RetroLisa
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1980s Movies & Theater | |
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RetroLisa
xMovie Trends & Memories
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RetroLisa
| ___________________________________________________________________ | __ | _____________________________ | _______ | On Stage
pop stars conquer Broadway!
In the early 1980s, several pop musicians made the transition to Broadway. They included Linda Ronstadt and Rex Smith in The Pirates Of Penzance, David Cassidy and Andy Gibb in Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Donny Osmond in Little Johnny Jones, and David Bowie in The Elephant Man. This trend was continued later in the decade with Madonna's performance in Speed The Plow.
stage tidbits
- The George M. Cohan musical Little Johnny Jones was first produced in 1904. The Goodspeed Opera House staged a successful revival in 1980, and a touring version starring David Cassidy made the rounds in 1981. Unfortunately, the 1982 Broadway version starring Donny Osmond lasted only one performance.
- Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat started life as a 15-minute school production in 1968. Between 1968 and 1974, the show was gradually expanded, two studio concept albums were recorded, and it was staged by a variety of amateur choirs and professional theater groups. It was first performed in its completed form in 1974 and made its Broadway debut in 1982. Since then, it has become one of the most-performed musicals in history.
- Several other Broadway shows began as concept albums. They included Evita (1976), Chess (1984) and Les Miserables (1980).
- Before they were famous, both Whitney Houston and Debbie Gibson auditioned for roles in Broadway productions. Whitney was turned down for Dreamgirls because she lacked dance experience, and Debbie was turned down for the role of Eponine in Les Miserables because she lacked the vocal range that the part required.
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1980s Stage Productions
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