Will we ever have another golden period of Musicals?

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 6:19am

Saw Jesus Christ Superstar yesterday and it made me think, are we ever going to have as great a period in musical history then we last had in the 70s/80s? I mean just in the 70s we had JCS, Godspell, Grease, The Wiz, Follies, Company, Night Music, Pippin, Chicago, A Chorus Line, Aint Misbehaving, Sweeney Todd, Evita, and Annie. And in the 80s we had 42nd Street, Nine, Little Shop, Sunday In The Park, La Cage and many others.

Meanwhile in 2012 we have Spiderman & Sister Act......

[binau]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 6:54am

In the 00s we had Caroline, or Change, next to normal, Grey Gardens, Spring Awakening, The Light in the Piazza, Avenue Q among others. It is ok. Broadway is ok.

Updated On: 5/28/12 at 06:54 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 6:55am

First of all, I've never heard the 70s/80s referred to as a golden age.

Second, if you ONLY look at the successful shows of any decade, you will come up with a great list. Shall we dig up the duds of those decades as well?

Third, what was a hit and what was a bomb will be disputed forever. Every show has its fans and its detractors. (Many folks will disagree that Godspell NOR JCS are fabulous musicals.)

Lastly, Little Shop was off b'way, and didn't hit b'way until 2003-ish. (But maybe you didnt mean to differentiate.)

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 7:01am

RE: Little Shop It was a general comment.

And I didn't mean they were all great but in terms of JCS & Godspell they are two of the most produced & influential musicals in the last 40 years.

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 7:04am

A "golden period" is in the eye of the beholder, and sometimes it's not always easy to see one when you're so close to it.

The real Golden Age of Broadway, according to some, was gone by the 1970s and '80s. The same period you refer to as "golden."

Just remember, for every wonderful show you mention, there were dozens of flops and less-than-wonderful musicals, too.

In the '90s on up through today you have an abbreviated list that includes:

City of Angels
Grand Hotel
Once on this Island
The Secret Garden
Will Rogers Follies
Crazy For You
Jelly's Last Jam
Falsettos
Kiss of the Spider Woman
Passion
Beauty and the Beast
Sunset Blvd.
Rent
The Lion King
Ragtime
The Producers
The Full Monty
Thoroughly Modern Millie
Urintown
Mamma Mia!
Hairspray
Wicked
Avenue Q
Caroline, Or Change
Spamalot
The Light in the Piazza
Jersey Boys
The Drowsy Chaperone
Spring Awakening
Grey Gardens
Billy Elliott
Next to Normal
The Book of Mormon
The Scottsboro Boys

Updated On: 5/28/12 at 07:04 AM

[After Eight]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 7:29am

I wouldn't call the musicals from the 70s and 80s a golden period.

Not by a long shot.

[Aryn007]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 7:36am

How do you know if you're in a golden age until it has passed?

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 7:42am

Wow! Nostalgia really isn't what it used to be.