• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
MENUMENU
MENUMENU
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • FlaglerLive Board of Directors
    • Comment Policy
    • Mission Statement
    • Our Values
  • Live Calendar
  • Submit Obituary
  • Submit an Event
  • Support FlaglerLive
  • Advertise on FlaglerLive (386) 503-3808
  • Search Results

FlaglerLive

No Bull, no Fluff, No Smudges

MENUMENU
  • Flagler
    • Flagler County Commission
    • Beverly Beach
    • Economic Development Council
    • Flagler History
    • Mondex/Daytona North
    • The Hammock
    • Tourist Development Council
  • Palm Coast
    • Palm Coast City Council
    • Palm Coast Crime
  • Bunnell
    • Bunnell City Commission
    • Bunnell Crime
  • Flagler Beach
    • Flagler Beach City Commission
    • Flagler Beach Crime
  • Cops/Courts
    • Circuit & County Court
    • Florida Supreme Court
    • Federal Courts
    • Flagler 911
    • Fire House
    • Flagler County Sheriff
    • Flagler Jail Bookings
    • Traffic Accidents
  • Rights & Liberties
    • Fourth Amendment
    • First Amendment
    • Privacy
    • Second Amendment
    • Seventh Amendment
    • Sixth Amendment
    • Sunshine Law
    • Third Amendment
    • Religion & Beliefs
    • Human Rights
    • Immigration
    • Labor Rights
    • 14th Amendment
    • Civil Rights
  • Schools
    • Adult Education
    • Belle Terre Elementary
    • Buddy Taylor Middle
    • Bunnell Elementary
    • Charter Schools
    • Daytona State College
    • Flagler County School Board
    • Flagler Palm Coast High School
    • Higher Education
    • Imagine School
    • Indian Trails Middle
    • Matanzas High School
    • Old Kings Elementary
    • Rymfire Elementary
    • Stetson University
    • Wadsworth Elementary
    • University of Florida/Florida State
  • Economy
    • Jobs & Unemployment
    • Business & Economy
    • Development & Sprawl
    • Leisure & Tourism
    • Local Business
    • Local Media
    • Real Estate & Development
    • Taxes
  • Commentary
    • The Conversation
    • Pierre Tristam
    • Diane Roberts
    • Guest Columns
    • Byblos
    • Editor's Blog
  • Culture
    • African American Cultural Society
    • Arts in Palm Coast & Flagler
    • Books
    • City Repertory Theatre
    • Flagler Auditorium
    • Flagler Playhouse
    • Flagler Youth Orchestra
    • Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra
    • Palm Coast Arts Foundation
    • Special Events
  • Elections 2022
    • Amendments and Referendums
    • Presidential Election
    • Campaign Finance
    • City Elections
    • Congressional
    • Constitutionals
    • Courts
    • Governor
    • Polls
    • Voting Rights
  • Florida
    • Federal Politics
    • Florida History
    • Florida Legislature
    • Florida Legislature
    • Ron DeSantis
  • Health & Society
    • Flagler County Health Department
    • Ask the Doctor Column
    • Health Care
    • Health Care Business
    • Covid-19
    • Children and Families
    • Medicaid and Medicare
    • Mental Health
    • Poverty
    • Violence
  • All Else
    • Daily Briefing
    • Americana
    • Obituaries
    • News Briefs
    • Weather and Climate
    • Wildlife

You’re Not Reading Wrong: [Title of Show] Sings Anthem To Selfie Culture In CRT Musical

October 20, 2017 | FlaglerLive | Leave a Comment

title of show stars
Frank Anello and Beau Wade who, along with Phillipa Rose and Caitlin Eriser, star in City Repertory Theatre’s ‘[Title of Show],’ this evening and through Sunday. (Mike Kitaif)

No, City Repertory Theater didn’t forget to insert the title of their latest production in the troupe’s press releases and promo materials. The musical, which concludes with performances tonight through Sunday at City Rep’s venue in Palm Coast, is indeed titled “[title of show]” – brackets and all.


Yes, that title is a “meta” (that is, self-referential) maneuver by the musical’s creators, Jeff Bowen (music and lyrics) and Hunter Bell (book). Indeed, their entire play is “meta.”

When Bowen and Bell decided on a lark to create a work to submit to the then-newly-formed New York Musical Festival in 2004 – with the entry deadline only three weeks away – they were stymied over what to write about. And then the duo got meta and a bit Pirandello (see the Nobel Prize winner’s play “Six Characters in Search of an Author”) when Bowen suggested they “write about what to write about.”

The result is “[title of show],” a musical about creating a musical that takes its name – brackets and all – from the entry form that Bowen and Bell used to submit their finished work to that festival. The play won a Special Citation at the 2006 Obie Awards.

“ ‘[title of show]’ is a wonderfully raunchy, young perspective on the world in which four young people are trying to get a musical ready for a professional contest,” said City Rep director John Sbordone. “It’s a lark. It’s just fun and rather complex.

