Connecticut's David Krane Fills 'Mary Poppins Returns' With Music
Lin Manuel Miranda and David Krane
The art of finding just the right look, feeling and notes comes naturally to David Krane, whether it be at the Guilford home he shares with his husband, artist Rick Brainard, or in his professional life as dance and music arranger/composer for film, TV and stage musicals.
Remember the percussive beat of the cell-block dames singing their sexy Kander and Ebb tango in the film “Chicago”? That was arranged by David Krane.
Emily Blunt and David Krane
Swept up in Cinderella’s transformation in Stephen Sondheim’s music in the film “Into the Woods”? That was Krane’s work, too.
Mesmerized by Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe singing “Heat Wave” at the end of the film “My Week with Marilyn”? David oversaw those musical moments.
David Krane and Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe
Krane’s latest musical film work in a career that spans more than 45 years is with “Mary Poppins Returns,” which opens Dec. 19. Krane composed the dance and additional musical arrangements for the score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.
“Mary Poppins Returns”
“What a dance arranger does is create a whole new fabric of music from a 32-bar song, working with the choreographer about what the goal of the scene is and what is visually going to happen,” he says. In the case of “Mary Poppins Returns,” the visionary collaborator is director-choreographer Rob Marshall, whom Krane has worked for in the films “Chicago,” “Into the Woods” and “Nine,” among other projects.
In “Mary Poppins Returns” there are several extensive dance numbers dealing with deep plunges into bathtubs, flying bicycles, waddling penguins, diving dolphins and a host of animated characters that demand waves of wondrous music.
“It’s a matter of being visually inspired by what you’re going to be seeing and finding the musical equivalent,” Krane says. “You have to have a kind of kinetic sympathy to write the music that is required by the physical actions.”
