Musicals good or bad, with bad titles

I've always felt that A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum was just an absolutely unnecessary long name. We did it at my high school and the director opted to not fit the entire title onto the poster and all it said was "A Funny Thing...Forum"

And I think the musical is hilarious but the title just bugs me.

Anybody else have other musicals they feel irked about the title?

Also "Grease"....yes I get it, it's cause of the grease they put in their hair but, again it could easily be named so many other things that pertain to the show.

I'm also more than happy for folks to play devil's advocate and defend why the titles work

Updated On: 11/30/15 at 12:15 PM

If/Then

LA CAGE AUX FOLLES...obviously it was a big hit but seeing it for the first time, unless you know French there is no way you're going to pronounce it correctly or know what it means.

TENDERLOIN...I'm sure even back in the 60s many people thought the title referred to a cut of meat.

I'm sure many people would disagree but I've always thought SHE LOVES ME is a very generic title, in addition to being kind of spoilery. (In fact I wouldn't be surprised if the title contributed to the show's lack of success initially.)

Well my name is taken from a song lyric...anyone know which one?

I would also add THE APPLE TREE, since it only applies to one-third of the show.

There was a London show written by Newley/Bricusse that David Merrick was going to bring to Broadway after their first 2 shows. It was called The Good Old Bad Old Days

The transfer never happened. This title is bad enough but it is a hell of a lot better than the original title. Here we go:

It's A Funny Old World We Live In- But The World's Not Entirely To Blame

Updated On: 11/30/15 at 12:50 PM

I hate the title Annie. They should have named it ROTTEN ORPHAN.

The Fig Leaves Are Falling

Cry For Us All

My Fair Lady. What does it even mean?

Amazing Grace

Baby it's you

Flora the red menace

I think the director of Once said he just meant for it to be like "Once upon a time..." on the DVD commentary.

Did not care for the show. The title was meh .

Like Bonnie & Clyde a hell of a lot more in every way

I could have sworn the movie Once explained the title, something like what rattleNwoolypenguin said, about how they just met this one time and then she went to be with her husband and he went to find that girl he was in love with. Unless they changed the plot for the stage version, I never saw it (but I loved the movie).

JBroadway said: "I know this doesn't count as an answer to the OP's question, but I just feel compelled to bring up the atrocity that is "The story of how Peter became Pan" - Finding Neverland's ridiculous tagline.

"

You and my frequent theatre companion share this opinion. In its defense, it is a way to get the well-known title Peter Pan in there, and it is the synopsis of what happens in the musical.