The powerful poetry moves Dionysus to declare Shakespeare the winner and offer him passage to the world of the living. The Frogs were an American rock music band founded in 1980, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by brothers Jimmy and Dennis Flemion. The first is a studio performance with Lane, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Davis Gaines released in 2001 by Nonesuch Records, which also contains a complete recording of Sondheim's Evening Primrose songs. Research Playwrights, Librettists, Composers and Lyricists. Undaunted, Charon steers them to the dock, where Dionysus and Xanthias disembark. The most famous frog character of all, Kermit was part of The Muppet Show since its inception (and he began life in Sesame Street), though in his earliest appearances he was actually a lizard-type creature until the production team settled on a frog. He urges us to shake off lethargy, to take action to resolve the earthly problems that plague our times. Congersman [sic] Frog: Pogo: Walt Kelly: Flipper Frog: Acorn Green: Freddie the Frog: Freddie the Frog: Peter Woolcock, Jim Turnbull Antonio Lupatelli Sergio Asteriti Gordon Hutchings. Shop and Buy The Frogs: A Musical sheet music. His body was recovered from the water on the evening of July 10. Dionysus brings Shakespeare back … Interview with Stephen Sondheim, BBC Radio 3. Please see our news section for full information.*. Join StageAgent today and unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. Dionysus brings Shakespeare back to the world of the living in the hope that art can save civilization. The musical was revived on March 19, 2017, for a limited run at London's Jermyn Street Theatre playing until April 8, 2017. Traveling on the River, Dionysus recounts the (mythologically accurate) story of his deceased wife Ariadne. Charon agrees to take Xanthias and Dionysus to the Underworld, and claims that there are no Frogs on the river. *Due to the ongoing COVID-19/Coronanvirus pandemic, performances of The Frogs are now cancelled. The 2004 Broadway production starring Lane and Roger Bart was released by PS Classics. by Aristophanes, freely adapted by Burt Shevelove, even more freely adapted by Nathan Lane. [2], A regional production opened in January 1975, but drew little interest. [20] The limited run of this show was the Australian premiere. Voice, Piano Accompaniment sheet music book by Stephen Sondheim (1930-): Rilting Music, Inc. at Sheet Music Plus: The World Largest Selection of Sheet Music. [19] On August 13, 2015, a production by UTS Backstage, the Film and Theatre Society at the University of Technology, Sydney, opened at the Lend-Lease Theatre in Sydney, Australia. The Frogs. [11] The revival was nominated for three Drama League Awards: Distinguished Production of a Musical (Lincoln Center Theater) and Distinguished performance (Nathan Lane and Roger Bart). As the entire company is revealed, Dionysus steps forward and addresses the audience. According to Mary-Kay Gamel, "His central production concept involved Charon and Dionysos rowing across the Exhibition Pool in the Payne Whitney Gymnasium, while the Frogs, played by members of the Yale swimming team, swam around the boat. The production closed on October 10, 2004, after 92 performances. The cast featured Richard Zajdlic as Dionysus and Bob Husson as Xanthias, with choreography by Ron Howell and direction by John Gardyne. Overview. His deceased wife Ariadne appears, comforting her husband and advising him to follow his heart. The lesson seems to take, although Dionysus soon reverts to his old self. It was directed by Grace Wessels and starred Michael Matus as Dionysos and George Rae as Xanthias.[22]. He is a gentle and noble character and has been the protagonist in many of their film projects (including playing Bob Cratchit in the Muppets Christmas Carol). The Frogs is a musical "freely adapted" by Stephen Sondheim and Burt Shevelove from The Frogs, an Ancient Greek comedy by Aristophanes. Heracles. Heracles also warns them of the Frogs, dangerous creatures who live on the River Styx and are terrified of change. Dramatis Personae – Characters XANTHIAS, servant of Dionysus DIONYSUS HERACLES A CORPSE CHARON AEACUS A MAID SERVANT OF PERSEPHONE HOSTESS, keeper of cook-shop PLATHANE, her partner EURIPIDES AESCHYLUS PLUTO CHORUS OF FROGS CHORUS OF BLESSED MYSTICS [8], It opened to a mixed critical reception. Dionysus, wanting to hear more asks him to speak of a young man's feelings. Looking lovingly into Dionysus's eyes, Ariadne assures him that the final topic is "staring you in the face". The Frogs, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin are an eclectic alternative rock band active since the 1980's. Aeakos, keeper of the keys to the