The Best of the Theatre

[OscarGuy]

All of your statements are correct. You do have until month's end, I got one and wanted to remind everyone.

I don't want them ranked. That comes later

[Big Magilla]

I thought we had until month end.

Do you want the top 25 "modern" musicals in ranked order or will chronologial order suffice?

Also to reiterate, it's just the top 25 musicals, 10 composers and 10 lyricists you want at this time, correct?

[OscarGuy]

So far, I have one response. Come on you theatre nuts!

[OscarGuy]

I pulled those temporarily based on suggestions that we do this in stages (literal and figurative...pun completely intended).

[Big Magilla]

25 Modern Stage Musicals
10 Modern Stage Musical Composers
10 Modern Stage Musical Lyricists

Plus 25 modern (20th - 21st c) plays?

Plus ten greatest modern plyarights. I'd define "modern" in this case as anythng written and performed on Broadway since 1920.

[FilmFan720]

25 Modern Stage Musicals
10 Modern Stage Musical Composers
10 Modern Stage Musical Lyricists

Plus 25 modern (20th - 21st c) plays?



Edited By FilmFan720 on 1189054688

[Big Magilla]

I see this thread has generated a lot of interest.

???

For composers, let's not forget George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Richard Rodgers, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Kurt Weill, Jule Styne, Harold Arlen, Burton Lane and Frederick Loewe. For lyricists, let's not forget Porter, Berlin, Lorenz Hart, Oscar Hammerstein II, E.Y. Harburg, Dorothy Fields, Ira Gershwin, Alan Jay Lerner, Stephen Sondheim and Jerry Herman.

[Big Magilla]

Peter, how can you edit that list?

With great difficulty.

[OscarGuy]

25 Modern Stage Musicals
10 Modern Stage Musical Composers
10 Modern Stage Musical Lyricists

[99-1100896887]

I thought that we were to talk about Best Musical, in order to narrow down the field a bit. I guess I jumped the gun?

I specifically did not name performances, as there are too many that I have liked. Carol Channing, Judy Holliday,for example, are the main drawing card in their shows; although I like both shows, they would not be in my favourite list of best musicals.
Are we to make a list of performances, as well? If so, that will take me some time to narrow doen the dozens that come to mind.
Peter, how can you edit that list?

[Big Magilla]

I'll edit my lists down to 25 in the appropriate categories before e-mailing them.

[Big Magilla]

Cam, check out my DVD report thsi week which takes a little detour into the world of Original Cast recordings available on CD.

For performances, my favorites starting with Oklahoma! would include:

40s
Celeste Hom in Bloomer Girl
John Raitt in Carousel
Ethel Mermanin Annie Get Your Gun
Ella Logan & David Wayne in Finian's Rainbow
Alfred Drake, Patricia Morison, Harold Lang and Lisa Kirk in Kiss Me, Kate
Mary Martin, Ezio Pinza, William Tabbert and Juanita Hallin south Pacific
Todd Duncan in Lost in the Stars
Carol Channing in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Eddie Albert, Allyn Ann McLerie, Mary Mccarty and ethel Griffies in Miss LIberty

50s
Ethel Merman in Call Me Madam
Robert Alda, Sam Levene, Vivian Blaine, Isabel Bigley and Pat Rooney, Sr. in Guys and Dolls
Gerturde Lawrence and Yul Brynner in The King and I
Shirley Booth, Johnny Johnston and Marica Van Dyke in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Charlotte Greenwood in Out of This World
James Barton, Olga San Juan, Tony Bavaar and Rufus Smith in Paint Your Wagon
Harold Lang and Vivinne Segal in studio cast recording of Pal Joey which led to their starring in Broadway revival and Helen Gallagher and Elaine Stritch in Broodway cast recording
Rosalind Russell, George Gaynes and Edie Adams in Wonderful Town
Lilo in Can-Can
Jack Whiting in Hazel Flagg
Janis Paige and John Raitt in The Pajama Game
Kaye Ballard in The Golden Apple
Ezio Pinza, Walter Slezak, William Tabbert and Florence Henderson in Fanny
Julie Andrews in The Boy Friend
Gwen Verdon, Stephen Douglass and Ray Walston in Damn Yankees
Rex Harrison, Julie Andrews and Stanley Holloway in My Fair Lady
Robert Weede, Jo Sullivan, Art Lund and Susan Johnson in The Most Happy Fella
Judy Holliday in Bells Are Ringing
Gwen Verdon and Thelma Ritter in New Girl in Town
Robert Preston and Barbara Cook in The Music Man
Carol Lawrence, Larry Kert and Chita Rivera in West Side Story
Miyoshi Umeki, Larry Blyden, Pat Suzuki and Juanita Hall in Flower Drum Song
Ethel Merman in Gypsy
Tom Bosley, Patricia Wilson, Howard Da Silva and Ellen Hanley in Fiorello!
Mary Martin and Patricia Neway in The Sound of Music

