Under-active composers

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Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 3:29am

I recognize that not everybody can churn out shows at the rate of a Wildhorn, but who do we think could have/ should have written more musicals?

Or, indeed, whose shows haven't actually reached the stage (is the an equivalent of Hollywood's "blacklist" of un-produced scripts?)

Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 3:30am

I was reflecting on the fact that Boublil/ Schoenberg have only had 4 shows produced (did they notice the diminishing returns too?)

Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 3:53am

Sondheim. He needs to be more active. I mean when have we had a new Sondheim musical? Road Show is nearly 10 years ago. He needs to put out more stuff or he'll be forgotten

Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 3:57am

Lucy Simon. Mary Rodgers. Marc Shaiman. Maury Yeston. David Yazbeck.

The guys who wrote Kismet (debatable).

Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 3:59am

John Kander hasn't been working very much in the past decade since Fred Ebb's unfortunate death. He's getting older and I can respect his reasons for no longer turning out a musical every other year like he once did. What a great team they were... Anyway, Robert Lopez isn't very active, neither is Sondheim anymore.

Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 4:11am

Maury Yeston is extremely under-active. I wish he'd work on a new project.

I'd love a new Sondheim show. It's been a while since we've seen a new one. Does anyone have any info on the show that he was working on.

Adam Guettel hasn't written much. I remember hearing that he was working an a musical of the Princess Bride, but that was years ago.

Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 6:35am

I wish Burt Bacharach and Mark Sandrich, Jr. had composed music for Broadway more than once. I loved the scores for Promises, Promises and Ben Franklin in Paris. The latter was a musical about a historical figure that one could actually enjoy!

Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 7:06am

Right, because nobody actually enjoys any other musical about a historical figure.

Not that you don't enjoy any other musical about a historical figure. Not even that you can't see why other people enjoy any other musical about a historical figure. But that no one could enjoy any other musical about a historical figure, despite overwhelming evidence that people actually do? You self-righteous dick.

"You mean what was the best picture of the year or what did they pick as the best picture of the year?" - California Suite

Updated On: 5/8/16 at 07:06 AM

Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 8:04am

Definitely Adam Guettel.

I always wish Marvin Hamlisch had written more shows.

Cryer & Ford

Geld & Udel

Larry Grossman

Rupert Holmes

Henry Krieger

Carol Hall

Claibe Richardson

....but the world goes 'round

Updated On: 5/8/16 at 08:04 AM

#10

Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 9:47am

Rose,

Actually, there are quite a number of musicals about historical figures that I very much enjoy. Ben Franklin in Paris is one of them, and I'm so happy to have seen it!

And thanks for the kind words. Do have a lovely day!

As to the topic at hand, one other composer I wish we had heard more of is George Fischoff, who wrote the wonderful music to Georgy. This season's off-Broadway production of his Sayonara had the best music heard all year. It made it clear just how much Broadway needed his talent.

#11

Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 9:51am

Some of them have gone on to more remunerative engagements, but most of them have written more but to less effect. Some, of course are very old and although they still write, probably every day because that's what composers do, the idea of doing anything more than phoning it in on a new musical is probably exhausting just to think about. Instead of wishing on the past I prefer wishing on the future.

#12

Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 9:55am

Guettel seems to be the key example of a composer who should be in the prime of his career, but who has offered very little for public consumption since breaking big with The Light in the Piazza. He has several pieces in various stages of development, but it really is rather surprising/shocking that he hasn't had a musical reach a major stage in over 10 years.

#13

Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 10:59am

There were many composing teams that did one show, it flopped, and were never heard from again

You have composers who whether you like them or not turn out scores like they do it in their sleep overnight. Wildhorn is one. Many detest his music but many like it. Unfortunately, his shows are critically D.O.A. so he probably will not be on Broadway again. Many even blame him for the lyrics which is a bit crazy as all he writes is the music. Do not cry for him as all those uneducated savages in Europe and elsewhere love his shows and he is laughing all the way to the bank .

