Category Archives: Posts by Jessica Pickens

Musical Interlude: Doris Day in Musicals

Musical Interlude: Doris Day in Musicals As a teen, Doris Day had dreams of becoming a dancer, but after her leg was broken in an accident when a train hit her car, her original plan of heading to Hollywood to … Continue reading

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“The Broadway Melody” (1929): The Musical that Paved the Way for the Rest

“All singing! All dancing!” Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer touted its first full-length musical sound film with these lines that now are immortalized in Hollywood history. The Broadway Melody (1929) was not only Hollywood’s first full-length talking musical, but also the first sound film … Continue reading

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Musical Interlude: Costume Design for Musicals

Costume Design for Musicals Musicals aren’t just about singing and dancing… deciding what a performer is going to wear during a musical number is also an important factor in bringing a scene to life. Simply put, if an actor is … Continue reading

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Musical Interlude: Musicals of Hollywood’s Greatest Year

Musical Interlude: Musicals of Hollywood’s Greatest Year It’s known as Hollywood’s greatest year: 1939. As we celebrate films released 80 years ago, we think of some of the most obvious film achievements the storied year brought us: Gone with the … Continue reading

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Musical Interlude: Musical Remakes

  Musical Remakes Remakes are nothing new. Since films began, they were remade. Stories are revised, plot lines are shifted and new actors are cast in roles someone else made their own years before. Other times, the story, scenes and … Continue reading

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Musical Interlude: Singing and Dance Through the Holidays

Singing and Dancing Through the Holidays Christmas in Musicals Music can set the mood for the holidays. While tunes may blare out of our radios, some favorites originated in movie musicals, such as the songs “White Christmas” and “Have Yourself … Continue reading

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Musical Interlude: Five Must See Musicals

  “I hate musicals.” We’ve all met someone who tries to rain on a musical lover’s parade with this phrase. Maybe they once watched The Sound of Music (1965) and thought it was way too long or perhaps had a hard … Continue reading

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Musical Interlude: The Singing Voices Behind the Stars

The Singing Voices Behind the Stars Lucy Ricardo always tried to get in on Ricky’s act, despite her less than pleasant singing voice on the show I Love Lucy. Lucy would sing in a shouting, off-key manner. And when I … Continue reading

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Musical Interlude: What is a Musical? A New Answer Comes with Each Decade

What is a musical? A New Answer Comes with Each Decade. When you can’t express how you feel in words … belt out a song or break out into a lively dance number. That is typically how musicals have been defined: … Continue reading

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