Something is happening. Nowadays, interviewing Shy’m is the equivalent of bringing in a Hollywood actress in the middle of a blockbuster promo. Singer from woman of colorwinner Dancing with the starshas clearly moved to another dimension: that of hats pork pie And jazz handsrope choreography and musicians on stage – and most importantly… An American producer, with less flexible methods than Shy’m doing a saxophone solo.
Broadway comes in French. And that’s with Chicagoa repertory monument unveiled this week at the Casino de Paris, where our national Shy’m donned Velma Kelly’s angular, tough couture stockings. Half a century after it was created by Bob Fosse, the Tony Awards’ six shows alone symbolize a shower of glitter that floods the capital.
This autumn, 18 musicals were staged in Paris – the likes of which we have never seen before. From Rochefort young lady extended to Lido Producer by Alexis Michalik, from Opera Ghost adapted by Benoit Solès for the new season Hate a hip-hop version to the musical Seine passes by Notre Dame in Paris : never before has the French scene experienced such enthusiasm.
“This is a record, enthused Laurent Valière, producer of 42e Rue di France Musique, who, facing this new excitement, updated The Great History of Musical Comedies (Marabout). Not just the numbers, but the diversity. We find it at Zéniths, throughout the year in special rooms, in institutions such as the Châtelet, the Philharmonie, but also in private theaters such as the Madeleine, Antoine or Porte Saint-Martin… The genre has become democratic. »
Explosion of file count
Another keen observer of the sector, Luc Perin noted “file count explosion”for the Musical Comedy Cup, which he chaired. Last year, there were 80 qualifying shows, double the number from the first edition in 2017. »And artists like Vanessa Cailhol (THE Chicago revelation as the flamboyant and charismatic Roxy), who won much acclaim at Molières, are now moving from one genre to another. »
cathedral era , King of the worldAnd Assasimphony … The previous wave emerged at the turn of the 2000s with its hits, modeled after the French “jukebox music” performed at Zéniths. The latter would be deployed again with his return twenty years later Sun King in the Dome and Notre Dame in Paris at the Palais des Congrès.
The last representative of the original troupe, Notre-Dame’s most famous archdeacon, Daniel Lavoie, toured as far as China: “Frollo is still the same, but I don’t play him the same way anymore. I also asked for a more appropriate costume for the archdeacon about ten years ago – the first one looked like a “village priest”. (Laughs.) » There is a version in English, but ultimately it is in Hugo that audiences around the world appreciate Luc Plamondon and Richard Cocciante’s play. “There are audiences who come ten, fifteen, twenty times, continued Daniel Lavoie. They know the text better than I do! »
New bubble musical it seems stronger because it extends to all forms of the genre: from Anglo-Saxon models to Demy’s big shows, including shows that contain hip-hop. “As happened at Notre-Dame de Paris in 1998, the trigger this time, notes Laurent Valière, it’s Starmania and its millions of entries. » Moreover, this event was directed by Thomas Jolly who made this form a sensation. “He carried out the schism from the Papal Court in Avignon to the Olympics and these popular musical spectacles, he continued, such as Ladislas Chollat, who could direct Florian Zeller’s texts as well as Les Misérables. »
There are audiences who come ten, fifteen, twenty times
Daniel Lavoie
Equally flexible, conductor Maxime Pascal moved from Stockhausen to the Philharmonie at the end of November Little Shop of Horrors directed by Valérie Lesort and Christian Hecq, regulars… Comédie-Française.
This musical has become a must for many artists who want to face “ triple threat» (sing, play, dance). Vanessa Paradis recently told about it in our pages “dreaming of a musical” ; Natalie Dessay also had fun singing and dancing while playing Rose Gypsy at the Philharmonie, Laurent Lafitte readied his scales and heels for his role as Zaza as Laure Calamy sang in Men’s skin and Claudia Tagbo shines Orso and the secrets of the stars .
“It has become a land of development, including for people from the world of variety, theater, opera or stand-up,”the observations of Laurent Bentata, general director of Stage Entertainment France, who went looking for Florent Peyre, are extraordinary in terms of Producers or indeed embarrassed. “Our desire is to attract these new profiles to expand the audience,”explained the producer.
