I just finished grading this semester's crop of "underrated musical" papers. I know how much my readers enjoy hearing about which shows my students have chosen to defend, so I always like to pass the list along. This semester's top choices comprise a decidedly eclectic mix of shows. Here are the works that more than one student chose to write about:
3 Once on This Island
2 Bat Boy
2 Wicked
2 City of Angels
2 Working
Plenty of choices that melt my icy heart, particularly Once on This Island. Grading those three papers prompted me to break out the cast recording, which I haven't listened to in years, and it was a joy to rediscover this inventive and heartfelt little show. Once on This Island was the show that brought Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens to my attention, and this talented duo has been firmly on my radar ever since.
If you're not familiar with Once on This Island, I urge you to get a hold of the recording, which contains the show in its delightful entirety. It's basically a Caribbean take on the "The Little Mermaid," as opposed to the Disney version, which completely changes the ending, and the intent, of Hans Christian Andersen's original tale.
As for the other top choices, I personally love every last one of them. Working is especially dear, and contains quite a few powerful scenes and songs (particularly "Just a Housewife" and "If I Could've Been"), although there is the occasional misstep. ("Neat to Be a Newsboy," anyone? Yeesh.) As for Bat Boy, although many of my students over the years have chosen it as their underrated musical, nobody has ever really been able to capture why it's good in the course of writing their papers. They all take it way too seriously, and even if they do focus on the humor, they're never really successful at analyzing why it's just so darn funny. This is actually true of most of the wacky, zany Off-Broadway satires. (See Zombie Prom below.)
Here's the rest of the list, the shows that received one paper each:
On the Town, The Wiz, Once Upon a Mattress, She Loves Me, One Touch of Venus, Ragtime, The Wild Party (Lippa), Children of Eden, The Fantasticks, Goblin Market, Les Miserables, Assassins, Into the Woods, Parade, The Frogs, Zombie Prom, Curtains, Beauty and the Beast
A lot of usual suspects, including The Wild Party (yawn) and Children of Eden (Y-A-W-N). But I was rather intrigued by Goblin Market and One Touch of Venus. I'm not overly familiar with Goblin Market, although that student's paper made me want to dig out the cast recording and get a copy of the script. The show is essentially a Victorian poem (by Christina Rossetti) come to life in the form of an ambitious two-character show. I haven't had a chance to give it much attention, but it's definitely on my play list and night stand.
And then there's One Touch of Venus. I've never seen the show, but I have read the script, and once saw the rather lame movie version with Ava Gardner. But the Kurt Weill score is stunning, with some of his best songs, including "Speak Low" and "I'm a Stranger Here Myself." I used to include the show in my course syllabus, but I had to cut it because that particular class was running way too long. The story concerns a statue of Venus that comes to life and wreaks havoc in the lives of a few select mortals, and on the whole the show is a real charmer.
One Touch of Venus is one of those shows that was a huge success back in the day only to later slip into near obscurity. (Another example: Lady in the Dark.) Encores did it 13 years ago, and it's been dusted off by The Goodspeed Opera House and a few international theaters. But it's really the sort of show that could stand a first-class revival. It would probably require a big star, but maybe Catherine Zeta-Jones (A Little Night Music) will start a trend of big stars coming to Broadway to anchor musical revivals that otherwise not have seen the light of day.
Scarlett Johansen, are you listening, girl?
No "Man of No Importance" this year? Sad!
Posted by: Matt Kacergis | November 05, 2009 at 05:52 PM
I'm failing to see how Wicked is at all underrated.
I think I would have gone with The Last 5 Years.
Posted by: Valerie | November 05, 2009 at 07:50 PM
Valerie: The primary contention for the students who chose Wicked was that people tend to dismiss the show because it's a blockbuster, and don't give it credit for the quality of the writing and the depth of the ideas that the show reflects.
I happen to agree: I'm a huge fan of Wicked, and I notice that many people sneer and scoff at it, just as they might at Phantom or Les Miz. I would personally submit that Wicked is far better than either of those shows, although I do enjoy Les Miz considerably more than Phantom.
As for L5Y, that show has certainly come up frequently in previous semesters, and will likely continue to show up. I'm not a big fan of the show: I find it a bit dour and hard to sit through, but there's no denying the talent that it reflects and the impact it tends to have on its numerous fans.
Posted by: ccaggiano | November 05, 2009 at 09:49 PM
Oh, Matt. Well, it's certainly come up in the past, and I'm sure it will come up again. Just not this semester.
