{"id":817,"date":"2022-06-13T19:38:51","date_gmt":"2022-06-13T23:38:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blt-online.org\/wordpress\/?p=817"},"modified":"2022-06-13T19:38:51","modified_gmt":"2022-06-13T23:38:51","slug":"a-night-out-on-times-square-program-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blt-online.org\/wordpress\/2022\/06\/13\/a-night-out-on-times-square-program-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"“A Night Out on Times Square” Program Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A Night Out on Times Square <\/em>celebrates the musical variety on offer in Times Square. Our imaginary journey takes us to Broadway\u2014new shows, revivals, and shows on tour\u2014as well as clubs and cabarets. Here we sample a smorgasbord of musical genres\u2014show tunes, pop and rap, jazz and folk. Of course, our selections are only the tip of the iceberg. If you would like to know more about our selections and their sources, we present a short guide for your information. The guide follows the order of the selections in our program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Empire State of Mind<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Music and Lyrics: Alicia Keys, Shawn Carter <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Originally released in 2009, the song is about New York City. The title takes its name from Billy Joel\u2019s \u201cNew York State of Mind.\u201d Keys released a second version of the song in 2010.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

King of New York<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Newsies: The Musical<\/em><\/strong>
Music: Alan Menken
Lyrics: Jack Feldman
Book: Harvey Fierstein
Broadway premiere: March 2012<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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Newsies<\/em> was inspired by the true story of the Newsboys Strike of 1899 in New York City. When mega-publishers Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst raise distribution prices, Jack Kelly rallies his fellow newsies to strike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All I Ask of You<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Phantom of the Opera<\/em><\/strong>
Book and Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics: Charles Hart
Broadway premiere: January 1988<\/p>\n\n\n

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The longest-running show in Broadway history, Phantom of the Opera<\/em> first opened on London\u2019s West End in 1986. The brainchild of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Phantom <\/em>is based on Gaston Leroux\u2019s horror novel, which tells the story of the Phantom who haunts the stage of the Paris Opera and falls in love with a beautiful soprano.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Razzle Dazzle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Chicago<\/em><\/strong>
Music: John Kander
Lyrics: Fred Ebb
Book: Fred Ebb, Bob Fosse
Broadway premiere: June 1975<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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In the 1920s, the press and public were riveted by the subject of homicides committed by women. Chicago<\/em>, set in jazz-age Chicago, is based on a 1926 play by reporter and playwright Maurine Dallas Watkins, who covered the 1924 trials of two women accused of murder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The musical is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and \u201ccelebrity criminals.\u201d  Following its first run on Broadway, Chicago<\/em> was revived in 1996, and this production holds the record as the longest-running musical revival and the longest-running American musical in Broadway history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m Not That Girl<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Wicked<\/em><\/strong>
Music and Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz
Book: Winnie Holzman
Broadway premiere: October 2003<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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Building on characters and settings from L. Frank Baum\u2019s classic 1900 novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz<\/em>, and the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz<\/em>, Wicked <\/em>is told from the perspective of two witches in the Land of Oz\u2014Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) and Glinda (the Good Witch). The story traces their complicated relationship\u2014opposing personalities, viewpoints, and love for the same man\u2014as well as their reactions to the Wizard\u2019s corrupt government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I Just Can\u2019t Wait to Be King<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The Lion King<\/em><\/strong>
Music: Elton John
Lyrics: Tim Rice
Book: Roger Allers, Irene Mecchi
Broadway premiere: October 1997<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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Based on the 1994 Walt Disney animated feature film, The Lion King<\/em> tells the tale of young Simba who overcomes adversity to become king of the pride. The musical features actors in animal costumes and giant hollow puppets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rock Island<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The Music Man<\/em><\/strong>
Music, Lyrics, Book: Meredith Wilson
Broadway premiere: December 1957<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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The Music Man<\/em>, the story of \u201cProfessor\u201d Harold Hill, a con artist selling musical Instruments and uniforms to unsuspecting Iowa country folk, is Meredith Wilson\u2019s love letter to turn-of-the-century midwestern America. Premiering in 1957, it has rarely been out of production, and is, in fact, enjoying a rousing revival on Broadway this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

