The Independent School in Wichita, KS presents “We Are Monsters”

By On · Leave a Comment · In Children's Plays, Children's Theatre, Production Photos, We Are Monsters

On April 20th, the drama department at The Independent School in Wichita, Kansas performed We Are Monsters!

Here’s what Emily Ottaway, their enthusiastic drama director, had to say about it:

The students put on an amazing show! What a great piece for young actors. Thanks Beat by Beat Press!  - Emily Ottaway

Below are a few pics from their performance – congrats to all involved!

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Beat by Beat Press believes in the power of musical theatre to inspire children. That’s why we create new and exciting children’s musicals for schools and community theaters.  

NEWSIES on Broadway, Opening Night Pictures

By On · Leave a Comment · In Broadway Shows, New York City

On March 29th I was fortunate enough to snag tickets to the opening night of Newsies on Broadway.

Below are some pictures I took throughout the evening.

Newsies is based on the 1992 Disney musical film. The current production has music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Jack Feldman and a new book by Harvey Fierstein.

I remember loving my VHS copy of this movie as a child of the 90′s. Seems like people fall into two categories when discussing the film; those who have never heard of the movie, and those who were cult-like obsessed with it.

No need to have seen the movie however to enjoy this production. The raw energy coming from the cast of 16-24 year olds is infectious.

Is it deep, subtle story-telling?  Nope.  Is it awesomely entertaining musical theatre?  Absolutely.

 

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Beat by Beat Press believes in the power of musical theatre to inspire children. That’s why we create new and exciting musical plays for kids to perform.  

 

Pipe Dream, The Story Behind Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Flop Musical

By On · Leave a Comment · In Broadway Shows

Pipe Dream at City Center, Rodgers and HammersteinLast week New York City Center presented the musical Pipe Dream as part of their Encores! series.

As a teaching artist for City Center, I had to do some research on the show and found it has a pretty interesting history.

Pipe Dream is based on the novel “Sweet Thursday” by John Steinbeck.

After writing the short novel Canary Row, the big-shot producers Feuer and Martin (who were flying high after recently producing Guys and Dolls) approached John Steinbeck about adapting it into a show.  Apparently John Steinbeck was really into the idea of having one his works adapted for the stage.  However the producers didn’t feel “Canary Row” was quite right; they liked the world, but not the story.

Steinbeck was like, “Alright, then I’ll just write a sequel to Canary Row with some of the same characters but a different plot, and we’ll adapt that into a musical!”

Everyone thought this was a great idea.

So he did, and that novel became “Sweet Thursday”.  It was published.  Now the producers needed a writing team.  They originally wanted Frank Loesser, but he passed because he was tied up with a project that becameThe Most Happy Fella.

So Feuer and Martin were like, “OK, I guess we’ll settle for Rodgers and Hammerstein.”

Rodgers and Hammerstein weren’t exactly enthused about the project.  Particularly the fact that the leading female character, Suzy, was a prostitute.  So they decided to make her not a prostitute…or at least made it very questionable.

For Steinbeck, this is where the show lost it’s cohesiveness.

After seeing a final version of the show, Steinbeck stated “You’ve turned my prostitute into a visiting nurse!”

Seems like after the fact nobody was really happy with Pipe Dream. Rodgers said it was the only one of their works he truly disliked.

Regardless, any show written by the most successful partnership in American musical theatre history is worth taking a look at, if only to see what caused it to go astray.

pipe dream original playbill

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Beat by Beat Press believes in the power of musical theatre to inspire children. That’s why we create new and exciting musical plays for kids to perform.  

“We Are Monsters” to Premiere in Oklahoma at Lyric Theatre’s CAMP MONSTER This Summer

By On · Leave a Comment · In Children's Plays, Children's Theatre, We Are Monsters

Lyric Theatre Logo Oklahoma CityLook out Oklahoma, some MONSTERS are coming your way!

We Are Monsters will make it’s Oklahoma premiere at Lyric Theatre’s Thelma Gaylord Academy summer camp June 4th-15th. They’ve created a two-week “Camp Monster” around the musical for young performers.  Here’s the blurb:

Camp Monster is a fun, interactive camp for children ages seven to 14, featuring a new musical “WE ARE MONSTERS”. The show follows human kids into a monster cabaret filled with quirky monster characters. The adventurous humans uncover vegetarian vampires and rock n’ roll werewolves, gradually realizing there may be more to these monsters than meets the eye! Most importantly these monsters and kids discover the importance of friendship and celebrating in the attributes that make each of us different and unique. Camp dates are June 4 through 15 from 10:00am to 5:00pm while the performances of WE ARE MONSTERS are Saturday, June 16 at 2:00pm and 6:00pm. Auditions for Camp Monster are June 1 at 4:00 to 6:00pm and Saturday, June 2 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm at Lyric’s Thelma Gaylord Academy Production Center. 

You can read about all the other camps they’re offering for young actors in this BroadwayWorld article.  Huge props to the folks at the Thelma Gaylord Academy for bringing brand new musical theatre to the Oklahoma City community!

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Beat by Beat Press believes in the power of musical theatre to inspire children. That’s why we create original children’s plays for schools and community theaters to perform.

 

Journey of the Noble Gnarble – Garden Players Highlights [VIDEO]

By On · Leave a Comment · In Children's Plays, Noble Gnarble

On January 29th, the Garden Players musical theater program in New York City gave a concert performance of our newest musical Journey of the Noble Gnarble. 

