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.

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.

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

Continue the conversation with Peter (@pgeinvan) and Nathan (@nathan_lerud) on Twitter, and join the conversation at the Gospel of Musical Theatre!