The Perfect Musical?- Page 3

[Lili Von Shtupp]

Posted: 7/18/08 at 2:08am

I actually happen to agree with walkedthroughmany. I may not call the song perfect but it's written as a lullaby which is completely appropriate. When the real Gypsy Rose Lee saw opening night in 1959 she started to cry because she thought "Little Lamb" expressed exactly how she felt when she was younger.

[sroderick2]

Posted: 7/18/08 at 3:10am

Just to go back to Rent for a moment--

"As for the music, Broadway shows have featured "popular" music literally since its inception, so I fail to see the innovation here either."

Sondhead, you're absolutely right that popular music has been used in Broadway shows since the beginning. But one thing that a year of ethnomusicology classes has taught me is that popular music, especially American popular music, comes in many different forms. Broadway often featured (and still features) a certain kind of popular music; rock, hip-hop and pop are other kinds. The (for lack of a better word) "innovative" thing about Rent is that it was rock music of the day being used in an environment no one would expect to find it. Two previously isolated American popular genres were being mixed to create a new product that Broadway apparently needed very much at the time.

And to contribute to the perfect musical discussion, I would say my perfect musical is tick, tick...BOOM! or West Side Story.

[jasonf]

Posted: 7/18/08 at 11:14am

I don't think there's such a thing as "perfect," but for me to get close would have to involve a "perfect" score (which, to me, is one where in listening to the cast album I don't skip any songs and enjoy every one of them). That said, the list is surprisingly short for me:

A Chorus Line
West Side Story
Man of LaMancha
1776
Sweeney Todd
The Last Five Years
Gypsy
The King and I
City of Angels
Into the Woods

Those are the ones that are popping off the top of my head. Most other shows will have at least one song that I'll skip or just feel is out of place somehow. Of course, looking at the list, I realize that every one of those has an exceptionally strong book, so I guess that must be a factor...

[legally_popular]

Posted: 7/18/08 at 11:58am

"To me, a "perfect musical" has nothing extra. Every line, every song, every character has a purpose. Any subplot has a purpose, as well. Characters are sufficiently well developed, and true to their own personality."

Couldn't agree more.
Gypsy gets my vote too.
And I love "Little Lamb," btw.

[defyingravity11]

Posted: 7/18/08 at 12:38pm

Beauty and the Beast
Gypsy
The King and I
Sweeney Todd
West Side Story

[sparrman]

Posted: 7/18/08 at 12:39pm

The Fantasticks. When I think of "perfection", that's what comes to mind. I'm not saying it's the most ambitious, or impressive, or the highest achievement in musical theatre writing by any means. But I think what it sets out to do, it achieves to a degree of near-perfection.

[Byron Abens]

Posted: 7/18/08 at 12:44pm

I like how people are saying the ending of My Fair Lady is a cop out, but not applying the same thing to Rent. Puccini had it absolutely right - "MIMIIIII" Curtain! I also think Act II of Rent could really have used some more tightening. You have Act I, which I would say is pretty close to perfect in terms of structure, and then this very episodic and somewhat disjointed Act II.

I also can't agree with people claiming Show Boat amongst the list of perfect musicals, especially as the script and score have been reworked numerous times. It's a good show, and was definitely a landmark and groundbreaking, but if it was perfect it would not have been tinkered with so many times over the years.

[Weez]

Posted: 7/18/08 at 2:09pm

When Mimi comes back, it's a happy ending. When Eliza comes back, it's to a future of emotional abuse. I'm more likely to excuse the 'Rent' ending than the 'My Fair Lady' one.

[sondhead]

Posted: 7/18/08 at 5:09pm

"But hey, who cares? The only thing that matters is that a musical is perfect to you."

Too true.

"When Mimi comes back, it's a happy ending. When Eliza comes back, it's to a future of emotional abuse. I'm more likely to excuse the 'Rent' ending than the 'My Fair Lady' one."

Really? Because unless Mimi is cured of her AIDS (which is never implied), her's is a future of continued pain and eventual re-death. I would say the Fair Lady and RENT endings are somewhat similar.

[Weez]

Posted: 7/18/08 at 5:14pm

Ahhh, good point. In that case, both endings suck. But especially 'My Fair Lady', 'cos Eliza could (and should) have stayed away from the source of her abuse.

