Bootless Stageworks to Present THE MUSICAL OF MUSICALS, 10/4-19

This October, Wilmington theater-goers can take a trip all the way from Kansas in August to a speakeasy in 1930s Chicago with a few other stops along the way. Audiences will get five shows for the price of one with a ticket to Bootless Stageworks' production of The Musical of Musicals, (The Musical!).

"As far as I know, Bootless is the first group in Delaware to do the show, and that's what Bootless does - we do things first," says Artistic Director, Rosanne DellAversano.

The Musical of Musicals premiered off-Broadway in 2003 and returned to the off-Broadway stage in 2005. Since then, it has been performed in regional theaters across the US and Canada and now makes it way to the Delaware stage. A company known for producing lesser known works, Bootless opens their season with this hidden theater gem.

The show, written by JoAnne Bogart and Eric Rockwell, is a stylistic journey. Four actors retell one classic melodrama in the style of five different famous composers or composer/lyricist teams. The Musical of Musicals opens with "Corn!," a comical homage to the beloved - yet admittedly cheesy - Rodgers and Hammerstein. The musical also features comedic parodies of Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Kander & Ebb.

"The way Rockwell and Bogart took the best bits of musical theater over the years and wove them together using the classic vaudeville melodrama, "You must pay the rent," is just hilarious," says Rosanne, "It's not over thought. It's not entirely complicated. But yet, it so creatively ingenious."

The plot itself is simple. June can't pay her rent. Jitter, the villanous landlord, says she must pay her rent. Abby offers helpful advice, and it's up to Willy/Billy to sweep June off her feet, pay the rent, and save the day. Still, what truly makes this show unique is its playful interpretation of famous composers' styles. While many of the comedic jabs may seem like inside jokes that only theater buffs will understand, The Musical of Musicals is accessible and funny no matter your age or experience level.

"It's like seeing Star Trek for the first time with a Trekkie - you don't totally get everything but that doesn't stop you from really enjoying it," says Rosanne.

The Musical of Musicals, (The Musical!) runs from October 4 through October 19 at the Black Box at Opera Delaware Studios, Wilmington.

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best Direction of a Musical - Top 3

1. Michael Arden - The Lost Boys

30.3% of votes

2. Tim Jackson - Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

13% of votes

3. Lear deBessonet - Ragtime

12.6% of votes

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