Composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II have mistakenly acquired a reputation for sentimental musicals, yet this is the team that gave up shows about domestic abuse (Carousel), cross-cultural conflict (The King and I), the rise of Nazism (The Sound of Music) and racial prejudice (South Pacific). Perhaps their misguided reputation stems from the … [Read more...]
Touring ‘Sound of Music’ returns winningly to pre-movie style
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II were known for the many innovations they brought to the musical theater, but also for a signature streak of sentimentality. Both are evident in 1959’s The Sound of Music, which would prove to be their final collaboration. Director Jack O’Brien has done what he can to scrape off the layers of sugar encrusted on the show in his buoyant … [Read more...]