mediocre shows with great scores? — Page 2

STEEL PIER - one of Kander and Ebb's most enjoyable scores, but the show never came together on stage. Too much time is wasted trying to develop all the secondary characters (marathon dancers) but the central ghost story was effective when it was given a chance to shine through.

Just about anything written before 1940. The scripts in those days werent meant to be anything other than a clothesline to hang the songs on, which makes it all but impossible to produce any of them without doing some serious re-writes.

There are, of course, some exceptions: SHOW BOAT, PORGY AND BESS, OF THEE I SING, NO NO NANETTE, ROSE MARIE, THE STUDENT PRINCE IN HEIDELBERG among others.

When ANYTHING GOES is revived but the revisions keep the original plot and much of the dialogue. The changes involve interpolating other Cole Porter songs and dropping the 'non hits" from the original score. (I happen to like "Where Are the Men" which is now usually omitted.)

Many of the hits of the 1920s are forgotten now because the scores did not throw off any hit tunes. The plots of QUEEN HIGH, HONEYMOON LANE an MERRY-MERRY may have been slender but the scores were tuneful, just not laden with popular song standards. LADY BE GOOD was revived a decade ago by Shaw Festival and it is an absolute delight. Memorable tunes and a plot that, while light, sets up some funny situations.

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After Eight,

No, to my regret I've never seen The Gay Life (which I have read is also now licensed as The High Life). But I've owned the OBC since its first vinyl release and have never understood why a show with such a lush and irresistible score wasn't a major success. Over the years I've seen "blame" assigned to both the book and the performance of Walter Chiari, who I think is more than fine on the album. I think that the book has been revised several times, including while still on Broadway: wasn't the "Why Go Anywhere at All?" scene cut sometime after the opening?

At any rate, I'm glad to hear the first production was as fine and magical as I've always thought it sounds on the album.

Updated On: 3/30/13 at 01:59 AM

New Girl in Town
Redhead
Lucky Stiff
Seussical
Witches of Eastwick
Bombay Dreams
Carrie
Kwamina
Skyscraper
How Now Dow Jones

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Surprised no one has mentioned HOUSE OF FLOWERS or ST. LOUIS WOMAN. Glorious scores, lousy books.

There are so many but 2 spring to mind right now.

GODSPELL and THE PIRATE QUEEN

Surprised no one has mentioned HOUSE OF FLOWERS or ST. LOUIS WOMAN.

And one other Harold Arlen show, JAMAICA. More a collection of songs than a unified score. The book is non-existent because the show designed as a showcase for Lena Horne. A revival would be impossible. Even an Encores concert would not work. JAMAICA is a wildcard, played once and over and done with. But it left behind a wonderful album.

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I really like "Like Father, Like Son" in Aida, much more than "Another Pyramid." Perhaps it's because Aida's score is a fusion of elements from Sir Elton's pre-fame art-rock/chanson style and his career reviving stately pop style, except for "Like Father, Like Son," in which he cuts loose and just writes a classic Elton John tune for the only time in his entire theatrical career. You can't sing it, especially Radames's verse, without sounding like Elton John.

Arguably BatBoy. Only say arguably because I think the score is pretty good but every song sounds like something pre-existing.

cry baby was a good show that should have had a cast cd made with 69 pers yes it need a cast cd