As a music enthusiast and aspiring playwright, this piece about the creation of a challenging musical number for Steve Martin’s character on “Only Murders in the Building” has left me utterly inspired! It’s fascinating to see how TV writers and musicians dedicate their brainpower to crafting intricate narratives that push performers to their limits.
The latest season of “Only Murders in the Building” on Hulu offered some thrilling climaxes, yet one moment that truly stood out wasn’t about unmasking the murderer; instead, it was a witty tune titled “Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?” This song humorously implicates three infants in a crime. Performed by Steve Martin with panache, the song’s lyrics, such as “a diaper full of criminal intent,” added a delightful touch to the musical theater genre’s campy appeal. At the same time, this musical number served as a poignant subplot for Martin’s character, Charles Haden Savage, who is grappling with fading stardom.
The query arose: Will Savage regain prominence through lyrics such as “Who was that mischievous child who caused mommy to pop?” or continue to become more enigmatic, dwelling deeper within the quirky realm of living at the Arconia?
The combination of the series’ tension and its finale undoubtedly played a role in its receiving 21 Emmy nominations, such as best comedy series, best original music and lyrics, and an acting nod for Martin himself. However, one might wonder how co-creator John Hoffman came up with that eerily humorous tune about infants committing murder. To uncover the story behind this captivating musical scene, the creators shared their insights on EbMaster’s “Making A Scene,” a talk show brought to you by HBO.
In the shower, an idea suddenly struck me. I found myself wondering, “Who among the Pickwick triplets could have committed this act?” Hoffman reminisces. The character of the constable, portrayed by Steve in the play, was on a bizarre quest to determine which of these tiny infants had murdered their mother – an absurd scenario, yet intriguingly so in my opinion.
Fired up by this concept, Hoffman quickly entered the writer’s space, exclaiming, “This is the tune! It will be titled ‘Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?’ Let’s call Benj Pasek and Justin Paul immediately to discuss it!”
The phone call (thanks to a mutual friend who happened to be in the same room) led to a partnership with the renowned songwriting duo, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, paving the way for an extraordinary scene. Hoffman, together with Pasek, Paul, and Shaiman, share behind-the-scenes insights on how this remarkable moment in “Only Murders” was created.
The distinctive feature of an outstanding patter song is its quick tempo combined with a rapid succession of rhythmic beats, such that each word in the lyrics corresponds to one note. Famously challenging verses that will echo through the annals of tongue-twister lore are Stephen Sondheim’s “Your Fault,” the fast-paced “We Both Reached for the Gun” from Chicago, and almost every third song from The Music Man.
“A long time ago, at one of Marty Short’s famed Christmas parties in L.A., he’d make me move the piano so it looked like I was struggling,” Shaiman recalls. “Then, he’d climb on top of it and pretend to hold a spoon as a microphone, acting as the host. Over the years, people began to anticipate this spectacle. One time, Steve Martin even announced he was going to sing the opening number for ‘The Music Man.'”
“It’s very hard,” Paul interjects, underscoring the difficulty.
“Indeed, a task for seven individuals! Yet, he managed to accomplish it flawlessly, from start to finish,” Shaiman adds on.
With full confidence in Martin’s skill to handle quick-paced dialogue, Pasek and Paul were invited into the “Only Murders in the Building” writing team. They jetted off to Los Angeles to blend the inventive forces of both TV and theater, aiming to create an outstanding storyline together.
As a movie reviewer, I can’t help but share my excitement about the creative process behind this upcoming musical film. According to Benj Pasek, being in the writer’s room was an unparalleled experience. Why? Because they were meticulously crafting a captivating fictional musical, and we were given the opportunity to contribute to that journey.
He elaborates, “There was genuine collaboration in that setting, which is unusual in the world of musical theater. Typically, you’re either alone or working closely with one partner. But what I witnessed was a group of people, each dedicated to unraveling the story together. This collaborative approach, where everyone pools their creativity to tell the best possible story, as seen in TV production, was a source of inspiration for us when thinking about creating this project from a musical theater perspective too.”
In my perspective as a movie reviewer, the eighth episode, aptly named “Sitzprobe,” served as the pivotal moment when the elusive tricky ditty found its mark during a full-cast, orchestra rehearsal. This was the instance where Savage triumphantly executed the challenging piece in front of the entire production team, making it an unforgettable scene.
“The aim was to craft a song that would be incredibly challenging to perform, something that would stumble the singer and be extremely tough to execute in a single try, according to Pasek. This aspect benefits the storyline as it raises the question of whether the character can successfully pull off this challenge. For multiple episodes, he doesn’t manage it, creating something for viewers to eagerly anticipate throughout the season.”
He goes on to express, “It’s a delightful thought that television personalities might announce, ‘The grand climax of approximately eight episodes will revolve around a character singing a musical theater-style patter song.’ Such an opportunity is truly a dream realized.”
Initially, Martin’s brief response to the suggestion of developing his character while navigating complex rhymes was straightforward. In typical Martin fashion, he simply said, “Wow, this is quite a melody,” and then inquired, “Will I need to perform this entirely live? I’m not certain if I can manage that.”
“Hoffman chuckled as numerous tense, single-sentence emails came in. Then, as usual, he got down to business. The only thing I can remark about that is his wife, Anne, mentioned to me a few months later that Steve had mastered the song so well, she knew all the lyrics by heart.”
Regarding the collaboration itself, even with their Oscars and Tonys under their belts, the three songwriters were still in awe when they teamed up with the star-studded cast of “Only Murders” (comprising Martin Short, Paul Rudd, and Meryl Streep) for Season 3.
“It was an awe-inspiring experience for us to be near a great like Steve, who didn’t hesitate to invest countless hours in perfecting a single song and remained humble throughout the process, taking our suggestions,” Paul notes. “The unique aspect of this setup is that the show felt much like a summer theater camp, given how it was filmed in Queens. They constructed a small recording studio within the dressing rooms. People were constantly coming in and out as Steve was recording. Marty would often pop in, sit on the couch, and say, ‘Again!’, ‘No! That’s terrible! What are you doing?’ It was an incredible atmosphere where everyone was enjoying themselves and teasing one another.”
Following the recording, Martin was subsequently required to perform his “Triplette” monologue once more, this time before the entire cast onstage, marking a climactic victory for both the audience and the actor himself.
In a casual and clear manner: “Hoffman notes that during rehearsals, the atmosphere was exhilarating as if you were holding your breath, and there was no one better than Steve Martin to perform this piece. The show took place in a theater where Meryl Streep, Martin Short, and other cast members who had completed their work gathered to watch him practice tirelessly.”
“That creative night was among the best I’ve experienced – witnessing Steve Martin consistently nail it, performance after performance.”
Additional reporting by EbMaster’s Mark Hayes.
Read More
- GEAR PREDICTION. GEAR cryptocurrency
- PBX PREDICTION. PBX cryptocurrency
- EUR INR PREDICTION
- CKB PREDICTION. CKB cryptocurrency
- IMX PREDICTION. IMX cryptocurrency
- Skull and Bones: Gamers’ Frustrations with Ubisoft’s Premium Content Delivery
- ‘Starting 5’: LeBron James, Jayson Tatum and Jimmy Butler Among NBA Players Featured in Obamas-Produced Sports Series
- Michelle Yeoh Will Not Appear in ‘Avatar 3,’ Says James Cameron: ‘She’s in 4 and 5’
- BSW PREDICTION. BSW cryptocurrency
- TANK PREDICTION. TANK cryptocurrency
2024-08-15 03:17