palace, sees Dionysus in his Heracles disguise and vows vengeance on the god who slew the three-headed watchdog of Hades. When he took her to Mount Olympus to marry her, she was worried that she could not compare to the Olympian gods, he made her a crown of stars to help her look like a goddess. Bang! There's something idealistic about the notion of someone believing that the arts can make a difference. Shaw responds with a stirring passage from Saint Joan, and the crowd is hushed. Heracles says that Dionysus should don a lion-skin and pretend to be Heracles, and instructs the rather weak-willed god in proper heroic behaviour. And with that, his mission is complete. Shaw and Shakespeare are pointed in their responses, Shaw delivering his pointed orations and Shakespeare responding with his poetic imagery. Orchestrations were by Jonathan Tunick and Paul Gemignani was musical director, both longtime collaborators with Sondheim. Muppet Frogs. Characters. Scottish panto legend Johnny McKnight directs the Scottish Opera Young Company in The Frogs, a screwball comedy musical from Stephen Sondheim, the composer of Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods. [1] Meryl Streep, Sigourney Weaver and Christopher Durang all participated in the production's ensemble. As Pluto and Dionysus discuss the dire situation on Earth, the Greek Chorus offers ironic commentary to the audience: though serious matters are being weighed onstage, there is no cause for alarm. 12. The story of Dionysos’ quest to bring Euripides back from the dead has been "freely adapted" by Stephen Sondheim and Burt Shevelove, and then “even more freely adapted” by Nathan Lane in 2004. Dionysus sheds his Heracles disguise, and Pluto welcomes the god with open arms, disabusing him of the misconception that Hades is a dangerous place. Following the banquet, Dionysus bursts out of the palace to proclaim the entrance of George Bernard Shaw and his loyal passel of Shavians. He soon works out that the Frogs have come; they drag him out of the boat and tempt him into a life of frogdom, hopping around without any cares or worries. Berlin, NJ, Accessibility Statement Terms Privacy |StageAgent © 2020. Susan Stroman both directed and choreographed; costumes were designed by William Ivey Long. [21] It had a short run because the Theatre Society was a non-profit organization made up of students in the Sydney area. "[14] The Pegasus Players also produced the piece in 2007, in the swimming pool at Truman College. It played for two nights on the 17th and 18 January, featuring Tariq Daniels as Dionysus, Gemma Dixon as Xanthias, Keegan Featherstone as Hades and Jade Copeman as Ariadne. [10] John Byner, Daniel Davis, Peter Bartlett, Burke Moses, and Michael Siberry appeared in supporting roles. Guide written by. [15][16] The first regional production of the revival version[17] opened in Pittsburgh on February 20, 2007, starring Jordan Grubb as Xanthias and Dale Spollett as Dionysos. Tantalized, Dionysus takes back the lion skin and encounters Virilla, Queen of the Amazons, who accuses Dionysus (dressed again as Heracles) of stealing the girdle of her leader Hippolyte. Additional lyrics by William Shakespeare. Mistaking Xanthias for Heracles, she invites him to a sensuous bath in hippopotamus milk. 1st ACTOR:The time is the present. In the musical, Dionysus, despairing of the quality of living dramatists, travels to Hades to bring George Bernard Shaw back from the dead. Frogs Musical revolves around Kakeru who is turned into a green frog after being depressed about losing a dance competition. This was revived in London in 2017. If you haven't visited our newly created website here it is: http://afrogstaleamusicalfable.com/home.html. However, before they can perform, they must make a prayer offering the performance to the gods of the theatre, and instruct the audience in ho… That run ended on February 20, 2011. William Shakespeare competes with Shaw for the title of best playwright, which he wins. Musical direction by Paul Gemignani. This boisterously hilarious, yet poignant, musical follows Dionysos, Greek god of wine and drama, and his slave, Xanthias, on a journey to Hades to collect renowned critic and playwright, George Bernard Shaw, so that he may enlighten the easily misled and coerced masses of Earth. Steven Bennof from To Catch a Predator wore a t shirt of the musical and briefly brought the show back to mainstream audiences in November 2005. They then travel to the Styx, where they meet the severely depressive ferryman, Charon. The keen-witted and ambitious slave of Dionysus, Xanthias likes to complain about and compete with his master. The Frogs is a musical based on the Ancient Greek comedy of the same name written by Aristophanes in 405 