Going behind the curtain to capture the most controversial, passionate, risky and high-profile Broadway season in decades.Going behind the curtain to capture the most controversial, passionate, risky and high-profile Broadway season in decades.Going behind the curtain to capture the most controversial, passionate, risky and high-profile Broadway season in decades.
- Awards
- 1 win & 1 nomination
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- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe song that Idina Menzel sings over the credits is a much-changed version of "Lullaby of Broadway," written by Al Dubin and Harry Warren. The song originally appeared in the Warner Brothers film Gold Diggers of 1935 (1935)and won the 1936 Academy Award for Best Original Song. It was one of many Warren and Dubin songs eventually included in the 1980 musical "42nd Street" (based mostly, but not entirely, on their 1933 movie of the same name). The version that Menzel sings in this documentary was arranged by Jan Folkson and Jeanine Tesori and given an almost entirely new tune, as well as some new lyrics - a spoken interlude drawn from Harlem Renaissance poet Claude McKay's 1920 poem "On Broadway;" Billy Porter performed the McKay portion of the song.
- Crazy creditsAt one point during the end credits, the recording session for Idina Menzel's version of "Lullaby of Broadway" is shown.
- ConnectionsEdited into Idina Menzel: Which Way to the Stage? (2022)
- SoundtracksEntr'Acte from Cabaret
Music by John Kander
Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Used by permission of Alley Music Corporation (BMI) and Trio Music Corporation (BMI)
Arranged by William Bassett Jr.
Featured review
A business like any other
"Show Business" provides us with a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the making of four original musicals that debuted on Broadway during the 2004 season: "Wicked," an inside-out re-interpretation of "The Wizard of Oz," told from the viewpoint of the Wicked Witch of the West; "Taboo," a Rosie O'Donnell-backed chronicle of the life of Boy George; "Avenue Q," a parody of "Sesame Street," done with live actors and puppets; and "Caroline, or Change," a civil rights drama set in the Deep South of the 1960s.
The movie follows all four shows through their various stages of rehearsal, their opening (and sometimes closing) nights, their reception by audiences and critics, and their recognition (or lack thereof) by the Tony Awards. To bring this self-contained and exclusive world to life, director Dori Berinstein interviews a healthy dose of Broadway insiders and hangers-on, including producers, performers, writers, composers, fans and reviewers. The movie captures all the joy and heartbreak, along with all the pressures - both artistic and financial - that go into the creation of a Broadway show (there's a reason, after all, why they call it "show BUSINESS"!).
This doesn't quite qualify as a must-see documentary, but fans of musical theater - and of these shows in particular - should relish all the juicy backstage info they'll find here.
The movie follows all four shows through their various stages of rehearsal, their opening (and sometimes closing) nights, their reception by audiences and critics, and their recognition (or lack thereof) by the Tony Awards. To bring this self-contained and exclusive world to life, director Dori Berinstein interviews a healthy dose of Broadway insiders and hangers-on, including producers, performers, writers, composers, fans and reviewers. The movie captures all the joy and heartbreak, along with all the pressures - both artistic and financial - that go into the creation of a Broadway show (there's a reason, after all, why they call it "show BUSINESS"!).
This doesn't quite qualify as a must-see documentary, but fans of musical theater - and of these shows in particular - should relish all the juicy backstage info they'll find here.
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Showbiznes: Droga na Broadway
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $151,792
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $8,829
- May 13, 2007
- Gross worldwide
- $151,792
- Runtime1 hour 42 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
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Top Gap
By what name was ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway (2007) officially released in Canada in English?
Answer