Posted: 1/9/18 at 12:29pm
Posted: 1/9/18 at 1:01pm
Well technically Fun Home and Hamilton take place in the same universe.
Posted: 1/9/18 at 1:13pm
Unless you are talking about fantasies (i.e., Wicked, Disney shows, etc.) or a period piece (Les Miz, Phantom of the Opera), then a significant portion of shows could easily exist in the world of other shows. It's not a stretch to believe that Wicked or any other play exists in the same world as that in The Book of Mormon. It's not hard to imagine the characters in Avenue Q would take the subway and see The Phantom of the Opera.
Posted: 1/9/18 at 1:21pm
Assassins specifically references West Side Story
Pirates of Penzance specifically references Pinafore
Merrily We Roll Along specifically references My Fair Lady, Funny Girl, Fidler on the Roof, and Hello Dolly
title of show specifically references many many things
Posted: 1/9/18 at 1:26pm
Sondheim is part of the toast in "La Vie Boheme," so it can be assumed that his musicals are part of that "universe."
Posted: 1/9/18 at 1:38pm
Call_me_jorge said: "In film you tend to see a another film being in that films universe. Like Star Wars being a film in the ET universe. Are there any major examples of this in the theatre?"
Generally, you don't hear about a "universe" in films, but rather in science fiction/fantasy or comic book genres. If a "universe" is mentioned in regards to a film, that film is (generally) going to be a science fiction/fantasy film, or one of the Marvel comic movies.
Universes are defined by rules. Discovering those rules, and applying them to other works is part of the fun of being immersed in a science fiction, or comic book series.
The only close example of a universe in regards to musical theater I can think of (although it really isn't the same) is Fiddler on the Roof and Rags.
EDIT: You might also count the movie musical of The Wizard of Oz and Wicked, but I think that the books are better examples than the musicals.
Updated On: 1/9/18 at 01:38 PM
Posted: 1/9/18 at 1:45pm
Oh, sorry I didn't read the original post carefully enough. I thought from the subject line that you meant shows SHARING a universe, much like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or the Pixar theory. This question, I think, is more interesting. There are tons of shows that reference other shows directly, but how many actually exist within the same universe as each other, besides things based on true stories (as I point out in my comment above)? We have the occasional sequel, like Annie 2, Bring Back Birdie, or sequels written by other people like A Doll's House, Part 2. Then we have "spin-off" plays like Clybourne Park and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.
Updated On: 1/9/18 at 01:45 PM
Posted: 1/9/18 at 2:46pm
Posted: 1/9/18 at 2:54pm
gypsy101 said: "at first i was like “uhhh in what world are ET and Star Wars in the same universe” lol the topic is poorly worded
what you mean is something more like: what theatrical productions exist as (referenced or established) theatrical productions in other theatrical productions?"
To be fair, an alien of ET's race does pop up in the Prequels as part of the galactic senate. But that's more of an easter egg than official tie-in.
Posted: 1/9/18 at 3:11pm
gypsy101 said: "at first i was like “uhhh in what world are ET and Star Wars in the same universe” lol the topic is poorly worded
what you mean is something more like: what theatrical productions exist as (referenced or established) theatrical productions in other theatrical productions?"
I’m saying like someone in the ET movie could watch the Star Wars films. There’s a yoda during the trick or treating scene.
Posted: 1/9/18 at 3:37pm
Posted: 1/9/18 at 3:46pm
Posted: 1/9/18 at 4:39pm
In ‘Me & My Girl’ leading lady Sally is sent to an old friend of Sir John’s for speech lessons. Sir John says this old friend lives on Wimpole Street (Henry Higgins)
Updated On: 1/9/18 at 04:39 PM
Posted: 1/10/18 at 12:11am
Posted: 1/10/18 at 3:39am
In August Wilson's epic 10 play Pittsburgh cycle, some of the same characters pop up or are referenced across multiple plays. Is that what you are looking for?
Posted: 1/10/18 at 10:18am
Call_me_jorge said: "I’m saying like someone in the ET movie could watch the Star Wars films. There’s a yoda during the trick or treating scene."
As SeanD2 pointed out, those are Easter eggs. Disney/Pixar are noted for them in all their movies, as are the Disney theme parks with their 'hidden Mickeys'.
Hamilton has lots of examples of specific references to musicals and (of course) hip-hop - see aaaaaa15's post in this thread.
CT2NYC mentions The Book of Mormon, but (IMO) I think BOM was meant to be more parody, or homage rather than Easter eggs. I think the difference in BOM is that Parker and Stone created whole songs "in the style of" rather than unexpectedly popping in specific quotes (as did Miranda in Hamilton).
I like Loopin'theloop's example. Good one!
Updated On: 1/10/18 at 10:18 AM
Posted: 1/10/18 at 11:23am
Posted: 1/10/18 at 11:31am
Posted: 1/10/18 at 12:43pm
Posted: 1/10/18 at 2:18pm
John Pollonos plays Small Engine Repair and Lost Girls while sharing no characters onstage are connected by an offstage event that happens within both plays
Posted: 1/10/18 at 5:33pm
I'm surprised no one has yet mentioned American Psycho, where they see Les Mis and reference a few other shows. Or Angels in America, where Roy Cohn talks about shows playing at the time (La Cage, Cats, etc). It makes sense--both shows take place in New York.
Posted: 1/10/18 at 10:02pm
Shows with the same historical figures or events are all in the same universe. Think about it, when people are singing Autumn on Titanic, the Husband and the Young Thing are singing Listen to the Music in one of the cabins.
Of course there's also Into the Woods, which almost feels like cheating lol
Updated On: 1/10/18 at 10:02 PM
Posted: 1/11/18 at 2:19am
Updated On: 1/11/18 at 02:19 AM
Posted: 1/11/18 at 3:19am
'M. Butterfly' (play) both thoroughly references the existence of, and is itself a 'remake' (after a fashion) of, 'Madame Butterfly' (opera).
Slightly off-topic, but it was interesting (or sloppy, arguably) how 'Smash' both made references to the existence of 'Rent' in its universe, while also including a plotline about a fictitious show that was clearly very much inspired by Rent's real-life bittersweet genesis.
More detail in an old blog post
Posted: 1/11/18 at 4:04am
Updated On: 1/11/18 at 04:04 AM
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