Musical theatre and Religous musicals.
Musical theatre and Religous musicals.
jakiboi
Swing Joined: 3/25/09
#1Musical theatre and Religous musicals.
Posted: 3/25/09 at 8:54amHey guys, i'm doing a musical theatre degree in England and im in my final year. As part of my degree i have to do an extended essay of my choice. I have decided to do my essay on musical theatre and religion, questioning whether certains shows are portrayed as blaphmous? whether they are gettin more controversial over the years. The main 3 i chose were Godspell, Jesus Christ Superstar and Jerry Springer the Opera..... If any one has any opinions on this matter i would but very greatful for any feed back and opinions to add in my essay! Thankyou!!!
BrodyFosse123
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/27/06
ErinDillyFan
Broadway Star Joined: 7/14/06
#2re: Musical theatre and Religous musicals.
Posted: 3/25/09 at 9:10am
Depending on your position: Brigham!
There is a LP available starring Harve Presnell.
About the life of Brigham Young.
eatlasagna
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/6/04
#3re: Musical theatre and Religous musicals.
Posted: 3/25/09 at 12:50pmMartin Guerre is a pretty religious heavy musical
#4re: Musical theatre and Religous musicals.
Posted: 3/25/09 at 1:02pmSince there's no such thing as blasphemy, I can't really decide.
blaxx
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/28/05
#5re: Musical theatre and Religous musicals.
Posted: 3/25/09 at 1:03pm
Beyond the Rainbow, although it's harder to find.
Part of the plot is of a priest who talks to God, and it is this God who tells him that he wouldn't never encourage celibacy.
Listen, I don't take my clothes off for anyone, even if it is "artistic". - JANICE
Updated On: 3/25/09 at 01:03 PM
TheatreDiva90016
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/10/04
#6re: Musical theatre and Religous musicals.
Posted: 3/25/09 at 1:09pm
Nunsense.
Any of them.
"TheatreDiva90016 - another good reason to frequent these boards less."<<>>
“I hesitate to give this line of discussion the validation it so desperately craves by perpetuating it, but the light from logic is getting further and further away with your every successive post.” <<>>
-whatever2
Sinfonia2001
Stand-by Joined: 1/16/07
#7re: Musical theatre and Religous musicals.
Posted: 3/25/09 at 1:11pmBare: The Musical. Two gay catholic boys in high school struggle with their faith and sexuality.
fetzles1490
Featured Actor Joined: 4/16/05
#9re: Musical theatre and Religous musicals.
Posted: 3/25/09 at 3:28pm
Oooh, I absolutely second Bare. Even if you don't use it for your assignment, it's still worth knowing in my opinion.
Parade focuses on antisemitism, which is obviously a religious issue, though I'm not sure if that's really what you're going for.
If you're talking about whether musical theatre has fallen in the gutter so to speak, there are plenty of arguments and criticisms around Rent, and some around Spring Awakening... The Wild Party is pretty raunchy too.
This sounds like a pretty interesting paper, I wouldn't mind reading it once it's done. :]
SporkGoddess
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/27/05
#10re: Musical theatre and Religous musicals.
Posted: 3/25/09 at 3:39pmJCS is a great one. I know people who find it very blasphemous.
Jimmy, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? It's almost 9 PM!
#11re: Musical theatre and Religous musicals.
Posted: 3/25/09 at 3:40pmFor something on the other side of the spectrum check out "Children of Eden"
Madame Morrible: "So you take the chicken, now it must be a white chicken. The corpse can be any color. And that is the spell for lost luggage!" - The Yellow Brick Road Not Taken
jakiboi
Swing Joined: 3/25/09
#13re: Musical theatre and Religous musicals.
Posted: 3/25/09 at 5:08pmUpdated On: 3/25/09 at 05:08 PM
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#15re: Musical theatre and Religous musicals.
Posted: 3/25/09 at 6:02pmGantry - 1 performance - about old time evalgelists
Poster Emeritus
JudasIscariot
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/20/05
#16re: Musical theatre and Religous musicals.
Posted: 3/25/09 at 6:06pm
Children of Eden is a great musical, and it's religious (obviously.)
As for the listed musicals being blasphemous, I wouldn't say that they are. They help get the word out about the Biblical stories, and educate through the use of really good music. To me, they help to make the Bible more appealing because people are being presented the stories in a more accessible way by seeing it unfolding before them on stage, and being in the story. It also adds a certain emotional attachment to the stories, and that gives them a greater impact.
Dollypop
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#17re: Musical theatre and Religous musicals.
Posted: 3/25/09 at 10:14pmTEN COMMANDMENTS: THE MUSICAL. It starred Val Kilmer. Ummm, it was about the Ten Commandments. (It's available on DVD)
"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)
#18re: Musical theatre and Religous musicals.
Posted: 3/25/09 at 10:17pm
You may want to research this musical "Spring Awakening" it is about the values and morals of sexually active kids...
The nuns LUV it.
I'm a professional. Whenever something goes wrong on stage, I know how to handle it so no one ever remembers. I flash my %#$&.
"Jayne just sat there while Gina flailed around the stage like an idiot."
jejr
Stand-by Joined: 11/29/08
#19re: Musical theatre and Religous musicals.
Posted: 3/25/09 at 11:04pm
Ten Commandments, the musical is a TERRIBLE musical badly written and performed.
Fiddler on the Roof has a lot of religous meaning. Tevya talks a lot to God and the theme of religious TRADITION dominated the show.
SOUND OF MUSIC has a lot of religion connedted with it as does LOOK TO THE LILLIES - the musical of LILLIES OF THE FIELDS
Updated On: 3/26/09 at 11:04 PM
#20re: Musical theatre and Religous musicals.
Posted: 3/25/09 at 11:37pmWould HERO:The Rock Opera count?
SporkGoddess
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/27/05
#21re: Musical theatre and Religous musicals.
Posted: 3/25/09 at 11:40pmThe French version of Les Dix Commandements isn't bad.
Jimmy, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? It's almost 9 PM!
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#22re: Musical theatre and Religous musicals.
Posted: 3/25/09 at 11:43pm
I think you first have to define "blasphemous". Some people consider things sacriligious that others don't.
You might want to consider revising your musical choices. The three you list were all controversial. For comparison sake, you may want to choose a musical that is more conservative. Something like "Fiddler on the Roof" "Sound of Music" "Cotton Patch Gospel" or "King David."
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
#23re: Musical theatre and Religous musicals.
Posted: 3/26/09 at 12:34pmFAUST- musical of Doctor Faustus, only Faust is a rock star. Randy Newman is the devil, James Taylor is God. Enough said.
"Truth is rarely pure and never simple."- Oscar Wilde
"If I could only do one thing before I died, it would be to swim with a middle-aged couple from Connecticut."- a dolphin
"If I could only do one thing before I died, it would be to swim with a middle-aged couple from Connecticut."- a dolphin
hpeabody930
Featured Actor Joined: 9/8/08
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