Posted by: ccaggiano | November 05, 2009 at 09:49 PM
I must always pipe in with my opinions. Hands down, the most underrated show that I can think of is SHE LOVES ME, always overshadowed by its younger brother, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF.
Posted by: Robbie | November 05, 2009 at 11:51 PM
You'll hear no argument from me, my friend. She Loves Me is a gem.
Posted by: ccaggiano | November 06, 2009 at 07:35 AM
I love "Island" ... the recording never fails to boost my spirits! I have seen so many productions at so many different age levels - and while the actual production may not be the greatest, the material truly stands on it's own.
As a music director, "Island" is one of my favorite shows to play, conduct and work on. The ensemble parts are so well written and provide just the right emotional kick at the right time.
Ahrens and Flaherty have written some great material... "Lucky Stiff", "Seussical", "Island" and the rarely performed "My Favorite Year" all offer some great musical moments.
Posted by: Dave | November 06, 2009 at 10:05 AM
(apologies for not finishing before I posted...)
I am a HUGE fan of "Children of Eden"... it does get a little long-winded every once in a while, but it's far from a yawner of a show. Schwartz's score is amazing... the musical themes he develops and continues to use as underscoring, etc. always keep the audience on it's toes. The raw story material isn't for everyone, but the moral of the show is timeless.
What makes you dislike it?
Posted by: Dave | November 06, 2009 at 10:14 AM
Dave, we could be co-founders of the Flaherty and Ahrens fan club. I love all of their shows as well. (Although I am a bit iffy on Lucky Stiff, and The Glorious Ones was disappointing.) I haven't heard anything about their next project, but they will always be on my list of folks to keep an eye on.
Posted by: ccaggiano | November 06, 2009 at 10:14 AM
...and I can't believe I forgot about Ragtime!
I did Lucky Stiff about a year ago, and while the book is somewhat confusing and difficult for an audience to process in one sitting, some of the music is good. ("Times Like These" is a song I tell some of my high school students to use in auditions... not one that's really heard much!)
Posted by: Dave | November 06, 2009 at 10:19 AM
'Neat to Be a Newsboy' puts me in a horrible mood. Even typing the title makes me cranky. CUT!
I love 'Once on This Island' though...that makes me happy.
Posted by: AjohnP | November 06, 2009 at 10:52 AM
Peaches, my love, you'll be happy to know that, according to my sources, the song has officially been cut from all future productions.
No one likes a cranky Peaches.
Posted by: ccaggiano | November 06, 2009 at 10:57 AM
Dave: I just don't think Children of Eden ranks among Stephen Schwartz's better work. The only memorable songs are "Lost in the Wilderness" and "It whatever Time We Have," but even those songs are pretty stop-and-sing and generic. They just don't seem to be all that rooted in the drama. And for some reason the rest of the score just bores me.
I'm a major defender of Stephen Schwartz. I think his work on Godspell, Pippin, and Wicked is exceptional, although each of those shows surely has its share of duds. And Rags is one of my all-time favorite flops, containing some of Schwartz's most clever and evocative lyrics.
But somehow Children of Eden doesn't really hold a candle to any of those shows. At least IMHO.
Posted by: ccaggiano | November 06, 2009 at 12:17 PM
I too am a big fan of Once on this Island so I'm glad to see it made the list. Can I join your new Flaherty and Ahrens fan club? :)
Posted by: Chris | November 06, 2009 at 08:09 PM
Are you familiar with the revised version of WORKING that came out a few years ago? It drops "Neat to be a Newsboy" in favor of a song about a checker (I think it's called "I Keep Movin'"). The revision also updates a few things to include references more commonplace now than when the show was written (if memory serves, this new material was all derived from new interviews Turkel did).
It is a HIGHLY underrated show, a gem that's too quiet for Broadway but, given economic times, could probably come back with a roar off-Broadway.
Posted by: Andy P. | November 08, 2009 at 04:05 PM
Island is one of my favorites. As is No Strings. The book ain't all that, in No Strings, but that score... (And yes, I *like* the Eager Beaver song.)
Posted by: Scot Colford | November 09, 2009 at 11:16 AM
Chris...which version of The Wild Party is a yawn for you? Menzel or Collette...strangely I like the version with Menzel although she can shriek.
Underrated: Once On this Island INDEED.As I mentioned in a recent comment here it along with 110 in the Shade, and Follies come to mind. But right on the person who said Assassins.
I asked before but you didn't respond: The Last Five Years, do you like? I think its underrated.
Posted by: Encore Entertainment | November 11, 2009 at 02:26 PM