From Stage to Screen: Three Groundbreaking Musicals

From Stage to Screen: Three Groundbreaking Musicals
Ariana DeBose, Ana Isabelle and Ilda Mason make a compelling case for watching the new “West Side Story,” made in 2021 by Steven Spielberg, with new choreography by Justin Peck. Photo from IMDB

If you love musical theater or want to introduce it to your kids or grandkids, here are three landmark shows that can be streamed.

“Oklahoma”

Rodgers and Hammerstein reinvented the musical in 1943 with “Oklahoma,” the first show to integrate the book — and a rather dark one — with the songs.

The 1955 film stars Gordon MacRae as Curly, a cowboy whose romance with a farm girl, Laurey (Shirley Jones), is violently interrupted by a disturbed farmhand, Jud (Rod Steiger).

Rodgers and Hammerstein oversaw the film, and few changes were made from the stage version. This was almost certainly a bad thing. What works on the stage can look oddly unnatural on the screen. Fred Zinnemann’s hands were tied and he never directed another musical.

There is also a 1999 film of the Royal National Theatre production directed by Trevor Nunn and choreographed by Susan Stroman. Watch this one if you can find it; it’s grittier and Hugh Jackman as Curly is a better actor than MacCrae.

While this book doesn’t match the brilliant plots of the other shows covered here, the songs are pure joy and all probably embedded in your mind. My favorite is “The Surrey with the Fringe on Top.” Ask YouTube or Spotify to play the covers by Jackman or Mel Torme. Stream on Disney, rent on Amazon and others.

“Cabaret”

It’s hard to think of a musical more inventive and ambitious than “Cabaret,” which opened on Broadway in 1966, about a singing star in a Berlin club during the beginnings of anti-Semitism and Nazism in 1931. The book is by Joe Masteroff (who also wrote the musical “She Loves Me”) with songs by John Kander and Fred Ebb.

Bob Fosse directed the 1972 film, and many changes were made from the stage version, all to the film’s benefit. The side romance between Fraulein Schneider and Herr Schultz was dropped, and Kander and Ebb added new songs including “Money Money” and “Maybe This Time.”

Although many talented actresses have played Sally Bowles, it’s hard to think of anyone in this role except Liza Minnelli, who won an Academy Award, as did Joel Grey as the master of ceremonies. The movie won eight Oscars but missed Best Picture; it was the year of “The Godfather.”

If you have only seen stage versions of “Cabaret,” this very different film offers an enjoyable surprise. Stream on HBO Max, rent on Amazon, Apple, others.

“West Side Story”

At age 25, Stephen Sondheim saw himself as a composer and did not want to write lyrics for this show. He was encouraged by his mentor, Oscar Hammerstein, who said, “You’ll learn something.”

And so Sondheim got together with composer Leonard Bernstein. They wrote “Something’s Coming” in one day in Bernstein’s apartment. Both were baseball fans: “Catch the moon, one-handed catch.” When the show opened on Broadway in 1957, their reimagining of Romeo and Juliet on the streets of Manhattan became an instant landmark musical.

The 1961 movie, directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, won many awards, but it might be hard to watch today, with a miscast Natalie Wood, the Sharks in brown-face, and most songs dubbed by ghost singers.

You should watch the 2021 film, in which Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner update this classic in spectacular fashion. Rachel Zegler made her film debut as Maria; she won the role at age 16 in an open casting call. She looks lovely and has a thrilling voice. Ariana DeBose won an Oscar for her role as Anita.

The dance numbers are stunning and more realistic and suitable to the action than the choreography in the stage versions. In short, a great play renewed as a great movie. Stream on HBO Max.

Latest News

Demolition of Millerton’s fire-damaged highway and water building begins

Demolition crews from BELFOR Property Restoration began demolishing the fire-ravaged Water and Highway Department building in the Village of Millerton on Monday, Oct. 27

Photo by Aly Morrissey

MILLERTON — The long-awaited demolition of Millerton’s Highway and Water Department building began Monday, Oct. 27, marking a major milestone in the village’s recovery from the February fire that destroyed the facility.

The demolition, handled by BELFOR Property Restoration, is now underway. Eddie Collins Park, located next to the site, remains open to the public, though visitors are asked to steer clear of the demolition area.

Keep ReadingShow less
Keane Stud developers present environmental impact analysis

A preliminary draft of an impact analysis study for a Keane Stud subdivision application drew residents to a Planning Board meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 22.

Photo by leila Hawken

AMENIA — Residents had the opportunity on Wednesday, Oct. 22, to weigh in on the proposed Keane Stud subdivision, a plan that would divide roughly 605 acres into 27 mostly residential lots, during a meeting of the Amenia Planning Board.

The session was part of the State Environmental Quality Review Act process, following the board’s decision that a Draft Environmental Impact Statement should be prepared to evaluate potential environmental and scenic impacts from the project.

Keep ReadingShow less
Amenia investigates budget officer over use of clerk’s signature
Amenia Town Hall on Route 22.
Nathan Miller

AMENIA — Amenia budget officer Charlie Miller has been accused of submitting the town’s tentative budget with an old signature from Town Clerk Dawn Marie Klingner.

Klingner said she reported the issue to the Town Board in executive session on Oct. 3, prompting members to assign the town’s labor attorney, Robert Schofield, to investigate.

Keep ReadingShow less
Local, county candidates gather for NorthEast-Millerton Library forum

Millerton and North East residents crowded into the NorthEast-Millerton Library Annex on Friday, Oct. 24, to hear from 10 candidates seeking office.

Photo by Christian Murray

MILLERTON — A crowd of about 60 people filled the NorthEast-Millerton Library Annex for a political Q&A session with candidates for local and county offices on Friday, Oct. 24.

Panels of candidates rotated across the stage, answering questions submitted beforehand and impromptu questions from audience members in the room.

Keep ReadingShow less