True Love<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Frozen<\/em><\/strong>
Music and Lyrics: Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez
Book: Jennifer Lee
Broadway premiere: March 2018<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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Based on the 2013 film of the same name, Frozen <\/em>centers on the relationship between two sisters who are princesses. Elsa has an uncontrollable power to freeze objects and people, and, after inheriting the throne, inadvertently causes the kingdom to become permanently frozen, nearly killing her sister, Anna. To save the day, Elsa must sacrifice and show true love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stupid with Love<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Mean Girls<\/em><\/strong>
Music: Jeff Richmond
Lyrics: Neal Benjamin
Book: Tina Fey
Broadway premiere: April 2018<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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A coming-of-age story, based on a book by Tina Fey, Mean Girls <\/em>takes us through the minefield that is high school for just about everyone\u2014cliques, thwarted love, power struggles, wholesale meanness, and, finally, reconciliation and acceptance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t Tell Mama Piano Bar Segment<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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A fixture on the New York club circuit since 1982, Don\u2019t Tell Mama has played host to cabaret singers, Broadway stars, and lovers of show, pop, and folk music. The name of the club comes from a song from Kander and Ebb\u2019s musical Cabaret<\/em>: \u201cDon\u2019t Tell Mama.\u201d In our show, we are using the piano bar setting to feature some of the singers and songwriters that we lost to COVID\u2014Armando  Manzanero, K.T. Oslin, Charley Pride, and John Prine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You Learn<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Jagged Little Pill<\/em><\/strong>
Music: Alanis Morissette, Glen Ballard
Lyrics: Alanis Morissette
Book: Diablo Cody
Broadway premiere: December 2019<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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Inspired by Alanis Morissette\u2019s 1995 album, Jagged Little Pill <\/em>deals with pain, healing, and empowerment. Running on Broadway from December 2019 to December 2021, the show won two Tony awards, as well as the Grammy Award for best musical theater album.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nature Boy<\/strong>
Chandelier<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Moulin Rouge! The Musical<\/em><\/strong>
Music and Lyrics: Various
Book: Josh Logan
Broadway premiere: June 2019<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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Based on the 2001 film Moulin Rouge<\/em>, this jukebox musical is set in the Montmartre Quarter of Paris at the turn of the 20th<\/sup> century and tells the story of Christian, a young composer, who falls in love with Satine, the star of the Moulin Rouge. The score is a combination of original songs and popular music. \u201cNature Boy\u201d was written in 1947 by eben ahbez and recorded by Nat King Cole in 1948. In \u201cChandelier,\u201d written by Australian songwriter Sia in 2014, Christian, distraught over his separation from Satine, vows to get drunk on absinthe, forget everything, and \u201cswing from the chandelier.\u201d The musical won the Tony for Best Musical in 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Burn<\/strong>
The Schuyler Sisters<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Hamilton: An American Musical<\/em><\/strong>
Music, Lyrics, Book: Lin-Manuel Miranda
Broadway premiere: February 2015<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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Hamilton <\/em>tells the story of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. The show\u2019s score draws from hip-hop, R&B, pop, soul, rap, and traditional style show tunes, and casts non-white actors. Miranda described Hamilton<\/em> as being about \u201cAmerican then, as told by America now.\u201d Hamilton<\/em> opened on Broadway in August 2015 and took home 11 awards, including Best Musical, at the 70th<\/sup> Tony Awards. \u201cBurn,\u201d sung by Eliza, Hamilton\u2019s wife, is her response to the revelation about Hamilton\u2019s extramarital affair and the heartbreak and public humiliation that drive her to burn his love letters to her. \u201cThe Schuyler Sisters\u201d introduces Angelica, Eliza, and Peggy who are excited to be in a new age \u201camidst the powder keg of the early days of the revolution.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Welcome to the Rock<\/strong>
Me and the Sky<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Come from Away<\/em><\/strong>
Music, Lyrics, Book: Irene Sankoff, David Hein
Broadway premiere: March 2017<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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Set in a small town in Newfoundland during the week following the September 11 attack, Come from Away <\/em>tells the true story of what happened when 38 planes were ordered to land unexpectedly at Gander International Airport. The characters in the musical are based on real Gander residents and some of the stranded travelers they housed and fed. \u201cMe and the Sky\u201d is based on the experience of Beverly Bass, the first female captain for American Airlines, who was forced to land in Gander during the September 11 attacks. Come from Away <\/em>is the longest-running Canadian musical on Broadway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You and Me (But Mostly Me)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The Book of Mormon<\/em><\/strong>
