- Performances: 1,168.
- Open / Close: March 18, 2012 – January 4th, 2015
- Theater: Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre.
- Tony Awards: Nominated for 11 and won 8. Picked up many of the top Tonys (Best Musical, Best Director, Best Book), many technical awards (scenic design, lighting and sound) but only one acting award for Steve Kazee in the lead role. Martin Lowe’s orchestrations got a well-deserved recognition but Steven Hoggett’s choreography did not (no way it was going to win against “Newsies,” unfortunately). Cristin Milioti had similarly tough competition against Audra McDonald in “Porgy and Bess.”
- Fun Fact: After many years not performing together, the Swell Season – the name of the combo Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová who star in the movie version of “Once” – will be touring in 2025. They’re scheduled to perform in Boston in March and then start a European tour through the spring.
Podcast
Valentine’s Day has been commercialized to such an outrageous degree, pushing models of hetero-normative romantic commitment so hard that any other kind of love can end up seeming marginal or even invisible. That’s one of the reasons why “Once” is such a fascinating story: a man and a woman fall into a certain kind of love but it’s less romantic and more of a beautiful bridge that helps each of them get to a different place in their lives.
Another, more specifically theatrical reason to talk about “Once” is its weird journey from a small, scruffy movie into a bold, joyful and singular stage experience.
Lucky for me, and for you listeners, Nathaniel Shaw has firsthand knowledge of “Once” on Broadway thanks to his work with choreographer Steven Hoggett on the show. Nathaniel also staged an amazing production of “Once” himself back in 2019. He brings his insight and perspective on the show, plus an ornery take on the state of the American musical, to bear in our expansive conversation, all in smooth dulcet tones that will practically melt your eardrums.