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CHORUS LINE – Hundreds of hopefuls congregate at a cattle call for Broadway dancers. A sour director, Zach (Michael Douglas), and his brusque assistant (Terrence Mann) whittle down the ranks until they’re left with 16 dancers. All tell their life stories — some tragic, some comic — and explain their love of dance. Tension mounts when Cassie (Alyson Reed) — once both a big star and the director’s lover but now desperate for a part — auditions. But Zach must choose only the best for his show. 1985 musical drama film directed by Richard Attenborough and starring Michael Douglas. The screenplay by Arnold Schulman is based on the book of the 1975 stage production of the same name by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante. The songs were composed by Marvin Hamlisch and Edward Kleban.
- EVERY LITTLE STEP – Filmmakers James D. Stern and Adam Del Deo explore the genesis and legacy of the Broadway musical “A Chorus Line.” Dancers struggle through auditions for a revival of the show, as Stern and Del Deo present interviews past and present with cast and crew, comparing the original production with the show’s original incarnation. This 2008 documentary was produced and directed by James D. Stern and Adam Del Deo. It follows the process of casting the 2006 Broadway revival of A Chorus Line and explores the history of the award-winning musical, beginning with the informal interviews with Broadway dancers conducted by Michael Bennett that served as its basis.
A STAR IS BORN – A hard-drinking seasoned musician Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) discovers — and falls in love with — struggling artist Ally (Lady Gaga). She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer until Jackson coaxes her into the spotlight. But even as Ally’s career takes off, the personal side of their relationship is breaking down, as Jackson fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons. 2018 musical romantic drama produced and directed by Bradley Cooper (in his directorial debut) and written by Cooper, Eric Roth and Will Fetters. It also stars Dave Chappelle, Andrew Dice Clay, and Sam Elliott. It is the fourth filmed version of the 1937 film, after the 1954 musical and the 1976 musical.
ACROSS THE UNIVERSE – The songs of the Beatles provide the sonic framework for this musical tale of romance, war and peace. When young British worker Jude (Jim Sturgess) sets sail for the United States in search of his father, he ends up meeting carefree college student Max (Joe Anderson) and his lovely sister, Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood), along with a cast of eccentric characters. As Jude and Lucy fall for each other, their relationship is threatened by the social upheaval that accompanies the Vietnam War. 2007 jukebox musical romantic drama directed by Julie Taymor, centered on songs by the English rock band the Beatles.
AS IT IS IN HEAVEN (Swedish: Så som i himmelen) After having a breakdown, a famous conductor (Michael Nyqvist) returns to his remote village and inspires a church choir. 2004 Swedish musical film directed by Kay Pollak and starring Michael Nyqvist and Frida Hallgren.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST – Belle (Emma Watson), a bright, beautiful and independent young woman, is taken prisoner by a beast (Dan Stevens) in its castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle’s enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the beast’s hideous exterior, allowing her to recognize the kind heart and soul of the true prince that hides on the inside. 2017 musical romantic fantasy directed by Bill Condon from a screenplay by Stephen Chbosky and Evan Spiliotopoulos. The film is a live-action adaptation of Disney’s 1991 animated film of the same name, itself an adaptation of Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont’s 1756 version of the fairy tale.
THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS – Miss Mona (Dolly Parton) runs the Chicken Ranch, a brothel with a long history in a small Texas town. The locals have a good relationship with the institution, and Mona is respected in the community. The sheriff, Ed Earl Dodd (Burt Reynolds), also looks out for the Chicken Ranch due to his past with Miss Mona. However, when pious reporter Melvin Thorpe (Dom DeLuise) exposes the brothel, outside interests want it shut down, putting the governor (Charles Durning) in a tough spot. 1982 musical comedy-written, produced and directed by Colin Higgins (in his final film as director). It is an adaptation of the 1978 Broadway musical of the same name, and stars Dolly Parton, Burt Reynolds, Jim Nabors, Charles Durning, Dom DeLuise, Noah Beery Jr., Robert Mandan, Lois Nettleton, Theresa Merritt, Barry Corbin, Mary Jo Catlett and Mary Louise Wilson.
BILLY ELLIOT: THE MUSICAL – A musical based on the 2000 film of the same name. The music is by Elton John, and the book and lyrics are by Lee Hall, who wrote the film’s screenplay. The plot revolves around Billy, a motherless British boy who begins taking ballet lessons. The story of his personal struggle and fulfilment are balanced against a counter-story of family and community strife caused by the 1984–85 UK miners’ strike in County Durham, in North East England. Hall’s screenplay was inspired in part by A. J. Cronin’s 1935 novel about a miners’ strike, The Stars Look Down, to which the musical’s opening song pays homage. The musical premiered at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London’s West End in 2005 and was nominated for nine Laurence Olivier Awards, winning four, including Best New Musical. The production ran through April 2016. Its success led to productions in Australia, Broadway, and numerous other countries. In New York, it won ten Tony Awards and ten Drama Desk Awards, including, in each case, Best Musical.
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY – 2018 biographical drama film directed by Bryan Singer[a] from a screenplay by Anthony McCarten, and produced by Graham King and Queen manager Jim Beach. The film tells the story of Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of the British rock musical band Queen. The film stars Rami Malek as Mercury, with Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, Joe Mazzello, Aidan Gillen, Tom Hollander, Allen Leech, and Mike Myers.
