Musicals without Romance- Page 2

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 10/11/18 at 9:30pm

Arguably the musical Chicago. Roxie's relationships with Fred and Amos are over before the story begins. And, despite a lot of sexual tension, there are no romances during the story proper.

[MackTheKnife2]

Posted: 10/11/18 at 9:55pm

The Cradle Will Rock, perhaps? Although it has that Gus and Sadie love duet, I don’t think their romance is a mayor plot point.

Goodtime Charley

Jacques Brel...

Pacific Overtures

Passing Strange

Songs for a New World

Tommy

You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown

[poisonivy2]

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

I feel like Hamilton is a musical without a romance because while Eliza and Angelica are important parts of Hamilton's life the musical focuses on Hamilton's political relationships. His rivalries with Burr and Jefferson are to me the heart of the story. 

[Miles2Go2]

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

It’s been awhile since I’ve seen it, but Sunset Boulevard? I seem to recall Norma being enchanted with Joe(?), but it’s not reciprocated.

The Producers? Again, I haven’t seen it in awhile.

Spamalot? Again....

[TexanAddams18]

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

Mary Poppins, Spelling Bee, Annie

[Emmaloucbway]

Posted: 10/11/18 at 11:05pm

Miles2Go2 said: "It’s been awhile since I’ve seen it, but Sunset Boulevard? I seem to recall Norma being enchanted with Joe(?), but it’s not reciprocated.

The Producers? Again, I haven’t seen it in awhile.

Spamalot? Again....

"

The Producers has the Leo/Ulla romance subplot. 

[Miles2Go2]

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

Emmaloucbway said: "Miles2Go2 said: "It’s been awhile since I’ve seen it, but Sunset Boulevard? I seem to recall Norma being enchanted with Joe(?), but it’s not reciprocated.

The Producers? Again, I haven’t seen it in awhile.

Spamalot? Again....

"

The Producers has the Leo/Ulla romance subplot."

Well, so far I’m 2 for 3. I’ll take it. Lol

[adam.peterson44]

Posted: 10/11/18 at 11:20pm

Spamalot has "The Song That Goes Like This" (a romantic song/spoof of one), and Sunset Boulevard has a big romantic song between Joe and the Alice Ripley character (i can't remember the character's name, but they are working on writing a screenplay together behind Norma's back).  They are having an affair (she is married), and it is Norma finding out about them that precipitates the major event that ends the show.  

[Miles2Go2]

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

adam.peterson44 said: "Spamalot has "The Song That Goes Like This" (a romantic song/spoof of one), and Sunset Boulevard has a big romantic song between Joe and the Alice Ripley character (i can't remember the character's name, but they are working on writing a screenplay together behind Norma's back). They are having an affair (she is married), and it is Norma finding out about them that precipitates the major event that ends the show."

Well, I’m now 0 for 3. I give up. Lol

[lesmizsaigon]

Posted: 10/11/18 at 11:52pm

Joseph and his Dreamcoat ?

[vampire musical]

Posted: 10/12/18 at 1:17am

American Psycho

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 10/12/18 at 1:38am

adam.peterson44 said: "Spamalot has "The Song That Goes Like This" (a romantic song/spoof of one), and Sunset Boulevard has a big romantic song between Joe and the Alice Ripley character (i can't remember the character's name, but they are working on writing a screenplay together behind Norma's back). They are having an affair (she is married), and it is Norma finding out about them that precipitates the major event that ends the show."

Betty Schaffer, "Too Much in Love to Care". It's a classic romantic subplot (read "age appropriate" in contrast to Norma's obsession with Joe.

***

I was also going to say CHICAGO. Amos stills loves Roxie at the beginning, but only if (a) she's faithful and then (b) if she's pregnant. Love in that play is either manipulation, "All I Care About", or, like everything else, (b) show biz nonsense, "My Baby and Me" et al.