“I have a lot of young actor-singers who said ‘Get “[title of show]”!’ I said, ‘No one’s going to come see it — they don’t know what it is.’ But what it is, is just a fun, marvelous musical romp that has a lot of New York humor.”

New York Times theater critic Charles Isherwood, in his July 21, 2006, review, wrote: “Fanciful meta-theatrics aside, ‘[title of show]’ is at heart a postmodern homage to the grand tradition of backstage musicals like ‘Babes in Arms,’ ‘Kiss Me, Kate’ and ‘A Chorus Line.’ Its miniature size is a telling reflection of how the old-school Broadway musical has become something of a niche product.”

Isherwood reviewed the musical again when it debuted on Broadway in July 2008, writing: “Consider ‘[title of show]’ the class clown of Broadway. Certainly it will never be part of the popular crowd, like those snooty smash hits ‘Wicked’ or ‘The Lion King.’ It’s not the straight-A, critic’s-pet type like ‘Spring Awakening,’ either. But like all class clowns, it wins you over by making fun of the big shots and bursting with its own distinctive personality.”

As City Repertory fare goes it’s not part of its most demanding shows though the wit doesn’t lack for cerebral allusions to all sorts of cultural references for those more inclined to hear between the lines.

“[title of show]” will be staged at 7:30 p.m. October 20-21 and 2 p.m. Oct. 22 at CRT’s home at 160 Cypress Point Parkway in City Market Place, Suite B207, Palm Coast. Tickets are $25 adults, $15 students. For more information or tickets, call the CRT box office at 386-585-9415 or go online at crtpalmcoast.com.

The [Title of Show] production:  left to right, Paul van de Graff, Beau Wade, John Sbordone, Frank Anello bottom. Leigh Ann Singleton, Caitlin Eriser, Phillipa Rose. (Mike Kitaif)
The [Title of Show] production: left to right, Paul van de Graff, Beau Wade, John Sbordone, Frank Anello
bottom. Leigh Ann Singleton, Caitlin Eriser, Phillipa Rose. (Mike Kitaif)
Print Friendly, PDF & Email
You and your neighbors collectively read our articles about 25,000 times each day (that's not a typo) with up to 65,000 daily reads during emergencies like hurricanes. Flagler County residents rely on FlaglerLive for essential, bold and analytical journalism that cannot be found anywhere else. But we depend on your support. Please join our December fund drive! If you donate the cost of a scoop of ice cream, you will be helping us continue to provide comprehensive local news and honest, serious journalism for our community. If you can donate more or become a monthly donor, even better. Donations are tax deductible since FlaglerLive is a 501(c)(3) non-profit news organization. Donate by clicking anywhere in this box. Think of it as buying a scoop, in every sense of the term!  
All donors' identities are kept confidential and anonymous.
   

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Advertisers

  • grand living realty
  • politis matovina attorneys for justice personal injury law auto truck accidents
  • WNZF Creekside Festival

Recent Comments

  • Pam on In Hammock, $1.4 Million Paving of Dirt Roads in Rustic Neighborhood Draws Sharp Opposition
  • C’mon man on Taylor Manjarres, 20, Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Her Role in Shooting Death of Zaire Roberts
  • Sherry on Bible Challenge in Flagler Schools Unravels Inconsistencies, Arbitrariness and Confusion in Review Process
  • Pat Stote on Remembering Lucy Morgan, Florida’s Most Feared Journalist
  • Lee on Remembering Lucy Morgan, Florida’s Most Feared Journalist
  • Sherry on How the Federal Government Shutdown Would Affect You
  • Denali on Sally Hunt Raises Questions About Using Schools as Shelters During Hurricane Emergencies
  • palmcoaster on Bipartisan House Vote Keeps Government Open for 45 Days; Flagler’s Mike Waltz Votes Against
  • Nancy N on Bible Challenge in Flagler Schools Unravels Inconsistencies, Arbitrariness and Confusion in Review Process
  • Nancy N. on Bible Challenge in Flagler Schools Unravels Inconsistencies, Arbitrariness and Confusion in Review Process
  • Wo Bee on Bipartisan House Vote Keeps Government Open for 45 Days; Flagler’s Mike Waltz Votes Against
  • Skibum on Florida’s Policing of Public Restroom Gender Draws Federal Lawsuit from Trans and Nonbinary Group
  • JimBob on Bipartisan House Vote Keeps Government Open for 45 Days; Flagler’s Mike Waltz Votes Against
  • Skibum on Sally Hunt Raises Questions About Using Schools as Shelters During Hurricane Emergencies
  • Michael Cocchiola on Bipartisan House Vote Keeps Government Open for 45 Days; Flagler’s Mike Waltz Votes Against
  • Donald J on Bipartisan House Vote Keeps Government Open for 45 Days; Flagler’s Mike Waltz Votes Against

Log in