Memorable Names for Musicals and Plays

[Jack King]

Posted: 12/10/08 at 4:40am

What names for musicals and plays that were so well-named that you wanted to see the performance just based on name alone?

And make up intriguing names for musicals and plays.

To start the discussion, here are some of my favorite names.

"The Pajama Game" *Subways are for Sleeping (of course I'm the world's biggest promoter of that show) *The King and I *Urinetown (icky name/never saw it--but memorable name)

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 12/10/08 at 4:41am

Poona the F*CKdog

[Shannon Bo Dannon]

Posted: 12/10/08 at 7:51am

I love a lot of Sondheim's show names, especially Sunday In the Park with George, Merrily We Roll Along, Into the Woods, and Company.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 12/10/08 at 7:55am

"Puppetry of the Penis: The Ancient Art of Genital Origami"

You can't get a better title than that.

[tazber]

Posted: 12/10/08 at 8:21am

Sybil

Posted: 12/10/08 at 4:26pm

Taz, I'm of two minds about Sybil- part of me REALLY wanted to see it, but part of me thought it sounded so stupid.
Updated On: 12/10/08 at 04:26 PM

[DMsquared2]

Posted: 12/10/08 at 4:30pm

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum because they're both loooooooooong.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 12/10/08 at 4:35pm

Tennessee Williams' plays have some of the most intriguing titles: THE GLASS MENAGERIE, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, and A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE. I was drawn to the works by the titles alone. I'll also throw in A RAISIN IN THE SUN.

[tazber]

Posted: 12/10/08 at 4:37pm

Sybil was great! And Sally did such a great job portraying a
woman with multi-personality disorder.

Posted: 12/10/08 at 4:40pm

REALLY? That's what it's about? I guess I'm glad I missed it. I think multiple personalities are sad and sort of pathetic. I mean, I know they can't help it, they are mentally ill, but I can't help but feel sorry for them and their empty little lives, pretending to be something they aren't.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 12/10/08 at 4:40pm

"Censored Scenes From King Kong."

"Eating Raoul"

I have seen neither of these, but I've always found the names vaaaastly intriguing.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 12/10/08 at 5:57pm

the Vagina Monologues

[KathyGriffinLovesYou]

Posted: 12/10/08 at 8:07pm

The Musical of Musicals- The Musical
[title of show]
A New Brain
W;t
Zanna, Don't!
Drowsy Chaperone
Legally Blonde
Naked Boys Singing!

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/10/08 at 9:15pm

Urinetown

[gertiecummings]

Posted: 12/11/08 at 12:35am

Shopping and F*CKing

[Jack King]

Posted: 12/11/08 at 2:30am

:) "How to Succeed..." The title sounded so hokey for me. So I didn't see the play. Then the movie came out! WOWSER! One of my favorite movies/musicals now.

[Usnavi]

Posted: 12/11/08 at 5:26am

How to Succeed... the show is so much better than the film.

Oh Dad, Poor Dad, You're Hanging In The Closet and I'm Feeling So Sad.

I Am Curious Lemon.

[Jack King]

Posted: 12/11/08 at 6:56am

"A Portrait of Dorian Gray."

"Jaws."

Can anyone imagine those two becoming musicals? But then they make musicals about nearly everything nowadays. Anything to schtick us. :)

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 12/11/08 at 1:40pm

In terms of length of title youm can't beat:

"The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat As Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of The Marquis de Sade"

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 12/11/08 at 3:11pm

Dude, yeah! How come no one had posted Marat/Sade

[ifuweregay93]

Posted: 12/11/08 at 4:39pm

"The Ghost of Abor Day"

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 12/11/08 at 5:39pm

Yeah, and also, "The Ghost of Arbor Day."

[VonTussleGirl]

Posted: 12/11/08 at 8:24pm

Tom Stoppard has some great titles:

Rosencrantz and Guilderstern are Dead
Dogg's Hamlet, Cahoot's Macbeth
Dirty Linen and New-Found-Land

A few others that interested me by title alone:
Noises Off
Childe Byron
Alice Invents A Little Game And Alice Always Wins
A Bright Room Called Day
Coram Boy

And as far as musicals go:
I Can Get It For You Wholesale
My Life With Albertine
Passing Strange
Zombie Prom (really.)
Updated On: 12/11/08 at 08:24 PM

[Jack King]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 1:11am

von...girl. I like that longish title "Alice Invents A Little Game And Alice Alway Wins." I'm looking that up. Sounds like a minimalist drama. Female spider type suspense. :)

And that great musical "Wholesale" had to make it in part from the title.

Any of the "Deadly Sins" novels would be great titles for movies as well. However the only one that I recall being made into a movie was "The First Deadly Sin"with Sinatra trying to find the killer. And it didn't follow the book very well at all. Great book!

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 1:28am

Toxic Avenger