Author(s): Limelight

Performing Arts

Cover story- The Room Where it Happens. Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical Hamilton quickly became the most sought after ticket on Broadway after opening in 2015. We look at why a rap musical about an American founding father, featuring an ethnically diverse cast, became a blockbuster. We also meet the performers who will feature in the Australian production, opening in March.

Feature- Dancing about architecture- music and the 'ineffability topos'. Since the 14th century writers have been aware of the impossibility of expressing certain concepts in words. So why do we continue to write about music? What are we hoping to achieve? Can writing open our minds and hearts to music many would consider inaccessible? Or is it a fool's errand?

Feature- Musicals on screen. Not so long ago, there was a deluge of musicals adapted from films. Currently film is looking to musical theatre, with close to 20 movies based on Broadway and West End musicals at various stages of production. Steven Spielberg's West Side Story was released last month, Everybody's Talking About Jamie is released this January, and In the Heights, Matilda and Dear Evan Hansen are on their way. How do you make a stage musical work on screen? It isn't easy, as many have found to their cost...

Interview- Classical guitarist Tim Kain, who founded the quartet Guitar Trek, turns 70 in January. We talk to him about a career championing Australian music through his teaching and numerous composer commissions, some of which feature on Guitar Trek's latest album Bluetongue.

Reviews- our critics lend their minds to productions at the Sydney and Perth Festivals, as well as the latest concerts, musicals and plays.

What's on- live performance, live streams and digital highlights for January/February 2021.