dr. Henry Jekyll unwittingly unleashes his own dark side, wreaking havoc in the streets of late 19th century London as the savage, maniacal Edward Hyde. Hyde shatters Jekyll’s structured world as he runs about the London streets committing heinous murders. Finally as Jekyll is about to marry fiancée, Emma, he turns into Hyde and kills a wedding guest. In the end, Jekyll begs his friend Utterson to kill him. Utterson holds a blade to Jekyll’s heart but cannot harm his friend. However, Jekyll falls forward onto the sword, committing suicide.

Please visit http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/ for more information.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills

Adult Language: The words bastard, damn and god damn are said in the course of the performance

Violence: Several brutal murders committed by Edward Hyde. Jekyll’s suicide attempt and then success at the end of the production

Drugs/Alcohol: The self-administered scientific injections. There are drinks being had during the engagement party and within the pub.

Sexual References: The unsavory atmosphere of The Red Rat pub. The prostitute Lucy’s song “Bring On The Men” contains various innuendos. The women of the pub are dressed provocatively.

For a more detailed synopsis, see page 5 of this content guide.

EnglishI: 110.31 (13, 15, 20-23, 25) II: 110.32 (13, 15, 20-23, 25)III: 110.33 (13, 15, 20-23, 25)IV: 110.34 (13, 15, 20-23, 24, 25)

Social StudiesWorld History Studies: 113.42 (28, 30)

MusicI: 117.60 (6) II: 117.61 (6)III: 117.62 (6)IV: 117.63 (6)

TheatreI: 117.64 (5)II: 117.65 (5)III: 117.66 (5)IV: 117.67 (5)

Jekyll And Hyde is not recommended for children under 13. TUTS gives the show a movie rating of PG-13.

Photos from TUTS’ 2004 Production

CONTENT BASED ON THE 2004 SCRIPT

CENTER STAGE: BETWEEN JEKYLL AND HYDEDetailed Synopsis

ACT I(Prologue) The voice of Dr. Jekyll is heard off in the darkness. He speaks of the duality of man and the struggle between good and evil within him. (Facade) Dr. Henry Jekyll and Sir Danvers are in a nightmarish hospital ward in London sometime around 1885. They are looking down at Jekyll’s father, who is strapped to a bed. Jekyll explains that he has almost perfected a formula that will help him to reintegrate the patient’s mind and emotions. Jekyll promises that he will find a way to help his father and others like him (Lost In The Darkness). He exits into the London night (I Need To Know). Inside an operating theatre within St. Jude’s Hospital, Utterson watches as Simon Stride calls to order a meeting of the Board of Governors. Jekyll presents a proposal to test his groundbreaking formula on human subjects. The board rejects his proposal, and Jekyll storms out of the operating theatre followed by Utterson who suggests he proceed with his project if he is truly right in his hypothesis (Pursue The Truth).

(Facade Reprise) Jekyll, consumed by the events of the day, arrives late for his own engagement party to Sir Danvers’ daughter, Emma. There are many among the party who believe it an ill match and that Jekyll is mad. (Emma’s Reasons) Jekyll converses with Emma in private regarding his concerns for their life and her happiness (I Must Go On) (Take Me As I Am). Jekyll exits with Utterson, and Sir Danvers mentions that he is also concerned about Jekyll’s

behavior (Letting Go). (Facade Reprise) Upon leaving the engagement party, Jekyll and Utterson find themselves in London’s East End at the Red Rat, a rowdy pub in Camden Town. Jekyll wants to go inside and chides Utterson for not giving him a proper bachelor party. As they enter, the men inside are screaming and clamoring for the evening’s entertainment. Finally, Lucy, a prostitute and actress, enters dressed provocatively (Bring On The Men). Lucy begins to circulate among the clientèle. She goes to Jekyll as Nellie, another prostitute, takes Utterson away. Jekyll and Lucy are drawn to each other (Lucy And Jekyll). Utterson re-emerges and indicates that they should leave. Before he goes, Jekyll gives Lucy his visiting card and tells her to contact him should she ever need anything. Spider, the thug who owns the pub, approaches Lucy and strikes her hard across the face for not enticing the gentlemen enough to make the sale (Spider Underscore).

