The Eight Perfect Musicals- Page 2
The Eight Perfect Musicals
#25The Eight Perfect Musicals
Posted: 4/2/11 at 8:47pm
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
#26The Eight Perfect Musicals
Posted: 4/2/11 at 9:01pmWhile I do love some shows on my list (I just did ACL, and Company and Cabaret are two of my favourites), there are many that I don't even like that much (Show Boat, Rent, and West Side are not among my favourites). I just looked at a balanced list and the influence shows had. Try to find something for everyone, enough dance shows, acting shows, and vocal shows, etc.
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#27The Eight Perfect Musicals
Posted: 4/2/11 at 9:02pm
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.
JohnBoy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/21/06
#28The Eight Perfect Musicals
Posted: 4/2/11 at 9:05pm
The eight perfect musical for me are:
Oklahoma!
South Pacific
My Fair Lady
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Hello, Dolly!
Seesaw
A Chorus Line
Ragtime
#29The Eight Perfect Musicals
Posted: 4/2/11 at 9:08pm
LES MISERABLES
THE PRODUCERS
INTO THE WOODS
MISS SAIGON
A CHORUS LINE
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
WEST SIDE STORY
EVITA
#30The Eight Perfect Musicals
Posted: 4/2/11 at 9:20pmI would replace Next to Normal with Caroline or Change. A chorus Line has to go in there somewhere. I can see why Phantom is there as it is the perfect example of the London mega musical era.
#31The Eight Perfect Musicals
Posted: 4/2/11 at 9:56pm
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
#32The Eight Perfect Musicals
Posted: 4/2/11 at 10:08pm
If you want to do shows that represent the history of musical theater or History of the American Musical then I believe SHOW BOAT, OKLAHOMA!, and HELLO DOLLY should be on the list. The first two being the shows that shaped what musical theater is today and the Latter being the first show that really had a star that wasn't a classically trained musical theater performer which eventually paved the way for JCS and the evolution of the rock musical.
Updated On: 4/2/11 at 10:08 PM
#33The Eight Perfect Musicals
Posted: 4/2/11 at 10:21pm
Gypsy
Sunday in the Park with George
West Side Story
Into the Woods
Sweeney Todd
Carousel
Fiddler on the Roof
A Little Night Music
minicko88
Featured Actor Joined: 7/12/07
#35The Eight Perfect Musicals
Posted: 4/2/11 at 11:10pm
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
JohnBoy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/21/06
husk_charmer
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
#37The Eight Perfect Musicals
Posted: 4/3/11 at 12:24amWhile 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)
Justaguy2
Understudy Joined: 3/19/10
#38The Eight Perfect Musicals
Posted: 4/3/11 at 2:24am
There aren't many that fit the bill of "perfect". Sure there are lots of good ones but as far as perfect, here are my eight.
West Side Story
Guys and Dolls
Fiddler on the Roof
Sweeney Todd
Beauty and the Beast
The Sound of Music
Cabaret
A Chorus Line
You have to work pretty hard to screw any of those up...
#39The Eight Perfect Musicals
Posted: 4/3/11 at 3:41am
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
#40The Eight Perfect Musicals
Posted: 4/3/11 at 3:41am
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
Justaguy2
Understudy Joined: 3/19/10
#41The Eight Perfect Musicals
Posted: 4/3/11 at 8:47amI 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.
1daymore
Swing Joined: 4/3/11
#42The Eight Perfect Musicals
Posted: 4/3/11 at 7:40pm
Carousel
South Pacific
The King and I
Gypsy
West Side Story
A Chorus Line
Les Miserables
Ragtime
#43The Eight Perfect Musicals
Posted: 4/3/11 at 8:40pm
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
JohnBoy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/21/06
#44The Eight Perfect Musicals
Posted: 4/3/11 at 9:01pmTHE SOUND OF MUSIC isn't perfect. Had it been, they wouldn't have been able to improve upon it, when they made the film.
#45The Eight Perfect Musicals
Posted: 4/4/11 at 11:50am
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.
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#46The Eight Perfect Musicals
Posted: 4/4/11 at 12:36pm
"THE SOUND OF MUSIC isn't perfect. Had it been, they wouldn't have been able to improve upon it, when they made the film."
But they didn't improve on it. They added that awful, sacchrine "somewhere in my youth or childhood" song and took away the great "How Can Love Survive?"
#47The Eight Perfect Musicals
Posted: 4/4/11 at 1:29pm
Peter Pan
Fiddler on the Roof
West Side Story
Company
A Chorus Line
Songs for a New World
Ragtime
Rent
#48The Eight Perfect Musicals
Posted: 4/4/11 at 1:40pm
Dreamgirls
She Loves Me
Ragtime
Sunday in the Park with George
Cabaret
Once on this Island
Ain't Misbehaven' (Perfect "review-sical)
#49The Eight Perfect Musicals
Posted: 4/4/11 at 1:41pm
SPRING AWAKENING
NEXT TO NORMAL
RENT
My absolute top favorite musicals.
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