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Jul. 10th, 2013 10:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatSo far the tropical rain storms have been occurring around my commute, as opposed to during it. Fingers crossed that this continues to be the case. I live in abject fear of getting this CAM Boot soaking wet. I've even bought large trash bags to cover it just in case - but I'm not sure how safe it would be to walk with a plastic bag encasing the boot?
A) Wednesday Reading Meme
Still muddling my way through Georgette Heyer's The Devil's Cub. Less said the better, particularly since there are quite a few Heyer fans on my flist. Mileage, it varies, and all that.
Speaking of mileage...
B. 10 Greatest Musicales
Been thinking about this off and on today. And I've come up with criteria.
* The musical has to stand out in memory, not be a copy-cat
* Should stand the test of time in some respect
* Have at least one or two songs that became hits outside of the musical
* Have a score that stands on its own
* Book and score and lyrics fit together well
* Groundbreaking in some way - challenged or changed the form, but more than just politically so.
1. West Side Story - stands the test of time, several songs have been sung outside of it, contains the award winning score by Leonard Bernstein, and songs by Stephen Sondheim. Story works with the songs. And ground-breaking in that it was different than anything else on Bway at the time. (Somewhere, Something's Coming, Maria, A Boy Like That, Cool, and America are all songs that jumped out of it to become hits.)
2. Porgy and Bess - the first American Opera. Solid Gershwin songs and scoring. Also the first musical with persons of color. It is not just an opera, so fits as a musical - since it has been staged as a musical. (Summertime, I Loves You Porgy are songs that have been sung by people like Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughn)
3. Sound of Music...this was hard, I wanted to go with Carousel or South Pacific which were groundbreaking in their own ways. But Sound of Music is the most enduring. It's a story about a family that stands up for its beliefs and evades the Nazis, and based on the a true story. Amongst the few really good family oriented musicals. Songs? Do Ri Me, My Favorite Things, Maria, Climb Every Mountain)
4. Cabaret - a musical that was more play than musical and dealt with difficult and dark issues. Also featured the dance numbers of Bob Fosse. Songs live on...as does the score, who can forget "Life is A Cabaret, Old Chum".
5. Chorus Line - amongst the longest running musicals in B-way history. A musical unlike any other - for it is a series of personal monologues sung to dance, and delivered during an audition/interview setting. Songs...such as What I Did For Love, Mirror, Sing, and At the Ballet...have been sung again and again outside it.
6. Hair - the beginning of the rock musical, also featured nudity on stage, and is anthology of numbers interconnecting. Songs that live on - Age of Aquarius, Hair... Also dealt with controversial issue of War.
7. Jesus Christ Superstar - the first outrageous musical that questioned religion and debated it on stage. Before Book of Mormon, there was Jesus. Unlike Book of Mormon - the songs live past it as does the score. (I Don't Know How to Love Him stands out.)
8. Showboat - a musical that broke ground, and like Porgy and Bess was operatic. It was also controversial at the time. It's ranked lower than the others because in some respects it is more historical and dated. Doesn't always revive well. But it does have songs that live on.
That Man of Mine, Old Man River come to mind.
9. A Little Night Music - it shouldn't work, but it does. A musical french farce. The songs are lively and comical. And unlike many other Sondheim shows, live long past it. "Send in the Clowns" for example.
10. My Fair Lady - a musical that played with the form...songs were spoken not always sung.
Similar to Camelot, but better played. Also played with issues of class, and gender. Songs that stick out..."I Could Have Danced All Night", and "On the Street Where You Live".
I'd do more, but late and have to take a shower and go to bed.
A) Wednesday Reading Meme
Still muddling my way through Georgette Heyer's The Devil's Cub. Less said the better, particularly since there are quite a few Heyer fans on my flist. Mileage, it varies, and all that.
Speaking of mileage...
B. 10 Greatest Musicales
Been thinking about this off and on today. And I've come up with criteria.
* The musical has to stand out in memory, not be a copy-cat
* Should stand the test of time in some respect
* Have at least one or two songs that became hits outside of the musical
* Have a score that stands on its own
* Book and score and lyrics fit together well
* Groundbreaking in some way - challenged or changed the form, but more than just politically so.
1. West Side Story - stands the test of time, several songs have been sung outside of it, contains the award winning score by Leonard Bernstein, and songs by Stephen Sondheim. Story works with the songs. And ground-breaking in that it was different than anything else on Bway at the time. (Somewhere, Something's Coming, Maria, A Boy Like That, Cool, and America are all songs that jumped out of it to become hits.)
2. Porgy and Bess - the first American Opera. Solid Gershwin songs and scoring. Also the first musical with persons of color. It is not just an opera, so fits as a musical - since it has been staged as a musical. (Summertime, I Loves You Porgy are songs that have been sung by people like Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughn)
3. Sound of Music...this was hard, I wanted to go with Carousel or South Pacific which were groundbreaking in their own ways. But Sound of Music is the most enduring. It's a story about a family that stands up for its beliefs and evades the Nazis, and based on the a true story. Amongst the few really good family oriented musicals. Songs? Do Ri Me, My Favorite Things, Maria, Climb Every Mountain)
4. Cabaret - a musical that was more play than musical and dealt with difficult and dark issues. Also featured the dance numbers of Bob Fosse. Songs live on...as does the score, who can forget "Life is A Cabaret, Old Chum".
5. Chorus Line - amongst the longest running musicals in B-way history. A musical unlike any other - for it is a series of personal monologues sung to dance, and delivered during an audition/interview setting. Songs...such as What I Did For Love, Mirror, Sing, and At the Ballet...have been sung again and again outside it.
6. Hair - the beginning of the rock musical, also featured nudity on stage, and is anthology of numbers interconnecting. Songs that live on - Age of Aquarius, Hair... Also dealt with controversial issue of War.
7. Jesus Christ Superstar - the first outrageous musical that questioned religion and debated it on stage. Before Book of Mormon, there was Jesus. Unlike Book of Mormon - the songs live past it as does the score. (I Don't Know How to Love Him stands out.)
8. Showboat - a musical that broke ground, and like Porgy and Bess was operatic. It was also controversial at the time. It's ranked lower than the others because in some respects it is more historical and dated. Doesn't always revive well. But it does have songs that live on.
That Man of Mine, Old Man River come to mind.
9. A Little Night Music - it shouldn't work, but it does. A musical french farce. The songs are lively and comical. And unlike many other Sondheim shows, live long past it. "Send in the Clowns" for example.
10. My Fair Lady - a musical that played with the form...songs were spoken not always sung.
Similar to Camelot, but better played. Also played with issues of class, and gender. Songs that stick out..."I Could Have Danced All Night", and "On the Street Where You Live".
I'd do more, but late and have to take a shower and go to bed.
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Date: 2013-07-11 07:57 am (UTC)