The Bestest Musical Ever - Spring 2009

So, it's the start of a new semester, and as always I began my Boston Conservatory course by asking my students to write down the three best musicals ever. We then tally the votes on the board, and use the list to spark a discussion about what makes a musical good. Here's the list of shows that received multiple votes this semester:

7 - Les Miserables
5 - Gypsy
5 - Into the Woods
5 - West Side Story
3 - Grey Gardens
3 - The Last Five Years
3 - The Lion King
3 - South Pacific
3 - Wicked
2 - Company
2 - Ragtime
2 - The King & I
2 - A Chorus Line
2 - Evita
2 - Little Shop of Horrors
2 - Miss Saigon
2 - Rent
2 - The Scarlet Pimpernel
2 - Sunday in the Park With George
2 - Sweeney Todd

The following shows received one vote each: Spamalot, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Mamma Mia, In the Heights, Billy Elliot, Aida, Bare, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evening Primrose, Beauty and the Beast, Songs for  New World, Parade, Zanna Don't, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, 42nd Street, The Fantasticks, My Fair Lady, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, The Light in the Piazza, Hair, Once on the Island, Spring Awakening

So, a lot of the usual suspects. It's great to see Gypsy and West Side Story rank so highly, and deservedly so. Given the popularity that Les Miserables and Into the Woods enjoy in high school and regional productions around the country, it's certainly no surprise that these two shows would be so prominent. And given its current high-profile revival, it makes sense that South Pacific would be top-of-mind, although it hasn't showed up much when I've done this exercise in previous years.

But what struck me was some of the less-than-usual suspects. I've never really been a fan of Bare, although I may need to give it another listen. It's been recommended highly to me by numerous people, but what little I've heard hasn't thrilled me. Zanna Don't didn't really float my boat, but then I saw a local production that had some pacing issues: the show played a brisk 90 minutes Off-Broadway, whereas the local edition clocked in at about two hours and fifteen minutes. Without an intermission. Yeesh.

Also, I really need to make a point of watching "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" all the way through. I've only ever caught it in snippets on cable and at showtune nights at local gay bars. What I've seen of Michael Kidd's choreography is simply thrilling, and I've been meaning to set myself down and watch in all in context. 

Probably the most striking mention in the list above is Evening Primrose. Um...really? The best musical ever? Or at least in someone's top three? Don't get me wrong, it's a lovely piece. But I couldn't help thinking that whoever listed it was trying to impress me. If you're not familiar with Evening Primrose, it's one of Stephen Sondheim's more obscure efforts, an hour-long, made-for-television musical that aired in 1966. It's a macabre little tale about a writer (played by Anthony Perkins. Yes, that Anthony Perkins) who takes refuge from the world by hiding out in a department store, only to discover an entire subculture of people who've beat him to the punch. He falls in love with a woman (played by Charmian Carr, Liesl from the movie version of "The Sound of Music") who has lived in the store most of her life, and, well, it all ends with a sort of bittersweet, O. Henry-like twist. 

The score to Evening Primrose has been recorded numerous times. The first recording was the original TV soundtrack, which was recently released on CD by Kritzerland, although it was a limited release of only 3,000 copies. The four full-length songs from the show have appeared on numerous other recordings over the years. Mandy Patinkin included all four songs, which he performed with Bernadette Peters, on his otherwise unbearable "Dress Casual" CD. And the songs also appeared on the first full-length recording of Sondheim's The Frogs (not the 2004 Broadway cast album, but rather the 2001 studio version), which is the version that I personally recommend. Neil Patrick Harris and Theresa McCarthy, who sing the songs on that CD, give both the most musical and the most restrained renditions of Sondheim's haunting and evocative songs. 

Speaking of which, I was thrilled to learn that my very own Boston Gay Men's Chorus will be performing "Take Me to The World" from Evening Primrose as part of our next concert in March. We're singing it as part of a medley with an obscure Marc Blitzstein song, "Never Get Lost" from the virtually unknown show Reuben Reuben. The latter is a charming little lullaby, and the two songs together make for a simply lovely combo. I'm really looking forward to singing them, even if I have to also suffer through three regrettable Rufus Wainwright songs ("Vibrate," "Oh What a World," and "Beautiful Child") as part of the bargain. Yeah, I'm not a fan.

Comments

[Justin]

Has the kid who listed Evening Primrose ever seen the tv production?

On another note, this list is a nightmare. You should take an exit survey at the end of the semester to see if their opinions changed. I mean lord "My Fair Lady" got ONE VOTE? Yes I agree this is a difficult question, but when you say to list the top 3 musicals that does certainly eliminate about 75% of whats on this list.

[Seth Christenfeld]

Best or favorite? Two very different questions.

The best (structurally, etc.) are Guys and Dolls and Sweeney Todd, but my favorite (personal choice) is Side Show.

[chris caggiano]

Seth: Good point. But at the beginning of the course, I simply ask them which shows they think are the "best." Someone inevitably asks, "What are the criteria?" And I usually respond, "Yours."

Then, in the course of teaching, I try to show them the difference between "best" and "favorite." Because, you're right, there's a big honkin' difference.

[AjohnP]

I can't believe 'Angry Housewives' didn't get one vote.
Damn kids.

[Steve On Broadway (SOB)]

I always learn so much from you, Chris. I had never heard of "Evening Primose" before - thanks for your erudite writing!

[Justin]

Kids these days, what do they know?

[Jason]

They were trying to impress you.

I still maintain that the four songs which comprise "Primrose's" score are some of the most beautiful that Sondheim ever wrote. I'd even go so far as to call "I Remember" my favorite Sondheim song.

The TV production itself is a bizarre little piece, but is noentheless thoroughly charming. I was able to snag a DVD of the broadcast from a television archive, so if you haven't seen it you best let me know Chris!

[Alicia]

Chris - you really should give BARE a chance. The book is a little shaky but the music is catchy and the premise heartbreaking.

I first fell in love with EVENING PRIMROSE during my college years when Mandy recorded it with Bernadette. As a result, I worked on "I Remember" fastidiously in my voice lesson. And "Take Me To The World" was the exit song at our wedding... :)

[Scot Colford]

AjohnP, oh you're killing me. I have tried to get a cast album of Angry Housewives for fifteen years now. Arrrgh.

And Justin, I'm with you about MFL! But as I recall, it didn't even get *one* vote last time, did it, Chris?

[chris caggiano]

Scot: You are correct, sir. But it makes sense: very few kids at age 17 or 18 will have seen or performed in MFL. Perhaps if the Kelli O'Hara revival, and/or the Emma Thompson-scripted new movie version, ever materialize, that gem of a show will be a little more top-of-mind for the youngsters.

Alicia: I think it might be possible that you're even more of a musical geek than I. Possible...

[winer]

Excellent post. I love reading this blog. It would be interesting to ask students to list the musicals they've seen as well as the musicals they think are best. I bet some of them are putting shows on their lists that they haven't actually seen. Also, by asking them to list what they've seen, you'd get some sense of how their sense of "best" is influenced by their experiences.

[Margo]

I absolutely adore NPH and Sondheim, so going to have to check out Evening Primrose. Kind of surprised that Drowsy Chaperone didn't get at least one vote.

[lissa]

I happen to think Le Mis is right where it should be.