Starting Here, Starting Now
Encyclopedia
Starting Here, Starting Now is a musical
revue
with lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr.
and music by David Shire
. With a cast of three and three musicians, the revue explores a variety of romantic relationships.
The revue was first produced at the Manhattan Theater Club in 1976 under the title "Theater Songs by Maltby and Shire." In March 1977, the show moved to the Barbarann Theater Restaurant in New York City
, where it ran for 120 performances. The cast featured Loni Ackerman
, Margery Cohen and George Lee Andrews. The original cast album was nominated for a Grammy Award
, and the 1993 London production also produced a cast album. The revue continues to be frequently produced.
After Maltby and Shire graduated from Yale, they wrote many songs for shows that either closed out of town or were never produced. Their songs tend to be "story songs", each giving the character(s) a chance to explore a mini-drama. The two writers decided to assemble these songs into a revue, grouping them by theme.
The Original Cast recording was released in 1977 by RCA (ASIN: B000002W3D).
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
revue
Revue
A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century American popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own during its golden years from 1916 to 1932...
with lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr.
Richard Maltby, Jr.
Richard Eldridge Maltby, Jr. is an American theatre director and producer, lyricist, and screenwriter. He is also well known as a constructor of cryptic crossword puzzles. He has done this for Harper's Magazine, sometimes in collaboration with E. R...
and music by David Shire
David Shire
David Lee Shire is an American songwriter and the composer of stage musicals, film and television scores. The soundtrack to the movie The Taking of Pelham 123 and parts of the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack such as Night on Disco Mountain, an adaptation of Modest Mussorgsky's Night on Bald...
. With a cast of three and three musicians, the revue explores a variety of romantic relationships.
The revue was first produced at the Manhattan Theater Club in 1976 under the title "Theater Songs by Maltby and Shire." In March 1977, the show moved to the Barbarann Theater Restaurant in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where it ran for 120 performances. The cast featured Loni Ackerman
Loni Ackerman
Loni Ackerman is an American Broadway musical theatre performer and cabaret singer.Born in New York City, she made her Broadway debut in George M! in 1968, then replaced Bernadette Peters in the hit off-Broadway production of Dames at Sea.In 1971, Ackerman was cast in the revival of No, No Nanette...
, Margery Cohen and George Lee Andrews. The original cast album was nominated for a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
, and the 1993 London production also produced a cast album. The revue continues to be frequently produced.
After Maltby and Shire graduated from Yale, they wrote many songs for shows that either closed out of town or were never produced. Their songs tend to be "story songs", each giving the character(s) a chance to explore a mini-drama. The two writers decided to assemble these songs into a revue, grouping them by theme.
Synopsis
Act I explores the humorous, joyful, melancholy and angry ups and downs of city romances. In Act II, the songs present characters who have had unlucky experiences in love and life and who have a chance at a new start.Song list
- The Word Is Love
- Starting Here, Starting Now
- A Little Bit Off
- We Can Talk To Each Other
- Just Across The River
- I Think I May Want to Remember Today
- Today Is the First Day Of The Rest Of My Life
- Beautiful
- Crossword Puzzle
- Autumn
- I Don't Remember Christmas
- I Don't Believe It
- I'm Going To Make You Beautiful
- You Can't Let Down Your Fans
- A Girl You Should Know
- Travel
- Watching The Big Parade Go By
- What About Today
- One Step
- Barbara
- Song Of Me
- A New Life Coming
- Pleased with Myself
- Flair
- I Hear Bells
The Original Cast recording was released in 1977 by RCA (ASIN: B000002W3D).