BUGSY MALONE – Set in New York City, it is a gangster movie spoof, substituting machine guns that fire gobs of whipped cream instead of bullets. 1976 gangster musical comedy film written and directed by Alan Parker. The film was Parker’s feature film directorial debut. It features child actors playing adult roles, with Jodie Foster, Scott Baio, and John Cassisi in major roles. The film tells the story of the rise of “Bugsy Malone” and the battle for power between “Fat Sam” and “Dandy Dan”. The film is based loosely on events in New York and Chicago during Prohibition era, specifically the exploits of real-life gangsters such as Al Capone and Bugs Moran.
BURLESQUE – Ali (Christina Aguilera), a small-town gal with a great voice, leaves a troubled life behind and follows her dreams to Los Angeles. She lands a job as a cocktail waitress at the Burlesque Lounge, a once-majestic theater that houses an inspired musical revue led by Tess (Cher), the proprietor. Ali vows to perform there and, with the help of a savvy stage manager and a gender-bending host, she makes the leap from bar to stage, helping restore the club’s former glory. 2010 American backstage musical film written and directed by Steven Antin.
CABARET – 1972 musical drama directed by Bob Fosse, and starring Liza Minnelli, Michael York, and Joel Grey. Set in Berlin during the Weimar Republic in 1931, under the presence of the growing Nazi Party, the film is loosely based on the 1966 Broadway musical Cabaret by Kander and Ebb, which was adapted from Christopher Isherwood’s semi-autobiographical novel The Berlin Stories (1945) and the 1951 play I Am a Camera adapted from the same work.
CATS – A 1998 musical based on the 1981 stage musical Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber, itself based on Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats (1939) by T. S. Eliot. Lloyd Webber oversaw orchestration for the film and called on Gillian Lynne, the show’s original choreographer, to train the cast for the film. David Mallet served as the director of this production. The film is a recreation of the stage musical, but with a new staging and significant cuts made to reduce the run-time for television broadcast. It was filmed at the Adelphi Theatre in London in 1997, with the cast selected from various past and (then) present international productions of Cats.
CELEBRATION – A tribute to Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber for his 50th birthday. Features selections from his most popular plays, such as CATS, Phantom of the Opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Sunset Boulevard. It also has an appearence by his brother a world famous cellist playing a piece composed by LLoyd Webber. It features music from all his major musicals, including Cats, Sunset Boulevard, Starlight Express and The Phantom of the Opera, as performed by the stars of his stage and film productions. Recorded live at London’s Royal Albert Hall in 1998.
CHICAGO – 2002 musical based on the 1975 stage musical of the same name. It explores the themes of celebrity, scandal, and corruption in Chicago during the Jazz Age.The film stars Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Richard Gere. Chicago centers on Roxie Hart (Zellweger) and Velma Kelly (Zeta-Jones) two murderesses who find themselves in jail together awaiting trial in 1920s Chicago. Roxie, a housewife, and Velma, a vaudevillian, fight for the fame that will keep them from the gallows. The film marks the theatrical directorial debut of Rob Marshall, who also choreographed the film, and was adapted by screenwriter Bill Condon, with music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. Critically lauded, Chicago won six Academy Awards in 2003, including Best Picture, the first musical to win Best Picture since Oliver! in 1968
THE COMMITMENTS – 1991 musical based on the 1987 novel of the same name by Roddy Doyle. It was directed by Alan Parker from a screenplay written by Doyle, Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais. Set in the Northside of Dublin, the film tells the story of Jimmy Rabbitte (Robert Arkins), a young music fanatic who assembles a group of working-class youths to form a soul band named “The Commitments”. The film is the first in a series known as The Barrytown Trilogy, followed by The Snapper (1993) and The Van (1996).
DON GIOVANNI – 1979 French-Italian film directed by Joseph Losey. It is an adaptation of Mozart’s classic 1787 opera Don Giovanni, based on the Don Juan legend of a seducer, destroyed by his excesses. The opera itself has been called one of Mozart’s “trio of masterpieces”. The film stars Ruggero Raimondi in the title role, and the conductor is Lorin Maazel. Nearly three decades after the film’s release, Nicholas Wapshott called it a “near perfect amalgamation of opera and the screen”
DREAMGIRLS – 2006 musical drama written and directed by Bill Condon, adapted from the 1981 Broadway musical of the same name by composer Henry Krieger and lyricist/librettist Tom Eyen, Dreamgirls is a film à clef, a work of fiction taking strong inspiration from the history of the Motown record label and one of its acts, The Supremes. The story follows the history and evolution of American R&B music during the 1960s and 1970s through the eyes of a Detroit, Michigan girl group known as the Dreams and their manipulative record executive. The film adaptation of Dreamgirls stars Jennifer Hudson, Beyoncé, Jamie Foxx, and Eddie Murphy, and also features Danny Glover, Anika Noni Rose and Keith Robinson.
