They're Playing Our Song Tour 1981 - Articles Page 3

Opened: January 19, 1981
Closing: unknown

They're Playing Our Song - 1981 - US Tour History , Info & More

Featuring book by Neil Simon, "They're Playing Our Song" follows the on-again, off-again romance of one very despondent composer and one very ditzy lyricist, as they try to create their own unique love song. Based on the real-life love affair of the show's composer, Marvin Hamlisch, and the show's lyricist, Carole Bayer-Sager, "They're Playing Our Song," ran 1,082 performances on Broadway.



After Sager and Hamlisch scored an international hit with "Nobody Does It Better" (the theme song from "The Spy Who Loved Me"), they began to work on a new musical based on some surprising subject matter -- their own romantic life -- with the most successful and popular playwright of the era, Neil Simon. They came up with an unusual, new form for a Broadway musical: a chamber musical with two main characters supported by a three-person Greek Chorus.



"They're Playing Our Song" had its world premiere as part of the Center Theatre Group series at the Ahmanson Theatre of the Music Center. It starred comic Robert Klein and Lucie Arnaz, who made her Broadway debut in the role and went on to star in Reprise's inaugural season's "Wonderful Town" in 1997.



Carole Bayer Sager has written the lyrics for "Don't Cry Out Loud," "Everything Old is New Again," "Come in From the Rain," "Heartbreaker," and "That's What Friends Are For," and has collaborated with Neil Diamond, Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Peter Allen, Michael McDonald, and Burt Bacharach. In 1977 she was romantically involved with Marvin Hamlisch. Hamlisch followed winning three Academy Awards in 1973 for "The Way We Were" and the score of "The Sting", with the score for "A Chorus Line" which won nine 1975 Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Score for Hamlisch and lyricist Edward Kleban.

They're Playing Our Song - 1981 - US Tour Cast

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They're Playing Our Song - 1981 - US Tour Articles Page 3

BWW Interview: Roger Joseph Manning Jr. Talks Lickerish Quartet, Songwriting, and the Utopian Music World of the Early '80s
by Sarah Jae Leiber - Jan 28, 2021


Ex-Jellyfish members Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (Beck, Air, Cheap Trick, Imperial Drag), Tim Smith (Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, The Finn Brothers, Sheryl Crow, Umajets) and Eric Dover (Imperial Drag, Slash’s Snakepit, Alice Cooper, Sextus)—kicked off the new year the best way they know how…with brand new music.

BWW Interview: At Home With Tovah Feldshuh
by Stephen Mosher - Oct 6, 2020


She acts, she sings, she dances, she writes, she exercises, she crusades, and she loves. In all things, she gives her all. Tovah Feldshuh eats life. Find out how and why, here.

Theater Stories: MEAN GIRLS Box Office Records, Backstage Traditions and More About The August Wilson Theatre!
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Sep 5, 2020


Today's Theater Stories features The August Wilson Theatre!

Johnny Schaefer Releases New Uplifting, Inspiring, Emotionally-Charged Pop Ballad
by Sarah Jae Leiber - Aug 31, 2020


Johnny Schaefer is a Los Angeles-based singer and songwriter of eclectic music.

10 Books Every Theatre Fan Should Read Just For Fun!
by Stephi Wild - Aug 23, 2020


This list includes books like Wicked: The Grimmerie and Hamilton: The Revolution, as well as a Broadway cookbook, a book about Broadway art, the collected lyrics and Stephen Sondheim, and more!

VIDEO: Cabaret Corner With Lucie Arnaz
by Stephi Wild - Jul 5, 2020


Lucie Arnaz, star of stage, screen, and cabaret comes to The Corner for this week's episode of Cabaret Corner, a series devoted to having meaningful conversations with leaders in the cabaret community.

BWW Exclusive: In Honor of Gay Pride - THE 101 GREATEST LGBTQ SONGS/ANTHEMS OF ALL TIME - from Judy Garland to Lady Gaga, from Gloria Gaynor to Frank Ocean
by Peter Nason - Jun 24, 2020


Happy Gay Pride! BWW Reviewer Peter Nason chooses the 101 greatest LGBTQ songs and anthems from 1920-2020. See if your favorite songs or artists made the grade!