Music, Lyrics, Book: Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone
Broadway premiere: March 2011<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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A satirical examination of the beliefs and practices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the musical traces the adventure of two missionaries as they attempt to preach the faith of the Church to the inhabitants of a remote Ugandan village. Written by the creators of South <\/em>Park, the musical ultimately endorses the power of love and service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s Love Got to Do with It<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Tina Turner: The Musical<\/em><\/strong>
Music and Lyrics: Various
Book: Katori Hall
Broadway premiere: November 2019<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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A jukebox musical featuring the songs of Tina Turner, this musical depicts her life from her humble beginnings in Tennessee to her transformation into a rock and roll star. \u201cWhat\u2019s Love Got to Do with It?\u201d was composed by Terry Britten and Graham Lyle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Birdland Jazz Club Segment<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The famous Birdland jazz club opened its doors in 1949 on Broadway and West 52nd<\/sup> Street\u2014the heart of Manhattan\u2019s theatre district. Home to some of the greatest names in bebop, the club was named after famed sax player Charlie \u201cYardbird\u201d Parker. Other star attractions included trumpeters \u201cMaxie\u201d Kaminsky and Miles Davis, drummer Art Blakey, and saxophonists Cannonball Adderley and John Coltrane. \u201cBirdland,\u201d with music by Josef Erich Zawinul and lyrics by Jon Hendricks, was written in 1977. Zawinul, an Austrian jazz keyboardist, was one of the creators of jazz fusion, a musical genre that combined jazz with rock. \u201cNocturne for the Blues (Harlem Nocturne)\u201d is a jazz standard from 1939, with music by Earle Hagen and lyrics by Dick Rogers.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Music That Makes Me Dance<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Funny Girl<\/em><\/strong>
Music: Jule Styne
Lyrics: Bob Merrill
Book: Isobel Lennert
Broadway premiere: March 1964<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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Based loosely on the life and career of Broadway star, film actress, and comedian Fanny Brice, Funny Girl<\/em> charts Brice\u2019s rise to fame and the rocky relationship between her and entrepreneur and gambler Nick Arnstein. The show\u2019s producer, Ray Stark, was Brice\u2019s son-in-law via his marriage to her daughter Frances. A showcase for Barbra Streisand, Funny Girl<\/em> was revived in April 2022, with a new book by Harvey Fierstein.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wedding Song<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Hadestown<\/em><\/strong>
Music, Lyrics, Book: Ana\u00efs Mitchell
Broadway premiere: March 2019<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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The Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, celebrating the power of music, has inspired composers from Monteverdi, to Gl\u00fcck to Offenbach. Hadestown <\/em>offers a modern twist to the myth. Eurydice, attempting to escape poverty induced by climate change, goes to a hellish industrial underworld. Her lover, Orpheus, a poor singer-songwriter, comes to rescue her and to show others how to escape. Like the myth, Hadestown<\/em> does not have a happy ending. But, as Hermes sings at the end: \u201cSomeone\u2019s got to tell the tale, whether or not it turns out well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make You Feel My Love<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Girl from the North Country<\/em><\/strong>
Music and Lyrics: Bob Dylan
Book: Conor McPherson
Broadway premiere: March 2020<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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Using Bob Dylan\u2019s songs as background and dramatic color, Conor McPherson\u2019s script highlights small-town middle American life in the depths of the Great Depression, embodied by the drifters and fugitives who end up in a boarding house in Duluth, Minnesota.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You Could Drive a Person Crazy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Company<\/em><\/strong>
Music and Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim
Book: George Furth
Broadway premiere: April 1970<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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Among the first book musicals to deal with contemporary dating, marriage, and divorce, Company <\/em>tells the story of Bobby, a perpetually single man living in New York City, who seeks advice from and shares bachelor stories with his married friends who want him to \u201cgrow up\u201d and get married. In a revival of Company<\/em> in London in 2018, the character of Bobby was changed to Bobbie, a female role, with Sondheim\u2019s approval. The West End production moved to Broadway in 2020 and was slated to open on Sondheim\u2019s 90th<\/sup> birthday. However, the production came to a halt due to the coronavirus pandemic. The revival finally opened in December 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zazz<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The Prom<\/em><\/strong>
