The heroes and heroines of musical theatre may seem larger than life onstage, but many of them are based on actual people. In its 5th edition, Evynne Hollens' Contemporary Songbook Project, a celebration of the new generation of songwriters working in the world of post-modern musical theatre, will highlight contemporary musicals that are inspired by real-life events.
Biographical musicals give audiences a chance to connect with real-life people, sometimes heightening the experience by letting the audience get a more intimate look at the true stories of movers, shakers and celebrities of our history, as well as some, still living now.
Contemporary Songbook Project V will feature selections from the newest & hottest Broadway shows inspired by real-life events, including popular selections from the smash hit Hamilton: An American Musical as well as the currently-running Broadway award-winners Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Anastasia and the acclaimed Come From Away, following the September 11 attacks and accounting the true story of what transpired when 38 planes were ordered to land unexpectedly in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland.
Another highlight of the evening will be hearing music from the current blockbuster movie musical The Greatest Showman inspired by the true story of P. T. Barnum's creation of the Barnum & Bailey Circus and written by Broadway's hottest songwriters, Tony and Oscar-winning La La Land and Dear Evan Hansen composers Justin Paul and Benj Pasek. Other selections throughout the evening will include music from the Tony Award-winning musicals Grey Gardens, Fun Home and Assassins, the story of the several men and women who attempted (successfully or not) to assassinate Presidents of the United States. Finally, audiences will get a rare and very exciting first look at a brand new bilingual musical, based on a true story and written by Hollens and Portland singer-songwriter Anna Gilbert entitled MILAGRO.
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Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (2014-present) |
| | On Broadway (1963) Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller, Cynthia Weil, Barry Mann (w/m) |
| | 1650 Broadway Medley (2014) Beautiful: The Carol King Musical | |
Come From Away (2017-present) |
| | 38 Planes (2017) Come From Away David Hein, Irene Sankoff (w/m) |
Hamilton: An American Musical |
| | Helpless (2015) Hamilton: An American Musical Lin-Manuel Miranda (w/m) |
| | Burn (2015) Hamilton: An American Musical Lin-Manuel Miranda (w/m) |
| | I Know Him (2015) Hamilton: An American Musical Lin-Manuel Miranda (w/m) |
| | Ring Of Keys (2013) Fun Home Lisa Kron (w) Jeanine Tesori (m) |
| | Peas In A Pod (2006) Grey Gardens Michael Korie (w) Scott Frankel (m) |
| | Will You (2006) Grey Gardens Michael Korie (w) Scott Frankel (m) |
Anastasia (1996, 2016-present) |
| | My Petersburg (2016) Anastasia Lynn Ahrens (w) Stephen Flaherty (m) |
The Greatest Showman (2017) |
| | Come Alive (2017) The Greatest Showman Justin Paul, Benj Pasek (w/m) |
| | The Other Side (2017) The Greatest Showman Justin Paul, Benj Pasek (w/m) |
| | This Is Me (2017) The Greatest Showman Justin Paul, Benj Pasek (w/m) |
| | From Now On (2017) The Greatest Showman Justin Paul, Benj Pasek (w/m) |