The Perfect Musical?- Page 4

[jewishboy]

Posted: 7/22/08 at 4:19am

On A Clear Day You Can See Forever!! :)

[Here I Am]

Posted: 7/22/08 at 5:27am

Gypsy
Into the Woods
Grey Gardens
Hairspray

And although people had problems with it, I found Next to Normal pretty damn perfect.

[culturalelite]

Posted: 3/7/09 at 5:05pm

PIRATES OF PENZANCE and THE FANTASTICKS

[wicked1492]

Posted: 3/7/09 at 5:24pm

By far, the best musical ever written is Gypsy. The book and score blend so flawlessly together, there seems to be no difference between the dialougue and songs. The characters are so well written seem so real. The overture is the best ever written. As is the book and the score.

I have absolutely no clue why people bash on Little Lamb so much though. It's the first time we really see Louise. If the actress conveys the emotions correctly, (FOR GOD'S SAKE, SEE LAURA BENANTI) the audience can truely connect with her for the first time in the show.

[TheCharleston]

Posted: 3/7/09 at 5:33pm

Most people don't bash on "little lamb" as a song or a character vehicle.

They bash the placement of the song, in the show. It's very questionable.

GYPSY is the closest to a Perfect musical that has ever been written (though it must be noted that no perfect musical exists - all shows have flaws).

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 3/7/09 at 5:40pm

LEGALLY BLONDE? I mean, there's a dog. C'mon.

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 3/7/09 at 6:02pm

Kiss Me, Kate
I couldn't even find a flaw when I tried.

[TheCharleston]

Posted: 3/7/09 at 6:44pm

The shakespearean gansters are a huge flaw.

[jv92]

Posted: 3/8/09 at 11:19am

Follies, too. Go ahead shoot.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 3/8/09 at 12:10pm

For me, I'd have to say the perfect musicals are Fiddler on the Roof, Guys and Dolls, and Sweeney Todd.

I feel like Fiddler on the Roof and Guys and Dolls both have fantastic books, made me laugh out loud multiple times, and there is not a single song that I do not love. Sweeney Todd for me is the most... spellbinding musical I can think of--I mean, come on, it's funny and scary and romantic and cynical, AND it's got cannibalism and all kinds of questionable morality combined with these gorgeous tunes.

I think Ragtime has one of the best scores I've heard, but I haven't seen it live yet, so I can't judge on the full content of the show.

Updated On: 3/8/09 at 12:10 PM

[CompanyFan]

Posted: 3/8/09 at 12:12pm

I completely agree about Company (especially when "Marry Me a Little" is included), Sweeney Todd, and Kiss Me, Kate. I'd add A Little Night Music.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 3/8/09 at 12:23pm

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.

I totally agree. I just saw a production of My Fair Lady last night, and I absolutely loved it... right up until the last scene. I mean, I'd seen the show before, but this one had the least pleasant Higgins so far. Because he was more manipulative and "what-who-me?" and falsely innocent all the time, and it was like he tricked Eliza into thinking he was a good guy or something-- and she just skipped out grinning and holding the slippers.

But I agree, that Trevor Nunn ending does sound better. I'd have liked to have seen that.

[massofmen]

Posted: 3/8/09 at 12:26pm

Sweeney Todd is the perfect musical.

[TheCharleston]

Posted: 3/8/09 at 12:29pm

It's far from the "perfect" musical.

This thread is so wrong - perfect musicals do not exist.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 3/8/09 at 12:31pm

How about "the best musical ever written?"

I think the thing that bothers me most about Sweeney Todd is the song "Wait" and some of the dialogue, but it's definitely up there with the best.

TheCharleston, what do you think is the closest thing to perfect that you've seen? (I'm honestly curious, not just being confrontational.)

[pattilupuppy]

Posted: 3/8/09 at 12:34pm

Gypsy

[jv92]

Posted: 3/8/09 at 1:07pm

"Kiss Me, Kate
I couldn't even find a flaw when I tried."

Read Ethan Mordden's book on the musicals of the 1940s. He found plenty.

[massofmen]

Posted: 3/8/09 at 1:18pm

tell me why its not perfect charleston.
do you ever go outside?
The sun is wonderful

[TheCharleston]

Posted: 3/8/09 at 1:58pm

"Gypsy" and "Show Boat" are the closest musicals written to perfection, though both shows have huge flaws.

As I've said before... no show is perfect. Perfect musicals don't exist.

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 3/8/09 at 3:22pm

I love the gangsters! I think they add a lot to the show.
I'll have to get my hands on that book, though.

[kylejerel17]

Posted: 3/8/09 at 5:10pm

My list includes:

Gypsy
Hair
Sweeney Todd
South Pacific
Chorus Line

While each of these musicals do have flaws, each one gives me a sense of imagination that I just watched a "Perfect Musical".

[massofmen]

Posted: 3/8/09 at 5:20pm

nothing perfect actually exists. So disputing the word "perfecting" is moot.

We all know that the OP is asking what is the best form of a musical that has been written. Everyone with a brain knows nothing perfect exists.

And I think the best form of a written musical is Sweeney Todd. And since that was what the OP was asking i am entitled to answer him/her.

[HedwigBoy]

Posted: 3/8/09 at 5:25pm

Okay so for me I can't pin point just one perfect musical, heres mine:

La cage aux folles
Hedwig
Cabaret

and...don't kill me for this, Spring Awakening.

[kristinchenofan570]

Posted: 3/8/09 at 7:52pm

2 many good ones 2 choose! gypsy is pretty good though!

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 10:08am

No musical is perfect.

Every musical has flaws, even if they're tiny. Even if it's a lyric that makes you itch, it is still a flaw.

Sweeney Todd is very close to perfect, but it still has some big flaws. The character of Anthony is very underdeveloped and has little personality; he's just the hunky guy that saves Johanna. I also think Tobias does not have enough time with Mr. Lovett and when he sings 'Not While I'm Around', it's very strange to the audience because we really don't know anything of their relationship beforehand. Also, some of the lyrics in the Ballad of Sweeney Todd are not good; they're just there to fill up syllables. "His skin was pale and his eye was odd" is the first lyric that comes to mind, they just needed something to rhyme with Todd and stevie came up with that crappy sentence.

I personally like Wiat. It's a beautiful song that is one of the moments we need; it shows the relationship between Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney Todd. It is the first time we see that all Sweeney cares about is The Judge/ The Beadle... and all she cares about is him, that is why she sings that song to comfort him. It is really important to making the ending so much more dramatic.

ETA: If there's one thing Tim Burton's film did, it was that it fixed the problem of not knowing Tobias and Lovett's relationship. The movie fixed that flaw.

Updated On: 4/13/09 at 10:08 AM