OVERATED SHOWS — Page 4

I don't like Phantom of the Opera, but I can see why it is such a hit. It has this romantic score and beautiful sets and costumes with lots of special affects to dazzle the audience. Unfortunately, the book is extremely thin and the score is too repetitive. The themes recur at random in order to fill time. I think Lloyd Webber made much wiser decisions with recurring themes in Evita and Aspects of Love. Both shows could stand alone with minimal sets and still be strong shows. Phantom cannot survive without its sets and costumes.

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RENT

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Footloose!!
Uggggh. Just hate it.

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Mister Matt, I'm not sure I understand why everyone thinks that Phantom of the Opera's theme songs are too repetative. I don't think that Les Miserables is any less repetative than Phantom, and I love them both! Phantom constantly reprises it's title song "The Phantom Of The Opera", and Les Miserables constantly reprises "I Dreamed A Dream" and On My Own". I just don't understand why this is a problem, many musicals do this. Could you please exlain to me your thoughts on this?!?

Thanks,

Phantom05

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Rent
The Producers
Metamorphosis

Updated On: 12/29/03 at 11:37 PM

Repeated themes are essential to sung-though musicals, but should be used sparingly and thoughtfully. Lloyd Webber overuses his themes in POTO as filler throughout more than 50% of the score. Most of the time, without any thought or meaning. In Les Mis, the repeated themes were often connected to a specific character or mood to support the book. Listen closely to POTO and you will hear Angel of Music 11 times as an all-purpose scene change filler. Act 2 only contains 3 songs not heard in the first act: Masquerade, Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again, Past the Point of No Return (the latter two being the weakest of the score). He did a much better job with Evita, JCS and Aspects of Love (and even Starlight Express).

I worked the POTO national tour twice and have a huge respect for the design elements of the show, but the score makes me just a teensy bit nauseous. Honestly though, take away the eye-popping sets, costumes, and lighting and you have a very long and dull evening.

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Staying on topic: Overated shows to me were:

Rent
Urinetown
Lion King - thought it was a children's story. I just liked the costumes

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It just always seemed to me that every time POTO's theme was heard, that it was meant to signal the arrival, appearance, or as a hindrance that the Phantom is near. I love Phantom of the Opera, and have seen it 8 times. I think that it is awesome that you worked on tour with the show Mister Matt, what was the most rewarding aspect of touring with POTO?

See Ya!

Phantom05

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Updated On: 12/29/03 at 04:32 PM

Oh, hahaha....Nevermind!

Thanks,

Phantom05

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The Producers; wanted to like it, but ended up hating it
The Lion King; saw it early in the run, too.

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The current PRODUCERS hysteria needs a rest. It's a marvelously entertaining show with a lot going for it (and actually looks majestic compared to most of this season's musical crop) but it's not the bust-your-guts-while-you-gasp-for-breath-because-you-are-laughing-so-hard-or-maybe-you-feel-that-you-damn-WELL-better-bust-yer-guts-because-you-PAID-through-the-nose-for-these-friggin-tickets kind of musical it's supposed to be.

And WICKED has been cut a lot of slack (including from yours truly) because we like the stars and the idea of the book and the fact that it is a new score. But at the end of the day it really isn't nearly as good as its fans so want it to be.

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Updated On: 1/4/04 at 06:02 AM

MasterLcZ - "but it's not the bust-your-guts-while-you-gasp-for-breath-because-you-are-laughing-so-hard-or-maybe-you-feel-that-you-damn-WELL-better-bust-yer-guts-because-you-PAID-through-the-nose-for-these-friggin-tickets kind of musical" - That's Urinetown.

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