So where to next?

"What happens when Sondheim and his generation go to that big matinee in the sky? Where are the new people to fill their shoes?"

I ask myself this all the time. The only one I can think of who can reach success with great musicals like the composers who are, let's be honest, growing old now, is Adam Guettel. And even for his shows, you generally either hate it or love it.

I think we need Dionysus to come and slap us a big one.

---

There are hundreds of current musical theatre writers doing great work, and I often feel that if one would support the up and comers like Korie & Frankel, Bucchino, Miranda, Kitt & Green, O'Keefe & Benjamin, etc. (ALL of whom have Broadway shows in this season or the one that just passed), instead of bemoaning the passing of the torch from people like Sondheim, the musical theatre scene would be an even healthier place.

Sondheim is a god, yes, but he has had a long prolific career, and now his work is admirably revived all over. Most writers considered by theatre historians to be in his "generation" haven't worked on Broadway in years, so there isn't going to be a huge amount of emptiness as they pass on, when it is their time. There are TONS of excellent musical theatre writers besides the ones I listed above. Jason Robert Brown (who HAS technically had as much success in England as he has had in New York), Adam Guettel, Michael John LaChiusa, Ahrens & Flaherty, Andrew Lippa, William Finn, Jeanine Tesori, and tons of other writers... Look at the NYMF, which just gave New York City TONS of brand new musicals by up and coming writers. What about the fact that more and more artistic musicals transfer to Broadway from off- broadway each season, from Grey Gardens and Spring Awakening last season to In The Heights and Passing Strange this season? There are new musicals premiering at established, prestigious off- broadway theatres this season, from The Glorious Ones at Lincoln Center (currently in previews) to Next to Normal at Second Stage to Frankenstein at 37 Arts to Saved at Playwrights Horizons. Fresh shows planning to come to Broadway this season as well include 13, Cry Baby, [title of show], Catered Affair...

And there's room for jukebox musicals too... A good quality show is a good quality show. Adaptations from movies can be inventive and new OR derivative. And to that end, nearly every musical I have seen in London has been the latter. I concur about Dirty Dancing. It felt dead. But Footloose, I greatly enjoy. While I have not seen a production in the West End, I have seen several American productions, and I think it's a fun show that builds on its source material. I also feel this way about The Wedding Singer and Fame stage musicals. Adapting a movie to the stage doesn't always lead to dull hackneyed theatre- only in some cases. Peeps used to read books, so books were ideal for adaptation. Now people like their movies so its movies that are adapted. It's about HOW not WHAT, and I find many of these shows to be engaging and enlightening. The two best shows I've ever seen in the West End were The Witches of Eastwick and Our House. One is adapted from a movie, and one is technically a "juke box" musical; I found them both to be entertaining, engaging, memorable, inventive, and passionate nights at the theatre.

---