What’s hot at Broadway Licensing Group? Check out the top trending titles of the week from Broadway Licensing, Dramatists Play Service, and Playscripts
Glitz!: The Little Miss Christmas Pageant Musical book and lyrics by Bert Bernardi, music by Justin Rugg
In the true spirit of Christmas, get a behind-the-scenes look at the backstabbing mothers and fiercely competitive daughters in the ‘Little Miss Christmas Pageant,’ an annual competition where ten girls (and their outrageous stage moms) compete for the coveted Christmas crown. Sequins, shiny shoes, and a can of hairspray aren’t all it takes to win this battle. These diva daughters and pushy moms are armed with sheer grit and a thirst for victory. However, when the value of truth, honesty, and love is learned, Christmas spirit becomes the true winner in this heartwarming new holiday classic.
Aristophanes’ The Birds by Brian Reno and Gabriel Vega Weissman
THE STORY: Two movie moguls abandon an increasingly vain and shallow society, making their way into the desert to live among the birds. Seeking the freedom and tranquility that come with bird-living, they must make a case for why they deserve an avian transformation, but all they have to offer are the pieces of civilization they’ve tried to leave behind. THE BIRDS begs the question: Can human beings truly go against their nature? Originally performed in 414 B.C. and written chockablock full of pop culture references of the time, Reno and Weissman have dusted off Aristophanes’ Attic Comedy and provided opportunities for theatremakers to tailor the play to their particular place and time. ARISTOPHANES’ THE BIRDS is a hilarious examination of humanity’s desperate need for control, privilege, and conspicuous consumption.
Everyone Gets Eaten by Sharks by Marshall Pailet
THE STORY: Join Adventure Dan on a tour through shark-infested scenarios to avoid, such as kayaking with meat paddles, night-swimming after prom, or genetically engineering sharks for science. Because three things in life are certain: taxes, death, and specifically death by shark. A delightfully madcap comedy you’re sure to devour . . . unless it devours you first.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, adapted for the stage by Simon Levy
THE STORY: Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire, passionately pursues the elusive Daisy Buchanan. Nick Carraway, a young newcomer to Long Island, is drawn into their world of obsession, greed and danger. The breathtaking glamour and decadent excess of the Jazz Age come to the stage in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel, and in Simon Levy’s adaptation, approved by the Fitzgerald Estate.
Gruesome Playground Injuries by Rajiv Joseph
THE STORY: Over the course of 30 years, the lives of Kayleen and Doug intersect at the most bizarre intervals, leading the two childhood friends to compare scars and the physical calamities that keep drawing them together.
Sherlock Holmes and The Case of the Jersey Lily by Katie Forgette
The wit of Oscar Wilde meets the cunning of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle when Wilde brings his dear friend, Lillie Langtry, to Baker Street. Someone has stolen the highly intimate letters Lillie exchanged with the Prince of Wales, and now she is being blackmailed. Only Holmes can solve the case, going so far as to disguise himself as an early version of Lady Bracknell from Wilde’s latest play, The Importance of Being Forthright, while Watson falls head-over-heels for the Jersey Lily and a wicked professor attempts to bring the Crown to its knees.
Letters to Sala by Arlene Hutton
THE STORY: Adapted from the book Sala’s Gift by Ann Kirschner and based on a true account, LETTERS TO SALA is a remarkable story of a young girl’s survival during wartime Germany. Five years. Seven Nazi labor camps. Over 350 hidden letters. Sala Garncarz Kirschner kept her secret for over fifty years, concealing her incredibly painful history in a Spill and Spell box. Everything changes when Sala reveals the cache to her grown daughter, Ann. LETTERS TO SALA draws from the emotional journeys that begin for both Ann and Sala when the letters resurface. Through scholarly research, Ann discovers that her mother has made a historically significant impact on Holocaust documentation. As Ann processes her own reaction to her mother’s story, her daughters, Caroline and Elisabeth, also realize for the first time the weight of their Jewish heritage. Simultaneously, Ann’s study of the letters throws Sala into the past again. She relives her youth, recalling her naïve desire for adventure, the disillusionment of her life in the work camps, and her loss of communication with the outside world as the war progressed around her.
Bob: A Life in Five Acts by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb
THE STORY: BOB chronicles the highly unusual life of Bob and his lifelong quest to become a “Great Man.” Born and abandoned in the bathroom of a fast food restaurant, Bob energetically embarks on an epic journey across America and encounters inspiring generosity, crushing hardships, blissful happiness, stunning coincidences, wrong turns, lucky breaks, true love and heartbreaking loss. Along the way, Bob meets a myriad of fellow countrymen all struggling to find their own place in the hullaballoo of it all. Will Bob’s real life ever be able to live up to his dream? BOB is a comedic exploration of American mythology and values, the treacherous pursuit of happiness, and discovering what it means to be truly “great.”
Sorry, Wrong Number by Lucille Fletcher
THE STORY: A mystery thriller, the tale of a neurotic invalid, whose only contact with the outside world is her phone. Over this, one night, because of a crossed wire, she hears plans for a murder, which turns out to be her own. Her frantic efforts to enlist help through the only means at her disposal, her growing terror and realization of the truth, and (along the way) the hints about her own life and personality she lets drop, make this a full character portrait not only of herself but of the unseen murderer, whose identity and motivations are surmised but never revealed.
Stellaluna and Other Tales book and lyrics by Alyn Cardarelli, music by Steve Goers, based upon the works by Janell Cannon
THE STORY: Stellaluna the bat, Verdi the snake, and Pinduli the hyena all seek refreshment at a watering hole one hot day, only to find themselves the subjects of a bullying lion’s ridicule. But by sharing stories about building self-confidence, these three misfit animals find wisdom, peace, and friendship. Based on the popular books by Janell Cannon, this delightful musical is a treat for both children and adults.
