| Beatlemania | |
|---|---|
 BroadwayPlaybill cover | |
| Music | The Beatles |
| Lyrics | The Beatles |
| Book | Bob Gill,Robert Rabinowitz,Lynda Obst |
| Basis | The life and music of the Beatles |
| Productions | 1977Broadway |
Beatlemania was aBroadwaymusicalrevue focused on the music ofthe Beatles as it related to the events and changing attitudes of the tumultuous 1960s. A "rockumentary," advertised as "Not the Beatles, but an incredible simulation,"[1] it ran from May 1977 to October 1979[2] for a total of 1,006 performances.
Beatlemania took the form of a roughly chronological history of the Beatles via their music. A total of 29 songs were performed during the show. Other than some unscripted onstage banter, there was very little dialogue during the production, which consisted mostly of exact re-enactments of the Beatles' music. The ground-breaking multimedia production was notable for its extensive use of backdrops, projected images on multiple screens, film, newspaper headlines, and video footage to evoke the 1960s and iconic Beatle moments.[3][4]
Originally conceived and produced by Steve Leber and David Krebs,[1]Beatlemania debuted in Boston at theColonial Theatre in April 1977. It premiered onBroadway at theWinter Garden Theatre on May 31, 1977 (after previewing since May 26 — although no critics were invited),[4] with cast members Joe Pecorino (rhythm guitar,John), Mitch Weissman (bass guitar,Paul),Les Fradkin (lead guitar,George), and Justin McNeill (drums,Ringo) along with an alternating cast: Randy Clark "John", Reed Kailing "Paul", P.M. Howard "George", and Bobby Taylor "Ringo."[3][5]
Quickly achieving sellout status without ever having an official "opening night",Beatlemania saw great success and coverage inTime,People,Us,Newsweek, andRolling Stone. For the first six months, every ticket for the show was sold out.[citation needed]
The production was nominated for the 1978Tony Award for Best Lighting Design by designerJules Fisher. Sound design byAbe Jacob.
The Broadway show ran until October 17, 1979, for a total of 1006 performances; grossing more than $40 million.[6] During its New York run, the show moved to theLunt-Fontanne Theatre and finally thePalace Theatre.
As the show expanded, over 50 cast members formed 10 "bunks" (or casts of a single set of four). As the New York show continued its run, shows were opened in Los Angeles, Chicago, Cincinnati, and London. At its peak,Beatlemania had limited-engagements in many more cities in the U.S. and abroad.
After closing on Broadway, theBeatlemania Bus and Truck Tour began, running until 1983 and touring across the United States and worldwide. Short-term tours of Australia, Europe, Asia, and Africa were produced after 1982.
A 1986 decision in a lawsuit by the Beatles production companyApple Corps officially ended the show for a period of time, but subsequent revival tours were still produced under such titles asBeatlemania: Yesterday and Today[7] andBeatlemania Now.[8]
In 1978,Beatlemania released a self-titled original cast album of the show which included contributions from the first and second cast of performers from the show (as well as five additional off-stage musicians — keyboards; violin; cello; sax/flute/recorder; trumpet/piccolo trumpet and oboe). Released onArista Records in 1978, the album received warm audience reaction, even placing on theBillboard 200 for several weeks, before falling into obscurity.
Tracks from the album included most but not all of the original show's song list, and several of the tracks were either re-recorded entirely or partially re-recorded in the studio. Original cast members that appear on the album include Mitch Weissman, Joe Pecorino,Les Fradkin, Justin McNeill, Randy Clark, Reed Kailing, P. M. Howard, and Bobby Taylor.
After three years of production USA Video Productions took an interest in making a film version of theBeatlemania stage show. After a brief contract negotiation,Beatlemania: The Movie began production in late 1980 (shortly before themurder of John Lennon). Directed by Joseph Manduke, the film's cast featured Mitch Weissman (bass guitar; "Paul"), David Leon (rhythm guitar; "John"),Tom Teeley (lead guitar; "George"), and Ralph Castelli (drums; "Ringo").[9]
Beatlemania: The Movie was released in the summer of 1981 and received negative reviews.Janet Maslin ofThe New York Times, "Beatlemania was a horror on the stage, and it's even more of a horror at close range, where the seams really show. This isn't a loving impersonation, or even an honest one. It's cheap, disingenuous and loathsome."[10]Jonathan Rosenbaum of theChicago Reader wrote, "My idea of hell is being forced at gunpoint to resee this ... atrocity, ... based on a terrible stage musical."[9] Other observers[who?] criticized the film for being too artsy and not worthy of being associated with the stageshow; plans for a follow-up film were immediately cancelled.[citation needed]
In 1979,Apple Corps sued show creator Steve Leber andBeatlemania's producers, alleging that Apple Corps owned various publicity rights and trademarks, and Leber and others "appropriated to themselves" the value of those trademarks and the Beatles' goodwill and fame without paying for it. In 1986, Los Angeles Superior Court judge Paul Breckenridge found in favor of Apple Corps, and ordered Leber and Beatlemania Inc. to pay Apple $5.6 million, plus 7% interest from September 1979. He also found that Apple was entitled to a court order barring the further unconsented use or exploitation of the Beatles, and that Beatlemania's actions "amounted to virtually a complete appropriation of the Beatles' persona" without their consent.[11][12]The judge also found thatEly Landau and the This Is The Week That Was Beatlemania Company, which produced theBeatlemania film, were liable $2 million and 7% interest, also payable to Apple Corps.[12]
The musical numbers in the show (all written byLennon–McCartney), based on the Broadway opening, were:[13]
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Because of the vocal strain (especially for "Paul") involved in doing 8 or more shows per week, each production utilized two casts or "Bunks," as they were dubbed by musical director Sandy Yaguda (after they had dubbed him "Camp Counselor"). The Original Broadway production featured Bunk 1: Mitch Weissman, Joe Pecorino, Les Fradkin and Justin McNeill.[3] and Bunk 2: Randy Clark, Reed Kailing, P.M. Howard, and Bobby Taylor.[5] Subsequent cast members were added as the show expanded with several touring casts. Casts and casting became independent after 1984 as revival and current casts tour under many different Beatle-related nomenclatures. (It is common practice for other Beatles tribute bands to promote themselves falsely as "Original Broadway Cast".)[citation needed]
| Year | Award Ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Tony Award | Best Lighting Design (Play or Musical) | Jules Fisher | Nominated |
| Year | Award Ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Grammy Award | Best Musical Theater Album | Kenny Laguna & Sandy Yaguda | Nominated |