In front of Jekyll’s house, Jekyll tells Utterson that he has finally located a volunteer for testing the potion. He doesn’t mention that he will be testing the potion on himself (This Is The Moment). He writes an entry in his journal explaining his reactions to the elixir. He waits for a change within him; but nothing happens until he is seized with an excruciating pain (Transformation). He staggers about the room, his body transforming: he is crouched now and his voice has an animal-like rasp (Alive).

Several weeks later, Emma and Utterson are escorted out of Jekyll’s house by his manservant, Poole. They are worried that Jekyll is consumed by his work. Poole admits that Jekyll is behaving erratically. He can hear another man’s voice as well as someone’s heart-wrenching cries at night in the lab. Just then Jekyll appears, disheveled and weary, but impassioned, and instructs Poole to go to the apothecary to gather chemicals. Stunned, Utterson implores Henry to step back from his quest. Meanwhile Emma and her father argue about the prudence of Emma’s marriage. (His Work And Nothing More) Poole announces that a young woman has arrived with Jekyll’s card. It is Lucy. She reminds Jekyll of his offer to help her and shows the bruises on her back and shoulders. As Jekyll dresses her wounds, she mentions that a man named Edward Hyde has caused them. Lucy tells Jekyll that he is the first gentleman to treat her nicely. (Sympathy, Tenderness) She thanks him with a kiss. (Someone Like You)

Outside the Red Rat the Bishop of Basingstoke pays her for Nellie ample services. As he departs, the Bishop is met by Hyde, who appears before him holding a walking stick with a heavy pewter knob. Hyde taunts the Bishop, calls him a hypocrite, and smashes the Bishop’s head with the knob of the walking stick. Hyde gleefully continues beating the Bishop and revels in killing him. (Alive Reprise)

CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS

Dr. Henry Jekyll: Respected scientific mind of late 19th century LondonEdward Hyde: Evil alter ego of JekyllJohn Utterson: Lawyer and close friend to JekyllSir Danvers Carew: Knight of the British Empire and Jekyll’s future father-in-lawSimon Stride: Secretary to the Board of Governors for St. Jude’s HospitalHis Grace The Bishop of Basingstoke: Member of the Board of Governors for St. Jude’s HospitalGeneral Lord Glossop: Member of the Board of Governors for St. Jude’s HospitalThe Right Honorable Sir Archibald Proops: Queens Counsel and Member of the Board of Governors for St. Jude’s HospitalLady Beaconsfield: Member of the Board of Governors for St. Jude’s HospitalLord Savage: Man-about-town and Member of the Board of Governors for St. Jude’s HospitalEmma Carew: Sir Danvers daughter and Henry’s fiancéNellie: Prostitute of The Red Rat pubLucy: Prostitute and actress of The Red Rat pub, falls in love with Jekyll and HydeSpider: owner of the Red Rat PubPoole: Jekyll’s manservant

CENTER STAGE: BETWEEN JEKYLL AND HYDEDetailed Synopsis

ACT IIThe townspeople of London gossip about the hideous murder of the poor old Bishop. As Glossop and Savage emerge from the Bishop’s funeral, Hyde approaches them. He breaks General Glossop’s neck while Savage manages to escape. Later, Lady Beaconsfield, Proops and Savage are outside the very posh “Mayfair Club”. Hyde taunts them from the shadows. Lord Savage, not knowing who he is, threatens the intruder. Hyde emerges from the darkness and stabs Proops. Mortally wounded, he falls to the ground in front of a horrified Lady Beaconsfield and Savage. Hyde then grabs Lady Beaconsfield and berates her vanity. He tears off the exquisite jewels from around her neck, hands them to a beggar, and then strangles her. Lord Savage manages to escape only to meet his death at the train station. Hyde appears from behind a billow of steam and snaps the ill-fated Savage’s neck. (Murder, Murder)

Back in the lab, Emma sits reading Jekyll’s journal when the sound of a key in the lock startles her. Jekyll enters and is immediately wary of her presence. She implores him to stop his experiment and remember their love. Jekyll admits he loves her and begs her not to abandon him. (Once Upon A Dream) He is losing control of the transformations and fears he is risking death. Utterson arrives demanding an explanation from Jekyll regarding the letter that Jekyll wrote leaving Edward Hyde as his sole benefactor. After some debate, Utterson agrees to follow Jekyll’s wishes. Alone again, Jekyll administers another injection. (Streak Of Madness or Obsession) Jekyll stares into the mirror hallucinating images of Emma and Lucy. (In His Eyes) Lucy is alone at the Red Rat. Hyde emerges from the shadows. He tells her he will be going away for a while and threatens her should she not be waiting when he gets back. Despite herself, Lucy is drawn to him. (Dangerous Game) (Facade Reprise)

