Anyone Else Kinda Feeling Their Love Of Musicals Dissipating?

Nope. I'm as passionate about them as ever.

But hey, no one's gonna make you like them OR perform in them.

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"I just wish people would try harder when making them. They're just not original anymore."

Oh, sure they are. The problem is that we're not really getting a chance to experience new musicals the way that we used to. For the last 20 years, Broadway has embraced revivals over new work to the point where it's starting to feel like a time warp. The art can't move forward if all we're going to do is rehash successes from yesteryear.

Keep in mind that for every revival and jukebox musical that you see opening, there's a great original musical somewhere that was passed over entirely.

Hey Cruel - Find another message board!

NO! The more shows I see the more I love live theater/musicals.

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Not in this life!

I say this without hyperbole- if my love of musical theater ever dissipates, I will simply kill myself, because my greatest joy of living will be gone.

Ive worked on stage in musicals and plays for years and i find myself going through periods like that every 6 months but then it comes back round

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No, I truly feel like musical theatre is one of my greatest passions in life. Well, lately I've been getting into other things a little bit more, but that doesn't mean I love musicals any less.

There have been a few musicals lately that have gotten me excited again about the genre: The Light in the Piazza, The Drowsy Chaperone and Grey Gardens.

But so many stage musicals today feel "processed through the factory," and it is very disheartening. There are WAY too many revivals now, and unless we want to see American musical theatre go the way of classical opera (which it is already doing very slowly), we need to stop reviving Gypsy every other season and encourage new shows with vision and originality. Not the same old tunes we've already heard or something for the kiddies that would be better served in an ice show arena.

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"They're the same thing. They try to do the same things, I've found, and there really isn't much originality in them."

I'm not going to badger the witness, but honey, you've just been finding the wrong musicals. Sure, there may be plenty of reasons to feel disenchanted by certain "creative" musicals released today... but how hard are you looking to find what's good, in your opinion?

If you're a New York local, you may find your passion for musical theatre reignited off-Broadway. It's safe to say you may find something truly striking in non-traditional musical theatre houses. For example, Kiss of the Spiderwoman at the Vortex was awesome, The Fantasticks at the Snapple is heart-warming, Gone Missing isn't getting acclaimed-reviews for nothing! Or better yet, listen to [title of show] for some force-fed fun.

Why not try falling in love with the oldies but goodies. I'm not sure what your age is, but assuming you're a twenty-something, have you discovered some of Sondheim's lesser-popularized scores, like Passion or A Little Night Music. How about 110 in the Shade or some classic Rodgers and Hammerstein? If you're feeling nothing is creative or original anymore, why not go back to where it all started?

Find some obscure musical theatre cast recordings and give them a try. Guettel is always promising with Floyd Collins and Myths & Hymns. Yeston, Kander & Ebb, LaChuisa... go find them.

Don't lose the light.

Updated On: 10/21/07 at 03:56 PM

If there's nothing now on the boards to reignite the passion, then pop in the KISS ME KATE DVD with Rachel York and Brent Barret. That oughtta do it.
Broadway Blog: From the Mouth of Baz Luhrmann

I've said that a milion times in the past, but just when I'm ready to call it a day, something comes along that restores my love of it. Hope you don't give up the ship entirely -- something will come along -- how, when, where -- who knows?

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