Portal:Musical Theatre/Did you know/Archive

[edit] 2007

...A Chorus Line was derived from several taped workshop sessions with Broadway dancers, known as "gypsies," including eight who eventually appeared in the original cast?
...the double snap in Chicago's "Razzle Dazzle" was added as an afterthought at the suggestion of Fred Ebb to John Kander. Kander did not like the idea, but Ebb thought Bob Fosse, the choreographer, would love it?
...the title of Fiddler on the Roof stems from a painting by Marc Chagall, one of many surreal paintings he created of Eastern European Jewish life?
...Godspell originated in 1970 as John-Michael Tebelak master's thesis project, under the direction of Lawrence Carra, at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania?

..."Tear It Up and Throw It Away" is the the only original number cut from Avenue Q. In the song, Kate Monster is called for jury duty and won't be able to go to the aquarium with Nicky. Nicky tells her to pretend she didn't get the summons and that nobody will notice if you just don't go. Rick Lyon and Stephanie D'Abruzzo recorded the song, and while it is not on the cast recording, it is included with a souvenir program.
...The Frogs (musical by Stephen Sondheim was originally performed in Yale University's gymnasium's swimming pool in the mid-70s. Sondheim compared the acoustics of the original production to "performing in a urinal."
...the musical Pippin was originally conceived by Steven Schwartz as Pippen, Pippen, a student musical performed by the Carnegie Mellon's Scotch'n'Soda theatre troupe.