Poster Emeritus

#14

Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 11:54am

sng said: "Sondheim. He needs to be more active. I mean when have we had a new Sondheim musical? Road Show is nearly 10 years ago. He needs to put out more stuff or he'll be forgotten

"

I hope to God that Sondheim will never be forgotten. He's older though, and even though I'd love to see a new Sondheim musical, I'm not expecting a new one. But Sondheim has released so many classic musicals that I don't think he will ever be forgotten at least by the die-hard theater community.

#15

Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 11:54am

Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus need to write another musical (Mamma Mia! doesn't count).

#16

Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 12:10pm

I don't know if Robert Lopez can really be considered under-active. The Book of Mormon was only five years ago, and since that time he's worked on Frozen and is now developing the Broadway show, and recently premiered a new musical at La Jolla. I think he's actually one of the more active contemporary composers working.

I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.

#17

Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 12:17pm

icecreambenjamin said: "Maury Yeston is extremely under-active. I wish he'd work on a new project.

I'd love a new Sondheim show. It's been a while since we've seen a new one. Does anyone have any info on the show that he was working on.

Adam Guettel hasn't written much. I remember hearing that he was working an a musical of the Princess Bride, but that was years ago.

"

He's doing a musical based on The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and The Exterminating Angel with David Ives that will premiere at the Public in a few years.

#18

Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 12:20pm

Yeston could let Goya go thru the trials of any new show and see how it turns out. The upcoming titles you list do not seem to have big box office draw written all over them

Poster Emeritus

#19

Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 12:24pm

After Eight said: "I wish Burt Bacharach and Mark Sandrich, Jr. had composed music for Broadway more than once. I loved the scores for Promises, Promises and Ben Franklin in Paris. The latter was a musical about a historical figure that one could actually enjoy!"

Did you notice you mention Hamilton in every thread you post in no matter if the topic is related at all?

"Contentment, it seems, simply happens. It appears accompanied by no bravos and no tears."

#20

Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 12:47pm

gypsy, have you not figured out that it is the consummate troll?

#21

Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 1:08pm

Adam Guettel is one of the other people I was thinking about.

Alan Menken is extremely prolific (with varying success) but some of the other big names are certainly getting much older- semi-retirement could be allowed I guess.

But yes, others should be in their prime but don't seem to get to Broadway- I was shocked to realize it was 10 years since Piazza!

#22

Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 1:10pm

Elton John

My father (AIDS) My sister (AIDS) My uncle and my cousin and her best friend (AIDS, AIDS, AIDS) The gays and the straights And the white and the spades

#23

Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 1:13pm

As of December 2015, Sondheim is still working on his new musical with David Ives.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/David-Ives-Dishes-on-Collaborating-with-the-Legendary-Stephen-Sondheim--He-Loves-to-Be-Amused-20151201

#24

Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 1:42pm

Hey good people of this Broadway World thread,

I know it appears that I have fallen off the face of the earth, but I'm still writing away. I've completed a first draft of MILLIONS, due for another workshop in August/September. Craig Lucas and I are half way through writing another show together (because of rights issues I can't mention the title yet) and I am well into a draft of an opera for Houston Grand Opera scheduled for their 2020 season. No one is more chagrined than I about not having had anything new on the boards since Piazza. But I can't help but mention that I had done all the music for Princess Bride in 2007 when it blew up and died. So, that score sits in a drawer awaiting the right romantic fairy tale to use it in. (The overture was played at Carnegie Hall 2 weeks ago.) I had to post today because I love this work and the community too much to let people think I had stopped writing. Whether my new work will be any good in front of a paying audience - well, I hope I have a chance to find out!

#25

Under-active composers

Posted: 5/8/16 at 1:51pm

Thank you for responding. I'm a huge fan of your work and it's so sad to hear that The Princess Bride didn't work out. I hope to hear more from you soon!

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