Biography musical theatre

From Tina to MJ, The Boy from Oz to The Cher Show, the bio-musical is without a doubt a staple of modern musical theater. With the familiar sounds of our favorite artists' back catalog of work, the bio-musical can draw in both veteran theater goers and first-time visitors to the world of Broadway. By definition a bio-musical is a show based on an individual’s life and or a historical event. The stories can follow well-known recording artists, political figures, or key moments in history. The real life stories and events brought to the stage have continued to intrigue audiences and break box office records in recent years. As a result, theater makers continue to turn the life and times of our stars, statesmen, scholars and socialites into all singing all dancing tell-alls – and we are here for it! 

The Cher Show

 Our Fav Song: "If I can Turn Back Time”  

First in our lineup is a show based on the life and career of the one and only, Cher! The Cher Show is a dazzling production celebrating the queen of comebacks herself, and it will be wowing our Broadway in Akron audiences at E.J. Thomas Hall this season! The show documents the six-decade long career of this music icon, with not just one Cher but THREE! This bio-musical stole the show awards season with two Tonys, three Drama Desk Awards, an Outer Critics Circle Award, and a Chita Rivera Award in From the magnificent costumes designed by Bob Mackie and the all those ‘Cher-ific” hits that will make you “believe in love” again, this show is hands down a must-see! 

Motown the Musical

Our Fav Song: "ABC"

The smash hit Motown the Musical is based on the autobiography To Be Loved: The Music, the magic, the Memories of Motown by Motown Records founder Barry Gordy, Jr. The production follows the founding of Motown Record

Looking for something new to read while stuck inside, but still need your Broadway fix? We've rounded up 10 of our favorite theatrical biographies to fill the void!

Not interested in biographies? Check out our favorite memoirs, Part One and Part Two, as well as our favorite theatre children's books here, and our favorite theatre-themed history books here!

Before the Parade Passes By: Gower Champion and the Glorious American Musical

By John Anthony Gilvey

During the Golden Age of the Broadway musical, few director-choreographers could infuse a new musical with dance and movement in quite the way Gower Champion could. From his earliest Broadway success with Bye Bye Birdie to his triumphant and bittersweet valedictory, 42nd Street, musicals directed by Champion filled the proscenium with life. At their best, they touched the heart and stirred the soul with a skillful blend of elegance and American showmanship.

Purchase on Amazon here.

Dance with Demons: The Life of Jerome Robbins

By Greg Lawrence

He was one of the most influential and creative forces in the history of American theater. But in , Jerome Robbins died a haunted man. All of his life, he was tortured by private demons: his conflicted feelings about his bisexuality and his Judaism; his bitter relationship with his parents; his betrayals of others during the McCarthy hearings; and a demanding perfectionism that bordered on the sadistic. Now, this groundbreaking biography, based on hundreds of interviews with friends, family, and colleagues, provides the first complete portrait of the man and the artist-a harrowing, heartbreaking, and triumphant work as complicated and fascinating as the legend himself.

Purchase on Amazon here.

Fosse

By Sam Wasson

More than a quarter-century after his death, Bob Fosse's fingerprints on popular culture remain indelible. The only person ever to win Oscar, Emmy, and Tony awards in the

This article was co-authored by Lesly Kahn, MFA. Lesly Kahn is an acting teacher and coach based in Los Angeles, California. She is the founder and owner of Lesly Kahn & Company, Actor Training, which focuses on preparing actors for employment in film, television and theatre. With well over 30 years of experience, Ms. Kahn has coached hundreds of actors who have become household names. She also ran the BFA Program in Acting at Marymount Manhattan College, and worked in television as well as New York and regional theatre. Lesly holds a BFA from New York University and an MFA from The Yale School of Drama.

There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.

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It is the challenge and honor of artists to create compelling stories of how history has perceived the lives of those who rocked the proverbial boat. The audience may never have a full understanding of what was without the foggy glasses of our bias and knowledge. Therefore, we place our trust in the artists to present a story of our past. Of the many varied mediums, many audiences are most fond of the emotion and struggle experienced when watching a stage performance; no matter how silly or musically the original topic has been disseminated. Theater brings the people of today and those of the past together for a meal. They break bread and learn about each other by telling stories of their siblings and joyful moments, in addition to the hardships they suffered. Rather than a history book, biographical musicals can help audiences meet real people with emotions and fears.

Biographical Musicals: Bringing Familiar Characters to Life

Musical theatre can present unsettling events to an audience of any age and experience with comprehension. Simply put, a pre-teen girl dressed as Katherine Howard at the previews for SIX: The Musical will be able to enjoy the music and understand the tragic life Howard lived prior to and during her marriage to King Henry VIII. Howard sings “All You Wanna Do,” in which she describes the abuse she suffered at the hands of the men in her life. This topic is hard for adults to discuss, let alone pre-teen girls. However, this young lady will always remember learning about identifying and overcoming trauma, regardless of how upsetting the ending is. 

&#;Of course, we want our students to create characters from the ground up,&#; says Kristy Cates, NYFA&#;s Chair of Musical Theatre. &#;We do that each year in our new works series…but there is also a certain joy and educational benefit in learning how to bring your own spin to familiar characters.&#;

Many classic tales have been spun and woven fro