What is the most underrated musical of all time- Page 4

[goldenboy]

Posted: 3/14/13 at 12:28am

Bonnie and Clyde.
Seesaw.. which had a run but not done much.

[Crazierthanyou13]

Posted: 5/30/14 at 9:39am

In my opinion, Bonnie and Clyde.

[CurtainsUpat8]

Posted: 5/30/14 at 9:50am

I would have to say RAGTIME. It's a masterpiece and has had two semi-successful runs on Broadway. It's a far better show than Wicked and should still be running.

Although I agree on 1776. It won the Tony for Best Musical. It certainly has been done in MANY community theatres. It's one of my FAVORITE shows. Probably the best book of a musical ever written. But I don't think of it as underrated.

[gfaustswa]

Posted: 5/30/14 at 10:18am

The Story of My Life and Bonnie and Clyde

[wonkit]

Posted: 5/30/14 at 10:25am

Zorba

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/30/14 at 10:32am

Once On This Island

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 5/30/14 at 10:44am

SHE LOVES ME

Of course with this question there's a semantic dilemma.

One could persuasively argue that there are very good shows that were abject flops that are more "underrated," but I'll stick with SHE LOVES ME.

It's a masterwork that, while not an abject flop, has never gotten nearly the affection and admiration it so richly deserves.

Tender, hilarious, entrancing, musically lush, superb ballads, tantalizing up tempos, supremely crafted duets, almost every moment rife with feeling, rhapsodically lyrical, lyrically rhapsodic, loving and lovable, filled with wonderful characters almost any singing actor would kill to play, exquisite sub plotting, often poignant never cloying, perfectly paced, in "A Romantic Atmosphere" one of the most exciting, funny production numbers ever created, and the best first act and final curtains one could ever hope for.

And genuine and thrilling romance! Leads who we see fall in love with each other; we don't take it at face value that they are falling in love. We take it as an irrefutable truth because we are falling in love with them ourselves.

What more could one want in a musical other than a hit? Which it should be.







Updated On: 5/31/14 at 10:44 AM

[ErinDillyFan]

Posted: 5/30/14 at 12:15pm

Dear World
The Baker's Wife
The Wild Party (Lippa)
Parade
Bonnie & Clyde

Loved each of these in the theater and can't wait to see them again. But, it is rare that they are performed anywhere and especially away from the east coast.

I have to say that with "Dear World" and "The Wild Pary" they were staged quite differently than the Youtube clips I have seen of the original productions. Updated On: 5/30/14 at 12:15 PM

[jiff]

Posted: 5/30/14 at 1:09pm

I know this thread is really referring to shows that actually made it to broadway, but I must mention the musical "Ruth" that I found in the bargain bin at a Christian store. The Book of Ruth is a great story for a broadway musical.
Also "They're Playing Our Song." Lucie Arnez is underrated. She was great in that movie version of "The Black Dahlia."

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 5/30/14 at 6:21pm

I've seen a local production of Yeston's Phantom and thought it was pretty rough. Mainly because while some songs are fantastic, some are so trite. I also thought it was a little too light in tone, but I guess that's why it's a good companion to "Phantom of the Opera."

I think 1776, as well as shows like Falsettos, Once On This Island, Grand Hotel, The Secret Garden, and LaChiusa's The Wild Party are underrated by the younger generation of musical theatre performers and enthusiasts on a larger scale. Parade and Ragtime, while not the most mainstream, I do not think of as underrated. Another show I'll add to the list is See What I Wanna See.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 5/30/14 at 8:55pm

I agree. I have been reading these for years, but never responded. This one did it. To be 'the most overrated of all time', you probably have to be talking about a well received musical that you don't think is as appreciated as it should be. To me that would justify Identifying 'She Loves Me' or 'Ragtime' or even 'Follies', since they are all great works (even if 'Follies' is flawed). None has ever really enjoyed the success that it deserves.

Shows that I would consider under appreciated, if not THE MOST EVER:

Chess -- that score
Hallelujah Baby -- I saw it 3 times in its original production and totally loved it
The Happy Time -- a production at the Signature in VA demonstrated that this needed to be done small and not like the original production
Cyrano -- listen to the CD and be jealous of anyone who saw Christopher Plummer give one of the greatest performances I have ever seen in a musical
Over Here -- this should be revived with a rotating list of older female stars...start with Patti Lupone and Bernadette Petera and go from there. I saw it 5 times in the 10 month run more years ago that I want to recall, and loved it every time...to this day, one of the most fun nights I ever saw in a musical
The Scottsboro Boys -- I still can't believe in this day and age that it didn't at least run for at least the season
The Grand Tour -- 30 plus years ago, when standing ovations occurred very rarely, the audience leapt to its feet when it was over...they loved it...
Purlie -- this was such a joyous show...listed to the CD and it comes through...pretty forgotten and a real gem

