Once (musical)
   HOME

TheInfoList



Click Here for Items Related To - Once (musical)
OR:
Once (musical) on:   [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Amazon]

''Once'' is a
musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...
based on the 2007 film of the same name by John Carney. Like the film, music and lyrics were by
Glen Hansard Glen Hansard (born 21 April 1970) is an Irish singer-songwriter, musician and actor. Since 1990, he has been the frontman of the Irish rock band The Frames, with whom he has released six studio albums, four of which have charted in the top ten ...
and
Markéta Irglová Markéta Irglová () (born 28 February 1988) is a Czech-Icelandic singer-songwriter, musician and actress, who starred in the film '' Once'', which earned her a number of major awards, including the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Fal ...
, including the Academy Award-winning "
Falling Slowly "Falling Slowly" is a song in the indie folk and indie rock genres that was written, composed and performed by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová. The song was featured on the soundtrack of the 2007 Irish musical romance film ''Once'', which starre ...
". The book for the musical was written by
Enda Walsh Enda Walsh (born 1967) is an Irish playwright. Biography Enda Walsh was born in Kilbarrack, North Dublin on February 7, 1967. His father ran a furniture shop and his mother had been an actress. He is the second youngest of six children. Wal ...
. The musical premiered at the New York Theatre Workshop in 2011, before transferring to
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
in 2012. The production received eleven 2012
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...
nominations, and won eight including Best Musical, Best Actor and Best Book. The musical also won the 2012
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in the theatre among Broadway, Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway productions. Winners and nominees 1970s 1980s 1990s 200 ...
and the 2013
Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album The Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album has been awarded since 1959. The award is generally given to the album producer, principal vocalist(s), and the composer and lyricist if they have written a new score which comprises 51% or more play ...
. It has since spawned a London production, with a North American Tour which started on 1 October 2013. In the musical, the cast also serves as the orchestra. A
minimalist In visual arts, music and other media, minimalism is an art movement that began in post–World War II in Western art, most strongly with American visual arts in the 1960s and early 1970s. Prominent artists associated with minimalism include Don ...
set is used, including a bar in center stage with chairs lining stage left and right. Exiting cast members simply step to the side of the stage and sit down. They serve as the orchestra from these chairs. The bar is used before the show and at intermission as a working bar for theater patrons.


Productions


Off-Broadway (2011–12)

''Once'' premiered in a workshop at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, MA, in April 2011, before its transfer to New York Theatre Workshop where it made its
Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
debut on 6 December 2011, following previews from 15 November, on a run through 15 January 2012. Under the direction of
John Tiffany John Richard Tiffany (born c. 1971) is an English theatre director. He directed the internationally successful productions ''Harry Potter and the Cursed Child'', ''Black Watch'' and ''Once''. He has won 2 Tony Awards, an Olivier Award, a Drama ...
, the original cast was led by
Steve Kazee Steven Michael Kazee (born October 30, 1975) is an American actor and singer. He is best known for starring as Guy in the musical ''Once'' for which he was awarded the 2012 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical. Kazee ...
and
Cristin Milioti Cristin Milioti (born August 16, 1985) is an American actress. She is known for playing Tracy McConnell in the CBS sitcom '' How I Met Your Mother'' from 2013 to 2014, and for her work in theater productions such as ''That Face'', ''Stunning'' ...
as Guy and Girl, respectively. The production was nominated for
Lucille Lortel Awards The Lucille Lortel Awards recognize excellence in New York Off-Broadway theatre. The Awards are named for Lucille Lortel, an actress and theater producer, and have been awarded since 1986. They are produced by the League of Off-Broadway Theatre ...
for Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Director, Outstanding Choreographer, Outstanding Scenic Design (Bob Crowley), Outstanding Lighting Design (
Natasha Katz Natasha Katz is an American lighting designer for the theatre, dance, and opera. Biography Early life and education A New York City native, Katz trained at Oberlin College, and early in her career was mentored by Roger Morgan, a lighting design ...
), Outstanding Sound Design (Clive Goodwin), and Outstanding Lead Actress. The production won the
New York Drama Critics' Circle The New York Drama Critics' Circle is made up of 22 drama critics from daily newspapers, magazines and wire services based in the New York City metropolitan area. The organization is best known for its annual awards for excellence in theater.Jone ...
Award for Best Musical.


