UNCHAIN MY HEART Books Ethel Barrymore Theatre; Previews Oct. 8, Opens Nov. 7

[Rob]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 3:49pm

Click Here to Read UNCHAIN MY HEART Books Ethel Barrymore Theatre; Previews Oct. 8, Opens Nov. 7

[quizking101]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 3:56pm

Yay! ^.^

[quizking101]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 3:56pm

Yay! ^.^

[quizking101]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 3:56pm

Yay! ^.^

[Edna Turnblad]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 4:29pm

This does nothing for me. Blah.

[wdwfreak]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 4:43pm

This is one announcemnet made that I wish fell through... Hopefully it will have a fate like Enron.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 5:01pm

Oh, that's nice.

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 5:04pm

Can this trend of catalog musicals please end?

[Vespertine1228]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 5:04pm

With all due respect to the terrific artists involved, are we going to have to sit through a biographical musical using a famous musician's songbook for every singer in history?

I love Ray Charles and was lucky enough to see him perform before he died, but I'm reaching my point of Broadway pop saturation.

[TalkinLoud]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 6:05pm

I thought this would have been the perfect theatre for SCOTTSBORO BOYS.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 6:15pm

Every time I read the title of this show, I think Unbreak My Heart and I hate that song.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 6:23pm

Every time I read the title of this show, I think Unbreak My Heart and I hate that song.

Haha, me too.

But nonetheless, meh.

[aasjb4ever]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 6:47pm

^
^
Oh same

[TimesSquared]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 7:27pm

So looking forward to "Slip Slidin' Away: The Paul Simon Musical".

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 8:39pm

Suzan-Lori Parks is writing the book, so I have a hunch that it won't be a formulaic evening. I'm curious to see what she does. Charles' story is a compelling one. I also admire this production for not attempting to spin-off from the film. I also think the cast sounds quite promising. Though, I thought Dixon was magnificent in Scottsboro Boys, I think this was the wise choice if he's seeking job longevity.

Also, I think we need to clearly define what a jukebox musical is and isn't. From my point of view, the term "Jukebox Musical" is used to describe a certain catalog of music (songwriter or genre) put into a new book. Unchain My Hear (I agree on the title, btw), is more of a bio musical. I consider this genre of musical far less offensive than the Jukebox trend.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 9:06pm

Very well put, Mildred.

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 9:07pm

Say what you want about how much you don't like a show but I think it is horrible to hope for a show to flop. I wish for every show to be successful regardless of the material. Remember if a show closes it means more and more people are out of work.

[Brick]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 9:28pm

^Agreed.

"Also, I think we need to clearly define what a jukebox musical is and isn't. From my point of view, the term "Jukebox Musical" is used to describe a certain catalog of music (songwriter or genre) put into a new book. Unchain My Hear (I agree on the title, btw), is more of a bio musical. I consider this genre of musical far less offensive than the Jukebox trend."

Also well put. I've heard people saying FELA is a jukebox musical, and that's absurd. Neither was, say, LOVEMUSIK.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 9:41pm

And "jukebox musical" was a term coined upon the popularity and success of Mamma Mia, though they existed previously in such shows as From a Jack to a King, Return to the Forbidden Planet and Play On. It has to do with whether or not the preexisting songs are incorporated into the narrative of the book.

Why does this sound so familiar?

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 9:43pm

There are only 3 jukebox musicals currently playing on Broadway: Mamma Mia! Rock of Ages, and American Idiot (like it, or not, it is).

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 9:44pm

^ What about Million Dollar Quartet?

[WayTooBroadway]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 10:40pm

MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, telling the pre-fame history of Elvis, Johnny, Carl and Jerry Lee, is a bio-musical.

[WayTooBroadway]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 10:42pm

And yes, I wish UNCHAIN MY HEART nothing but the best. At least another musical choice for the skeptics.

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 11:19pm

Million Dollar Quartet is based on an actual event with the characters based on actual people singing songs they actually sung. I'd put it in the bio-musical category of Jersey Boys (Quartet just happens to be 1 day rather than a life span of its characters). The 3 I mentioned have put a new plot to music that was not intended for that plot.

[quizking101]

Posted: 5/12/10 at 6:43pm

@Mister Matt

The term 'jukebox musical" goes farther back than Mamma Mia!

It goes back to the mid-to-late 80s with shows such as "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story" and the ill-fated "Leader of the Pack"...