Please Do Not Take the Cabaret Book
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Brian Walters and John Grieco. Photo by Matthew Holler. Matthew by Photo and John Grieco. Walters Brian PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THE CABARET BOOK You may download a complete copy at Richard Hopkins, Producing Artistic Director www.floridastudiotheatre.org Table of Contents What is Cabaret? 3 Finding the Right Key 4 Piano Men in Theatre 5 Timeline 6 - 7 Ragtime 8 R&B and Motown 9 Rock n‘ Roll 10 Pop 11 Top 10 Piano Bars in the US 11 2 What is Cabaret? It began in Paris on November 18, 1881, the year in which the first and most famous cabaret of all, the Chat Noir (Black Cat), was established. Paris, during what the French like to call the Belle Epoque, was the cultural capital of Europe; the mecca of the arts to which admirers and young hopefuls flocked from one end of Europe to the other, and indeed from still farther away. If something caught on in Paris, the immense reputation of the city as the source of fashion and innovation ensured its rapid diffusion across the continent and beyond. Besides giving rise to many cabarets in Paris itself, in its own time and after it became history, the Chat Noir also inspired the introduction of cabaret in major cities throughout Europe in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In the beginning, cabaret arose as an informal grouping of artists - painters, poets, musicians, and theatre people - who felt the need to come together. It was intended as something essentially private. From 1881 to 1917, audiences were made up predominantly of artists, their friends, and a variety of cultural fellow-travellers. In post-World War I Europe, the cabaret ceased to be a novelty and by and large fulfilled its function as a locus of an emerging avant-garde. Cabarets became places of entertainment; their facilities were expanded and enhanced, their doors thrown open to the public. When developing FST’s Cabaret we took the diverse and rich history of the form to create the atmosphere you see today. Set in a turn-of-the-century Parisian Cafe and offering fresh baked food, the Cabaret is an intimate space for an intimate form of entertainment. Turn-Of-The-Century Cabaret by Harold B. Segel Artwork by Théophile Steinlen 3 Finding the Right Key A successful piano man has a classical background and technique, the ability to cross multiple genres of music, and a unique playing style and performance stemming from their music. However, it is the raw talent of these artists that has defined the piano man in American music. The 1920s and 1930s saw ragtime and jazz find new popularity. Scott Joplin and Fats Waller led the Harlem Renaissance with their music flooding the dance halls and keeping the joint jumping. The 1950s marked the explosion of rock n ’roll. Artists such as Little Richard, and Jerry Lee Lewis were known for their sexually charged lyrics, intense piano playing, and captivating live performances. Little Richard The 1960s saw the rise of Motown Records with artists like Stevie Wonder, who took the piano into the R&B, funk, and soul era. However, no one was more famous for soul music than the Father of Soul himself, Ray Charles. In The 1970s composer Barry Manilow brought adult contemporary and pop music to the charts with his new interpretations of classic songs and film compositions. The 1980s leaned more towards pop hits, but still had the edginess of rock n’ roll. Billy Joel and Elton John played sold out arenas and toured all over the world. The piano men of the 20th century crossed over multiple genres, and even helped create new ones. The piano has become an integral part of today’s pop ballads, R&B hits, and rock music, to Elton John shape a renaissance of the piano man, which continues to play an important key in pop culture. 4 Piano Men in Theatre Jordan Shaw (Stevie Wonder) in Elton John accepts the Tony for Brandyn Day (Jerry Lee Lewis) Motown: the Musical on Broadway. best musical for Billy Elliot. in Million Dollar Quartet at FST. Scott Joplin has composed several operas, Ray Charles was the Vocal Music Arranger for including A Guest of Honor and Treemonisha, of the 1983 Broadway musical revue Peg. which the latter was believed to be the predecessor to Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess. Stevie Wonder is a character in 2013’s Motown: the Musical. Fats Waller’s music is featured in the musical Ain’t Misbehavin’, which is about black musicians in Barry Manilow, along with several concerts the 1920s and 1930s. on Broadway, has written several musicals: The Drunkard (Off Broadway, 1970) and Copacabana Jerry Lee Lewis is a character in FST’s mainstage (West End, 1994) based off his famous song. production of Million Dollar Quartet, which kicked off the 16/17 season. Billy Joel‘s music was the subject of choreographer Twyla Tharp’s dance musical Movin’ Out. Elton John composed the musicals: The Lion King, Aida, Lestat, and Billy Elliot. He won the Tony for Best Score along with Tim Rice for Aida. Elton John was also the producer of the play Next Fall. 5 Artist Milestones Fats Waller Little Richard Ray Charles 1929 Fats Waller records 1956 1960 Little Richard records his first hit Ray Charles wins his first his famous tune “Ain’t single “Tutti Frutti” in three takes. Grammy Award for his song Misbehavin’.” The single reached #2 on the R&B “Georgia on My Mind.” charts and #17 on the Top 100. 