"It's a Musical for People Who Don't like Musicals" — Page 2

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#26

re: 'It's a Musical for People Who Don't like Musicals'

Posted: 7/3/07 at 3:47pm

This was taken from the OBCR booklet:

"Duncan said that one thing he didn't like about musicals was that one minute the characters are talking, the next minute they're singing; and a moment later, they're taling again"

I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.

#27

re: 'It's a Musical for People Who Don't like Musicals'

Posted: 7/3/07 at 4:03pm

God forbid anyone should try and open people's minds about musical theatre! Especially those who know litte about it. We wouldn't want them to barge into our elitist society.

Duncan Shiek stated his opinion and wrote a musical the way he wanted. So what?

Shows that don't resemble the "classic American musical comedy" using a marketing strategy to attract those who may not enjot the "classic American musical comedy" are known as...smart. So what?

Not every musical is doing it. In fact, very few are. So what?

The film version of Chicago used a different device for more than one reason. Mainly to make it work for the screen. It did and it was hugely successful. What the hell is so awful about that? How many movie musicals have you seen that have been 100% faithful to the original production? Almost none is the answer.

So what?

The bottom line is, producers, directors, and creators will promote their show how they deem fit. It is either their vision, or their marketing strategy. And if it gets people who don't like musicals to buy tickets to musicals (i.e. keeping artists employed), I can't possibly see how it's such a bad thing.

Why are musical theatre fans such snobs?

"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian

#28

re: 'It's a Musical for People Who Don't like Musicals'

Posted: 7/3/07 at 10:02pm

Mister Matt, I don't believe people are talking about taking musical theater to a different direction. I find most people are taking offense to what the SA creators are saying and how they are saying it.

They refuse to call it musicals or musical theater, and they are basically bad-mouthing any type of classical musical theater just to prop up their musical. Many people do not feel Spring Awakening is that different from what we've seen before and feel that they are overestimating how innovative their show really is.

It's fine that they want to open up their audience and try to reach to people who wouldn't normally pay attention to anything on Broadway, but their attitude is really a bit much.

"[Gore] was widely perceived as arrogant. If you know something, you're not smart. You're a smarty-pants. It's annoying. People get annoyed with your knowledge. It goes back to high school, to not doing your homework ... 'There's something I should know, I don't know why I should know it but someone knows it and I don't. So I'm going to have to make fun of him now.'" -Sarah Vowell, The Partly-Cloudy Patriot

Updated On: 7/3/07 at 10:02 PM

#29

re: 'It's a Musical for People Who Don't like Musicals'

Posted: 7/3/07 at 10:05pm

At least Kacie says more positive things about theatre in her trip to the Tonys:

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=32350944

#30

re: 'It's a Musical for People Who Don't like Musicals'

Posted: 7/3/07 at 10:12pm

I can't believe I read another blog of her's.

#31

re: 'It's a Musical for People Who Don't like Musicals'

Posted: 7/3/07 at 10:16pm

Heh - ditto!

#32

re: 'It's a Musical for People Who Don't like Musicals'

Posted: 7/3/07 at 10:23pm

Why is it that we are so offended when a musical that is "main stream" open like Spamalot opens.

We get seem to hate it because it violates the history of Musical theatre and is not as artist-y as something like Grey Gardens.

Is it so difficult for us to respect that there are people out there that are trying to get people to come to broadway and see shows? Is that SO wrong of them?

I first fell in love with Broadway because of shows like Wicked and Spamalot and have grown a deep respect for "thinking" musicals like Grey Gardens and Company, and I'm sure there are people who have developed as theatre fans in the same way. but are less than willing to admit it because of the label you get slapped with when you admit that you do infact like Wicked.

Also, when shows like Grey Gardens are closing after a 9-month run... and Wicked or Spamalot have been running for a couple years now and have recouped their investment. WHo are we to say that they don't belong on Broadway.

What makes us the moral centre of musical theatre?

Updated On: 7/3/07 at 10:23 PM

#33

re: 'It's a Musical for People Who Don't like Musicals'

Posted: 7/3/07 at 10:27pm

"Why is it that we are so offended when a musical that is "main stream" open like Spamalot opens"

I really hate this argument that whenever something is "mainstream" everyone automatically hates it. I love Sondheim, and yet I love mainstream stuff like Avenue and Hairspray. I really don't get this argument at all.

And for the record, no one was offended when Spamalot opened, but a lot of people were pretty pissed when it won Best Musical because it was, arguably, the weakest of the four nominees.

I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.

#34

re: 'It's a Musical for People Who Don't like Musicals'

Posted: 7/3/07 at 10:33pm

My point is:

If shows are attracting people to come see live theatre is it really that bad?

#35

re: 'It's a Musical for People Who Don't like Musicals'

Posted: 7/3/07 at 10:35pm

Maybe people think they should be seeing (in their opninion) better shows. For example, I would prefer many of the people selling out Wicked every week to be seeing Grey Gardens, but...

I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.

#36

re: 'It's a Musical for People Who Don't like Musicals'

Posted: 7/3/07 at 10:36pm

I, like many of the fellow thread posters, am not bashing mainstream musicals.

Ugh - I don't feel like reposting my comments. So I won't.

#37

re: 'It's a Musical for People Who Don't like Musicals'

Posted: 7/3/07 at 11:38pm

Wonderfulwizard, I agree that musicals like Grey Gardens deserve the numbers that Wicked gets... but we can't spend peoples money for them, if hey want to see Wicked, who are we to tell them that they should REALLY be seeing Grey Gardens instead. (it is a shame however when someone has seen Wicked like ten times and have no idea who Stephen Sondhiem is.)

Evadiva, the point of my comment was in accordance with yours. I feel like if people who are more "theatre-literate" think that people who aren't should be more open minded, then I think that the people who consider themselves "theatre-literate" should in turn be open to the newer styles of musicals as well like Spamalot or Wicked

Updated On: 7/3/07 at 11:38 PM

#38

re: 'It's a Musical for People Who Don't like Musicals'

Posted: 7/6/07 at 11:38pm

"it is a shame however when someone has seen Wicked like ten times and have no idea who Stephen Sondhiem is"

Another Amen. What a chilling (but true) statement.

That's going on my signature quotes.

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