BC. Thanks for exploring this SuperSummary Plot Summary of “The Frogs” by Aristophanes. In January 2014, Anglia Ruskin University presented a showing of The Frogs at the Mumford Theatre in Cambridge, UK. Shevelove first wrote and directed an adaptation of The Frogs in 1941, while he was a graduate student at Yale University. Then Shakespeare speaks of death from an old man's point of view. The new book included indirect references to George W. Bush and the Iraq War. New York, NY, Twelve Angry Men A comedy written in 405 b.c. The Frogs song list including song titles, associated characters and recommended audition songs. . Dionysus tells Pluto of his plan to bring Shaw back to earth, and Pluto reveals that all the dead playwrights are banqueting at his palace at that very moment. Frogs - Steve Edelson, Wade Agurcia, Michael Armstrong, Robert Barnett, Michael Cadden, Jack Callahan, Gary Cavaliere, Peter Crawford, David B. Fisher, Ed Hornsby, Alexander Lawler, Quentin Lawler, Frank Lawlor, Kevin Lawlor, Dave Lichten, Pat Monahan, Ralph Redpath, Curt Sanburn, Ted Stein, Jose A. Taboada, and Richard Taus Most complained that Lane's new plot was "loose", while others noted that the mix of low-brow comedy and high ideals seemed at odds, although others noted that this was what Aristophanes had done. All aboard for one helluva show! Dionysus is in despair about the state of the world, and has decided to travel to Hades to bring back the great writer George Bernard Shaw, who Dionysus believes will speak to society and help with its problems. The Frogs guide sections. The Frogs Summary. It's ingeniously designed and staged, strongly sung and acted; and, though it has only a few musical numbers in its 100 minutes of playing time, each song is splendid. Chris Kattan had co-starred in previews, but was replaced by Bart a week before the show opened. Immediately download the The Frogs (musical) summary, chapter-by-chapter analysis, book notes, essays, quotes, character descriptions, lesson plans, and more - everything you need for studying or teaching The Frogs (musical). Context. William Shakespeare competes with Shaw for the title of best playwright, which he wins. The Frogs (Original, Musical, Comedy, Broadway) opened in New York City Jul 22, 2004 and played through Oct 10, 2004. I started to think, there's something in this piece right now. At the height of all the confusion, Pluto enters, surrounded by the flames of Hades. Theatrical poster for the 2004 Broadway production of. Sign up today to unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. Frog Thor: Thor: Genesis Frog: Homestuck: Andrew Hussie: Keronians: Keroro Gunso/Sgt. [13] The Chicago Tribune called the production "a fascinating novelty, and more. He says he is glad that there are no stars in Hell. William Shakespeare competes with Shaw for the title of best playwright, which he wins. Selected scenes from The Frogs including video examples, context and character information. Direction and choreography by Susan Stroman. a comedy in one act by Aristophanes, freely adapted by Burt Shevelove. Charon is the ferryman who ferries Dionysus and the dead from the land of the living to … Jersey Boys The main character "The Littlest Frog" is aptly named for his size, but as the story progresses, he experiences many adventures, characters and memorable songs along the way “up the hill, and home again.” afrogstaleamusicalfable.com. Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass. Each will address the important issues of humanity using only the words of his own writings. [2] The show was produced on Broadway in 2004 with the book revised by Nathan Lane and the score expanded by Sondheim. A production at the Old Brentford Baths in London opened on July 24, 1990, for a short run. Xanthias, who has elected to remain in Hades with the Amazon Virilla, bids his master farewell, as the voices of Ariadne and the chorus accompany Dionysos home. Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. on the podcast Comedy Bang! By 1979, Nathan Lane had become interested in the piece. [6] In 1984, the University Theatre in New York City staged a production of The Frogs, beginning on April 12, 1984.[7]. [5] The piece used a Greek chorus: "Sondheim's works frequently focus on an ensemble of characters, a practice which has led one critic to compare his use of the chorus to Greek drama. The play opens with two "actors," played by the same actors as the main characters of the play but considered different in the libretto, discussing which play they should perform. Shakespeare's response is the song "Fear No More" from Cymbeline. One actor suggests "the one about the man who kills his father and sleeps with his mother", but the other actor is in too good a mood for tragedy and they decide to perform a comedy instead. On February 3, 2011, a production by the FreeFall Theatre opened at their venue in St. Petersburg, Florida. A running gag involves the guests complaining about the length and host Scott Aukerman berating them for interrupting it. The contest resumes, and Dionysus announces the final topic: Death. Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Gardner, Paul. Among those who reviewed it, the musical was a critical success. They have released several full length albums with a wide variety of styles and productions. Dionysus defuses the situation by declaring a contest between the two playwrights. As Xanthias, at Dionysus's urging, dons Heracles's suit, they encounter Charisma, the beautiful handmaiden to Persephone. The Frogs Character List Dionysus. uses the entirety of the "Opening Fanfare" as its theme. Finally, The Frogs was a full-length musical, staged in 2004. A history of strife has hindered the … New tracks "I Love to Travel" and "Ariadne" are on par with Sondheim's best--the first a bouncy song, the latter a wrenching love song that could become a new recital favorite. "[3][4], The Frogs was performed by the Yale Repertory Theatre in the Yale swimming pool, opening on May 20, 1974, for 8 performances. Along this journey, Dionysus and Xanthias meet Chekhov, Congreve, Ibsen, Brecht and, of course, the chorus of frogs… It closed after a limited engagement on February 27, 2007.[18]. Frogs, or The Frogs, is one of Aristophanes's greatest comedies and is justly celebrated for its wit and keen commentary on Athenian politics and society. A recurring segment entitled "Would You Rather?" "'Frogs' They Would A-Swimming Go", the one about the man who kills his father and sleeps with his mother, "A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Punch Line", "Roger Bart Replaces Chris Kattan in The Frogs", "ON THE RECORD: A New Recording of Sondheim's The Frogs", "Drama League Names Doubt and Dirty Rotten Best of 2004-05 NYC Season", "Casting Announced for FreeFall Theatre's Staging of Frogs", https://www.facebook.com/events/1603522683251761/, http://theatrenow.com.au/event/the-frogs-a-new-musical/2015-08-13/, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Frogs_(musical)&oldid=1003748343, Cultural depictions of William Shakespeare, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz release group identifiers, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz work identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, "Invocation and Instructions to the Audience" - 1st Actor, 2nd Actor, Greek Chorus, "I Love to Travel" - Dionysos, Xanthias, Greek Chorus, "Dress Big" - Herackles, Dionysos, Xanthias, "I Love to Travel (reprise)" - Dionysos, Xanthias, "The Frogs" - Dionysos, A Flash of Frogs, Fire Belly Dancing Frogs, "Hymn to Dionysos" - 3 Graces, Dionysians, Dionysos, Xanthias, "Fear No More" (Lyrics from Act IV, Scene 2 of Shakespeare's, "Hymn to Dionysos (reprise)" - Greek Chorus, "Final Instructions to the Audience" - Dionysos and Company, This page was last edited on 30 January 2021, at 13:54. Songs Overview; Context; Characters; Videos; Songs; Monologues; Scenes; Quizzes ; Portrayals; Listen; Related Products; Useful Articles; Songs. Frog: Mine Yoshizaki: Pepe: Boy's Club: Matt Furie: Picayune: Pogo: Walt Kelly: Teddy Toad: Teddy Toad Alexandra Appleton. He is iconic as the character … While this recording is more enjoyable than the actual show, which could be a bit of a slog, it's hard to shake the feeling that maybe On July 7, 2012, Dennis Flemion went missing at Wind Lake in Racine, Wisconsin. It is the last surviving work of Old Comedy and is thus also notable for heralding a passing era of literature. Theatre Review by Matthew Murray - July 22, 2004. In the musical, Dionysus, despairing of the quality of living dramatists, travels to Hades to bring George Bernard Shaw back from the dead. The Frogs Musical. It ran for four performances. The Frogs is a musical "freely adapted" by Stephen Sondheim and Burt Shevelove from The Frogs, an Ancient Greek comedy by Aristophanes. The play opens with two "actors," played by the same actors as the main characters of the play but considered different in the libretto, discussing which play they should perform. In 1974, Sondheim was becoming interested in contrapuntal writing, and most of the songs in the 1974 version correspond to choral numbers in the Greek." [3], For the new production, Sondheim wrote seven new songs, including ones that focused on individual characters rather than an ensemble. I found it moving, in light of what is going on in the world." A disgruntled Shaw is dragged kicking and screaming from the stage as Charon the boatman announces the return trip. Home. One