Other thoughts:

I saw Mack and Mabel a week after it opened. It is NOT an under appreciated musical. Great performances, great score, great sets and costumes, great direction and choreography, and a total bore. To me, it is the all-time proof that a book can kill a show. I still remember being embarrassed for the performers during the curtain calls, because the applause were so bad. Maybe, with a different book, and a Tarantino shuffle, so she dies in the middle and the show ends on an exuberant note...
Seesaw -- a modestly entertaining show with a great performance by Tommy Tune...NOT seriously underrated

Updated On: 5/30/14 at 08:55 PM

[theatregeek6]

Posted: 5/30/14 at 9:05pm

In the states : Blood Brothers

In the UK. Whistle down the wind. Martin Guarre.

In general: Ragtime, Two Gentlemen (yes it got accolades but no kne knows it anymore). Seesaw. Applause.

Recently: First Date (yes. first date). Leave me alone. I loved it. Don't judge.

[brdway411]

Posted: 5/30/14 at 10:28pm

Merrily We Roll Along.

[BroadwayDreamer89]

Posted: 5/30/14 at 10:31pm

Curtains. I love listening through that score. Lots of underrated gems hidden in there!

[Michael Kras]

Posted: 5/30/14 at 11:12pm

Violet, despite it's successful current Broadway run... Because people aren't going because it's Violet, they're going for Sutton and discovering an absolute gem of a show with a remarkable score.

Calvin Berger, because NOBODY talks about it and it's so freaking good! It's funny, touching, and the score is catchy/hilarious.

Floyd Collins. Not enough people are willing to put in the time it takes to get into this incredibly complex score. Because once you REALLY find it, once it all clicks? Stunning. In my opinion, one of the most significant and important musicals of the last 20 years.

Giant. Michael John LaChiusa has written one of the best musical scores in at least a decade and no one talks about it.

February House. Gabriel Kahane's score actually breaks some ground and expands on just what can be successfully done with musical theatre. Stirring stuff that hits you right in the gut.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 5/31/14 at 12:34am

Re Merrily We Roll Along qualifying, Absolutely not. I saw the original production in previews...the audience was hostile it was so bad. The only good thing is the score and Its quality was not even apparent On first listening, probably because everything else was so bad. it is probably the only bad work that Harold Prince ever did, at least that i can think of. Re the score, The only thing I can remember from actually being there is the entire company chanting 'Merrily we roll along' at the end of every scene, to the point where you wanted to scream.

There may have been better productions since then -- I don't know how, if they did not rewrite the book -- but that does not make it anywhere near the most overrated show ever. Ya had to be there...

Updated On: 5/31/14 at 12:34 AM

[Eurotrash]

Posted: 5/31/14 at 3:59am

Marguerite
Jane Eyre

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 5/31/14 at 4:07am

I agree about Floyd Collins and Giant!

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 5/31/14 at 1:39pm

Jarethan re: Mack and Mabel. They've been trying to "fix" that show since the end of its brief Broadway run. For whatever reason, NOTHING seems to work. I've seen several attempts, and it still doesn't coalesce. I LOVE the score -- one of my absolute favorites of all time -- but it, like Candide, it never adds up to a satisfactory show. But, oh that score!!!!!!!!

Updated On: 5/31/14 at 01:39 PM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 5/31/14 at 2:12pm

I would have to say RAGTIME. It's a masterpiece and has had two semi-successful runs on Broadway. It's a far better show than Wicked and should still be running.

Ragtime is actually very highly rated, regardless its Broadway runs, both of which received raves.

[Eurotrash]

Posted: 5/31/14 at 2:32pm

The recent London production of Mack and Mabel didn't seem to attract the same negative book comments and quite a lot of comment that 'its time had come'. I found it an involving and plausable tale of how fame and obsession corrupt.

[Side Show Barb]

Posted: 5/31/14 at 2:36pm

Chess.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 5/31/14 at 3:01pm

These threads seem to pop up like mushrooms on a seasonal basis, and always the same arguments, whether we call them flops, or underrated, or forgotten.

As usual I'll put in the one lone vote for The Robber Bridegroom.

[mjohnson2]

Posted: 5/31/14 at 3:20pm

The Wild Party (The good one)
A Year With Frog and Toad

Updated On: 10/1/14 at 03:20 PM

[Jarethan]

Posted: 5/31/14 at 5:28pm

I don't know if you are old enough to have seen the production at the Broadway theatre 40 (ugh) years ago...I doubt it could be improved upon. Everything about it was special...directorial concept, stage design, script was very funny, some of the performances bordered on slapstick. And the amazing score was not hurt by an otherwise leaden production that was typical of the original script, made all the more fun, with members of the cast singing great songs as they walked by you and managed to squeeze in an occasional'excuse me' as they needed you to move a little, so they could get to their destination