Metro (musical)

Metro is a Polish musical with music by Janusz Stokłosa and lyrics by Agata and Maryna Miklaszewska. Choreographed and directed by Janusz Józefowicz, the musical was funded and initially produced by Wiktor Kubiak.[1] The play, initially staged on January 31, 1991 in Warsaw's Dramatic Theatre, turned out to be a major success in Poland and is notable for a large number of young artists who started their career in its crew. Among those who rose to fame were: Edyta Górniak, Katarzyna Groniec, Robert Janowski, Michał Milowicz, Grzegorz Kowalczyk and Natasza Urbańska.[2]

This article is about the Polish musical. For other uses, see Metro (disambiguation).
Metro
Musical music CD cover
MusicJanusz Stokłosa
LyricsPolish:
Maryna Miklaszewska
Agata Miklaszewska
English:
Mary Bracken Phillips
PremiereJanuary 31, 1991: Warsaw's Dramatic Theatre
Productions1991 Warsaw
1992 Broadway
1998 Moscow
Edyta Górniak in Teatr Dramatyczny in Warsaw (1992)
The musical is dominated by crowd scenes. In the picture, “Tower of Babel” (Wieża Babel) scene
Choreography is an integral part of the musical content. In the picture, „In God we trust” scene

In 1992 the musical opened on Broadway at the Minskoff Theatre, but soon closed due to unfavorable reviews. In 1997, the musical moved to Studio Buffo theatre in Warsaw, where it is still running in simplified arrangement after more than 2,100 performances in total. According to estimates, it was watched by approx. 2 million viewers.[3][4][5]

Plot

The storyline focuses on a group of youngsters who decided to live in the subway tunnels for various reasons. Everyone of them brings his own history and dreams. Teenagers take part in a casting to a theatre, but they do not succeed and because of that decide to organize their own musical on the subway station. After success of underground show, they get a job offer from the theater which previously rejected them. A dilemma whether to go for money or for dreams appears.

Scenes

Synopsis of scenes and musical compositions from Broadway edition.[6]

Act 1
  • Scene 1. A theatre somewhere in Europe: Philip, Jan and The Company.
“Overture” – orchestra.
  • Scene 2. A Metro somewhere in Europe.
“Metro” (Metro) – Jan and The Company.
  • Scene 3. The Theatre: Klaus, Denisa, Alicja, Duda, Wojtek, Jaga, Basia, Monika, Magda, Max, Philip, Anka and The Company.
“My Fairy Tale” (Chcę być kopciuszkiem) – singers: Basia, Alicja, Denisa; dancers: Iwona, Lidia, Violetta.
  • Scene 4. The Metro: Jan, Anka.
“But Not Me” (A ja nie) – Jan and The Company.
  • Scene 5. The Theatre: Max, Philip, Anka and The Company.
“Windows” (Szyba) – Anka; dancer: Iwona.
  • Scene 6. The Metro: Jan, Anka.
  • Scene 7. Audition results: Edyta, Piotr, Alicja, Denisa, Monika, Duda, Jaga, Magda, Anka.
“That's Life” (Życie) – Edyta, Anka, Polina.
“Bluezwis” (Bluzwis) – Jan, Wojtek and The Company.
“Love Duet” (Na strunach szyn) – Anka and Jan.
  • Scene 8.
“Tower of Babel” (Wieża Babel) – company.
Act 2
  • Scene 1.
“Labels” (Hasła) – The Company.
  • Scene 2. Philip's Office: Philip, Max.
  • Scene 3. Abandoned subway station: Anka, Jan, Edyta, Duda, Jaga, Klaus, Alicja, Basia, Wojtek, Duda.
“Uciekali” – Jan and The Company.
  • Scene 4. The Metro: Jan, Anka, Philip.
  • Scene 5. The Metro.
“Waiting” (Wszystko jedno czy słońce, czy deszcz) – Edyta, Anka and Dancers.
  • Scene 6. The Metro: Anka, Jan, Max, Philip.
  • Scene 7.
“Pieniedze” (Pieniądze) – The Company.
  • Scene 8. The Metro: Edyta, Denisa, Jan, Wojtek, Duda, Basia, Magda, Piotr, Alicja, Grzegorz, Monika, Jaga
“Love Duet II” (Na strunach szyn II) – Anka and Jan.
  • Scene 9. The Metro.
“Dreams Don't Die” (Tylko w moich snach) – Anka.

Production history

Metro was first staged on January 31, 1991 in Warsaw's Dramatic Theatre. Choreographed and directed by Janusz Józefowicz, the musical was funded and initially produced by Wiktor Kubiak.

In 1997, the musical moved to Studio Buffo theatre in Warsaw, where it is still running in simplified arrangement after more than 2,100 performances in total. According to estimates, it was watched by approx. 2 million viewers.

Broadway

The musical opened on Broadway at the Minskoff Theatre on April 16, 1992, and closed on April 26, 1992, after 13 performances and 24 previews. The lyrics were translated by Mary Bracken Phillips and the director and choreographer was Janusz Józefowicz. Although it was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Original Score, it received mixed reviews and soon closed. The 1998 production in Moscow, Russia, proved to be a success and the musical is still occasionally staged both in Poland and in Russia.[7]

References
  1. "Milioner, sponsor musicalu "Metro", menadżer gwiazd i przyjaciel Edyty Górniak. Kim był zmarły niedawno Wiktor Kubiak". plotek.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2021-05-08.
  2. "Edyta Górniak skierowała do fanów poruszające słowa i... spadła na nią fala hejtu! Dlaczego fani uderzają w artystkę?". Viva.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2021-05-08.
  3. Rich, Frank (1992-04-17). "Review/Theater: Metro; A Hit in Warsaw Lands on Broadway". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-05-08.
  4. "Polish Musical Bound for Broadway". Christian Science Monitor. 1991-02-06. ISSN 0882-7729. Retrieved 2021-05-08.
  5. Engelberg, Stephen (1992-04-12). "THEATER; Free-Market Capitalism, Applied to the Stage". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-05-08.
  6. "Metro Broadway @ Minskoff Theatre - Tickets and Discounts". Playbill.
  7. "Ulice Europy pełne są marzeń". Kultura.Poznan.pl. 2016.
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