Best Musicals About America

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 7:48pm

With July 4th this weekend...

What are the best/your favorite musicals about America?

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 7:54pm

Fiddler on the Roof
Evita
The Sound of Music
The King and I
Cabaret
Miss Saigon
Cats
Les Miserables

[wonkit]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 7:54pm

Ragtime.

[singingbackup]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 7:54pm

1776
Ragtime
West Side Story

Updated On: 7/1/10 at 07:54 PM

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 7:55pm

Ragtime

[snowskittle]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 7:59pm

I was going to say Ragtime too but everybody else beat me to it.

[jagfkb]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 7:59pm

Ragtime... end of story...

[wonkit]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 8:00pm

1776 - of course!

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 8:01pm

I usually always try to watch 1776 on July 4th.

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 8:02pm

I always associate Music Man with July 4th.

[Katurian2]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 8:04pm

Not a musical per say, but I always watch Yankee Doodle Dandy on the 4th!

[bertandrew2]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 8:09pm

I'm voting for the pajama game. Its not star spangled but it is all american in theme and depicts the heart of america in its themes. And its summer!

[Theatrical Gems]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 8:25pm

Warning Shameless Plug (but honest answer) below:

Irving Berlin's Mr. President is a surprisingly honest look at the hardships of the President's job and how our political system is set up while also being optimistic about our future. It has fun book, with a few references that are chillingly still accurate and a really interesting score.

We are putting on a one night only presentation of the show as a benefit for The Actors Fund on Sunday July 18th, the first time the show has been seen in its original form in NYC since it closed on Broadway in 1963. For more information you can go to our website: www.theatricalgems.org
Updated On: 7/1/10 at 08:25 PM

[SNAFU]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 8:41pm

There's always Assassins.

It is very much about America.

Updated On: 7/1/10 at 08:41 PM

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 8:46pm

Would 'In The Heights' count?

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 8:52pm

Umm, why wouldn't IN THE HEIGHTS count? Are Latinos/immigrants no longer part of the country? I didn't get that memo.

I think CAROLINE, OR GHANCE, a musical that really captures some of the biggest complexities of this country, especially of course when it comes to race and class.
Of course RAGTIME and 1776 are very much part of the mix.
Also, WEST SIDE STORY.

[jo]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 8:53pm

OKLAHOMA!

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 9:04pm

Sondheim has called Pacific Overtures, Assassins, and Road Show a trilogy about America.

[mallardo]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 9:15pm

Caroline or Change.

[Kad]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 9:23pm

Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson would certainly be the most recent show to qualify.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 9:25pm

Rags.

[AudreyTwoTwo]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 10:11pm

West Side Story, most definitely.

[chewy5000]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 11:08pm

Urinetown

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 11:35pm

Assassins and Ragtime are really the only two answers, I think.

Of course, if you're going for pure, sweet, simple Americana, I don't think you can beat The Music Man.

[wendilin622]

Posted: 7/1/10 at 11:40pm

HAIR.