Movin' Out

Movin' Out
Name	Movin' Out
Subtitle	A Musical Journey Through the Songs of Billy Joel
Music	Billy Joel
Lyrics	Billy Joel
Book	Twyla Tharp
Basis	Songs of Billy Joel
Premiere date	October 24, 2002
Premiere place	Wichita, Kansas
Productions	Broadway (2002), West End (2006)

Movin' Out is a jukebox musical built around the songs of Billy Joel with a dance-driven book by Twyla Tharp. The production premiered in the early 2000s and combined rock-pop repertoire with modern dance, narrative theater, and concert staging. Its hybrid form connected performers from Broadway to Lincoln Center dance circles and toured extensively across North America and Europe.

Background and development

Tharp conceived the work following collaborations with institutions such as American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Martha Graham School and artists like Mikhail Baryshnikov, Paul Taylor, Merce Cunningham, Alvin Ailey and Pina Bausch. She selected songs from the catalog of Billy Joel, whose hits had been recorded on labels including Columbia Records and produced by figures associated with Phil Ramone and Michael Stewart. Early workshops involved creative teams linked to Chelsea Piers, New York City Center, and producers from Nederlander Organization, Cameron Mackintosh, Jujamcyn Theaters and Cameron Mackintosh Ltd. Developmental readings featured performers with resumes at Circle in the Square Theatre, Gershwin Theatre, A.R.T. (American Repertory Theater), and artists who had appeared on Saturday Night Live and MTV.

Tharp’s intent drew on antecedents such as West Side Story, Company, A Chorus Line, Rent, and dance-theater experiments from Ballets Russes and Les Ballets de Monte Carlo. The creative process engaged choreographers, music directors and orchestrators familiar with work for Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Radio City Music Hall and The Kennedy Center. Legal and licensing negotiations involved entities like ASCAP, BMI, and representatives from Sony Music Entertainment.

Production and choreography

Original choreography was by Tharp in collaboration with rehearsal directors and guest choreographers from Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Merce Cunningham Trust and institutions such as Juilliard School and Yale School of Drama. The Broadway production opened at the Richard Rodgers Theatre after pre-Broadway runs in cities including Wichita, Kansas, Chicago, and workshops in New York City. Design elements referenced scenic and costume designers who worked on productions for Metropolitan Opera, Guthrie Theater, Shubert Organization and Goodman Theatre projects. Musical staging incorporated concert-level lighting and sound engineers with prior credits at Madison Square Garden, The O2 Arena, and Wembley Stadium.

Casting drew from performers experienced in Broadway revivals, Off-Broadway ensembles, So You Think You Can Dance, and America's Got Talent. Dance sequences referenced techniques taught at School of American Ballet, Ballet School of San Francisco, and studios affiliated with the Royal Ballet School. The production bridged theatrical direction styles associated with directors like Hal Prince, Tommy Tune, Nicholas Hytner and contemporary choreographers such as Sasha Waltz and Christopher Wheeldon.

Music and recordings

The score comprised songs originally recorded on albums such as The Stranger (Billy Joel album), 52nd Street (album), An Innocent Man (album), Glass Houses (album), and Piano Man (album). Orchestrations were arranged to suit a pit ensemble similar to those assembled for works at Broadway Theatre and Lyric Opera of Chicago. Music direction drew from professionals with credits at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and recording studios like Abbey Road Studios and Electric Lady Studios. Cast recordings and cast albums were released under labels known for Broadway releases, with mastering engineers experienced on projects for Sony Classical and Decca Records. The musical featured renditions of singles that had charted on the Billboard Hot 100 and received airplay on stations affiliated with Clear Channel Communications and iHeartMedia.

Critical reception and awards

Critics in publications such as The New York Times, Variety (magazine), The New Yorker, The Guardian, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Wall Street Journal, Time (magazine), Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, and Playbill offered mixed to positive reviews emphasizing choreography and dance over traditional book musical conventions. The Broadway production received nominations and awards from institutions including the Tony Awards, Laurence Olivier Awards, Drama Desk Awards, Outer Critics Circle Awards, Drama League Awards, Critics' Circle Theatre Awards, and Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre. Honorees included choreographers and designers with prior recognition from Emmy Awards, Obie Awards, Bessie Awards, and Grammy Awards for cast recordings and live performance albums.

Performance history and tours

After its Broadway run at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, the show transferred to the Vertigo Theatre circuit for national and international tours that stopped in cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Toronto, Vancouver, London, Manchester, Birmingham (England), Dublin, Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Madrid, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Brussels, Zurich and Stockholm. Touring companies included ensembles that had previously worked with Royal Shakespeare Company, National Theatre (London), Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Goodman Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre and La Jolla Playhouse. Special gala performances were staged at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, Royal Albert Hall, The Kennedy Center, and festival appearances at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Melbourne International Arts Festival and Montreux Jazz Festival.

Cultural impact and legacy

The production influenced later jukebox musicals and dance-driven theater pieces alongside works like Mamma Mia!, Jersey Boys, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Ain't Too Proud, We Will Rock You, and Springsteen on Broadway. Its approach shaped programming at institutions including Lincoln Center, American Dance Festival, Jacob's Pillow, Sadler's Wells Theatre, National Dance Institute and university theater programs at New York University, Columbia University, University of California, Los Angeles, and Yale School of Drama. Alumni from the show have gone on to collaborations with Film Independent, Sundance Film Festival, Netflix, HBO, BBC and major record producers. The musical continues to be studied in courses on contemporary performance at conservatories associated with Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Curtis Institute of Music.

Category:2002 musicals Category:Jukebox musicals