Because sufficient education can be obtained in Molière’s country. In the United States, not a single student goes to school without playing Sandy Fator Tony from West Side Story. When he directed the Théâtre du Châtelet (2004-2017), Jean-Luc Choplin contributed greatly to the beginnings of the genre. “My role was to introduce the great Anglo-Saxon repertoire, which was completely ignored in Paris, he remembered. We’ve never seen My Fair Lady or The Sound of Music in their original versions. »
Our desire is to attract these new profiles to expand the audience
Laurent Bentata, general director of Stage Entertainment France
In recent years, youth offerings have also grown, driven by outstanding productions from Olivier Solivérès, Arthur Jugnot and the Safa brothers. So PocahontasSamuel and Julien Safa’s latest creation, is a little gem to be found at Gaîté Rive Gauche with a humorous and thoughtful libretto, perfect actors and a clever screenplay. As for French teenagers, their parents must have dragged them to the show Hate they can find it Dear Evan Hansen an off-Broadway classic about teen mental health.
Of course Paris is not yet New York or London, but it is getting closer because its offer is no longer limited to parties. When Stage Entertainment moved to France in 2005, the purist purchased the Mogador theater. “You have to master the container to have control over the content according to the “open” model, explains Laurent Bentata.
XXL event production such as Lion Kingmobilizing 160 men every night, requiring a long operation to be profitable. Therefore you must master the room and its programming. The drama entered its fifth season with nearly 1.7 million viewers and an occupancy rate approaching 90%. It was also at the Lido that the model would have such space, allowing its president and artistic director Jean-Luc Choplin to extend its glittering life. Rochefort young lady until summer. Therefore, the show will run all season at the theater!
“We sold over 60,000 tickets! he determined. The public found an immersive experience, at the intersection of a Broadway musical and a cabaret with pedestal tables and champagne. I would not stage Les Demoiselles at the Châtelet because the orchestra pit and stage setup create distance. »The stage also invests in training with the Florent × Mogador Free Class musical comedy course. The result: a generation of actors who watered the drama being showcased, by Antoine Le Provost — the title role Dear Evan Hansen – to Maélie Zaffran – Christine Daaé of Opera Ghost .
A popular and accessible show
Even though theaters are struggling to keep up, this branch of live shows is doing quite well. Why the enthusiasm extends beyond a solid circle of fans musical? “We often say that it’s because things are gloomy and we need to have fun.Jean-Luc Choplin’s notes. That’s true, but it goes further: these musicals reconnect with popular performances, are accessible to everyone and are of high quality – just like operettas once were. This kind of offer has disappeared. »
There is still one final obstacle according to Stéphane Letellier, namely the lack of suitable space. “In Paris, there are only a few big venues: Casino de Paris, Folies Bergère, Marigny… And for tours, there is only Zéniths”,describes communicators and producers in particular Sufferwho started a tour in the Region. As for the public, still “still a bit careful about prices”of this show, which is difficult to finance. But the wider the offering, the greater the barriers that will be removed. All eyes are on the two adaptationsMonte Cristowho will face each other in early 2026 at the Folies Bergères and Dôme. The momentum is there. It’s definitely jazzy!
For your tickets
Chicago, at Casino de Paris until January 31. 2h30. From 20 euros.
Little Shop of Horrors, at Porte Saint-Martin until January 4. 2h15. From 12 euros.
Lion King, in Mogador until January 31. 2:35. From 30 euros.
Producer, at the Théâtre de Paris until January 11. 2 hours. From 20 euros.
Notre Dame Paris, at the Palais des Congrès from December 19 to January 4. 2h30. From 38 euros.
The Sun King – The Return, at the Dôme de Paris from December 4 to January 18. 2h30. From 25 euros.
The Young Women of Rochefort, on the Lido until June 21. 02:30 From 25 euros.
Crazy Cage, at the Théâtre du Châtelet from December 5 to January 10. 2h30. From 12 euros.
Hate, on the musical Seine until January 4. 2 hours. From 25 euros.
Opera Ghost, at the Antoine theater through January 11. 1 hour 20. From 16 euros.
