What would it take to make a great jukebox musical?

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 12:44am

Like how can a great jukebox musical be constructed/how would you construct it? And with the music of what singer/band? And will there ever be a great jukebox musical??

[Jwei123]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 12:48am

IMO, All Shook Up is a great jukebox, but critics/ audiences obviously disagree. I think it's a fun show, with great songs, great choreography, a funny script, and an energetic cast. I LOVE it!

[bjivie2]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 12:49am

The thing about Jukebox musicals is that each of the songs weren't written in the context of the show, and they're usually very generic, which is a big reason why jukebox shows don't work very well. To make a good jukebox musical it would take a catalog of pre-existing songs by a writer that worked within the context of a plot where the songs actually moved the plot instead of stopping to sing one of the Beach Boys' greatest hits. I would think a writer more like Joni Mitchell or Tracy Chapman would translate better to plots, but then you also have to keep in mind whether or not those songs are also theatrical (and not repetitive/boring). As far as construction of a show, it wouldn't really matter as long as the songs served the plot. The only good jukebox musicals I've seen are simply revues that don't even have a plot, but then they seem like Las Vegas shows. I think it's possible to create a good jukebox musical, but no one will take the time to actually develop the show enough to make it happen. I don't think there are any truly superb jukebox musicals out there right now.

Updated On: 8/23/05 at 12:49 AM

[Thenardier]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 12:49am

Agreed.

ASU should be the model...but that would mean more of them.

[Conor]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 12:51am

I would set mine in a strip club with a score composed completely of Britney Spears songs, it would follow a young girl on her journey from "not a girl, not yet a woman" to "not that innocent". As you can tell it'd be very classy entertainment, lol. But seriously um...I think Lennon kind was going in the right direction but went maybe a little too cerebral, and of course no one will convince me All Shook Up is anythign less than brilliant.

[YankeesFan175]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 12:51am

well i think mamma mia is a great jukebox musical, but thats just me. the songs seem to tie in with the plot really well. i cant speak for everyone, but i had a great time when i saw it!

[Conor]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 12:51am

OOOOH I love Tracy Chapman! That's in my car right now, I think that could make a great jukebox!

[Thenardier]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 12:52am

PATTI LABELLE

ARETHA FRANKLIN

[way_to_spend_the_day]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 12:52am

In my opinion, there will never be a great jukebox musical if songs are used from one one artist or band. However, if a storyline and plot which could be suitable for a regualar broadway show were developed and then songs from many different singers were chosen, I guess it might work--but I doubt it.

[bjivie2]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 12:52am

I admire the folks of Lennon for really trying to do something different with their jukebox musical. But obviously that didn't work very well. But I think if we're going to have a truly original and fantastic jukebox show, it's going to have to be in some more unconventional form like Lennon.

[Thenardier]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 12:55am

I don't even call Lennon a jukebox musical.

I don't call Boy from Oz one either.

[Conor]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 12:56am

Has a jukebox musical ever been done w/ the music of multiple artists? Songs wouldn't have to be forced to fit into the plot if there was a greater library of them, although the score wouldn't be as cohesive I suppose.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 12:56am

I just... I think it's gone to far to work in any which way.

[bjivie2]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 12:59am

Conor, I guess if you used lots of hits from the same decade, like the 60's or something. But you still have the problem of pop songs not being very specific and really only being about love and heartbreak. Okay, that will cover 4 of the songs in the show, but what about the other 12+?

Thenardier, what do you consider those shows? Too-bad-to-be-called-a-jukebox-musical?

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 1:18am

Like bjivie2 said, they'd have to make the songs work around the plot, not work the plot around the songs. The only way I could see that working is if a musician has an extensive catalogue of songs about many different topics, and the creators would look at ALL their songs, not just the popular ones that everyone knows all the words too.

I think it would be easier to write make a musical out of many different musicians songs too. My friends and I had to write one back in high school for English class and we some how made the TRL videos that week work around the plotline of The Odyessy, that somehow included Jordan Knight's "Give It To You". Probably not Broadway-worthy material, but some people don't consider jukebox musicals to be Broadway-worthy anyway.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 2:24am

The grand-dady of all jukebox musicals was BEATLEMANIA. Even back then there were grumbles from the critics that it didn't belong on Broadway but it ran at the Winter Garden for 920 official performances (the show played a few more irregularly scheduled performances in its final weeks, that were not counted in the total since it had already declared itself "closed.")

I think these types of entertainments are fine in regional and dinner theatres, but not on Broadway at $100 a ticket!

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 2:37am

It's about choosing songs that help tell a story--and when you have an artist's greatest hits to be obligated to do, you will get stuck with songs that fit in nowhere. This is why I agree with bjivie's point that some artists might serve better than others. OR, you do an artists show, but ONLY choose songs that are right--and oh well if you can't include this hit or that. Artists with a big catalog would do well--Madonna or Prince would interest me (Alek Keshisian made a student movie musical film of WUTHERING HEIGHTS with Madonna songs). But, I would also rather see Prince or Madonna create an original musical.

