Over time, the jukebox musical has gathered strength in its ability to entertain through nostalgia and solid scores of pop hits.
Recent productions have honored the lives and songs of Carole King in Beautiful, Cher in The Cher Show, and so many others, including Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen. A new musical, highlighting the career of Neil Diamond, is currently in the works and producers Ken Davenport and Bob Gaudio are considering a run on Broadway; the news comes more than a year after Diamond announced his retirement from touring due to a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.
The show includes a book by Anthony McCarten, who wrote and produced The Theory of Everything, a film that examines the life of scientist Stephen Hawking. McCarten's work as a screenwriter and producer has been recognized with several Academy Award nominations. The Neil Diamond musical follows the songwriter from his first big break in the 1960s through his superstar 1970s.
And if bluegrass is all that comes to mind when you think of Winfield, take a look at what's on stage during the Summer Theatre Festival at Southwestern College. Nunsense: A Musical Comedy, with book, music and lyrics by Dan Goggin, is the lighthearted tale of a talent show put on by the Little Sisters of Hoboken. This show is on stage in Winfield at Messenger Recital Hall, Darbeth Fine Arts Center, Southwestern College from July 26 to July 28.
