At the Source: Jailed for Freedom by Doris Stevens

 Protests, state violence, movement infighting....it's either your social media feed or the musical Suffs. So today we're talking about the history behind the story.

 

At the Source: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

 Hey, how's your spring going so far?...Yeah, I hear you. To lift your spirits, here's a breakdown of Shakespeare's classic tale of star-crossed love!

 

At the Source: Matilda by Roald Dahl

I think we could all use the catharsis of obviously awful people getting their comeuppance in entertaining ways, don't you? So here's a discussion on the children's classic Matilda!

 

At the Source: Smiles of a Summer Night dir. Ingmar Bergman

 Have you ever seen a sex farce that, like, got really introspective and moody? I have, since I'm taking a look at Smiles of a Summer Night!

At the Source: Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood

 For today's At the Source, we're going back a hundred years to a place where a rich queer culture lived in the shadow of imminent fascism. Wild, huh?

(Please note: the pre-roll accidentally got muted, but the rest of the video should be fine.)

At the Source: Reefer Madness (1936), dir, Louis Gasiner

 Saaay, do you think now might be a good time for a discussion on not buying into lurid sensationalism and fearmongering? Good, because we're talking about Reefer Madness!

 

At the Source: Tevye der milkhiker by Sholem Aleichem

 It's time for a new At the Source! Today we're going back to the original tales of one of music theater's all-time classic leading men, Tevye the Dairyman!

At the Source: Damon Runyon's Broadway Stories

 Grab your racing sheets and your dice, because it's time to hear about Damon Runyon and the public citizens who inspired Guys and Dolls.

Know the Score: Why Jingle Jangle is the Best Holiday Movie You're Not Watching

 Happy (early) Thanksgiving to everyone in the US! If you want to get started on your holiday movie kick, here is a good place to start.

At the Source: Heathers, dir. Michael Lehmann

With Halloween coming up, this month we're doing an analysis of the anti-John Hughes movie Heathers! Enjoy!

 

At the Source: The Matchmaker by Thornton Wilder

 New At the Source! Today we're talking about the play behind Hello, Dolly! which goes way back. And I mean WAAAAAAAAY back.

At the Source: The RMS Titanic

 So a little over ten years ago I started this weird little project of mine reviewing a bad Titanic cartoon. And guess what? Today we're talking about the true story that has inspired several musicals of varying quality. Enjoy!

At the Source: The Passion Narrative

 Sending you this month's At the Source from on the road, this month we're talking about The Passion as it appears in the Bible and Christian tradition.

At the Source: Operation Yellow Ribbon in Gander, Newfoundland

 Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day! Today we're talking about another date that politicians love to appropriate for their own purposes.

At the Source: Sunset Boulevard (1950), dir. Billy Wilder

 Time for a new At the Source! Today we're talking about one of the greatest films of all time, what makes it a good fit for a musical, and why some composers might have worked better than others.

At the Source: The String of Pearls

Here's a new At the Source for ya! It's spooky season so we're talking about Sweeney Todd. And come back next week for a SPECIAL event!

At the Source: The Little Shop of Horrors (1960), dir. Roger Corman

 A little late due to travel issues, but here is the latest At the Source, talking about everyone's favorite man-eating plant story! (Next Musical Hell review will also be about a week late, due to more travel issues.) Enjoy!

At the Source: Frulings Erwachen: Eine Kindertragodie (Spring Awakening: A Children's Tragedy) by Frank Wedekind

 Ah spring! The birds are singing, the sun is shining, the kids are having existential puberty crises and their parents are doing jack all to help. Let's talk about the play behind Spring Awakening, Frulings Erwachen!

At the Source: My Love, My Love or The Peasant Girl by Rosa Guy

Today we'll be talking about Voodoo, "The Little Mermaid," deforestation in Haiti and other things you didn't know were connected to Once on This Island. Here's an At the Source look at the book behind the musical, My Love, My Love by Rosa Guy!

At the Source: Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini

 Whew, everyone come off their post-election hangover? Good! Now we can talk about Orientalism and ambiguous representations of the American Dream as we talk about the opera behind Miss Saigon, Madama Butterfly!