Phantom versus Cats
This post was inspired by greenman's recent postings about Phantom of the Opera. I suggested that Phantom of the Opera, the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, is the most overrated musical ever created. I found a list of the top ten longest running Broadway shows of all time (all are musicals). They are:
1) Cats
Winter Garden Theater
Previewed September 23, 1982
Opened October 7, 1982
Closed September 10, 2000
Total Performances: 7,485
2) Phantom of the Opera
Majestic Theater
Previewed January 9, 1988
Opened January 26, 1988
Still running
Total Performances: 6917 as of August 29, 2004
3) Les Miserables
Broadway Theater (through 10/14/1990)
Imperial Theater (through closing)
Previewed February 28, 1987
Opened March 12, 1987
Closed May 18, 2003
Total Performances: 6,680
4) A Chorus Line
Schubert Theater
Opened July 25, 1975
Closed April 28, 1990
Total Performances: 6,137
5) Oh! Calcutta! (1976 revival)
Edison Theater
Opened September 24 1976
Closed August 6, 1989
Total Performances: 5,959
6) Beauty and the Beast
Palace Theater (through 9/5/1999)
Lunt-Fontane Theater
Previewed March 9,1994
Opened April 18, 1994
Still running
Total Performances: 4244 as of August 29, 2004
7) Miss Saigon
Broadway Theater
Previewed March 23, 1991
Opened April 11, 1991
Closed January 28, 2001
Total Performances: 4,092
8)42nd Street
Winter Garden Theater(through 3/29/1981) Majestic Theater (through 4/5/1987)
St. James Theater
Previewed August 18, 1980
Opened August 25, 1980
Closed January 8, 1989
Total Performances: 3,486
9) Grease
Eden Theater (through 6/5/1972)
Broadhurst Theater (through 11/21/1972)
Royale Theatre (through 1/27/1980)
Majestic Theater
Opened February 14, 1972
Closed April 13, 1980
Total Performances: 3,388
10) Rent
Nederlander Theater
Previewed April 16, 1996
Opened April 29, 1996
Still playing
Total Performances: 3472 as of August 29, 2004
I have never seen Oh! Calcutta! or 42nd Street so I can't offer an opinion about those two. Every other musical on this list I've seen. Cats and Phantom are, in my opinion, easily the worst two musicals on this list. Cats has no story. It's simply a collection of songs, some of which are good and some which are god awful. Most don't stick with you. As a storyteller, I can't abide going to the theater and seeing undeveloped characters walking through a makeshift plot that has no meaningful resolution.
Phantom does have a story, but it's a tired, cliche-ridden one. The Phantom is not a sympathetic character. Compare the Phantom character to the Javert character in Les Miz. You understand Javert, and while you may not root for him, why he is the way he is makes sense. You know he is doomed, but you care, and when he sings "Stars", you empathize with his struggle. And when Javert's black and white world falls apart because Val Jean smears it into grey by saving his enemy's life, you know there's only one way it's going to go. That's tragedy. That's gripping. That's what makes a good story. Phantom takes a great character idea - a man who feels ostracized because of his hideous visage - and has him fall in love for no apparent reason and end up a kidnapper. He chooses to let Raoul and Christine go at the end because she makes it clear she doesn't love him. As if that weren't clear twenty minutes into the show. The other problem with the show is the music. It's not very interesting music to begin with and the lyrics are ridiculous.
And these are the two longest running shows on Broadway! Ugh.
Just for completeness, I will post my list of the top ten musicals of all time, with the caveat that I haven't seen: The Lion King, Wicked, and Moving Out, all of which I think I'd like a great deal.
1) Man of La Mancha
2) Les Miserables
3) Jesus Christ Superstar
4) Rent
5) Grease
6) Fiddler on the Roof
7) The Sound of Music
8) A Chorus Line
9) Tommy
10) Little Shop of Horrors
posted by Matt @ 10:02 AM
11 comments
11 Comments:
So, if you haven't seen two of the musicals on your top 10 list, how did you come up with the list?
I have not seen five of the 10 on the longest-running list, but I definitely agree with you on "Cats." "Cats" is just stupid. As you said, there is no plot, and it's a bunch of yowly, boring songs. "Rent" isn't so brilliant either, but at least there's a modicum of plot.
I also frequently hear at family gatherings about how great "Mama Mia" is. I have not seen that, either, and feel compelled to point out, every time it is said that "if you like Abba, you'll love it", that I am too young to even *care* about Abba.
I do like "Phantom of the Opera", though. I like the lavishness of the scenes, and of the music, and of course there's the whole Franco-phile thing going on for me. The dramatic organ music works for me, too.
Saw the silent movie this Halloween with a live organist and percussionist providing the music and that was fun, too, but not as fun seeing it with a staid Lutheran church audience as when I saw a similar performance at Hancher years ago, with much more audience participation. (He's carried her through the bowels of at least 8 levels of underground caverns, laid her on the bed and generally acted creepy in a bunch of other ways, and *then* she says "You -- you're the phantom!" A perfect opportunity to shout at the screen, "No duh!")
My favorite musicals:
"Les Miz" (I could see that every year)
"The Producers" (ditto)
"Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat"
"Fiddler on the Roof"
--Jo
I've seen all the musicals on my top ten list. I was just saying that I think I'd like The Lion King, Wicked, and Moving Out and they could potentially get on my top ten list should I see them.
I have never seen the Producers, and I imagine I'd like it okay, but it wouldn't make my list. I considered Joseph, but really there's not one outstanding song in the whole thing. A lot of good songs, but not one blow me away song. For example, Fiddler, which you smartly have on your list, is full of blow me away songs.
I also do not care about Abba.
This order changes, but here are my ten right now
1. Jesus Christ Superstar
2. Les Miserables
3. Guys And Dolls
4. Music Man
5. Rent
6. Kiss Me Kate
7. Cabaret
8. Producers
9. Chicago
10. Company
(Matt S here)
Phantom may be overrated, but I think it's still a very entertaining show. The book itself is no great shakes as literature, but it's a pretty good adventure story, and I don't think it's cliched compared to its contemporaries. I've always imagined the Phantom falling in love because of his hideous visage -- Christine represents a grace and purity that he feels he could never possess -- but maybe I'm extrapolating too much. I started with the book.
Well, I technically started with the marching band show. Which totally rocked, by the way, and may well be the foundation of my fondness for the musical. It's a heck of a marching band show.
My criteria for liking a musical do not require a "blow-you-away" song. I"m going more for the overall experience in my rankings -- so "Coat of Many Colors" and "Benjamin Calypso" et. al make the whole thing enjoyable for me.
I forgot about "Guys and Dolls" until seeing Dweeze's list. That's a good one, too, as is "Good News" -- not a very popular one to be produced, but I liked it. http://musicalheaven.com/g/good_news.shtml
I suspect "A Year With Frog and Toad" to be good as well, although I haven't seen it -- but I have heard music clips on the radio, and it was up for a bunch of Tonys.
"Pirates of Penzance" is fun in a sort of nostalgic way, but probably not one of my all-time favorites as a musical -- it just has good memories associated with it, of being in London and seeing "a show."
--Jo
yet *another* reader's Top Ten musicals:
1) My Fair Lady
2) Man of La Mancha
3) Guys and Dolls
4) Jesus Christ Superstar
5) Fiddler on the Roof
6) Sweeney Todd
7) A Little Night Music
8) Nine
... hmmm. while i have numerous other favorite musicals, i can't say that anything else leaps up to the top of the pack, as it were. and the omissions are rather glaring: no Rodgers and Hammerstein? no Kander and Ebb? (their songs i adore, but not necessarily their musicals) no Jerry Herman? (love his score for Mack and Mabel, tho)
this also does not mean that this list is by any means permanent. i once held Kiss Me Kate very near and dear to my heart (and still do, actually), but i don't consider it to be one of my ten best in quality. and i used to really really like Les Miz, but not so much these days...
new show definitely worth a listen: Avenue Q.
