Music Henry Krieger Book Charles Blackwell Originally published 1 January 1988 Lyricist Robert Lorick | Lyrics Robert Lorick Productions 1983 Broadway Playwright Charles Blackwell Composer Henry Krieger | |
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Basis Louise Fitzhugh novel Nobody's Family is Going to Change Adapted from Nobody's Family Is Going to Change Characters Dipsey, Ginnie, Dulcie, Emma, Carole, Willie, Daddy Bates, William Similar Bring in 'da Noise - Bring in 'd, Jelly's Last Jam, Sophisticated Ladies, Dreamgirls, Black and Blue | ||
The tap dance kid
The Tap Dance Kid is a musical based on the novel Nobody's Family is Going to Change by Louise Fitzhugh. It was written by Charles Blackwell with music by Henry Krieger and lyrics by Robert Lorick.
Contents
Productions
The musical opened on Broadway on December 21, 1983 at the Broadhurst Theatre and ran until March 11, 1984. On March 27, 1984 it resumed performances at the Minskoff Theatre, closing on August 11, 1985, for a total run of 669 performances. Directed by Vivian Matalon with musical staging and dances by Danny Daniels, it featured Hinton Battle, Samuel E. Wright, Hattie Winston, Martine Allard, and Alfonso Ribeiro as Willie. In 1984 Ribeiro's 10-year-old understudy, Savion Glover, took over the title role.
Reviews were mixed. Frank Rich, in his review for The New York Times praised the choreography and many actors' performances but saw the plot as "earnest [but] plodding" and the music forgettable.
A production directed by Jerry Zaks with choreography by Danny Daniels ran at the Pantages Theatre, Los Angeles, California, in September 1985 as part of a tour. This production also ran in Miami Beach, Florida in April 1986 and Chicago, Illinois in May 1986.
Plot overview
The title character, Willie, is a 10-year-old boy who comes from an upper middle class African-American family. He dreams of becoming a dancer but faces opposition from his father, a lawyer. The second act is devoted to Willie's imaginations of stardom.