It's also about having a good book (and I don't mean just the dialogue, I mean the entire structure of the story). If you can't do that--just do a revue like SMOKEY JOE'S or AIN'T MISBEHAVIN'.

I think using various artist's music work also work better--look at MOULIN ROUGE, which did just that. But, that can get very expensive and tricky. And we certainly have had some flops that fall into this category in recent years.

And, then there is the simple notion that people should be striving to create new works and not the next jukebox musical. If the musical isn't coming from true intentions, I imagine it will most likely be crap.

[overthemoon419]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 4:05am

IMO, Lennon and ASU are nothing short of spectacular.
also IMO, Mamma Mia! is not even close to spectacular, because the leaps weren't (as in ASU's case) reminiscent of a beach party or Elvis movie, or any other genre, but rather they felt forced to me. the mother is apparently a wh*** who doesn't know who is the father of her daughter-- and she just *happened* to have been a singer with her two closest friends? awfully convenient, since that little ploy squeezed a few more songs into the show. i think that, while ASU made quite a few leaps of its own, the entire show is reminiscent of an Elvis movie, and therefore makes sense, given the score. but it's only my opinion.

anywho... i think that a good jukebox musical needs just one thing: for the public to NOT use the term "jukebox musical", at least not in a derogatory sense. part of the reason Mamma Mia! was (is) so successful is because it was the first Broadway saw (at least, the first in a long long time) and was viewed with an open mind. once this term was coined, and seemed to come with its own built-in sneer, it is used to describe musicals, but not as a descriptive word but rather as a reason for people not to purchase tickets, as though a pre-existing score=horrible theatre experience. i couldn't disagree more.

[jo]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 5:36am

The Boy from Oz originated, I understand, from a biography of Australian musical icon, Peter Allen. When they decided to musicalize it, it was a happy coincidence that many of the songs Peter Allen had written had autobiographical references and fitted right into this musical biography. Some fitted so well, they could have been written originally for the musical. Strangely, one of the songs omitted from the show ( but restored in the OCR) was a beautiful autobiographical song called Tenterfield Saddler. It didn't fit into the show but it was so relevant to the story.

My understanding of jukebox musicals is that one starts with a pop catalog of past musical hits and a story or plot is woven around it - voila, you have a musical! Sometimes it works fine but sometimes it doesn't.

In the case of The Boy from Oz, it started with the story and career highlights of the life of Peter Allen - and the songs were obviously chosen to mark those biographical highlights, which appealed to its show fans. What made the show even more appealing is that Hugh Jackman, another Boy from Oz, surprised everyone with his extraordinary charisma and rare triple-threat talent as he narrated and acted out the life of his compatriot! From the first song ( All The Lives of Me)...to the last two (Once Before I Go and I Go to Rio), they were quintessentially Peter!

[kate2]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 1:32pm

ASU is a great musical!!! i just hate that people wont loosen up and have a good time! aaahjfdkaljfa!!!!

[Theatreboy33]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 3:05pm

well, you have a great big jukebox center stage. but this is no ordinary jukebox. no. this one is sparked to life by an unexpected electrical storm one night and begins taking on a life of its own, singing and dancing to its own original music! itll be wild.

[jasonf]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 3:29pm

I also think ASU totally works as a musical. The test of it is that there are songs in that show that most people don't know -- and they fit the story as well as a song in any other well constructed musical. The problem with it is that some of the bigger songs are forced in because they have to be there (ie Blue Suede Shoes). Think though, of a song like "I Don't Want To." I would guess most people other than die-hard Elvis fans didn't know this song -- and it fits PERFECTLY as though it were written for the show! THAT is the only thing, in my mind, that's going to make a jukebox musical really work. ASU isn't perfect, but it's on the right track!

The two artists I think have the potential for a kick-a** jukebox musical are Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits.

[carpal]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 3:45pm

One artist that could probably have a very nice jukebox musical would be Meatloaf. That's probably because almost every Jim Steinman song ever written was done so in some sort of theatrical context.

I've heard Meat (Mr. Loaf) talk about a musical that Steinman always wanted to do called "Neverland" A lot of his stuff is written with a thought as to how it might work in that.

[jasonf]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 3:51pm

There is the concept recording of The Confidence Man by Steinman - which is pretty good.

I have a recording somewhere of a concept musical he tried - I'm blanking on the name now.

He wrote the lyrics for Whistle Down the Wind...

He probably could WRITE a good musical - I'm not so sure about a musical from his existing stuff...all of his songs are a little TOO similar in their lyrics

[bjivie2]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 4:21pm

The Bat Out Of Hell album is brilliant, and with music and theatricality like that, Steinman would write a fantastic dark rock show, in my opinion. I'd love to see and hear it.