At the laboratory late at night, Hyde is slumped in an armchair. Utterson enters looking for Henry. Hyde admits that Jekyll will never return. Utterson, determined to deliver the rare chemicals to his friend personally, turns up the lights and is dismayed to see Jekyll’s journal at Hyde’s feet and the lab in complete disarray. He demands to see his friend. Hyde chuckles and then agrees. He drinks the potion and transforms into an exhausted Jekyll in front of Utterson’s very eyes. Jekyll begs his friend to help him as there is not much time. He asks Utterson to take money to Lucy and beg her to leave town. Utterson leaves, and Jekyll vows to find a potion to rid him of Hyde. (The Way Back)

Utterson delivers Jekyll’s letter and the money to Lucy. (A New Life) Hyde emerges from the shadows and lights a dim lamp. He reads the letter Jekyll left her and accuses her of betrayal. Lucy, both fascinated and terrified, promises she wouldn’t leave him. He stabs her repeatedly and slits her throat. (Lucy’s Death) A shudder passes through him and it is Henry Jekyll left to stand before Lucy’s lifeless, bloodstained body. Back in the laboratory Jekyll confronts Hyde as he peers into the mirror. (The Confrontation) (Facade Reprise)

After a treacherous battle Jekyll finds his way back to sanity and to the marriage altar where he awaits Emma’s arrival. As the minister begins the ceremony, Jekyll doubles over in pain as Hyde emerges and takes over. Stride rushes to his side, but Hyde grabs him by the throat and strangles him. Hyde then grabs Emma; Utterson pulls out his cane sword and demands he release her. Emma calls out to Jekyll who reemerges and releases Emma. Jekyll begs Utterson to strike and kill him, but Utterson cannot. Jekyll grabs the end of the sword and thrusts it into himself. Emma cradles the tortured Jekyll as he dies in her arms. (Finale)

Photos from TUTS’ 2004 Production

CURTAIN CALL: LEARNING ACTIVITIESWho’s Who: The Creators

Leslie Bricusse- Book & LyricsConsistant formatting of musicals(January 1931 - )

Leslie Bricusse was born in London and educated at University College School and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. He is a writer-composer-lyricist who has written more than forty musical shows and films. Over the years he has had the good fortune to enjoy fruitful collaborations with a wonderful array of musical talents, including Frank Wildhorn, Henry Mancini, and John Williams. He has been nominated for ten Academy Awards, nine Grammys and four Tonys, and has won two Oscars, a Grammy and eight Ivor Novello Awards, the premiere British Music Award. In 1989 he received the Kennedy Award for consistent excellence in British songwriting and was inducted into the American Songwriters’ Hall of Fame - only the fourth Englishman to be so honored.

Frank Wildhorn- Music(November 1959 - )

Frank Wildhorn is a composer, lyricist and producer with works spanning the worlds of popular, theatrical and classical music. In 1999 he became the first American composer in over twenty years to have three shows (Jekyll & Hyde, The Scarlet Pimpernel and The Civil War) running simultaneously on Broadway. He also contributed to the Broadway score of Victor/Victoria and is developing musicals such as Camille Claudel, Dracula, Cyrano de Bergerac, Bonnie & Clyde, Svengali, Havana and a recording project titled “The Romantics.” His work can be heard on the album of Linda Eder, who originated the role of Lucy in Jekyll & Hyde. His compositions also include Whitney Houston’s international number one hit, “Where Do Broken Hearts Go?” Wildhorn is an Associate Artist in Musical Theatre with an endowed chair at the Alley Theatre in Houston, TX, where he launched Jekyll & Hyde in 1990. To learn more, visit his official website at FrankWildhorn.com.

CREATORSRobert Louis Stevenson- Author of Novel(November 1850 – December 1894)

Robert Louis Stevenson is considered one of the masters of the Victorian adventure story. He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He suffered with respiratory troubles as a child which would go on to plague him throughout his life. At age seventeen he attended Edinburgh University to study engineering but switched to law instead. He completed his degree but never practiced law in order to devote himself to his writing. Consumed by his passion for writing; Stevenson traveled through Europe. This bohemian lifestyle lead to his first publications - both travel narratives. He met and married Fanny Van de Grift Osbourne in Paris in 1876. Despite his health he returned to London with his new bride and continued to concentrate on his writing over the next decade. He won great acclaim for Treasure Island in 1883 and Kidnapped in 1886. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was also released in 1886. It was a great success and ensured Stevenson’s fame as a writer. By the late 1880s, Stevenson had become one of the leading authors of English literature. He continued to travel seeking better living conditions suitable for his failing health. He would finally settle in Samoa where he died at age 44 in 1894.

