Sun 6/25 @ 3PM
George M. Cohan (1878-1942) was unusual among the songwriters who formed the basis for the Great American Songbook and the Broadway song canon: he was not the child of Jewish immigrants to New York City. Instead, his parents were Irish-Catholics.
A playwright, performer, producer and songwriter, he’s known for rah-rah patriotic tunes such as “You’re a Grand Old Flag,” “Yankee Doodle Boy,” “I Want to Hear a Yankee Doodle Tune” and “Over There,” a rallying tune for World War I, that captured the spirit of American in at that time. But he also wrote “Give My Regards to Broadway,” a celebration of his own milieu. He was a pioneer of the so-called “book musical” where song and dance numbers tied into the plot, rather than being part of a disjointed revue. Still, he was very much of his time.
Now The Musical Theater Project, with co-host American Musical Productions, will take a look at his career and how it was entwined with the America of the early 20th century in “The Man Who Owned Broadway.” It’s a multimedia presentation co-hosted by conductor Joseph Rubin and TMTP’s artistic director Bill Rudman, featuring a full orchestra, chorus and solo vocalists.
It takes place at the Maltz Performing Arts Center in University Circle. Go here for tickets.
Cleveland, OH 44106