What Musicals Will Be Remembered in 50 Years?- Page 2

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 1/4/04 at 12:55am

I rather enjoyed iflitifloat's response. Short, crisp, to the point, and glaringly humiliating. I like it.

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 1/4/04 at 12:56am

I think Hairspray will, actually.

I don't think "Into The Woods" will. It's an amazing show, but 50 years from now? Sondheim has better works that will be remembered, but I don't think "Into The Woods" is one of them.

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 1/4/04 at 1:00am

The Fantasticks (sp?)

[on1ystarinthesky]

Posted: 1/4/04 at 1:06am

I think LSOH will be around for a while, just because there always seems to be a production of it every 20 years.

[MyNameInLights]

Posted: 1/4/04 at 1:07am

Into the Woods has elements that a lot of shows are missing these days. Has anyone seen the junior version? There is no second act! The second act is what makes it such an amazing show. It's suprising, sad and happy all at the same time, for lack of better adjectives. It's different, and I feel the same way with most Sondheim shows.

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 1/4/04 at 1:10am

Sondheim is an enigma in musical theatre. He is a living legend with beautiful scores yet a majority of what are considered his "greatest" shows have been flops on Broadway. Tells you something about true greatness...

[PJ]

Posted: 1/4/04 at 1:19am

Brilliance isn't always appreciated right away.

[MyNameInLights]

Posted: 1/4/04 at 1:38am

Sumofallthings, that was the sum of all things for me, at least when it comes to Sondheim.

[Greekmusicalfan]

Posted: 1/4/04 at 1:44am

My opinion is, that most of the musicals that are remebered in time worldwide, are those that are turned into a MOVIE ! I am not saying that it is right, but most of the older musicals the world remembers owe their legend to Hollywood ! Remember that most people don't have the passion that we share for Broadway and when we talk about legendary musicals we have to take average Joe into account ! So, I have to say that with the Phantom movie coming up, I think Phantom will be one of them along with Chicago, Evita, Cabaret. For purely theatrical ones, I think Les Mis, Rent, Hairspray are very close to legendary status

Take care

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 1/4/04 at 2:00am

Absolutely no one will care about musicals in 50 years. The form is moribund. There will never be the miracle person who creates the miracle production that makes a hit song or interests the proverbial new generation of theatergoers who aren't going to exist to save Broadway musicals.

There are a few very young people interested in it now, and they will be the ones in the nursing homes waxing nostalgic as my grandparents did for vaudeville. A few songs may survive, the way "Who's on First?" and the "Niagra Falls" routines are remembered by a few, but not many.

Sorry. That's what I think is going to happen.

[on1ystarinthesky]

Posted: 1/4/04 at 2:01am

...that depresses me. Now I've almost completely lost the will to live.

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 1/4/04 at 2:11pm

That was seriously depressing and negative. Thanks.

I'm surprised many people are mentioning Rent. Is it really that amazing of a musical that it will be remembered? With all of the shows for teenagers out or coming out now (Legally Blonde, Hairspray, But I'm A Cheerleader) do you think people will remember Rent? I love Rent, and think it's an amazing show- But I don't think it's anywhere NEAR legendary status.

[Mr. Tuttle]

Posted: 1/4/04 at 2:24pm

Thanks for your replies.

I think Rent will be remembered much like Hair - a product of its time and one that cannot be fully appreciated in the future.

I do see a longer shelf life for Millie as every community theater will be doing it, along with Les Miz and the Producers.

I find it funny that we haven't mentioned many 1970 musicals. What about Follies...On The 20th Century....Godspell....JCS....Annie....Evita....Chicago?
Where will they fall in the history books? Will Donna Murphy be doing an Annie revivial in 2041?

Updated On: 1/4/04 at 02:24 PM

[onceadancer2]

Posted: 1/4/04 at 2:34pm

Do you mean which shows will be remembered or which shows will still be performed? Big difference.

[Audrey]

Posted: 1/4/04 at 3:30pm

Well, I'll settle for everything “now, now, now!” because if I am around THEN, I will be 106 years old!

I think "Phantom" will endure because the original material
is a classic and the music is likable. It could become the "Christmas Carol" of Halloween.

"Cats" could end up the darling of little theaters everywhere, especially with the performers of the age 7 to 12 group.