Broadway (2012–2015)

The musical then began previews on Broadway at the
Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (formerly the Royale Theatre and the John Golden Theatre) is a Broadway theater at 242 West 45th Street (George Abbott Way) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1927, the theat ...
from 28 February 2012 and officially opening on 18 March. Kazee and Milioti repeated their performances from the Off-Broadway cast.
John Tiffany John Richard Tiffany (born c. 1971) is an English theatre director. He directed the internationally successful productions ''Harry Potter and the Cursed Child'', ''Black Watch'' and ''Once''. He has won 2 Tony Awards, an Olivier Award, a Drama ...
directed the production. Producers were
Barbara Broccoli Barbara Dana Broccoli (born June 18, 1960) is an American film and stage producer, best known internationally for her work on the ''James Bond'' film series. With her half-brother Michael G. Wilson, Broccoli controls the ''James Bond'' film fr ...
, John N. Hart Jr., Patrick Milling-Smith,
Frederick Zollo Frederick M. Zollo (born 24 February 1953) is an American producer and director of both film and theatre. Selected theatrical productions * '' Once'' * '' On Golden Pond'' * ''The Farnsworth Invention'' * '' Frozen'' * '' The Goat: or, Who is S ...
, Brian Carmody,
Michael G. Wilson Michael Gregg Wilson, (born January 21, 1942) is an American-British screenwriter and film producer, best known for his association with the ''James Bond'' film series. Background Wilson was born in New York City, the son of Dana (née Na ...
, and Orin Wolf. The production received eleven
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...
nominations, winning eight, including Best Musical. It also won the
Drama League Award The Drama League Awards, created in 1922, honor distinguished productions and performances both on Broadway and Off-Broadway, in addition to recognizing exemplary career achievements in theatre, musical theatre, and directing. Each May, the awards ...
for Distinguished Production of a Musical for 2011–12. On 7 October 2014, it was announced that the musical would close 4 January 2015. The production played 1,167 regular performances and 22 previews by closing time.


Dublin/West End (2013–2015)

Following a limited engagement at Dublin's Gaiety Theatre from 22 February until 9 March 2013, starring
Declan Bennett Declan William Bennett (born 20 March 1981) is an English singer-songwriter, actor and playwright. He gained prominence as a member of the band Point Break, before going on to perform on London's West End and as a solo musician. He is known on ...
(Guy) and
Zrinka Cvitešić Zrinka Cvitešić (born 18 July 1979) is a Croatian film, television and theatre actress. Biography The elder of two daughters, Zrinka Cvitešić was born in Karlovac, in the Karlovac County to Ivan and Višnja Cvitešić. Her mother played or ...
(Girl), the show made its West End debut at the Phoenix Theatre, London. Previews began 16 March, which was followed by a 9 April opening night. Bennett and Cvitešić reprise their roles from the Dublin run. Bennett and Cvitešić made an appearance on
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
's ''
The Graham Norton Show ''The Graham Norton Show'' is a British comedy chat show presented by Graham Norton. It was initially broadcast on BBC Two, from 22 February 2007, before moving to BBC One in October 2009. It currently airs on Friday evenings, with Norton s ...
'' for the televised show on 31 May 2013. Prior to an interview, they performed "Falling Slowly". On 15 January 2014, the show was extended to 4 July 2015.
Arthur Darvill Thomas Arthur Darvill (born 17 June 1982) is an English actor. He is known for portraying Rory Williams, a companion of the Eleventh Doctor in the television series ''Doctor Who'' (2010–2012), as well as Rip Hunter in ''Legends of Tomorrow'' ( ...
replaced Bennett as Guy on 17 March 2014, reprising the role after an acclaimed run on Broadway, and continued in the role until 10 May 2014. Cvitešić also left her role as Girl on 10 May.
David Hunter David Hunter (July 21, 1802 – February 2, 1886) was an American military officer. He served as a Union general during the American Civil War. He achieved notability for his unauthorized 1862 order (immediately rescinded) emancipating slaves ...
and Jill Winternitz then played Guy and Girl respectively.
Ronan Keating Ronan Patrick John Keating (born 3 March 1977) is an Irish singer. He debuted in 1993 alongside Keith Duffy, Michael Graham, Shane Lynch, and Stephen Gately, as the co-lead singer (with Gately) of Irish pop group Boyzone. His solo career start ...
took over the lead role from 17 November 2014 to 21 March 2015, when the production closed.


