Upstage

Phantom of the Opera: Behind the Mask

December 2006 •English

The story of the creation of the world's most successful musical.

Sweeney Todd: Scenes from the Making of a Musical

July 1980 •English

Opening with the first day of rehearsals of the London production of "Sweeney Todd", this ninety-minute documentary focuses on the rehearsal process with the musical's director, composer and actors.

Onnellinen mies

March 2000 •Finnish

A portrait of the great theatre actor Evgeniy Lebedev.

The Magic Behind 'd'ILLUSION: The Houdini Musical - The Audio Theater Experience'

December 2020 •English

A special behind-the-scenes look at the making of the audiobook edition of "d'ILLUSION: The Houdini Musical" and how it did its part in helping keep theater and the arts alive during the COVID-19 pandemic.

National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage

November 2013 •English

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the National Theatre of Great Britain presents National Theatre: 50 Years on Stage, bringing together the best British actors for a unique evening of unforgettable performances, broadcast live from London to cinemas around the world.

My So-Called High School Rank

September 2022 •English

A deep dive into the lives of high school students in three radically disparate communities as they navigate the pressures around college while staging a musical, until seismic events upend their dreams and expectations.

La ópera rock Jesucristo Superstar: un hito en la historia del musical español

December 2018 •Spanish

On November 6, 1975, a few days before the death of dictator Francisco Franco, the Spanish version of the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar, originally written by Tim Rice and composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, premiers in Madrid, starring and produced by singer Camilo Sesto, a controversial work that became a mass phenomenon.

In The Spotlight

September 2023 •English

A local youth theater group uses the arts to inspire children and nurture them into becoming the best versions of themselves. Watch as they tackle their most extravagant show yet, while keeping the focus on the kids in the cast.

Bathtubs Over Broadway

April 2018 •English

When he started as a comedy writer for the Late Show with David Letterman, Steve Young had few interests and not many friends outside of his day job. But while gathering material for a segment on the show, Steve stumbled onto a few vintage record albums that would change his life forever.

Mad About the Boy: The Noël Coward Story

June 2023 •English

The extraordinary life of playwright, singer, actor, composer, and director Noël Coward, who rose from poverty to stardom while keeping his sexuality a secret. Featuring Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith, Frank Sinatra, Michael Caine and Lucille Ball. Narrated by Alan Cumming. With Rupert Everett as the voice of Noël Coward. Directed by Academy Award Nominee Barnaby Thompson.

Words and Music by Jerry Herman

April 2007 •English

WORDS AND MUSIC is the story of one of Broadway's iconic figures: the composer/lyricist of Hello, Dolly!, Mame and La Cage aux Folles. Jerry Herman and an all-star cast, chart his rise from 1950s off-Broadway through all of his smash hits. Featuring never-before-seen footage of original stage performances, and a score full of classic show tunes.

Gogol Online: Stalin's Funeral

December 2016 •Russian

On the same day that Stalin was buried, Sergei Prokofiev's funeral took place completely unnoticed. And if the farewell to the composer quietly went against the backdrop of the farewell to the dictator that swept the whole country, then in the play everything is the opposite - Prokofiev's music is in the center, and it is interrupted by the stories of those people who would probably ignore Stalin's funeral and went to say goodbye to the great composer.

Every Act of Life

April 2018 •English

The life of Tony-winning playwright Terrence McNally (Master Class, Ragtime): 60 years of groundbreaking plays and musicals, the struggle for gay rights, addiction and recovery, finding true love, and the relentless pursuit of inspiration.

Frankenstein: A Modern Myth

October 2012 •English

From Boris Karloff to Mel Brooks - Frankenstein has fired the imagination of generations of artists who have created their own interpretation of this Gothic masterpiece. Frankenstein: A Modern Myth looks at some of these depictions, including Danny Boyle's sell-out hit at the National Theatre. The film has exclusive access to rehearsals and interviews with Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller - who alternate the roles of Victor Frankenstein and the Creature - and with Danny Boyle. It also features cult film director John Waters: "I'm sympathetic to monsters, and this was the first one I came across as a child".

Bunk #7

August 2022 •English

Documentary about the production of Bunk #7.

Divadlo a škola fenomén Ludus

November 2021 •Slovak

Follies: In Concert

March 1986 •English

A backstage documentary film including footage from the legendary 1985 concert performance of Stephen Sondheim's classic musical at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall. The plot of the musical centers around a reunion of showgirls who appeared in an annual Follies extravaganza when it was staged between the wars.

The Hour

August 2020 •English

The hour before actors go on stage at the National Theatre in London is a performance in and of itself.

Revealed: Otto By Otto

June 2024 •English

Inspired to make an original, intimate family portrait, Gracie Otto directs a feature length documentary on her father, Barry Otto, whose career in Australian theatre, film and television has spanned more than 50 years. Baz as he is affectionately known is one of a kind - a truly creative, endearing and extremely eccentric personality who embraces the serious and the silly. This story is about Gracie's relationship with her father, in the twilight of his career and his life, as she tries to capture his memories, before his memory disappears. This is not a traditional biopic, but a deeply personal, artistic and cinematic reflection. Sometimes poignant in its exploration of deteriorating health, the film looks at the world through Baz's eyes, an ode to living a passionate life, that both honours him and preserves his memory.

Acting Blind

January 2006 •English

This touching documentary follows a cast of blind and visually impaired actors as they prepare Dancing to Beethoven, a play about blindness. The film takes us deep into the lives of the actors. We hear stories of their shock and disbelief at first losing sight and of their struggles coping with a life without it. We hear them talk about grieving and pining for the visual world. They tell the moving story of how this play is itself a victory, a type of salvation, for each of them. By opening night, at the renowned Place des Arts in Montreal, they are a close-knit cast, well-honed and ready to step out of the wings and into the light.