Alan Menken and Tim Rice's KING DAVID! — Page 2

I remember seeing this at the New Amsterdam before it officially opened after renovations. I thought it was nice, but definitely too long. Some great talent in that show, though.

Wow - blast from the past. I remember going too! Not only was I there for this but the week (or so) prior to King David castmembers of The Disney Store (my part time job in college) were invited to visit the New Amsterdam. They provided snacks from the concession, asked us to spend 15 minutes flushing the toilets (not kidding), etc just so that the theater staff could see what that massive crowd would be like when paying visitors showed up.

Yes, the show was long! I know I enjoyed the concert at the time but I am certain the CD has washed over really remembering how tedious it was at the original length.

What was really exciting was that it was recorded at the New Amsterdam. I got to meet Alan Menken and Tim Rice!

BTW - listened to the CD this morning and although I still enjoy it I was trying to think about the general appeal. Lots of songs are beautiful but is it captivating enough for Joe Public?

I know it is a highlights CD and...well...I am completely fine with that!

I have the CD, know a bit about the production and saw the NYU production a few years back. I'm not aware if the NYU production was complete but it was a 2-act sung-through performance with Menken in attendance. My friends were bored to tears.

I guess the biggest problem with the show is the story/plot/content/characters and tone (anything left?). I'm gonna say maybe it sounded ok on paper, but let's not fool ourselves here. It's a really corny bible story and even with two of musical theatre's most prolific writers it still plays as such. There are some really nice songs, and some really oddball ones. With the exception of "Saul has Slain His Thousands" most of the songs are mature (and this one is about slaying people by the hundreds), but most of the story and plot are not. It plays very much like a Disney film with villains, silly-side kicks and Disney-film plotting. You get this very cartoony show interjected with adult themes with religious trappings. It's an odd duck.

There was talk about taking this show apart and fleshing out the first act. I'm not sure sure what would make the most sense. There is a lot of neat stuff here, some of the ballads are great. Some of Tim Rice's work is just exceptional, this guy knows how to cram a lot of details into song. Boy does he know how to write for women.

I can't help but compare it to Joseph and Evita. It's a weird mix of the two. In Joseph you have this fantastical biblical tale that Tim Rice had fun with, and why not, it's pretty far out! Those songs, the plotting, the characters work to create a very entertaining piece of theatre. It's a riot. In Evita you actually get depth, history and emotion, character development. I'm assuming you would want more of that Evita business here, but you get a blend of the cartoony Joseph stuff.

Oh one last thing. When it comes to music, unlike Joseph which does religously-themed well, this show doesn't. What do I mean? In Joseph and even Jesus Christ Superstar you have these wonderful songs that don't make you feel like your in church or watching Veggietales. Too often this show goes down that road of church pageantry. It's not bad if that's what you're going for, but it wont work really anywhere but at a church.

"That never panned out due to various factors (I don't know the details). "

Yitzhak Rabin's assassination was a big factor.

I absolutely adore this score! I think it is Menken's richest and most mature score to date!

But much like Tazber, I admit to being a staunch Menken fan! I even liked his score for Leap of Faith…yeah, I said it.

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Sheer Perfection is a gorgeous song.

Wow, this is an old thread. I like the CD more now than apparently I did five years back, and wouldn't call it good background music now. But I do agree that it's overly serious.

I'm glad Tazzy pointed out that it was written and staged as an oratorio, not an actual acted out musical -- that's an important thing to consider.

Taz, I too have met them and found them very friendly and eager to talk about their work (together and individually). They are also wonderfully supportive of their collaborators and other talent. It's unfortunate they don't collaborate together anymore. Heck I wish Rice and Elton John would try some more projects together. Are there Tim Rice reviews? It's baffling someone with that much good work isn't lauded more.

I hate to deride their work, especially as you say it was intended for an oratorio presentation and it was unfinished when it premiered. I can't recall exactly but I think the NYU version had been updated though I'm not sure how. I should say I thought it was an impressive piece. To get through that much allegory in that time frame with that much style is a feat.

It's possible with the right creative director, the piece could be shaped into something more viable.

It's gotta be better than this

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Well Borstalboy what I saw plays like a Masterclass of that. There is no mistaking it, a lot of the music is VERY good. It just falls victim to those sword and sandal things meets Hill Cumorah Pageants.

You know I really wonder what the show would be like stripped down without the period costumes etc. It's interesting because Aida was originally produced as something it wasn't and works better as an abstract take on Egypt rather so literal. Maybe that's what I'm getting at, the show is too literal.