Broadway's Musical 'Hamilton'
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lifestyle THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2015 MUSIC & MOVIES New disc matches Elvis Presley with Royal Philharmonic South Korean K-pop group Crayon Pop perform during a free K-Pop concert in Seoul. The concert, which was free for foreigners, was organized by the Korea Tourism Office in the wake of the country announcing an end to the recent MERS outbreak which took a heavy toll on the national economy, stifling consumer spending and devastating the tourist sector. Local businesses including shopping malls, restaurants and cinemas reported a sharp drop in sales as people shunned This CD cover image released by RCA shows “If I public venues with large Can Dream,” a release by Elvis Presley with the crowds. —AFP Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. — AP new CD scheduled for release in October will unite the music of Elvis Presley with the Royal APhilharmonic Orchestra on songs like “Burning Love” and “Love Me Tender.” The album, announced Broadway’s musical ‘Hamilton’ Tuesday, also features a duet with Michael Buble on “Fever” and appearances by the singers Il Volo and gui- tarist Duane Eddy. The orchestra adds its backing to original tracks recorded by Presley, who died in August 1977. “This is right down the alley for Elvis,” said Priscilla stands on the edge of history Presley, the late singer’s former wife. “This is something he would have loved to do.” t hit Broadway like a lightning bolt after the Drama Desk. (It’s only eligible for a Tony Presley said the disc, “If I Can Dream: Elvis Presley enormous buzz downtown. Celebrities after it opens on Broadway.) with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra,” was conceived Icrowded in to see it. Reviews were ecstatic. during discussions she had with producer Don And the young man behind it was the most Rap musical Reedman while she was in London acting in a play two sought-after theater figure in town. The show The backstory of “Hamilton” could easily be years ago. She admitted initial skepticism, since her role was “A Chorus Line,” which opened 40 years a musical itself: Miranda, the New York City son with Elvis’ estate requires her to sift through a lot of ago this summer and went on to run for 15 of Puerto Rican parents, came across lousy ideas for use of his name or music. But it grew on years, forever changing Broadway. Its ground- Alexander Hamilton biographer Ron her, and when Elvis’ former Las Vegas conductor breaking legacy is something many believe Chernow’s book and was inspired to write a approached her with a similar idea last year, she saw it “Hamilton” will share, but even its creator cau- musical. He debuted the first song at the White as validation. The disc, recorded in London’s famed tions patience. House. Jeffrey Seller, the Tony Award-winning Abbey Road studio, is set to come out Oct 30. “I know this show exists because of ‘A producer behind “Rent” and “Avenue Q,” was While Elvis was obviously known best for rock ‘n’ roll, Chorus Line’ and ‘Rent’ and ‘Sweeney Todd’ one of the first people to hear the music as it he had a large music collection that encompassed many and ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ and ‘1776’ and a developed in the summer of 2010. He says he’s different styles, she said. And he loved the sound of an million other shows that you could find in the still in awe of Miranda. “That he was onto orchestra. “Knowing him, he wanted bigness, he wanted DNA. It’s a love letter to all of those,” says something powerful was clear. But we never fullness, he wanted drama,” she said. “His manager at the author and star Lin-Manuel Miranda. “And so know. You don’t know where it’s going to go. time, Col. Parker, said ‘just have Elvis singing, that’s all I’m curious what shows will have the DNA of And literally we’re in a place now that I could the people want.’ But onstage, he surrounded himself ‘Hamilton’ in them. But that’s not going to be never have anticipated,” Seller says. with the music that influenced him - gospel singers, an for a while.” Few shows in recent memory “Hamilton” director, Thomas Kail, from left, and cast members Daveed Diggs, Lin- There are some warning signs in theatrical orchestra, a rock band. People didn’t get that.” have excited the New York theater communi- Manuel Miranda and Anthony Ramos begin Broadway rehearsals at the New 42nd history: “Holler if Ya Hear Me,” a rap musical She and Reedman obviously include some well- ty like Miranda’s hip-hop flavored biography Street Studios in New York. — AP featuring Tupac Shakur songs, failed last sum- known Presley songs, like “In The Ghetto” and “It’s Now about Alexander Hamilton, the nation’s first Hamilton. It could just as easily apply to were petty and jealous