Those PERFECT shows?

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Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:00pm

Ok, I know nothing is flawless but, in my opinion there are a handful of PERFECT shows. What would you consider a perfect (or near perfect) show?

My list includes:
GYPSY
THE MUSIC MAN
SWEENEY TODD
A CHORUS LINE
SOUTH PACIFIC
THE PAJAMA GAME

"These rabid fans...possess the acting talent to portray the hooker...Linda Eder..." -The New York Times

Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:06pm

West Side Story
Les Misérables

Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:08pm

Any such list is incomplete withour Glee. That said, I guess a 'perfect' show is one that needs no embellishment, it 'just' needs the right performers in the right roles, and a director/producer who is willing to trust the material. With that criteria, I would add West Side Story to that list, and I might remove Pajama Game.

"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg." -- Thomas Jefferson

Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:17pm

I think She Loves Me is pretty close to being a perfect show.

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

Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:18pm

I've always found Carousel to be pretty perfect.

http://backstagebarbie.blogspot.com

Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:20pm

The Music Man
A Chorus Line
1776
Les Miserables
Falsettos

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

Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:24pm

1776 is a worthy additional to this list.

"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg." -- Thomas Jefferson

Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:26pm

I think very few of the above mentioned are perfect - i think, even when perfectly cast, a strong director is necessary to allow the material to hit an emotional high with the audience.

In my opinion, a perfect musical is a play that is dramatically compelling, and uses song and dance only when most necessary to transcend larger emotions, while still moving the story forward. As long as you cast a perfect musical well, it will always work.

In my opinion, there are only four, two up for debate -
Gypsy
Oklahoma!
Guys and Dolls
West Side Story

for debate:
Fiddler on the Roof
My Fair Lady

There are many that are close to perfect: Carousel, The Most Happy Fella, Cabaret, A Chorus Line, Sunday in the Park With George - but i think only those four, and maybe those two, truly meet the definition of a perfect musical.

Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:26pm

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
THE MUSIC MAN
1776
GYPSY
WEST SIDE STORY

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

#10

Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:30pm

Les Mis is SO far from perfect. There's no book.

The Music Man is close, but not so. "Shipoopi", barber shop moments, move no story forward.

1776 is close, but there's no dancing, and a few songs don't move the story forward - "Lees of Old Virginia", "He Plays the Violin", "Mama Look Sharp" - all great songs, with huge emotional payoff, but don't advance the action of the play much. 1776 certainly has the best book of any musical ever.

Updated On: 6/7/10 at 03:30 PM

#11

Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:32pm

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRRORS.

Why does a perfect show require dancing?

#12

Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:34pm

I love My Fair Lady, but my opinion of it was severely diminished after seeing Pygmalion and realizing how much better that was. I found Pygmalion to be funnier and MUCH more forward thinking than My Fair Lady.

Updated On: 6/7/10 at 03:34 PM

#13

Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:37pm

I think that, simply by defintion, song and dance should be used to move the story forward - the modern musical was defined by that, with Oklahoma!.

I guess it doesn't have to require dancing, but the songs should all move the action of the play forward, and really, only in those four (maybe six) shows does that happen in every song.

Don't get me wrong, a perfect musical isn't necessarily better than other musicals - much of Sondheim's work, and other pieces, some already mentioned, I enjoy more than a few of those "perfect" musicals, but as stand alone pieces - they don't always meet that hardcore definition. imo.

givesmevoice, a lot of people say that about "My Fair Lady", and there is much truth to that (hence why I hestitate to include My Fair Lady) but again, it doesn't necessarily have to be as good or better than Pygmalion to be defined as a textbook case of perfect musical theatre writing.

Updated On: 6/7/10 at 03:37 PM

#14

Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:38pm

I'm not certain there are any "perfect shows".
Gypsy has "All I need is the Girl" which has its supporters and detractors. And the pseudo "happy" ending...leaves me eh.

I like to think Guys and Dolls is "perfect" but I've seen or heard of too many flat productions.