Although I suppose one might infer a romantic subtext, Peter and the Lost Boys welcome Wendy with "At last we've got a mother!" in PETER PAN. Not my idea of romance.

And while EVITA and Perón join forces, I don't experience their relationship as a "romance" in any traditional sense of the term.

 

Updated On: 10/12/18 at 01:38 AM

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 10/12/18 at 1:39am

poisonivy2 said: "I feel like Hamilton is a musical without a romance because while Eliza and Angelica are important parts of Hamilton's life the musical focuses on Hamilton's political relationships. His rivalries with Burr and Jefferson are to me the heart of the story."

But if you change the question to "In what musicals is romance not the primary focus of the plot?", then we can include everything from THE KING AND I to JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR.

[BwayLB]

Posted: 10/12/18 at 2:09am

Does Newsies count since Jack’s romance with Kat is only a beta storyline?

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Posted: 10/12/18 at 8:35am

adam.peterson44 said: "Spamalot has "The Song That Goes Like This" (a romantic song/spoof of one), and Sunset Boulevard has a big romantic song between Joe and the Alice Ripley character (i can't remember the character's name, but they are working on writing a screenplay together behind Norma's back). They are having an affair (she is married), and it is Norma finding out about them that precipitates the major event that ends the show."

Betty Schaffer was married? 

 

[MyLife]

Posted: 10/12/18 at 9:09am

angoradebs said: "OKBroadwayFan said: "MyLife said: "King Kong

King Kong is basically a love triangle between Kong, Jack, and Ann.

"

There is no Jack character in the musical

"

The musical has no romance plot at all. The closest is Kong and Ann and even that is not romance. It's more of an understanding/protection  platonic love.

 

[John Adams]

Posted: 10/12/18 at 9:47am

Godspell

[adam.peterson44]

Posted: 10/12/18 at 10:14am

Thanks GavestonPS for the reminder of the character name and song title in Sunset Boulevard.

Rumpelstiltskin, Betty was either married or engaged, to a work friend of Joe's.  I thought they got engaged at the new year's party (or at least announced it there to their friends) and then got married between then and the "Too Much In Love to Care" scene, but it is possible that i am remembering that wrong and that they were still engaged but not married at that point.  Since her partner is also Joe's friend, both of them are betraying him.

[JudyDenmark]

Posted: 10/12/18 at 4:26pm

Ruthless! 

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 10/12/18 at 5:35pm

Sure that many of these are debatable (a few might be more "all but completely without romance" but here goes:

Caroline, or Change

A Chorus Line  (yes there is the Zach/Cassie thing but..)

Marat/Sade (if it's considered a musical)

Chicago (there's jealousy, neglect, and violent relationship drama.. but romance?)

Runaways

The Lieutenant

Cats

Big River (there is the Huck/Mary Jane thing but...)





 

Updated On: 10/13/18 at 05:35 PM

[brettarnett]

Posted: 10/12/18 at 5:53pm

annang said: "Assassins? There's that sequence with Guiteau trying to kiss an unwilling Sara Jane Moore, but I don't think I'd call that "romance.""

I would say that Assassins is disqualified for "Unworthy of Your Love" because Squeaky speaks and sings about her relationship with Manson.

Passing Strange also has the romance between albeit short with Marianna and young stew. Updated On: 10/12/18 at 05:53 PM

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 10/12/18 at 5:56pm

This is tricky. If a character's goal is driven by either love or sex, I would say that it could be considered romantic.

For example... While I wouldn't categorize "Joseph" as a romantic musical in the way that "Phantom" is, the Mrs. Potiphar seduction scene is a major plot point that drives the rest of the show: Joseph gets sent to jail because Potiphar loves his wife and he becomes angry when she cheats on him.

Maybe we should be talking about it with a 1-10 sliding-scale of romance? To stick with ALW examples, Phantom's a 9 or 10, Joseph's a 3, Sunset's maybe an 8.

Updated On: 10/12/18 at 05:56 PM