We threw together a little video below with some highlights from the evening.  They had only 3 rehearsals before this performance…incredible kids!

Journey of the Noble Gnarble is based on the picture-book “The Journey of the Noble Gnarble” by Daniel Errico, illustrated by Tiffany Turrill.

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Beat by Beat Press believes in the power of musical theatre to inspire children. That’s why we create original children’s plays for schools and community theaters to perform.

 

Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” Grammys Target Commercial Features “Musicville” Performer

By On · Leave a Comment · In New York City

Congratulations to Michelle, who played “Forte” in last year’s Garden Players’ production of Musicville, for being featured in Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” commercial that aired during the Grammys!

Below you can see Michelle as “Forte”, and then her rocking out in the commercial.

Michelle as Forte in Musicville

Michelle as "Forte" in Musicville

Adele Rolling in the Deep Commercial - PS 22

A still of the commercial.

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Beat by Beat Press believes in the power of musical theatre to inspire children. That’s why we create original, contemporary children’s musicals for schools and community theaters to perform. To learn more, click here.

Denver Casado Receives a Phyllis Hyman “Phat Friend” Award

By On · Leave a Comment · In Arts Education, New York City

Pam Lewis (Vice President/Youth Programs, All Stars New York) & Denver Casado

Congratulations to Beat by Beat founder/writer Denver Casado for being honored by the All Stars Project New York for his work as a teaching artist, inspiring New York City youth through songwriting and musical theatre.

The Phyllis Hyman Phat Friend Awards are presented annually by New York City youth to their community adult heroes who demonstrate their support for kids and youth concerns. It is the only award in New York of its kind, an award given to adults by young people. Denver was selected from a pool of over 100 deserving nominees.

Denver has been at the forefront of New York City arts education for over 8 years. His work has helped open up doors to musical theater for kids from the Bronx to Harlem to Queens. In October, the All Stars Project reached out to Denver about his nomination by high school student George Pedraza.

George had participated in Denver’s songwriting workshops through Young Audiences New York Music Unites Youth Choir. Denver has led songwriting master classes with the high school choir for the past two years, culminating in the composition of two original, fully arranged choral works presented at their spring concerts. (You can check a video of one those songs here.)

We are so proud of have Denver Casado on our team creating quality musicals for today’s kids!

To learn more about the All Stars Project and the great work they do, check out www.allstars.org.

Phyllis Hyman Phat Friend Awards 2011 Recipients:

Denver Casado
Teaching Artist/Musical Theater Composer

Javier Dzul
Choreographer/Artistic Director
Dzul Dance Company

Victoria Fernandez
ASP Donor and Principal, Ernst & Young

Rosie Powell
Youth Counselor, Police Athletic League

Kenneth D. Ray
Co-Founder, Urban Juke Joint Open Mic

Anna M. Rivera
House Manager, New Victory Theatre

Josh Rosner
Author and Managing director, Graham Fisher & Co

Kenrick Small
Teacher & Coordinator of Student Affairs, International Arts Business H.S.

Leslie Stifelman
Music Director, Chicago: the Musical
Artistic Advisor, HBO
Music Supervisor, Carnegie Hall

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Beat by Beat Press believes in the power of musical theatre to inspire children. That’s why we create original children’s plays for schools and community theaters to perform. To learn more, visit us at www.bbbpress.com.

Free Christmas Song Downloads & The Holiday Magic CD

By On · 1 Comment · In Free Downloads, Songs for Kids

For the past 4 years I’ve collaborated with Ashley Fox Linton on creating fun, original Christmas songs for a project called the Holiday Magic CD.

Headed by Jeff Gelder in San Diego, the Holiday Magic CD every year provides children in hospitals with a free CD of original holiday tunes and stories.

Artists from around the country submit material to be included on the CD. Then Jeff and his team personally deliver it hospitals in the San Diego area and abroad (and sometimes give impromptu performances!)  Last year they delivered over 3,000 CD’s to 28 hospitals from the U.S.A. to Singapore.

It’s an incredible effort, and I’m so happy to be able to contribute a small part to the project each year.

Below you can listen to and download the songs that Ashley and I contributed from 2008 to 2011. (You may recognize Ashley’s voice from the vocal recordings of both We Are Monsters and Musicville!)

If you’d like to learn more about Holiday Magic, please visit their website and consider making a small donation to help the cause. The CD is funded purely by volunteers and donations.

www.HolidayMagicCD.com

(To download, “right click” the PLAY button and “save as”)

Just Can’t Sleep (2011)
Lyrics by Ashley Fox Linton, Music by Denver Casado
Just Can’t Sleep – Ashley Fox Linton

Christmas Will Keep Us Warm (2010)
Lyrics by Ashley Fox Linton, Music by Denver Casado
Christmas Will Keep Us Warm – Ashley Fox Linton

Christmas is Coming (2009)
Lyrics by Ashley Fox Linton, Music by Denver Casado
Christmas is Coming – Ashley Fox Linton

The Snowman (2008)
Poem by Shel Silverstein, Music by Denver Casado
The Snowman – Christmas Song

Ashley Fox Linton

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Beat by Beat Press believes in the power of musical theatre to inspire children. That’s why we create original children’s plays for schools and community theaters to perform. To learn more, visit us at www.bbbpress.com.

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