ENCHANTED – A 2007 American live-action animated musical fantasy romantic comedy film, produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Sonnenfeld Productions, and Josephson Entertainment. Written by Bill Kelly and directed by Kevin Lima, the film stars Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, Timothy Spall, Idina Menzel, Rachel Covey, and Susan Sarandon. The film is live action/animated and its plot focuses on an archetypal Disney Princess, who is forced from her traditional animated world into the live-action world of New York City.
FAME (1980) Young men and women audition for coveted spots at the New York High School of Performing Arts. Those who make the cut discover that it takes a lot of hard work to become a star and sometimes difficult decisions have to be made. The youngsters grapple with heavy issues such as homosexuality, abortion, attempted suicide and illiteracy. On top of their unique struggles, the students must deal with the mundane pressures of adolescence like homework, heartbreak and rejection. 1980 teen musical directed by Alan Parker. Set in New York City, it chronicles the lives and hardships of students attending the High School of Performing Arts (known today as Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School), from their auditions to their freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years.
FAME (2009) A 2009 musical drama and a loose remake of the 1980 film of the same name. It was directed by Kevin Tancharoen and written by Allison Burnett. The film follows talented high school students attending The High School of Performing Arts in New York City (known today as Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School), where students get specialized training that often leads to success in the entertainment industry. Debbie Allen, who portrays the school principal Angela Simms, is the only person to appear in the original movie, the subsequent television show (in the 1980 film and the series she played role of dance teacher Lydia Grant), and this production.
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF – – The film centers on Tevye, the father of five daughters, and his attempts to maintain his Jewish religious and cultural traditions as outside influences encroach upon the family’s lives. He must cope both with the strong-willed actions of his three older daughters, who wish to marry for love – each one’s choice of a husband moves further away from the customs of his faith – and with the edict of the Tsar who evicts the Jews from the town of Anatevka. 1971 epic musical produced and directed by Norman Jewison. It is an adaptation of the 1964 Broadway musical of the same name, with music composed by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and screenplay by Joseph Stein based on stories by Sholem Aleichem. Starring Topol, Norma Crane, Leonard Frey, Molly Picon, and Paul Mann. Throughout the film, Tevye talks to God and directly to the audience, breaking the fourth wall. In these monologues, Tevye ponders tradition, the difficulties of being poor, the Jewish community’s constant fear of violence from their non-Jewish neighbours, and important family decisions. The film was released to critical acclaim and won three Academy Awards, including Best Music, Scoring Adaptation and Original Song Score for arranger-conductor John Williams.
FIG TREES – 2009 Canadian operatic documentary film written and directed by John Greyson. It follows South African AIDS activist Zackie Achmat and Canadian AIDS activist Tim McCaskell as they fight for access to treatment for HIV/AIDS. It was also inspired by Gertrude Stein and Virgil Thomson’s opera Four Saints in Three Acts. The film premiered at the 59th Berlin International Film Festival where it won the Teddy Award for Best Documentary.
FOOTLOOSE – 1984 American musical drama film directed by Herbert Ross. It tells the story of Ren McCormack (Kevin Bacon), a teenager from Chicago who moves to a small town, where he attempts to overturn the ban on dancing instituted by the efforts of a local minister (John Lithgow).
FAUBOURG 36 – The stage manager of a popular music hall is charged with murder. During his confession, we see the story of the music hall and its entertainers in flashback. When the music hall closes down, a trio of unemployed friends vow to bring the business back from the dead by staging a musical they hope will be a hit. If their gamble pays off, they’ll have the money to buy the theater for themselves and the power to control their own destinies. 2008 French romantic drama directed by Christophe Barratier. This film is set in 1930s Paris.
GODDESS – Elspeth Dickens (Laura Michelle Kelly) dreams of finding her “voice” despite being stuck in an isolated farmhouse with her twin boys (Phoenix and Levi Morrison). A webcam she installs in her kitchen becomes her pathway to fame and fortune, making her a cyber-sensation. Through singing her funny sink-songs into the webcam, Elspeth becomes a cyber-sensation. While her husband James (Ronan Keating) is off saving the world’s whales, Elspeth is offered the chance of a lifetime. But when forced to choose between fame and family, the newly anointed internet goddess almost loses it all. 2013 Australian romantic comedy musical directed by Mark Lamprell.
GOD HELP THE GIRL – A girl (Emily Browning) who experiences terrible emotional problems builds her self-confidence by forming a pop group with two similarly aimless souls. 2014 British musical romantic drama written and directed by Stuart Murdoch of the band Belle and Sebastian. It follows three friends who form a band in Glasgow. With Olly Alexander as James, Hannah Murray as Cassie and Pierre Boulanger as Anton
GREASE: LIVE – A 2006 television special that was broadcast by Fox. It was a live, televised remake of the 1978 film Greasedirected by Thomas Kail, and starring Aaron Tveit, Julianne Hough, Carlos PenaVega and Vanessa Hudgens. Patterned on similar live television musicals that had recently been produced by NBC, the production incorporated elements and songs from both the original stage musical and the 1978 film version of Grease, as well as additional songs that were not present in either. In an effort to emulate the “energy” of a theatrical setting, live audiences were incorporated into the production’s stagings. Grease: Live was broadcast from Warner Bros. Studios, utilizing two soundstages and the studio’s outdoor backlot—the usage of the latter was notably affected by rain in the Los Angeles area on the day of the broadcast.
