Music »   I have hope...Original ideas...

No. There have been revivals forever and in the current economic climate, it's no wonder that producers are turning to sure bets. If something worked before - and if it has a name that people know - odds are it's going to work again. And odds are even higher that it's going to work even better the second time on name recognition alone.

It's true that there have been far fewer new musicals making it to Broadway in the past couple years, but I think this is more of a drought than an epidemic. Broadway goes through phases like teenagers go through different jean styles and yet jeans are always jeans and good stories are always good stories.

The musical is a truly American mongrel art form but it's also a very young art form and it will continue to reinvent itself. Even if Broadway WERE lost (and I don't think it is), the musical would not be. We'd just start to look to different places to find it. Look at how many TV shows and movies are starting to explore using musical elements. Look how many bands are looking to write stories with their songs.

All you have to do is look at us and some of our contemporaries to know that there are places besides Broadway where people are going to get their musical fix. And it's working. Theater-folk aren't the most internet savvy folks, but they're starting to notice that there are fans looking for original musicals. So - we'll keep writing, if you promise to make your desires known to anyone who will listen and spread the word about writers and shows that you want to see produced.