Musical Theatre Haters- Page 2

[Elfuhbuh]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 9:05pm

Once again, Dave19 is bringing up his hatred for the Les Mis film where the topic didn't ask for it.

We get it, man, you didn't like the movie; move on.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 9:13pm

since when are plays with background music considered musical theater?

[Charley Kringas Inc]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 9:51pm

I adore most musicals with very little reserve, so obviously I'm not a musical theatre hater, but I've met plenty of people who definitely do not care for musicals. The most common two complaints are "people don't sing in real life" and "I don't like the type of music", which both have some legitimacy. The sound of a musical has changed relatively little since the 30s/40s, when the style and substance was really laid down, and particularly as popular music has moved further and further from the musical theater world, the people who listen to popular music have grown more and more distant from it. On top of that, a lot of people are resistant to the idea of listening to a story directly via song, especially when that song is of a genre they don't totally enjoy.

 

Hamilton, for example, isn't a big deal because people are dying for more stories about the founding fathers, but because it's a musical told in a really, truly modern way. It's influenced and informed by the musical theatre language, but it's still hip hop, in all hip hop's linguistic density, intellectual trickery, and soulful rhythms and harmonies. Which, as it turns out, is a great way to tell a story (not that this is new to listeners of hip-hop) and people are being really, honestly drawn to it.

[ggersten]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 10:20pm

Back to the OP - Simon Cowell often denigrated singers on American Idol as being "too Broadway" or somesuch - so he could be a "hater"..  

 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 10:54pm

Or that style isn't what he thinks a.pop star ought to sound like.  Hardly bashing.

[Elfuhbuh]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 11:10pm

dramamama611 said: "Or that style isn't what he thinks a.pop star ought to sound like.  Hardly bashing."

That's what I always thought he meant. He wasn't saying a "Broadway sound" was bad, it just wasn't the style he was looking for.

[gypsy101]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 11:15pm

Elfuhbuh said: "Once again, Dave19 is bringing up his hatred for the Les Mis film where the topic didn't ask for it. We get it, man, you didn't like the movie; move on."

 

Agreed, so annoying. He's also obsessed with "acting through notes" or whatever

Updated On: 10/19/15 at 11:15 PM

[ggersten]

Posted: 10/18/15 at 11:22pm

Elfuhbuh said: "dramamama611 said: "Or that style isn't what he thinks a.pop star ought to sound like.  Hardly bashing."

 

That's what I always thought he meant. He wasn't saying a "Broadway sound" was bad, it just wasn't the style he was looking for.

Yes, dramamama11 - I actually agree, but was fumbling for some example. I did find this Betty Buckley story:  http://www.mjsbigblog.com/betty-buckley-blasts-randy-jackson-for-his-ignorant-and-stupid-diss-of-broadway-singers.htm

"

 

[OussyChang]

Posted: 10/19/15 at 3:36am

Thank you so much. Like you've said, the purpose of this post was not to rely on you guys as sources, but just to have some examples because I was having difficulty researching some of the examples for the argument that says musical is crap. As for Madonna and Shia LeBeauf, thank you so much for those examples, I can definitely use those. 

 

Thank you everyone for giving me ideas. I'll make sure I take in some of the criticisms and steamline my argument. Have a razzle dazzle of a day. 

[Eurotrash]

Posted: 10/19/15 at 5:00am

OP, you might want to write about 'Gesamtkunstwerk', or the Wagnerian synthesis of the arts, when the idea of music drama as the highest form of artistic expression was conceived and developed. 

And then discuss that, in the context of 'Dames at Sea'.

 

[Dave19]

Posted: 10/19/15 at 7:15am

dramamama611 said: "since when are plays with background music considered musical theater?

 

"

Since forever. For example, there is a show playing in Holland at the moment, Anne Frank, which is musical theatre, very film-like, with music, but no singing, except for a little humming here and there.

 

 

Updated On: 10/19/15 at 07:15 AM

[Dave19]

Posted: 10/19/15 at 7:17am

"He's also obsessed with "acting through notes" or whatever"

Aren't we all? That what is acting through song is about.

That's why I love musical.

Or do you see it as some kind of "avoiding the notes game"? Then why sing in the first place?

