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by Janine Sobeck
After hearing about an Irving Berlin sheet music collection in the Archives of the National Museum of American History, we took a trip yesterday to investigate. While we found a lot of interesting music, awards and other artifacts that will be featured on the I Love A Piano Sub/Text page, there was one section that particularly drew my interest. So here's the sneak peak!
One of Berlin's big shows was called This is the Army. Berlin had written the show in 1942 (based on one of his earlier works) to function as a morale boost for the World War II troops and their families. Including massive musical numbers, and one of the first racially integrated shows, the story is about a group of drafted actors who...wrote a show to boost morale. In the story, their show is so popular that they go on tour, ending with a performance in front of President Roosevelt in DC. In real life, the real show became so popular that the national tour actually began in Washington DC.
In the archive we found some great photos of the opening. Please enjoy them...and keep an eye out for the I Love a Piano Sub/Text page, coming in January.
Next week...to the Library of Congress Irving Berlin Collection and their Edward Albee Collection!
by Amrita Mangus, Allen Lee Hughes Dramaturgy Fellow
In preparation for tonight's first preview of Next to Normal, last night we had an extremely enjoyable (and enlightning!) invited dress rehearsal. A crowd of nearly 150 audience members flocked to the theater, eager to receive a sneak peek. After taking my seat, I discovered that many of the audience members surrounding me had heard next to nothing about Next to Normal and never attended an Arena Stage production. Boy, were they in for a treat! The stellar cast gave amazing performances, the music was electrifying, and the set and lighting were divine. Throughout the performance, a mixture of laughter and tears filled the theatre. As the show concluded, the audience instantly jumped to their feet in applause.
Come see the show and share your comments and questions on Stage Banter. Or attend one of our exciting post-show discussions and share your thoughts with the cast. Either way, we hope to hear from you!
by Janine Sobeck
Lisa K, our Next to Normal "superfan," has recently shared with us a bit about her experience in watching the development of the play.
"N2N has given me permission to laugh at things that, at first glance, feel like things we shouldn't laugh about, but that's the genius of it. This audacious humor has been wonderfully transformative."
To help prove her point, Lisa pointed out this recent article in the New York Times. Entitled "In Psychiatry, Can a Punch Line Be a Lifeline?", the author (Benjamin Brody, MD) recounts some of his experiences working as an intern in the psychiatry ward and his stuggle with the question, "Is it OK to laugh?". Check out the article HERE, and tell us what you think!
By Amrita Mangus, 2008-2009 Allen Lee Hughes Dramaturgy Fellow
Who wants more musicals? From the enthusiastic turnout at the 
"Where Are You Taking Me?: What's Next in Musical Theater" performance, apparently many people do!
On November 10th, Arena Stage and Georgetown University hosted a symposium on the development of new musicals in the United States and an evening performance of songs from featured new musicals. The symposium integrated prominent producers and creators of new musicals from across the country to express their experiences and issues with the development of new musicals. Fascinating questions and striking insights flooded the room as symposium participants wrestled with provocative topics, such as the best practices for new musical development, what needs to be changed, and the ideals for musical development in a Utopian world. Opinions ranged, but the profound respect for musical theater as a reputable art form was evident and symposium participants unanimously agreed that more symposiums on new musical development should take place in the future.
The performance introduced the audience to the development of new musicals by featuring songs from Vanities, Sleeping Beauty Wakes, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Redhand Guitar, Stunt Girl, Wisconsin Death Trip, Emma, Rooms, Giant, and Long Story Short. Each musical differed in musicality and lyrical content, ranging from musicals with more of a classical feel to musicals focusing on punk rock or heavy guitar riffs. The audience left pleased and impressed for the future of musical theater, eager to hear more. Let's "hear" it for musicals as they continue to maintain their cultural presence in the 21st century and for centuries yet to come!
By Janine Sobeck
Yesterday morning I had the chance to take a visiting playwright/director out to the construction site for the Mead Center. Being back at our Southwest home brought on an immediate wave of nostalgia and I was simply amazed at the progress that the crew has made on the building! The Cradle is growing so quickly and you can really begin to see all the possibilities that this amazing Center for American Theater is going to provide. If you haven't taken a recent trip down to Sixth and Maine, I highly recommend it!
And if you weren't aware...there is a camera documenting the construction site so you can see frequently updated pictures on the web! Just click HERE
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