ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway (2007)

Going behind the curtain to capture the most controversial, passionate, risky and high-profile Broadway season in decades.

Director:

Dori Berinstein

Writers:

Dori Berinstein, Richard Hankin

Stars:

Alissa Anderegg, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Rob Ashford

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Alissa Anderegg	...	Self
Kristen Anderson-Lopez	...	Self
Rob Ashford	...	Self
Chris Boneau	...	Self
Boy George	...	Self
Ben Brantley	...	Self
Harrison Chad	...	Self
Carol Channing	...	Self
Kristin Chenoweth	...	Self
Wayne Cilento	...	Self
Hope Clarke	...	Self
Jennifer Cody	...	Self
Dioni Michelle Collins	...	Self
Nancy Marlowe Coyne	...	Self
Alan Cumming	...	Self

Storyline

Follows the four high-profile productions that would eventually become Tony nominees for Best Musical of 2004: "Wicked," (currently the highest grossing musical of all time), the Rosie O'Donnell/Boy George musical brought from London, "Taboo," Tony Kushner's "Caroline, or Change," and a grown-up puppet show called "Avenue Q." Digging behind the scenes, from casting and out-of-town previews to the suspense-filled Tony Awards, "ShowBusiness" provides an engrossing look at the inner workings of Broadway musicals. Listening in to critics around the dinner table, interviews with the creators, footage of rehearsals and openings all combine to make this one of the most entertaining documentaries (and dramas) about the world of musical theater.

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Plot Keywords:

f rated | 

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Taglines:

The Real Drama is Behind the Curtain.

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Genres:

Documentary

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for language and some sexual references

Did You Know?

Trivia

The song that Idina Menzel sings over the credits is a much-changed version of "Lullaby of Broadway," written by Al Dubin and Harry Warren. The song originally appeared in the Warner Brothers film Gold Diggers of 1935 (1935)and won the 1936 Academy Award for Best Original Song. It was one of many Warren and Dubin songs eventually included in the 1980 musical "42nd Street" (based mostly, but not entirely, on their 1933 movie of the same name). The version that Menzel sings in this documentary was arranged by Jan Folkson and Jeanine Tesori and given an almost entirely new tune, as well as some new lyrics - a spoken interlude drawn from Harlem Renaissance poet Claude McKay's 1920 poem "On Broadway;" Billy Porter performed the McKay portion of the song.

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Crazy Credits

At one point during the end credits, the recording session for Idina Menzel's version of "Lullaby of Broadway" is shown.

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Soundtracks

Popular
Music & Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Grey Dog Music
Performed by Kristin Chenoweth

User Reviews

A True Valentine to One Tumultuous Broadway Season Full of Insight and Energy

The odds against a Broadway musical becoming a profitable hit make Hollywood studio film deals seem like a sure thing by comparison. However, there is a more palpable energy to live theater and arguably a genuine sense of risk. Filmmaker Dori Berinstein has captured this high-wire dynamic in spades with this enthusiastic 2007 documentary, which covers the 2003-04 Broadway season culminating in the Tony Awards held in June. There are plenty of random shots from the season's shows and even coverage of a little-known rehearsal ritual of having the most prolific cast member wear a gypsy robe before opening. Berinstein's focus is primarily on four disparate musicals – the successful $14-million "Wizard of Oz"-inspired extravaganza, "Wicked"; a socially conscious period piece, the powerful "Caroline, or Change"; the glam-rock Boy George autobiography, the financially stunted 'Taboo"; and the season's underdog, the adult-oriented comic paean to Sesame Street, "Avenue Q".

Bouncing between the productions in various stages of development, the filmmaker intersperses brief interviews with the producers, directors, writers and principal actors, as well as scabrous roundtable conversations about the spotlighted shows among the influential theater critics who have the power to close a show with a scathing review. The diverse combination of perspectives provides interesting fodder, even though given the wealth of material gathered here, the treatment sometimes feels truncated and cursory, for example, composer Stephen Schwartz and star Idina Menzel are given plenty of attention on "Wicked", but not nearly as much is lavished on co-star Kristin Chenoweth or the other creative forces behind the show. Intriguingly, the near-legendary backstage turmoil behind "Taboo" is mentioned, but very little of that tension is evident in the rehearsal scenes or the interviews with producer Rosie O'Donnell, Boy George or stars Euan Morton and Raúl Esparza.

Even though it is not remotely a warts-and-all type of film, there are refreshingly candid comments from O' Donnell and Boy George about the unfair press coverage "Taboo" received from the New York Post's smarmy Michael Riedel. There are also moments that are surprisingly poignant like "Caroline" star Tonya Pinkins recounting her grief-filled back story and Morton near tears as he talks about his post-close struggles. Easily the most amusing scenes spotlight the young, precocious composers of "Avenue Q", Jeff Marx and Bobby Perez, who seem to have accidentally backed into their show idea and ironically came out the true victors. The interviews with Marx's proud but dumbfounded father are especially hilarious. As a Broadway aficionado, I couldn't help but wish there were more musical moments included beyond the snippets shown, in particular, more of Pinkins' stirring turn in her show or the wildly talented Esparza's cross-dressing turn in "Taboo". But otherwise, this all-access peek into the Broadway theater scene is genuinely insightful and wonderfully entertaining.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 April 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,829, 13 May 2007

Gross USA:

$151,792

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$151,792

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dramatic Forces

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color