The Tap Dance Kid
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The Tap Dance Kid was a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical that debuted in 1983.
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[edit] Synopsis
The Tap Dance Kid was based on the Louise Fitzhugh novel Nobody's Family is Going to Change with an adapted book by Charles Blackwell, music by Henry Krieger, and lyrics by Robert Lorick. The title character, Willie, comes from an upper middle class African-American family. He dreams of becoming a dancer but faces opposition from his father, a lawyer. The second act is devoted to Willie's imaginations of stardom.
[edit] Production and awards
The musical opened on December 21, 1983 at the Broadhurst Theatre and ran there until March 11, 1984 due to layoffs. On March 27, 1984 it resumed performance at the Minskoff Theatre, closing on August 11, 1985. It ran for 669 total performances. Vivian Matalon directed its Broadway run. Reviews were mixed; a reviewer for The New York Times praised the choreography and many actors' performances but saw the plot as "earnest [but] plodding" and the music forgettable.[1]
The musical was nominated for six Tony Awards, winning two: Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Hinton Battle), Best Choreography (Danny Daniels). Other nominations were Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Featured Actress in a Musical, and Best Direction of a Musical. In addition, Battle was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Best Featured Actor.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Rich, Frank. A Boy And His Dreams In 'Tap Dance Kid'. The New York Times. December 22, 1983. Retrieved November 24, 2006.
