Good Parts of "Eh" Musicals & Bad Parts of Good Musicals- Page 2
Good Parts of "Eh" Musicals & Bad Parts of Good Musicals
mpkie
Broadway Star Joined: 6/21/15
#25Good Parts of
Posted: 5/5/16 at 11:44am
Good Part In "Eh":
"High Adventure" in Aladdin. The only part that I legitimately enjoyed myself whole show. Yes, James Monroe Iglehart gave a great performance but he alone could not save this show for us.
BroadwayConcierge
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/24/15
#26Good Parts of
Posted: 5/5/16 at 11:48am
It is so important for Hamilton to conclude with Eliza's narrative and a retrospection of the narrative at large. "Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story" is literally the point of the entire show. It's brilliant and gives me chills every time.
aaaaaa15
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/31/15
#27Good Parts of
Posted: 5/5/16 at 11:50am
I also think it's important to note that the entire last chapter of Ron Chernow's Hamilton biography on which Lin based the show is about Eliza and what she did after his death. The chapter is named after her.
She spent the rest of her life begging her children to write a biography of Alexander so he would be remembered. Unfortunately they didn't complete it until after she died.
BakerWilliams
Leading Actor Joined: 2/1/16
#28Good Parts of
Posted: 5/5/16 at 11:53am
BroadwayConcierge said: "It is so important for Hamilton to conclude with Eliza's narrative and a retrospection of the narrative at large. "Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story" is literally the point of the entire show. It's brilliant and gives me chills every time.
"
Really? I had no idea you liked Hamilton. Tell us more.
As for the topic, probably the Pulp Fiction discussion in The Flick
BroadwayConcierge
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/24/15
#30Good Parts of
Posted: 5/5/16 at 11:55am
BroadwayConcierge said: "It is so important for Hamilton to conclude with Eliza's narrative and a retrospection of the narrative at large. "Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story" is literally the point of the entire show. It's brilliant and gives me chills every time."
I don't see anyone debating the importance of the concept of the song thematically to the show as a whole, but rather the execution of the concept and the exposition in the song. I'm glad you enjoy it so much, though.
#31Good Parts of
Posted: 5/5/16 at 11:57am
Jeez, I should really know better than to bring up Hamilton in a thread like this.
aaaaaa15
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/31/15
#32Good Parts of
Posted: 5/5/16 at 11:57am
Well woeisme3 did say that they didn't think it added anything to the show which I think is the untrue part that people have an issue with.
#33Good Parts of
Posted: 5/5/16 at 12:00pm
I haven't seen the show but I've listened to the recording many times and Who Lives definitely feels kinda weak. I'm really surprised the show doesn't end with a reprise of the opening number, because it seems so natural, but maybe that wouldn't been too Sweeney Todd-esque.
Anyways, I think the dog sequence from The Day Off in Sunday In The Park is a giant misstep, and Look What Happened To Mabel is the only really compelling melody in the entirety of Mack and Mabel.
BroadwayConcierge
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/24/15
#34Good Parts of
Posted: 5/5/16 at 12:02pm
Yikes, I truly didn't mean for this to spiral into another Hamilton-fest. I also honestly didn't read the follow-up comments to woeisme3's post (which aaaaaa15 pointed out), so my response was directed mostly toward that.
Let's put an embargo on the Hamilton dialogue (at least for the finale) on this thread...NOW!
To continue on, I'm not the biggest fan of Kinky Boots (though I understand its appeal), but "Hold Me in Your Heart" moved me to my core.
#35Good Parts of
Posted: 5/5/16 at 1:04pm
Charley Kringas Inc said: "I think the dog sequence from The Day Off in Sunday In The Park is a giant misstep"
I used to think the same thing, but now I find it really interesting, but maybe that's because I actually played the role and had no choice but to find something interesting in it. It's definitely not as good as the rest of the show, but I see why it's there. It shows us how Georges immerses himself in his subjects, and how he is actually quite a strange person. We also see how he is able to engage with the mind of dogs more than with other people, though he does go on to speak through the voices of other people in the following scene. To a lesser, extent, it's also a bit of comic relief. I actually find the dog sequence more engaging than Everybody Loves Louis, which is also comic relief.
