Spamalot Rumors — Page 2

Thank you, JenD! Spamalot IS ridiculous fun, but that's why I loved it! I dont know if Ive ever had more fun in a theatre, and I don't see what's so wrong with mindless fun if that's what it's advertised as. It's not like Spamalot was wearing a mask that said it was Shakespeare. As for the "recycled jokes" - no one MADE you see the show, what else would you expect from a Monty Python musical?

I love thought-provoking theatre, but also love simple, base shows like Spamalot. After "Streetcar Nmaed Desire", "Spamalot" was the perfect show to see. It was FUN. The goals of hteatre are either to entertain or to provoke thought and Spamalot was entertaining as heck. People often need an escape and silly shows lend that escape perfectly. It was silly - and I don't know if I would have wanted anything else from a show called SPAMALOT!

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No problem! I can't remember ever laughing so much at a show, not even "The Producers" when I saw it in previews. During "The Song That Goes Like This," I just kept thinking 'ok, they have to stop, I can't laugh anymore!!'

In fact, my whole family loved it. We're totally addicted to the music. A few weeks ago I ended up with last minute tickets to a Yankee game but couldn't find anyone to take the extra ticket, so I went by myself (the seats were so good I wasn't going to pass them up). During the game, I called my mom to tell her how I was by myself at the game--and we both immediately launched into "I'm All Alone..." (which was a little scary, seeing as how neither of us can actually sing).

It's just so funny!!

I don't see what the big deal is. B'way is basically like the movies or television. If you don't like it, don't go see it. If you want depth go see Piazza or Doubt, if you want light fluff go see Mamma Mia, etc. Its not a big deal. There's room for everyone on B'way. I hate when people expect all the shows to be full of depth and for 'theater lovers' only. I think its good that Spam's bringing a new audience into musical theater and theater in general. I know my Dad and my brother wouldn't go near a B'way musical; however, both their interests are peaked with Spam. As is my sister with Wicked. Its about time more people realzied what B'way has to offer.

Exactly. People have been visiting NYC for decades (and I like to assume most of them are fairly educated)...why now would theater be "dumbed down" now for their benefit?

People complain about the "Disney takeover" of Broadway--I have friends whose kids' first B'way experience was Lion King or Beauty and the Beast--it introduced them to theater and they loved it.

I remember being camped out for "Rent" tickets years ago, and teenage kids saying how this was the show that got them into the theater.

I didn't like "All Shook Up," but I know I'm really jaded because I see a lot of theater and just thought it was silly. But it's popular and doing well--OK. I'm not going to start crying about the state of humanity because I didn't like it.

This was QUITE the dramatic thread.

I laugh at everyone who tells me that shows like Spamalot are the death of American Musical Theatre. I just want to scream, "Have you SEEN the R&H Cinderella? or Applause?" -I mean, musical theatre has always been DUMB. The smart and progressive shows are the EXCEPTION, not the RULE. I think we have it better than we used to. And there are many plays and theatrical productions being created that have value; Broadway theatre is not the only theatre in this country, there is some great off and off off broadway work. So chill.

My concern with Spamalot residing in Las Vegas is that I really wish it would tour -it's a popular show that would sell well on tour and I think it's a great thing to be able to bring the show to people all over the country, not just to the two coasts (HA, not that Las Vegas is really on the coast...but you know what I mean).

(and penguin, love your icon. I too am a lover of the penguin)

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I live on the other side of the coast, so it wouldn't really affect me, but if Sara Ramirez were a part of it... Anyway, I am supposed to go to CA in the future, so maybe I can go during that time, but it could be really far off

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I hardly think that Spamalot is the end of musical theatre. If anything, "Light In The Piazza" is far more of a threat. Although Piazza has it's fans, who always scream bloody murder at posts like this, the fact is that many audience members, sitting through this wan show, will decide that musical theatre is not really all that vital or interesting, and turn elsewhere for entertainment, determined not to make the same, expensove mistake again.

You really want to advance the cause of "serious" musicals? Then someone needs to write some serious musicals that people really want to see. As long as shows like Spamalot are more entertaining that shows like Piazza, then there's never going to be any "serious" musicals that matter very much

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Wonderland, theatre is entertainment. Not a museum. Not a college- entertainment. Everything on Broadway has left you "With Nothing"? Everything playing in New York is "Sugary watered down crap?" Dear, I think you don't like Theatre. Maybe you should read books or something. You've just seen the most exciting theatre season in 40 years, full of all sorts of wonderful shows, variety, hits & flops-- if you are really that disgusted by it, as you suggest, Move on.

There is room on Broadway for everything. Nothing was stopped from coming in because "Crap" like Spamalot was hogging the theatres.

This is definitely one of the funniest threads I've read in a long time.