Robert Louis Stevenson Leslie Bricusse Frank Wildhorn

CURTAIN CALL: LEARNING ACTIVITIESStory Behind the Story

JEKYLL & HYDEJekyll and Hyde is a musical based on the novella, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. Before the production arrived on Broadway it made its world premiere here in Houston at the Alley Theatre in 1990. Then during the 1994-1995 season another production of Jekyll and Hyde was mounted as a joint venture between the Alley Theatre, Theatre Under The Stars, and 5th Avenue Musical Theatre. The productions ran from January through February 1995 and then toured for 36-weeks before arriving on Broadway. The show opened on Broadway at the Plymouth Theatre on April 28, 1997 and closed January 7, 2001. Jekyll and Hyde is the longest running production in the history of the Plymouth Theatre. The production was nominated for several Tony Awards including Best Book of a Musical, Best Actor, Best Lighting and Best Costume.

Life expectancy was much shorter in the nineteenth century. In England the rural population lived longer than city dwellers, and members of the upper class were healthier than the working class. Nutrition was poorly understood and physicians had very few effective treatments for illness. Traditional remedies, herbal medicine, homemade prescriptions, and health advice passed along by household manuals and elderly women were depended upon to cure illness. Class was not the only standard that affected nutrition. Women suffered from the widespread working class custom of giving the best food to men. Also since women spent most of their time indoors, germs and illness spread more easily. The leading killer in the nineteenth century was tuberculosis. Patients who had chronic pulmonary tuberculosis or consumption suffered from fatigue, weakness, night sweats, loss of appetite, and coughing. Opium was used to control the cough, and a healthy diet helped slow the disease, but there was no real cure; other diseases that marked the nineteenth century included typhus, typhoid, diphtheria, and cholera.

Though the training and organization of regular medical practitioners became increasingly professionalized, it was still possible for people to see patients and prescribe treatment without having any formal qualifications. In addition to regular practitioners, apothecaries sold drugs, compounded prescriptions, and gave medical advice. Surgeons set bones, pulled teeth, and treated wounds and skin disease. Both these qualifications were common and medical workers were traditionally trained as apprentices to an already practicing apothecary-surgeon. The more prestigious physicians were the only ones who held university degrees from Oxford or Cambridge. These physicians were gentlemen. The methods of purging, bloodletting, and dosing with dangerous drugs most likely did more harm than good during the Victorian period. Most practitioners simply recommended cleanliness, rest and nourishing food to combat illness. Many nineteenth century medical practitioners used wine, narcotic drugs, and traditional herbal remedies. Before the discovery of antibiotics, drugs did little to cure disease.

Photos from TUTS’ 2004 ProductionMEDICAL PRACTICES IN VICTORIAN ENGLAND

CURTAIN CALL: LEARNING ACTIVITIESTimeline

TIMELINEJekyll and Hyde deals with many issues that were at the forefront of the Victorian era including medical advances and social structure. The timeline below highlights several important events during this period.

1837 King William IV dies on June 20, leaving not legitimate offspring. His 18 year old niece Victoria (granddaughter of George III) becomes queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. 1848 Cholera epidemic reveals need for public health measures1853 Queen Victoria uses chloroform at birth of her 8th child, thereby ensuring its place as an anesthetic. 1855 Florence Nightingale introduces hygienic standards into military hospitals1858 Joint paper by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace proposes theory of evolution; Medical Act establishes register of qualified physicians1859 Charles Darwin publishes On the Origin of Species through Natural Selection1860 Nightingale Training School for Nurses is established1861 Louis Pasteur proposes germ theory of disease1872 First women are admitted unofficially to Cambridge University examinations 1876 Women win the right to become licensed physicians1886 Robert Louis Stevenson’s Novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is published1888 County councils are established; women are granted the right to vote in county council elections; Jack the Ripper murders five women in London1901 Queen Victoria dies; Edward VII becomes king

