20 March 2014

Fiddler on the Roof: A Revival

With the news hitting Broadway blogs and columns last week that seminal classic ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ is to be revived on Broadway next year, I thought I’d take a look at the musical theatre classic. Why has it endured? For anybody who doesn’t know, Fiddler on the Roof is a classic musical which first appeared on a Broadway stage in 1964. The production was such a hit that not only did it enchant audiences everywhere; it was nominated for ten TONY awards, was turned into a hit movie musical and has sparked numerous revivals. The musical...

13 March 2014

Why is Defying Gravity the Ultimate Modern Broadway Show Tune?

Considering my love of modern classic musical ‘Wicked,’ it should be no surprise that I believe that the production’s signature song, ‘Defying Gravity,’ is the ultimate modern Broadway show tune. Let me present my case. I realise, Simon Morris readers, that this is a hotly contested topic and that many would contest the argument. The last 50 years has seen numerous shows produce iconic numbers and classics such as ‘Don’t Cry for Me Argentina,’ ‘Memory,’ ‘Electricity,’ ‘I’ll Cover You’ and a thousand more are serious contenders for this title. However...

7 March 2014

Ethel Merman: The Original Broadway Baby

Few people have had the impact on musical theatre that Broadway icon Ethel Merman has. This is why, Simon Morris readers, I make the case for Merman as the original Broadway baby. Merman is a giant of the industry; ask anybody performing today if she was one of their biggest inspirations and almost 100% will be quick to assure that ‘of course she was.’  Musical theatre greats from Barbara Streisand to Patti Lu Pone and Bernadette Peters have credited Merman as an influence; even 90’s rock band Green Day did. So what made her such a...