Great Score, Shame About The Book

#1

Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 4:00pm

I was listening to John Doyle on Downstage Center and one of the subjects that came up was his production of Mack and Mabel. I quote John Doyle as saying, "How many people have said, "Great score, shame about the book"?"

So, I was wondering, what other shows fit this "criteria" where a show possesses an amazing score but has a problematic or just downright sucky book. Here are my picks:

Carrie
Chess (Broadway)
Dance of the Vampires (Broadway)
Dessa Rose
Whistle Down The Wind (I'm here, I'm an ALW fan, get used to it)

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#2

re: Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 4:03pm

(Bracing myself for In the Heights bashing)

#3

re: Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 4:03pm

CAMELOT
JAMAICA
MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG

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Cheyenne Jackson tickled me. AFTER ordering SoMMS a drink but NOT tickling him, and hanging out with Girly in his dressing room (where he DIDN'T tickle her) but BEFORE we got married. To others. And then he tweeted Boobs. He also tweeted he's good friends with some chick on "The Voice" who just happens to be good friends with Tink's ex. And I'm still married. Oh, and this just in: "Pettiness, spite, malice ....Such ugly emotions... So sad." - After Eight, talking about MEEEEEEEE!!! I'm so honored! :-)

#4

re: Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 4:06pm

As I just posted on another thread, Funny Girl has a book that stinks on ice.

#5

re: Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 4:08pm

COLOR PURPLE for me. I love that score, but the book is a mess. Very shocking considering Ms. Norman's other works.

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Some people paint, some people sew, I meddle.

#6

re: Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 4:08pm

Candide.

I should qualify that by saying there are (obviously) great things in the score. Not that it's a perfect score.

#7

re: Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 4:10pm

phantom

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"The good news is I have an excellent Tony speech. The bad news is I've had it for forty-five years."-Elaine Stritch

#8

re: Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 4:11pm

WcKd!

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#9

re: Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 4:16pm

Clearly "In The Heights " fits right into this category. I also don't think history will be kind to its score either.

Updated On: 6/17/08 at 04:16 PM

#10

re: Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 4:24pm

GREENWILLOW
MERRILY
MACK AND MABEL
DEAR WORLD
TABOO

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"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.” ~ Muhammad Ali

#11

re: Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 4:27pm

COMPANY
PASSING STRANGE (there, I said it)
SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE

not that anyone remembers it, but that dreadful little show NEVER GONNA DANCE. Great score, a collection of classics. Book apparently written for slow-witted third graders. Appalling.

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"If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about the answers." Thomas Pynchon, GRAVITY'S RAINBOW "Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Philip K. Dick My blog: http://www.roscoewrites.blogspot.com/

#12

re: Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 4:29pm

Carrie
A Dolls Life
Prettybelle

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#13

re: Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 4:36pm

I've got another one:

Steel Pier

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Butters, go buy World of Warcraft, install it on your computer, and join the online sensation before we all murder you. --Cartman: South Park ATTENTION FANS: I will be played by James Barbour in the upcoming musical, "BroadwayWorld: The Musical."

#14

re: Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 4:36pm

Once again: CARRIE does not have a "great" score! I know its very trendy to think otherwise...

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"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.” ~ Muhammad Ali

Updated On: 6/17/08 at 04:36 PM

#15

re: Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 4:43pm

I second Passing Strange.

#16

re: Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 4:44pm

It's equally trendy to dismiss it.

#17

re: Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 5:10pm

Taboo and Spring Awakening.

#18

re: Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 5:17pm

Parade, IMO, and The Life.

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#19

re: Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 5:22pm

I wouldn't say "great" score, but strong power ballad score:

"BKLYN"

As I haven't seen this mounted I can't vouche for it, but the general consenus is this would apply to:

"The Rink"

LOVE that score. Chita? Liza? How can you go wrong!

(P.S. Someone please re-write the book and produce it with Patti Loops and Leslie Kritzer. kthanxbye)

Updated On: 6/17/08 at 05:22 PM

#20

re: Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 5:34pm

Chess- most versions

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Like a firework unexploded
Wanting life but never knowing how

#21

re: Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 5:37pm

Into the Woods

#22

re: Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 5:38pm

Pippin.

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I want to apologize for some offensive messages posted on this board under my name. The night 0f 12-15-08 I did not have internet access, and someone had used my name to post something offensive. My avatar was also changed. I dont' know what else was posted, or if anyone recieved bad PMs, but I want to apologize for that. I've changed my password, and even though I was not the one posting these messages it still needed to be corrected.

#23

re: Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 5:38pm

Brigadoon

Carousel

#24

re: Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 5:42pm

I'm going to add GONE WITH THE WIND. The score's not great, but the book is SO terrible that the quality gulf between score and book is probably the same as the more legit musicals already discussed.

Srsly, any time we have a "bad book" discussion on this board from now until about... sixty years from now, I'm going to be right there, bitching about the horror of the GWTW book, until the day I day, and even longer if I can somehow fix that. It was That. Bad. ^_^

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#25

re: Great Score, Shame About The Book

Posted: 6/17/08 at 5:49pm

'Flora, the Red Menace'
'Dear World'

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