| Rock 'N Roll! | |
|---|---|
| The First 5,000 Years | |
 Broadway Playbill | |
| Music | Various |
| Lyrics | Various |
| Book | Bob Gill and Robert Rabinowitz |
| Productions | 1982 Broadway |
Rock 'N Roll! The First 5,000 Years was a Broadway musical revue conceived by Bob Gill and Robert Rabinowitz, who also conceived Beatlemania . [1] [2]
The original Broadway production premiered on October 5, 1982, at the St. James Theatre. The revue officially opened after 25 previews on October 24, 1982. The show closed on October 31, 1982 after only 9 regular performances. [3]
The creative team included direction and choreography by Joe Layton, set design by Mark Ravitz, lighting design by Jules Fisher, and sound design by Bran Ferren. The music was arranged by John Simon.
The New York Times said the show "does a surprisingly good job of summarizing rock's contributions to our musical, cultural and even political life over the last 25 or more years. It's Broadway, so it can't be too loud or too wild, but it manages remarkable fidelity to its sources anyway." [4]
Mary Rodgers was an American composer, screenwriter, and author. She wrote the novel Freaky Friday, which served as the basis of a 1976 film starring Jodie Foster, for which she wrote the screenplay, as well as three other versions. Her best-known musicals were Once Upon a Mattress and The Mad Show, and she contributed songs to Marlo Thomas' successful children's album Free to Be... You and Me.
The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934, 1936, 1943, and 1957. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air.
Charles Strouse is an American composer and lyricist best known for writing the music to such Broadway musicals as Bye Bye Birdie, Applause, and Annie.
The Winter Garden Theatre is a Broadway theatre at 1634 Broadway in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Originally designed by architect William Albert Swasey, it opened in 1911. The Winter Garden's current design dates to 1922, when it was completely remodeled by Herbert J. Krapp. Due to the size of its auditorium, stage, and backstage facilities, it is favored for large musical productions. It has 1,600 seats and is operated by The Shubert Organization. The auditorium interior is a New York City landmark.
Forbidden Broadway is an Off-Broadway revue parodying musical theatre, particularly Broadway musicals. It was conceived, written and directed by Gerard Alessandrini and has been updated many times to parody new musicals and productions. Typically, the revue is performed by a cast of four with a piano. Versions of the show have been seen in more than 200 cities in the U.S., as well as London, Tokyo and elsewhere.
The Neil Simon Theatre, originally the Alvin Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 250 West 52nd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1927, the theater was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was built for Alex A. Aarons and Vinton Freedley. The original name was an amalgamation of Aarons's and Freedley's first names; the theater was renamed for playwright Neil Simon in 1983. The Neil Simon has 1,467 seats across two levels and is operated by the Nederlander Organization. Both the facade and the auditorium interior are New York City landmarks.
The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre is a Broadway theater at 242 West 45th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1927, the theater was designed by Herbert J. Krapp in a Spanish style and was built for real-estate developer Irwin S. Chanin. It has 1,100 seats across two levels and is operated by The Shubert Organization. Both the facade and the auditorium interior are New York City landmarks.
Julia Migenes is an American soprano working primarily in musical theatre repertoire. She was born on the Lower East Side of Manhattan to parents of Irish and Puerto Rican descent. She is sometimes credited as Julia Migenes-Johnson. She attended The High School of Music & Art in New York City.
The St. James Theatre, originally Erlanger's Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 246 West 44th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1927, it was designed by Warren and Wetmore in a neo-Georgian style and was constructed for A. L. Erlanger. It has 1,709 seats across three levels and is operated by ATG Entertainment. Both the facade and the auditorium interior are New York City landmarks.
The Shubert Theatre is a Broadway theater at 225 West 44th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1913, the theater was designed by Henry Beaumont Herts in the Italian Renaissance style and was built for the Shubert brothers. Lee and J. J. Shubert had named the theater in memory of their brother Sam S. Shubert, who died in an accident several years before the theater's opening. It has 1,502 seats across three levels and is operated by The Shubert Organization. The facade and interior are New York City landmarks.
Eubie! is a revue featuring the jazz and ragtime music of composer Eubie Blake, with lyrics by Noble Sissle, Andy Razaf, Johnny Brandon, F. E. Miller, and Jim Europe. The revue features no book, simply showcasing 23 of Eubie Blake's popular songs. The show was conceived by Julianne Boyd and opened in 1978, receiving positive reviews from Time, Newsweek, Variety, Backstage, and The Today Show.
David Bowie (1947–2016) held leading roles in several feature films, including The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), Just a Gigolo (1978), Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983), The Hunger (1983), Labyrinth (1986), The Linguini Incident (1991), and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992). Films in which he appeared in a supporting role or cameo include The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) and Zoolander (2001).
The Broadway Theatre is a Broadway theater at 1681 Broadway in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1924, the theater was designed by Eugene De Rosa for Benjamin S. Moss, who originally operated the venue as a movie theater. It has approximately 1,763 seats across two levels and is operated by The Shubert Organization. The Broadway Theatre is one of the few Broadway theaters that is physically on Broadway.
Smokey Joe's Cafe is a musical revue showcasing 39 pop standards, including rock and roll and rhythm and blues songs written by songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. The Original Broadway cast recording, Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller, won a Grammy Award in 1997.
The Roundabout Theatre Company is a non-profit theatre company based in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres.
Dancin' is a musical revue created, directed, and choreographed by Bob Fosse and originally produced on Broadway in 1978. The plotless, dance-driven revue is a tribute to the art of dance, and the music is a collection of mostly American songs, many with a dance theme, from a wide variety of styles, from operetta to jazz to classical to marches to pop. The original production received seven 1978 Tony Award nominations, with Fosse winning for best choreography.
Swinging on a Star is a musical revue, featuring the music of Johnny Burke, with the lyrics by Burke and the music by Burke and several of his partners, such as Erroll Garner and Jimmy Van Heusen. The name of the revue is from the Oscar-winning song that Burke wrote with Jimmy Van Heusen for the 1944 film Going My Way.
Robert Rabinowitz is an American illustrator and graphic designer.
Angel in the Wings is a 1947 musical revue with songs by Bob Hilliard and Carl Sigman and sketches by Hank Ladd, Ted Luce, Paul Hartman, and Grace Hartman.