In Victorian England social class was determined by income, birth, and family connections. Class was revealed in manners, speech, clothing, education and values. The classes lived in separate areas and observed different social customs in everything including religion, courtship and names and hours of their meals. Each class had its own standards and rules that one was expected to conform to. From a legal standpoint England had only two classes, the aristocrats and the commoners. However, most Victorians understood that their society was in fact three-tiered. The working class did physical labor that was often dirty. They were paid a daily or weekly wage. The largest numbers were agricultural laborers, domestic servants, and factory hands. There was also a great variety of unskilled, semiskilled and skilled jobs in mining, fishing, transportation, building, and the garment industry or other manual trades. Women of this class had few options outside of manual labor or prostitution.

The middle class did clean work which usually involved mental rather than physical work. They usually earned a monthly or yearly salary. It was a diverse group which included successful industrialists and extremely wealthy bankers. The highest social standing within the middle class was the professionals (“upper middle class”) such as clergymen, military and naval officers, law and medicine. They held their own set of standards and ideals which included the value of hard work, sexual morality, education, and individual responsibility.

The aristocrats and the landed gentry did not work for money. Their income came from inherited land or investments. The title and land (referring to aristocrats) usually passed intact to the eldest son. Younger sons might have inherited a portion of the income; however, many were prepared to enter a profession –military officer, clergyman, or colonial administrators. An aristocrat can only maintain his inherited title, there is no ability to be promoted or demoted. There are a few instances where a new title will be created as a reward for some extraordinary public accomplishments. The head of a titled family had to maintain certain responsibilities and privileges which included a seat in the House of Lords. The landed gentry were the major local influence in the English countryside. They were responsible for taking an active role in local affairs acting as a justice of the peace, promoting and interest in the countryside, and promoting local charities.

SOCIAL CLASS INVICTORIAN ENGLAND

CURTAIN CALL: LEARNING ACTIVITIESLearning Activities

RESOURCES:Green, Stanley. Broadway Musicals: Show By Show. 7th ed. Milwaukee, WI: Applause Theatre & Cinema Books, 2011

Mitchell, Sally. Daily Life In Victorian England. Connecticut: The Greenwood Press, 1996Stevenson, Robert Louis. The Strange Case Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. New York: Scholastic Incorporated, 2001.http://www.jekyll-hyde.com/http://www.circleplayers.net/ShowPages/1011/JH/jhmain.htmlhttp://www.guidetomusicaltheatre.com/shows_j/jekyll_and_hyde.htmhttp://www.robert-louis-stevenson.org/http://www.frankwildhorn.com/http://www.lesliebricusse.com/index.php

RESEARCH & DISCUSSTake a pro or con stance on the validity of medical testing. Be prepared to defend your position.

RESEARCHDr. Jekyll was attempting what he felt was “cutting edge” research but met with the disapproval of the Board of Directors when he attempted to get permission to experiment on humans. Research someone from the list below or someone of your choice who made a contribution that improved medicine or health. Create a presentation using technology that discusses that individual’s background, the obstacles they faced, and their ultimate contribution to the betterment of society.

•Florence Nightingale•Sophia Jex- Blake•Dr. William Budd•Dr. John Snow•Louis Pasteur•James Simpson•Sir Joseph Lister

COMPARE & CONTRAST Compare the novel with the play. Discuss with the class the following topics.

•Which did you prefer and why?•Did the actors portray the characters as originally described by Stevenson and/or how you pictured them in your mind?•What lessons can we learn from this musical about ourselves and society?

RESEARCH Write an essay discussing the theme of the duality of human nature as it is portrayed in the musical Jekyll and Hyde.

BACKSTAGE: ABOUT MUSICAL THEATREA Brief History

Live theatre is a unique experience that engages the audience much more than movies or TV. Musical theatre is the only genre of performance that fully utilizes acting, singing and dancing together to further the development of the plot.

Musical theatre’s roots can be traced back to ancient times, where

the Greeks used music and dance in their tragedies and comedies. Next, fast forward to the 1700s where comedic

operas were popular in Europe. In 1866, the first “musical” by modern definition, The Black Crook, opened in New

York City. In the 1920s, Florenz Ziegfeld’s famous Follies showcased star actors and actresses with extravagant sets and

costumes but was mainly a musical revue of popular songs.

