Best Written Musical Currently on Broadway?
Best Written Musical Currently on Broadway?
#1Best Written Musical Currently on Broadway?
Posted: 2/10/10 at 8:42pmWhat do you think is the best written (score plus book) musical on Broadway currently? Do not include anything other than the score and book in your decision.
garyl
Understudy Joined: 7/12/07
#2Best Written Musical Currently on Broadway?
Posted: 2/10/10 at 9:09pmA Little Night Music..WSS 2ndplace
#3Best Written Musical Currently on Broadway?
Posted: 2/10/10 at 9:16pmA Little Night Music without a doubt.
![[tos]fan999 Profile Photo](https://cloudimages2.broadwayworld.com/userphotos/ndtn-500_n2.jpg?format=auto&width=200)
#4Best Written Musical Currently on Broadway?
Posted: 2/10/10 at 9:19pmNight Music for sure. I've read the libretto more times than any other book. =)
Send in the clowns...Send in the crowds!
"I prefer neurotic people. I like to hear rumblings beneath the surface."-Stephen Sondheim
#5Best Written Musical Currently on Broadway?
Posted: 2/10/10 at 9:40pmNight Music!
Upland
Stand-by Joined: 1/18/10
#6Best Written Musical Currently on Broadway?
Posted: 2/10/10 at 9:43pm
1. West Side Story
2. A Little Night Music
#7Best Written Musical Currently on Broadway?
Posted: 2/10/10 at 9:43pmWest Side Story. Hair has by far the best score, but not much of a book because it's mainly all in the score.
#8Best Written Musical Currently on Broadway?
Posted: 2/10/10 at 9:46pm
Probably either West Side Story or A Little Night Music. South Pacific also has one of the best scores, but that book drags too much, in my opinion.
Also, um, I like the score for Hair, but to say it's the best when you have shows like West Side Story, A Little Night Music and South Pacific running is a little...odd.
#9Best Written Musical Currently on Broadway?
Posted: 2/10/10 at 9:49pmNight Music has a much stronger book than West Side Story. That is why I would choose Night Music.
#10Best Written Musical Currently on Broadway?
Posted: 2/10/10 at 9:59pm
At the moment? A Little Night Music. WSS and South Pacific are dragged down by their books.
My opinion would be different if Ragtime were still running, mind you.
#11Best Written Musical Currently on Broadway?
Posted: 2/10/10 at 10:28pm
Night Music
West Side Story
#12Best Written Musical Currently on Broadway?
Posted: 2/10/10 at 10:49pmI have to agree: West Side Story and South Pacific are hurt by their books; not saying the shows aren't good, but they drag like no other! A Little Night Music is full of wonderful songs and dialogue.
#13Best Written Musical Currently on Broadway?
Posted: 2/10/10 at 11:26pmA Little Night Music for sure...such a beautifully written piece.
#14Best Written Musical Currently on Broadway?
Posted: 2/10/10 at 11:39pm
Close seconds would be West Side Story for the score but not the book and A Little Night Music for the book and the score together.
But the all-around writing honors I would, with a little ambivalence, give to Next to Normal.
It takes contemporary lives and problems, both personal and societal, and tells a story with an imaginative use of music and movement and opportunities of everyone in the cats to shine.
It's a silly question, actually, but I would go with Next to Normal, and I think that, were they alive, Lenny and Jerry might agree. (Not Athur, of course.)
#15Best Written Musical Currently on Broadway?
Posted: 2/10/10 at 11:50pmI was going to say Next to Normal also, but I didn't have that guts to. I have no experience with Night Music but to me the story telling(I am absolutely in love with how they tell it) and interesting and well thought out plot of Next to Normal combined with great lyrics and music make it the best musical written on Broadway right now that isn't a revival. Because the only revival on this list I have experience with is West Side Story(which I love).
#16Best Written Musical Currently on Broadway?
Posted: 2/10/10 at 11:50pmUnless Arthur found some way to claim that the success of Next to Normal is party due to him as he does with Wicked.
chewy5000
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/1/09
#18Best Written Musical Currently on Broadway?
Posted: 2/11/10 at 12:58am
^^^Go to the 2:00 mark to hear the writing process behind that landmark show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq-FX1ced8g
Send in the clowns...Send in the crowds!
"I prefer neurotic people. I like to hear rumblings beneath the surface."-Stephen Sondheim
alterego
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/5/03
#19Best Written Musical Currently on Broadway?
Posted: 2/11/10 at 1:07amHas to be A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC. I find both SOUTH PACIFIC and WEST SIDE STORY a trial to sit through - any production.
#20Best Written Musical Currently on Broadway?
Posted: 2/11/10 at 3:38am
It's gotta be West Side Story, possibly my favorite musical ever. South Pacific and A Little Night Music are also pretty brilliant though.
I would not agree that Next to Normal belongs in a league with the three shows I mentioned. It's a daring show, but nowhere near as good as those classics. In terms of the original musicals playing on Broadway, I think Billy Elliot is a much better written show, combination of score and book.
~Steven
#21Best Written Musical Currently on Broadway?
Posted: 2/11/10 at 4:05am
Rock of Ages! =)
#23Best Written Musical Currently on Broadway?
Posted: 2/11/10 at 8:45am
It may be a generation thing -- younger people can't sit still for as long and need more constant action -- not a criticism, just the way it is.
But there is a reason South Pacific plays as well today as it did over 50 years ago, and a reason that even non theatre-goers love it. While I'm in theatre and I love Sondheim and I love A Little Night Music, I've heard from many "non theatre" people who found it slow and boring (including younger ones). That's rarely the case with South Pacific.
The Other One
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/1/08
#24Best Written Musical Currently on Broadway?
Posted: 2/11/10 at 8:46am
South Pacific by far. The integration of the score and the book is seamless.
A Little Night Music's is close. WSS's book is good but its weakest asset.
Sad to say, it's been ages since a contemporary book musical could compete with the likes of these. Light in the Piazza and Ragtime are the only two I can think of off hand, and (Ragtime revival aside) they aren't all that recent.
Videos