Musicals That Fall Apart In Second Act

[Danielle87]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 2:31pm

One thing that I have been noticing about Broadway musicals is that with most of them that I've watched, Act one is usually very action packed and exciting, but then in the second act it starts to get a little dull. There were one or two musicals that remained consistent throughout the whole show, but it seems like a lot of them lose that excitement in the second act of the show. A good example for me would be Dreamgirls. I haven't seen the Broadway show, so I'm judging it based off the movie, but the first act was great while the second is kind of a snoozer. I believe that's a big reason why it was snubbed for best picture at the Oscars.

[EugLoven]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 2:33pm

SECOND ACT TROUBLE
http://www.amazon.com/Second-Act-Trouble-Broadways-Musical/dp/1557836310

And fun and comprehensive look at the phenomenon.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 2:34pm

I have to agree that sometimes I find musicals a bit more interesting in the first act as opposed to the second. That said, I can't really think of anything that falls apart in the second act right now, but if I do I'll post here.

Updated On: 7/29/08 at 02:34 PM

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 2:34pm

I can - NEXT TO NORMAL!!

[Roscoe]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 2:37pm

SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, for one.

NEXT TO NORMAL was crap all the way through.

[jpbran]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 2:38pm

Sunday in the Park with George is one I've always thought was AMAZING in Act 1, and draggy in Act 2. (though a second-tier Sondheim is still better than most...)

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 3:02pm

Definitely Sunday in the Park. The first act is a lot of fun, but the second act is a real clunker until the song Move On, then it brightens a bit again.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 3:09pm

not a musical...but MOOSE MURDERS has a dreadful second act!

[fafolguy]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 3:11pm

I would include the second half of Into the Woods' Act 2. All those ballads right after each other kind of induce a stupor after Last Midnight.

[buffyactsing]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 3:17pm

I prefer the second act of SITPWG actually. Then again I also like Act III of Doctor Horrible's Sing Along Blog the best when most don't.

[Weez]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 3:20pm

Dammit, I wanted to get in *before* the 2nd-act-SITPWG-haters crawled out. I know it's a difficult one, but the show most certainly does not fall apart. I love the second act much more than the first act. :P

[James885]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 4:00pm

Wicked comes to mind.
Also Tarzan

[sondhead]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 4:51pm

Into the Woods. I see where Lapine was going, but it just doesn't work.

First and foremost, in a concept that punishes characters for killing wolves and giants (ask a wolf's mother!) why is killing the giantess the "happy" ending?

[SNLMedia]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 4:53pm

I immediately thought of RENT. Lots of energy and excitement in Act I, then Act II is full of fighting and death, right up until the finale.

[winter_sky]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 5:04pm

That's kind of the point SNL. Part of the show is about their friends dying of AIDS. That's not exactly a happy exciting thing to happen.

It needs to be that way to really show how far these people have fallen.

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 5:09pm

and yet there are quite a few shows where Act 2 really picks it up:

Grey Gardens
Cry Baby (not that it was ever really able to be saved. lol But Act 2 WAS better)
The Boy From Oz (because it had more of the later years with which people were familiar)
Gypsy (I don't know many people that prefer Act 1 to Act 2)

[jpbran]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 5:19pm

"It needs to be that way to really show how far these people have fallen."

Until one of them is brought back from the dead by Adam Pascal's melodious tones.

[jpbran]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 5:20pm

And, PS-- I'm not a 2nd-act-SITPWG-hater. I just think it is lesser than Act 1. That seems to be most people's assessment... (Not hate, just some disappointment after a stellar first act.)

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 5:20pm

Sunday in the park With George was the first one that popped into my head. After Art Isn't Easy, I'm ready to go home.

[Patash]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 5:20pm

I would have agreed about Act II of Sunday in the Park. . ., until I saw the recent production. It bored me before. I was fascinated with the "connection" this time.

Xanadu's second Act is very slow compared to the first act. Hardly worth watching at all in fact.
Updated On: 7/29/08 at 05:20 PM

[buffyactsing]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 5:21pm

Killing the Giantess is happy for the characters because their lives are no longer under threat from her. I don't think the show is trying to say that killing her was a "good" thing. That's kinda the point. I always feel bad for the Giantess when she is killed. She is angry and frightening but you can see WHY she's that way. I think she's sort of a sympathetic "villian".

[jpbran]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 5:22pm

"Xanadu's second Act is very slow compared to the first act."

Ha!

I felt the same way about Altar Boys and L5Y.

[GIZMO2]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 5:29pm

I agree:

GYPSY and RENT get better in their 2nd Acts.

The one that boggled my mind recently was SOUTH PACIFIC.

Despite the f**kin' fantastic production @ Lincoln Center, the story/book itself is dated and BIZARRE. And that bizarre-ness just gets worse in the 2nd Act. Throughout the last half of the show, I had to keep glancing over at my bf with the silent but quintessential expression of "wtf is going on here?"
Updated On: 7/29/08 at 05:29 PM

[bobby_luvs_bway]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 5:31pm

Phantom has a very long boring 2nd act. It feels like one long tedious song, managing to use every musical theater cliche.

[Kad]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 5:58pm

Phantom of the Opera's second act is boring because it's just the first act with new lyrics.