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But wouldn't taking Abba music and making it into a play be the same thing as translating a book say Wicked into a play? Both were original at one time and are now being shown in a new way. Just sayin' .

Of course I'm just lookin' for a lighthearted debate and compeltely understand what you mean Alatar

TheMary wrote:

But wouldn't taking Abba music and making it into a play be the same thing as translating a book say Wicked into a play?

I completely agree with everything Alatar said. No, this is not the same. For these shows built around a particular singer or band's music, they have to take usually disconnected songs and force them to fit together. The music isn't original and the story is often awkward.

Wicked, Aida, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, 42nd Street, Phantom, etc, are all adaptations of previous works, but in an entirely different way. In the former, they make a new story to fit old songs, often badly. Its like making a patchwork quilt where none of the pieces really fit together. In the latter, they tell an old story in a different way. Even though the story may not be original, it's told in a new and different way with brand new music.

I would haave to say I agree with Mossy taking great music and putting it together does not mean it will be a great musical. One musician can write about all sorts of diferent things that don't mesh well. For example: Queen Excellent, We Will Rock You: not excellent, Billy Joel: Wonderful, Movin' Out: Not wonderful. With something like Wicked they are turning a book into a musical so they have a story to work with and then they are creating songs for an organized plot it makes much more sense.

I downloaded a few songs from the RENT soundtrack tonight. The one I like from the trailer is the finale. The accapella section at the end gives me chills. Love it!

prettyinpink wrote:

I would haave to say I agree with Mossy taking great music and putting it together does not mean it will be a great musical. One musician can write about all sorts of diferent things that don't mesh well. For example: Queen Excellent, We Will Rock You: not excellent, Billy Joel: Wonderful, Movin' Out: Not wonderful. With something like Wicked they are turning a book into a musical so they have a story to work with and then they are creating songs for an organized plot it makes much more sense.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right?
You might not like say "We Will Rock You! or say "Billy Joel's Movin' Out!" that doesn't mean it's not excellent or not wonderful. Majority of people who watched these shows like it. I'm watching it because of the music and my wife is watching it because she loves dancing. I don't care if it's not original or it came from some "high brow" book. It has music, dancing and a story therefore it's a musical since the person who created it did take the time to write a story for the songs. Sometimes a story doesn't have to be really great to be enjoyable. How many times did you go, man, it was a silly movie but definitely worth watching? To me this type of musicals are like that.

It's like saying rap is not music since they're just reciting or talking, when in fact, it's origins comes from jazz. There might come a time that these so called you call "not musicals" may in fact be a new approach of doing musicals and in time the story line will improve. Yes, it's musicals for dummies, well, at least, people whom I know who find musicals a waste of time and money has now branched to other "original" musicals they wouldn't be caught dead watching. I think this is becoming a trend since younger people (teens, teenagers, young adults) are not into this type of entertainment at least this is way for them to embrace cultural arts.

Edit to add:How about the "Lion King" it's from a Disney movie? Man, that is the worst musical I've ever seen. The costumes are definitely great, that I have to say, but having me watch a play that used to be a cartoon movie is like pulling teeth. I really thought it was slightly different from the movie version and yet it is the movie itself. I don't hear people complaining about that except me and my wife. Yet, this movie adaptation won Broadway Awards.

I don't really have a strong opinion though I can see what Alatar means about originality. I'll just toss in Yellow Submarine as an example of a narrative being used as a vehicle for a collection of songs. Perhaps there is room for a stage dramatisation of the movie.

Lurker, you and I clearly have exceedingly difference tastes. Yes, The Lion King was adapted from a cartoon, but ye gods it's a wonderful show. Julie Taymore really made it her own. The costumes are fantastic; the minimalist set design is brilliant. Visually, it is one of the best shows I have ever seen and deserved the Tonies it won. Quite frankly, I think it's a better stage show than cartoon, although I suppose they can't really be compared.

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I don't care if it's not original or it came from some "high brow" book. It has music, dancing and a story therefore it's a musical since the person who created it did take the time to write a story for the songs.

No one (as far as I can recall) said that they aren't musicals. They're just not the best musicals.

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Sometimes a story doesn't have to be really great to be enjoyable. How many times did you go, man, it was a silly movie but definitely worth watching? To me this type of musicals are like that.

Personally speaking, it's very rare for me to enjoy a movie without enjoying the plot.

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There might come a time that these so called you call "not musicals" may in fact be a new approach of doing musicals and in time the story line will improve. Yes, it's musicals for dummies, well, at least, people whom I know who find musicals a waste of time and money has now branched to other "original" musicals they wouldn't be caught dead watching. I think this is becoming a trend since younger people (teens, teenagers, young adults) are not into this type of entertainment at least this is way for them to embrace cultural arts.

