From "Caroline Or Change" to...... — Page 2

I hate "Scientific People" who think "space is infinite" ARG!

*smashes head twleve times against the wall than puts in the Caroline CD and listens to Lot's Wife... again*

no theater with o'neil's name on it should have to house such a thing.

noooooooooooooooo! get justin guarini off broadway! all i can say is that i hope he doesn't have a fro.

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I hear Justin IS in serious talks to do the show.

Reality check here: Money talks. Moving out, Mama Mia, and shows like this make money and maybe they aren't high brow BUT they keep theater people employed (most of Equity is unemployed) and keeps people interested in the theater. The name of the game is to get people to go and to keep theater alive, albeit not up to whatever your particular standards are. If theater is to live, then you must accept all sorts of theater, even if you don't think it's as classy as Caroline.

I saw Good Vibration; it was enjoyable andI had a lot of fun. What's wrong with having a good time? Isn't theater entertainment?

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Sorry for the double-post; I didn't know where else to post this. My parents saw Caroline, or Change for the first time today. They adored it- my mom cried through the end of the second act. Shows that entertain are a dime a dozen; shows that move you this way are rare. That's what we're losing here; that's why it's depressing that it's being replaced by yet more floof.

It is a little weird but interesting that a beech boys musical AND an elvis musical are opening at the same time. hmm oh, well. It's all great music isn't it?

Well...we have the Rat Pack Musical opening here in Denver in a few weeks. Not sure if they are planning on hitting B'way. I will only see it because I will most likely get comp seats. Not a Theatre Snob here...but it just seems that these shows are taking over. Add on shows based on movies. When I travel from Denver to New York, I am hoping to see something original. I think Mama Mia, Movin' Out and shows like that are fine for people who like them and they get people that are not normal theatre goers into the theatre. We have had some really good shows here and the only show my boss was interested in was Movin' Out. And she raved about it. As it was stated here in another post, I will put my Billy Joel CD in if I want to hear his music. It just feels like these shows are taking over and there really isn't a balance. Anything outside of these shows seem to perform poorly at the box office. As I said in another thread, Caroline quenched a theatrical thirst for me and I am sure for people looking for something totally original. AND it is a good show to boot. I am not so upset that Good Vibrations is moving into a theatre with O'neil's name on it. I am upset that yet another review type show is opening. Yes I like to be entertained at the theatre. And I got that with Caroline. But I also got a totally original work. And, in my opinion, the music is not weird. Call it challenging maybe. And, in my opinion, one of the best scores to come down the pike in a very long time. And for the price of a theatre ticket these days, I want original. I don't know...this debate will go on forever. But I just know that I have been attending the theatre since I was about 9 years old. I am 43 now. And, for me, I just don't like the direction musical theatre is going in. My 1st ramble for the day!

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I can understand lamenting about a beloved show closing. And I can appreciate the lack of new musicals with original music.

But it truly is beyond me that people are dismissing outright the brilliant musicality of Brian and Carl Wilson especially their later music. Rent the 'Love Actually' DVD and you'll appreciate why 'God Only Knows' was chosen as the final song for the poignant airport scene. Do people really think Billy Joel is a better composer or that freaking ABBA tunes have better lyrics? Sorry, but most of this just sounds like kneejerk reactions to me.

The Beach Boys are great, and pretty musically complex some of the time. What I'm protesting is that this score wasn't written for theater- it's just old songs shoehorned in to a no-doubt horribly contrived plot. I hate that. It smacks of laziness. Like I said, if I want to hear Beach Boys music, I can listen to a CD or watch a concert.

Uncageg, here's the URL you wanted.
American Theatre Wing - Working in the Seminars

Updated On: 8/25/04 at 10:17 PM