I think the 15 years past and 15 years into the future will be known as a transitional period and the typical "Broadway Musical" born in the 1940's or do will soon be as quaint as Gilbert and Sullivan. This is not to say they will be completely forgotten but they certainly will not be thought of much in mainstream pop culture. Even current Broadway is pretty much ignored by the young and uninitiated and that is most of the general population.

Maybe "Broadway" itself will become a thing of the past. The best way to avoid that is to educate the rest of the country with first class touring groups but they would have to be both afforadable and extremely well advertized. That's a tall order indeed!

Comments? :)
Audrey :)

[Chevstriss]

Posted: 1/4/04 at 6:12pm

Just because a show is emormously popular does not mean it will endure. Check out this link on Wizard of Oz:

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/oz/ozsect2.html

This Show had "pop" songs that "made the charts" in sales of sheet music. The actor's playing Scarecrow and Tinman became household names. My first exposure to this show was my turn-of-the-century double-comb music box has 3 discs from this show.

BTW I mean the turn of the 20th century, not 4 yrs ago.

The movie version, which contained none of the original music, virtually quashed the reputation of this all american pop musical.

So, time will tell.

[DoReMi]

Posted: 1/4/04 at 6:56pm

What a great question - what will be performed or what will be remembered in 50 years?

I think the answer is what will still be performed. Looking at the list someone provided of 50 year old show, we're still seeing Kismet and Wonderful Town.

I think Rent will become a period piece soon. And I don't see Wicked reaching legendary status just because of it's Wizard connection.

BTW...I believe a new recoding was just released of the music from the original Oz mentioned in the post above.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 1/4/04 at 7:03pm

a.) please remember that the film version of Oz was based on the book, not the stage show, although they DID borrow a device or two...

b.) Yes, a new recording was released and it has MANY tracks on it

c.) Hairspray is going to be the Grease! of this generation....


side note to future generations.. keep any and all production rights for Hairspray far away from anyone with the name Weissler........ Updated On: 1/4/04 at 07:03 PM

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/4/04 at 7:08pm

Beyond a shadow of a doubt: IT'S A BIRD! IT'S A PLANE IT'S SUPERMAN!

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 1/4/04 at 7:24pm

Rings very true. And although an OBC album is a nice souvenir of a show. Broadway musicals are EMPHEMERAL. They are not made to last into the next generation. And often a huge hit of its time like FOLLOW THE GIRLS is utterly forgotten and unrevived a few seasons later. And even film (which exists, more or less, as a more 'tangible' and 'permanent' entertainment) suffers over time. Everybody gets forgotten. In the late 1960s, there was a huge revival for Jean Harlow, Mae West, the Marx Brothers Laurel & Hardy & W.C. Fields. Today these once huge stars are mostly known to a tiny handful of enthusiasts. Nobody cares about them anymore.

The question is...what current show is the FOLLOW THE GIRLS of 2004?

Updated On: 1/4/04 at 07:24 PM

[BroadwayBaby3]

Posted: 1/4/04 at 9:04pm

wicked and millie. and les miz

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 1/4/04 at 9:45pm

I don't think Thoroughly Modern Millie will be remembered. I think it will still be performed, though. Millie is one of my favorite shows in the whole world and all, but it's already losing hype now, and it's not the best show of the current ones on Broadway.

[JakeB]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 5:28pm

Wicked, Rent, The Producers, Thoroughly Modern Millie, etc, etc, will NOT be around in 50 years. They are all examples of current feelgood shows (except Rent) and have little to be remembered by. That doesn't mean they're bad.. they're brilliant shows and there's not one of them I wouldn't see (again) but they lack the genius behind them as found with Chicago, Annie, Evita, Phantom, Les Mis, Saigon, Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar that make them consistently revival-able. These will be remembered, I severely doubt the above ones will.

Wicked and The Producers especially are far too high budget - who's going to touch that in the regions or at high schools?

[wickedfan]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 5:32pm

If you think that Annie is brilliant, than I will never agree with any post you write again. Shows aren't remembered by school productions. I will admit, shows like Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Producers and Wicked will not be around. Doesn't mean they will be forgot. When shows are running as long as Producers it is obvious they will be remembered. Almost every show that has made it past 1,100 performances has been remembered. Some of them shouldn't be. But thy will be remembered, whether it is for the sets or cast whatever, they will be remembered

[Elphie]

Posted: 1/5/04 at 5:35pm

Annie, has annoying as it is, will def. stand the test of time. Those stage mommies wont let it die!!!