HAIR – 1979 musical anti-war drama based on the 1968 Broadway musical Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical about a Vietnam War draftee who meets and befriends a “tribe” of hippies on his way to the army induction center. The hippies introduce him to marijuana, LSD and their environment of unorthodox relationships and draft evasion. The film was directed by Miloš Forman (who was nominated for a César Award for his work on the film) and adapted for the screen by Michael Weller. Cast members include John Savage, Treat Williams, Beverly D’Angelo, Annie Golden, Dorsey Wright, Don Dacus, Cheryl Barnes, Melba Moore, and Ronnie Dyson. Dance scenes were choreographed by Twyla Tharp, and were performed by the Tharp’s dancers.
HAIRSPRAY – Set in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, the film follows the “pleasantly plump” teenager Tracy Turnblad (Blonsky) as she pursues stardom as a dancer on a local television dance show and rallies against racial segregation. 2007 musical romantic comedy based on the 2002 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was based on John Waters’s 1988 comedy film of the same name. Adapted from both Waters’s 1988 script and Thomas Meehan and Mark O’Donnell’s book for the stage musical by screenwriter Leslie Dixon, the 2007 film version of Hairspray was directed and choreographed by Adam Shankman and has an ensemble cast including John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, James Marsden, Queen Latifah, Brittany Snow, Zac Efron, Elijah Kelley, Allison Janney, and Nikki Blonsky in her feature film debut.
HEY, MR. PRODUCER! A concert honoring theatre producer Cameron Mackintosh, performed in June 1998. Staged by Bob Avian, it was presented at the Lyceum Theatre in London. It featured performances from many of the hit musicals that Mackintosh has produced, including My Fair Lady, Oliver!, Little Shop of Horrors, The Fix, Godspell, Anything Goes, Song and Dance, The Boy Friend, Lauder, Five Guys Named Moe, Martin Guerre, Miss Saigon, The Phantom of the Opera, Follies, Oklahoma!, Carousel, Tom Foolery, Cats and Les Misérables, as well as a segment devoted to the work of Stephen Sondheim. The show was hosted by Julie Andrews and the all-star cast performing these numbers included Tal Landsman, Liz Robertson, Jonathan Pryce, John Barrowman, Ellen Greene, Julian Lloyd Webber, Bernadette Peters, Patti Lupone, Russ Abbot, Sonia Swaby, David Campbell, Maria Friedman, Lea Salonga, Lisa Vroman, Colm Wilkinson, Michael Ball, Julia McKenzie, Hugh Jackman, Joanna Riding, Millicent Martin, David Kernan, Ruthie Henshall, Judi Dench, Tom Lehrer, Hal Fowler, Elaine Paige, Philip Quast, Adam Searles, Tee Jaye Jenkins, Trent Kendall, Monroe Kent III, Jason Pennycooke, Maria Charles, Richard D. Sharp and Feruma Williams. There was also a special performance by Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber, who spoofed their own songs. Some of the songs from less successful Mackintosh shows were also a part of the performance, but not contained in the DVD or CD of the event, including songs from Moby Dick! The Musical.
INTO THE WOODS – a 2014 American musical fantasy directed by Rob Marshall, and adapted to the screen by James Lapine from his and Stephen Sondheim’s 1986 Broadway musical of the same name. Produced by Walt Disney Pictures, it features an ensemble cast that includes Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, James Corden, Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine, Tracey Ullman, Christine Baranski, Lilla Crawford, Daniel Huttlestone, MacKenzie Mauzy, Billy Magnussen, and Johnny Depp. Inspired by the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales of “Little Red Riding Hood”, “Cinderella”, “Jack and the Beanstalk”, and “Rapunzel”, the film is centered on a childless couple who set out to end a curse placed on them by a vengeful witch. Ultimately, the characters are forced to experience the unintended consequences of their actions.
JERSEY BOYS (DVD & BR) – In the 1960s, four scrappy young men from New Jersey — Frankie Valli (John Lloyd Young), Bob Gaudio (Erich Bergen), Nick Massi (Michael Lomenda) and Tommy DeVito (Vincent Piazza) — have the magic sound that propels them from singing under streetlights to singing in spotlights. With songs like “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Walk Like a Man,” the quartet finds itself at the top of the charts. However, personal and professional problems threaten to tear the group apart. 2014 American musical drama film directed and produced by Clint Eastwood, based on the 2005 Tony Award-winning jukebox musical of the same name. The film tells the story of the musical group The Four Seasons.
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR– 1973 musical drama directed by Norman Jewison and jointly written for the screen by Jewison and Melvyn Bragg; they based their screenplay on the 1970 rock opera of the same name, the libretto (book and lyrics) of which were written by Tim Rice and whose music was composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The film, featuring a cast of Ted Neeley, Carl Anderson, Yvonne Elliman, Barry Dennen, Bob Bingham, and Kurt Yaghjian, centers on the conflict between Judas and Jesus during the week before the crucifixion of Jesus.
JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT – An adaptation of the hit Lloyd-Webber stage musical based on the Old Testament story of the youngest son of Jacob tells of his betrayal by his jealous brothers and of his being sold into slavery. 1999 British film version of the 1972 Andrew Lloyd Webber musical of the same name. It is a sung-through musical film. Donny Osmond as Joseph, Maria Friedman as Narrator, Richard Attenborough as Jacob, Robert Torti as Pharaoh
THE KING AND I – In this film adaptation of the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical, widowed Welsh mother Anna Loenowens (Deborah Kerr) becomes a governess and English tutor to the wives and many children of the stubborn King Mongkut of Siam (Yul Brynner). Anna and the king have a clash of personalities as she works to teach the royal family about the English language, customs and etiquette, and rushes to prepare a party for a group of European diplomats who must change their opinions about the king. 1956 musical film directed by Walter Lang. The screenplay by Ernest Lehman is based on the 1951 Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II musical The King and I, based in turn on the 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon. That novel in turn was based on memoirs written by Anna Leonowens, who became school teacher to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the early 1860s.
THE LAST FIVE YEARS – 2014 musical romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Richard Lagravenese. Based on Jason Robert Brown’s musical of the same name, the film stars Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan as married couple Cathy Hiatt and Jamie Wellerstein. It presents their relationship out of chronological order, in a non-linear narrative. Cathy’s songs begin after they have separated and move backwards in time to the beginning of their courtship, while Jamie’s songs start when they have first met and proceeds through their crumbling marriage. The musical, as presented on stage, is a two-person show, with no other actors besides the ones playing Jamie and Cathy. It consists almost exclusively of solo numbers; Jamie and Cathy alternate songs, do not share the other’s time frame, almost never sing together and frequently are not even present while the other character unburdens themselves. This gives each character space to present their side of the story, biases and all. In adapting for film, LaGravanese made the decision to have the other character present for each monologue, but no music was altered. Additionally, a number of other actors appear in other parts, though Jordan and Kendrick still provide the bulk of the dialogue and all singing.
LES MISÉRABLES: THE DREAM CAST IN CONCERT (1995) A concert version of the 1980 musical Les Misérables, which was based on Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel, produced to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the West End production. It was filmed in October 1995 at the Royal Albert Hall. The 10th Anniversary cast stars Colm Wilkinson as Jean Valjean, Philip Quast as Inspector Javert, Michael Ball as Marius Pontmercy, Lea Salonga as Éponine, Judy Kuhn as Cosette, Ruthie Henshall as Fantine, Michael Maguire as Enjolras, Alun Armstrong as Thénardier, Jenny Galloway as Madame Thénardier, Adam Searles as Gavroche, Hannah Chick as Young Cosette, and several others, and was directed by John Caird. The performers were chosen from the London, Broadway and Australian productions of the show and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was conducted by David Charles Abell. Wilkinson reprised his role as Valjean after starring in the original West End and Broadway productions. Philip Quast was cast as Inspector Javert after the producers of the show witnessed his performance in a musical production in his hometown in Australia. Wilkinson and Quast are widely recognized as the “Dream Casting” of the idolized roles of Valjean and Javert. Lea Salonga is the only non-Caucasian performer in the main cast. Her participation has been credited by many stage musical enthusiasts of breaking down racial barriers for future castings of the live show. This presentation uses a “modernised” and more heavily orchestrated score than that of the original musical. It follows the traditional “musicals-in-concert” format with the cast lined up against a set of microphones with the orchestra and chorus behind them. The entire company wear costumes and use only necessary props (such as Javert’s baton, Thénardier’s notebook, etc.). Apart from minor movement on the concert stage, the performers do not participate in major action scenes. Where necessary, the video switches to action from the stage production.
THE LION KING – 2019 American musical drama film directed and produced by Jon Favreau, written by Jeff Nathanson, and produced by Walt Disney Pictures. It is a photorealistic computer-animated remake of Disney’s traditionally animated 1994 film of the same name. The film stars the voices of Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alfre Woodard, Billy Eichner, John Kani, John Oliver, Florence Kasumba, Eric Andre, Keegan-Michael Key, JD McCrary, Shahadi Wright Joseph, and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, as well as James Earl Jones reprising his role from the original film. The plot follows Simba, a young lion who must embrace his role as the rightful king of his native land following the murder of his father, Mufasa, at the hands of his uncle, Scar.
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS – 1986 horror black comedy musical directed by Frank Oz. It is a film adaptation of the 1982 off-Broadway musical comedy of the same name by composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman, which in turn was based on the 1960 film The Little Shop of Horrors, directed by Roger Corman, about a geeky florist shop worker who finds out his Venus flytrap has an appetite for human blood. The film stars Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Vincent Gardenia, Steve Martin, and Levi Stubbs as the voice of Audrey II. The film also featured special appearances by Jim Belushi, John Candy, Christopher Guest and Bill Murray.
LIZA WITH A “Z” – 1972 concert film made for television, starring Liza Minnelli, produced by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse. Fosse also directed and choreographed the concert, and Ebb wrote and arranged the music with his song-writing partner John Kander. All four had recently completed the successful film adaptation of Cabaret. According to Minnelli, Liza with a “Z” was “the first filmed concert on television”. Singer sponsored the production, even though producers did their best to prevent the sponsors from seeing rehearsals, fearing they would backout due to Minnelli’s short skirts.Filmed on May 31 at the Lyceum Theatre in New York, the concert was shot with eight 16mm film cameras[1] at the insistence of Fosse, in contrast to other television specials of the time which were all shot on videotape.
