The Times They Are A-Changin' (musical)
Encyclopedia
The Times They Are A-Changin' is a musical
, conceived, directed and choreographed by Twyla Tharp
.
Mixing the theatre, dance and the musical stylings of Bob Dylan
, Twyla Tharp
tells a coming-of-age story that takes place inside a low-rent traveling circus found within a dark and humorous dream world.
in San Diego, California
on February 9, 2006 running through March 2006.
It then premiered on Broadway
at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre
on October 26, 2006 and closed on November 19, 2006 after 28 performances and 35 previews. Tharp both directed and choreographed, with set and costumes by Santo Loquasto
and lighting by Donald Holder
. The cast featured John Selya
, Michael Arden
, Neil Haskell
, Thom Sesma, and Lisa Brescia
.
It received mostly negative reviews. The New York Times review stated "But if the choreography at times defies gravity, the show itself may be the most earthbound work Ms. Tharp has produced. Even as the dancers seem to fly, Mr. Dylan’s lyrics are hammered, one by one, into the ground."
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
, conceived, directed and choreographed by Twyla Tharp
Twyla Tharp
Twyla Tharp is an American dancer and choreographer, who lives and works in New York City.-Early years:Tharp was born in 1941 on a farm in Portland, Indiana, and was named after Twila Thornburg, the "Pig Princess" of the 89th Annual Muncie Fair in Indiana.she spend hours working on it to help her...
.
Mixing the theatre, dance and the musical stylings of Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, Twyla Tharp
Twyla Tharp
Twyla Tharp is an American dancer and choreographer, who lives and works in New York City.-Early years:Tharp was born in 1941 on a farm in Portland, Indiana, and was named after Twila Thornburg, the "Pig Princess" of the 89th Annual Muncie Fair in Indiana.she spend hours working on it to help her...
tells a coming-of-age story that takes place inside a low-rent traveling circus found within a dark and humorous dream world.
Production history
The musical debuted at the Old Globe TheatreOld Globe Theatre
The Old Globe is a professional theatre company located in Balboa Park in San Diego, California. It produces about 15 plays and musicals annually in summer and winter seasons...
in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
on February 9, 2006 running through March 2006.
It then premiered on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre
Brooks Atkinson Theatre
The Brooks Atkinson Theatre is a Broadway theater located at 256 West 47th Street in Manhattan.Designed by architect Herbert J. Krapp, it was constructed as the Mansfield Theatre by the Chanin brothers in 1926. After 1933, the theatre fell into relative disuse until 1945, when Michael Myerberg...
on October 26, 2006 and closed on November 19, 2006 after 28 performances and 35 previews. Tharp both directed and choreographed, with set and costumes by Santo Loquasto
Santo Loquasto
Santo Richard Loquasto is a Sicilian-Italian-American production designer, scenic designer and costume designer for stage, film, and dance. He is a descendant of Libertino lo Guasto of Serradifalco, Caltanissetta, Sicily. Indy race car driver Al Loquasto was his first cousin...
and lighting by Donald Holder
Donald Holder
Donald Holder is an American lighting designer in theatre, opera, and dance based in New York. He has been nominated for eight Tony Awards, winning the 1998 Tony Award for Best Lighting Design as well as the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lighting Design for The Lion King. He won a second Tony in...
. The cast featured John Selya
John Selya
John Selya is a professional dancer and choreographer. He appears in the new Broadway musical Come Fly Away, by Twyla Tharp, opening in March 2010. He most recently appeared in the Broadway revival of Guys and Dolls as Scranton Slim, in Damn Yankees as Eddie/Mambo Dancer , and in The Times They...
, Michael Arden
Michael Arden
Michael Jerrod Moore , also known as Michael Arden, is an American stage actor, singer, and composer. He was born in Midland, Texas.-Early and personal life:...
, Neil Haskell
Neil Haskell
Neil David Haskell is an American contemporary dancer. He is best known as a contestant on So You Think You Can Dance where he finished third in the final four. On April 22, 2008, he began performing in the Off-Broadway musical Altar Boyz as Luke. Neil most recently joined The West Side Story...
, Thom Sesma, and Lisa Brescia
Lisa Brescia
Lisa Brescia, born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is an American musical theatre actress who has performed as lead and understudy in several Broadway shows. Raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Lisa went on to pursue acting and graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts...
.
It received mostly negative reviews. The New York Times review stated "But if the choreography at times defies gravity, the show itself may be the most earthbound work Ms. Tharp has produced. Even as the dancers seem to fly, Mr. Dylan’s lyrics are hammered, one by one, into the ground."