Book Vs Movie: “Cabaret”
The Backstory Behind One of the Most Popular Musicals of All Time
“Musicals in March”
The Margos are adhering to the motto “life is a cabaret!” this week with our deep dive into a musical that is based on a book about Berlin’s underground night scene in the 1930s by Christopher Isherwood (Goodbye to Berlin.)
From there it became a Broadway play by John van Druten--I Am a Camera in the early 1950s with a movie starring Julie Harris that gives new meaning to the word dull!
In the mid-1960s Broadway legends, John Kander and Fred Ebb (Chicago) created the book and music for Cabaret with a book by Joe Masteroff which was set in 1929-1930 Berlin when the Nazis were gaining power and the bon vivant lifestyle was being ostracized. (And Jewish people were basically deemed “illegal” and lost their right to own property or their own businesses.)
Sally Bowles is one of the theater’s most interesting creations. Based on a friend of Isherwood’s, Jean Ross, Sally is a terrible singer who somehow makes a living at the “Kit Kat Club” in Berlin. Perpetually broke, she lives with American writer Cliff Bradshaw.
They have something of a romance (in between them both having affairs with men.) When Sally becomes pregnant and Hitler is rising in power--she realizes that the party is over and she needs to flee.
Throughout the musical, there are several memorable tunes and (depending on the choreographer) sexy “jazz babies” who backup Sally on stage.
The Harold Prince-directed show premiered in November 1966 and swept the Tonys the following year. There have been several revivals on Broadway and on the London stage throughout the years with an array of Sally’s including Judi Dench, Michelle Williams, Jane Horrocks, Natasha Richardson, and Emma Stone.
The part of the emcee was originally played by Joel Grey as an asexual character with rouged cheeks. Later, Alan Cumming would create a highly sexual version in a production directed by Sam Mendes and still plays the character to this day!
In this episode, we will focus on the 1972 film directed by Bob Fosse (with uncredited assistance by Gwen Verdon) and stars Liza Minelli. It is the basis for all of the sexier versions that have been produced since. It would go on to win several Academy Awards including Best Director and Actress.
So between the original book/play and the film--which did we prefer? Have a listen and find out!
In this ep the Margos discuss:
- The story of Christopher Isherwood and Jean Ross
- The Broadway play which won a few Tonys and was the basis of the very tepid film adaptation
- Bob Fosse & Gwen Verdon--how they changed musicals forever
- The cast: Liza Minelli (Sally Bowles,) Michel York (Brian Roberts,) Helmut Griem (Maxmillian von Huene,) Joel Grey (Emcee,) Fritz Weppe (Fritz Wendel,) Marissa Berenson (Natalia Landauer,) Elisabeth Neumann-Vietel (Fraulin Schneider,) and Helen Vita (Fraulein Mayr.)
Clips used:
- Brain and Sally meet for the first time
- I Am a Camera trailer
- Cabaret trailer
- “Mein Herr” (Sally)
- Jill Holloway as Sally Bowles 1967 Grammy Awards
- Liza sings Cabaret in the 1972 film
- Jane Horrocks as Sally Bowles (Sam Mendes production in 1993)
- Natasha Richardson (1998 Broadway revival)
- “Willkommen” (Emcee)
- Outro Music: “Wilkommen”Alan Cumming
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Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com brooklynfitchick@gmail.com
Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/
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Book Vs Movie: “West Side Story” Vs "Romeo and Juliet"
The Shakespeare Classic & the 1961 Musical Which Swept the Academy Awards
“March Musicals!”
Oh, Book Vs Movie fans--where art thou?
The Margos are kickin’ it with “Musicals in March” and for this episode, we decided to use one of the most adapted Shakespeare tales (which is really saying something!) and match it with one of the most ambitious films of the early 1960s.
William Shakespeare uses poetry, metaphors, comedy, tragedy, and a story about doomed young lovers which has entranced (or annoyed) audiences and high school students who had “Romeo & Juliet” on their reading curriculum for decades now. Originally published in the 1590s, there have been several direct adaptations for stage and screen.
Romeo & Juliet are teens in love who are thwarted by the prejudice of their feuding clans and are a symbol for starcrossed lovers who are fated to be together. It’s not the feel-good hit of the summer--but it is beautiful and it’s hard not to feel something when ultimately their love has them make desperate choices (spoiler!)
In the 1950s, Arthur Laurents wrote the book for the musical West Side Story which had Jermone Robbins create the choreography and the music in part by future songwriting superstar Stephen Sondheim. It became a smash on Broadway in 1957 and there have been several revivals since. Oh, and Leonard Bernstein’s score is one of his best.
The setting is now in late 1950s New York City where two different gangs The Jets (who are caucasian) and The Sharks (who are Puerto Rican) fight over their “turf.” Former Jet Tony falls in love with Maria whose brother is the leader of The Sharks.
The movie stars Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, and Rita Moreno. The vocals for Wood are once again provided by Marni Nixon (we talked about her when we discussed My Fair Lady previously.
So between the original play and the 1961 film--which did we prefer? Have a listen and find out!
In this ep the Margos discuss:
- The story of Romeo & Juliet
- The creative team behind the musical adaptation
- The cast: Natalie Wood (Maria,) Richard Beymer (Tony,) Russ Tamblyn (Riff,) Rita Moreno (Anita,) George Chakiris (Bernardo,) and Tucker Smith (Ice.)
