The Frogs (musical)
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| The Frogs | |
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| Theatrical poster for the 2004 Broadway production of The Frogs | |
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| Music | Stephen Sondheim |
| Lyrics | Stephen Sondheim |
| Book | Burt Shevelove Nathan Lane |
| Based upon | Aristophanes The Frogs |
| Productions | 1974 Yale University swimming pool 2004 Broadway |
The Frogs is a musical "freely adapted" by Stephen Sondheim and Burt Shevelove from The Frogs, an Ancient Greek comedy by Aristophanes, originally performed in Yale University's gymnasium's swimming pool in the mid-70s.
Dionysus, despairing of the quality of living dramatists, travels to Hades to bring George Bernard Shaw back from the dead. William Shakespeare competes with Shaw for the title of best playwright, which he wins. Dionysus chooses to bring Shakespeare back instead, thereby improving the world, and its political situation. This original production is most famous for having Meryl Streep, Sigourney Weaver and Christopher Durang in its ensemble. Sondheim compared the acoustics of the original production to "performing in a urinal."
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[edit] Broadway production
A considerably expanded revival production, "even more freely adapted" by Nathan Lane, opened on Broadway at the Vivian Beaumont Theater on July 22, 2004, with Nathan Lane and Roger Bart headlining. (Chris Kattan had co-starred in previews, but was fired and replaced by Bart a week before the show opened.) John Byner, Daniel Davis, Peter Bartlett, Burke Moses, and Michael Siberry all appeared in supporting roles, with a young and attractive chorus dancing and performing acrobatics, including a frog ballet on bungee cords. Both the original and the revised versions were orchestrated by Jonathan Tunick. Susan Stroman was both director and choregrapher. The production closed on Oct 10, 2004 after a limited run of 92 performances.
[edit] Songs
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[edit] Recordings
There are two recordings of the score available, both starring Nathan Lane. The first is a concert performance with Lane, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Davis Gaines released in 2001 by Nonesuch Records, and also contains the first complete recording of Sondheim's Evening Primrose songs. The 2004 Broadway production starring Lane and Roger Bart was released by PS Classics.
[edit] External links
- The Frogs at the Internet Broadway Database
- Opening Night: 'The Frogs', interviews and footage from the 2004 production (5 minutes, Flash video)
- Sondheim Guide
- Review of recording, Feb. 6, 2005
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