Hushpuppy - Musical theatre is an art form born from escapism entertainment. Look at the longest-running musicals and you will notice they are rarely the most well-written shows, but the most entertaining. If Spamalot failed to entertain you, then it is the same as the failure of Caroline, or Change to entertain frat boys. Different shows written for different audiences. I saw Spamalot and loved it. I also loved Caroline, or Change. I just recognize that they are entirely different types of shows. HAppy Hunting was another awful show from Merman's career that was considered pretty bad in context of the 1956-57 season.

fengshuihellnyc - "Spamalot is the destruction of the future of musical theatre."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Insert title from just about every popular musical from any decade. It's all been said before, but normally with more logical reasoning. This just makes no sense. Spamalot is in the spirit of the musical theatre art form. Musical theatre was born as escapism entertainment. Like any other art form, it has evolved and branched into several styles. To think that musical theatre as fluffy escapism should no longer exist is elitist and foolish.

"The increasing amounts of Movie Musicals trying to be on Bway are rediculous."

You could say exactly the same thing about Plays to Musicals which was the trend for about four decades. For some reason, the theatre snobs seem to look down on adapting screenplays, while adapting stage plays is considered acceptable. Adaptation is adaptation.

"I remember a few years ago... lets say 5-10.... when everyone was saying,"This looks like were losing american theatre, and if we don't do something about it we'll lose it forever."

As JoeKV pointed out, people have been saying that for DECADES. And when there is a new trend in 10 years, someone else will be saying it again about the popular show.

wonderland - "The problem with Spamalot and Wicked and Mamma Mia and even as far back as Cats and Phantom is not that there is no place for them on Broadway, it's that they make no room on Broadway for anything else."

The last time I checked, there were plenty of other musicals on Broadway. There is lots of room for other shows and the shows that the general public and tourists wish to see are the ones that stay open.

"I'm sorry, but the Brit-pop musicals may not have killed Broadway, but they did turn it into what it is today."

Actually, Broadway was in more serious trouble than it is now in the mid-to-late 80s and the Brit-pop musicals pretty much saved it. There were far fewer American musicals being produced compared to the last 10 years and hardly any of exceptional artistic OR entertainment value. Other than Sondheim's contributions, what other truly exceptional American shows could be found in the 80s on Broadway? I can think of Dreamgirls and possibly Nine. Woman of the Year? No. La Cage? Arguable. Big River? No. Drood? No. Rags? No. Whorehouse? Somewhat. Starmites? LOL! The Brit-pop shows emerged at just the right time and brought something new to the world of musical theatre and started a trend. Now there is a new trend and in 10 years there will be another new trend. Everything that has happened on Broadway up to this point has made Broadway what it is. The popularity of the Brit-pop shows would not have happened without the events prior to it and the events prior to those, etc. You cannot blame the fall of all the dominoes simply on the third to last domino. It doesn't work that way. And for that matter, more dominoes are being added each season. Broadway is still going strong.

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Of course there are different shows for different people. Wouldn't it be dull if we all liked the same thing? I just don't think 'Spamalot' was very good, even as purely escapist entertainment. I don't think the songs were very clever; 'Forbidden Broadway' has been doing better parodies for years. Maybe it's because I am not a Monty Python fan, but I just didn't find the show funny. I enjoy some 'serious' musicals ('Piazza', 'Pacific Overtures', 'Fiddler') and dislike others ('Caroline', 'Assassins', 'Les Miserables') just as I enjoy some 'non-serious' musicals ('Spelling Bee', 'Avenue Q', 'Boy from Oz', 'Hello, Dolly!') and dislike others ('Producers', 'Hairspray', 'Spamalot'). I do disagree with Mister Matt that the longest running musicals are not necessarily the best-written ones. Well-written shows such as 'Oklahoma!', 'My Fair Lady', 'South Pacific', Fiddler on the Roof', 'Hello, Dolly!', and 'A Chorus Line' all had extraordinarily long runs for their time.

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"I just don't think 'Spamalot' was very good...Maybe it's because I am not a Monty Python fan"

BINGO!!

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I realize that I'm a little late on this but I agree with the people who are saying that theater is a form of entertainment. Yes, some of what we see is silly and some of it has deeper meaning but they both have one thing in common- they have to be entertaining. You go to the theater to have fun. I also agree that the theater is like movies in two ways: (a) you can pick and choice what to watch (what is appealing to you) and (b) there will be the films that convey messages (Schindler's List, anyone?) and then there will be the dumber movies that just make you feel good and laugh. They may not be the best ever, but its entertaining.

Also- just a note about the Frat boy comment... my friend and I were talking about who we met as we were standing in line for Standing Room Only tickets. There was a guy about 26-ish who was a theater major, two average women from Canada, two teachers from NY and four guys who might be confused as frat boys... but really if we are going to use the stereotype of the typical frat boy- how many frat boys do you know that would be in line for theater tickets at 4 in the morning.

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