and had affairs and mer, and a too-cool recounting of the nation’s or Never.” But they also wanted some songs that may be treasury secretary. Miranda. “He’s a rapper and he thinks like a had scandals, but they still were able to do seventh president, “Bloody Bloody Andrew overlooked in his catalog, like Neil Diamond’s “And the “Hamilton” opens Thursday on Broadway rapper. He’s a musical theater nerd, but he remarkable things.” Jackson,” left most people puzzled. But Grass Won’t Pay You No Mind” or a version of “Bridge already having received national critical raves thinks like a rapper,” says Daveed Diggs, a rap- “Hamilton” was a sold-out sensation earlier Miranda has already proven adept at blending Over Troubled Water.” and enough advance tickets to keep it run- per and actor from California who plays this year when it debuted at the Public hip-hop, R&B and traditional show tunes in his The new disc will add to what is already one of the ning for years. The actual president of the Thomas Jefferson and the Marquis de Theater, with people paying well over 10 hit “In the Heights.” He’s also got a talented most active and successful entertainment estates, large- United States has seen it - before it officially Lafayette. times the $120 ticket price and a crush of fans director in Thomas Kail and a hungry cast that ly through the work of Priscilla and daughter Lisa Marie opened. At 35, Miranda is a unique artist able “Hamilton” is no fussy history lesson. In it, seeking lottery tickets. Celebrities like Tom also includes Broadway veterans in Odom, Presley. Forbes magazine, in its annual list of earnings by to reconnect Broadway back to popular cul- Founding Fathers swear, cheat on their wives Hanks, Dick Cheney and Madonna showed Renee Elise Goldsberry, Christopher Jackson dead entertainers, said Presley’s estate earned $55 mil- ture. He’s both a hip-hop lover and a theater and conduct rap battles over fiscal policy. It’s up. Last weekend, J-Lo went to Broadway to and Jonathan Groff. lion for the year ending October 2014. That’s second to fan, someone versed in both Sondheim and ultimately the story of an orphan immigrant see it, too. In interviews, cast members say they love Michael Jackson. Snoop Dog. He has a Tony for creating “In the from the Caribbean who rises to the highest The frenzy has its echoes in “A Chorus watching young people respond to this fresh In 2013, Presley’s intellectual property rights were Heights” and is part of a crew that freestyle ranks of American society, told by a young Line,” which attracted the likes of Diana Ross, retelling of America’s birth told in a hip-hop sold to Authentic Brands Group, signaling a new raps. African-American and Latino cast. It is not Cher and Shirley MacLaine when it, too, was vocabulary. The next step is to be inspired and activism with the estate. Priscilla Presley also said she’s your father’s Founding Fathers. “I don’t know at the Public. Back then, Michael Bennett, write their own stories. “He’s opened the door pleased with the work of Sony Legacy, the label that has American society why they don’t teach us history in this way. I who was 32, had $1 million in the bank ready because he’s set the standard,” says Okieriete taken control of packaging Presley’s music. “Elvis was a His book and score for “Hamilton” has sly don’t know why they don’t teach that these for the Broadway move - an enormous Onaodowan, who plays James Madison. “Now risk-taker,” she said. “If we kept everything status quo, references to Gilbert and Sullivan, Notorious people were human beings. They make them advance for 1975. “Hamilton” has a war chest he’s done it in such a great, prolific, clean, clear, how do we bring him into the future? How do we bring B.I.G., LL Cool J and Rodgers and demigods and they make them so far out of of $31 million, a stunning amount. It has precise way that it can’t be denied, which him current with this generation? How do we move on Hammerstein. “America, you great unfinished our reach,” says Leslie Odom Jr, who stars as already won awards from the Outer Critics opens the door for other people to start to and continue the legacy? We’re not going to let that symphony/ You sent for me,” he wrote for Aaron Burr. “These were regular people who Circle, the New York Drama Critics’ Circle and explore and hopefully get to that level.” — AP happen.” — AP Taylor Swift lets Aussie Country Music Producer and seniors ‘shake it off’ Songwriter Billy Sherrill Dies op star Taylor Swift has leapt to the aid of a Sydney theatre company illy Sherrill, the longtime Nashville only topped the country chart, but also suffering an “artistic emergency” by giving the cast of 70-somethings record producer and songwriter who broke into the top 20 of the pop singles Ppermission to dance to her chart-topper “Shake it Off”.