Finally saw the 4th of the Best Musicals... — Page 4

I guess no one is going to explain to me why they believe Spring Awakening is innovative. That's because they can't. That's what happens when you use words that you don't know the meaning of

I went last Sunday afternoon wanting to enjoy the show. It wouldn't have bothered me if the character had masturbated without hiding it under the cloth. It wouldn't have bothered me if the main couple had continued having intercourse during the entire intermission. All I ask is that the characters be interesting and the story have a purpose.

^ Yeah. Or that it just didn't resonate with me. I couldn't possibly have individual thoughts or reactions.

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Well, it is edgy. It just so happens that the edge has many cracks in it.

The original play was edgy - but in today's world, I doubt anything could be edgy anymore. People don't go for subtlety anymore and the things that used to make people gasp just don't anymore. Showing your ankles used to be edgy, then showing your belly button, now showing your boobs isn't really considered edgy.

But I also think your statement "I did feel this way three years ago when I chose my name" means a lot. Everyone grows out of things. I wonder what will happen when the fan girl crushes on the actors of their age wears off and they judge the show based on the material.

Grant it, many people like the show for the material and that is just fantastic. It's the majority of 15 year olds (I'm glad they are enjoying theatre) who post their love for the actors that freak me out. And I don't mean the love for the actors' performances.

The thing about RENT, no matter your feelings towards the show, is that it has a clear message that many people love.

I, in all seriousness, want to know why SPRING AWAKENING speaks to so many people - the material, not the production.

P.S. Would GREY GARDENS be "innovative" if the song was JERRY LIKES MY GODDAMN F*CKING CORN (I think that fits into the song, even).

Also, something that just now dawned on me. Isn't GREY GARDENS the first musical based on a documentary? Well, that makes it innovative, no?

Updated On: 5/17/07 at 06:03 PM

Hmm... the score... I haven't seen the show, so I can't comment on staging/lights/book, but I can definitely comment on the score thanks to the cast recording.

I adore its heart. It just has so much drive, without being in-your-face-this-is-a-rock-musical like RENT is. When I first listened to it, I didn't like it at all. It all sounded exactly the same. However, I forced myself through it, then started to listen to it again... in about two days, I was completely addicted.

The only problem is that while I enjoy the music and the lyrics seprately, I can't really find one song where the lyrics and the music fit. I love the melodies to songs such as "The Song of Purple Summer", and "Whispering" and think the violin orchestrations throughout the entire score are brilliant. However, I'm not crazy about the lyrics in many parts. At the same time, I carry a print-out of the lyrics of "All That's Known" with me every day in school to keep me going, even though I hate the melody.

Why does Spring Awakening speak to so many people? I'm a teenager, and the only thing about it I'm in love with is the material. I love how accurately it deals with the feelings of teenagers coming of age. I'm not talking about the sex. I feel the songs that deal with the kids coping with the adults in their lives- for example, "All That's Known" "Mama Who Bore Me" and "Totally F*CKed." I feel I really can relate to them. Like I said before, I carry the lyrics of "All That's Known" in my language arts folder so when I'm having issues dealing with the teacher, I can look at them and take heart in them. "All That's Known" and "Mama Who Bore Me" put my feelings about my teachers and my parents to words.

Plus, I love the openness of "Totally F*CKed." Not many musical theatre songs will have students imitating their teachers with blahs in the open way Totally F*CKed does. Plus, I know a lot of teenagers, especially those who like theatre and are made fun of for having an interest in something besides MTV, who will agree with the statement: "You're ****ed if you speak your mind, and you know you will."

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Innovative: being or producing something like nothing done or experienced or created before; "stylistically innovative works"; "innovative members of the artistic community"; "a mind so innovational, so original"

I do believe Spring Awakening is an innovative piece of musical theatre. It is not structured like a normal musical. The book scenes take place in restrictive 1890's Germany, and the only way the kids can express themselves is by breaking out of the time period and singing their thoughts via today's pop music. Is that not innovative for musical theatre? I think it is, and it's one of the cool, "never-been-done-like-this before" things that drew me to see the show in the first place. It's not just the style of music, it's the way the music is integrated into the show (and yes I realize it is not REALLY integrated into the plot-line of the story). So, Tom, that's why I think it's innovative. I'm not just throwing the word around because it sounds good.

I'm glad someone finally picked apart the lyrics in SA. Definitely a good show, and it does do a surprising job of capturing the mysteries of puberty and developing sex drives, but as a show the book and lyrics are weakkkkk. Trust me, I'm all for indie rock coming to the theatre, but I don't think SA should win best musical just because it succeeds with a Duncan Sheik score and a young cast.

Now Grey Gardens, there's a show that I kept thinking about for at least a week, and am still re-examining - a show which made me watch the documentary and inquire into the lives of the Beales. There's my vote.