Kurt Weill - On Stage: From Berlin to Broadway - by Foster Hirsch
A provocative but uneven look at the composer of The Threepenny Opera, Lady in the Dark and other well-known musicals, this biography traces Weill's career from his satirical Weimar collaborations with Brecht to the musicals he created for Broadway after fleeing the Nazis in 1933. Brooklyn College film professor Hirsch (Harold Prince and the American Musical Theater) draws on extensive documentation from New York's Kurt Weill Foundation and new interviews with surviving participants to argue that the distinction most writers make between "Berlin Weill" and "Broadway Weill" is artificial. He explores, instead, what remained constant in Weill's creative personality despite the divergent styles of the Broadway and Berlin years. This intriguing approach is somewhat undermined by questionable assertions throughout the book. (For example, he cites the notoriously anti-Semitic music critic Virgil Thomson as an authority for the dubious notion that Weill's music evoked "the Jewish underworld of Berlin.") The book does, however, offer a textured portrait of Weill's Broadway career, and there are useful details about how his widow, the gifted performer Lotte Lenya, helped resuscitate his reputation with the 1950s production of Threepenny Opera in Greenwich Village. Hirsch's volume is good for casual enthusiasts and larger theater collections, though music fans may find the absence of analytical comment on Weill's compositions a drawback.
To mark the sixth year of the Singles Day Vinyl Series, Urban Outfitters has opened preorders for a new 7' vinyl release of the two new singles. It will be released on November 21.
Rob Rokicki, composer of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, will release a new theatrical rock single titled “Lincoln” on November 14, 2025.
Music stores across the country will host official listening parties to celebrate the release of the soundtrack of Wicked: For Good on November 21, 22 and 23.
Anthony Nunziata has released his debut holiday collection Christmas & You on vinyl, CD, and digital and streaming platforms. The songs were all co-written by Nunziata and some of the top Country and pop hitmakers.
Center Stage Recrods has released Into the Sun: World Premiere Recording in streaming and digital formats. Into the Sun is the new musical drama that features book, music and lyrics by Michael Gubser.
BroadwayWorld has the exclusive first listen to “D.O.A.,” performed by Paisley Billings and company, from the upcoming The Lightning Thief: Original London Cast Recording.
Ghostlight Records will release Deathless: Original Studio Cast Recording – new indie-folk musical by Zack Zadek – featuring Jeremy Jordan and more. BroadwayWorld has your exclusive first listen to the track 'The License Plate Game'.
CENTER STAGE RECORDS will host a special online Listening Party for the new album The Lightning Thief: Original London Cast Recording. The event will be hosted by Max Harwood and Samantha Mbolekwa, joined by their fellow original London cast members.
Known for his stage presence in Rock of Ages Hollywood alongside Frankie Grande and Nick Cordero, Broadway performer and recording artist Ian Ward steps into a new chapter with the release of his latest single, 'Ocean Eyes.' L
Stevie Holland has released the music video for “Talk to Your Tomatoes,” the tile track to her just-released new album. Written by Stevie Holland and Gary William Friedman, the song and video are a swinging, zany, and veggie-gardening loving trip.
The Americas, the 10-part NBC series narrated by Tom Hanks, will arrive on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray on November 18. The release also includes an exclusive bonus feature, taking viewers behind the scenes with an in-depth documentary.
Bloomsbury Methuen Drama published An Alchemy of Living Culture: Collected Writings on Double Edge Theatre, an anthology gathering decades of Stacy Klein's visionary reflections, interviews, speeches, and essays.
With the release of WE LIVE IN CAIRO (Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording), The Lazours reflect on the show’s evolution, the collaboration behind the album’s sound, and how their upcoming musicals extend their artistic conversations.
Jackie Burns delivers “Shotgun,” the first single from the upcoming musical Hard Road to Heaven. Now streaming on all platforms, the track blends Broadway drama with an authentic country sound. Listen here!
Award-winning Broadway and jazz vocalist Darius de Haas has released his new holiday album Let Me Carry You This Christmas, now available digitally via Concord Theatricals Recordings.
The original off-Broadway cast recording of “Welcome to The Big Dipper,” staged by The York Theatre Company, is available now! Learn more and listen here!
STEVIE HOLLAND – the acclaimed jazz vocalist and songwriter – returns with her new album Talk to Your Tomatoes, which is currently available on CD and in digital and streaming platforms. Listen here!
CENTER STAGE RECORDS has released We Live in Cairo: Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording in streaming and digital formats now. Learn more and listen here!
The new album from Phillip Officer – who originated the role of the “Geek” in the Broadway’s Tony Award-nominated musical Side Show – is out tomorrow. BroadwayWorld has your exclusive first listen to a track here!
Bronco Billy – The Musical, Recorded live in performance during its 2024 run at London’s Charing Cross Theatre, will release an album. BroadwayWorld has an exclusive listen to 'I’m Gonna Be Strong' here.
Amnon Kabatchnik has penned a new in his award-winning reference series. Kabatchnik's latest, Bloody Broadway: Plays of Menace, Murder, and Mystery, Volume I (BearManor Media) is now available.
CENTER STAGE RECORDS will release The Lightning Thief: Original London Cast Recording in streaming and digital formats. Learn more about the recording here!
Joël René Scoville and Jenna Gillespie Byrd have released the concept album for their original musical 2&1: A Harlem Love Story with Loose Morals. Learn more!
CENTER STAGE RECORDS will release We Live in Cairo: Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording in streaming and digital formats this week. Learn more about the album here!
Apollo Publishers will release Making Rent: The Story Behind the Music that Changed Broadway in January. Learn more about the book, and about the author Tim Weil here!
Brainstorm Records has released the new single “I’ll Be Here” – featuring Broadway sensation Julie Benko – from The Fitzgeralds of St. Paul, the new musical by Christie Baugher. Listen here!
Producers Gary Grossman, Bronco Billy Partners, and Yellow Sound Label have announced the upcoming release of Bronco Billy – The Musical (Live Original London Cast Recording), captured during its acclaimed 2024 run at London’s Charing Cross Theatre.
With the holiday season just around the corner, BroadwayWorld caught up with Scott and Mark Hoying to discuss their new children's book Fa La La Family, its accompanying album, Dancing with the Stars, and more.