Let It Be Broadway Revue: A Tribute Remembered on World Beatles Day

World Beatles Day is a day dedicated to celebrating the music, legacy, and impact of one of the most influential bands in history. On this day, it is important to remember the various ways in which The Beatles have been celebrated, including through musical revues such as the Broadway and West End production of Let It Be.

Let It Be was a musical tribute to The Beatles that debuted in the West End in 2012 and later moved to Broadway in 2013. The show was a concert revue that depicted the career of the Fab Four, from their early days at the Cavern Club to their iconic performances at Shea Stadium and their eventual breakup in 1970.

The production was praised for its musical performances and impressive psychedelic and hallucinogenic designs that represented The Beatles’ experimentation with substances and eastern theory. The West End and Broadway productions were essentially similar, with the only major difference being the inclusion of a scene in the West End production that re-enacted The Beatles’ 1963 Royal Variety Performance at the Prince of Wales Theatre.

Despite receiving mixed to positive reviews from both West End and Broadway critics, the show faced legal issues in 2013 when the producers of the long-running Beatles tribute band, Rain: A Tribute to The Beatles, filed a copyright suit against the producers of Let It Be. Rain claimed that they and the Let It Be producers had agreed to produce a Broadway show together in 2005, which eventually became the Rain Broadway run from 2010 to 2011. They claimed that Let It Be was essentially the same concept, with similar artwork, costumes, and virtually the same song repertoire, and that they were entitled to 50% of Let It Be’s profits. The case was settled out of court.

After its successful run in the West End and Broadway, Let It Be went on tour in the UK and returned to the West End in 2014, opening at the Garrick Theatre. However, the production has not been seen since and it is unclear what happened to the show.

Despite its brief run, Let It Be was a powerful tribute to The Beatles and their lasting impact on music and culture.