musicals who waste a good source material

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musicals who waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 7:53am

rather self-explanatory title to this post.

start your listing.

i'll say:

*PETER PAN (practically ANY version i know)

*WICKED(don't crucify me. it COULD have been better with such a great book as source)

*AIDA- well... you know...

*CAMELOT-great great songs- but how came such great legends end up sooo dull?

that's all i can think of for now...

Bring Disney's "Der Glockner Von Notre Dame" To Broadway!
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re: musicals who waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 8:28am

I COMPLETELY agree about Peter Pan! The book is incredibly moving, but just about any adaptation simply grabs the fun stuff and leaves the good stuff behind. It makes me want to cry.

I also agree about Wicked. I readily admit that I love this musical . . . too much, but after I saw the musical, I read the book and realized how amazing the musical COULD have been. Alas, people just don't care anymore.

artistic dominion

re: musicals who waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 9:37am

THE COLOR PURPLE is a waste when you consider what a more accomplished writing team could have done with that novel.

re: musicals who waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 9:55am

I completely agree, Michael.

"I know now that theatre saved my life." - Susan Stroman

re: musicals who waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 10:05am

Lennon pretty much trashed all The Beatles songs.

"Are you sorry for civilization? I am sorry for it too." ~Coast of Utopia: Shipwreck

re: musicals who waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 10:19am

Jane Eyre

re: musicals who waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 10:22am

"Lennon pretty much trashed all The Beatles songs"

I would think that the book would be the source material you might take issue with. The performances of all the songs in this show were NOT the problem at all. In my opinion, of course.

"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men" - Willy Wonka

re: musicals that waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 11:19am

HIGH SOCIETY - Take a sparkling play (THE PHILADELPHIA STORY) add sparkling Cole Porter songs and the show that arrived on Broadway was flat and stale. (The current staging at Shaw Festival is much more entertaining, but given the source material this should be a better show.)

All of the M-g-M screen musicals that they have tried to transfer to stage: SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, 7 BRIDES FOR 7 BROS, MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, THE PIRATE, EASTER PARADE - none have worked and wasted good source material.

SUNSET BLVD. - a great screenplay ruined by ALW and company which they tried to hide with a fantastic physical production and a megawatt star performance from the leading lady.

ALL ABOUT EVE - the musical (APPLAUSE) lacks the bite of the original but was a success on Broadway (and television) thanks to its original star, Lauren Bacall. But the script could be much better and that is why recent attempts to revive it have failed.

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA - Maury Yeston's version gets more of it right, but the ALW version on Broadway is sloppy in the story-telling department and is weighed down with terrible lyrics.

Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!

I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com

re: musicals that waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 11:22am

I agree with Lennon, the Cirque du Soleil "Love" in Vegas sounds much more interesting.

#10

re: musicals that waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 11:30am

Craig- You are right- Especially in the case of Will Chase, however, the direction, book, and entire production of the musical was messed up

"Are you sorry for civilization? I am sorry for it too." ~Coast of Utopia: Shipwreck

#11

re: musicals that waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 11:46am

THE COLOR PURPLE

"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

#12

re: musicals that waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 11:54am

"All Shook Up"
"Lestat"

"I've lost everything! Luis, Marty, my baby with Chris, Chris himself, James. All I ever wanted was love." --Sheridan Crane "Passions" ------- "Housework is like bad sex. Every time I do it, I swear I'll never do it again til the next time company comes."--"Lulu" from "Can't Stop The Music" ----- "When the right doors didn't open for him, he went through the wrong ones" - "Sweet Bird of Youth" ------------ --------- "Passions" is uncancelled! See NBC.com for more info.

#13

re: musicals that waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 12:01pm

Harold and Maude the musical

"Judy Garland, Jimmy Dean, You tragedy Queen" ~ Taboo

"Watching a frat boy realize just what he put his d!ck in...ex's getting std's...schadenfruede" ~ Ave Q

"when dangers near, exploit their fear" ~ Reefer Madness the Musical

#14

re: musicals that waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 12:03pm

the civil war

"Grease," the fourth revival of the season, is the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values. - Michael Reidel

#15

re: musicals that waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 12:05pm

The Civil War is not a book musical, and was not based on anything to waste good source material. It is a concert of songs that tell stories about people living through the Civil War. I'm not sure that counts as a waste of good source material.

#16

re: musicals that waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 12:37pm

Wicked--imagine what a good book writer and a better score could've done for this novel? It should be darker.
Little Women

A little swash, a bit of buckle - you'll love it more than bread.

#17

re: musicals that waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 12:41pm

What "book" was ALL SHOOK UP based on?
Read the thread head kids.

#18

re: musicals that waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 12:42pm

I think the poster meant that All Shook Up was based on the music of Elvis, and ruined the songs.

"Are you sorry for civilization? I am sorry for it too." ~Coast of Utopia: Shipwreck

#19

re: musicals that waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 12:42pm

CPD - I "guess" they might be referring to Twelfth Night - wasn't the book based VERY loosely on that?

If they are indeed referring to the music and lyrics - I'd have to repeat my comment re: Lennon..

"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men" - Willy Wonka

#20

re: musicals that waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 12:44pm

"What "book" was ALL SHOOK UP based on?
Read the thread head kids"

Perhaps it is you who needs to do some reading? Ever hear of "Twelfth Night"? :)

#21

re: musicals that waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 12:49pm

Whistle Down The Wind - it never really captured the theme of the story.

If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

#22

re: musicals that waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 12:53pm

Wow- How idiotic am I? I never made the connection between that play and All Shook Up! (I feel stupid now)

"Are you sorry for civilization? I am sorry for it too." ~Coast of Utopia: Shipwreck

#23

re: musicals that waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 12:53pm

Forget "Twelfth Night"...ALL SHOOK UP is based on Elvis' music. Therefore, the SOURCE material is the Elivis Presley songbook.

CPD: This thread merely references source material. Not only shows whose source material is a novel.

"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

#24

re: musicals that waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 1:02pm

Wicked was the first thing that came to mind. I think it could have made an incredible musical, but it was turned into a horrible Disney-like, cartoonish, high school drama.

#25

re: musicals that waste a good source material

Posted: 5/26/06 at 1:35pm

Source material isn't limited to books, plays or films. Events and the lives of real people have been sources of many theatrical productions.

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