REVIEW: American Girl's Circle of Friends

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Blogway Baby is in Chicago this weekend, and we're going toThe Producers closing night Sunday. More on that tomorrow.

In the meantime, I took my daughters to the American GirlPlace store today. For those of you not in the know, American Girl, also affectionately known as "Bank of American Girl", is one of the most impressive marketing machines ever assembled in the history of dolldom.

The history of American Girl is a wonderful story of entrepreneurship. According to the Web site:

American Girl was established as Pleasant Company in 1985 by founder Pleasant T. Rowland, a former educator and publisher of educational materials. She created the American Girl brand as a way to educate and entertain girls with quality books, dolls, and toys that integrate learning and play experiences while emphasizing important traditional values. Since that time, American Girl has become one of the nation's most respected brands and has earned the loyal following of millions of girls and the praise and trust of parents and educators.

Mattel, Inc., the world's leading toy maker, acquired the American Girl business in 1998. The company continues to operate as an independent subsidiary out of its main headquarters in Middleton, Wisconsin.

At American Girl Place, they have their own restaurant (where you can have tea with your doll), a photo studio (where you can address and get your photo taken with your doll), a doll salon (where you can get your doll's hair done up), and a live musical theater show called Circle of Friends.

Circle of Friends was written by Gretchen Cryer (Book and Lyrics) and Nancy Ford (Music), who are frequent collaborators who wrote the landmark feminist musical I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It On The Road.

My kids liked the show. Y'know, it wasn't bad...the dialogue pieces out of the gate were weak, and the show gets off to a slow start. However, the numbers with the classic 'American Girls' are fun, and the show really picked up with Addy's number, which the young actress who played Addy sang the crap out of...

My girls were particularly interested in the story, which was about friendship and jealousy. They were able to easily identify with the problems the show was illustrating, and I think that a gentle lesson was easily imparted.

And all the music was live...no tracks. The band consisted of two keyboards and a flutist, which was different.

SEE A SHOW ON BROADWAY

Blogger bio

Find me on MySpace and be my friend!

My name is Suzy Conn and I divide my time between Toronto, New York, and Chicago, where I am a graduate of the Theatre Building Chicago, Musical Theatre Writer's Workshop.

I am in the writing, workshop, and fundraising process with 5 different musicals, including:

PLANE CRAZY: A Broadway-style musical about feminism set against the backdrop of glamour and innocent sex appeal of the swinging '60s Jet Age, when "Stews Were Sexy and the World Was Sexist™". Premiered at NYMF 2005.

THE TALE OF PIGLING BLAND: A 45-minute children's musical based on the classic Beatrix Potter story. Premiered at Toronto Fringe 2006.

NAKED IN AMERICA -- THE MUSICAL: A wry and sometimes shocking musical revue that exposes the naked truth about our attitudes towards nudity, sex, and violence. Premiered at Theatre Building Chicago on Monday, October 16, 2006.

AD CRAZY: The sequel to PLANE CRAZY, which follows the continuing story of head stew Holly Banks as she enters the wild world of Madison Avenue in the '70s. Through her adventures Holly learns that "There Is More To Me Than The Me Decade™"

BECKY AND THE BOOGER: The new tween musical that tells the cautionary tale of nose picking gone terribly, terribly wrong. Our heroine learns to "Pick Your Friends, Not Your Nose™".

I am a proud member of the Association of Canadian Librettists, Composers, and Lyricists (ACLCL), SOCAN, ACTRA, Toronto Musician's Association (Local 149, A.F. of M.), Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), Songwriters Guild of America (SGA), Dramatist's Guild of America, and the Songwriters Association of Canada (SAC) and I have numerous publishing credits and U.S., international, and Canadian song cuts.

Thanks for listening!

Suzy's Favorite Sites

Maximum Broadway Radio
This is a FANTASTIC Broadway site that broadcasts Live 365.com Internet Radio with 24/7 showtunes! It's a BROADWAY RADIO STATION! I've got it running on my laptop now, and forever. Also includes links to a library of songs, theaters across America and a News section, which includes yours truly...

Internet Broadway Database
IBDB provides a comprehensive database of shows produced on Broadway, including all "title page" information about each production. IBDB also offers historical information about theatres and various statistics and fun facts related to Broadway.