[sparrman]

Posted: 7/18/08 at 6:20pm

Trevor Nunn really "fixed" the ending of My Fair Lady for the production that toured the US recently. Without changing a word, he made the "perfect" ending for the show!

[Weez]

Posted: 7/18/08 at 6:28pm

I'm not a fan of taking people's word for things. Are you going to clarify that statement, or just assume we'll take it in good faith?

[sparrman]

Posted: 7/18/08 at 6:46pm

Sorry Weez, I didn't know that you, personally, hadn't seen the tour. Of course, many did, and so they wouldn't have to take my word on it. (Granted, they might not agree with me...)

But at any rate, I'm happy to do my best. It was roughly as follows:

Eliza came back, said "I washed my face and hands before I come, I did." Higgins said "Eliza! Where the devil are my slippers?". The orchestra played. Eliza crossed straight downstage, away from Higgins, a bit huffy. Higgins got up, walked downstage, and looked at her. Eliza dramatically, stubbornly, crossed her arms defiantly at him. Higgins did exactly the same to her. And then they both started to laugh...and they laughed harder and harder, delighted to be in each other's presence, as the curtain fell.

It was an acknowledgement on both of their parts that they weren't about to be pushed around, not about to give in to the other's whim...and yet boy, they sure did like to be around each other. You got the feeling (I did at least) that if perhaps not precisely a "romantic" love, there was certainly some sort of bonding love between them which would keep them, in some way, together.
Updated On: 7/18/08 at 06:46 PM

[Weez]

Posted: 7/18/08 at 7:00pm

I am way crankier than I should be today, and it's warming my cockles that you're all putting up with me so nicely. :) Thank you for the explanation; that does actually sound very cute and makes me feel a little less queasy about the whole thing. My last experience of the whole thing was the Peter Hall-directed 'Pygmalion', and THAT Higgins&Eliza would NOT have had happy fun future times together, so I think it's warping my views a little. ^_^

[kathy selden]

Posted: 7/18/08 at 9:34pm

Wednesday night I saw South Pacific - perfect in everyway. Thurs night I saw Gypsy - perfect in every way, but the audience was on fire to be there, thus a better experience. It is not just the musical itself, it is the total experience with the audience right along with the actors in a sort of theatrical dance. Can't explain - but had goosebumps both nights. Worth waiting months for these tickets.

[H.Higgins]

Posted: 7/18/08 at 9:41pm

My Fair Lady
Gypsy
Sweeney Todd


All perfect to me, and it looks like to many others as well! =)

[levitatingcow11]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 12:52am

For the record, "Little Lamb" IS perfect. When Laura Benanti sings it.

[musicaltheatrefan3]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 3:06am

I don't think that any show is flawless, but "Gypsy" comes very close. VERY close.

[Amalia Balash]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 9:25am

She Loves Me
Gypsy

In both shows, the songs fit both the characters and the moments. In West Side Story, Sondheim's lyrics for some of Maria's songs (notably I Feel Pretty) don't quite fit her character.

I love Sunday in the Park with George, but I found the whole image of that Chromalume machine gadgety and dating, rather than contemporary.

[haleynn.piczo.com]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 2:01pm

a chorus line duh

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 2:01pm

[fanpires]

Posted: 7/19/08 at 7:13pm

passion
south pacific
oklahoma!

[SteamHeat2]

Posted: 7/20/08 at 1:42am

Les Mis
Oklahoma
South Pacific
Sunday in the Park with George (my current obsession)
Last Five Years

and I think Light in the Piazza comes very close and possibly I Love You Because

[commasplice]

Posted: 7/20/08 at 1:56am

"Trevor Nunn really "fixed" the ending of My Fair Lady for the production that toured the US recently. Without changing a word, he made the "perfect" ending for the show!"

I thought it was an improvement, but until Eliza a) doesn't come back at all, or b) comes back in order to punch Higgins in the face, I can't accept the ending of MFL as "perfect."

(eta - if we want to be *really* technical, Nunn does deviate from the stage directions.) Updated On: 7/20/08 at 01:56 AM

[Kasie]

Posted: 7/22/08 at 1:58am

Perfect? That's easy.

Sweeney Todd, hands down.