MAMMA MIA! – 2008 romantic comedy containing music directed by Phyllida Lloyd and written by Catherine Johnson based on her book of the 1999 theatre show of the same name. The film, in turn, is based on the songs of pop group ABBA, with additional music composed by ABBA member Benny Andersson. The film features an ensemble cast, including Christine Baranski, Pierce Brosnan, Dominic Cooper, Colin Firth, Amanda Seyfried, Stellan Skarsgård, Meryl Streep and Julie Walters. The plot follows a young bride-to-be who invites three men to her upcoming wedding, each one with the possibility of being her father.
MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN – 2018 jukebox musical romantic comedy film written and directed by Ol Parker, from a story by Parker, Catherine Johnson, and Richard Curtis. It is a follow-up to the 2008 film Mamma Mia!, which in turn is based on the West End/Broadway musical of the same name using the music of ABBA. The film features an ensemble cast, including Dominic Cooper, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Jeremy Irvine, Josh Dylan, Hugh Skinner, Lily James, Jessica Keenan Wynn, Alexa Davies, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Andy García, Meryl Streep, and Cher. Both a prequel and a sequel, the plot is set after the events of the previous film, and is intersected with flashbacks to Donna’s youth in 1979, with some scenes from the two tenses mirroring each other.
MAN OF LA MANCHA – Cervantes and his manservant have been imprisoned by the Spanish Inquisition, and a manuscript by Cervantes is seized by his fellow inmates, who subject him to a mock trial in order to determine whether the manuscript should be returned. Cervantes’ defense is in the form of a play, in which Cervantes takes the role of Alonso Quijano, an old gentleman who has lost his mind and now believes that he should go forth as a knight-errant. Quijano renames himself Don Quixote de La Mancha, and sets out to find adventures with his “squire”, Sancho Panza. 1972 film adaptation of the Broadway musical Man of La Mancha by Dale Wasserman, with music by Mitch Leigh and lyrics by Joe Darion. The musical was suggested by the classic novel Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes, but more directly based on Wasserman’s 1959 non-musical television play I, Don Quixote, which combines a semi-fictional episode from the life of Cervantes with scenes from his novel. With Peter O’Toole as both Miguel de Cervantes and Don Quixote, James Coco as both Cervantes’ manservant and Don Quixote’s “squire” Sancho Panza, and Sophia Loren as scullery maid and prostitute Aldonza, whom the delusional Don Quixote idolizes as Dulcinea.
MOULIN ROUGE! – 2001 jukebox musical romantic drama directed, co-produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. The film tells the story of a young English poet/writer, Christian (Ewan McGregor), who falls in love with the star of the Moulin Rouge, cabaret actress and courtesan Satine (Nicole Kidman). It uses the musical setting of the Montmartre Quarter of Paris, France. The film is the third part of Luhrmann’s “Red Curtain Trilogy,” following Strictly Ballroom and Romeo + Juliet.
THE MUPPETS – 2011 American musical comedy directed by James Bobin, written by Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller, and the seventh theatrical film featuring the Muppets.[6] The film stars Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper, and Rashida Jones, as well as Muppets performers Steve Whitmire, Eric Jacobson, Dave Goelz, Bill Barretta, David Rudman, Matt Vogel, and Peter Linz. Bret McKenzie served as music supervisor, writing four of the film’s five original songs, while Christophe Beck composed the film’s score. In the film, devoted Muppet fan Walter, his human brother Gary and Gary’s girlfriend Mary help Kermit the Frog reunite the disbanded Muppets, as they must raise $10 million to save the Muppet Theater from Tex Richman, a businessman who plans to demolish the studio to drill for oil.
NINE – Italian film director Guido Contini (Daniel Day-Lewis) grapples with epic crises in his personal and professional lives. At the same time, he must strike a balance of the demands of numerous women in his life, including his wife (Marion Cotillard), his mistress (Penélope Cruz), and his confidant (Judi Dench). 2009 romantic musical drama directed and produced by Rob Marshall and written by Michael Tolkin and Anthony Minghella. The film is an adaptation of the 1982 musical of the same name, which in turn is based on Federico Fellini’s semi-autobiographical 1963 film 8½. In addition to songs from the stage musical, all written by Maury Yeston, the film has three original songs, also written by Yeston. The ensemble principal cast consists of Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Penélope Cruz, Judi Dench, Fergie, Kate Hudson, Nicole Kidman, and Sophia Loren.
PAINT YOUR WAGON – In this musical based on the Broadway show, Ben Rumson (Lee Marvin) happens upon a wrecked wagon containing a dead man and his surviving brother, Pardner (Clint Eastwood), in the wilds of California during the Gold Rush. At the burial, they discover gold dust and stake a claim. Soon a mining camp dubbed “No Name City” emerges, rife with lonely men starved for female companionship. When a polygamist Mormon arrives looking to sell off a wife (Jean Seberg), a bidding war commences. 1969 Western musical starring Lee Marvin, Clint Eastwood, and Jean Seberg. The film was adapted by Paddy Chayefsky from the 1951 musical Paint Your Wagon by Lerner and Loewe. It is set in a mining camp in Gold Rush-era California. It was directed by Joshua Logan.
