Episode Details

Because musical book writing is so often misunderstood, these uncelebrated heroes are the first to be blamed, last to be praised — when mentioned at all.  On this episode of “THEATER: All the Moving Parts”, host Patrick Pacheco welcomes Rick Elice, one of Broadway's top musical book writers.
 
Elice co-wrote with Marshall Brickman the smash hit “Jersey Boys” for which they were Tony-nominated and which they followed up with “The Addams Family.”  Elice, who was also Tony nominated for “Peter and the Starcatcher,” most recently wrote “The Cher Show,” the biographical musical about rock icon, Cher. In a frank and funny interview, Elice recounts the trials of capturing the mercurial star who remained unconvinced that musicals were designed to capture the essence, not the documentary truth,  of a life. Elice also recalls that his friend, writer Peter Stone (“1776” “Titanic”), advised him that musicals were “talked into existence” and "negotiated through tantrum.” Which has been true, he wryly observed, but added he thought they were supposed to be “my tantrums.”  He also discusses the new challenges of finding the theatrical sweet spot for “Smash,” a show created first for the medium of television.
 
 

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