Whats up with all these Juke box musicals coming in ??? Whats the point?

Updated On: 3/13/12 at 08:11 PM

Updated On: 3/13/12 at 08:17 PM

Updated On: 3/13/12 at 08:22 PM

Updated On: 3/13/12 at 08:27 PM

Plus, "jukebox musicals" are hardly a new phenomenon. Musicals made from existing songbooks have been around since the birth of Broadway, and I can think of at least 20 significant ones from EVERY decade of Broadway.

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I don't think anyone should be proud that more tickets have been bought for Mamma Mia than for any or all Sonheim shows put together. I mean, what does this say about Broadway audiences? I have nothing against Mamma Mia, I'm all up for having a good time at the theater without having to figure out the artistic value of the piece once in a while. But I disagree that there should be jukebox musicals of any famous musician just because there are many composers struggling to be on Broadway that deserve a chance to put their music on Broadway. Jukebox musicals only show the producers' fear of risk-taking. And I do consider "Ain't Misbehaving" and "Smokey" reviews, also remember that shows like "My One and Only" and "Crazy for You" use songs that were specifically written for the stage so in my book they don't count as jukebox musicals.

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Updated On: 3/13/12 at 09:24 PM

I haven't heard plans for any new ones since All shook Up and Good Vibrations.

Jobs are most important to me right now and whatever sells tickets and runs is fine with me. Nothing to do with being proud of any genre, just trying to keep Bway diverse and thriving. It is a fact, that most Sondheim shows do not make money while the juke box Mamma Mia is an international smash. I want to see all shows make it but my first concern is forlong term employment for the members of our community. That was the point pf my other posting which one poster totally missed.

Sorry Frenzy I for got about Jersey Boys, and I haven't seen alot of talk about Ring of Fire.

I think that Jukebox shows have drawn many people to the theatre that otherwise would not have given it a second thought. Or an initial thought for that matter. It has made theatregoers out of many people that never saw themselves as the type to enjoy a more in-depth show. Does it take every patron and turn them into a theatre connoisseur? No. But it also would be wrong to say that it hasn't had quite an affect on the publics view of live theatre. It has certainly opened the rest of my families eyes to the theatre.

My personal problem with the popularity of the jukebox musicals (or the Disney musicals) is that they become such a major draw to producers. They are easy to do. You already have the music. You come up with a story to string the songs together (again not hard. You have two routes; autobiographical, or tell a by the numbers story that goes through the motions of the songs). Of course producers are always going to be drawn to the ideas that guarantee money, but we aren't exactly living in the golden age of Broadway shows. To give current examples both Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Spamalot (more-so Spamalot, which even has preexisting songs in it) come from movies. There is a long tradition in musical theater to create shows out of movies or plays or books as well as the song catalogues of popular bands/composers/etc. But we still think of these shows for what they are. Even The Lion King stands on its own two feet apart from the movie. A show like All Shook Up is going to go down in history as a fun revue of Elvis songs set to a flimsy plot. It just feels tacky. Something you could see a community theater doing, or a highschool. Not a cast of professional trained actors. Yes, I go to the theater to have fun, but when I say that I mean a show like Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, something that really is fun and new, or Beauty and the Beast, which has an excellent score and a nice story. A show like Lennon intrigues me. I can not speak for it since I never saw it, but from its reviews it was not all it could have been. But why would I want to see Good Vibrations? I hardly even like the Beach Boys (for the record, I feel the same way about Mamma Mia! I have no desire to see it mainly because I don't like ABBA's music).

Also as some people have pointed out, jukebox musicals have been around forever (if we maintain the definition as a staged show with a flimsy plot that serves as a throughline to showcase a certain composer/singer/band's songs, then there have been Sondheim jukebox musicals). Lennon is a jukebox musical that tried to be more. The Boy From Oz was a jukebox musical with an amazing performer at its center (and is NEVER cited as an example of the jukebox musical). There's nothing wrong with them, in my opinion, so long as they aren't tacky. Sadly, producers are letting them get very, very tacky. At least they tried at first. Isn't Ring of Fire really just Lennon with Johnny Cash, multiple Cashes and all?

Also, I think a person would hardly like non jukebox musical theater, go see a jukebox show, and be converted to a lover of only jukebox musicals. Anybody who already had an appreciation for non jukebox musical theater will probably be able to appreciate it after seeing the life changing wonder that is Mamma Mia!

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I for one am not looking forward to Ring of Fire, because um the movie with Reese and Joaquin looks too good that I'm all Johnny Cash out! Though, if you notice the extreme exposure of all these once movies made into musical theatre? I have! I bet you all have said this in this very own thread, but I don't read so much of the blah blah blah. Jukebox musicals are here and they go. They don't stay for so long, but they go away. So, in the cycle of things just wait for them to pass by or check out Off Broadway shows. Please tell me have you seen everything that is on Broadway right now and are just in pain knowing that all is left is Jukebox musical? If so go mad crazy and demand for new shows of intellect or great revivals! I don't like jukebox musical, they're fun but I feel so blah knowing I spent money on crap and I didn't even get to see Cheyenne! Haha. Basically, theatre is an experience you decided to see what you want and if its **** don't beat yourself over it just remember it was **** and come to this board and type to the top of your finger tips!! You all have a good night/morning.