As fans of the work of Lin-Manuel Miranda, and musicals generally, we turned to books about Broadway in search of a workable quote with lively language. For the ninth edition of the late Stanley Green’s classic “Broadway Musicals: Show by Show,” Carey Ginell added updates (through 2017) to Green’s comprehensive survey. Unsurprisingly, this latest edition includes a feature on the extraordinary, innovative 2015 mega-hit “Hamilton.”
After locating a promising quote and trimming it to size, we aimed to make more than half of the clues/answers thematic in some way. Including answers related to music or dance, how many can you identify? Do you have favorites among the musicals we referenced? Below is a video clip “show”-casing one of the musicals in the acrostic; at the risk of sounding like our parents, they just don’t write songs like this anymore:
Re one of our unrelated clue/answers: Because our son currently resides in Denmark and Dave’s father hailed from Vienna, we get a kick out of how the Copenhagen pastry shops refer to what Americans like to call “Danishes.” (See Clue K.) By whatever name, those European versions are invariably scrumptious. Speaking of things Viennese, some analysts claim that the American musical descends from Viennese operetta. Whew! Managed to circle back after all!
How was this acrostic for you?
I love musicals, so this quote was a joy. My breakthrough was seeing Broadway combined with multi-ethnic and hip-hop. Got a kick out of all the music and musical references in the word list, and particularly liked clue and word V. I have an MFA in Design and Production and appreciate all the creativity, work and collaboration that goes into a show. Have long supported multi-ethnic casting, but even I was thrilled, seeing Hamilton for the first time in London, at how well the cast embodied the characters. So well written (book, music, orchestration), danced, acted and sung. And the audience energy was palpable.
There’s a production of “Hamilton” coming to LA next month for six weeks, so this is a timely acrostic for me, as I have a pair of tickets to a performance. Impressive how you managed to work so many names of musicals into the entries. The only one which I was stuck on for a while was R (IMMIGRANT), where I was sure the answer had to be “Nuyorican.” A thoroughly enjoyable solving experience!
Same! I popped in NUYORICAN without thinking about it – took me a while to see the mistake. So much fun! Once I had HIP-HOP in the grid the rest fell into place smoothly.
What a delight! You two continue to create these puzzles at an exceptionally skillful and entertaining level.
I would imagine it’s a difficult enough simply to create a clever acrostic. But it no doubt ramps up the construction challenges to include as many nicely themed clues as you manage to do.
My only “complaint“ is that your puzzle appears only every other week.
What a delight! You two continue to create these puzzles at an exceptionally skillful and entertaining level.
I would imagine it’s a difficult enough simply to create a clever acrostic. But it no doubt ramps up the construction challenges to include as many nicely themed clues as you manage to do.
My only “complaint“ is that your puzzle appears only every other week.
Right up my “Tin Pan Alley!”
I had Dominican for Immigrant for a while. Of course, fans of the show know that the correct answer pays homage to Hamilton as well…
I would go see a show called Eohippus! Maybe the musical version of Equus? Or would it have to be a prequel??
Thanks again David and Jane for the hard work!
Another gem that entertains at the highest level.
Thanks.
I initially thought this one was going to go in a scientific direction with EOHIPPUS (which I knew from my childhood obsession with dinosaurs, recently revived by my grandson’s similar obsession) and EXTINCT. But then I saw hip-hop in the quote, and when I got Miranda’s, it all came together. Another top notch acrostic.
Fun! And sweet memories of our musical days! As for G., Brigadoon, Schmigadoon (coming to DC soon, btw).