42nd Street Moon Blog
A GREAT musical theater blog, with a Blogway Baby-style fanatical devotion to Broadway. It's published by a theater company focused on "Classic Broadway in Concert", based in San Francisco. I wish I'd known about these guys when I lived in Palo Alto!

Mermaniac
Mermanic, "A Show Tunes Weblog", has an excellent blogroll which has been divided into the signs of the zodiac...Blogway Baby is under the sign of Cancer.

Jorge's Place
This seems like the ultimate Broadway fan site. Nicely designed too!

Yahoo! Entertainment
A fantastic movie musical link database: All the big stars are in here.

Playbill.com
The classic, the original, the only. Playbill: Following theater since there was theater...

Talkin' Broadway
Nice gossip site on Broadway. Interface is weird and difficult to use, but solid content.

Backstage Magazine
The actor's resource to upcoming audtions and casting sessions across the US of A.

Variety Magazine
The grandpappy of theater...check out the "Legit" section.

Broadway.com
The definitive resource on Broadway. Get your tickets, your hotels, and your Broadway plans at Broadway.com

Myrna's Page
My daughter's home page. Isn't she cute?

BoingBoing
The world's greatest blog, EVAR.

Broadwayworld.com
A great resource for Broadway and Off-Broadway reviews.

New York Musical Theatre Festival
The one, the only, New York Musical Theatre Festival: The world's premier musical theater event.

Northern River Arts and Entertainment
A great and comprehensive archive of Canadian musical theater history.

Musical Theater Giants

Richard Adler (b. 1923) Lyricist Richard Adler is best recalled as part of the team of composer Jerold Ross and Adler. Best known for The Pajama Game and Damn Yankees. Adler was unable to reproduce these successes after the death of Ross in 1955.

Lionel Bart (b. 1930 / d. 1999) Composer/Lyricist Lionel Bart parlayed a massively successful '50s pop-song writing career into musical theater. He succeeded with Oliver! and Blitz!, and was personally and financially ruined by the flop Twang!.

Irving Berlin (b. 1888 / d. 1989)

Leslie Bricusse (b. 1931)

Cy Coleman (b. 1929 / d. 2004)

Betty Comden

Fred Ebb (b. 1933 / d. 2004)

Adolph Green (b. 1914 / d. 2002)

Jerry Herman (b. 1933)

John Kander (b. 1927)

Alan Jay Lerner (b. 1918 / d. 1986)

Frank Loesser (b. 1910 / d. 1969)

Frederick Loewe (b. 1901 / d. 1988)

Anthony Newley (b. 1931 / d. 1999)

Cole Porter (b. 1891 / d. 1964)

Gerry Ross (b. 1926 / d. 1955)

Arthur Schwartz (b. 1900 / d. 1984)

Stephen Schwartz (b. 1948)

Stephen Sondheim (b. 1930)

Charles Strouse (b. 1928)

Association Sites

Association of Canadian Librettists, Composers, and Lyricists (ACLCL)

SOCAN

ACTRA

Toronto Musician's Association (Local 149, A.F. of M.)

Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI)

Songwriters Guild of America (SGA)

Dramatist's Guild of America

Songwriters Association of Canada (SAC)

Professional Association of Canadian Theatres

From Hollywood to Broadway

They say it's the hot trend in musicals today -- adapting a popular movie to the stage -- but while The Producers (2001), adapted from The Producers (1968) and Hairspray (2002), adapted from Hairspray (1988) grab all the attention, the trend has actually been around for a while. Here's a sampling of a list that seems to grow every day.

David Merrick, the legendary impressario, actually loved to adapt film material and he became famous with some of these productions:

42nd Street (1933) became 42nd Street (1980)

Marcel Pagnol's Marseilles Trilogy (1929) became Fanny: A New Musical (1954)

The Apartment (1960) became Promises, Promises (1968)

Some Like It Hot (1959) became Sugar (1972)

Destry Rides Again (1939) became Destry Rides Again (1959)

State Fair (1945) became State Fair (1996)

And here's a bunch more non-Merrick examples:

Mary Poppins (1964) became Mary Poppins (2004)

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) became Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (2002)

Meet Me In St. Louis (1945) became Meet Me In St. Louis (1989)

Singin' in the Rain (1952) became Singin' In The Rain (1996)

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) became Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (1985)

The Wizard of Oz (1939) became The Wizard of Oz (1988)

High Society (1956) became High Society (1998)

Swing Time (1936) became Never Gonna Dance (2003)

Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967) became Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002) (though little of the original score was used)

