Streaming service, BroadwayHD, has announced five new titles for viewing this month, including The Music Man, starring Robert Preston and Shirley Jones, already in progress. Here’s the line-up:
The Music Man – September 3rd – Seventy-six Trombones leads the big parade in one of the biggest, brightest musicals based on the Broadway play. Robert Preston encores his Broadway triumph as Professor Harold Hill; Oscar® winner Shirley Jones stars as Marian the Librarian; and the small-town charm of River City, Iowa, in 1912 comes to life in this delightful romance of a con man who falls in love and faces a difficult decision about skipping town. Marian suspects Harold is a fraud, but holds her tongue since her moody brother, Winthrop (Ronny Howard), is excited about being in the band.
The Jazz Singer – September 10th – In this Golden Globe nominated film, Jess Robin (Neil Diamond) dreams of a career in popular music, but his father, Cantor Rabinovitch (Laurence Olivier), forbids it, insisting Jess live as a traditional Jew and inherit his position at the synagogue. With the help of friend and professional musician Bubba (Franklin Ajaye), Jess gets a chance to go to Los Angeles and have famous singer Keith Lennox (Paul Nicholas) record one of his songs. Defying both his father and his wife, Jess leaves New York to pursue his dreams.
Porgy and Bess– September 18th- This is the first live recording of The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess. Eric Owens (Porgy) and Laquita Mitchell (Bess) lead an amazing cast, led by internationally acclaimed conductor John DeMain, who’s 1976 recording of Porgy and Bess won a Grammy and remains a benchmark interpretation of this masterpiece. Recorded live in High Definition at the War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, 2009. George Gershwin miraculously melded classical music, popular song, jazz, blues and spirituals in this poignant story of a crippled beggar, the headstrong woman he loves, and the community that tasks and sustains them both.
Happy Birthday Doug – September 24th – From producer Michael Urie, Happy Birthday Doug is a critically acclaimed production, directed by Tom DeTrinis, and written and performed by Drew Droege (the Internet’s “Chloë,” “Drunk History,” “Bob’s Burgers,” RuPaul’s “AJ and the Queen” on Netflix). Following a brief, but successful run at SoHo Playhouse that ended prematurely this spring due to the pandemic, this knock-out new production comes exclusively to BroadwayHD. Happy Birthday Doug is a one man play that visits with Doug as he celebrates his 41st birthday in a wine bar. His favorite, and least favorite gay men have made the invite list: friends, exes, nightmares, tricks, and even a ghost.
Sordid Lives – September 29th – Sometimes it takes a death to bring a family together. In this cult classic comedy from writer-director Del Shores, a gay West Hollywood actor returns home to his small Texas town for his grandmother’s funeral. As we meet the three generations of his dysfunctional family, the hilarious truth of their “sordid lives” is revealed. Sordid Lives features an all-star ensemble cast, including Olivia Newton-John (Grease), Delta Burke (Designing Women), Bonnie Bedelia (Parenthood), Beau Bridges (Masters of Sex) and Leslie Jordan (The Help) as the Tammy Wynette-obsessed institutionalized gay uncle, Brother Boy. The soundtrack features such country standards as “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” “Stand by Your Man,” and “Get off the Cross, We Need the Wood.”
For more information, visit www.broadwayhd.com.
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