Paradise Square

Summary of the musical Paradise Square :

In New York in 1863, in the slum of Five Points in Manhattan, Irish immigrants and black Americans live in harmony. It is here that Nelly and her husband Willie run a saloon, Paradise Square, helped by their family.
However, the Civil War is raging and the harmony of the neighborhood will soon be upset.
Riddled with fines, the Nellys and Willies imagine a dance competition. The money collected will save the saloon. The remaining $300 will be used to pay the winning dancer, the exact amount needed to escape Civil War military service, just announced. This federal proscription will spark deadly riots. A myriad of characters will then come to try their luck.

Check out some excerpts from the show that was on Broadway in 2022:
General information
  • Style : Tragedy, Folk
  • Theme : Immigration, New York, Tap, War
  • year of creation : 2012
Music
  • Composer :Jason Howland
  • Lyricist : Masi Asare & Nathan Tysen
  • Librettist : Christina Anderson, Larry Kirwan & Craig Lucas
  • famous songs : "Paradise Square", "I'm Coming", "Camptown Races", "You Have Had My Heart", "Bright Lookout", "Tomorrow's Never Guaranteed", "Turn My Life Around", "Gentle Annie", " Why Should I Die in Springtime?", "I'd Be a Soldier", "Angelina Baker", "Heaven Save Our Home", "Now or Never", "Always on My Mind", "Someone to Love", " The Protest", "Breathe Easy", "The Riot", "Choir", "Let It Burn".
  • Famous performers : Joaquina Kalukango, Nathaniel Stampley, John Dossett.
kinships
  • Inspired by another work : The musical is based on the book "Hard Times" by Larry Kirwan.
Awards
  • Appointments and Awards : Joaquina Kalukango, who played one of the main roles, received the Tony and the Drama Desk for Best Actress in a Musical.
  • Number of years on display : 1
  • Number of performances : 108
  • anecdotes : Despite these numerous awards, the show closed its doors in July 2022. Several members of the show denounced the working conditions and unpaid performances. Producer Garth Drabinsky, whose criminal record had resurfaced, was placed on the "Do Not Work" list, barring him from producing any further Broadway shows.
Currently on stage