Beauty and the Beast (1991, Animated) became Beauty and the Beast (1994)

The Lion King (1994, Animated) became The Lion King (1997)

All About Eve (1950) became Applause (1970)

Woman of the Year (1942) became Woman Of The Year (1981)

Nights of Cabiria (1957) became Sweet Charity: A New Musical Comedy (1966)

Smiles Of A Summer Night (1957) became A Little Night Music (1973)

Sunset Boulevard (1950) became Sunset Boulevard (1994)

It (1927) became The It Girl (2001)

8 1/2 (1963) became Nine (1982)

Sweet Smell of Success (1957) became Sweet Smell of Success (2002)

The Captain's Paradise (1953) became Oh Captain (1958)

The Night of the Hunter (1955) became The Night Of The Hunter (1998 Concept Cast) (also a literary source but best known as a film)

Billy Elliot (2000) became Billy Elliot: The Musical on the West End (2005)

And continuing into the future, stay tuned for White Christmas, based on the 1954 movie of the same name.

Reader favorite posts

Here are some of Blogway Baby's favorite posts, as voted by Blogway Baby readers:

+ The Lyrics to Sarah Jessica Parker's GAP Ad, "I Enjoy Being A Girl"

+ Rosie O'Donnell's Haiku Blog

Nudie Musical Themes
+ More Nudie Musical Goodness
+ I Always Wondered About That Title
+ Playboy: The Musical
+ G-Spot: Canadian Sex in the City based in L.A.
+ The Pajama-less Game
+ It's Naked Week at Blogway Baby!
+ Bring Back Oh! Calcutta!

The "Ultimate Entertainment Niche" Series
+ Part II
+ Part I

The SF :: Broadway Connection
+ Part IV: Reader Contributions
+ Part III: How Could I Have Missed This One?
+ Part II
+ The SF :: Broadway Connection
+ SF / Musical Theater Mash-up
+ A Long Time Ago, In A Theater Far, Far Away

Flops I Missed
+ Part II: Nick & Nora
+ Part I: Carrie

The "Great Tortured Stephen Sondheim" Series
+ "Songs I Wish I'd Never Written"
+ Wall-to-wall Stephen Sondheim
+ Part III
+ Part II
+ Part I

Suzy's Blogging Tools

The New York Times Link Generator is a fantastic blogging tool for the American newspaper of record: It allows bloggers to connect to NYTimes articles without having to face a login barrier.

Technorati: Tag: Broadway. This page shows all kinds of goodies from the Web about Broadway. To contribute, just make a post to your blog about Broadway and include the link: broadway

del.icio.us: Tags: Broadway Music Musicals Blog Blogs Theater Theatre Entertainment

iTunes: I use the iTunes Link Maker to connect Blogway Baby directly to the iTunes Music Store. Sorry, I just connect to the US store...

Top Ten Movie Musicals

10: An American in Paris / Gigi because France in the '50s is simply irresistible;

9: There's No Business Like Show Business because of Ethel Merman...'nuff said?;

8: West Side Story, because even though they dubbed Natalie Wood they retained the energy of the original staging;

7: Guys and Dolls, and not everyone likes this one because of Brando's singing, but I just love the sets, the times, and Frank is simply perfect;

6: Flying Down to Rio / Gay Divorcee / Roberta / Top Hat / Follow the Fleet and Swing Time / Shall We Dance / Carefree / The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle / The Barkleys of Broadway because this list wouldn't be complete without Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, who kept me company afternoons that I used to skip out of school to watch these musicals on TV;

5: Oliver! because it had a huge impact on me as a child: It was the first time that I'd seen someone get killed in a musical. And each time I see it, I still think there's a chance she'll get away;

4: Funny Girl because of two words: Barbra Streisand;

3: Jesus Christ Superstar because of Norman Jewison's incredibly inventive filmography, the energy, the '70s...the closest thing I've ever had to a religious experience;

2: It's a tie between White Christmas because of "Sisters": One of the most important songs in my life and Holiday Inn because despite the cringe-worthy blackface routines and racist stereotyping, it has one of the best dance numbers ever with Fred Astaire and a pocketful of firecrackers;

...and most importantly...

1: Singin' in the Rain because of Donald O'Connor's "Make 'em Laugh" (even though it was blatantly ripped off of Cole Porter's "Be A Clown") and "Good Morning", our daily refrain in the Conn household.