RHYS BOWEN: I just came back from a few days in London. While we were there we wanted to go and see a show. We looked at the line up in the evening paper AND... we had seen every musical that was on. The Lion King, Mama Mia, Starlight Express, Wicked, The Book of Mormon... we had seen them all, and some time ago too. Which makes me wonder: where are the new musicals? Where is the next Andrew Lloyd Weber?
It seems to me that the only new musicals that have come out recently have been life stories of a famous singer, Tina Turner, Carole King etc and thus use their songs as the music. Where is the original music? Are people still writing it but nobody is willing to produce it?
When I think of the musicals i have liked the most: Les Mis, Phantom, The Sound of Music, West Side Story I think of their memorable numbers, the sort of music you go away humming to yourself. It seems to my elderly perception that there is not much hummable music around any more. When I was growing up the Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers all sang songs that stayed in your head in a pleasant way.
Audiences love to sing along, or at least to go out singing after the show. Think of that scene in Amadeus when the audience joins in an aria from Don Giovanni. They love to feel part of it. Maybe that's one of the reasons the Rocky Horror Picture Show is still around. And why the audience loves the sing along at the end of Mama Mia. We are not just observing, we are part of the story. It's great.
A few years ago daughter Jane and I went to see the musical of The Secret Garden. It was playing in San Francisco on a pre-Broadway run. The music was, how shall I put it, boring. Completely unmemorable. We came out singing songs from musicals we loved.
What is my favorite musical? I admired Hamilton, I admired Sondheim. Into the Woods is a tour de force. But they didn't touch my soul. Les Mis and West Side Story were both powerful and wonderful. Phantom was such an amazing spectacle. I loved Gigi, My Fair Lady, and Hello Dolly and I realize the I LIKE TO FEEL GOOD WHEN I GO TO A MUSICAL!
But if I had to choose one musical to take to a desert island with me I think it would be The Sound of Music. Such a sweet story, so many singable songs, and if it was the movie version then that Salzburg scenery that I actually know and love. When my daughter Jane did her junior year in Salzburg she and I visited all the Sound of Music sights. We walked along that gravel drive singing "I have confidence in sunshine..." I still smile when I think of it.
So what are you thoughts on musicals? What is your favorite? What do you wish they'd write?
