Entertainment Weekly's 50 Best Plays (and 10 Greatest Musicals) Over the Past 100 Years- Page 3

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 6/28/13 at 3:41pm

If I were comparing Oklahoma with The King and I, without taking the historical significance of Oklahoma into account and simply opining on which was the better musical, I'd give it to The King and I hands down. In my opinion is has one of he best scores top to bottom of any musical.

Updated On: 6/28/13 at 03:41 PM

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 6/28/13 at 3:45pm

I'd love to see a Top 50 musicals to see what else they put where.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 6/28/13 at 3:57pm

Brave Sir, I'm with you. It would be nice to see a Rodgers & Hart in there or a Gershwin or a Porter which, in a Top 50, there well might be.

RaisedOnMusicals, I'm with you as well. OK! has an outstanding score, especially for a first collaboration (not counting their college years) but R&H just kept getting better and The King & I has an extraordinary score.

[NewYorkTheater]

Posted: 6/30/13 at 12:31pm

It did surprise me that Gershwin isn't on the top ten list of musicals, but then I thought: What musical would it be?

Funny Face? Maybe. It hasn't left a major imprint.

Porgy and Bess? Glorious music. Difficult to embrace completely because of what is arguably an outdate view of race.

Of Thee I Sing? It's a political spoof that won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, but does it hold up?

Gershwin's music is wonderful, unique. But maybe the reason why there are so many "jukebox musicals" made out of it is that he died too young, before there was a book that was equal to his music (before people cared as much about a good book.)

[NYC4Life]

Posted: 6/30/13 at 1:44pm

"Porgy and Bess? Glorious music. Difficult to embrace completely because of what is arguably an outdate view of race."

Yeah but for me Carousel is extremely difficult to embrace as well. The beating doesn't sit well with me even though the music is glorious.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/30/13 at 1:49pm

I never understood the love for Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf. Maybe three hours of alcoholics arguing was interesting in 1960, but the play has always bored me. I've never seen the greatness in it.

[Rentaholic]

Posted: 6/30/13 at 2:11pm

"Of Thee I Sing? It's a political spoof that won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, but does it hold up?"

I saw the Papermill production of Of Thee I Sing almost 10 years ago and it definitely does not hold up. I was bored out of my mind.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 6/30/13 at 9:16pm

And count me satisfied with Guys and Dolls being number 1. The show is flawless.

With respect, the score is flawless. The book ends up making no sense. ("Marry the Man Today" and change his ways tomorrow? Except that Adelaide's problem isn't that Nathan isn't perfect, it's that HE WON'T MARRY HER! How is that dilemma solved? Hint: it never is. The book just glosses over the problem.)

Best comic score? No argument from me. But best musical? Even comedies should be minimally coherent.

****

I too prefer best12's lists. (I don't mind G&D in the Top Ten as long as it isn't #1.)

But CAT over STREETCAR?!

I allow myself an extra glass of wine on Saturday nights. Evidently, best12bars does, too.

Updated On: 6/30/13 at 09:16 PM

[blaxx]

Posted: 6/30/13 at 9:27pm

With respect, the score is flawless. The book ends up making no sense.

Are you kidding? You should know that most consider it to be the musical with the most perfect book. Far from making no sense.

With respect, the score is flawless. The book ends up making no sense. ("Marry the Man Today" and change his ways tomorrow? Except that Adelaide's problem isn't that Nathan isn't perfect, it's that HE WON'T MARRY HER! How is that dilemma solved? Hint: it never is. The book just glosses over the problem.)

Have you ever seen the show? He won't marry her because of his gambling addiction.

Did somebody hack your account? You just called the best book of a musical ever written incoherent.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 6/30/13 at 10:48pm

blaxx, I don't base my opinions on what "most consider". I doubt you do either.

Yes, I've seen the show many times, most recently last year. Yes, I enjoy it and I love the score. And, yes, the resolution makes no sense.

Adelaide resolves to "marry the man today and change his ways tomorrow".

But how does she stop him from "getting off at Saratoga" for the FIFTEENTH time (so that she can get a chance to change his ways after the wedding)?

Huge plot flaw, even by the low standards of musical comedy. I'm not saying the play couldn't answer the question; I'm saying it doesn't bother. The denouement relies on a catchy, comic song rather than probability.

So Top Ten? Sure. Number One? No way.

[blaxx]

Posted: 6/30/13 at 11:09pm

Adelaide resolves to "marry the man today and change his ways tomorrow".

But how does she stop him from "getting off at Saratoga" for the FIFTEENTH time (so that she can get a chance to change his ways after the wedding)?

Huge plot flaw, even by the low standards of musical comedy.

I think you are missing the big picture. The last scene implies that both the guys have finally given up their dirty ways, as the girls managed to prove themselves worthier to them than their gambling.

It is obvious that both the dolls have learned to keep the guys in place in case they even think of going back. The resolution is brilliant, I'm sorry the production you saw did not show this.

The '92 revival is, still to date, one if not the best Broadway shows I've ever seen. It was perfect from beginning to end.

Updated On: 6/30/13 at 11:09 PM

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 6/30/13 at 11:27pm

The last scene implies that both the guys have finally given up their dirty ways, as the girls managed to prove themselves worthier to them than their gambling.

