Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already — Page 2

orlikethecolorpurple said: "Breaking the fourth wall when it’s not integral to the plot or storytelling. Hate, hate, hate it."

Yeah, because it's so much more believable when a character sings a soliloquy to the sofa.

Why do you even go to musicals? Or Shakespeare. Or Sophocles.

Forcing in a romantic b-plot when it adds nothing necessary. We’ve seen romance. That’s all musicals were for like 50 years. Cant we move on?

adamgreer said: "Also, grocery bags. All anyone ever seems to buy when they come back from the grocery store is a celery stalk and a baguette."

Sometimes you’ll see milk or something that needs to be kept cold and it doesn’t go into a refrigerator and I just get stressed it will spoil or melt!

Updated On: 9/25/17 at 07:43 AM

I don't have many, but in contemporary musical theatre, making lines out of cheap laugh pop culuture references. If there's going to be modern references of any kind, at least make them well-written and witty.

Also, please stop with the Avenue Q-esque jokes. I may be in the minority, but a couple times per show is enough. Dear Evan Hansen is fantastic in my opinion, but Jared's character only got more unlikeable nearly every time he appeared. We get it, Steven Levenson, you have a cliche that teenagers are always obnoxious and pretentious. You don't have to fill 50 lines full of irritating and repetitive jokes. The exception is when the show is meant to be a comedic satire (Book of Mormon, Something Rotten, parts of Hairspray, Drowsy Chaperone, etc.)

Small-cast "rock" musicals performed on a set that looks like, or actually is, scaffolding.

Kad said: "Small-cast "rock" musicals performed on a set that looks like, or actually is, scaffolding."

Next to Normal, maybe Deaf-West's Spring Awakening (depending on your definition of "small-cast", and what else?

Updated On: 9/25/17 at 05:28 PM

Ah, haven't seen either!

Period pieces that make jokey "predictions" about the future. "A black president? Never!" "Who would ever want a phone in their car?" "That's as unbelievable as Cher winning an Oscar!"

I guess it's not specific to musicals but I detest it nonetheless. "American Psycho" was full of it, and I otherwise liked the show. But those "jokes" got bigger laughs than anything else in the show so I guess they're here to stay.

Exactly. Romantic B-plots are basically the foundation of the b-plot, and are often great - sometimes it adds something nice, (She Loves Me, Illona and Kodai act as a foil to Amalia and Georg in a way), and sometimes it ties into the plot (Joanna and Anthony in Sweeney)but lots of times they are thrown in for the sake of it. Some modern examples:

-Nancy and the cameraman from Groundhog Day, although this was pretty minor

I would argue it was important despite being minor - supposed to represent other people benefitting once Phil stepped back. He was a dick to nancy+others, once he stopped + stepped back, you see what was “supposed” to happen, and Nancy gets a guy that sees her as “more than just collateral”. Specific to that show, the background plots matter a lot IMO. But I’m also super guilty of being a sucker for ensemble shows.

Can’t think of too many B-plot romances, but I still am not a big fan of the romance in bandstand that someone mentioned earlier, though I do love the show. It just felt forced / unnecessary to me, and I really liked their dynamic as friends.

I dont have my own pet peeves but this whole thread reminds me of Oh, Hello, which spent a large portion of the show making fun of theater tropes (the 1-sided telephone call, etc). Also not a pet peeve, but I wish more shows would include overture+entreact on the cast album (and bows and exit music!)

Echoing "Diversity being one black person in the ensemble" and I will add "everyone sounding the same"

I know there is a classic style of theatre voice, but I have found myself really loving shows that break out of that with unusual voices that suit their characters. There should be a place for voices like LMM, Brittain Ashford, ect. especially when they blend with other voices - one example that comes to mind is how much the original Schuyler Sisters benefited from having three very different kinds of voices harmonizing. That has been lacking in every other trio I've heard sing it.

A presentational opening number that gets a reprise at the very end of the show, during which the cast stares at the audience self-importantly to ensure it understands that the song Has So Much More Meaning Now. (Yes, some good musicals do this, but it's still irritating.)

Ensembles repeating the name of the title character multiple times, or ensembles singing the word that describe a main character repeatedly.

Wickeeeeeeed, Wickeeeeeeeed, Wickeeeeeeeeed!!! Yes, we get it. It's like the writers had a note book with all the rules on how to make a musical. Mandatory ensemble shout there, mandatory funny song there, happy dance there, 11 o clock sad song here and you have a musical!

His name is Alexander Hamilton, My name is Alexander Hamilton, His name is Alexander Hamilton, headflip to the audience on the last chord.

Wicked and Hamilton are not musicals. They are parodies.

Updated On: 9/26/17 at 11:40 AM

henrikegerman said: "Writers and audiences symbiotically confusing:
1) "seriousness" with profundity; and
2) "lightness" with insipidity"

Still prepping for those SATs, I see. Good for you!

It's never too late. LOL.