Greatest Book Of A Musical - What do you think?- Page 3

[zoran912]

re: Greatest Book Of A Musical - What do you think?#50

Posted: 6/21/05 at 2:43am

Definitely SIDE SHOW.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Carl Magnum]

re: Greatest Book Of A Musical - What do you think?#51

Posted: 6/21/05 at 2:44am

Gypsy without a doubt can stand alone without the music. Gypsy hands down.

I got rid of my teeth at a young age because... I'm straight. Teeth are for gay people. That's why fairies come and get them

[MyNameInLights]

re: Greatest Book Of A Musical - What do you think?#52

Posted: 6/21/05 at 2:51am

I agree with you Carl. Gypsy would be just as incredible as a play as it is a musical.

I'd also have to go with Into the Woods.

"The stage is where I live and come alive and act out all the things that go on in my life. It's not just what I do for a living, it's my shrink and my love affair. No one in my life has ever or ever will kiss me on the mouth like this lover called my relationship with my performance."

[Justice]

re: Greatest Book Of A Musical - What do you think?#53

Posted: 6/21/05 at 7:35am

City of Angels.

It's clever and funny with AND without the music

"Do you know what pledge time is, Andrew"? said the PBS Executive. "Yes", Lloyd Webber replied. "My 50th birthday special must be one program that gets done a lot." "No", mused the man from PBS heedlessy. "Not so much. Our Stephen Sondheim Carnegie Hall concert. That's a big one." Spoons, forks and knives seemed suddenly to suspend their motion in horror, all around the table.

[South Fl Marc]

re: Greatest Book Of A Musical - What do you think?#54

Posted: 6/21/05 at 9:16am

My Fair Lady - The book is mostly the play by Shaw.

[midtowngym]

re: Greatest Book Of A Musical - What do you think?#55

Posted: 6/21/05 at 9:31am

I've seen two productions of Sweeney, and both Sweeney's were camp and over the top. No nuance or subtlety. Non-stop maniacal grins, huffing and puffing, and Kabuki makeup. My friend (who has seen several more productions)said it's a valid interpretation, but i'm now convinced he's wrong.

'The Devil be hitting me!'--Whitney Houston

Updated On: 6/21/05 at 09:31 AM

[arishmoof]

re: Greatest Book Of A Musical - What do you think?#56

Posted: 6/21/05 at 9:54am

i definitely second those who say Cabaret- the book is VERY strong.

i also side with those who list Into the Woods, but with some reservations- it gets tricky because ITW is closer to an operetta than a musical, the music serves as dialogue and the spoken word as music, etc. Sondheim and Lapine did such a seamless job in combining book and score that its almost hard to tell the difference between the two. but in terms of the story told, regardless of the music, it is very strong, so i would say that is one of my favorite books, definitely.

you may know what you need but to get what you want better see that you keep what you have

[Justice]

re: Greatest Book Of A Musical - What do you think?#57

Posted: 6/21/05 at 9:56am

Cabaret = I Am a Camera.
It was a play before it was a musical.
Should that even count as best book?

"Do you know what pledge time is, Andrew"? said the PBS Executive. "Yes", Lloyd Webber replied. "My 50th birthday special must be one program that gets done a lot." "No", mused the man from PBS heedlessy. "Not so much. Our Stephen Sondheim Carnegie Hall concert. That's a big one." Spoons, forks and knives seemed suddenly to suspend their motion in horror, all around the table.

[arishmoof]

re: Greatest Book Of A Musical - What do you think?#58

Posted: 6/21/05 at 9:59am

the book for the musical isnt the same as the play. its just based on the play, and yes that counts

you may know what you need but to get what you want better see that you keep what you have

[PleaseChangeMe]

re: Greatest Book Of A Musical - What do you think?#59

Posted: 6/21/05 at 10:28am

Follies
Assassins
Sweeney Todd
A Little Night Music
Into the Woods

[WonderBoy]

re: Greatest Book Of A Musical - What do you think?#60

Posted: 6/21/05 at 11:21am

I have to throw MAME in there as well.

