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BEST Best Musical

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pab
#50re: BEST Best Musical
Posted: 11/8/05 at 1:44am

blaxx, did you see A Chorus Line on Broadway?


"Smart! And into all those exotic mystiques -- The Kama Sutra and Chinese techniques. I hear she knows more than seventy-five. Call me tomorrow if you're still alive!"

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blaxx
#51re: BEST Best Musical
Posted: 11/8/05 at 1:48am

Yes, I saw A Chorus Line on Broadway, a couple of months before it closed, but I obviously didn't see the original Chicago, that's why I ask...I just can't think that Chita Rivera, Gwen Verdon, Jerry Orbach could be that far behind A Chorus Line, but I really don't know...so, is it that you all consider it to be better than Chicago? I respect that, but I'm curious.


Listen, I don't take my clothes off for anyone, even if it is "artistic". - JANICE

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frontrowcentre2
#52re: BEST Best Musical
Posted: 11/8/05 at 3:07am

This is JUST my opinion but here's how I rank all the Tony winners by decade.
First musical to win the Tony was....
KISS ME KATE - Good show (but OKLAHOMA! is best of 1940s)
SOUTH PACIFIC better than KMK
GUYS AND DOLLS not better thas SP but better than KMK
KING AND I better than all of above
WONDERFUL TOWN - enjoyable but not better than any of the above
KISMET - same comment as WT
PAJAMA GAME - same comment BUT better than WT or KISMET
DAMN YANKEES! - not as good as PJ GAME but better than WT or KISM
MY FAIR LADY - better than all above except KING AND I
MUSIC MAN - enjoyable, better than PAJAMA, G&D and KMK
REDHEAD - Weakest of all to date
SOUND OF MUSIC - better than REDHEAD, but not as good as others
FIORELLO - better than SofM, MUSIC MAN, DAMN YANKEES
+++ BEST SHOW 1949-1959: KING AND I; WEAKEST: REDHEAD

BYE BYE BIRDIE - Fun, better than SofM, not as good as others
HOW TO SUCCEED - Clever, funny but not as good as GUYS AND DOLLS
FORUM - Better than SUCCEED and BIRDIE
HELLO DOLLY! - Enjoyble, fun, better than BIRDIE
FIDDLER - Better than all the other Tony winners of 60s so far.
MAN OF LA MANCHA - Better than FIIDDLER? On a par anyhow
CABARET - blows everything else out of the water!
HALLELUJAH! BABY - weakest show this decade
1776 - Not as good as CABARET but damn close!
+++BEST SHOW 1960-69 : CABARET, WEAKEST: HALLELUJAH BABY!
APPLAUSE - Better than HALLELULJAH BABY & REDHEAD.
COMPANY - Better than APPLAUSE. Best swhow since CABARET
TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA - better than APPLAUSE but not by much
A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC - EX - not as groundbreaking as COMPANY
RAISIN - Weakest of the decade so far
THE WIZ - 2nd Weakest of Decade
A CHORUS LINE - EX - but not as good as COMPANY
ANNIE - fun, better than APPLAUSE - but not by much
AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' - Revue. Not in league with book musicals.
SWEENEY TODD - The Decade's Best!
EVITA - Not as good as SWEENEY or COMPANY or ALNM or ACL
+++BEST SHOW 1970-79 : SWEENEY TODD, WEAKEST: RAISIN
42ND STREET - Enjyable Fluff but no EVITA
NINE - Smart, original, better than 42ND
CATS - Great staging but no book. Not as good as 42nd or EVITA
LA CAGE - Better than CATS. Not as good as NINE.
BIG RIVER - Not as good as LA CAGE
MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD - Better than BIG RIV but not much
LES MIZ - Best so far this Decade
PHANTOM OF THE OPERA - Better than CATS
JEROME ROBBINS BROADWAY - Revue. Nothing original.
CITY OF ANGELS - Clever, funny. No LES MIZ or NINE though.
+++BEST SHOW 1980-89 : LES MISEARBLES, WEAKEST: CATS
WILL ROGERS FOLLIES - Weakest show since CATS
CRAZY FOR YOU - staged with style, better than WRF
KISS OF SPIDER WOMAN - best new musical since CITY OF ANGELS
PASSION - Difficult but rewarding. Better than SPIDER WOMAN
SUNSET BLVD - WORST show to win Best Musical ever!!
RENT - Larson didn't have a chance to revise, some flaws remain
LION KING - Better than WRF or CATS.
FOSSE - Revue. Nothing new or original.
+++BEST SHOW 1990-99 : PASSION (RENT if it had been fixed!)
(RAGTIME was the decade's best but it didn't win the Tony!!!)
WORST SHOW OF THE DECADE: SUNSET BLVD.
CONTACT - is NOT a musical. It's a dance piece.
PRODUCERS - Most entertaining show since CITY OF ANGELS
THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE - weak stage version of movie
HAIRSPRAY - good stage version of stupid movie
AVE Q - Better than HAIRSPRAY or MILLIE. Not as good as PROD.
SPAMALOT - Not as good as Q, better than MILLIE or HSPR
+++BEST SHOW 2000-2005: PRODUCERS, WEAKEST: MILLIE



Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!

