Here, for once, a musical builds to a genuinely well-written narrative payoff.
Yet Nikolai Foster's production of the musical built around the song is emphatically not the one you used to know.
It is word of mouth that has made "Mamma Mia!" a success, a similar show in that it is a musical built around existing Abba songs.
The productions include "Celebration of the Lizard," a futuristic rock musical built around the songs of the Doors, which opened on May 28 at the San Diego Rep.
This is the story told so vividly by the choreographer Twyla Tharp, who conceived and directed this innovative new musical, built on the songs of Billy Joel.
JUNE 5 WESTBURY The Swedish pop group Abba broke up a quarter-century ago, but it still sells at least two million records a year and has inspired a global-hit musical built around infectious tunes like "Dancing Queen".
Ben Brantley, the New York Times Ice-cold bolts of ecstasy shoot like novas through the glamorous muddle and murk of Lazarus, the great-sounding, great-looking and mind-numbing new musical built around songs by David Bowie.
But like the women starring in their baby, the froufrou jukebox musical built around the irresistible tunes and can't-shake-'em lyrics of Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, they radiated a spirit of fun and camaraderie that they call "the 'Mamma Mia!' factor".
'All Shook Up' Packs Up "All Shook Up," the jukebox musical built around a succession of Elvis Presley hits, will close on Sunday after 33 previews and 213 regular performances on Broadway at the Palace Theater.
