cityofsound-unofficial:

prettywrittenthings:

“A film, a piece of theatre, a piece of music, or a book can make a difference. It can change the world.”

— Alan Rickman

We firmly believe music can change the world!

Alice May: “Alice at the Palace” (1981 filmed stage musical)

This 1981 filmed version of the 1980 off-Broadway musical Alice in Concert is one of my favorite underrated Aliceadaptations… and not just because it stars a 32-year-old Meryl Streep as Alice. The show’s composer-lyricist Elizabeth Swados described it as a “music hall,” a Victorian form of vaudeville theatre that featured variety acts, which naturally lends itself to the episodic Alice stories. With minimalist sets and a hodgepodge of modern and Victorian costumes, only Alice herself is the same person throughout, while each of the eleven ensemble members take on multiple roles. The show is almost fully sung, and the songs are written in a wide variety of styles: Broadway, folk, jazz, blues, country, barbershop, klezmer, parlor song, and more. (In this way it recalls Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.) This quirky musical obviously won’t suit all tastes, but it does suit mine. It captures the madcap yet intelligent spirit of the books in a unique way, with infectious music and an excellent cast led by a magnificent rising star.

Like many other Alices, this one adapts both Alice’s Adventures in WonderlandandThrough the Looking-Glass, although theLooking-Glass portion is very truncated. The Wonderland scenes have a light, broadly comic tone, while the Looking-Glass scenes are slightly darker and more melancholy, though still with comic relief.

While it might be an acquired taste to see Meryl Streep play a 7-year-old, she fully embodies the role of Alice, showing off her beautiful singing voice and dancing skills as well as mastering realistic childlike mannerisms. Admittedly, she plays a more modern child than Carroll’s Alice (goofier, more tomboyish and less refined), but in this lively musical it works. Other standouts are Debbie Allen as a vivacious dancing Queen of Hearts, Richard Cox as the Caterpillar, the Mad Hatter and the Jabberwock, a young Michael Jeter displaying his comic chops as Bill the Lizard, the Pig-Baby and the Dormouse, falsetto singer Rodney Hudson as the Cheshire Cat and the Unicorn, and Mark Linn-Baker as the White Rabbit, the March Hare, the White Knight, and a Yiddish-accented Mock Turtle. Fans of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood will also recognize Betty Aberlin among the female ensemble members.

This is a very unusual Alice, but absolutely worth seeing!

@ariel-seagull-wings,@superkingofpriderock,@faintingheroine,@the-blue-fairie,@amalthea9

Alice May: “Alice Through the Looking Glass” (1966 TV musical)

Stand-alone adaptations of Through the Looking-Glass are rare, so naturally I was excited to see this star-studded TV musical from 1966. While it’s not the most faithful rendition of Carroll’s book, it’s an enjoyable little fantasy romp all the same.

This version of Alice (Judi Rolin) is invited through the mirror by the Red King (Robert Coote), who obviously isn’t asleep in this adaptation, and who is then joined by the Red Queen (Agnes Moorhead), the White King (Ricardo Montalbán), and the White Queen (Nanette Fabray) in introducing her to the topsy-turvy charms of Looking-Glass Land. Unfortunately, the kings and queens admit that they’re currently powerless, because the evil Jabberwock (not just a monster here, but a sapient, talking beast played by Jack Palance) has taken over the kingdom. But the spunky Alice urges them to fight back. Inspired, the kings and queens send her on her journey to become a queen herself, in hope that she’ll inspire all the people of Looking-Glass Land to rise up against the Jabberwock… who of course will do all he can to stop her.

Besides, this new framing device, the script also adds a scene where the witches from Snow White, Sleeping BeautyandHansel & Gretel are sent by the Jabberwock to mislead Alice, but fail because she’s too fairy tale-savvy, and a new character, Lester the Jester (Roy Castle), who helps Alice whenever she’s in need.

Obviously, this is less Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass than it is a low-budget knockoff of The Wizard of Oz withLooking-Glass trappings: Alice in place of Dorothy, the Jabberwock as the Wicked Witch of the West, and Lester the Jester as the Scarecrow. Still, its charms are worth appreciating. 20-year-old Judi Rolin is an endearing Alice with an excellent singing voice, even if her acting is over-the-top at times, and the celebrities who surround her all shine: all the ones listed above, as well as the Smothers Brothers as Tweedledum and Tweedledee, and Jimmy Durante perfectly cast as Humpty Dumpty. The songs by Moose Charlap (best known for the classic 1954 musical of Peter Pan) are charming too, even if their tone is often too brassy and all-American to be Carrollian.

This is far from a definitive Looking-Glass, but it’s worth seeing.

@ariel-seagull-wings,@superkingofpriderock,@faintingheroine,@the-blue-fairie,@amalthea9

beardedmrbean:

dynastylnoire:

Reposted from @babatunde_hiphopera Gotta thank OluawaMozart and @happimusic for this beat

funny-tik-toks:

viejospellejos:

padre modo épico

https://youtu.be/BzZpQ6P4XnA

HI I POSTED A COVER FINALLY AND GUESS WHAT YALL ITS ABSOLUTE TRASH!! You can only see it with this link because tumblr hates me but enjoy trash!!

Musical: Falsettos

Song: I’m breaking down

Ok I look really dumb and the thumbnail and quality is bad but that’s not what matters.

Naya Rivera meant a lot to me and to many others. One of my favorite songs she sang was Valerie so I decided, in my saddened state to sing it because I don’t know what else to do. I truly hope that her family and friends are getting our love and support and that people respect their privacy.

Anyway, it’s really bad and I’m not the best singer but Naya was, she was so talented and fierce and truly a bright star.

Thank you Naya Rivera, rest easy.

Song: Valerie

PROM DRESS COVERS CAUSE IM SAD AND BAD AT SINGING LOL

So here’s a classic!! Wicked which I’m so sorry lmao I’ve done it dirty and it’s bad ™ but basically I’m in my prom dress and recorded covers cause Singing in a gown is dramatic ™

Song: Defying Gravity

Musical: Defying Gravity

MORE COMING TOMORROW LOL