The Movie Musical

The 1975 theatrical hit "Chicago" comes to the silver screen nationwide today. Directed by the Broadway choreographer and director Rob Marshal, Hollywood hopes that "Chicago" will revive a hurting genre. As soon as sound hit celluloid, Hollywood has been drawn in to the magic of singing and dancing. Tonight, we take a historical look at this genre and see how it has evolved from the Jazz Singer, to West Side Story to Moulin Rouge.

Guests:

Garen Daly, Movie Reviewer, Artistic Director and Programmer at the Dedham Community Theatre in Dedham, MA and On Point's Movie Maven

Thomas Hischak, Professor of Theatre at the State University of New York in Cortland, Author of "The American Musical Theatre Song Encyclopedia and upcoming book "Through the Screen Door: What Happens to Broadway Musicals When They Went to Hollywood"

Jack Beatty, On Point's News Analyst and a Senior Editor at the Atlantic Monthly