U.S. National Tours


1st National Tour (2013–15)

On 1 October 2013 the first North American national tour launched in
Providence, Rhode Island Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay ...
at the
Providence Performing Arts Center The Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC), formerly Loew's State Theatre and Palace Concert Theater, is a multi-use not-for-profit theater located at 220 Weybosset Street in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It was built in 1928 as a movie p ...
. Stuart Ward and Dani de Waal played Guy and Girl, respectively. The tour ran through December 2015.


2nd National Tour (2016–17)

A non-
Equity Equity may refer to: Finance, accounting and ownership * Equity (finance), ownership of assets that have liabilities attached to them ** Stock, equity based on original contributions of cash or other value to a business ** Home equity, the dif ...
North American national tour started in January 2016 in Utica, New York, and ran through April 2017, starring Sam Cieri and Mackenzie Lesser-Roy, who would go on to reprise the role of Girl in SpeakEasy Stage Company's 2019 production in Boston.


3rd National Tour (2019)

On 7 July 2019, it was announced that the show would once again tour the US beginning on 22 August in Ft. Myers, Florida and continuing into 2020. Jack Gerhard played Guy opposite Mariah Lotz as Girl. Original Broadway and Off-Broadway cast member, J. Michael Zygo, was the production's director and musical director. The tour closed early on 23 December 2019, and all subsequent tour dates were cancelled.


Melbourne (2014–2015)

The first Australian production premiered at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne on 26 September 2014, and ran through 1 February 2015. Tom Parsons and Madeleine Jones played Guy and Girl. It was presented in association with the
Melbourne Theatre Company The Melbourne Theatre Company is a theatre company based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1953 as the Union Theatre Repertory Company at the Union Theatre at the University of Melbourne, it is the oldest professional theatre com ...
.


Seoul (2014–2015)

The first non-English production b
Seensee Company
premiered on 14th, December 2014, scheduled to run through 29 March 2015. Do-hyun Yoon and Chang-hee Lee play Guy, Mi-do Jeon and Ji-yeon Park play Girl.


Toronto (2015)

A Canadian company opened 10 February and played through 28 June 2015 at the
Ed Mirvish Theatre The Ed Mirvish Theatre, also currently known by naming rights sponsorship as CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre, is a historic film and play theatre in the downtown core of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was initially known as the Pantages Theatre, then becam ...
. The production starred Ian Lake as Guy and Trish Lindström as Girl. It garnered seven Dora Mavor Moore Award nominations in the Musical Theatre Division and won three, for Outstanding Production, Outstanding Ensemble and Outstanding Performance - Female for Lindström.


Dublin (2015–2017)

In March 2015, it was announced that ''Once'' would return to Dublin. It was scheduled to play a limited run from 4 July to 22 August at the Olympia Theatre. The cast included Tom Parsons as Guy and Megan Riordan as Girl. On 28 July, it was then announced that ''Once'' had been extended and would run until 12 September. On 4 December 2015 it was announced that ''Once'' would return to Dublin and would play at the Olympia Theatre from 2 July – 27 August 2016. In 2017, the musical returned again to the Olympia Theatre from 30 June – 26 August.


Seoul (2015)

After the success of the previous Korean production, cast members comprised from the Dublin, London, Australian and Canadian ''Once'' companies played on The Charlotte Theatre from 22 September to 1 November.


Sydney (2019/21)

The
Darlinghurst Theatre Darlinghurst Theatre is an independent theatre company based at the Eternity Playhouse in Darlinghurst, New South Wales. Glenn Terry established the company in 1993 initially as an inner-city drama school. Darlinghurst Theatre productions were ...
Company production was opened to critical acclaim at the
Eternity Playhouse The Eternity Playhouse is a 200-seat theatre in Darlinghurst, Sydney. The playhouse, which opened in 2013, was created from the heritage-listed Burton Street Tabernacle. Darlinghurst Theatre Company is the resident company. The name 'Eternity' r ...
in
Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
from 26 June to 23 July, where it sold out its entire season as well as its return season from 30 July to 4 August. It also played at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre from 24 to 28 July. The show was directed by Richard Carroll and starred Toby Francis as Guy, Stefanie Caccamo as Girl and Victoria Falconer as Reza and the musical director. The production returned to Darlinghurst Theatre Company in June 2021, again starring Toby Francis and Stefanie Caccamo with 6 new cast members including
Jay Laga'aia Jay Laga'aia (born 10 September 1963) is a New Zealand-Australian actor and singer. He is known internationally for his role as Captain Typho in the films '' Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones'' and '' Star Wars: Episode III – Rev ...
, with plans for a tour to regional
New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...
,
Canberra Canberra ( ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...
, and the
Comedy Theatre, Melbourne The Comedy Theatre is a 1003-seat theatre in Melbourne's East End Theatre District. It was built in 1928, and was designed in the Spanish style, with a Florentine-style exterior and wrought-iron balconies. It is located at 240 Exhibition Street ...
through until October.