If that's so, good for them. I'm glad that more people are going to the theatre. And yes, they may be popular, but popular does not always equal good. I'll be honest, the only musicals of this type that I've seen were "We Will Rock You" and "Saturday Night Fever." I was not at all impressed, but I suppose I shouldn't judge the others on that basis. However, I still don't count them as up there with, say, Wicked or Hairspray and doubt that I ever will. They may be fun, but that does not make them great.

I don't want to start an argument or anything like that but like I said I like Wicked but I can't compare it to Les Miserables, Phantom even Chicago. So you are right, we do have different tastes. In fact, I had a very good idea who the Prince was even before the story ended and I haven't even read the book. Some of the parts I already guessed what would happen. As you can see it's more of the music and the message it tells the audience I liked about it not the plot itself. I can't say the ending without ruining it for Jude or anybody who is going to watch it. But I did enjoy it and it's one of those musicals I would recommend to friends.

I like the Lion King "cartoon" better than the musical and the only musical I enjoyed that portrayed animals is Cats. I guess it was the tight skin sexy outfits that the lovely performers were wearing really made me drool. I guess I'm just upset because I bought expensive tickets for the Lion King and it's the cartoon. AHHHHHH! I suggest if you watch the Lion King seat upfront and by the aisles, the animals going down the balcony to the stage was the best part for me.

Lurker wrote:

I don't want to start an argument or anything like that but like I said I like Wicked but I can't compare it to Les Miserables, Phantom even Chicago.

I won't argue with you on that on. Wicked is one of *my* favourite shows because of the music and, to be frank, because of Elphaba. (And Defying Gravity. ) As I said before, a lot of the songs are very "soundtrack to my life" stuff, but no, it doesn't compare to Phantom or Les Mis.

I like Glenda, she was pretty. Ooops! I have to agree Wicked's message and music was great!

Tonight, my wife is dragging me to "Hello Dolly!". So help me, God! I hope it is good, not like Evita, which is sheer torture for me. I'd rather watch Evita as a play than a musical, the story is good, but the singing drove me nuts.

Wicked's message? Would that be "No good deed goes unpunished"?

The more I listen to this soundtrack, the more addicted I get. Who would have thought a classical guy like me would be so into music like this?

It's also fun to guess from the lyrics what sort of changes they made to the plot (as compared to the book).

But I have to wait a whole year to find out!

Ooooh! Another victim, um, I mean fan! w00t!

What's your favourite song so far, Jude?

Jude wrote:

Wicked's message? Would that be "No good deed goes unpunished"?

It certainly seems that way sometimes.

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The more I listen to this soundtrack, the more addicted I get. Who would have thought a classical guy like me would be so into music like this?

Hurrah!

:wooper:

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But I have to wait a whole year to find out!

It's well worth it. You know, you could see it sooner if you came to New York.

It's playing in New York?

How much are the tickets? Is Idina Menzel singing?

Though I doubt if I can make it - my next big budget thing is a trip to Edinburgh in April. And then Toronto in July. Also, I just bought some "equipment" for New Years.

cemthinae wrote:

Ooooh! Another victim, um, I mean fan! w00t!

What's your favourite song so far, Jude?

mmm... tough question. At the moment I have "Dancing through life" running through my head, even though I probably wouldn't say it's my favourite in the whole musical. But I love the way the characters interact with each other in this number.

Jude wrote:

It's playing in New York?

yeah! that's where I saw it both times.

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How much are the tickets?

I believe that they're aout $100 for orchestra seats, but you can probably get cheaper ones.

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Is Idina Menzel singing?

No.

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At the moment I have "Dancing through life" running through my head, even though I probably wouldn't say it's my favourite in the whole musical. But I love the way the characters interact with each other in this number.

The dialouge bits are my favourite part of Dancing Through Life.

"Oh, Biq, really?"
"It's really, uh, sharp, don't you think?"
"You're perfect!" "You're perfect." "So we're perfect together!"

Remember, black is this year's pink!

:wooper:


I remind my roommate of that all the time when she tells me I should wear pink (like that's ever going to happen).

MaidenOfTheShieldarm wrote:

:wooper:

That's the second time on this page you've done that

You need to use a capital "W", or Rupert won't appear.

Jude wrote:

That's the second time on this page you've done that

That's what I get for not checking my posts afterwards.

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You need to use a capital "W", or Rupert won't appear.

His name is Rupert?



Look! I did it right! (Right? )

I just got back from watching "Hello Dolly!" and I think it was a good show, the songs and dialogues were very funny. The leading lady was awesome, very nice voice, better than Barbara Striesand, IMHO. My wife kept singing "Hello Dolly!" in the car and even right now, that will get stuck in my head for a week. AHHHHHHHHHHH!

Next month, it's "Movin Out!" by Billy Joel, now that's going to be my turn to annoy her with Billy Joel songs esp. Just The Way You Are, the song which I sang to her during our wedding reception. I can't hardly wait!