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Broadway North
The year 2006 may well prove to be the year of the Canadian musical, according to author and composer Mel Atkey, whose book Broadway North: The Dream of
a Canadian Musical Theatre will be published by Natural Heritage Books, Toronto. Britain's New Statesman recently commented on "the Canadian duo Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, who swept the board at June's Tony Awards with The Drowsy Chaperone."; With a Canadian hit running on Broadway, more eyes focus on Canada. Could it be that the future of the musical theatre lies with the Great White North?
It's hard to predict, but according to Atkey, there have been encouraging signs. Da Kink in My Hair is about to open in London, and Rob Roy just had a successful première in Edinburgh. Toronto's Script Lab, under the direction of Jim Betts, has made a three-year commitment to developing new musicals. CanStage has, in the past decade, presented such serious works as Pélagie, Outrageous!, Larry's Party and The House of Martin Guerre. The latter show's creator, Leslie Arden-a protégé of Broadway maestro Stephen Sondheim-appears poised for an international breakthrough. Atkey contends that, just as writers need to study the works of the Broadway "greats,"; it is also essential to be aware of their own heritage. He is a musical theatre writer himself-he has presented his work in London and New York, where the New York Times praised his "lovely music."; He set out to do just that, and Broadway North is the result of his research. Atkey looks at the shows we know (Anne of Green Gables, Billy Bishop Goes to War) and the ones we don't (Mr. Scrooge, Sunshine Town, Baker Street). He also explores the efforts to create an indigenous musical theatre, beginning with Spring Thaw, the annual revue that ran for a quarter century, begetting both Air Farce and the Charlottetown Festival. Throughout the text, Canadian musical personalities and
little-known stories dominate the pages.
-- Natural Heritage Books
a Canadian Musical Theatre will be published by Natural Heritage Books, Toronto. Britain's New Statesman recently commented on "the Canadian duo Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, who swept the board at June's Tony Awards with The Drowsy Chaperone."; With a Canadian hit running on Broadway, more eyes focus on Canada. Could it be that the future of the musical theatre lies with the Great White North?
It's hard to predict, but according to Atkey, there have been encouraging signs. Da Kink in My Hair is about to open in London, and Rob Roy just had a successful première in Edinburgh. Toronto's Script Lab, under the direction of Jim Betts, has made a three-year commitment to developing new musicals. CanStage has, in the past decade, presented such serious works as Pélagie, Outrageous!, Larry's Party and The House of Martin Guerre. The latter show's creator, Leslie Arden-a protégé of Broadway maestro Stephen Sondheim-appears poised for an international breakthrough. Atkey contends that, just as writers need to study the works of the Broadway "greats,"; it is also essential to be aware of their own heritage. He is a musical theatre writer himself-he has presented his work in London and New York, where the New York Times praised his "lovely music."; He set out to do just that, and Broadway North is the result of his research. Atkey looks at the shows we know (Anne of Green Gables, Billy Bishop Goes to War) and the ones we don't (Mr. Scrooge, Sunshine Town, Baker Street). He also explores the efforts to create an indigenous musical theatre, beginning with Spring Thaw, the annual revue that ran for a quarter century, begetting both Air Farce and the Charlottetown Festival. Throughout the text, Canadian musical personalities and
little-known stories dominate the pages.
-- Natural Heritage Books
Submitted on November 1, 2006 in By David.
