Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk

Bring in 'da Noise,
Bring in 'da Funk
Music Daryl Waters
Zane Mark
Ann Duquesnay
Lyrics Reg E. Gaines
George C. Wolfe
Ann Duquesnay
Book Reg E. Gaines
Productions 1995 Off Broadway
1996 Broadway

Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk is a musical that debuted Off-Broadway at the New York Shakespeare Festival/Public Theater in 1995 and moved to Broadway in 1996. The show was conceived and directed by George C. Wolfe, and featured music by Daryl Waters, Zane Mark and Ann Duquesnay; lyrics by Reg E. Gaines, George C. Wolfe and Ann Duquesnay; and a book by Reg E. Gaines. The choreography was by Savion Glover.

Productions

Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk premiered off-Broadway at the Public Theater's Newman Theatre on November 3, 1995 and closed on January 28, 1996 after 85 performances. Directed by George C. Wolfe with costumes by Karen Perry, set design by Ricardo Hernandez, lighting by Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, the cast included Savion Glover, Duquesnay, Gaines, and Dule Hill.[1]

The musical moved to the Ambassador Theatre on Broadway, opening there on April 25, 1996. The show closed after 1135 performances on January 10, 1999. The opening night cast included Jeffrey Wright, Glover, Duquesnay and Hill. Again directed by Wolfe, with sets and lighting by the off-Broadway team, costume design was by Paul Tazewell.[2] Glover left the show but returned for 40 performances from December 8, 1998 through January 10, 1999.[3]

Glover toured with the musical in 2002.[4]

The Original Broadway Cast recording was issued by RCA Victor (09026-68565-2).[5]

Concept

Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk is a musical revue telling the story, through tap, of black history from slavery to the present. The musical numbers are presented along with supertitles, projected images and videotapes and with continuing commentary.

Wolfe took the rap words of Reg E. Gaines and turned them into "tap/rap (tap dancing informed by hip-hop and funk rhythms)."[6]

Songs

[2][7]

Act 1
  • Bring in 'da Noise Bring in 'da Funk
  • The Door to Isle Goree
  • Slave Ships
  • Som'thin' From Nuthin'/ The Circle Stomp
  • The Pan Handlers
  • The Lynching Blues
  • Chicago Bound
  • Shifting Sounds
  • Industrialization
  • The Chicago Riot Rag
  • I Got the Beat/Dark Tower
  • The Whirligig Stomp

Act 2
  • Now That's Tap Grin & Flash
  • The Uncle Huck-a-Buck Song
  • Kid Go!
  • The Lost Beat Swing
  • 1956, Them Conkheads
  • 1967, Hot Fun
  • 1977, Blackout
  • 1987, Gospel/Hip Hop Rant
  • Drummin'
  • Taxi
  • Conversations
  • Bring in 'da Noise Bring in 'da Funk (Reprise)

Response

The New York Times review said that "Mr. Glover has found choreographic equivalents for the black experience in the days of plantations, urban industrialization, the Harlem Renaissance and latter-day race riots...This sense of flaming individuality is finally what the evening is about: not just the collective history of a race but the diverse and specific forms of expression that one tradition embraces." [8]

The show is "an explosive and bravely literal-minded chronicle of the genre's history from slavery to the present. The music is beautiful and the dancing exuberant, but Funk is serious business, with vicious, funny send-ups of Uncle Tomism in Hollywood."[9]

The New York Times wrote: "as dance, as musical, as theater, as art, as history and entertainment, there's nothing Noise/Funk cannot and should not do." (Margo Jefferson)[6]

The musical made an "extraordinary political statement ... as well as the equally significant growth in dance this show launched." [4]

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production

Year Award Category Nominee Result
1996 Tony Award Best Musical Nominated
Best Book of a Musical Reg E. Gaines Nominated
Best Original Score Daryl Waters, Zane Mark, Ann Duquesnay, George C. Wolfe and Reg E. Gaines Nominated
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical Savion Glover Nominated
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical Ann Duquesnay Won
Best Direction of a Musical George C. Wolfe Won
Best Choreography Savion Glover Won
Best Costume Design Paul Tazewell Nominated
Best Lighting Design Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer Won
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Musical Nominated
Outstanding Actor in a Musical Savion Glover Nominated
Outstanding Director of a Musical George C. Wolfe Nominated
Outstanding Choreography Savion Glover Won
Outstanding Lighting Design Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer Won

Notes

  1. ↑ Internet Off-Broadway listing lortel.org, retrieved January 13, 2010
  2. 1 2 Internet Broadway Database listing ibdb.com, retrieved January 13, 2010
  3. ↑ "Glover returns to 'Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk' " highbeam.com, Reprint from New York Amsterdam News, December 30, 1998 (no credited author)
  4. 1 2 Collins, Karyn D.Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk. - dance review" findarticles.com, Reprint from Dance Magazine, April 2003
  5. ↑ Record listing cduniverse.com, retrieved January 13, 2010
  6. 1 2 Hill, p. 439
  7. ↑ Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk listing guidetomusicaltheatre.com, retrieved January 13, 2010
  8. ↑ Brantley, Ben. "Story of Tap as the Story of Blacks"The New York Times, November 16, 1995
  9. ↑ Cagle, Jess."Stage Review: Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da FunkEntertainment Weekly, June 14, 1996

References

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