 

Updated On: 10/19/15 at 07:17 AM

[Showface]

Posted: 10/19/15 at 7:26am

Dave19 said: "dramamama611 said: "since when are plays with background music considered musical theater?

 

 

 

"

 

Since forever. For example, there is a show playing in Holland at the moment, Anne Frank, which is musical theatre, very film-like, with music, but no singing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"

 

Since never.

That is NOT a musical

It is not musical theatre

It is a play...with background music

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/19/15 at 7:31am

Dave19 said: "dramamama611 said: "since when are plays with background music considered musical theater?

 

 

 

"

Funny, every definition I find of MUSICAL THEATER, involves singing and/or dancing.  Not background music....which nearly every single play and movie has to large extent.

 

Since forever. For example, there is a show playing in Holland at the moment, Anne Frank, which is musical theatre, very film-like, with music, but no singing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"

 

 

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 10/19/15 at 7:36am

I'm not quite sure what direction you are going with this, Oussy.

There are many people who simply don't or rarely enjoy musicals, just as there are many people who simply don't or rarely enjoy some other particular things.  Including opera, action flicks, romance novels, sports, politics......  It is what it is.

The fact that "the musical" may be as serious and or artistic as any other form of art doesn't change the fact that some people simply don't or rarely favorably respond to it.

Mind you, I'm not suggesting that you don't have a paper worth writing there somewhere. But I'd suggest you may need to define further what exactly it is you want to address.


Updated On: 10/19/15 at 07:36 AM

[South Florida]

Posted: 10/19/15 at 7:50am

Henrike well put.  I think the OP was all over the place in the question.  I didn't understand it when I read through it, I applaud the English teachers in here for helping the OP with that, and agree with the last post, not so great an idea, for the same reasons.

[OussyChang]

Posted: 10/19/15 at 9:41am

Sorry for my terrible communication skills. I did type up the OP rather hastily. The reason I wanted to write about this topic is because musical theatre is often taken lightly by the outsiders. People always claim how musicals are improbable and unimportant, which I believe is the complete apposite. I find the artistic endeavors in the genre heartwarming, and do believe that musicals are just as profound, articulate and artistic as styles such as theatre of cruelty, poor theatre, physical theatre, etc. I have my argument for why musical theatre is still relevant and artistic, but I needed some examples of who are hating the genre, and why they are hating the genre. Sorry for my confusing OP, I hope this kind of cleared out what my original question was. 

[hork]

Posted: 10/19/15 at 11:12am

Elfuhbuh said: "Once again, Dave19 is bringing up his hatred for the Les Mis film where the topic didn't ask for it.

We get it, man, you didn't like the movie; move on.

 

Well, geez, who did like it? It was awful.

 

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 10/19/15 at 12:03pm

OussyChang said: "

musical theatre is often taken lightly by the outsiders.

People always claim how musicals are improbable and unimportant, which I believe is the complete apposite.

Hi poster. not sure you really have a clear thesis. is it about

why some people don't like/hate musicals

why some people dont respect the genre as much as other theatre art forms

An argument trying trying to persuade people who dont like musicals why they should give musical theatre a chance (like this angle)

 

im guessing since you are in high school this subject is amplified, since musical theatre kids are not considered the cool kids by many in high school

 

you will probably find very few celebrities bashing musical theatre. I did a brief google search and found one:

http://www.eonline.com/news/230955/grey-s-anatomy-star-hates-musicals-gets-auto-tuned-but-he-s-ok-with-that

certainly musical theatre and its influence on popular music has been in decline for 40+ years. Musical animated movies and musical movies on the other hand, have helped raised entire generations of kids and new fans of the genre, especially in the era of movie ownership and repeat viewing (most parents would probably tell you they love musicals like lion king and little mermaid and alladin for being such effective baby sitters)

I have not seen in the adult world outside of the sometimes cruel circles of high school much active dislike or hated of musicals, I think its a genre that people either

Love

are ok with and would go if someone bought them a ticket or for a special show

dont care or think about much

i think as in most types of hatred, the haters are a truly small but sometimes vocal minority, but I cant even find that many blogs or articles online by people proudly and repeatedly waving the "I hate musicals" banner (thank goodness)

 A more interesting thesis may be around the why do high school students not value or recognize  theatre and musical theatre and the talents of their fellow students that perform them?