Posted: 8/26/18 at 12:32am
I've long heard this statement and I'm wondering why this is so? I have not read the script but I'm pretty familiar with the material and I'm guessing that it may be because the script lacks sentimentality and has a better structure to it then a lot of shows? Please share your thoughts.
Posted: 8/26/18 at 1:10am
Posted: 8/26/18 at 1:42am
Posted: 8/26/18 at 2:04am
Posted: 8/26/18 at 1:07pm
They don't refer to Rose as the Hamlet of musical comedy for nothing. Even themost minor characters are so well defined, the story is so tight, the humor is genuine, everything works beautifully. There are only two other shows that I think have books on the same level as Gypsy: 1776 and My Fair Lady.
Posted: 8/26/18 at 1:28pm
Maybe someone here will remember what article I’m talking about, but a few years ago I remember reading a piece where a group of industry people formulated a list of the greatest musicals ever written (on paper). I don’t remember where Gypsy landed on the list— I believe it was # 3, IIRC— with Guys and Dolls taking the #1 spot, Fiddler at # 2, and WSS was, I believe, #4 ( which was lower than many anticipated, but Laurent’s cheesy Jett dialogue knocked it down + so much of what makes it great is Robbins work on it and the score— but the list was on libretto only).
Edit: Actually I believe this might be what I was talking about, but for some reason I remember them deciding on a single musical being Guys and Dolls and I swear Fiddler was the second.... but maybe I’m mixing two different articles together— or perhaps a BWW message board discussion that stemmed from this?
http://nymag.com/news/features/greatest-new-york/70476/index5.html
Updated On: 8/26/18 at 01:28 PM
Posted: 8/26/18 at 6:19pm
Kenneth Tynan, in his review of the original production, called Act I "perfection" and Act II merely "brilliant." But I think Act II tops the first one because of the scene where Rose pushes Louise to do the strip to fulfill her own dreams of stardom. To have a character want her daughter to go take off her clothes to a houseful of strangers and to do it without apology is a searing scene for either a play or a musical and helps explain why the book is considered great.
Posted: 8/27/18 at 12:46pm
FosseTharp said: "Maybe someone here will remember what article I’m talking about, but a few years ago I remember reading a piece where a group of industry people formulated a list of the greatest musicals ever written (on paper). I don’t remember where Gypsy landed on the list— I believe it was # 3, IIRC— with Guys and Dollstaking the #1 spot, Fiddler at # 2, and WSS was, I believe, #4 ( which was lower than many anticipated, but Laurent’s cheesy Jett dialogue knocked it down + so much of what makes it great is Robbins work on it and the score— but the list was on libretto only).
Edit: Actually I believe this might bewhat I was talking about, but for some reason I remember them deciding on a single musical being Guys and Dolls and I swear Fiddler was the second.... but maybe I’m mixing two different articles together— or perhaps a BWW message board discussion that stemmed from this?
http://nymag.com/news/features/greatest-new-york/70476/index5.html
"
That whole conversation was so entertaining to read on so many levels.
Posted: 8/27/18 at 12:52pm
ScottyDoesn'tKnow2 said: "FosseTharp said: "Maybe someone here will remember what article I’m talking about, but a few years ago I remember reading a piece where a group of industry people formulated a list of the greatest musicals ever written (on paper). I don’t remember where Gypsy landed on the list— I believe it was # 3, IIRC— with Guys and Dollstaking the #1 spot, Fiddler at # 2, and WSS was, I believe, #4 ( which was lower than many anticipated, but Laurent’s cheesy Jett dialogue knocked it down + so much of what makes it great is Robbins work on it and the score— but the list was on libretto only).
Edit: Actually I believe this might bewhat I was talking about, but for some reason I remember them deciding on a single musical being Guys and Dolls and I swear Fiddler was the second.... but maybe I’m mixing two different articles together— or perhaps a BWW message board discussion that stemmed from this?
http://nymag.com/news/features/greatest-new-york/70476/index5.html
"
That whole conversation was so entertaining to read on so many levels."
QUITE entertaining, and I loved they way George C. Wolfe's impassioned plea on behalf of WSS got it back on the list!
Thanks for sharing that!
Posted: 8/27/18 at 1:53pm
