Musicals with an Edge

[Character Actor]

Posted: 11/13/07 at 5:38am

I am in the process of proposing a radio show called "Broadway's Edge," at my college, and would love to hear your thoughts on what OBCRs I should use/play. It could be Broadway or Off Broadway or practically ANY musical with a rock edge or "new" sound.

Basically I want to show the world that may not be too familiar with The Great White Way that Musical Theatre has evolved over the years, and that their perception of the grandiose Rodgers and Hammerstein musical is not the norm it once was.

Anyway, I would appreciate any examples of musicals to use for this upcoming project

Thanks in advance!

[westcoast_wannabe]

Posted: 11/13/07 at 5:52am

Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Who’s Tommy, Hair all seem like obvious examples to use. I would say the original concept recording of Chess(more than the OBCR) should be included. The Broadway recording softened the rock/pop sound and made it more “theater friendly.” I think Chess, possibly even more so than Hair captured the contemporary sound of pop music at the time. Of course, like all things that are truly contemporary it sounds fairly dated now, but the music is still a great example of how a musical can reflect the sound of popular music.

[Character Actor]

Posted: 11/13/07 at 3:44pm

hey thanks a lot!

And also thanks to the 77 other people who viewed this and decided not to help me out! :P

All kidding aside, if anyone else would care to give in their 2 cents, it would be mighty helpful!

Thanks!

[jake6970]

Posted: 11/13/07 at 3:47pm

Spring Awakening, Rent, Hair, Tommy, some of Godspell, Jesus Christ Superstar...I'm sure there are many others.

[Pippin]

Posted: 11/13/07 at 3:53pm

Look at Batboy, (Watcha Wanna Do, Comfort and Joy, apology to a cow)
The American Trailor Park musical,
Legally blond,
Bright lights, Big City,
Taboo
the Last Five Years
THe Lippa wild Party
Altar Boyz
Avenue Q
anything LaChuisa (esp. See what i wanna see)
godspell (2000 off- B'way cast)
Spring Awakening

hope that helps

[Eponine3]

Posted: 11/13/07 at 4:28pm

Your radio sounds great! Good Luck :)
If you are still looking for some ideas I would also suggest
"The Last Five Years"
and
"Dirty Rotton Scoundrels"

Hope that helps!

[folkyboy]

Posted: 11/13/07 at 4:31pm

i second Lippa's The Wild Party and also would add "See What I Want To See". another great CD is "Falsettoland". boy/boy love songs are the best :)

[Character Actor]

Posted: 11/13/07 at 11:38pm

Thanks a lot, gang. All of these should come in handy. I hope it's enough to fill two hours a week though haha

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 5:12am

Character Actor, we should talk, since I am working on a similar concept.

[westcoast_wannabe]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 5:39am

I would also add Dreamgirls. The original cast recording was actually quite successful on the R&B charts when it first premiered. Also any of the shows written by Elton John would make good examples.

[spidey_882]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 8:13am

Off-Broadway:
bare
tick, tick...BOOM!
Evil Dead: The Musical

[Dad'sOldRecords]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 8:34am

I would also add 'Hedwig.'

[Mealz1042]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 8:46am

To be cliche rent and spring awakening
also hair, a chorus line (at least in its time) and In the Heights.

[Actinggbugg474]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 9:05am

"Edges" by Pasek and Paul. It's even in the name!

[DMsquared2]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 9:59am

The Rocky Horror Show revival album.

[MuslimBwayFan]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 10:00am

For REAL edge, I suggest you take a look at works like John Adam's I Was Looking At The Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky. If you haven't heard it, it's an amazing album with Audra as well.

[Mealz1042]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 10:57am

I don't know a whole lot about edges but from what i have heard it definitely does have that edge.

[Link Larkin Wanabe]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 2:56pm

I would even try and contacting young writers like Joe Iconis, Kerrigan & Lowdermilk, Pask & Paul about playing some demos of theres, and maybe even getting interviews. Search around Myspace for some up-and-coming young composers, listening to their stuff and contacting if there is anything you like.

Akiva

[philly03]

Posted: 11/16/07 at 8:57pm

If you listen to different forms of the EVITA recordings, there are some songs..in particular a song called "The Lady's Got Potential" which is very rock sounding in the 1976 Studio Cast, cut from the Broadway Show and re-entered for the movie (Antonio Banderas' does it well!), and of course songs like "A New Argentina," etc. about EVITA. Jekyll & Hyde too sounds somewhat "rock-ish" though I'm not sure if thats the sound you'd be going for...and lastly, if you listen to many of the songs in PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (suprising) you can, too, hear guitar in it (particularly in the movie soundtrack).