Prince worked with Abbott numerous times, and he has a very specific idea of a George Abbott musical: first of all, it's a musical comedy with a silly storyline rather than a serious show with important character conflict. Abbott very rarely worked in the musical play format--A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and New Girl in Town were the only ones, I think, unless you count Fiorello!, and he tried operetta once, in Anya.
One reason why was that Abbott was not an actor's director. He gave line readings, and if you asked what your motivation for a cross was, he'd reply, "Your paycheck." (Abbott said he never said that, but I've heard actors from the old days who insisted that he did.) Abbott's forte was pacing a show--he always knew when a book scene was running too long--and landing the laughs. A George Abbott musical was, for example, Once Upon a Mattress. It's lively, it's sweet, and it's funny. But it's not deep.
Abbott was also a sharp judge of unseasoned talent. He discovered a lot of wonderful performers who were getting nowhere till they auditioned for him. He did err at least once, though--he didn't "get" young Liza Minnelli, though after working with her on Flora, the Red Menace, he was thrilled with her.
