Musical America Blogs

By Andy Hertz

Whatever happened to the overture? For years, musicals opened with the lush sounds of a 30+ piece orchestra that entertained the audience for a few minutes before the show officially started. Today, fewer and fewer shows use overtures, and even fewer (if any) contain entr’actes. Has contemporary musical theater decided that overtures have become passe? Or are there other things that are more important than the aural opening of a show that contains no action onstage, when every minute costs money?

Perhaps authors and producers have determined that the preview of musical themes in the overture is not worth revealing. Perhaps orchestra size which has dwindled tremendously (but increased in the number of electronic and synthesized sounds), would make an overture unappealing. Perhaps there is not enough time to remind people to shut off their cell phones AND play an overture. Perhaps the cell phone announcement is today’s overture.

I have always loved the overture, often more than the songs in a show. When I went to see the Patti Lupone revival of Gypsy last year, and the overture began, played by a large orchestra and fully visible on the stage, I got chills. Not only was it a relief to hear the show the way the author originally intended it, but the music got me excited to see the rest of the show. The show was wonderful, but if it weren’t, I would have at least been enjoyed it for quite some time after hearing such a rousing piece of music.

by Cathy Barbash

Understanding that while there is no more “iron rice bowl” for performers in government-run ensembles there is now relative creative freedom, the more ambitious and savvy students in China’s major performing arts schools are beginning to take their futures into their own hands.

Beijing Dance Academy student Han Xu and a team of classmates organized a day-long forum last month on engagement in the performing arts, with a focus on musicals and hip-hop. However, she had the acumen to hold it at Beijing University, in order to reach out into the mainstream university community and benefit from identification with the nation’s leading institution of higher learning. She convinced her own department to pay all expenses, and to allow her to invite both foreign and Chinese speakers.

Tony Stimac, director of Beijing’s new private Reignwood Theater, spoke about Broadway musicals, Chen Jixin, CEO of the Oriental Broadway International Theater Co. and sometime collaborator with the Nederlander’s China enterprise, lectured on Chinese Musicals.

Xiao Chuan and the Audience

Xiao Chuan, one of China’s foremost hip-hop artists, gave a lecture demonstration on hip-hop’s history and practice, including some audience participation (see picture). Han Xu herself discussed why she had created arts leagues at Beijing’s universities, and exhorted the students to make their own musicals.

After the talking heads, excerpts from her team’s current musical were performed and critiqued by the participants, and students from the various university art leagues gave showcase performances, including rock bands, dance, and even cross-talk (a very traditional Chinese 2-person humorous dialogue-think Abbot and Costello “Who’s On First”). After this first success, Han Xu and colleagues hope to create an alliance of arts leagues at Beijing’s universities in order to further outreach efforts, cultivate leadership in the arts and begin creative and production activities.

My note to ISPA, Arts Presenters, and the Major University Presenters consortium: let’s engage in some cultural diplomacy and reach out to this nascent independent initiative.

A quick post—a reminder to those friends and colleagues who troll the internet for political and cultural news from China, that in addition to fascinating insights, one can also pick up nasty viruses not susceptible to our normal protective software. A few nights ago I was the victim—hence my delay in posting while my computer is being cleaned by experts much more skillful than I.
Cathy