Buenos Aires (2019)

This production (locally translated Una vez en la vida) debuted in
Buenos Aires Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
at the Metropolitan Sura Theatre on 12 April 2019 and starring Eliseo Barrionuevo and
Paula Reca Paula Reca (born April 10, 1989) is a film, theatre and television actress raised in Buenos Aires. She got her BFA in drama from NYU Tisch School of the Arts and her classical theatre training from RADA, London. Paula has won the ACE Theatre Award ...
. The production closed on 4 August 2019.


UK Tour (2019–2020)

In June 2019 it was announced that ''Once'' will embark on its first ever UK Tour featuring Daniel Healy (musician) as Guy and Emma Lucia as Girl. The tour will open at the Ashcroft Playhouse,
Fairfield Halls Fairfield Halls is an arts, entertainment and conference centre in Croydon, London, England, which opened in 1962 and contains a theatre and gallery, and a large concert hall regularly used for BBC television, radio and orchestral recordings. Fa ...
in December 2019. The UK Tour was prematurely cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and as yet has not been rescheduled.


Plot

;Act I A thirty-something
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
busker (identified only as "Guy") sings a heartfelt ballad of unrequited love on a Dublin street, accompanying himself on guitar ("Leave"). He then puts his guitar in its case and turns to leave without it; but a young
Czech Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus' Places * Czech, ...
woman (identified only as "Girl"), who has been listening to him sing, approaches. She asks numerous personal questions about his songs; he replies that he wrote most of them for a girlfriend who broke up with him and moved to New York City. He is giving up on his music because the memories of his defunct relationship are too painful; he now works as a
vacuum cleaner A vacuum cleaner, also known simply as a vacuum or a hoover, is a device that causes suction in order to remove dirt from floors, upholstery, draperies, and other surfaces. It is generally electrically driven. The dirt is collected by either a ...
repairman in his father's shop. Girl responds that she has a vacuum that "does not suck", and asks him to fix it. She offers to pay for the repair by playing piano for him. Over his protests, she snatches the sheet music for a new song from his jacket. Reluctantly, Guy picks up his guitar and they play the song together ("Falling Slowly"). Girl suggests that he could win his old girlfriend back by singing her that song. Guy brushes this off, but Girl reminds him that he now owes her a vacuum repair, so they head to his father's shop ("The North Strand"). As Guy fixes the vacuum, Girl becomes acquainted with his father, who seems to like her. Once the vacuum is repaired, Guy impulsively invites Girl to his bedroom, above the shop. They are clearly attracted to each other, but when he attempts to kiss her she stops him and leaves ("The Moon"). The next day he apologises, and they write, rehearse and record songs together. Girl introduces Guy to her family, including her young daughter, Ivanka ("Ej, Pada, Pada, Rosicka"). After Guy leaves, Girl plays one of his songs on the piano, substituting her own lyrics as she thinks of him ("If You Want Me"). The next morning Girl tells Guy that she has arranged a meeting with a banker ("Broken Hearted Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy"). To persuade the bank manager to approve a loan — which would enable Guy to take his music to New York — Guy plays him a song ("Say It to Me Now"). The banker is impressed with his talent, approves the loan, and adds that he can play guitar as well. He plays a song for them ("Abandoned in Bandon"), and though he is not a very good singer, they invite him to play in the band. The following night at a night club, Guy tells Girl that she has convinced him that his musical career is worth pursuing. Good, she replies, because it is
open mic An open mic or open mike (shortened from "open microphone") is a live show at a venue such as a coffeehouse, nightclub, comedy club, strip club, or pub, usually taking place at night, in which audience members may perform on stage whether t ...
night at the club, and she has signed him up to perform as "The Hoover Man". He is reluctant, but eventually takes the stage. As he sings, it seems that he is now singing to Girl, not his ex-girlfriend ("Gold"). ;Act II During band practice, one of the musicians gets into an argument with the bank manager; he opposes capitalism, he says, despite the fact that he owns the shop where they are rehearsing. Guy and Girl retreat to a hill overlooking the city where the two share a brief, tender moment. Girl tells Guy, in Czech, that she loves him — but when he asks her to translate, she replies, "It looks like rain". Guy realizes that he has fallen in love with Girl, and wonders how he will live without her when he moves to New York ("Sleeping"). The next day the band records a demo for a major record label ("When Your Mind's Made Up"). After receiving praise for their performance, the band members take a break. Girl remains at the piano, and thinking she is alone, plays one of her own compositions that reveals the depth of her feelings for Guy ("The Hill"). Guy, who has been listening, compliments her on her song. He suggests that she and Ivanka move to New York with him, because they clearly have feelings for each other that they cannot ignore. Girl answers angrily that he cannot feel that way. Incredulous, Guy asks why; Girl replies that her husband — Ivanka's father — is trying to reconcile with her, and for the sake of their daughter she must consider it ("It Cannot Be About That"). The following morning the band gathers at the hill to voice their hopes for success with the impending album ("Gold (Acapella)"). Guy asks Girl to spend his last night in Dublin with him; she demurs, because it would only result in " hanky-panky", which is a "bad idea"; but ultimately she agrees to come to the vacuum shop. Back at the shop, Guy plays the demo for his father. Impressed and moved, he gives Guy money to help him get settled in New York. Then Guy, encouraged by Girl, calls his ex-girlfriend in New York, who is happy about his imminent arrival, and seems willing to give their relationship another try. A few days later Girl comes home to find a piano with a bright red bow on it — a gift from Guy. She sheds a few tears, then sits at the piano and sings; as Guy, in his New York apartment, sings the same song ("Falling Slowly (Reprise)").