#36Good Parts of
Posted: 5/5/16 at 1:14pm
wish i were here2 said: ""A Whole New World" and "Friend Like Me" were great parts in Aladdin, but I found the rest of the musical to be meh at most.
"
Agreed 100%. I've always been confused about how this show got such a pass. It looks cheap, the book is a groaner, and the songs and characters aren't treated terribly well.
#37Good Parts of
Posted: 5/5/16 at 1:44pm
I just hate Sarah in the 1992 Guys and Dolls revival. Not sure if I dislike the character or Josie de Guzman. Everything else was perfect.
#38Good Parts of
Posted: 5/5/16 at 3:11pm
I really don't like Cats, but Memory is a beautiful song.
I love Follies, but I always skip One More Kiss whenever I listen to the album.
The entire score of N2N ranges from "eh" to terrible in my opinion. I really like the concept of the show and the overall story, but I feel like it was poorly executed.
#39Good Parts of
Posted: 5/5/16 at 6:53pm
Valentina3 said: "Put On Your Sunday Clothes is an embarrassingly boring number in an otherwise good show, Hello Dolly. I know they make it exciting by exquisite costumes and dancing and what not - but the concept of the song itself is so dated that I just find it annoying.
"
The "concept of the song"? What does that even mean?
I think it's one of Herman's best songs and certainly one of his best lyrics. It perfectly dramatizes an era when most people had two, and only two, sets of clothing: their everyday work outfit that they wore six days per week and the outfit they saved for Sunday, weddings and funerals. What's more, the "dream" of a day in New York is subtly dramatic, growing from a mere chance to see "lots of world out there" to "we won't come home until we fall in love"! A perfect foreshadowing of the rest of the play.
It's been years since I saw the 1970s revival, but people say the Gower Champion staging of the number was exquisite.
???
(Edited to fix typos.)
BroadwayMan5
Featured Actor Joined: 7/30/15
#40Good Parts of
Posted: 5/5/16 at 10:58pm
Good parts of "eh" musicals for me:
"As Long As He Needs Me (Reprise)" from Oliver... don't care for the show but that always gives me chills
"Memory" from Cats
The scene & song in Vittorio Vidal's bedroom in Sweet Charity... also don't care for the show but I feel like this is the closest it gets to being what I wish it was
"Love Changes Everything" from Aspects of Love
"Don't Break the Rules" and "Goodbye" from Catch Me If You Can
"King of New York" (especially) and "Seize the Day" (sort of) in Newsies
"Eh" parts of Good Musicals
"On the Steps of the Palace" from Into the Woods
"The Rumor" from Fiddler on the Roof
The Father character in Ragtime
Miss Honey's songs in Matilda
#41Good Parts of
Posted: 5/7/16 at 12:39pm
It always surprises me, but really shouldn't, that we have such differing opinions. On the past few posts alone, Love Changes Everything is my least fave and the most cliche ALW moment in Aspects for me, The Steps of the Palace is a fave of mine, Father father in Ragtime is meant to and should be meh.
And two mehs to One More Kiss from Follies? The song, is the show - and I find it funny one person said Memory was the only good thing about Cats in the same post when the songs essentially share so much in common.
But yes, The Rumor in Fiddler gets a huge meh (many golden age shows have one number like that for me--It's a Scandal in Oklahoma! Etc)
Jarethan
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/10/11
#42Good Parts of
Posted: 5/7/16 at 5:50pm
Valentina3 said: "Put On Your Sunday Clothes is an embarrassingly boring number in an otherwise good show, Hello Dolly. I know they make it exciting by exquisite costumes and dancing and what not - but the concept of the song itself is so dated that I just find it annoying.
I think it is the second best number in the show...I get goosebumps everytime I see it the way they have orchestrated to vocals to soar towards the end. There is not a lot of real dancing, but there's plenty in the rest of the show.
