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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GREENWILLOW MERRILY MACK AND MABEL DEAR WORLD TABOO
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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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ATTENTION FANS: I will be played by James Barbour in the upcoming musical, "BroadwayWorld: The Musical."
Once again: CARRIE does not have a "great" score! I know its very trendy to think otherwise...
"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
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)
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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.
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. ^_^