The Men of Rodgers and Hammerstein
How their music and lyrics shaped Billy Bigelow, the King of Siam, and others
Here’s the monthly FREE issue of The Broadway Maven’s Weekly Blast. Subscriptions are just $5/month or $36/year.
Shalom!
This week, The Broadway Maven looks at Chicago and Carousel.
• On Sunday, July 10 at Noon ET and Monday, July 11 at Noon and 7 pm ET there will be a class about Kander & Ebb’s megahit, the longest-running American show in Broadway history. FREE. Register here.
• On Thursday, July 14 at Noon and 7 pm ET we’ll continue our Rodgers & Hammerstein series with a class on Carousel. $5. Register here.
• This Weekly Blast includes:
A) Broadway expert Peter Filichia and course co-host Mateo Chavez Lewis discussing the men of Rodgers & Hammerstein;
B) a student essay defending Carousel against its critics;
C) a Broadway Maven YouTube GEM with Howard Ashman’s 50 best lyrics;
D) a poll about upcoming classes; and
E) Last Blasts about The Music Man and Oklahoma!.
(Last Blasts are a new Weekly Blast feature: quick witty, thought-provoking, or challenging thoughts about Broadway shows.)
What do the men of Rodgers & Hammerstein have in common, and how is that reflected in their music and lyrics? The Broadway Maven recently discussed that subject with Broadway critic and commentator Peter Filichia and course co-host Mateo Chavez Lewis.
STUDENT ESSAY by Chris S. Lynn:
Carousel is misunderstood as giving a pass to spousal abuse. Instead, it’s ultimately a tragedy: Billy Bigelow is given a second chance, and he squanders it. It’s also a cautionary tale of women feeling trapped in the cycle of abuse and accepting that “he loves me.” They can then pass it down to their children, such as when Julie has that famous line that’s hard to swallow but so necessary: “It is possible, dear, for someone to hit you — hit you hard — and not hurt at all.” That line demonstrates generational abuse and, frankly, that the notion that “he only hits me because he loves me” still exists.
Carousel is a tragic and beautiful show with a haunting and lovely, lush score. I would love to direct it some day, but I would definitely have talkback sessions and set up donations for women’s shelters.
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Do you have something to say? A show you’d like to review or an opinion you’d like to share? Submit a 200- to 400-word essay to DavidBenkof@gmail.com. Feel free to get your topic approved in advance.
Howard Ashman was one of the greatest late-20th-century lyricists. Here are the best 50 lyrics of his too-short career, including Little Shop of Horrors, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin:
Last Blast: Harold Hill of The Music Man has a first name that matters, because he “heralds” a new River City of personal growth and healed relationships through the music he brings (and doesn’t bring) to town.
Last Blast: Oklahoma! famously broke the mold of musical theater, with its integrated music, lyrics, book, and dance. The word “maverick” can apply not only to the “little brown” one “winking her eye” in the show’s first song, “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning” — but also to the show itself.
Kander and Ebb's 1975 musical Chicago is a fun and fascinating examination of the role fame plays in justice in America. Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly are celebrity murderesses, and their lawyer Billy Flynn is determined to get them off. Along the way, the show shares tunes like "All That Jazz"; "Cell Block Tango"; "Mister Cellophane"; and "Razzle Dazzle." With choreography by Bob Fosse, the show is a visual marvel with an unmistakable style and aesthetic.
For the first time, this FREE class will meet on Sundays as well as Mondays:
• Sunday, July 10 at Noon ET
• Monday, July 11 at Noon ET
• Monday, July 11 at 7 pm ET
Carousel is a Rodgers & Hammerstein classic that centers around Billy Bigelow, a rash and brutal but complex carnival barker. The show’s bench scene and “Soliloquy” made this show a landmark. We’ll look at how and examine the role of domestic abuse in the show. Thursday, July 14 at Noon and 7 pm ET. $5.
Which of these four numbers from Chicago as performed by high schools do you like best? Consider singing, dancing, sets, and costumes, and explain your answers in the comments.
Watch this 10-minute version of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel. Identify the theme of the show and explain it in the comments section.
Note: links to register for ALL classes are ALWAYS available at TheBroadwayMaven.com.
• Sunday, July 10 Chicago (Noon ET, FREE)
• Monday, July 11 Chicago (Noon and 7 pm ET, FREE)
• Thursday, July 14 Carousel (Noon and 7 pm ET, $5, FREE for ALL-ACCESS)
• Sunday, July 17 Annie (Noon ET, FREE)
• Monday, July 18 Annie (Noon and 7 pm ET, FREE)
• Thursday, July 21 South Pacific (Noon and 7 pm ET, $5, FREE for ALL-ACCESS)
• Thursday, July 28 The Sound of Music (Noon and 7 pm ET, $5, FREE for ALL-ACCESS)
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.