Great American Songbook Mania

  Oklahoma! 1955 vs. 2018 Rogers and Hammerstein's well known musical play, Oklahoma! , has been has been adapted and remade into many films and live performances including the 1955 film adaptation and a 2018 remaking at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Although the 1955 adaptation was nearly identical to the original musical play, the 2018 remaking altered the genders and sexualities of some of the main characters.  (Trailer for the 2018 remake) The 2018 Remake The 2018 remake of Oklahoma! includes   some differentiation from the original musical and many of its adaptations. The director, Bill Raunch, was able to get approval from the Rodgers and Hammerstein estate to make these changes. This included casting Laurey and Curly as a lesbian couple, rather than Curly as a man. This also included casting Will Parker and Ado Annie as a gay couple, in which Ado Annie is actually Ado Andy. Lastly, Aunt Eller was cast as a transgender woman. Overall, there were more African Ame...

  Oklahoma! the Musical Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein turned Lynn Riggs' 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs , into the musical, Oklahoma! The musical is set in Claremore, a small farming town in present day Oklahoma. The story follows Laurey Williams and her two suitors, the cowboy Curly McLain and the farmhand Jud Fry. The musical explores important themes such as relationships, commitments, and violence.   Why is it so Revolutionary? Oklahoma! was different from anything seen on Broadway previously. It successfully integrated music, dance, lyrics, and dialogue to effectively develop the characters and a create a dimensional plot. Each of these aspects advanced the cohesive story. The musical includes well-known scores such as "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'"  and "The Surrey With the Fringe on Top"  that develop the personalities and relationships between characters.  (Curly and Laurey sing "The Surrey With the Fringe on Top") The musical als...

 " The Ballad of October 16th" "The Ballad of October 16th" was a folk song released in May of 1941 on the album Songs for John Doe . The lyrics were written by Millard Rampell and the song was recorded by the Almanac Singers. The members of this band were among isolationists who promoted peace. Therefore, many of the songs on the   album, including "The Ballad of October 16th", were considered to be anti-war songs.  Although World War II was going on at the time of the songs release, the United States remained neutral and The Soviet Union and Nazi Germany remained at peace. However, soon after its release, Germany invaded The Soviet Union. As a result, The Almanac Singers began pushing for U.S. intervention in Europe. Therefore, they pulled Songs for John Doe  from distribution and encouraged those who purchased the album to return them. The Almanacs began supporting involvement in the war in their songs and albums from that point on (although it was in a...

 The History of "Ol' Man River" The song, "Ol' Man River" is perhaps one of the most recognized songs in the 1927  Show Boat  production. The combination of Jerome Kern's music, Oscar Hammerstein's lyrics, and Paul Robeson's memorable voice has led the song out of the 1920s and into the 21st century where it is still very well known and listened to today.      Underlying Message & Lyrics Although it seems to be a song devoted to the Mississippi River (hence the name, "Ol' Man River "), it possesses an underlying message about race and the endless struggles that African American individuals face. The river continues flowing, similar to life - regardless of the hardships and troubles that come their way. However, the river flows freely, but the same cannot be said for the individual that sings the song, nor other African Americans in the 1920s. The lyrics hint towards being envious of the river, which can flow away from the troubl...

Although the production of  Show Boat  made its first Broadway appearance in 1927, it is still remembered today as one of the most revolutionizing musicals to ever hit the stage. Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein brought the 1926 Show Boat  novel by Edna Ferb to life through this production with songs like "Ol' Man River" and "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man". The show itself has been made into various film and television adaptations, as well performed in opera houses and professional theaters across the country. But what truly makes this musical so "revolutionary"?  Revolutionizing a Genre The Cast Perhaps one of the most revolutionizing aspects of the show was the integrated cast. Not only did white and black performers share the stage throughout the entirety of the show, but they had nearly equal performace time. One of the most well known songs of the production, "Ol' Man River" was led and performed entirely by black performers - s...

Ann's Early Life and Start in Music Ann Ronell (born as Anna Rosenblatt) was an American composer, lyricist, and librettist born on December 25, 1908 in Omaha, Nebraska. Her parents were Morris and Mollie Rosenblatt. After high school, Ronell attended Wheaton College for two years before transferring to Radcliffe College in order to pursue an education more focused on music. At Radcliffe she studied music and literature with teachers such as Walter Piston. She also wrote music for college plays and provided reviews and interviews for the college’s music publication. Among these interviews was George Gershwin, who she ended up building a friendship/mentorship with. He hired Ronell as a rehearsal pianist and brought her to Broadway. It was at this time that she changed her name to “Ann Ronell”. The start of her musical career also included teaching music and coaching singers.    Ann's Musical Output and Success Ronell’s musical output was pretty broad. She was one of the first s...