Music: Matthew Sklar
Lyrics: Chad Beguelin
Book: Chad Beguelin, Bob Martin
Broadway premiere: November 2018<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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Four Broadway actors, down on their luck and looking for a cause, travel to the conservative town of Edgewater, Indiana, to help a lesbian student banned from bringing her girlfriend to the high school prom. With the help of like-minded students, the school puts on a more inclusive prom, including both LGBTQIA+ and straight couples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She Used to Be Mine<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Waitress<\/em><\/strong>
Music and Lyrics: Sara Bareilles
Book: Jessie Nelson (adapted from the book by Adrienne Shelly)
Broadway premiere: September 2016<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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Based on the 2007 film of the same name, Waitress<\/em> tells the story of Jenna, a baker and waitress in an abusive relationship with her husband. Unexpectedly pregnant, she begins an affair with her doctor. She sees a pie baking contest and its grand prize as a way out of her troubles. Waitress <\/em>made history on Broadway with the top creative spots filled by women\u2014composer and lyricist Sara Bareilles, Jessie Nelson as book adaptor, Diane Paulus as director, and Lorin Latarro as choreographer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Becomes of the Brokenhearted<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Ain\u2019t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations<\/em><\/strong>
Music and Lyrics: The Temptations
Book: Dominique Morisseau
Broadway premiere: March 2019<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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This jukebox musical is based on the story and music of The Temptations\u2014an American vocal group from Detroit, who released a series of successful singles and albums during the 1960s and 1970s. The Temptations and are among the most successful groups in popular music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Six<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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SIX: The Musical<\/em><\/strong>
Lyrics, Music, Book: Toby Marlow, Lucy Moss
Broadway premiere: October 2021<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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A British import, SIX <\/em>is a modern re-telling of the lives of the six wives of Henry VIII, presented as a pop concert. The six Queens take turns singing and telling their story to see who suffered the most with Henry, and who should therefore become the group\u2019s lead singer. SIX<\/em> started life at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2017, a presentation by Cambridge University students, followed by professional productions on London\u2019s West End, Broadway, and internationally. SIX<\/em> was the first new musical to open on Broadway since the beginning of the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You Will Be Found<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Dear Evan Hansen<\/em><\/strong>
Music and Lyrics: Benj Pasek, Justin Paul
Broadway premiere: November 2018<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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Evan Hansen, a high school senior suffering with social anxiety, is assigned by his therapist to write letters to himself. One of his letters is mistakenly made public, inadvertently leading to the suicide of a fellow student. Evan invents an important role for himself in the tragedy, which leads to unhappiness and disruption in the community. After confessing to his role, Evan mentally writes himself one last letter, taking responsibility for the impact he has had on his community. Dear Evan Hansen<\/em> had its world premiere at Arena Stage in Washington, DC, before moving to Broadway in 2018. At the 71st<\/sup> Tony Awards, it won six awards, including Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Score.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Night Out on Times Square celebrates the musical variety on offer in Times Square. Our imaginary journey takes us to Broadway\u2014new shows, revivals, and shows on tour\u2014as well as clubs and cabarets. Here we sample a smorgasbord of musical genres\u2014show tunes, pop and rap, jazz and folk. Of course, our selections are only the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-817","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blt-online.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/817","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blt-online.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blt-online.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blt-online.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blt-online.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=817"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blt-online.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/817\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":818,"href":"https:\/\/blt-online.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/817\/revisions\/818"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blt-online.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=817"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blt-online.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=817"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blt-online.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=817"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}