While there's been plenty of singing and dancing at Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta, now it's time for a ton of talk. For after Saturday morning's presentations of kids performing various…
Every New Year's Day, I wish that the 1980 musical HAPPY NEW YEAR had received an original cast album. What would be a happier way to start the New Year than to hear 14 Cole Porter songs?
By Peter Filichia Time does fly, does it not? Already more than one twelfth of the "new" year in gone, and now we're already in Black History Month. I trust that on Sunday, Feb…
The selfies have been taken, the gift shop has been perused, the impromptu dancing to "Under the Sea" has finished, and many a "Break a leg!" has been advised. Now that 8:45 a.m. is near, ev…
Call it the first important sibling musical. For the 1924 hit LADY, BE GOOD! had brothers George and Ira Gershwin collaborate on their first full score. Although the two had written a son…
Peter Filichia discusses Thespian Playworks, an annual playwrighting opportunity for teenagers across the nation. The post Right for the Stage appeared first on Breaking Character.
Most people like to sleep late on a Saturday morning, but on Jan. 17, more than 4,000 people, ranging from tweens to seniors, are wide awake not long after the crack of Saturday's dawn. That…
It’s an honor to bring Peter Filichia’s column every week on Kritzerland called ‘Filichia on Friday’ to our readers on DCMetroTheaterArts. Time to catch up: …
It’s an honor to bring Peter Filichia’s column every week on Kritzerland called ‘Filichia on Friday’ to our readers on DCMetroTheaterArts. ______ Take The 20…
Do you know Herb Gardner's 1974 play THIEVES? Although it wasn't a moneymaking hit, it did run a respectable nine months and spawned a 1977 film. It concerned one Sally Cramer, now suddenly …
By Peter Filichia Forty-four years ago this week, Broadway was hit by a hit that changed the course of musical theater. In the twenty years before the 1971 revival of No, No, N…
One created “Mission: Impossible." The other composed the themes to “General Hospital” and "The Marvel Super-Heroes" (meaning Captain America, The Incredible Hulk, The Invi…
While the musical is an inherently American art form, it hasn't neglected other nationalities " as is proved by the 50 examples that make up this year's Broadway University Mid-Term Exam.
By Peter Filichia Had life been kinder to all of us, Gwen Verdon would still be here to celebrate her 90th birthday on January 13. Alas, we lost her 14 years ago, but at least we stil…
May this be your favorite year. It could be if you and your theater company stage MY FAVORITE YEAR. Granted, when the musical by bookwriter Joseph Dougherty, composer Stephen Flaherty and ly…
Were you at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre on Monday night January 5? If you were, you saw my one-on-one discussion with Dame Diana Rigg. A good time was had by us, and, I daresay, those i…
Elvis Can Still Be in the Building By Peter Filichia Eighty. Yes, eighty. That's how old Elvis Pres…
It's a new year, which we're all hoping will be the best we've ever had. One way to make that happen is to make good New Year's Resolutions. And keep them. This year, don't merely make vows …
I didn't get what I really wanted for Christmas. An original cast album of THE UNDERCLASSMAN.
By Peter Filichia We can't let 2014 got by without acknowledging that the year marks the eightieth anniversary of Anything Goes. I'm a little late to the party, for the Cole Po…
Many friends have complained to me at the lack of lighting in the film version of Into the Woods.
“You saw some of it on TV. Now see all of it on stage.” That’s one way you could advertise your production of ELF during the 2015 holiday season. After all, the recent anim…
By Peter Filichia It's one of the most musical musical movies of all time, with many more songs than spoken lines. And yet, even with all that music and those reams of lyrics, …
In some ways, the new ANNIE movie is best of the three film adaptations. But that's not saying much, is it? We'll still have to wait for a faithful and wonderful film musical of the 1977 …
When parents come to the school where their child is enrolled, they're usually prepared to hear bad news. What's she done now? How badly has he behaved? Am I about to meet teachers who'll li…