The Most overrated and underrated musicals — Page 3

I think everything on that list is idiotic, but Book of Mormon. It may be goofy and vulgar, but it still has a great score. I also think it's one of the best modern mega musicals.
The producers on the other hand, was pretty bad. As was the god awful Spamalot and Young Frankenstein.

Is Kinky Boots considered underrated? It won the Tony, and gets raves from everyone I know who's seen it. And it's still on Broadway. Is it not making its investment back?

I guess KB is not really underrated, it did win the Tony. But its not as widely known or respected for being great as other musicals. If that makes sense.

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Absolutely, Gaveston. Street Scene has absolutely wonderful music. I also think Lost in the Stars is under appreciated.

Add to my underrated:
Flower Drum Song
George C Wolfe's The Wild Party (I have varied thoughts about this show, mainly that the book is a mess and the score is too harsh, but it has moments of brilliant intensity and many of the songs are fun and surprisingly catchy [especially for LaChiusa music], but it is almost forgotten and never produced anywhere, and I think it deserves a little more recognition than it gets)
After the Ball
Bravo Giovanni
By Jeeves
The Nervous Set
Most Bock and Harnick shows

Add to overrated:
Side Show (it's fine, but people praise it as brilliance, which I disagree with)
Spring Awakening
In the Heights
Light in the Piazza
Carrie (there's a reason why it's never successful)

Updated On: 11/27/14 at 07:30 PM

Absolutely, Gaveston. Street Scene has absolutely wonderful music. I also think Lost in the Stars is under appreciated....

Okay, now I'm SURE you're not 16. In fact, except for LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA (which I found breathtaking on TV), I agree with most of your choices above.

Pacific Overtures as a movie would be an real treat for me.

But would it really work? It's such a theatrical musical, and for me I can't see it being as alluring as a movie. (read a more in depth post about why it wouldnt work on tumblr somewhere but i've lost it now!)

I'd love to hear the argument. Kabuki is one of Japan's traditional musical-theater forms. I've watch enough films of kabuki that I have to think the right director could find a way to do PACIFIC OVERTURES.

FWIW, I didn't see the Broadway production, but the off-Broadway production at the Promenade in the 1980s used minimal design elements and worked beautifully. The show does NOT require the full spectacle to work. In fact, the off-Broadway relatively greater success might argue the show is better without lavish sets.

Galveston, I remember thinking I must have been the only 16 year old to enjoy "Follies", "Passion", and "Sunday...". I believe the most telling thing was how completely I understood Fosca at that age and how, when we watched the taped recording as part of my Drama class at school, I was the only student who had a shred of understanding for her. Everyone else hated her and found the ending completely absurd. It was not encouraging for me that I could relate to Fosca, Sally, Dot, and George at my age.

*This post is written in past tense, sorry for any confusion.

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Updated On: 11/29/14 at 12:46 AM

Overrated: The Producers

Underrated: A New Brain, My One & Only

I can't seem to find the post which I previously saw but I agree that it might work as a film, now thinking about it. But don't a crop of other problems then arise?

Such as an All-Asian cast? Knowing Hollywood (assuming its hollywood) would they just yellow-face cast the whole movie? And there's the whole "all-male" cast issue, would they do that as well? I think the score works very very well with an all male cast.

I do prefer the lavish scenery and costumes (just because I love Aronson's design of the American ship, and his gorgeous curtain designs) but it's a show, to me, with a great score and can be appreciated with a minimalistic take.

And, on another note, I am in fact 13 years old, and adore Sondheim. I might not fully get all of the messages in his musicals, but I can identify with a few themes.

Have a good day to all!

Overrated: Les Mis (Especially since the movie was released)

Underrated: Assassins, Catch Me If You Can

Overrated:

Everything by Sondheim.

Everything by Brown.

Everything by LaChiusa.

Everything by Guettel.

Also: Rent, Ragtime, Once, Matilda, and that putrid item that we're all told to bow and scrape before, Fun Home.


Underrated:

All the others that are actually good!

Is Ragtime really overrated? I was under the impression that most of the theatre community thought that it was a middling and puzzling musical with a few good songs and nice production values.

Around here, the popular consensus regarding Ragtime is that it was robbed of Best Musical and often considered one of the American greats. Personally, I thought it was a show with a gorgeous score, but the book and staging were something of a mess. Some great moments, but schizo staging and inconsistent use of characters kept me from being wowed by it. The original cast was wonderful and I did enjoy hearing the score performed live.

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