The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens

[thesinger]

The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#1

Posted: 6/11/07 at 9:12pm

Discuss

[bjh2114]

re: The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#2

Posted: 6/11/07 at 9:14pm

Completely different shows that both happen to deal with the relationship between a mother and daughter. Two completely different styles of music, very different books, one is somewhat dark while the other is mostly upbeat and romantic. I love them both a lot, and the two leading ladies are both sensational.

[jg4892]

re: The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#2

Posted: 6/11/07 at 9:17pm

They're both amazing, but wayyyy to different to compare. There's really nothign comparable about them at all.

[jv92]

re: The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#3

Posted: 6/11/07 at 9:19pm

They'll both have a shelf life.

[thesinger]

re: The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#4

Posted: 6/11/07 at 9:21pm

Definitely two of the most amazing shows in the past 10 years, I can't decide which to love more.

[bwaygal1]

re: The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#5

Posted: 6/11/07 at 9:23pm

Both were arguably cheated out of best musical Tonys.
(And in GG's case, even more.)

"A birdcage I plan to hang. I'll get to that someday. A birdcage for a bird who flew away...Around the world." "Life is a cabaret old chum, only a cabaret old chum, and I love a cabaret!"-RIP Natasha Richardson-I was honored to have witnessed her performance as Sally Bowles.

[bjh2114]

re: The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#6

Posted: 6/11/07 at 9:27pm

bwaygal, I don't think really even more. I think both were equally cheated out. Both Piazza and GG deserved to take home the main prize.

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

re: The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#7

Posted: 6/11/07 at 9:27pm

But I would take watching The Light in the Piazza any day..I'm sorry GG fans..I love it too..but...

I mean, Denzel Washington? Gun to my head..of course.

[bwaygal1]

re: The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#8

Posted: 6/11/07 at 9:29pm

I meant more awards-Light got book and score, while GG didn't.
Sorry.

"A birdcage I plan to hang. I'll get to that someday. A birdcage for a bird who flew away...Around the world." "Life is a cabaret old chum, only a cabaret old chum, and I love a cabaret!"-RIP Natasha Richardson-I was honored to have witnessed her performance as Sally Bowles.

[BillFinn]

re: The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#9

Posted: 6/11/07 at 9:30pm

Little Edie (Act I) and Clara Johnson need to be played out in a specific way, so you can believe they're provocative emotional unstable.

Bill Finn rocks. Woot.

Updated On: 6/11/07 at 09:30 PM

[StickToPriest]

re: The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#10

Posted: 6/11/07 at 9:30pm

"Both were arguably cheated out of best musical Tonys."

That's not too arguable, if you ask me.

"One no longer loves one's insight enough once one communicates it."

The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.

[BillFinn]

re: The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#11

Posted: 6/11/07 at 9:33pm

p.s. "Clara's Tirade" and "Daddy's Girl"; both characters unleash their insecurities.

Bill Finn rocks. Woot.

[SporkGoddess]

re: The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#12

Posted: 6/11/07 at 9:39pm

I fell in love with LitP from the first time I listened to it. That didn't happen with GG. I agree though that both deserved Best Musical.

Jimmy, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? It's almost 9 PM!

[singingshowgirl]

re: The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#13

Posted: 6/11/07 at 10:26pm

very different, but very awesome

one mother wants to make things good for her daughter

and one doesn't haha

[ljay889]

re: The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#14

Posted: 6/11/07 at 11:24pm

I think Grey Gardens is slightly stronger. We all know Piazza got a little fluffy at times. But Grey Gardens is frightening, shocking, moving, and fun at the same time. Piazza didn't shock me or move me AS much.

[ahmelie]

re: The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#15

Posted: 6/11/07 at 11:33pm

Two of my favourite musicals of all time.

Theatre is a safe place to do the unsafe things that need to be done. -John Patrick Shanley

[jrb_actor]

re: The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#16

Posted: 6/12/07 at 12:17am

I think Light in the Piazza, Caroline, Or Change, and Grey Gardens are 3 of the best musicals, definitely of the 00s.

johnraymondbarker.com

[little_sally]

re: The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#17

Posted: 6/12/07 at 1:59am

jrb_actor, I couldn't agree with you more!

A little swash, a bit of buckle - you'll love it more than bread.

[munkustrap178]

re: The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#18

Posted: 6/12/07 at 3:47am

Um...THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA didn't win best book.

"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

[Roninjoey]

re: The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#19

Posted: 6/12/07 at 5:10am

The Light in the Piazza has a bold, strong, and incredibly original score. Guettel has a completely unique voice for a musical. It's a cohesive, coherent, and deeply meaningful work of art. The characters are so strong and real that they live outside of the performances being given, and all of the characters are developed rather than two.

There are incidental similiarities between the two, but Piazza is in a league of its own, whereas Grey Gardens is a fun curiosity, awards aside. I don't know why people keep comparing the two shows. They aren't similiar except in superficial ways.

It's interesting that Caroline, or Change, Grey Gardens, and Piazza are to varying degrees and for various reasons very much about the relationships between a mother and her daughter. Caroline, or Change is by far the most ambitious (though not my favorite). It was devastating in the theater but I never listen to the cast recording. Go figure.

yr ronin,
joey

[sanda]

re: The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#20

Posted: 6/12/07 at 8:47am

I adore Piazza. Grey Gardens bored me.

[LittleFish8386]

re: The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#21

Posted: 6/12/07 at 8:58am

Light in the Piazza is one of the best musicals of my entire life. Grey Gardens was definitely my favorite of the season, but I don't think I could sit through it every night like I could Piazza.

[Mister Matt]

re: The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#22

Posted: 6/12/07 at 9:22am

I like them both. Best of the last 10 years? I'm not sure about that. It depends on your criteria. I would put Caroline or Change above both of them, though.

"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian

[unckristen]

re: The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#23

Posted: 6/12/07 at 9:49am

There are some superficial similarities but Grey Gardens grabbed me from the first notes. I could never get into Piazza no matter how many times I tried.

"She sang each word, the angels heard ... They closed her mouth and shipped her south. The woman's done."

[InTheKnow2]

re: The Light in the Piazza vs. Grey Gardens#24

Posted: 6/12/07 at 9:52am

munkustrap178-

thank you for pointing that out. best book went to Spelling Bee which (though funny at times) relies greatly on improv. unfair decision if you ask me...