Principal roles and original casts


Notable Broadway cast replacements

*
Arthur Darvill Thomas Arthur Darvill (born 17 June 1982) is an English actor. He is known for portraying Rory Williams, a companion of the Eleventh Doctor in the television series ''Doctor Who'' (2010–2012), as well as Rip Hunter in ''Legends of Tomorrow'' ( ...
,
Paul Alexander Nolan Paul Alexander Nolan is a Canadian actor who appeared in Jeremy O. Harris’ Slave Play at New York Theatre Workshop. He was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for his performance in the musical Bright Star. Early life Nolan grew up in Rouleau, ...
– Guy *
Laura Dreyfuss Laura Catherine Dreyfuss (born August 22, 1988) is an American actress and singer, known for her roles as Zoe Murphy in the Broadway musical ''Dear Evan Hansen'', Madison McCarthy on the FOX musical series '' Glee'' and McAfee Westbrook on the ...
, Joanna Christie – Girl * Carlos Valdes - Andrej *
Katrina Lenk Katrina Lenk (born November 26, 1974) is an American actress, singer, musician, and songwriter. Lenk originated the role of Dina in the Broadway musical ''The Band's Visit'', a performance for which she won the 2018 Tony Award for Best Actress ...
, Claire Wellin - Réza * Laurel Griggs - Ivanka


Notable West End cast replacements

*
Arthur Darvill Thomas Arthur Darvill (born 17 June 1982) is an English actor. He is known for portraying Rory Williams, a companion of the Eleventh Doctor in the television series ''Doctor Who'' (2010–2012), as well as Rip Hunter in ''Legends of Tomorrow'' ( ...
,
David Hunter David Hunter (July 21, 1802 – February 2, 1886) was an American military officer. He served as a Union general during the American Civil War. He achieved notability for his unauthorized 1862 order (immediately rescinded) emancipating slaves ...
,
Ronan Keating Ronan Patrick John Keating (born 3 March 1977) is an Irish singer. He debuted in 1993 alongside Keith Duffy, Michael Graham, Shane Lynch, and Stephen Gately, as the co-lead singer (with Gately) of Irish pop group Boyzone. His solo career start ...
, Daniel Healy (musician) – Guy