1955 1957 Fats Domino earns his pop Jerry Lee Lewis breaks onto breakthrough with his first the charts with his hits “Great Billboard Top Ten hit Balls of Fire” and “Whole “Ain’t That a Shame.” Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On.” Fats Domino Jerry Lee Lewis 6 Stevie Wonder Elton John Jerry Lee Lewis & Ray Charles 1966 1986 On the verge of being let go The Rock and Roll Hall of from Motown Records, Stevie 1972 - 1975 Fame announces its first group Wonder releases “Uptight Elton John releases seven of inductees including Fats (Everything’s Alright)” which hit consecutive #1 albums. Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little #1 on the R&B Charts. Richard, and Ray Charles. 1970 1973 Barry Manilow begins working Billy Joel is signed to Columbia as Bette Midler’s pianist and Records by Clive Davis, and musical director on her tour of records the album Piano Man New York’s gay bathhouses. in Los Angeles Barry Manilow & Bette Midler Billy Joel 7 Ragtime Scott Joplin Known as the “King of Ragtime”, Scott Joplin began his music career traveling the country and playing in dance halls. His song “Maple Leaf Rag” is regarded as the most successful ragtime song of all time. During a time when ragtime was criticized for its radical form and African-American roots, Scott Joplin continued to champion the genre with several compositions and operas to prove them wrong. The 1970s saw resurgence in the popularity of his music, after the movie The Sting, starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman, featured Joplin’s song “The Entertainer”. While ragtime didn’t truly Scott Joplin catch on until after his time, Scott Joplin is one of the artists to whom ragtime owes its success. Fats Waller Born and raised in New York City, Thomas Wright “Fats” Waller began playing piano at an early age. By 15 he was a professional pianist, playing in cabarets and theatres. He wrote several songs including “Handful of Keys” and “Ain’t Misbehavin’.” By the 1930s, he had branched out to numerous radio programs and performance venues across the US and around the world. While recognized for his music, he was most known by fans for his comedic and heartwarming persona on the radio. Fats Waller 8 R&B and Motown Ray Charles Blind by the age of 7, his mother sent him to the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, where he learned to read, write, and arrange music in Braille. Ray Charles played a wide range of instruments, and was interested in gospel, country, and blues. He developed his signature piano style from Charles Brown and Nat King Cole. “I Got a Woman” combined his love for gospel and R&B, and “What’d I Say” helped Ray cross over to the pop charts. Other artists called him “The Genius”, because Ray Charles so effortlessly created music Ray Charles in so many different genres and never confined himself into a box. Stevie Wonder Before the age of 10, Stevie Wonder already knew how to play the harmonica, piano, and drums while learning music in a Detroit church. Stevie Wonder took full control of his career, studying classical music to improve his technique, and renegotiated his contract with Motown Records to have more creative control of his music as a songwriter. This helped him develop hit songs, while also winning him 15 Grammy awards in the 1970s. In the 1980s, he collaborated with Paul McCartney on “Ebony and Ivory,” and also helped the movement to create a national holiday for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Stevie Wonder 9 Rock n’ Roll Fats Domino Immersed in the New Orleans music scene, Antoine “Fats” Domino was born into a musical family. It wasn’t until he played piano under musician Billy Diamond did he get the nickname “Fats”. His first album The Fat Man was the first rock n’ roll record to sell over one Fats Domino million copies. Writing from everyday events he produced hits like “Ain’t That A Shame” and his cover of Glen Miller’s “Blueberry Hill.” Jerry Lee Lewis Known for his flamboyant playing style and energetic songs, Jerry Lee Lewis began playing piano at an early age.