The 16 Greatest American Musicals in the Golden Age, according to the Library of America — Page 2

I think it is a smear of the basest sort to call 1776 "highly fictionalized." They did indeed make some adjustments for reasons of cast size, for dramatic feasibility and to simplify the timeline but anyone who wants to can seek out the excellent essay written by the authors (Included in the published script) that details every change and why it was made. While certain things has to be guessed at, they took every chance they ad to pull actual dialogue from written notes, diaries, papers and letters written by the participants. The essential "truthiness" (to use George Bush's word) is remarkable.

To complain that showing the "non-event" of the delegates signing the document all at once to provide a satisfying finale (My 12th grade history teacher's complaint) misses the point of all the research and documentation provided.

Good analogy, NYT, but what can we do? Some of us very much enjoy reading librettos, despite their limitations.

Goth, I think you need to seriously revisit OKLAHOMA! Perhaps try to imagine you are a U.S. serviceman who is shipping off to fight a global war the next day (because such men were a big part of the show's original audience).

Yes, it has a comic subplot, but the main plot deals with murder, justice and the meaning of community and democracy--themes every bit as serious as those in CAROUSEL.

Perhaps after Laurents died, Masslon was then able to get the publishing rights for WSS and Gypsy. But he makes clear that he doesn't consider WSS a "good read" thus insinuating he didn't plan to include it anyway. It's been well over three years since Laurents' death and the book was just published.

The aforementioned old Stanley Richards compilations are pretty great, and are available cheaply secondhand on Amazon etc.

http://www.amazon.com/Great-Musicals-American-Theatre-Volume/dp/0801957311
(Of Thee I Sing, Porgy and Bess, One Touch of Venus, Brigadoon, Kiss Me Kate, West Side Story, Gypsy, Fiddler on the Roof, 1776, Company)

http://www.amazon.com/Great-Musicals-American-Theatre-2/dp/B000OELFH4/
(Lady in the Dark, Leave It To Me, Lost in the Stars, Wonderful Town, Fiorello, Camelot, Man of La Mancha, Cabaret, Applause, A Little Night Music)

http://www.amazon.com/Great-Rock-Musicals-Stanley-Richards/dp/0812825098/
(The Wiz, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Grease, Jesus Christ Superstar, Your Own Thing, Hair, Tommy, Promenade)

Updated On: 11/7/14 at 10:19 PM

What did Arthur Laurents have against Pal Joey?