Kander and Ebb’s 3rd best show?

There was a question bouncing around social media recently... what is Ridley Scott’s third best movie? The assumption being that Alien and Blade Runner were indisputably his top two.

Inspired by this, I ask you... what is Kander and Ebb’s third best show? Assuming that Cabaret and Chicago win out overall.

Updated On: 1/18/24 at 08:57 PM

Scottsboro Boys. I'm always going to be salty about its untimely demise. One of my most moving theatrical experiences.

They’re all so good and can only of production but Scottsboro Boys is just so good. I’d love to see another take on it.

About a dozen years ago I saw a scaled down version of The Happy Time at the Signature Theatre in Virginia that was absolute perfection. It demonstrated to me that Gower Champion, despite his Tony wins, was the wrong director for the original production, which was incredibly bloated. Encores should take a look at it if they haven't already done so, because the score is really good and, scaled down, it is a delicate, wonderful experience..

I have a special place in my heart for 70 Girls 70, but I think that Scottsboro Boys would be fourth on my list. It may have been an off performance when I saw it, but Kiss left me cold. I could see the talent that went into it...it just didn't move me the way the movie did. The Visit was also special, but was never going to attract a large audience -- maybe it should have opened off-Broadway.

They did have quite a few clunkers to me, including The Act, Flora, Steel Pier and The Rink. I know there are people on this board who think The Rink is underappreciated; to me, it was the one I enjoyed the least, despite the cast.

I love The Visit soooo much.

I only know The Rink from the cast album & came to it 20 years after it opened, but I love the songs more than those in Kiss of the Spiderwoman.

Recently found this video compiling TV reviews & Wow no one really liked it when it premiered. So many catty bitches. I want to go back in time and cut their tongues out. Especially the one who says something like "In my neighborhood we call that a drag."

TotallyEffed said: "I love The Visit soooo much."

I adored The Visit at Williamstown and found Roger Rees & Chita to be electrifying (and Jason Danieley, the big standout of the show). Moody & dark & impeccably staged & designed.

When I saw it again on Broadway, something was clearly wrong with Roger Rees (though we didn't know what that was yet) and I felt his performance resembled nothing of the brilliance we saw at Williamstown. The calibration of the show was off, with Chita and those around her trying to compensate. I don't think I would have loved it if I only saw it on Bway.

I am glad the show made it to Broadway (even if it was just briefly) and that it got some Tony nominations, I'm sad that we lost Roger at such a young age (he'd be turning 80 this year), and I'm happy that Chita got to play this part on Broadway.

Updated On: 1/19/24 at 10:16 AM

I miss the days of Broadway openings making the nightly news...that being said Dennis Cunningham on CBS was always sooo damn mean!

Sorry, but the right title should be "which was the 3rd most successful show of Kander and Ebb", not the best. Quality doesn't always equal box office success.

I think Kiss of the Spider Woman is their #1. I haven't seen all of their shows, but out of what I've seen, I'd say #2 is Zorba and #3 is Chicago. I have only seen Scottsboro Boys, The Visit, Curtains and Cabaret besides the one I mentioned.

I think the movies of Chicago and Cabaret were amazing. But the live version of Cabaret I saw at Studio 54 wasn't as effective. I feel I'd have loved The Rink and The Woman of the Year.

I thought Scottsboro and Curtains were absolutely dreadful.

muscle23ftl said: "Sorry, but the right title should be "which was the 3rd most successful show of Kander and Ebb", not the best. Quality doesn't always equal box office success.

I think Kiss of the Spider Woman is their #1. I haven't seen all of their shows, but out of what I've seen, I'd say #2 is Zorba and #3 is Chicago. I have only seen Scottsboro Boys, The Visit, Curtains and Cabaret besides the one I mentioned.

I think the movies of Chicago and Cabaret were amazing. But the live version of Cabaret I saw at Studio 54 wasn't as effective. I feel I'd have loved The Rink and The Woman of the Year.

I thought Scottsboro and Curtains were absolutely dreadful."

I forgot they did Woman of the Year. It really was a mediocre show. The score was better than the show, and it’s Tier 2 or 3 K&E. That said, if you thought Scottaboro was dreadful, we probably do t have the same taste. I think Cabaret is their masterpiece.

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "TotallyEffed said: "I love The Visit soooo much."

I adored The Visit at Williamstown and found Roger Rees & Chita to be electrifying (and Jason Danieley, the big standout of the show). Moody & dark & impeccably staged & designed.

When I saw it again on Broadway, something was clearly wrong with Roger Rees (though we didn't know what that was yet) and I felt his performance resembled nothing of the brilliance we saw at Williamstown. The calibration of the show was off, with Chita and those around her trying to compensate. I don't think I would have loved it if I only saw it on Bway.

I am glad the show made it to Broadway (even if it was just briefly), that it got some Tony nominations, and that we got one last big leading performance from Chita."

I saw The Visit when Tom Nelis took over for Roger Rees and very much echo your statements about it at Williamstown. I would actually put it in line for third, it's certainly one of Kander's strongest scores. And I think they found a heart to the piece that I don't find as present in the original play.

Whether the shows completely work or not (I saw Woman of the Year last year and didn't find it particularly inspired), I've always found something worthwhile in every Kander and Ebb musical. I do hope John Kander has left instructions for what he would like to see done with their Skin of Our Teeth musical. The play will eventually enter the public domain and I'd love to see what they did with it.

Funny Lady was such a bad movie that I can’t even remember any of the K&E songs. Were there any that ‘survived’ the movie?

I draw a complete blank on Funny Lady too, but I’m coming up to that chapter in Barbra’s memoir so maybe I will pay it a visit soon. I know it was just a contractual obligation for her, signed before she had even made the Funny Girl movie. Maybe nobody’s heart was really in it, K & E’s included.

Theme from New York, New York definitely survived its source movie as I’m sure we all know. I realize it has just been used in its own show recently, but if there is ever a stage musical based on the life and career of Liza Minnelli it would have to be included. Think of it... “Liza with a Z”, now playing. If all of the other wonderful songs that Kander and Ebb wrote for her were included, I think it could be a contender for 3rd best.