Clips used:
- Romeo and Juliet (1968) “balcony scene”
- West Side Story (1961) trailer
- Tony & Maria “balcony scene”
- America with Tina & the Shark Girls
- “The Dance at the Gym/Mambo”
- “I Feel Pretty” Maria
- “Mambo"
- Outro Music: “Mambo” by Leonard Bernstein
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Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.com
Email us at bookversusmoviepodcast@gmail.com
Brought to you by Audible.com You can sign up for a FREE 30-day trial here http://www.audible.com/?source_code=PDTGBPD060314004R
Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com brooklynfitchick@gmail.com
Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/
Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine
Book Vs Movie: “Cats”
The Poems of T.S. Eliot, the Andrew Lloyd Webber Musical & the 2019 Tom Hooper-Directed Movie
“March Musicals Month!”
We are deep into “Musicals in March and this episode is an offbeat delight on how some of the best musicals can come from such an unusual source.
Poet T.S. Eliot (1888-1965) wrote poetry about cats to amuse his nieces, nephews, and godchildren with the collection Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. These poems talked about how to name a cat, why cats love the moonlight, and “Jellicle Cats” and held a particular fascination with Andrew Lloyd Webber who wanted to write music that matched the words of Eliot.
The musical Cats was considered a big risk as in the early 1980s London was dealing with high unemployment and a lack of funds from the government for artistic projects. Somehow Weber managed to get just enough funds to open in London in 1981 (the investment would return 3.500 times over) and became a sensation.
In London, the show ran for 21 years (8,949 shows) and the Broadway run was for 18 years and changed the way shows are promoted and marketed. Weber would go on to create the all-time biggest hit on Broadway with the Phantom of the Opera.
The 2019 film features stars like Judi Dench, Idris Alba, Rebel Wilson, Jennifer Hudson, and Ian McKellan and directed by Tom Hooper (Chicago) in what can be described as an acid flashback meets CGI. (We do get a new Taylor Swift song so--yay?)
So between the original play (musical) and the 2019 adaptation--which did we prefer? Have a listen and find out!
In this ep the Margos discuss:
- The life of T.S. Eliot
- The incredible path of a book of poems to the London stage
- The cast: Judi Dench (Old Deuteronomy,) Jennifer Hudson (Grizabella the Glamour Cat,) Rebel Wilson (Jennanydots,) James Cordon (Bustopher Jones,) Taylor Swift (Bombalurina,) Ian McKellen (Gus,) and Idris Alba (Macavity the Mystery Cat.)
Clips used:
- Cats trailer
- Rebel Wilson & James Corden at the Oscars
- Taylor Swift Macavity the Mystery Cat
- Rebel Wilson & Jason Derulo “The Rum Tum Tugger”
- Rebel Wilson “Jennyadots”
- Outro Music: “The Ad-Dressing of Cats” Judi Dench
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Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com brooklynfitchick@gmail.com
Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/
Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine
Book Vs Movie: “My Fair Lady” & “Pygmalion”
The George Bernard Shaw Play Vs the George Cukor Movie Musical
“March Musicals Month!”
The Margos are working heavy on our diction to prepare for this ep.
The original story of Pygmalion is based in Greek mythology where an artist falls in love with their own sculpture and is then rejected by them. Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw took the material and in 1913 created the play which tells the story of Henry Higgins, a professor of phonetics who believes he can transform a person’s status in society by altering their accents and teaching them proper manners.
Eliza Doolittle enters this world as a poor woman who sells flowers to sustain herself as she exists in poverty. Professor Higgins’s friend Colonel Pickering has recently traveled to India and the two take on the idea of turning Dooltilte into a “Duchess” with proper training. She can’t afford lessons so it becomes a bet between Higgins and Pickering on how well she does.
The process of Dooltittle’s training and whether Higgins and Doolittle wind up a couple make up this “a tale of differing manners” comedy. In 1914, a happy ending was tacked on (with the implication that teacher and student wind up getting married) infuriated Shaw who thought it was way too cheerful and not realistic.
The play was adapted into a 1938 movie starred Leslie Howard and was the first to feature the diction lesson “the rain in Spain falls mainly in the plane.” Shaw wound up winning an Academy Award for the screenplay.
A 1956 musical version followed that starred Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews) became a sensation as “My Fair Lady.” Hollywood’s version also starred Harrison and (controversially) Audrey Hepburn over Julie Andrews as Doolittle.
So between the original play and the 1964 musical--which did we prefer? Have a listen and find out!
In this ep the Margos discuss:
- The life of George Bernard Shaw
- How the story has changed over the years
- The cast: Rex Harrison (Henry Higgins,) Audrey Hepburn (Eliza Doolittle,) Stanley Holloway (Alfred Doolittle,) Wilfrid Hyde-White (Colonel Hugh Pickering,) Gladys Cooper (Mrs. Higgins,) Jeremy Brett (Freddy Eynsford-Hill,) Theodore Bikel (Zoltan Karpathy,) Mona Washbourne (Mrs. Pearce,) Isabel Elsom (Mrs. Evynsford-Hill,) and John Holland (Butler.)
Clips used:
- My Fair Lady trailer
- Eliza learns elocution with marbles
- My Fair Lady overture
- “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face” last scene
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Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com brooklynfitchick@gmail.com
Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/
Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine