Taboo - 10 Years Later

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Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 5:19am

After the 'Kinky Boots' Best Score Win---

It still amazes me why Taboo didnt get Best Score in 2003.

But anyway-

Still grieving the loss of Taboo and how brilliant the show was.
yes, the book was all over

but everything else-
10 years later we see beautiful costumes that rivaled anything Lady Gaga used on tour years later

we heard beautiful music that was highly superior than what's new and out now

We had a beautiful cast that was assembled with euan morton, raul esparza, liz mcCartney, etc.

An AMAZING ensemble. So energetic and full of life

It was just a show that upon recently playing the OBC- kills me every time.

The soundtrack has AGED SO WELL!!

and WHY are the rights not out there to be performed in theaters??
does anyone know any scoop as to if this will ever be available to do?

so so so upset. still.
10 years later.

ok- i guess I'll get over it some day.

It also draws up another question:

What other shows are NOT available because of blocked rights?

Updated On: 6/11/13 at 05:19 AM

Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 6:39am

Always nice to see Taboo appreciation. Let's be real though, Taboo didn't stand a chance against the others nominated for Best Score that year.

Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 6:45am

Hmmm

I kinda agree. And then I don't.
Go back and listen to Q. It's smart on lyrics. But score???
Q seems so juvenile. And just a copy paste of themes and musicality of obvious Sesame Street hits. Not much thought went into scoring I believe.

Updated On: 6/11/13 at 06:45 AM

Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 7:19am

What other shows are NOT available because of blocked rights?

Very few people want to touch it anyway, but, from roughly the same period, Tanz der Vampire (the German version of Dance of the Vampires; the comical American rewrite will never be released) is still unavailable to English producers.

Formerly gvendo2005
Broadway Legend
joined: 5/1/05

Blocked: After Eight, suestorm, david_fick, emlodik, lovebwy, Dave28282, joevitus, BorisTomashevsky, Seb28

Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 7:20am

Curious why Saturday Night Fever is also unavailable. It would make a killing in the US

I think community theatres and high schools would eat that up.

Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 9:18am

^ My guess is that organizing the copyrights of the various songs is the hold-up with Fever.

Formerly gvendo2005
Broadway Legend
joined: 5/1/05

Blocked: After Eight, suestorm, david_fick, emlodik, lovebwy, Dave28282, joevitus, BorisTomashevsky, Seb28

Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 9:47am

Petrified alone is a more beautiful song than I've heard in almost any show I've seen. Raul singing it is my top moment in theater going.

<-----I'M TOTES ROLLING MY EYES

Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 10:15am

It appears to me it is available for licensing:

http://www.licensedmusicals.com/shows/taboo/

Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 10:17am

^ agree on Petrified

I love the Bowie esque kick in 'safe in the City'
'Live on the outside' is their 'seasons of Love'

#10

Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 10:31am

I think the problem with Taboo ( Rosie O'Donnell notwithstanding), was that it was too esoteric. Not enough people ever heard of Leigh Bowery, and the show didn't even help much with that. In general, that period in pop culture is not a shared experience for enough of the population to make it a success.

Also, the score wasn't made up of typical "show tunes" (thanks god). It was more rock inspired. I mean, look at who wrote the songs.

<-----I'M TOTES ROLLING MY EYES

#11

Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 10:43am

I think if that show came out now. It would kick a lot of booty.

I think it was a little ahead of its time. Everything is all about timing I guess
Especially with how equality issues have changed in the last 10 years.

'Talk Amongst Yourselves' Liz McCartney. MY GOD
A jewel on that soundtrack.

#12

Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 10:50am

give it a few years and maybe it too will have 17+ years on Broadway like Chicago.

#13

Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 11:35am

Taboo is a great score, almost perfect and personally i think it stood head and shoulders above the Avenue Q and Wicked Score, even Caroline or Change.

The show itself had some book issues in London and i might be the only person on earth who thought the Broadway book (by Charles Busch) actually improved on the London book. The London show was much smaller and the book was a bit messy but captured the club feel and the venue feel. The Broadway book was more focused but it's biggest problem was choosing to mainly focus on Boy George in act 1 and Leigh Bowery in act 2.

I dont think the fact that many dont know about Leigh Bowery was the problem, he really just represented the extreme New Romantics movement, the problem was that it was too focused on him in one act.

The cast were very impressive as were the costumes, the reason it did not run was bad gossip reporting from the Post who seemed hell bent on destroying it and the fact that it was to 'out there' for commercial Broadway audiences.

The show just returned to Off West End in Brixton in a site specific production and received raves (and awards) and extended and was brilliant, it could have done with merging the original London and Broadway productions a bit more but it was still very well done.

I also think the rights are (or will) be coming available now.

Namo i love u but we get it already....you don't like Madonna

#14

Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 12:18pm

What was great about the London production was the very small, environmental club space. That element was lost in moving it to a traditional proscenium stage. It would be fun to see it revived downtown in a setting a la "Here Lies Love" or "Natasha/Pierre" though I think frankly, there is a fundamental disconnect between the material and American audiences.

#15

Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 12:23pm

If we go back to London and it is still playing, Taboo is on the top of my list of shows to see there. Also Charlie. (I love MS).

#16

Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 12:26pm

It's now closed sadly, it did extend quit a few times but shut a few months ago

Namo i love u but we get it already....you don't like Madonna

#17

Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 2:24pm

I"eally just represented the extreme New Romantics movement, the problem was that it was too focused on him in one act."

Yes, and there lies the problem. No one knew who he was.

there wasn't enough or any exposition for the characters which would have pulled people into the show. No one felt much of anything for them.

<-----I'M TOTES ROLLING MY EYES

#18

Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 2:32pm

Great point Jane. It's a play about fundamentally narcissitic, unlikeable characters. In London, the 'real world' central protagonist and his relationship with his mother - though a bit pat, was at least an entry point into the story for most audiences who might not have been familiar with the 80s club scene. The revised script made connection and sympathy to that decadent world a bit of a challenge.

It is an exciting score though.

#19

Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 2:37pm

Because nobody liked Taboo, or so everyone thought, and if you did, well, it was taboo to like Taboo. Which is to say that it didn't win best score, perhaps, not because it didn't deserve it (it's one of the best scores of its decade), but because of the larger, wide-spread backlash against its whole. Taboo had a LOT of problems, but its score was not among them.

I loved Taboo. I thought it was messy but complicated and gorgeous. I wait impatiently for the day that someone in the states decides to take another stab at it. We deserve another shot.

A work of art is an invitation to love.

#20

Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 3:16pm

I'm not optimistic about a second chance, although I'd love it!

I've been looking at theater audiences for the past 10 years, and the majority of the people might say "Taboo, what's that about"? Then I'd have to say "the London club scene in the 70's and 80's. Lots of drag queens, punks, drugs, and gay bashing."

This is why I don't the Taboo will ever work.

<-----I'M TOTES ROLLING MY EYES

#21

Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 3:21pm

But the show had the worst producer ever to grace Broadway.

If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

#22

Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 3:23pm

^ That's cruel, and you know it. Let's compromise on "most enthusiastic and least prepared"?

Formerly gvendo2005
Broadway Legend
joined: 5/1/05

Blocked: After Eight, suestorm, david_fick, emlodik, lovebwy, Dave28282, joevitus, BorisTomashevsky, Seb28

#23

Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 3:24pm

If Rocky Horror could work, then Taboo would work.

The show needs to start off-Broadway, build a cult following and then move to Broadway.

If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

#24

Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 3:27pm

TABOO is the worst pop musical to ever be written.

#25

Taboo - 10 Years Later

Posted: 6/11/13 at 3:28pm

"Pretty Lies" and "Touched by the Hand of Cool" are wonderful songs. So sad that "Touched..." wasn't used in the Broadway run.

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