The unsung hero of Les Miz (Don't miss today's Weekly Blast)The beloved English lyrics came from wordsmith Herbert Kretzmer
Here’s a FREE preview edition of The Broadway Maven’s Weekly Blast. The full paid version is $5/month or $36/year.
Shalom!This week, The Broadway Maven looks at Les Misérables and Gypsy.• On Sunday, November 20 at Noon ET and Monday, November 21 at Noon and 7 pm ET we’ll have a FREE class exploring the worldwide smash hit of love, honor, and redemption among French rebels. Register here.• On Tuesday, November 22 at Noon and 7 pm ET we’ll examine Gypsy, Stephen Sondheim’s second produced musical which introduced one of the greatest female roles to the Broadway stage. Register here.• This Weekly Blast includes:A) an ESSAY about the English translator of Les Misérables, Herbert Kretzmer (included FREE in this preview edition);B) a SURVEY about the best performer to play Madame Rose from Gypsy;C) a YouTube GEM about the music theory behind the song “On My Own”;D) a YouTube GEM examining leitmotifs in Les Misérables;E) a tough QUIZ about Les Misérables lyrics; andF) LAST BLASTs about Urinetown and Kiss Me, Kate (included FREE in this preview edition).Though he never got the credit he deserved, wordsmith Herbert Kretzmer was responsible for most of the beloved English lyrics in Les Misérables. A man who once said he was “born under a rhyming planet,” he resented the word “translation” because he felt it minimized his creative contributions. And indeed, many of his lyrics went well beyond translation. For example, the French source material by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg had a stirring song “À la Volonté du Peuple” (“At the Will of the People”), but he found the phrase to lack “passion.” So he turned it into the now-famous “Do You Hear the People Sing?” His lyrics were set to previously composed tunes, but they tended to be re-interpretations (his French wasn’t even all that good.) For example, the words to “On My Own,” “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables,” “Bring Him Home,” and “I Dreamed a Dream” were his. One way to measure the heft of his contributions: the original French version of the show was only two hours long. When he was through with it, it lasted three. You do the math.
The ALL-ACCESS Passes for 2023 have been unveiled. The Early Bird rate of $195 (same as last year) expires December 12. 
Come hear the people sing! We’ll focus on the structure, lyrics, music, and meaning of four songs: “On My Own,” “One Day More,” “I Dreamed a Dream,” and “Red and Black"; and we’ll also look at musical motifs and symbols as well as a song that was cut from the original version. FREE. ALL-ACCESS Passholders do not need to register. Just show up.
In addition to an intense Broadway Maven-style look at one of the finest musicals of the 20th century, we’ll welcome Sondheim expert Gail Leondar-Wright and — get this — Gypsy Rose Lee’s son will be joining us. Not to be missed. $5 tuition. ALL-ACCESS Passholders do not need to register or pay. Just show up.
For the Les Misérables class, choose one of the following videos and decide which two performances are most impressive. Explain your answers in the comments. For the Gypsy class, watch the video below analyzing the lyrics to “Have an Egg Roll, Mr. Goldstone” and choose another Sondheim lyric and break it down similarly. Explain your answer in the comments.
Note: links to register for ALL classes are ALWAYS available at TheBroadwayMaven.com.• Sunday, November 20 Les Misérables (Noon ET, FREE) • Monday, November 21 Les Misérables (Noon and 7 pm ET, FREE) • Tuesday, November 22 Gypsy (Noon and 7 pm ET, $5) • Sunday, November 27 Hairspray (Noon ET, FREE) • Monday, November 28 Hairspray (Noon and 7 pm ET, FREE) • Tuesday, November 29 NO CLASS • Sunday, December 4 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Noon ET, FREE, Registration opens Sunday) • Monday, December 5 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Noon and 7 pm ET, FREE, Registration opens Sunday) • Sunday, December 11 Company (Noon ET, FREE, Registration opens Sunday) • Monday, December 12 Company (Noon and 7 pm ET, FREE, Registration opens Sunday) • Sunday, December 18 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Noon ET, FREE, Registration opens Sunday) • Monday, December 19 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Noon and 7 pm ET, FREE, Registration opens Sunday) • Tuesday, December 20 MASTER CLASS on Hamilton (Noon and 7 pm ET, $12, Registration opens soon) • Sunday, December 25 NO CLASS • Monday, December 26 Assassins (Noon and 7 pm ET, FREE, Registration opens Sunday) Reminder: ALL-ACCESS Passholders do not need to sign up or pay for anything. Just show up!
LAST BLAST: In the 2001 dark comedy musical Urinetown, every musical number makes fun of a different Broadway musical. In “Snuff That Girl,” the ensemble snaps their fingers threateningly, which pokes fun at West Side Story. In the Act One Finale, everyone sings their vocal parts overlapping each other, which pokes fun at “One Day More” from Les Misérables. And in “Follow Your Heart,” the silly way that Bobby & Hope interact makes fun of the “If I Loved You” scene in Carousel. -Mateo Chavez Lewis LAST BLAST: Fred Graham, the leading man of the play-within-a-play in Cole Porter’s Kiss Me, Kate, pretends to be younger than he is and is known to overact on stage. So when one of the gangsters in the movie calls him “Mr. Gray-Ham” it’s subtly insulting. Delectable. The Broadway Maven, David Benkof, helps students further their appreciation of musical theater through his classes, his YouTube Channel, and his Weekly Blast. Contact him at DavidBenkof@gmail.com.
© 2022 David Benkof
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The unsung hero of Les Miz (Don't miss today's Weekly Blast)
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