BWW Exclusive: THE 101 GREATEST PROTEST SONGS OF ALL TIME - with Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, John Lennon, Kendrick Lamar & More
by Peter Nason - Jun 18, 2020


BWW Reviewer Peter Nason chooses the 101 greatest protest songs from 1939-2020. See if your favorite songs or artists made the list!

BWW Interview: At Home With Sally Mayes
by Stephen Mosher - Jun 15, 2020


Tony-nominated chanteuse and actor Sally Mayes is always on the move, constantly creating... even at home in quarantine with her sweet fellows. Stephen Mosher finds out what's keeping her busy these days.

BWW Exclusive: THE 101 GREATEST MOTOWN SONGS OF ALL TIME - with Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, the Jackson 5 & More
by Peter Nason - Jun 11, 2020


BWW Reviewer Peter Nason chooses the 101 greatest Motown songs from 1960-1994. See if your favorite songs or artists made the list!

BWW Exclusive: THE 101 GREATEST MOVIE SCENES of All Time - from CITIZEN KANE to PINK FLAMINGOS, from THE SOUND OF MUSIC to PARASITE
by Peter Nason - May 26, 2020


BWW Reviewer Peter Nason chooses the 101 greatest scenes in cinema from 1901 to 2020. See if your favorite movie moments made the list!

BWW Exclusive: THE BEATLES 101 GREATEST SONGS OF ALL TIME - Ranking the Best of John, Paul, George & Ringo (Including Their Solo Hits)
by Peter Nason - May 12, 2020


BWW Reviewer Peter Nason chooses the 101 greatest Beatles songs, including some of the fab four's solo works. They're all here: 'Twist and Shout,' 'In My Life,' 'Helter Skelter,' 'Imagine,' 'Something,' 'Maybe I'm Amazed,' 'Let It Be.' See if your favorites made the grade!

SING STREET'S Brenock O'Connor Discussed their First Day of Tech on STARS IN THE HOUSE
by BWW News Desk - Apr 30, 2020


Stars in The House, benefiting The Actors Fund, continued today (2pm) with Elaine Brier, Christian Hebel, Brenock O'Connor, Fred Lassen, and Miss Richfield 1981.

#BWWPrompts: What's Your Favorite Onstage Mishap?
by BWW Prompts - Apr 23, 2020


We want to hear from you! We're starting #BwayWorldPrompts, where each day we'll be asking our readers on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram questions to spark some theater conversation.

BWW Exclusive: The 101 Greatest MOVIE MUSICALS of All Time
by Peter Nason - Mar 30, 2020


BWW Reviewer Peter Nason chooses the best film musicals since the sound era began; see if your favorites made the list!

Popejoy Announces 2020-2021 Season Headlined by HAMILTON
by Stephi Wild - Mar 20, 2020


The wait is over! Popejoy Hall announces the 2020-2021 season headlined by HAMILTON.

The 101 Greatest Showtunes from 1920-2020
by Peter Nason - Mar 19, 2020


How do we make a list of the 101 greatest show tunes from the past 100 years? Well, we did the near-impossible task.  Check out our full list here! 

Toby Lightman, Elina Duni and More Are Heading to Joe's Pub This Week
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Mar 11, 2020


The bright vibrancy of spring resonates at Joe's Pub. This week our stage features the sophisticated and unique urban pop sound of Toby Lightman; songwriter, composer, and creative director Sye Elaine Spense; the last performances of Ryan Raftery's IVANKA 2020 before he takes it on tour; Albanian singer and multi-instrumentalist Elina Duni; Pianist, composer, and Artistic Director for Cuba's Jazz Plaza Santiago Festival, Roberto Fonseca; and National Lampoon's satire of Coachella and modern music festival culture LEMMINGS: 21ST CENTURY.