Musical numbers

Except where indicated, all musical numbers were written by
Glen Hansard Glen Hansard (born 21 April 1970) is an Irish singer-songwriter, musician and actor. Since 1990, he has been the frontman of the Irish rock band The Frames, with whom he has released six studio albums, four of which have charted in the top ten ...
and
Markéta Irglová Markéta Irglová () (born 28 February 1988) is a Czech-Icelandic singer-songwriter, musician and actress, who starred in the film '' Once'', which earned her a number of major awards, including the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Fal ...
. ; Act 1 * "The North Strand" – Instrumental * "Leave" – Guy * "
Falling Slowly "Falling Slowly" is a song in the indie folk and indie rock genres that was written, composed and performed by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová. The song was featured on the soundtrack of the 2007 Irish musical romance film ''Once'', which starre ...
" – Guy & Girl * "The Moon" – Andrej & Ensemble * "Ej, Pada, Pada, Rosicka" – Ensemble * "If You Want Me" – Girl, Guy, & Ensemble * "Broken Hearted Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy" – Guy * "Say It to Me Now" – Guy * "Abandoned in Bandon" – Bank Manager * "Gold" – Guy & Ensemble ;Act 2 * "Sleeping" – Guy * "When Your Mind's Made Up" – Guy, Girl, and Ensemble * "The Hill" – Girl * "It Cannot Be About That" – Instrumental * "Gold (A Cappella)" – Company * "Falling Slowly (Reprise)" – Guy, Girl, and Ensemble "Once", the titular song from the film, was cut from the musical, but was performed by the cast of the Broadway production during special curtain calls, such as at
Cristin Milioti Cristin Milioti (born August 16, 1985) is an American actress. She is known for playing Tracy McConnell in the CBS sitcom '' How I Met Your Mother'' from 2013 to 2014, and for her work in theater productions such as ''That Face'', ''Stunning'' ...
, Elizabeth A. Davis, and Will Connolly's final performance, and when Markéta Irglová visited.


Reception


Critical response

Ben Brantley Benjamin D. Brantley (born October 26, 1954) is an American theater critic, journalist, editor, publisher and writer. He served as the chief theater critic for ''The New York Times'' from 1996 to 2017, and as co-chief theater critic from 2017 to ...
, in his review of the New York Theatre Workshop production in ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', wrote:
"In translating ''Once'' into three dimensions, the playwright Enda Walsh and the director John Tiffany haven’t steered clear of what were probably inevitable excesses. The script is now steeped in wise and folksy observations about committing to love and taking chances, most of which are given solemn and thickly accented utterance by Girl (played by Cristin Milioti), who is Czech. Guy, played by Steve Kazee, has been transformed from a shaggy nerd into a figure of leading-man handsomeness, while Girl has turned into a full-fledged version of what she only threatened to be in the film: a kooky, life-affirming waif who is meant to be irresistible ... But a merciful reversal occurs when ''Once'' breaks into music, which is often. Characters become less adorably overwrought and more genuinely conflicted, with distinctive personalities instead of standard-issue ones. The songs (written by Mr. Hansard and Ms. Irglova) soar with rough-edged, sweet-and-sad ambivalence that is seldom visited in contemporary American musicals."
Brantley later reviewed the Broadway production, also in ''The New York Times'', writing:Brantley, Ben (18 March 2012)
"Theater Review. ''Once'', With Steve Kazee and Cristin Milioti, at Jacobs Theater"
''The New York Times''.
"When I first saw the musical ''Once'' at the New York Theater Workshop last December, it registered as a little too twee, too conventionally sentimental, for the East Village. Yet on Broadway — at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theater to be exact, where ''Once'' opened on Sunday night — what is essentially the same production feels as vital and surprising as the early spring that has crept up on Manhattan. And what was always wonderful about ''Once'', its songs and its staging, has been magnified. In the meantime its appealing stars, Steve Kazee and Cristin Milioti, have only grown in presence and dimensionality."
In reviewing the West End production fo
London Theatre Guide
Peter Brown describes the show's key to success as lying in the songs of Hansard and Irglova:
"what makes this musical really special and puts it in a different league to other offerings is the captivating, magical quality of the songs. Almost from the first note, you realise you are listening to music that is extraordinarily distinctive, powerfully emotional and hugely affecting – in a word... stunning."


Accolades


Original Broadway production


London production


Toronto production

The production was nominated in the Musical Theatre Division of the Dora Mavor Moore Awards


References


External links

* * *
archive
*
archive
{{Authority control 2011 musicals Off-Broadway musicals Broadway musicals Musicals based on films West End musicals Irish musicals Plays set in Ireland Drama Desk Award-winning musicals Tony Award for Best Musical Rock musicals Tony Award-winning musicals