I hope I'm wrong, but was DREAMGIRLS the last innovative musical?

[morosco]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 2:08am

I sure miss Michael Bennett.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 2:10am

Hi Morosco, :)

So I can answer your question, what do you mean by 'innonative musical'?

[morosco]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 2:12am

Hmmmmm.....something that breaks the boundries of what's expected and something that advances the CRAFT of the musical.

[magruder]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 2:13am

Dreamgirls was probably the last great show that was pretty innovative in all departments, but I'd give some points to Sunday in the Park with George, City of Angels, Grand Hotel and Bring in 'Da Noise for pulling off some pretty startling things of their own.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 2:13am

SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE came after DREAMGIRLS

EDIT:Posted before I saw Magruder's post

Updated On: 10/10/04 at 02:13 AM

[magruder]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 2:14am

I know. All the shows I mentioned came after Dreamgirls.

Updated On: 10/10/04 at 02:14 AM

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 2:19am

I thought KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN broke a lot of new ground in its integration of movies into a stage musical.

[morosco]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 2:20am

Mary_Ethel,
Good point. SPIDER WOMAN was amazing!

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 2:42am

Hey Morosco, :)

Did you see Chita Rivera in show?

[musicaltheatreman]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 3:25am

juile taymor broke new grounds with the lion king!!!

[jo]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 3:39am

AVENUE Q is different, too, in the way it connects with the audience ( the book and the staging).

[magruder]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 10:11am

I like Avenue Q, but I don't think it's a particularly innovative show. How do you mean, Jo?

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 10:15am

I'm probably one of Avenue Q's biggest fans
but I can honestly say that nothing has yet to compare to Dreamgirls

Posted: 10/10/04 at 10:23am

I'd agree that DREAMGIRLS was the last innovative musical until CAROLINE OR CHANGE.

Before DREAMGIRLS was A CHORUS LINE and to a slightly lesser degree CHICAGO.

These shows are innovative, in my opinion, because of the way book, music, lyrics, staging and performances are integrated to created a seamless whole.

It takes vision to be innovative.

Bennett and Wolff are stage visionaries, ditto Fosse.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 2:16pm

Hi Jose' :),

I agree with you about CHICAGO. Show is subtitled "A Musical Vaudeville" because charactrs all express themselves via vaudeville "tunrs."

For example, "Funny Honey" is introduced as Roxie's Opening Number by announcer. Court scene is played as a circus routine.

Unfortunately, film couldn't quite capture the same essence.

I saw the original CHICAGO twice--one with Gwen Verdon and one with Liza Minnelli. Both were mesmerizing for different reasons.

[touchmeinthemorning]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 2:22pm

Caroline, or Change

Urinetown

SITPWG

I'd even go so far as to say Rent did something innovative...combining Brechtian staging with rock music and vocals.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 2:23pm

While not completely innovative, Passion was the first musical in a long time to be irony-free and have no applause breaks.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 5:02pm

URINETOWN, much as I love it, was very much like any Brecht Musical- just of our period.

Posted: 10/10/04 at 5:05pm

I thought Ragtime was innovative.

It brought a huge cast and a moving score and amazing scenery into one big bad ass broadway show that is amazing.