Legendary Musical of the Decade

[[e-mail]]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 3:25pm

Similar to the 20th century match-up, this one decides which musical first produced in each decade was the most monumental of it's time.

1920s - Showboat
1930s -
1940s - Oklahoma
1950s - West Side Story
1960s - Cabaret
1970s - Jesus Christ Superstar
1980s - Les Miserables
1990s - Ragtime
2000s - Light in the Piazza

Anyone else want to help fill in or revise?
Updated On: 7/22/06 at 03:25 PM

[Yero]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 3:28pm

Updated On: 7/22/06 at 03:28 PM

[[e-mail]]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 3:28pm

The point is to say which show was the most "revolutionary" in it's time.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 3:29pm

Show Boat for the '20s, and Oklahoma! for the '40s are locks, I think.

While Jesus Christ superstar was an important piece in the rock opera genre, Chorus Line was vastly more influential for the '70s.

Updated On: 7/22/06 at 03:29 PM

[cooperross]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 3:30pm

1920s-Showboat
1940s-Oklahoma

both could be considered as seemingly changing the face of Musical Theatre in ut's time.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 3:36pm

How can we say which musical was most revolutionary in the 2000's if a) it's not over yet and b) we haven't had time to see how the musical affected Broadway????

And what was revolutionary about RAGTIME? I mean, it is a brilliant show, but hardly anything extraordinary. THE LION KING was more "revolutionary."

[Smaxie]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 3:37pm

Can you explain why you think Ragtime and Light in the Piazza belong on your list? Not arguing about their quality, but I'm wondering what makes them monumental or influential in your view.

Although it wasn't a huge hit in its first production, I think Porgy & Bess should take the '30s slot.

[[e-mail]]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 3:40pm

I think Ragtime because it's a return to the epic and theatrical musical. Perhaps Lion King should go in the slot.

I put Piazza in there because I wasn't sure what else should go in. What would work better? I'm open to suggestions

[Smaxie]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 3:44pm

I think you could go in three directions for the '00s, in terms of most influential musical of the decade, for better or worse.

1) Mamma Mia! - for kicking off the jukebox musical trend

2) Hairspray - for launching an avalanche of movies turned musicals

3) Urinetown - for making it possible for quirky vest-pocket musicals like Avenue Q and Spelling Bee to eschew Off-Broadway for Broadway.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 3:49pm

Lion King is probably a better choice for the '90s, as it is the reason you have Universal, Warner Bros., Dreamworks, MGM and other movie studios now trying their hand at Broadway. I think Ragtime, as one of the last gasps of Livent, is more of a one-off. I don't think you'll see anyone attempting a show on quite that same size and scale.

Rent, too, might be a fine choice for the '90s. Some dismiss it as the '90s answer to Hair, but it was rare for a Broadway musical to cause as much excitement as Rent did when it opened.

[FoscasBohemianDream]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 3:50pm

For the 80s I believe that Cats is more significant than Les Miz because it was the first show from the 80s "British Invasion" to be a cemented hit (Evita at least had an American director and it wasn't the hit Cats, Les Miz, or Phantom would be). In terms of direction and staging, I believe Nine, Grand Hotel, or Dreamgirls had the most revolutionary stagings of the 80s.

[cooperross]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 4:11pm

for the 70s (xover to 80) I'd have to say Sweeney Todd

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 4:23pm

I think HAIR was probably more influential in the 1960s than CABARET. CABARET came just after what most historians declare the "end" of the golden era of musical theatre (usually marked with HELLO DOLLY in 1965) and while I think some of Hal Prince's staging was certainly influential; it didn't really change the kind of musicals being staged.

HAIR was the first musical to feature rock music and full nudity, and was the last cast album to ever be Number 1 on the Billboard charts.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 4:29pm

I think RENT was a bit more revolutionary than RAGTIME. It shaped quite a huge generation of new Broadway fans.

[cooperross]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 4:40pm

well..iluv..at what cost? New Broadway fans ready to accept mediocrity at best?

[Over_the_Moon]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 4:48pm

Agree with Hair, A Chorus Line, and The Lion King.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 4:49pm

If I was making the decision, it would be Caroline, Or Change.

But I like Smaxie's argument that Urinetown set a new wave of writing for theatre--ANY time a play or musical in the 00s makes fun of itself or of the convention of theatre, it has Urinetown to owe credit for that notion.

And, I agree with Broadway producer, Stuart Ostrow, that Rent is the 4th Landmark musical, following Oklahoma!, Hair, and A Chorus Line.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 5:04pm

I'm not sure that URINETOWN opened doors for shows from the fringe circuit to move to Broadway, so much as it was the first to realize that Off Broadway is currently a broken formula and that no matter how small the show, you really have to play a Broadway house to make money.

But even if that was the sole accomplishment, it is sizable as it illustrates how fiscally, theatre in New York City has drastically changed from 20 years ago.

The winner though, has to be MAMMA MIA! which launched the jukebox trend and is shortly going to take PHANTOM as the most globally successful musical of all time.

I would probably still vote for LION KING for the 90s. It really did start the entertainment corporation take over of Broadway, which has completely changed and revitalized the industry.

RENT was a cult pheom, but it didn't really "influence" the theatre that came after it. And it's subject matter and presentation wasn't really what I would call ground breaking, just timely.


I'd vote for:

1920s: SHOWBOAT
1930s: OF THEE I SING
1940s: OKLAHOMA!
1950s: WEST SIDE STORY
1960s: HAIR
1970s: A CHORUS LINE
1980s: CATS
1990s: THE LION KING
2000s: MAMMA MIA!


Updated On: 7/22/06 at 05:04 PM

[Smaxie]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 5:13pm

It's true, Michael Bennett. Even 10 years ago, shows like Grey Gardens or Spring Awakening would have opted for an Off-Broadway commercial run, instead of braving Broadway. The economics of Off-Broadway just don't make sense anymore, and alas, we're seeing the whole Off-Broadway landscape dry up before our eyes.

[TomMonster]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 6:29pm

Strange that Sondheim didn't make any of these lists. I think Company had an effect on every show after it...

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 6:46pm

Michael Bennett---I like your list a lot. And your reasoning. In fact, I would agree with every single one of your choices.

But to round out that last century, I would add:

1900s: The Ziegfeld Follies
1910s: Naughty Marietta

Updated On: 7/22/06 at 06:46 PM

[Jon]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 7:06pm

I'd put PRODUCERS in for the 2000's - it heralded the return of musical COMEDY.

[Holliwoodblonde]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 7:30pm

and outrageous ticket prices.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 8:11pm

Legendary musical of the 1900s might be Floradora, and its wildly celebrated Floradora Girls, who were all the rage. It also produced the huge popular hit of the day, "Tell Me Pretty Maiden".

I think the most important development in musicals during the 1910s were the Princess Theatre shows. They are the important link in the evolution of musical comedy. The most distinguished titles are probably Very Good Eddie, Leave it to Jane and Oh, Boy!, but I couldn't decide between those three.

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 7/22/06 at 8:21pm

I thik RENT for the 90's and A Chorus Line for the 70's. They both had a huge impact on Broadway.