Top Ten Musicals Any Actor Should Know ? — Page 2

DrewBill - You are 100% correct Evita is by far the best of the British sung-through musicals (it's not perfect: it's no "gypsy" afterall).... however Evita has hardly been the cultural behemoth that are phantom and les mis. If importance is measured in cultural and global impact (as according to rewritemystory) then surely we'd have to add all frivolous but successful musicals... Mamma Mia! for example. - I'm not saying that s/he is wrong, I'm merely sharing my opinion.

I still don't think "Evita" should be on the list, although it's ALW's best work it represents a genre that no longer has a future on broadway and is hardly iconic of musical theatre.

zooxanthellae: I see your point, but I still kind of think that "Evita" is the most significant artifact of its time and place. And if you're looking at modern theater history, it can't be overlooked. Yes, the British sung-through musical was just a passing fad, but I think "Evita," and the other shows like it, set the stage for today's "commercial" musicals.

Not to start an argument, but if I were editing your list, I would probably replace "The King and I" with "Evita," and "Follies" with "Company." (I can't believe I just typed that!)

Anybody studying to be a dramatist in any capacity (i.e. playwright, bookwriter- though they're the same thing, composer, lyricist) should read, devour and worship Gypsy.

whats with all the spring awakenings....great musical, however, if it wasnt for RENT, or HAIR for that fact, there would be no spring awakening.

As an 11th one, Camelot...

Updated On: 6/28/08 at 01:58 AM

What about if the ten breaks down into categories and there's a top one for each: (just a suggested list here, I thought the composer break down was a good idea, and this another, plus shows listed aren't my definitive list but examples. I'm not sure of my list)

Culturally Significant: So something like Oklahoma, RENT, Miss Saigon, South Pacific etc...maybe for me Boy From Oz- Australian Musical on Broadway, culturally significant to me :)
Broadway Blockbuster: WICKED, Phantom Of The Opera, Les Mis
Underdog/Original Musical/Long Road To B'way: Avenue Q, In The Heights, maybe even [title of show] in the future
Off-Broadway: The Fantasticks (that one I would say as definitive)
Classic: Gotta be one of the toughest to choose from
Sung through: Les Mes, Miss Saigon, Phantom, list goes on...
Jukebox: Jersey Boys, Mamma Mia another list goes on...
Movie Adaptation: The Lion King (and the others tooooo many to list), But don't forget classics too
West End Success: Your Evita's etc
Tony Award Winner: The Producers for amount won...etc

What other breakdowns could there be?

Sean

Wow, I'm starting to feel like a real non-fan for never having seen Guys and Dolls.

Anybody studying to be a dramatist in any capacity (i.e. playwright, bookwriter- though they're the same thing, composer, lyricist) should read, devour and worship Gypsy.


Agreed!

Okay, i'm looking over all of these, and seeing my flaws- Les Mis and Phantom are two of the same. They're inevitably always going to be a part of Musical Theatre due to thier ridiculous longevity. They are not that influential in any other way though, so there definitely isn't room for both on the top ten.

Mamma Mia!, as much as I hate to say it, is a milestone of Musical Theatre. The jukebox musical is now a huge part of Musical Theatre, love it or hate it, which means it should be on the influential list.

On my Sondheims, everything should be on the influential list. Company was the first concept musical, thus deserving a spot on the list. Sweeney Todd was the first horror musical, which are becoming increasingly popular. It's yet to be seen how durable of a genre the horror musical will be, so its acceptance is really pending (I'm sure if they brought Rebecca to Broadway it would totally inhance the genre- I have mad love for Rebecca). Sondheim is just God, and everyone should bow to and worship any show he has ever made.

Gypsy is flawless, but it isn't groundbreaking, which makes it hard for me to put on the list. I agree it should be worshiped and adored, but not quite groundbreaking enough to be on the list. Someone prove me wrong, because I loooove Gypsy, but being fair, I don't think it belongs.

TBC

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So, i'll be the first confess that the choices that I didn't explain were mostly wrong and poorly thought out. I was getting tired of thinking- i'm human. Here's my amended list:
Oklahoma!
Guys and Dolls
West Side Story
Hair
Company
A Chorus Line
Sweeney Todd
Les Mis
Rent
Mamma Mia

Now on the flawless show list, Gypsy holds the top spot, but it doesn't seem influential enough for this list. If you can prove me wrong, please do.

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les miserables
evita
south pacific
miss saigon
sound of music
gypsy
oklahoma
guys and dolls
a chorus line
west side story

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It has subtracted from Broadway as an artform. I think you're right. It's like the Black Crook- you should know it, but not study it. Not on the list- there is room for Gypsy =).

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