60s
Chita Rivera and Dick Van Dyke in Bye, Bye Birdie
Richard Burton, Julie Andrews and Robert Goulet in Camelot
Tammy Grimes and Harve Presnell in The Unsinkable Molly Brown
Anna Maria Alberghetti and Jerry Orbach in Carnival
Robert Morse, Rudy Vallee and Charles Nelson Reilly in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Zero Mostel and Jack Gilford in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Diahann Carroll in No Strings
Elaine Stritch in Sail Away
Molly Picon and Tommy Rall in Milk and HoneyClive Revill and Georgia Brown in Oliver!
Nanette Fabray in Mr. President
Barbara Cook, Daniel Massey and Jack Cassidy in She Loves Me
Tessie O'Shea in The Girl Who Came ot Supper
Inga Swenson in 110 in the Shade
Carol Channing in Hello, Dolly!
Beatrice Lillie, Tammy Grimes, Edward Woodward and Louise Troyin High Spirits
Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl
Zero Mostel and Maria Karnilova in Fiddler on the Roof
Robert Preston in Ben Franklin in Paris
Tommy Steele in Half a Sixpence
Richad Kiley in Man of La Macha
Elizabeth Allen in Do I Hear a Waltz?
John Cullum and Barbara Harris in On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
Angela Lansbury and Beatrice Arthur in Mame
Gwen Verdon in Sweet Charity
Robert Preston and Mary Martin in I Do! I Do!
Lotte Lenya, Jack Gilford and Joel Grey in Cabaret
Robert Goulet and David Wayne in The Happy Time
Patricia Routledge in Darling of the Day
Jerry Orbach in Promises, Promises
William Daniels in 1776
Herschel Bernardi and Maria Karnilova in Zorba
Ed Evanko in Canterbury Tales

70s
Lauren Bacall, Penny Fuller and Bonnie Franklin in Applause
Cleavon Little and Melba Moore in Purlie
Dean Jones and Elaine Stritch in Company
Alexis Smith, Dorothy Collins and Yvonne de Carlo in Follies
Mildred Natwick in 70, Girls, 70
Bobby Van and Helen Gallagher in No, No, Nanette
Glynis Johns, Len Cariou and Hermione Gingold in A Little Night Music
Debbie Reynolds in Irene
Joe Morton adn Virginai Capers in Raisin
John Cullum in Shenanhoah
Angela Lansbury in Gypsy
Gwen Verdon, Chita Rivera and Jerry Orbach in Chicago
Dorothy Loudon in Ballroom
Anglea Lansbury and Len Cariu in Sweeney Todd
Patti LuPone, Mandy Patinkin and Bob Gunton in Evita

80s and beyond
George Hearn in La Cage aux Folles
Colm Wilinson and Terrence Mann in Les Miserables
Lea Salonga in Miss Saigon
Glenn Close in Sunset Boulevard
Victoria Clark in The Light in the Piazza

[OscarGuy]

That's more than 25, but I'm not sure if you read down to the guidelines section. If you wouldn't mind sending those via pm or email, I'd appreciate it. I can keep track of them a little easier that way and one person's choices won't easily persuade someone else's.

[99-1100896887]

Shall I start?
This is my special area, as I taught musical theatre most of my teaching life. I know most of the shows --some only by reputation -- some I have seen and some I have heard. I know the history of the grenre and the metamorphoses of it.
Certain musicals have a signature tune or star acssociated with them. But a performance or two usually does not make a great book with great lyrics and music, which are far more important than just a star's turn.
Show Boat is actually 1927. Up until then, there were, apart from operetta, and a whole lot of shows with "girl names" (Sally, Peggy, Irene , Peggy-Ann, Sunny) . Not to disparage them-- one or two have good classic tunes--but the real "stories" began with Show Boat. A serious situation being discussed in popular song had not happened before. So for that reason, I would begin with Showboat,
The following in roughly chronological order, are what I think are the Best Musicals.
Strike Up The Band
Of Thee I Sing
Zeigfeld Follies
Anything Goes
Porgy And Bess
Babes In Arms
Pins and Needles
The Cradle Will Rock
1940s
The Boys From Syracuse
Cabin In The Sky
Pal Joey
Carmen Jones
Oklahoma!
On The Town
Carousel
Kiss Me Kate
South Pacific
50s
Guys and Dolls
New Faces of 1952
Wonderful Town
The Pajama Game
Damn Yankees
My Fair Lady
West Side Story
Once Upon A Mattress
The Fantasticks
60s
Camelot
How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
A Funny Thing Happened On The Wau To The Forum
Little Me
She Loves Me
Fiddler On The Roof
Man Of La Mancha
1776
70s and later
Company
Follies
Godspell
A Little Night Music
A Chorus Line
Chicago
Pacific Overtures
On The Twemtieth Century
Sweeney Todd
The original Nine and the revival
Sunday In The Park With George
Les Miserables
Into The Woods
Kiss Of The Spider Woman
Assassins
and
Light In The Piazza

[OscarGuy]

See, I wasn't thinking people would nominated anything but the stage version and I really didn't think a distinction needed to be made between revival and original cast. The only show that I can think of that completely altered the production was Chess when it moved from West End to Broadway and became shit.