I think that Seussical has a great score and is very Underrated. I do think that the original broadway book was a mess, but I think that the off-broadway revival fixed all of the issues by making it a one act. You have to look at it for what it is which is a wonderful kids musical.
Mister Matt, yes, I recently did a little digging and found that people on this board seem to love the show. I agree with you about the problems with the book and also find the score to be a little repetitive, though the opening number is one of the strongest in the canon of American theatre.
AE, you're a tough person to please. I've enjoyed so many you guys think are overrated. It took me 10 minutes to leave Rock of Ages, and lasted till intermission for Spamalot. So those two for overrated.
"... and that putrid item that we're all told to bow and scrape before, Fun Home. " Nobody had to tell me to love this show. I must admit however that I do enjoy your negativity, honestly it makes me smile all the time.
Overrated: KINKY BOOTS (MATILDA was robbed; it's so much better crafted), SIDE SHOW and especially SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE (talk about the Emperor's New Clothes!).
Underrated: WOMEN ON THE VERGE, THE BOY FROM OZ, ILLYA DARLING.
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain.
-Kad
OVERRATED: Viva O'Brien (ugh!), Sunny River (excuse me while I gag), Toplitzky of Notre Dame (talk about the emperor's new clothes!), Mr. Strauss Goes to Boston (what were the critics thinking?!?!), Cabalgata (wretched! rancid! enervating!), Oklahoma! (I'm with the 99.9999999%!)
UNDERRATED: The Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, The Sound of Music, Cats, Sweeney Todd, Rent, Les Miserables, The Lion King, Oh! Calcutta
gypsy101- as contradicting as this sounds, I think just because a show wins Best Musical doesn't mean it'll be remembered widely by the public (The theatre community maybe, but not the general public). I personally classify overrated as a show that non-theatre people are fully aware of but isn't the favorite of people within the community. So yes, Kiss of the Spider Woman won best musical in the 90's but I would guess that most people can't name one song from that show. It's not as appreciated as it should be, considering it's a Tony winner, making it underrated.
Underrated: Baby (or at least the score for Baby), Bat Boy, Weird Romance, Reefer Madness, Assassins, A Little Night Music, Sister Act, DEFINITELY Pacific Overtures.
People who find Sunday in the Park and Into the Woods overrated I don't even know what to say. It's nonsensical to call them overrated when really only in the theatre community (up until the recent Disney film) were both shows really known about! They're cult musicals if anything! Overrated is a term I reserve for the shows that rank in the bucks and are LITERALLY overrated like Cats, Phantom etc..
I really need to think these things through before I post! Little Women is underrated. It has a great score and although there are some holes in the storyline, it still deserves more mention. Another underrated show is Whistle Down the Wind. Again, plot holes abound, but in my opinion, one of ALW's best scores.