2.1 Brigadoon!

The Gospel of Musical Theatre

Welcome to Season 2: Lerner & Loewe!

Today, we begin our series on the musicals of Alan Jay Lerner (1918-86) and Frederick Lowe (1901-88) – second only to Rodgers & Hammerstein as creators of midcentury musicals that continue to speak to 21st century audiences. And we're talking about Brigadoon.

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We talk about:

- History: The origins of the partnership between Lerner and Lowe and their early flop era.

- Escapism: Why a musical about two American boys falling into a mythical/fantasy version of the Scotland Highlands was so appealing for post-WWII audiences.

- Nostalgia: The interplay between fantasy & reality that Brigadoon illustrates, how that tension represents the tension of musical theatre itself – and the dangers of nostalgia.

- Being Lonely: Lerner & Loewe’s career-long interest in men's loneliness – and the potential of theatre (and love) as a means of connecting men to their emotional core and to the people in their lives.

- Salvation: The tension between individual & communal salvation, and how mythical Brigadoon might illustrate an image of the Kingdom of God.

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You’ll hear:

- Kelli O’Hara and Patrick Wilson singing “Reprise” from the 2017 Broadway Revival Cast recording

- Patrick Wilson singing “There But For You Go I” from the 2017 Broadway Revival Cast recording

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Check out some of our all-time favorites!

• Phantom of the Opera
• Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
• Jesus Christ Superstar!
• Schmigadoon! (Season 1 / Season 2)
• West Side Story!
• Yentl!
• Frozen!
• Barbie!

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Continue the conversation with us on Instagram (@gospelofmt).