"For me, THEATRE is an anticipation, an artistic rush, an emotional banquet, a jubilant appreciation, and an exit hopeful of clearer thought and better worlds." ~ an anonymous traveler with Robert Burns

[D-VA]

re: Greatest Book Of A Musical - What do you think?#61

Posted: 6/21/05 at 12:05pm

Into the Woods
Gypsy
Sweeney Todd

[munkustrap178]

re: Greatest Book Of A Musical - What do you think?#62

Posted: 6/21/05 at 12:33pm

Gypsy
Into the Woods
She Loves Me
Cabaret
Sweeney Todd
My Fair Lady
Shenendoah
1776

"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

[PJ]

re: Greatest Book Of A Musical - What do you think?#63

Posted: 6/21/05 at 12:34pm

If you want to know the best, just ask Arthur Laurents. He'd have no trouble telling you that Gypsy is.

[idinarocksmysocks!510]

re: Greatest Book Of A Musical - What do you think?#64

Posted: 6/21/05 at 1:23pm

Guys and Dolls. But I'm byest!

you say i'm weird! look at everyone you're sitting with! and hey, those guys over there just threw napkins up in the air like they were on something! it's contajous! you can't help it!

[MargoChanning]

re: Greatest Book Of A Musical - What do you think?#65

Posted: 6/21/05 at 1:25pm

"byest" ???????

Do you mean "biased?"

"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

[LittleFish8386]

re: Greatest Book Of A Musical - What do you think?#66

Posted: 6/21/05 at 1:35pm

Clearly Wicked...

[roquat]

re: Greatest Book Of A Musical - What do you think?#67

Posted: 6/22/05 at 2:36am

get bent

I ask in all honesty/What would life be?/Without a song and a dance, what are we?/So I say "Thank you for the music/For giving it to me."

[MyNameInLights]

re: Greatest Book Of A Musical - What do you think?#68

Posted: 6/22/05 at 5:09am

"byest"

LMAO.

"The stage is where I live and come alive and act out all the things that go on in my life. It's not just what I do for a living, it's my shrink and my love affair. No one in my life has ever or ever will kiss me on the mouth like this lover called my relationship with my performance."

[lensman55]

re: Greatest Book Of A Musical - What do you think?#69

Posted: 6/22/05 at 5:34am

I was wondering if anyone was going to mention Cabaret!

"Now and then life hits you on the back of the head with a sock full of wet porridge. How you handle that is up to you." - Tim Rice

[Broadwaygirl22]

re: Greatest Book Of A Musical - What do you think?#70

Posted: 6/22/05 at 1:01pm

The Producers! In the book it has notes from Mel Brooks on the songs and whatnot. The entire script is inside it too which is pretty cool!

"The opposite of war isn't peace, it's creation."

[roquat]

re: Greatest Book Of A Musical - What do you think?#71

Posted: 6/24/05 at 12:54am

How about "Little Shop of Horrors?" Compact, funny, suspenseful--keeps a tongue-in-cheek tone throughout while still making you care about the characters.

Anyone want to start a "worst book of all time" thread? I'm not talking about obvious flops ("Legs Diamond") or jukebox semi-revues ("Good Vibrations"). I'm thinking of musicals that were hits in spite of their dreadful books. My own submissions:

Sweet Charity
Bye, Bye Birdie
The Sound of Music (stage version!)
Camelot
Saturday Night Fever (I know it wasn't a "hit", but it's so dreadful it deserves a mention)
Footloose
Fame
Starmites

I ask in all honesty/What would life be?/Without a song and a dance, what are we?/So I say "Thank you for the music/For giving it to me."

[Sant]

re: Greatest Book Of A Musical - What do you think?#72

Posted: 6/24/05 at 10:12am

CHICAGO

THE KING AND I

SHOW BOAT