Broadway Fan Theories (Don't Miss Today's Weekly Blast!)
Did Javert have a crush on Valjean? When does Aladdin take place?
Here is a FREE preview issue of the Broadway Maven’s Weekly Blast. The full paid version is just $5/month or $36/year.
This week, The Broadway Maven has a Weekly Blast but no classes.
This Weekly Blast includes:
A) a fun ESSAY about Broadway fan theories (included here FREE in this preview issue of the Weekly Blast);
B) a Broadway Maven YouTube GEM about the Cole Porter song “De-Lovely” from Anything Goes;
C) a REVIEW of a book about Broadway and American society;
D) a VIDEO QUIZ about Broadway characters; and
E) LAST BLASTs about Rent and A Little Night Music.
Broadway fans have come up with some fascinating (and sometimes wacky) theories about beloved Broadway shows. A sampling (spoiler alerts):
The Music Man: Winthrop Paroo is the love child of his “sister” Marian and Old Miser Madison. The age difference between Winthrop and Marian is large enough to raise questions about the younger one’s parentage.
Les Misérables: There’s been some speculation that the two leads in Les Miz are more than simple rivals. As one internet commenter put it: “Jean Valjean appears on the scene, and Javert fights against stirring feelings of adoration towards the prisoner – feelings that quickly turn into obsession.“
Mary Poppins: Bert is already acquainted with Mary Poppins at the start of the film because she had been his nanny. He seems to already know Mary’s lessons (like all work needs an element of fun) and he knew the word “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious“ when he “was just a lad.” Maybe he learned from his nanny?
Aladdin: This musical takes place 10,000 years in the future. That explains why the genie says “10,000 years will give you such a crick in the neck!“ and seems to know lots of contemporary pop culture references. Either he’s a prophet or familiar with pop history. The latter seems more likely for a genie.
Hamilton: The characters Alexander Hamilton and his good friend John Laurens each die at the age of the number of songs in the show so far — 47 for Hamilton and 19 for Laurens.
Do you have other fan theories? Leave them in the comments.
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High school theater teachers and drama coaches can now get a year’s FREE subscription to the Weekly Blast (a $36 value) just by signing up. Send an E-mail to BenkofStaff@gmail.com with the name of your school and your role there, and we’ll add you to the weekly distribution list.
Join the Broadway Maven and friends for any or all of three challenging and fun FREE trivia parties at the beginning of November. Name that tune, identify the show, fill in the lyric, and much more. Lots of video clips, and as always co-host music educator Mateo Chavez Lewis will be on hand at his piano for added fun. The three parties are all different.
Warning: Broadway Maven students can be pretty fierce competitors.
ALL ACCESS Passholders do not need to register. Just show up.
For the Music Man class, watch the video below and answer the following question in the comments below: what qualities does it take for a performer to be an excellent Harold Hill?
Note: links to register for ALL classes are ALWAYS available at TheBroadwayMaven.com.
• Sunday, October 30 Mamma Mia! watch party (7 pm ET ONLY, ALL-ACCESS Only)
• Tuesday, November 1 Guest speaker Stu Lewis on Jewish Broadway beyond Fiddler (Noon and 7 pm ET, ALL-ACCESS Only)
• Sunday, November 6 Trivia Party! (Noon ET, FREE)
• Monday, November 7 Trivia Party! (Noon and 7 pm ET, FREE)
• Tuesday, November 8 The Music Man (Noon and 7 pm ET)
• Sunday, November 13 Hair (Noon ET, FREE)
• Monday, November 14 Hair (Noon and 7 pm ET, FREE)
• Tuesday, November 15 Mamma Mia! (Noon and 7 pm ET, ALL-ACCESS Only)
Reminder: ALL-ACCESS Passholders do not need to sign up or pay for anything. Just show up!
LAST BLAST: In case you missed it, Rent not only tells us who the hero is by naming her “ANGEL,” but also signals the villain by giving Benny the last name COFFIN.
LAST BLAST: Sondheim expresses his love for anagrams in the song “PERPETUAL ANTICIPATION” from A Little Night Music, which contains all the letters from both PETRA and ANNE, two major characters from the show.
The Broadway Maven, David Benkof, helps students further their appreciation of musical theater through his classes, his YouTube Channel, and his Weekly Blast. Contact him at DavidBenkof@gmail.com.