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA – From his hideout beneath a 19th century Paris opera house, the brooding Phantom (Gerard Butler) schemes to get closer to vocalist Christine Daae (Emmy Rossum). The Phantom, wearing a mask to hide a congenital disfigurement, strong-arms management into giving the budding starlet key roles, but Christine instead falls for arts benefactor Raoul (Patrick Wilson). Terrified at the notion of her absence, the Phantom enacts a plan to keep Christine by his side, while Raoul tries to foil the scheme. 2005 musical drama based on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1986 musical of the same name, which in turn is based on the 1910 French novel Le Fantôme de l’Opéra by Gaston Leroux. Produced and co-written by Lloyd Webber and directed by Joel Schumacher, it stars Gerard Butler in the title role, Emmy Rossum, Patrick Wilson, Miranda Richardson, Minnie Driver, and Jennifer Ellison.
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL 2011 British concert film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1986 musical. To mark the milestone of 25 years, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh planned a special 3-day production to take place at London’s Royal Albert Hall in October 2011. Ramin Karimloo as The Phantom, Sierra Boggess as Christine Daaé, Hadley Fraser as Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny
THE PRODUCERS – Failing producer Max Bialystock (Nathan Lane) and his accountant, Leo Bloom (Matthew Broderick), scam a group of elderly women out of their nest eggs by convincing them to invest in a horrendously offensive Third Reich-themed musical secretly intended to bomb the moment it opens. But when high-brow Broadway audiences mistakenly assume “Springtime for Hitler” is a satire, Bialystock finds himself with the critical acclaim that has long eluded him — and the biggest hit of his career. 2005 American musical comedy film directed by Susan Stroman and written by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan based on the eponymous 2001 Broadway musical, which in turn was based on Brooks’s 1967 film of the same name starring Zero Mostel, Gene Wilder and Andreas Voutsinas. The film stars an ensemble cast led by Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Uma Thurman, Will Ferrell, Gary Beach, Roger Bart, and Jon Lovitz. Creature effects were provided by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.
ROCKETMAN – 2019 biographical musical film based on the life of British musician Elton John. Directed by Dexter Fletcher and written by Lee Hall, it stars Taron Egerton as Elton John, with Jamie Bell as Bernie Taupin, Richard Madden as John Reid, and Bryce Dallas Howard as Sheila Eileen, John’s mother. The film follows John in his early days in England as a prodigy at the Royal Academy of Music through his musical partnership with Taupin, and is titled after John’s 1972 song “Rocket Man”.
ROCK OF AGES – The songs of Journey, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard and other artists underscore a tale of big dreams in Hollywood. Soon after hopping off a bus from the Midwest, aspiring singer Sherrie Christian (Julianne Hough) immediately finds herself in trouble. Coming to her rescue is Drew (Diego Boneta), a bar-back at the legendary club the Bourbon Room. With stars in their eyes, the young lovers chase their dreams, but a misunderstanding involving rock god Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise) threatens to tear them apart. 2012 jukebox musical comedy film directed by Adam Shankman and based on the Broadway musical Rock of Ages by Chris D’Arienzo. Starring country singer Julianne Hough and Diego Boneta leading an ensemble cast that includes Russell Brand, Alec Baldwin, Paul Giamatti, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Malin Åkerman, Mary J. Blige, Bryan Cranston and Tom Cruise, the film features the music of many 1980s rock and Glam Metal artists including Def Leppard, Journey, Scorpions, Poison, Foreigner, Guns N’ Roses, Pat Benatar, Joan Jett, Bon Jovi, Twisted Sister, Whitesnake, REO Speedwagon, and others.
THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW – 1975 musical comedy horror directed by Jim Sharman. The screenplay was written by Sharman and actor Richard O’Brien, who is also a member of the cast. The film is based on the 1973 musical stage production The Rocky Horror Show, with music, book, and lyrics by O’Brien. The production is a parody tribute to the science fiction and horror B movies of the 1930s through to the early 1960s. Along with O’Brien, the film stars Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, and Barry Bostwick and is narrated by Charles Gray with cast members from the original Royal Court Theatre, Roxy Theatre, and Belasco Theatre productions including Nell Campbell and Patricia Quinn. The story centres on a young engaged couple whose car breaks down in the rain near a castle where they seek a telephone to call for help. The castle or country home is occupied by strangers in elaborate costumes celebrating an annual convention. They discover the head of the house is Dr. Frank N. Furter, an apparently mad scientist who actually is an alien Transvestite who creates a living muscle man named Rocky in his laboratory. The couple are seduced separately by the mad scientist and eventually released by the servants who take control.
THE SAPPHIRES – 2012 Australian musical based on the 2004 stage play of the same name, which is loosely based on a true story. The film is directed by Wayne Blair and written by Keith Thompson and Tony Briggs, the latter of whom wrote the play. The Sapphires is about four Yorta Yorta Indigenous Australian women, Gail (Deborah Mailman), Julie (Jessica Mauboy), Kay (Shari Sebbens) and Cynthia (Miranda Tapsell), who are discovered by a talent scout (Chris O’Dowd), and form a music group named The Sapphires, travelling to Vietnam in 1968 to sing for troops during the war.
SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN – A spoof of the turmoil that afflicted the movie industry in the late 1920s when movies went from silent to sound. When two silent movie stars’, Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont, latest movie is made into a musical a chorus girl is brought in to dub Lina’s speaking and singing. Don is on top of the world until Lina finds out. 1952 American musical romantic comedy film directed and choreographed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, starring Kelly, Donald O’Connor, and Debbie Reynolds and featuring Jean Hagen, Millard Mitchell and Cyd Charisse. It offers a lighthearted depiction of Hollywood in the late 1920s, with the three stars portraying performers caught up in the transition from silent films to “talkies”. In 1989, Singin’ in the Rain was one of the first 25 films selected by the United States Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”. In 2005 the British Film Institute included it in its list of the 50 films to be seen by the age of 14. In 2008, Empire magazine ranked it as the eighth-best film of all time. In Sight & Sound magazine’s 2012 list of the 50 greatest films of all time, Singin’ in the Rain placed 20th
SING STREET – 2016 musical coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by John Carney from a story by Carney and Simon Carmody. Starring Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Lucy Boynton, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Aidan Gillen, Jack Reynor, and Kelly Thornton, the story revolves around a boy starting a band to impress a girl in 1980s Ireland. It is an international co-production between producers from Ireland, the United States, and United Kingdom.
SUNSHINE ON LEITH – Davy and Ally have to relearn how to live in Edinburgh after serving in Afghanistan. 2013 British romantic musical directed by Dexter Fletcher. It is an adaptation of the stage musical of the same name, a jukebox musical featuring songs by The Proclaimers. The film starts in Afghanistan where an APC is on patrol while the passengers including Davy Henshaw (George MacKay) and Ally (Kevin Guthrie) are nervous as to their survival (“Sky Takes the Soul”), before an ambush happens. Some time later Davy and Ally, recently discharged, return to their homes and families in Edinburgh after their Afghanistan tour (“I’m on my Way”). Ally returns to his girlfriend Liz (Freya Mavor), a nurse who is Davy’s sister. On Davy and Ally’s first night home Liz introduces Davy to her English friend and colleague Yvonne (Antonia Thomas) at a pub. Liz and Yvonne take part in some drunken story telling, a Scottish tradition (“Over and Done With”). Following from their blind date Davy and Yvonne strike up a romantic relationship (“Misty Blue”) as Ally and Liz consider their future as a potential married couple (“Make my Heart Fly”).
SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET (also known simply as Sweeney Todd) 2007 musical slasher film directed by Tim Burton and an adaptation of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s Tony Award-winning 1979 musical of the same name. The film retells the Victorian melodramatic tale of Sweeney Todd, an English barber and serial killer who murders his customers with a straight razor and, with the help of his accomplice, Mrs. Lovett, processes their corpses into meat pies. The film stars Johnny Depp as the title character and Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett.
TOMMY – 1975 British satirical operetta fantasy drama film written and directed by Ken Russell and based upon The Who’s 1969 rock opera album Tommy about a “psychosomatically deaf, mute, and blind” boy who becomes a pinball champion and religious leader. The film featured a star-studded ensemble cast, including the band members themselves (most notably, lead singer Roger Daltrey, who plays the title role), Ann-Margret, Oliver Reed, Eric Clapton, Tina Turner, Elton John, and Jack Nicholson.
WALKING ON SUNSHINE – A young woman (Annabel Scholey) prepares for her wedding in Italy, unaware that her fiance (Greg Wise) and sister (Hannah Arterton) were once deeply in love. 2014 British romantic jukebox musical comedy-drama film directed by Max Giwa and Dania Pasquini. The film features covers of songs from the 1980s
WHITE CHRISTMAS is a 1954 American musical film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen. Filmed in Technicolor, it features the songs of Irving Berlin, including a new version of the title song, “White Christmas”. Singers Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) and Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) join sister act Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy Haynes (Vera-Ellen) to perform a Christmas show in rural Vermont. There, they run into Gen. Waverly (Dean Jagger), the boys’ commander in World War II, who, they learn, is having financial difficulties; his quaint country inn is failing. So what’s the foursome to do but plan a yuletide miracle: a fun-filled musical extravaganza that’s sure to put Waverly and his business in the black!
THE WIZARD OF OZ – When a tornado rips through Kansas, Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her dog, Toto, are whisked away in their house to the magical land of Oz. They follow the Yellow Brick Road toward the Emerald City to meet the Wizard, and en route they meet a Scarecrow (Ray Bolger) that needs a brain, a Tin Man (Jack Haley) missing a heart, and a Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr) who wants courage. The wizard asks the group to bring him the broom of the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton) to earn his help. 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Often seen as one of the greatest films of all time, it is the most commercially successful adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s 1900 children’s fantasy novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Directed primarily by Victor Fleming (who left the production to take over the troubled Gone with the Wind), the film stars Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale alongside Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr and Margaret Hamilton. Characterized by its use of Technicolor, fantasy storytelling, musical score, and memorable characters, the film has become an American pop culture icon.