Music Richard Oberacker | Playwright Richard Oberacker | |
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Lyrics Richard Oberacker
Robert Taylor Book Richard Oberacker
Robert Taylor Setting Cleveland and New York City, August to December 1945 Premiere October 8, 2015 (2015-10-08):
Paper Mill Playhouse
Millburn, New Jersey Productions 2015 Paper Mill Playhouse
2017 Broadway Similar Gigi, A Bronx Tale, Newsies, Dear Evan Hansen, Pump Boys and Dinettes | ||
Broadway s bandstand offers some musical healing
Bandstand is an original musical composed by Richard Oberacker with book and lyrics by Oberacker and Robert Taylor.
Contents
- Broadway s bandstand offers some musical healing
- Exclusive music video laura osnes sings who i was from bandstand
- Productions
- Synopsis
- Characters and original cast
- References
The musical tells the story of a mismatched band of military veterans who join together to compete in a national radio contest in New York City with a prize that will guarantee instant stardom to the winners. But with complicated relationships, the demands of the competition and the challenging after-effects of war, going all the way for a win in the contest seems like a dream that may break these musicians.
The original production of Bandstand premiered at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn in October 2015 and is expected to make its Broadway debut in April 2017 directed by Andy Blankenbuehler and starring Laura Osnes, Corey Cott and Beth Leavel.
Exclusive music video laura osnes sings who i was from bandstand
Productions
A workshop of Bandstand was held in September 2014 in New York City, and featured Laura Osnes, Corey Cott and Beth Leavel.
The show, retitled as The Bandstand, began previews on October 8, 2015, at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey, before holding its official opening on October 18, 2015, for a limited run until November 8, 2015. Direction and choreography was by Andy Blankenbuehler, with the cast that starred Corey Cott, Laura Osnes and Beth Leavel as Donny, Julia, and Mrs. Adams, respectively. The musical contains swing, bebop, and jitterbug.
The musical, its title once again Bandstand, will premiere on Broadway at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on April 26, 2017 after starting previews on March 31, with Osnes and Cott and direction and choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler. The Broadway cast features Beth Leavel, Joe Carroll, Brandon James Ellis, James Nathan Hopkins, Geoff Packard, and Joey Pero. (The transfer was first announced on November 5, 2015.)
Synopsis
According to the musical's official site, Bandstand "is the high-stepping musical about love in full swing and tells the story of musician Donny Novitski who is about to take on the mission of his life: leading his band of fellow veterans into competition for America’s next swing band sensation. However, complicated relationships, the demands of the competition and the challenging after-effects of war may break these musicians. The original score is strongly influenced by authentic 1940s swing music, much of which is played onstage by the characters and band members. When Donny meets a beautiful, young singer named Julia, he finds the perfect harmony in words and music that could take this band of brothers all the way to the live radio broadcast finale in New York City. But to succeed, it will require every ounce of talent, stamina and raw nerve that these musicians possess."
Characters and original cast
The characters and original cast: