Broadway Shows using Pop Songs

[DesireeBowen]

My husband and I were talking about Broadway musicals today and how there seems to be a bit of a trend to use pop songs in musicals instead of creating new material to use as their musical numbers (Billy Joel's Moving Out, for instance). We both decided (without much deliberation) that we don't like it. I just adore musicals. There is just that distinctive style to traditional musical numbers- the dense orchestration, the full chorus sections, beautiful melodies and CLEVER lyrics, that I think are lost when you take pop songs to broadway. I do love my pop songs, but I don't want to see them on a broadway stage! I really hope in twenty or so years time that musicals won't be reduced to a medley of Lady Gaga songs. (Although I bet the costume director would be in heaven, or hell, depending on how you look at it.) That's my opinion anyway- curious what you musical minds on here think about it!

[FMstereo]

I love musicals too, I think the songs are great fun to sing. However, I think there is a place for the different style of musical using pop or rock songs. I really enjoyed Mama Mia, and We Will Rock You, and it was great seeing old songs used in a new context.

I can't think of any recent musicals in the traditional style; apart from Andrew Lloyd Webber, is there anyone else out there writing musicals?

Cheers

[mazz]

Three musicals I've seen on B'way in NYC in the past few years: Wicked, Avenue Q, Spamalot. All original music.

There's plenty of musicals being written, it's just that only so many musicals get performed on Broadway, it's an extremely tough market. I think the producers of shows sometimes will go with something that's familiar to audiences in order to sell tickets to finance their next venture. It's a business, after all!

[Len911]

I don't know, but I hope it isn't "Toy Story IV" or whatever toy they can market in a happy meal. I heard on tv a few days ago it was number one at the box office. Psssht!

[mojobone]

Geez, an extravagant spectacle, wherein Broadway gets a dose of popular culture; what could possibly be wrong with that? After all, it was good enough for Zigfeld. Personally, I feel that Movin' Out is a wonderful example of Broadway accepting and celebrating the best of American musical culture. (same would go for Tommy, if Pete Townshend weren't British) After all, a really great song is hard enough to find, let alone write; should every show in NYC have to write its own? It's called a revue, folks and I think it's a wonderful tradition. (and gives the playwrights, actors, dancers, singers set designers and choreographers yet another way to shine, even if it cuts out a few songwriters)

[kevinmathie]

Uh oh.... You're not going to like the latest show I've been working on are you? "Brittany Spears, the Musical" j/k

It's true that there are quite a lot of musicals that are built around popular music. Maybe more today than in years past -- "Movin' Out", "Forever Plaid," "The Marvelous Wonderettes," "Beehive," "Always...Patsy Cline," "Lovesick Blues" (a tribute to Hank Williams Sr.), "We Will Rock You" (a show with music from Queen), "Tommy," and the list goes on...

But, I don't think those kinds of shows will replace the original-music shows on Broadway. While I think the musical-revue show is definitely here to stay for a long time, I believe as long as we have the Jason Robert Browns, the Stephen Sondheims, the Stephen Schwartzes, the Lynn Ahrens/Stephen Flahertys of the world writing fantastic original music for the stage, we're probably not in danger of seeing the original music shows go away.

If it did, it would be a cultural tragedy.

[mojobone]

Heh, you left out "Jersey Boys".

[kevinmathie]

Heh, you left out "Jersey Boys".

LOL! Yes I did! Shame on me. I should know better.