The end of the 1960s saw changes in Broadway, like HAIR, one of

the first rock musicals. Unusual concept musicals such as Marvin Hamlisch and Edward Kleban’s A Chorus Line and Sondheim’s

cynical Company led to big-budget musical operettas like Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil’s

international hit Les Miserables and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera. Well known movie and

literature favorites like Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (which premiered at TUTS in 1994) and Stephen

Schwartz’s Wicked have been adapted into family-friendly, special effect spectaculars. At the same time, in reaction

to the rising ticket cost and flashy spectacle of Broadway, shows like Jonathan Larson’s RENT aim for a less

polished, more personal theatre experience. TUTS was a part of the production enhancement team that moved

RENT from off-Broadway to Broadway, and continues to benefit from that association, presenting the original

Broadway and film leads in a special engagement in 2009.

Innovative new musicals like the PG-13 “student” musical 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and hip-hop musical In the Heights have been attracting and pleasing younger audiences. These often start off-Broadway and become so popular they switch venues. There are also an increased number of revivals, often driven with Hollywood star power like A Little Night Music with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Landsbury. But between movie and book adaptations, revivals of past favorites and contemporary boundary-breakers, there’s no doubt the Broadway musical is here to stay.

ORIGINS & FOLLIES

EARLY YEARS & THE GOLDEN AGE

CONTEMPORARY & MEGA-MUSICALS

WHERE ARE WE TODAY?

In 1927, Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II’s Show Boat premiered, which featured complete integration of book, music and score to tell a story. During “The Golden Age of Broadway,” famous composers and lyricists churned out hits, like George & Ira Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess (1935), Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! (1943), Irving Berlin’s Annie Get Your Gun (1947), Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim’s West Side Story (1957), and Cole Porter’s Kiss Me, Kate (1948).

Putting on a Show

BACKSTAGE: ABOUT MUSICAL THEATRE

Whether you’re a stage manager, actress, director, costume designer or composer, when it comes to putting on a musical, all roles are important. Here’s a roadmap for getting a musical to Broadway.

Producers must find a show that their audience will enjoy and will want to purchase tickets to. They also need to plan the budget for the production. Producers rent a theatre and pay royalties to the composer, lyricist and writer of the musical’s book for the rights to perform the show. One resource for discovering new musicals and connecting with the world of musical theatre is the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT), which was founded by TUTS’ Frank Young in 1985. Please visit NAMT.org for more information.

The creative team includes the director, set designer, costume designer, choreographer and music director/conductor. Together with the producers, they discuss their vision for the show and how they will bring it to life on the stage.

The director and choreographer will hold auditions for the parts in the show. For most Broadway shows and tours, actors must be a part of the Actors Equity association and have an appointment, but sometimes an open call will be held. After the cast has been chosen, rehearsals begin. Actors must memorize their lines, songs and choreography before dress rehearsals and the show’s opening. For information about auditioning for shows at TUTS, please visit TUTS.com.

If the show looks good after previews, it will open. Most Broadway shows perform several times a week at night and usually have a few matinees as well. Some shows have a specific closing date; other shows will continue performing as long as people are buying tickets.

GATHERING THE CREATIVE TEAM

CASTING AND REHEARSAL

PERFORMING FOR AN AUDIENCE

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FINDING THE PERFECT MUSICAL

Choreographer – the person who creates the dances and movement patterns for the show

Stage Manager – the person who manages and takes care of the stage, sets and all special effects; directs the stage hands

Stage Hands – technicians and trained individuals who work side stage and back stage before, during and after the show to make all special effects, scene changes and clean-ups happen.

Prop Master – the person in charge of getting, storing, maintaining and sometimes creating the props used in the show.

VOCABULARY Audition: a tryout for performers.

Open call: a casting open to anyone without appointment

Dress rehearsals: rehearsing in full costume and full tech as though there is an audience.

Previews: performances before the show opens for a limited audience to test public opinion.

Matinee: an afternoon or early evening show.

Thank you!

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TUTS CONTENT GUIDE

You are the only person qualified to determine what is appropriate for your child(ren)/student(s), but we hope the information and rating system in this guide were helpful. This content guide was designed by Gaby Quintana, written by Christina Martinez, edited by Katie Curry, and supervised by Scott Howard and Mandi Hunsicker-Sallee. Please feel free to copy and distribute. Updated Digital Edition: June 2012.

Email any questions, concerns or comments to Mandi Hunsicker-Sallee at mandi@tuts.com.

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