By Lydia Baxter After a sold out 18-week run, plus an additional 3-week special encore engagement last season, Unchained Melodies has become the biggest hit in FST Cabaret history. Over 20,000 people have already seen the popular music revue, outstripping other Cabarets like Blue Suede Shoes, Guitar Girls, and Piano Men. Now, due to audience demand, FST is proud to re-mount the production in its … Continue reading Working Their Way Back to You, Sarasota!
By Becca Jennings Despite what some Hollywood producers might say, there’s no prescription for a hit song. There’s also no artistic prescription for a hit show. But every once in a while, the stars align, artistic inspiration strikes, and you create something that audiences just can’t seem to get enough of. To do that twice in a row, is an even more challenging feat. And, … Continue reading Male Harmonies and Females Striking Chords
We sat down with Nick Anastasia, one of the cast members from FST’s Cabaret Unchained Melodies. Get to know him a little bit more by reading the interview below: Before you were cast in Unchained Melodies, what did you know about male harmony groups? What have you learned since that you find interesting? Luckily for me, I grew up on, and was obsessed with, the smooth sound of groups … Continue reading Meet the Jersey Boy – Nick Anastasia
We sat down with Nathaniel P. Claridad, the human history book of doo-wop. Find out more about him here: Have you ever performed in a cabaret before? If not, how would you describe FST’s process? This is my first experience performing in a cabaret! The process of creating Unchained Melodies was a whirlwind. Imagine workshopping and fully mounting a jukebox musical in three weeks – things … Continue reading Get to Know the Know-It-All
by Becca Jennings Its roots were simple: Acappella singing, tight, four-part harmonies, and straightforward lyrics — sometimes with a few non-sensible made-up words like “dip dip dip and sha-boom.” Unchained Melodies celebrates the great harmony groups of the 20th century — an era of music where voices sounded like finely tuned instruments. Where there are limited resources there is often creative ingenuity. Without musical instruments … Continue reading From Under the Street Lamps and Into the Spotlight
by Mary Donofrio The artists in Unchained Melodies were trailblazers who changed the face of popular music. Can you match these faces to some of their legendary accomplishments? Unchained Melodies is now playing in the Court Cabaret. Call (941) 366-9000 or visit http://www.floridastudiotheatre.org to get your tickets today. This group from New Jersey is one of the best-selling musical acts of all time, having sold over 100 … Continue reading Guess Who?
by Mary Donofrio Many groups featured in Unchained Melodies have produced music that has made it all the way to the Great White Way. Take a look at a few of the Broadway shows inspired by male harmony groups and their music. Jersey Boys: This musical tells the story of the formation, success, and eventual dissolution of The Four Seasons. The show took Broadway by storm in … Continue reading On Broadway!
by Mary Donofrio While many artists during the 1950s and ‘60s wrote their own songs, professional songwriters also played a large role in creating iconic chart toppers that we still enjoy today. Here are a few of the composers and lyricists behind the music in : Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller: The undeniable kings of rock n’ roll songwriting, Leiber and Stoller met in 1950, … Continue reading Behind the Songs
by TJ Lewis Get ready to SH-Boom all night long with this season’s Winter Cabaret opener, Unchained Melodies, a celebration of male harmony groups. Our talented lineup of versatile vocalists will take you on a musical trip down memory lane beginning with doo-wop and continuing through some of the smoothest sounds of the 1950s and ‘60s. Featuring hits such as “Baby I Need Your Loving,” … Continue reading From Under the Boardwalk to the Top of the Charts
FST Stage Directions 