Oklahoma - well, I cain't rully stan "Farmers and the cowboys should be friends"

West Side Story on stage has Krupke in the wrong place which was remedied in the film.

My Fair Lady, I think, works from first to last note with wonderful side bits - although I'm not crazy about "on the street where you live".

Music Man - Matthew Broderick showed the show may not be perfect. Like Guys and Dolls, it probably should be.

#15

Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:41pm

Nobody mentioned any shows with Sondheim scores? I find Company to be pretty close to perfect, along with A Little Night Music. Sunday is another great one.

#16

Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:43pm

You might not like the song, but "the Farmer and the Cowman" serves a dramatic purpose, and moves the story arc of several characters forward.

You don't have to like a perfect musical for it to be perfect by definition.

It certainly helps, though!

For example, Crazy for You is probably my 2nd or 3rd favorite show - is it perfect? HECK NO. But would I rather go see it than My Fair Lady? Often times, yes.

But it can't be denied that as a piece, My Fair Lady is better constructed.

#17

Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:45pm

"Les Mis is SO far from perfect. There's no book."

That is just wrong ^^

"West Side Story on stage has Krupke in the wrong place which was remedied in the film."

This is an opinion thing, but I think you're wrong, Krupke was moved from the right place onstage to the wrong place on film, and the reasons for the position of the song onstage are far better than in the movie.

#18

Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:46pm

HELLO, DOLLY
MAME
THE SOUND OF MUSIC (well, at least the movie)
MY FAIR LADY

edit: also, THE FANTASTICKS

Updated On: 6/7/10 at 03:46 PM

#19

Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:47pm

Little Shop of Horrors, while awesome, is NOT perfect.

Company is close, but a concept musical is different - A Chorus Line and Company are about an idea, a theme - the story doesn't move in a straightforward narrative sense, and thusly sometimes the songs don't have to move the story forward, but still make "points". If a concept musical could be perfect, by definition, Company and A Chorus Line would be textbook cases.

#20

Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:48pm

Les Mis is a pop opera that found success on Broadway, not a musical.

No disrespect to it, i LOVE les mis. But it's not really a musical by definition.

also ggersten's point is well taken - there really may be no "perfect" musical - as we're seeing right now, it may be impossible for a show to be both perfect by definition and unanimously loved.

Updated On: 6/7/10 at 03:48 PM

#21

Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:49pm

A Chorus Line
A Streetcar Named Desire
A View From the Bridge
Aida
Barefoot in the Park
Bombay Dreams
Bye Bye Birdie
Closer
Doubt
Evita
Fame
Festen
Finian's Rainbow
Grey Gardens
Kiss of the Spider Woman
Promises, Promises
Rent
Rock of Ages
Spring Awakening
The Apple Tree
The Blue Room
The Fantasticks
The Little Dog Laughed
The Vertical Hour
The Wedding Singer
The Woman in White
Time Stands Still
West Side Story
Wonderful Town
Young Frankenstein

"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one". -Felicia Finley-

Updated On: 6/7/10 at 03:49 PM

#22

Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:50pm

LA CAGE AUX FOLLES also edges on perfection.

It's such a broad generalization. And very up for debate.

#23

Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:50pm

I would say La Cage is one!

I thought it was all a flash in the pan. It wasn't until Broadway came along that I felt I had really made it. -Julie Andrews

#24

Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:52pm

Evita and Spring Awakening? Are you kidding?

A musical combines music, songs, spoken dialogue and dance. Les Misérables combines these, and is a musical. It has a book, to say it doesn't is wrong. And it is a perfect musical and one of the greatest ever written.

#25

Those PERFECT shows?

Posted: 6/7/10 at 3:52pm

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Sunday in the Park, but I really find the second act to be scattered and messy. I love it, but I wouldn't call it perfect.

I would also add OKLAHOMA and HELLO DOLLY to my list.

"These rabid fans...possess the acting talent to portray the hooker...Linda Eder..." -The New York Times

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