Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill is a musical revue with a book by Gene Lerner, music by Kurt Weill, and lyrics by various songwriting partners Weill worked with over his career. The plot follows Weill's life as he begins his career in Germany writing the music for controversial musicals, through his journey fleeing Nazi persecution, immigrating to the United States, and becoming successful on Broadway.Dale, Michael (April 2017). "BWW Review: York's Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill Tells How a Refugee Made Good in America" Songs featured include those Weill collaborated on with Maxwell Anderson, Marc Blitzstein, Bertolt Brecht, Jacques Deval, Michael Feingold, Ira Gershwin, Paul Green, Langston Hughes, Alan Jay Lerner, Ogden Nash, George Tabori and Arnold Weinstein."Guide to Musical Theatre: Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill"
Song list The Threepenny Opera (medley) How to Survive Barbara Song Jealousy Duet Useless Song (reprise) Mack the Knife (Moritat) How to Survive (reprise) Happy End (medley) March Ahead to the Fight Don't Be Afraid Bilbao Song Surabaya Johnny Childhood's Bright Endeavor Mandalay Song Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (medley) Alabama Song Deep in Alaska Oh, Heavenly Salvation As You Make Your Bed Pirate Jenny (from The Threepenny Opera)
I Wait For a Ship (from )
Sailor Tango (Happy End)
Johnny Johnson (medley) Songs of War and Peace A Hymn to Peace Listen to My Song (Johnny's Song) Knickerbocker Holiday (medley) How Can You Tell an American September Song Lady in the Dark (medley) Girl of the Moment Saga of Jenny My Ship One Touch of Venus (medley) Speak Low That's Him
Progress (from Love Life)
Street Scene (medley) Ain't It Awful the Heat? Lonely House Lost in the Stars (medley) Trouble Man Train to Johannesburg Cry, the Beloved Country Lost in the Stars Love Song (from Love Life)
Moritat (Reprise)
Productions The revue premiered off-Broadway on October 1, 1972, at the Theater de Lys, starring Margery Cohen, Ken Kercheval, Judy Lander, Jerry Lanning, and Hal Watters. Eileen Barett and Hal Robinson were the understudies.Hischak, Thomas S. (2011). Off-Broadway Musicals since 1919: From Greenwich Village Follies to The Toxic Avenger Scarecrow Press, pp. 140 It was directed by Donald Saddler, conducted by Newton Wayland, with William Glenn operating the follow spots and ran for 152 performances before closing on February 11, 1973.Lortel Archives: Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill When the show premiered, Christopher Street was renamed "Kurt Weill-Strauss" for an hour to honor Weill's legacy and lasting impact on off-Broadway theatre.Kowalke, Kim H. (1990). "The Threepenny Opera in America" in Kurt Weill: The Threepenny Opera, Hinton, S. (ed.). Cambridge University Press, pp. 118
The first off-Broadway revival opened August 19, 2000 at the Triad Theatre and closed on December 3, 2000, after 121 performances.Dietz, Dan. (2012). Off Broadway Musicals, 1910–2007: Casts, Credits, Songs, Critical Reception and Performance Data of More Than 1,800 Shows McFarlandLortel Archives: Berlin to Broadway Hal Simmons directed, with Eric Stern as musical director, and the cast included Lorinda Lisitza, Bjorn Olsson, Veronica Mittenzwei and Michael Winther.Van Gelder, Lawrence (September 2000). "A Weill Musical Cavalcade Ranges Across Continents" The New York TimesMcBride, Murdoch (July 2000). "OB Revival of Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill Begins Aug. 11""Berlin to Broadway With Kurt Weill Review" Variety, August 2000Goede, Eric (February 2001). "Berlin to Broadway With Kurt Weill Review" Backstage.com
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