Why do so many people hate......- Page 4

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 10:22pm

>> Most people on this board hate Spring Awakening because it's a show that has a rather intense teen fanbase, and obviously what we're supposed to do is hate anything that gains such a fanbase.

That's an interesting theory, but let's play "what if" a moment.

What if people dont like SPRING AWAKENING just because it's a mediocre show? It has nothing to do with its fanbase, just that's it's a mediocre show pretending to be this amazing rock concert RENT-wannabe about (gasp!) teens wanting to get it on!!!

Wake me when it's over, huh? It's not new. It's not revolutionary. It just happens to be different from everything else playing, and therefore people think it's soooooo radical. Well, sorry, but no, it's not. I honestly dont think it's possible to be radical on Broadway anymore, but gosh darn it, SPRING tries its darndest. Pity it just doesnt pull it off.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 10:28pm

The sex scene's so overrated too. Minus the skin shown by Lea Michele, The Light in the Piazza was racier.

Posted: 7/17/07 at 10:30pm

I actually agree w/ Spork. Which makes me angry, because my drama teacher told everyone that he would advise us all to not go see the show, and then my fricking mother wouldn't let me see the damn show so I could actually have a worthwhile argument on the boards... gah! Anger! (sorry, I'm just sad about that)

But from what I've heard and seen, there's been much worse. I think it's the fact that people are singing during it that make people so upset.

[Jellylorum]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 10:46pm

I agree. Is it possible to do anything revolutionary today? Spring Awakening hasn't done anything that other musicals haven't done already. To me, it's just another musical for people to either hate or love and relate to. If it touches you and changes the way you view life, I'm happy for you. But please, it really annoys me when people claim it to be this nonconformist revolutionary musical that is taking Broadway by storm and changing its landscape.

Posted: 7/17/07 at 10:53pm

That's true. I think it's a great show, but I don't think anything is new. The word "F*CK" has been in a show before (Think of ACL, people! 1975!) "racy" scenes have happened on stage before (uhm... too many to count), suicide has happened on stage before (let's start at romeo and juliet, shall we?) and rock music is nothing new. (rent, people! rent!) It's great, but it's nothing new, and it's not paving a brand new path on broadway.

[rgaywrites]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 12:19am

I think hate is a strong word. There are things I like about the show, particularly the enthusiasm of the cast, but mostly, I find that Spring Awakening is overrated. I don't begrudge the Tonys the show won; my favorites rarely win Tonys, but I do begrudge the arrogance of the creators who continue to imply that they're the first rock musical. That is simply untrue. Spring Awakening is also not the first musical to deal with sexuality. When the play was written, it was far ahead of its time. In 2007, not so much. I mean really--teenagers masturbate and have sex. That is not shocking information. Ultimately, I think there's room on Broadway for a diverse range of shows and Spring Awakening is part of that.

[jmponstage]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 12:49am

Okay... being a lifelong rock fan ahead of being a musical theatre fan, let me speak. The music to this show is different and new and here's why. With the exception of Tommy (sort of) broadway hasn't seen real rock music. Rent is definately rock but it is more rock influenced than it is rock and roll. Many people will disagree with me because to them it probably is really rock. Rent, Hair, Aida, Brooklyn, and all the other "rock musicals," have songs that are generally more close in structure and feeling to a showtune. Not that that is bad... some (note some) of those shows are great and have helped warm up the musical theatre audience, but they still aren't rock and roll. Spring Awakening, although not necessarily heavy rock, is the first musical to really hit the mainstream that captures the essence of a rock and roll song. From the structure to the lyrics etc. most of these songs work completely well strictly as a rock song. And as far as the "blah blah blah" chorus that everyone hates... it again takes so much more from a rock tradition type lyric than something that say Sondheim might write. There is a reason for that lyric and honestly, in the context of what they are talking about, it fits perfectly. I will get bashed for this ut whatever. I hope this show opens up the theatrical world to heavier music and more rock and roll. Not rock and roll showtunes, but rock and roll.

[jmponstage]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 1:20am

I have to edit here, due to my neglegence of Hewig and even Rocky Horror. These two shows did really rock, they were actually rock and roll in spirit and song, esp. hedwig which rocks more than most rock written today and even has a tribute album with the likes of sleater-kinney, frank black, and ben folds. The thing is though, that hedwig remained fairly underground although on its way to cult status and rocky still remains in that cult status. Therefore Spring Awakening still is really different in the fact that it is a mainstream influence.

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 2:33am

I just felt the music of Spring Awakening sucked. Rock and Roll or not. It was something most people would make fun of if played on the radio. The music isn't so bad, but the lyrics are just God-awful and laughable.

It's not as if the detractors of Spring Awakening don't listen to other genres of music. It's as if we all stay in our padded cells listening to showtunes from the day we were born. Most people's musical tastes are eclectic and hear enough to know what rock and roll and other genres sound like and know what we like. For the detractors, Spring Awakening just isn't what they like.

Updated On: 7/18/07 at 02:33 AM

[Craww]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 2:46am

That's an interesting theory, but let's play "what if" a moment. What if people dont like SPRING AWAKENING just because it's a mediocre show?

If your entire point is to prove that people simply dislike it based entirely on the show itself, why was three quarters of your post bitterly devoted to fan/critic perception of the show?

Simple mediocrity doesn't breed contempt, and the overblown sarcasm reads as contempt. Of course, plenty of people really do just dislike the show based on its mediocrity, but you didn't do much to illustrate that point of view.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 7:26am

>> If your entire point is to prove that people simply dislike it based entirely on the show itself, why was three quarters of your post bitterly devoted to fan/critic perception of the show?

Because, dearest, if someone suggests that this show is overrated, the rabid fanbase around here goes ballistic. That doesnt alter the fact that, when you cut through it all, the show *is* mediocre. It's all flash and no pay-off. Deal with it.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 7:42am

I just plain don't like the show.

Doesn't have to do with the fans, doesn't have to do with the Tony wins...I just don't think it's particularly good.

The acting isn't particularly good, the voices are generic, the lyrics are filled with false rhymes, the book is unoriginal....

The only interesting thing on stage was watching Kimberly Grigsby. She always knows how to make something exciting...case in point: her nearly naked conducting of Two Gentlemen of Verona. Updated On: 7/18/07 at 07:42 AM

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 7:54am

Ive only heard the CD once and that was enough to stop me seeing the show. It isnt what i see as being a Broadway show. I may be a bit, just a bit of a traditionalist but this isnt a musical. I picture Rent mixed with High School Musical. Remember this time last year it wasnt very popular, now it has won a Tony everyboby must love it and god help those who dont.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 11:56am

ScottyDoesn'tKnow: Amen! I always say that SA sounds like those whiney alternative songs that make me change the station when I hear them on the radio.

SA isn't very rock n' roll, either. Not my definition, anyway. It's pop rock.

[Craww]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 9:04pm

It's all flash and no pay-off. Deal with it.

It's not my favorite show, I don't have any bruised affections for it that need to be dealt with, dearest.

Yankeefan007's most recent post was able to make the point you claimed to be going for in your post. A simple dislike of the show itself. But you can't make that point, because the vast bulk of your postings on this thread were about your dislike of the fans and their reactions to criticism of the show.

That's a valid enough reason, I suppose, so it's best to just cop to it without deflection and pretension.