I saw a song from Avenue Q on the Tonys last year and was really unimpressed. It didn't grab me at all. I have heard a lot of good things, though.
Thanks for all the lists, everyone. It's been a really interesting read. Keep 'em coming! I am sure Lars is going to weigh in at some point!
You asked for it...
1. Les Mis. No question.
2. La Revolution Francais (the one Les Mis eventually turned into).
3. Miss Saigon (and, if you saw it at Hancher, it wasn't the "Real" version, I'm told...)
4. Martin Guerre
5. Did I mention Les Mis? How 'bout making this the pre-Broadway version, then.
6. Five Guys Named Moe
7. Aida
8. The Lion King
9. Side Show
10. Jekyll & Hyde
Okay, so there's no Lloyd Webber even on my list. That's on purpose. And even if I didn't mention Les Mis that many times, I wouldn't have put him there. Yes, I've got all the recordings - even his really bad stuff - and I've seen Cats 4 or 5 times and Phantom. I've never enjoyed the music to Phantom all that much. Can't stand Sarah Brightman, so I couldn't listen to the recording until the Toronto cast with Colm Wilkinson and Rebecca Caine came out. But even then, the second act is just boring. Lloyd Webber is all about spectacle. Which is fine. I like spectacle. Miss Saigon and Les Mis have it to. But the difference is exactly what you said - they have believable characters that you actually feel something for and the sweeping music of Boublil & Schonberg just can't be beat.
The only one on my list I haven't seen is actually Side Show, but I have a boot of it. I think if I were to have a script for Wicked to read before having watched the boot, it would've made my list. I just couldn't understand a word they were saying. Hence it getting sent to you.
ali
Wow, how do I weigh in on this?! I have SO much to say and my wife is yelling at me to give the laptop to her! I don't have the energy to sit here for 3 hours and talk about everything, but believe me, I could!
Cats...seen it, sucks.
Phantom...seen it 3 times...love it! Don't like the movie sountrack at all (haven't seen the movie yet though)
Les Mis...seen it 3 times, the only show I've seen on Broadway, and it is such a good musical, I could see this everyday.
RENT...jeez, seen it 10 times...what more should I say about that? Though it really isn't my fav. musical anymore.
I know so many musicals that I find it impossible to make a list, it really just is. Musical theatre is my obsession, would like to make it my job some day, so I really could talk for years on this. When I have time I will come back.
Most of your top 10 and everyone elses is good! I dislike grease a lot...but that's just me. I can't say enough of Sondheim and in particular Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods...two of my favorite shows and two shows I've never seen a professional show of...sad :-(
There are just so many musicals you are missing that are fantastic. Just to put it in perspective we have over 300 cast recordings.
In no order or just SOME that I like
Sweeney Todd
Into the Woods
Les Mis
Phantom
RENT
Man of La Mancha
Titanic
Bat Boy
Sweet Smell of Success
tick, tick...BOOM!
Jesus Christ Superstar
Aida
Sunday in the Park with George
Assassins
Urinetown
Kiss Me, Kate
Avenue Q
I'm sure I forgot some of my absolute favorites because it's so hard to narrow down. I wont talk about boots because it is the unmentionables...but I quite a few of them so I have seen many shows I wouldn't have the opportunity to see.
I have seen too many shows to mention in person from different theatres throughout the world.
I've also been in quite a few shows as well!
So in short, I can't begin to talk about what I want to, but I tried to say a few things shortly here...musical theatre, ah, I love it... :-)
and I just got a three hundred page book on Broadway Musicals for Christmas :-) How exciting!
One of my majors in college was theatre, so I just like to read anything theatre as a free read as well!
D'oh! how on earth could I have forgotten Rent?!?!?!
Duh. That's way up on my top 10.
I think I got the same book. ha.
ali
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