Charlotte Martin, Maya Hawke and More Are Coming to Joe's Pub
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Mar 4, 2020


Spring is coming in like a lion at Joe's Pub. This week our stage features Lebanese-American, New York-based pianist Tarek Yamani and the Tarek Yamani Trio; Becca Blackwell's latest deeply personal and deeply absurd solo show; Vietnamese pop star-turned protest singer Mai Khoi; Ryan Raftery's new satire IVANKA 2020; acclaimed lyricist and performer Charlotte Martin; celebrated comedienne Catherine Cohen; an album release concert from Divahn; a celebration of International Women's Day and Women's Month with ¡JEFAS!: A Celebration Of Latina Songwriters & Women In Music; and the return of Yemen Blues' brand of Yemenite chants swirled with jazz and rock grooves.

BWW Review: The Best of the Decade - Reviewer Peter Nason Picks the Top 25 Local Shows & Performances of the Past 10 Years
by Peter Nason - Dec 21, 2019


25 Shows & Performances in the Tampa Bay Area That Rocked Our World from 2010 to 2019!

Rational Youth Release 'Cold War Night Life' LP
by Sarah Jae Leiber - Dec 6, 2019


New wave pioneers Rational Youth are releasing a deluxe expanded and remastered edition of their seminal 1982 debut album 'Cold War Night Life' on both CD and double gatefold vinyl. This special edition is being issued via Universal Music Canada, the country's leading music company.

Rational Youth Releases Expanded Edition of 'Cold War Night Life' LP
by Sarah Jae Leiber - Nov 7, 2019


New wave pioneers Rational Youth are releasing a deluxe expanded and remastered edition of their seminal 1982 debut album 'Cold War Night Life' on both CD and double gatefold vinyl. This special edition is being issued via Universal Music Canada, the country's leading music company.

COME FROM AWAY Becomes The Most Successful Musical Ever Staged At Melbourne's Comedy Theatre
by Stephi Wild - Oct 20, 2019


Global hit COME FROM AWAY has been named the most successful musical in the Comedy Theatre's 91-year history, this week surpassing the box office records of all other musicals staged at the theatre since it opened in 1928.

BWW Exclusive: Theater Critic Matt Windman Returns to French Woods for All-Female 1776
by Matt Windman - Oct 13, 2019


Two years ago, I revisited French Woods Festival of the Arts (which I attended from 1999 to 2002 as a camper/teen actor and then as an assistant director/stage manager) and BroadwayWorld kindly published an article I wrote about the experience. In light of my responsibilities at work (attorney by day, theater critic by night) and at home (including a hyperactive toddler and commuting daily between NY and NJ), I was not planning on visiting again this past summer, but that instantly changed when I learned that the camp was planning on presenting 1776 for the first time in nearly two decades - and with an all-female cast.

Ladies of Soul Rule September with Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Oleta Adams, Jody Watley and Many More at Blue Note
by Sarah Jae Leiber - Aug 29, 2019


September brings some of music's most iconic female performers including Motown stars Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Lady of Soul Oleta Adams and '80s icon Jody Watley. Local artists include the Honolulu Jazz Quartet, Henry Kapono presenting his Artist 2 Artist Concert Series featuring Blayne Asing, Elijah Sky and Mike Lewis's 2nd Annual Tribute to the Great City of New York. The Blue Note Comedy Series continues with comedian Esther Ku and '90s Alternative super group 10,000 Maniacs makes their Blue Note debut. We're celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with Eddie Ortiz & Son Caribe and Yvette Moore presents a tribute to Gloria Estefan. Stef Mariani's invites you to her album release celebration of 'Highway of Love' and local favorites Good Foot Hawaii! take the stage. The Hawaii News Now Jazz Legends Series continues with Keiko Matsui and Lightnin' Larry Dupio presents an eclectic night of traditional and original Big Island blues. Willie K returns, electric blues guitar powerhouse Robben Ford takes the stage and the month rounds out with singer-songwriter Jon McLaughlin.

Other Productions of They're Playing Our Song

1979   Broadway Original Broadway Production
Broadway
1979   US Tour 1st National Tour
US Tour
1980   West End London Production
West End
1981   US Tour 2nd National Tour
US Tour
1986   Off-Off-Broadway Equity Library Theatre Revival
Off-Off-Broadway

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