Anyone Else Kinda Feeling Their Love Of Musicals Dissipating?

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 12:59pm

Maybe this is the result of hanging around a hardcore musical hater too much, but I feel like I enjoy musical plays and films less than I did two years ago, when I was completely obsessed with them. The thought of performing in one (unless it's Sweeney Todd) makes me ill and I find that most of the musicals these days just tend to run together. They're the same thing. They try to do the same things, I've found, and there really isn't much originality in them.

Now, I'm not one of those whores who believes that musicals are COMPLETELY without merit, but I just wish people would try harder when making them. They're just not original anymore.

[Pascal/Menzel/Bundy]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 1:04pm

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

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

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 1:07pm

Never.

[Kev2222]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 1:16pm

"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.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 1:23pm

I'm sad that Cruel has decided his emo-ness should bleed off the OT board.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 1:33pm

Hey Cruel - Find another message board!

[BustopherPhantom]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 1:43pm

I'm sad that Cruel has decided his emo-ness should bleed off the OT board.

So is this board going to become a cousin to the Eragon boards, where you can't express a bad opinion about the art form without being attacked?

To Mr. Cruel: I disagree - there are plenty of original musicals out there. If you're limiting your viewpoint to Broadway, of course you're going to be depressed: serious, original work doesn't have a huge chance of succeeding (except in certain circumstances, like The Light in the Piazza).

Just look Off-Broadway, and you might just find what you need.

[The Boy From Ohio]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 1:54pm

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

[chris d]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 2:11pm

most new musicals suck because they try too hard to live up to the standards of yesteryear. that's why I love Spring Awakening. the best new musicals don't try to ignore the present. those great musicals, like West Side Story and Sweeney Todd, didn't rely on history or try too hard to belong to a chain of history. so yeah.

[StageFan2]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 2:13pm

Not in this life!

[Andante]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 2:35pm

Not really, no. Sometimes I have times where I don't listen to musical theatre (goshdarn you college work!)- I blame the sporty, skinny bit**es on my floor who don't want to hear my showtunes on my laptop.

[sally1112]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 2:39pm

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.

[AvenueQResident]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 2:52pm

Nope, never will happen.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 3:14pm

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

[jasonf]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 3:20pm

Go back to hating mainstream movies, Cruel. Don't bleed it out onto the main board too.

[The_Jackal]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 3:24pm

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.

[PersonofInterest]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 3:26pm

No

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 3:33pm

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.

[bwayguy22089]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 3:47pm

My two favorite musicals are Wicked and Guys and Dolls. They couldn't be anymore different. Both from two totally different times and comprised of totally different material. If you love and appreciate the old as well as try to accept the new, I think it works out just fine

[EugLoven]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 3:56pm

"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

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 4:01pm

So is this board going to become a cousin to the Eragon boards, where you can't express a bad opinion about the art form without being attacked?


No, you can't express yourself if you're Cruel_Sandwich without being attacked.

[me2]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 4:16pm

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

[tazber]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 5:39pm

Why did you leave us Cruel? Is it b/c most of us didn't think you needed therapy?
Come home and you can start all the David Lynch threads you want.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 5:55pm

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?

[Fenchurch]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 6:17pm

Im starting to feel that way. The more I learn about music theory, the more I realize that this music is easy as hell to write. it's the classical and modern pieces that are actually doing new things. I still love a good melody and I also love a clever, witty lyric, but it's getting old, gang. Let's do something new, it's time for the artform to evolve, otherwise it's just going to get staler and staler, and become more commercial and less artistic (oh wait, that's already happened).