Common Elements in the best and worst musicals.

[Inigomontoya]

Common Elements in the best and worst musicals.#1

Posted: 4/21/11 at 6:46pm

Iv'e been asked to do a presentation about musical theater for a group of actors and dancers, that have very basic knowledge about musical theater history.
Now, my lecture is just one of many that they will attend, and I don't want it to be boring, so i'm doing it in a concept of "how to produce the best and how to produce the worst musical"

So I started to think of elements that can be found in some of the biggest hits, and flops(for example: Sequel to a musical as a common elements in flop musicals)

Can you please help me think of some?
Thanks:)

[darquegk]

Common Elements in the best and worst musicals.#2

Posted: 4/21/11 at 10:25pm

Vampires

[CapnHook]

Common Elements in the best and worst musicals.#2

Posted: 4/21/11 at 10:28pm

Common elements of flop musicals: Frank Wildhorn

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

[darquegk]

Common Elements in the best and worst musicals.#3

Posted: 4/22/11 at 12:22am

One could say the same about Sondheim- his flops greatly outnumber his successes, though many feel his best work is among those flops.

[Inigomontoya]

Common Elements in the best and worst musicals.#4

Posted: 4/22/11 at 5:34am

Oh! I almost forgot about Vampires, thanks:)
anything else?

[ClapYo'Hands]

Common Elements in the best and worst musicals.#5

Posted: 4/22/11 at 6:29am

"So I started to think of elements that can be found in some of the biggest hits, and flops(for example: Sequel to a musical as a common elements in flop musicals)"

Uh, there has only ever been one sequel to a musical and that didn't flop.

[HistoryBoy2]

Common Elements in the best and worst musicals.#6

Posted: 4/22/11 at 6:35am

^ uh, what?
That's just all sorts of not true. Let 'Em Eat Cake? The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public? Bring Back Birdie?

[PalJoey]

Common Elements in the best and worst musicals.#7

Posted: 4/22/11 at 6:50am

* A strong opening

* A suspenseful first-act curtain

* An eleven o'clock number

* A charm song to establish the leading man

* A strong ballad to establish the leading woman

* Comedy numbers for the secondary leads

* Ensemble numbers to give the audience a chorale-like sound

* A girly number so the tired businessman can see some leg

[chewy5000]

Common Elements in the best and worst musicals.#8

Posted: 4/22/11 at 10:01am

A great show curtain

[ggersten]

Common Elements in the best and worst musicals.#9

Posted: 4/22/11 at 11:54am

I've heard that you can't succeed on Broadway if you don't have any jews.

[Paul Bland4]

Common Elements in the best and worst musicals.#10

Posted: 4/22/11 at 4:29pm

Good Musicals have:

Established and developed goals, obstacles and resolutions for their characters and plot(s).

Songs that either comment directly upon the action of the piece, or that propel the plot(s) forward to the next plot point or, ultimately, the resolution of the plot(s).

Lyrics that actually rhyme.

Characters who stay true to themselves (in the sense of how they are written and performed) from scene to scene.

Wit and intelligence.

[jpbran]

Common Elements in the best and worst musicals.#11

Posted: 4/22/11 at 5:21pm

Flying scenes/stunts.

Successful: Wicked, Mary Poppins, American Idiot (somewhat successful-ish show), Priscilla, Peter Pan

Unsuccessful (but really cool): Spider Man

[goldenboy]

Common Elements in the best and worst musicals.#12

Posted: 4/23/11 at 11:44am

A Leading character or characters you can care about.