Imply though it might (I have my doubts, but never mind that), it still doesn't happen on stage.

And for the record, I said I saw it last year, but that wasn't my first encounter with the show. I saw the all-black version in the 1970s; I WORKED a stock version starring Debbie Allen, etc. and so forth.

And I have read the libretto many times. Yes, the show gets away with the plot flaws by being tuneful and funny, but if we are voting "Best Musical of All Time", then we shouldn't be overlooking such a clunky denouement. IMO, of course.

OKLAHOMA!, on the other hand, is just as funny, just as tuneful, and even if the trial at the end is rushed, at least it happens on stage and not off.

[blaxx]

Posted: 6/30/13 at 11:32pm

Imply though it might (I have my doubts, but never mind that), it still doesn't happen on stage.

It does happen onstage. We see Nathan has finally accepted to marry Adelaide and Sky has even joined the mission. The dolls achieved their purpose, and it is happily ever after.

And I have read the libretto many times. Yes, the show gets away with the plot flaws by being tuneful and funny, but if we are voting "Best Musical of All Time", then we shouldn't be overlooking such a clunky denouement. IMO, of course.

That's if your opinion. I know that Guys & Dolls is free of plot flaws and there is not one single clunky thing about it. It is just perfect.

While it is true this could be subjective, it has been considered so by critics and experts for decades.

[Idiot]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 2:56am

"Why, specifically, did they decide to do a "best of the last hundred years" in 2013? "

I think they're emulating one of AFI's lists. Maybe.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 8:04am

We see Nathan has finally accepted to marry Adelaide and Sky has even joined the mission.

Blaxx, I did reply to your last post and I don't want you to think I was so disrespectful as to fail to do so. But I think we are in angels-on-the-head-of-a-pin territory here. We agree GUYS AND DOLLS is a great musical; I just don't think it is "perfect". So I'm deleting my rebuttal.

I'll let you have the last word and we can agree to disagree.


Updated On: 7/1/13 at 08:04 AM

[jnb9872]

Posted: 7/1/13 at 9:44am

Thought of another (personal) oversight: AMADEUS. Hell, depending on how liberal your definition of "musical" is, I might even put that on my 10 favorite musicals list, I love it so much.

[NewYorkTheater]

Posted: 12/4/13 at 5:04pm

Would you add anything to this list that's been produced in 2013?

[Tink2]

Posted: 12/4/13 at 5:46pm

Some of my favorites are missing from that list. Man of La Mancha is one of my favorite musicals. I also really like the plays Barefoot in the Park and Wait Until Dark.

[NewYorkTheater]

Posted: 1/27/14 at 4:21pm

Now that I've seen a production of Machinal, it's interesting to note that it's listed as 32nd on this EW list. The production at Roundabout is splendid, but one of the 50 best plays of the last century?!

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 1/27/14 at 5:26pm

I took a 20th Century Theatre course, as an English lit major, where Machinal was included. Our prof did give the caveat that she included it partly to represent more female playwrights. It was probably the play that got the least enthusiastic response in class discussions...

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 1/28/14 at 12:17pm

"best" sometimes implies an expectation of or call for universal agreement, or at least consensus. Let's celebrate that there might not be such a thing as consensus when it comes to art.

Here's a list of "favorites" The ones that bring me the most pleasure/provide me with the most satisfying reflection.

Musicals

She Loves Me
Fiddler on the Roof
My Fair Lady
Gypsy
Show Boat
Guys and Dolls
South Pacific
Sweeney Todd
A Chorus Line
Anything Goes
Pacific Overtures
Porgy and Bess
Into the Woods
Promises, Promises
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Threepenny Opera

Plays

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
The Piano Lesson
A Streetcar Named Desire
The Little Foxes
A Raisin in the Sun
Wit
Morning's at Seven
Doubt
Long Day's Journey Into Night
Joe Turner's Come and Gone
A Delicate Balance
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
A View from the Bridge
Lettice and Lovage
The Children's Hour
Three Tall Women
The Goat
The Lieutenant of Inishmore
The Country Girl
The Norman Conquests
Copenhagen
Glengarry Glen Ross

and Pygmalion (if we can make it the last 102 years instead of the last 100)









Updated On: 1/28/14 at 12:17 PM

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 1/28/14 at 12:25pm

I'll never understand why people say Guys and Dolls doesn't have a single bad moment. I LOVE the show and consider it almost perfectly written EXCEPT the song "More I Cannot Wish You" stops the show dead for me every single time I hear it. "With a sheep's eye and a licorice tooth???"

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 1/28/14 at 2:20pm

I feel the same way about that song.

[NewYorkTheater]

Posted: 4/3/14 at 10:47pm

Looking at the Labyrinth Theater's Pulitzer Fest line-up, I've been struck by how many plays on this list never got that prize -- such as A Raisin in the Sun, which opened tonight.

[tom2000a]

Posted: 4/3/14 at 11:17pm

PICNIC is an awful play. How could they not include "You Can't Take It With You" or "The Man Who Came To Dinner"? There is no comedy mentioned until number 28.

Rent is a mess of a musical. Fiddler and My Fair Lady are both better than Guys and Dolls. They should be on the list along with (the perfect) A Little Night Music and the nearly perfect 1776.