tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11396959.post8214646844909308952..comments2008-04-21T19:38:10.005-04:00Carolyn Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09840736596995191798noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11396959.post-52771843894372884132008-04-21T19:38:00.000-04:002008-04-21T19:38:00.000-04:00Stephen Schwartz was contacted several years ago by director Michael Bobbitt about reinventing several of his songs. He attended a workshop in Houston last September (that included more songs than what we are currently showcasing) and, for the most part, he loved what he heard and saw. He has given his complete blessing for The Stephen Schwartz Project.<BR/><BR/>-Kevin Laughon, Production ManagerCarolyn Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09840736596995191798noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11396959.post-92047404510364945192008-04-19T14:12:00.000-04:002008-04-19T14:12:00.000-04:00I can't tell you how much I was looking forward to seeing your current show since Stephen Schwartz has been one of my favorite Broadway composers for many years. Admittedly that opinion was based mainly on 'Godspell', 'Pippin', and 'Wicked', really his only three blockbusters. I was eager to hear music from other shows I did not know -- 'Baker's Wife', 'Children of Eden', etc.<BR/> <BR/>90 minutes later I left your theater (Thursday, April 17th) feeling almost ripped off. Why oh why did the creators of your 'Project' feel they had to obliterate the tunes of virtually all his music? I hardly recognized any of the songs, even the venerable 'Day By Day'. Halfway through the show I consulted my program to verify that, indeed, Schwartz wrote the MUSIC for my three favorites of his and was not just the lyricist.<BR/> <BR/>I'm totally baffled and would love some kind of explanation from someone near the show. Toward the end of what became an excruciating 90 minutes, I turned to one of my companions and remarked that all the numbers were sounding alike -- almost atonal keyboard renditions of what could have passed for a Cirque du Soleil score. <BR/> <BR/>I don't mean to detract from the performances of the winsome young cast. I'm only sorry that since many of them were born long after the best of Schwartz's music had left Broadway, they've probably never enjoyed the true melodies of the songs they were parodying.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com