The Eight Perfect Musicals — Page 2

I feel like this is just an excuse for people to write their favorite shows, but here goes. Keep in mind that some of these are only here for the sake of influence - what they've done for musical theater as a whole.

Sweeney Todd
A Chorus Line
next to normal
West Side Story
Phantom of the Opera
In The Heights
RENT
Anything Goes

I don't believe that a perfect musical exists. The following are close.

Oklahoma
My Fair Lady
Fiddler on the Roof
Dreamgirls
Into the Woods
Little Shop of Horrors

A Chorus Line comes close, but the songs lean too much towards favoring the women.

Cabaret (the original version) comes close, but Act 1 is so long.

The Sound of Music (the original version) comes close, but it really lacks major conflict. Ho hum, Act 1 ends with Maria trying to decide whether she loves God or a man more.

On the Town comes close, but the most recent revival proves that it can be dreadfully boring if not well directed.

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LES MISERABLES
THE PRODUCERS
INTO THE WOODS
MISS SAIGON
A CHORUS LINE
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
WEST SIDE STORY
EVITA

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I honestly don't feel that that more than five truly perfect musicals exist.

There are other incredible musicals, but there are only, in my opinion, five that exemplify the craft of the art form and remain entertaining today, they are:

Oklahoma!
Gypsy
West Side Story
Guys and Dolls
Fiddler on the Roof

To fill an eight-show season, I would also produce:

Show Boat (for inspiring the art of a perfect musical)
Ragtime (for aspiring to be a perfect musical - the legacy of a perfect musical, if you will)
Company, A Chorus Line, Hello Dolly!, or the Music Man (the first two for creating and perfecting the "concept" musical, and the latter two for perfecting a "purely for pleasure" musical)

Of your original list, I strongly discourage Next to Normal, Follies, Phantom, and the Producers, the first three because of books and structure with glaring weaknesses, and the Producers because it is designed around a highly specific star (Lane), and collapses without him.

Updated On: 4/2/11 at 09:56 PM

Gypsy
Sunday in the Park with George
West Side Story
Into the Woods
Sweeney Todd
Carousel
Fiddler on the Roof
A Little Night Music

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Oklahoma
The Music Man
West Side Story
Gypsy
Fiddler On The Roof
A Chorus Line (number 1 in my opinion)
Sweeney Todd
Sunday In The Park With George

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While I like Sunday, I don't think it's a perfect show. It has some book issues and the score is not Sondheim's best. I always think of it as that show people say they like to make themselves sound smart. (Which is not meant as a criticism, but it's sort of the musical theatre equivalent of War and Peace)

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Personally, i disagree with the previous poster.

it's sooooo easy to screw up a lot of those shows, especially beauty and the beast, a chorus lne, and the sound of music

I understand what you're saying ILWJH. My point was that they are all shows that "work" and so should be easy to make "work". You are right though that they often can get messed up, especially when directors don't trust them. I guess I should have said that there's no excuse for screwing them up because they are just such strong shows.

next to normal
RENT
Ragtime (2009 Revival)
American Idiot (this sounds crazy, but it's a damn good show)
West Side Story
Les Miserables

Can't think of anything else. Honorable mentions (but by know means perfect): Avenue Q, In the Heights,South Pacific, and A Chorus Line

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I don't think "perfect" and "representing each significant development" overlap very well. Going with the latter rather than the former,

Show Boat
Oklahoma
Guys and Dolls
Jesus Christ Superstar
Company
A Chorus Line
Phantom of the Opera
Rent

Of that list, only Guys and Dolls would be on my personal list of "perfect" musicals.

Peter Pan
Fiddler on the Roof
West Side Story
Company
A Chorus Line
Songs for a New World
Ragtime
Rent

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SPRING AWAKENING
NEXT TO NORMAL
RENT

My absolute top favorite musicals.