dreams this way

[pangloss]

Posted: 3/19/04 at 12:23am

I just saw a preview for a quirky little show called "Dreams This Way" (actually a bunch of short musicals sort of strung together all by different writers).

I actually enjoyed the show quite a bit - some really nice moments, some funny bits - in particular the "please set your sister on fire" song in the last musical. (yes, that's actually what they sang).

None of the writers or actors involved were familiar to me - does anyone know anything about this show? Updated On: 3/19/04 at 12:23 AM

[kmbrly262]

Posted: 3/19/04 at 1:02pm

know nothing about the show, but just just found their website. i recognize a few of the names - one of the writers is david javerbaum who's supposed to be doing lyrics for cry baby.
dreams this way website Updated On: 3/19/04 at 01:02 PM

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 3/19/04 at 3:24pm

Raw Impressions Music Theatre is pretty awesome.
This is basically a "best of" show. The format is the same, though.
I've done two recent events (they're held at LaMama ETC). They basically get together 10 actors and 10 groups of writers/composers with two directors. There's a theme and a writing team is randomly paired together (they've never worked together before) with two to three actors and one of the directors. Within the confines of their topic, they go home on Friday night and by Sunday afternoon have written a 10 minute musical for their actors. They have a few days to make tweaks and then the actors rehearse for a weekend and showcase the material in 4 performances.
As an actor, you're in two pieces. It really turns out to be quite the fun experience having material written for you. The last event was based on La Ronde.
I haven't seen this production but several friends are involved and I am pleased that someone without ties to RIMT saw it and approved.

[pangloss]

Posted: 3/21/04 at 11:29am

Yes - I definitely approved! It was a really funny, sweet show.

However, I think all of the pieces had been written more than a few weeks ago and it looked way better prepared than just a weekend of rehearsals...?

[kmbrly262]

Posted: 3/21/04 at 1:55pm

saw DTW last night - very cool show. there are eight ten minute musicals all woven together into one show. most of the writers are not big names yet but you will recognize them from cabarets & workshops, etc.

it's kind of a cross between short attention span theater and a laboratory. the shorts range from the gorgeous & moving "wallfowers" to "How Many Annas" which has a Urinetown kind of humor but is twice as funny.

This show is fast moving (it's only eighty minutes) and somehow manages to tie everything together in spite of how different the shorts are. and it doesn't hurt that the acting and production values are WAY better than a lot of the OOB/fringe type stuff you usually see.

they don't seem to be advertising it really, but it's a great little evening & a good place to see a bunch of up and coming writers trying out new stuff.

[pianodan]

Posted: 3/21/04 at 8:50pm

Oh cool! Thanks for the kind words... got tired of waiting for anybody on that "other" theater forum to post about the show. Those jerks. I'm the MD/pianist for "DTW:TBORIMT" (rolls off the tongue don't it?) and having a great time. I think it is fun, quality entertainment, but I've been guilty of overestimating OOB projects before, so... :)

Hmmm, can I quote a message? Gotta read the damn FAQ. Anyway, some answers/clarifications:

-- yeah, not much advertising/publicity, but aside from the Playbill blurb and postcard distribution, what can ya do? It helps that there are like 35 people directly involved (including all the writers!). kmberly262 - especially glad to hear "somehow manages to tie everything together in spite of how different the shorts are." There's no intended throughline at all, but the newly-written opening number tries to encapsulate the evening/experience of RIMT...

-- pangloss, you are correct that the setup is a bit different with this "best of"... WAAAY more rehearsal time and actual production values. The only new piece is the opener, but the eight shorts were all revised for their revival, to varying degrees... some had only tiny tweaks, some had cuts and/or new musical material, and there were even some substantial revisions/additions here and there.

-- no, no real "big names" among the writers (or actors I guess!)... RIMT has worked with many cool people but the great majority wouldn't be known to even above-average theater fans like ourselves. There's a full list of "notables" somewhere on the RI website (linked above, and maybe below if I figure it out?).
For "Dreams This Way" the most "famous" composers are probably Jenny Giering and Andrew Gerle... Michael Moricz is a top TV composer/concert arranger, Curtis Moore does a lot of film work... Most of the librettists/lyricists are "unknown" playwrights, though Maryrose Wood has (with Mr. Gerle) won more than her share of awards recently, and R.N. Sandberg is a Princeton professor and oft-produced playwright. And of course "The Daily Show"'s genius head writer, DJ Javerbaum, who just got the "Cry-Baby" gig! So pleased that he's getting to do more musical theater.

-- and, hey "bwaysinger"! Hope to see you at the show... yeah, isn't it fun to have material written just for you? Where else but RIMT would we have gotten to work on that glorious tenor aria, sung by Robin, bemoaning Batman's physical and mental decay?
Raw Impressions

[kmbrly262]

Posted: 3/22/04 at 12:50am

thanks for the info pianodan! also - jimmy bennett is in the cast who has been in a great little improv show called "nulcear family."

[pangloss]

Posted: 3/22/04 at 5:03pm

The review below is basically positive (although the show is a lot more fun than the reviewer lets on).

Except checkout the line about ""How Many Annas" (Alexandra Tolk/Allison Leyton-Brown) is an uneven, predictable attempt at a psychological horror story."

Huh? That was the funniest piece in the show!!!!
"dreams this way" review