"
Jarethan
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/10/11
#43Good Parts of
Posted: 5/7/16 at 6:17pm
BroadwayConcierge said: "It is so important for Hamilton to conclude with Eliza's narrative and a retrospection of the narrative at large. "Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story" is literally the point of the entire show. It's brilliant and gives me chills every time.
I haven't seen Hamilton (am seeing it May 25th) but I agree with you, the ending is incredibly moving. As good as I fully expect the show to be, I am sure that ending plays a significant role in the Hamilton ardor.
As for my choices,
-- I continue to feel that the original production of Follies has not been surpassed in the past 40 years, but I was always bored during Too Many Mornings or The Right Girl (until I saw Danny B. perform it few years ago). My enjoyment of One Last Kiss has always depended on the performers, with the most recent run providing the best version IMO. (Overall, I did not like then reduction on that much...I disliked Jan Maxwell, hated the Loveland set, and thought the original choreography was better in Who's That Woman)
-- I HATE CATS, and have never liked Betty Buckley very much, but I thought Singing Memory twice meant that I loved the show for about 8 minutes. ALW's best song and one of the best in theatre history.
-- The Act was a pretty crummy musical, but I always loved the City Lights number and song
-- I was disappointed in Titanic, but I loved the opening number
-- I love Gypsy, but I have always hated Little Lamb (I know why it is included, but still hate it) and the more times I have seen it, the more I also hated All I Need is the Girl
-- I have always thought that the movie of South Pacific did a better job with the opening scenes. Despite 4 great songs in a row, I thought it was too quiet for too long. I loved the revival, but wish Sher had somehow integrated the quiet scenes and crowd scenes, as the (very flawed) movie did. I am sure this will be a very unpopular opinion, but I feel it)
-- I didn't like Seesaw, but I thought It's Not Where You Start was terrific
-- I didn't like Mack and Mabel, but even on first viewing, it was clear that Time Heals Everything was special, in a way there rest of the score was not...on first hearing
-- I love Hello Dolly, but I have never liked the Ribbons Down My Back number and scene, and I have come to hate It Only Takes a Moment. I hate the song and the was they cornice introduced the chorus into singing it.
-- I would have loved Kiss Me Kate much more if they left out the Shakespeare songs. I have watched this on TV, where I fast forward through them and like it much more. Again, I am sure most would disagree with me here.
#44Good Parts of
Posted: 5/7/16 at 6:40pm
I don't even like Hello Dolly (though I can appreciate why people do), but when my secondary school did it and I ended up being asked to join the chorus--they needed any guy in the school with a dance background--"Put On Your Sunday Clothes" was the guaranteed showstopper every night. I can only imagine how it would go over in Champion's staging with professionals.
#45Good Parts of
Posted: 5/7/16 at 6:42pm
Jerethan--the only one of your choices I'm curious about is The Right Girl in Follies. The brief clips of Gene Nelson's angry tap dance in the original production always looked terrific to me--although I have heard that his performance of it was not always good and sometimes he dropped the dance.
#46Good Parts of
Posted: 5/7/16 at 11:34pm
BroadwayConcierge said: "I loathed Finding Neverland, but I have to say that
"
I was going to say the exact same thing. One of the best scenes I have ever seen.
#47Good Parts of
Posted: 5/8/16 at 2:35am
The first act of the Kristin Chenoweth revival of Promises, Promises was a snoozefest, but Tony winner Katie Finneran, Sean Hayes and Dick Latessa turned most of the second act into hilarity.
#48Good Parts of
Posted: 5/8/16 at 4:16am
I enjoy "I Will Prevail" from Wonderland.
#49Good Parts of
Posted: 5/8/16 at 4:59am
Dave13 said: "BroadwayConcierge said: "I loathed Finding Neverland, but I have to say that
"
I was going to say the exact same thing. One of the best scenes I have ever seen.
"
Hmmm it was good but would have been better if they had found a way to hide all the fans
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