Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals

[davp]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#1

Posted: 11/3/14 at 9:01am

I recently saw the fantastic revival of Miss Saigon in London, and got a kick out of the very subtle tribute that was made during the show to The Book of Mormon (I won't reveal what it is, but anyone that's seen it should understand what I'm referring to).

And The Book of Mormon itself offers a subtle nod during the show to The Lion King.

Are there many musicals where subtle tributes of this type to other shows are made?

Updated On: 11/3/14 at 09:01 AM

[JBroadway]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#2

Posted: 11/3/14 at 9:12am

There are tons. In particular, Book of Mormon, Urinetown and Shrek the Musical are full of references and nods to other musicals.

[dramamama611]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#2

Posted: 11/3/14 at 9:12am

There is NOTHING subtle in any way about BOM.

Urinetown is full of nods. Every single song.

If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.

[ShakinBaconGirl]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#3

Posted: 11/3/14 at 9:14am

Shrek

Urinetown

Wicked

Next to Normal

The Book of Mormon actually offers several nods to other musicals like: Bye Bye Birdie, Wicked, West Side Story, The Pajama game and a few others.

[TheBoyFromNC]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#4

Posted: 11/3/14 at 9:40am

Merrily We Roll Along has a quick reference to South Pacific in the song Opening Doors.

Heathers references Grease in the song Big Fun.

[Gothampc]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#5

Posted: 11/3/14 at 10:05am

Wicked gives a nod to Evita

If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

[broadwayguy2]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#6

Posted: 11/3/14 at 10:45am

Hairspray has numerous references... The script and score, in particularly, references gypsy more than once and the original production design references everything from Bye Bye Birdie to Do Re Mi to Chicago to Dreamgirls.

[JBroadway]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#7

Posted: 11/3/14 at 10:51am

What's the nod to Evita in Wicked?

[JBroadway]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#8

Posted: 11/3/14 at 10:51am

double post

Updated On: 11/3/14 at 10:51 AM

[dreaming]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#9

Posted: 11/3/14 at 10:53am

In Wicked, during "Thank Goodness," Glinda holds her arms in the position of Evita during "Don't Cry For Me, Argentina". (Up with palms in.)

There are other references in Wicked, I think.

[Gothampc]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#10

Posted: 11/3/14 at 11:01am

Yes, dreaming has it correct. But not just the arms. If you look at the staging of Thank Goodness (on Broadway) it's very close to the staging of "On the Casa Rosada/Don't Cry For Me Argentina"
Link

If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

[Fantod]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#11

Posted: 11/3/14 at 1:52pm

This might help

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=1050174&PageSpeed=noscript

[MichelleCraig]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#12

Posted: 11/3/14 at 2:11pm

Merrily also references MY FAIR LADY..."I sort of enjoyed it..."

[MichelleCraig]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#13

Posted: 11/3/14 at 2:12pm

...and SPAMALOT makes some not so subtle references to ALW.

[JoshLovesRent]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#14

Posted: 11/4/14 at 1:46am

Aladdin references West Side Story, comes to mind off the top of my head

[CATSNYrevival]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#15

Posted: 11/4/14 at 1:54am

I think subtle is the wrong word to use. Most of these examples are blatently obvious and over the top references in musical comedies that most of the audience gets and goes wild for.

[Lovinbroadway2]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#16

Posted: 11/4/14 at 3:46am

Shrek, Urinetown, Spamalot, and The Producers have many nods.

[GavestonPS]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#17

Posted: 11/4/14 at 6:14am

I think AVENUE Q must be the winner of this particular contest: its album credits specifically cite WEST SIDE STORY because Q quotes it so often "with permission".

In addition, "The More Your Ruv Someone" is practically a musical paraphrase of "A Boy Like That".

WSS isn't the only show referenced; and, of course, there are all the Sesame Street references as well.

[hushpuppy]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#18

Posted: 11/4/14 at 6:53am

In the movie version of CALL ME MADAM, Vera-Ellen is browsing in a department store as she hears "It's A Lovely Day Today" being played in the music department. Mistaking Donald O'Connor for a salesman, she asks if it is an American song. "Yes", he replies, "It's a hit from a show that ran a couple of years on Broadway", referring of course to...CALL ME MADAM.

I always laugh at that line


It's A Lovely Day Today

'Our whole family shouts. It comes from us livin' so close to the railroad tracks'

[MusicAndPassion]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#19

Posted: 11/4/14 at 6:57am

Shrek's nod to Gypsy had me in stitches.

[chewy5000]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#20

Posted: 11/4/14 at 6:57am

The Producers has some very obvious references, but there are also plenty of subtler tributes, as you say, like the "I have a dream" motif right after "I'm the German Ethel Merman"

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#21

Posted: 11/4/14 at 7:44am

[Title of Show] has several nods to other shows, including Rent, Merrily We Roll Along, and others.

[TimesSquareRegular]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#22

Posted: 11/4/14 at 9:34am

In the song The Sound of Money in I CAN GET IT WHOLESALE .... there is a brief orchestral reference when you hear the music for "doe, a deer, a female deer" .

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[I'm a starkid]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#23

Posted: 11/4/14 at 10:25am

Shrek's nod to Wicked's Defying gravity that Lord Farquad does at the end of Thing are looking up here in Duloc is great! I encourage anyone who hasn't seen it to look it up on youtube.

[NoName3]

Musicals that Make Subtle Tributes to Other Musicals#24

Posted: 11/4/14 at 11:24am

At the very end of "A Weekend in the Country" the orchestra quotes a few bars from Der Rosenkavalier, an opera by Richard Strauss. It was Tunick's idea.

During "Happy Hunting Horn" in Pal Joey, the trumpet plays "Siegried's Horn Call," one of the better known leitmotifs from Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen.

The middle section of "The Worst Pies in London" -- "Is that just disgusting? You have to concede it! It's nothing but crusting! Here, drink this, you'll need it!" -- is musically identical to "Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya, Tomorrow!" Sondheim said he did it as a joke in response to the then constant accusations that he doesn't write memorable melodies. He decided to insert the biggest Broadway hit song of the past 25 years from the previous year's big hit musical into Sweeney to see if anybody would notice. Almost no one did.

In the final scene of Mozart's Don Giovanni, the Don sits down to a big meal serenaded by a small onstage orchestra. In response to one piece they play, the Don's servant comments that he knows the piece too well, implying that it's worn out its welcome. The piece is "Non Più Andrai," then an enormous popular hit from Mozart's own earlier opera, The Marriage of Figaro.

In Gilbert and Sullivan's late work Utopia, Limited, the Princess Zara returns home after being educated in England. She brings with her six "Flowers of Progress," six distinguished British gentlemen meant to serve as role models in her own country. Among the six is Captain Corcoran from H.M.S. Pinafore, who sings a brief snippet of "I Am the Captain of the Pinafore" when he is presented at the royal court.


Updated On: 11/4/14 at 11:24 AM