actor suggests "the one about the man who kills his father and sleeps with his mother", but the other actor is in too good a mood for tragedy and they decide to perform a comedyinstead. Cheshire, CT, The Show With No Words Newman composed, arranged, and conducted the music for the film, a mixture of jazz, zydeco, blues, and gospel styles performed by the voice cast members for the respective characters while R&B singer-songwriter Ne-Yo wrote and performed the end title song "Never Knew I Needed", an R&B love song referring to the romance between the film's two main characters, Tiana and Naveen. There are two recordings of the score available, both starring Nathan Lane. However, as she was only a mortal, she died soon afterwards, and Dionysus threw her crown back into the sky. SHARE. Later that night, Dionysus is awoken by a cry of "brek-ek-ek-ek!" Directed by Chris McKay, the cast included Luke Baweja, Gabrielle Rawlings, Abigail Dixon, Michael Mulvena, Alan Zhu, Alissa Del Vecchio, James Wilson, and Oliver Morassut as Hades. Although Dionysus is briefly rescued by Xanthias, the Frogs return while Xanthias is distracted, and drag Dionysus back into the water. The god of both wine and ecstatic mystical religion, Dionysus is the protagonist of the play, first seeking to... Xanthias. Dionyus beckons Shakespeare to speak, and the playwright responds by calling for a new play to be written to inspire humanity. The revival, labeled as "even more freely adapted"[8] by Lane, opened on July 22, 2004, with Lane as Dionysus and Roger Bart as Xanthias. The place is ancient Greece.2nd ACTOR:Already I'm confused.1st ACTOR:Don't worry. Produced at Yale Swimming Pool, Connecticut, 20 May 1974 with Larry Blyden (Dionysos), Michael Vale (Xanthias), Jeremy Dempsey (Pinto), Jerome Geidt (William Shakespeare) and Anthony Holland (Bernard Shaw). In the Gilbert and Sullivan light opera The Pirates of Penzance, Major-General Stanley, in his introductory song, includes the fact that he "knows the croaking chorus from The Frogs of Aristophanes" in a list of all his scholarly achievements. [8] In October 1991, the first production in an Olympic sized pool took place in Coventry. The supporters of Shaw and Shakespeare assemble into an arena where the verbal battle begins. The brothers mainly wrote and performed short, catchy pop songs, but they are also known for their improvised home recordings which are delivered in a comedic style, and often include controversial issues such as race, religion, and sexuality. Confrontation with the book revised by Nathan Lane had become interested in the beginning January 1975, but drew interest... Segment entitled `` Would you rather? performances of the Frogs including video examples, context and character.! On October 10, 2004 a contest between the two titans escalates until... After being depressed about losing a dance competition the water hippopotamus milk resolve. Stroman both directed and choreographed ; costumes were designed by william Ivey Long slave... 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[ 18 ] the musical originally... Where Dionysus and Bob Husson as Xanthias. [ 22 ] us to shake off lethargy, to Xanthias! Words of his own writings: 5-Show Season Subscription -- Online Due to the world of the in... The Underworld, and the crowd is hushed, comforting her husband and advising to. February 3, 2011, a regional production opened in January 2014, Anglia Ruskin presented! Come to blows Sigourney Weaver and Christopher Durang all participated in the face '' February 27, 2007. 22. Is going on in the beginning '' from Cymbeline the palace, the beautiful handmaiden Persephone. 2007, in March to the frogs musical characters 1988 the world of the living the. Included Jorge Acosta, Dick Baker, and the score available, both longtime collaborators with Sondheim Ariadne appears comforting. That the arts can make a difference i started to think, 's... Weak-Willed god in proper heroic behaviour no stars in Hell of styles and productions 1988... Body was recovered from the stage as Charon the boatman announces the topic! A lion-skin and pretend to be written to inspire humanity beckons Shakespeare to speak of a young 's! She died soon afterwards, and instructs the rather the frogs musical characters god in proper heroic behaviour them to world... Was produced on Broadway in 2004 with the book revised by Nathan Lane become. Staged in 2004 with the book revised by Nathan Lane to Persephone graduate student at Yale University drew little.... Sheet music religion, Dionysus is the song `` Fear no more '' from.... Rae as Xanthias, with choreography by Carmen de Lavallade ; Larry Blyden played Dionysos story of his writings!

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