I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com

Urban
#53re: BEST Best Musical
Posted: 11/8/05 at 3:12am

Do you have a list of all shows in a row from complete weakest to complete strongest without any breakup? Heh. Your list rocks still.

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Greekmusicalfan
#54re: BEST Best Musical
Posted: 11/8/05 at 4:49am

LES MIS
RENT
HAIRSPRAY

Only my personal opinion of course !

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jrb_actor
#55re: BEST Best Musical
Posted: 11/8/05 at 5:54am

A Chorus Line


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jrb_actor
#56re: BEST Best Musical
Posted: 11/8/05 at 6:04am

I posted this in the Worst Worst Musical thread, but clearly, it applies here, too:

We are all, of course, entitled to our opinions, but I would never voice my opinion in mixed company if I thought that a set classic like Oklahoma!, The Sound of Music, The Music Man, or Kiss Me Kate was the worst musical. It would only serve to show how limited my exposure to musicals is and my absolute disregard for what are considered without question the classics of the musical theatre canon.

Just some good advice! :)


Sant
#57re: BEST Best Musical
Posted: 11/8/05 at 8:11am

THE KING AND I

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

AVENUE Q

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frontrowcentre2
#58re: BEST Best Musical
Posted: 11/9/05 at 3:00am

EX Advice, JRB!

You can tell the relative age or at least maturity of posters on BWW... when they write that certain classic shows "suck" but fail to say why you can pretty much ignore their posts.

I am not saying that everyone has to like the classics and if you don't like a show nothing wrong with saying so. But to trash a show and then NOT state why they think it sucks is childish.

The stupid thing is that I doubt any of them have ever even seen OKLAHOMA! or MUSIC MAN or HELLO DOLLY! They just assume anything that pre-dates RENT is garbage.

Sad..sad...sad


Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!

I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com

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frontrowcentre2
#59re: BEST Best Musical
Posted: 11/9/05 at 3:00am

Even sadder, these same "know-it-alls" send out post proclaiming WICKED as "the best musical ever!!" Of course they have only ever seen one musical but why let facts stand in the way of their opinion.

Sad...sad...sad.


Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!

I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com

Updated On: 11/9/05 at 03:00 AM

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Composer9
#60re: BEST Best Musical
Posted: 11/9/05 at 3:18am

Sweeney and Passion...ok so I'm a little Sondheim obsessed, but whatever...


The key to the mystery of a great artist is that for reasons unknown, he will give away his energies and his life just to make sure that one note follows another... and leaves us with the feeling that something is right in the world. ~Leonard Bernstein~

MissElleTow2
#61re: BEST Best Musical
Posted: 11/9/05 at 5:23am

The Music Man and The King and I are my all time favorites. re: BEST Best Musical

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StageManager2
#62re: BEST Best Musical
Posted: 11/9/05 at 10:16am

sweetestsiren, you are not alone. Truly. Noe one is alone. I, too, can't stand THE MUSIC MAN. In fact, I was rooting for him to get his jusd desserts at the end even though I knew everything would turn out fine.


Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae
Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra
Salve, Salve Regina
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Eva
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
O clemens O pia

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sweetestsiren
#63re: BEST Best Musical
Posted: 11/9/05 at 11:48am

Well, at least I'm not the only one, StageManager.

Anyway, there's nothing wrong with not liking a musical that's considered a classic. I just really don't like The Music Man. Part of that may be due to having been subjected to mediocre or downright awful productions of it, but I don't think that I'd like it anyway. I don't like the score, I'm not a huge fan of the storyline. I don't think that that should mean something negative about me as a musical theater fan.

I NEVER said that I thought that it was the worst musical ever made. I did say "nost annoying musical I've ever seen," which is true. I happen to love The King and I, Oklahoma!, The Sound of Music, etc. Please don't assume that you know everything about someone's taste based on their opinion of one show.

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jrb_actor
#64re: BEST Best Musical
Posted: 11/10/05 at 1:02am

And THAT is the distinction I would say one should make. I can't really object to someone saying they don't LIKE The Music Man. But, for anyone to declare that it is BAD or the WORST, honey, pull off that wig and those cheap earrings, cuz we bout to throw down--o KAY?

re: BEST Best Musical


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frontrowcentre2
#65re: BEST Best Musical
Posted: 11/10/05 at 1:18am

Admittedly, some of the "classics" have not aged well. SOUTH PACIFIC does not play well on stage these days. (I did like a lot of the change made in teh script for the TV film a few years back - but didn't care for teh cast.)

PAJAMA GAME is still fun but its attitudes towards women certainly are dated.

Shows that were set in "contemporary" times when they premiered will date the fastest. Period pieces play better but some have very simplistic stories and characters.


Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!

I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com

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w_tanoto
#66re: BEST Best Musical
Posted: 11/13/05 at 6:10pm

billy elliot and mary poppins


Be a BE*liever! Feel the Electricity --- Supercalifragilistic-Expialidocious --- Walt Disney Forever

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paradox_error
#67re: BEST Best Musical
Posted: 11/13/05 at 7:17pm

"billy elliot and mary poppins"

They one best musical at the tonys how many times?

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ellenoshalom
#68re: BEST Best Musical
Posted: 11/13/05 at 7:28pm

Fences
The Chorus Line


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