The "Most Underrated" Musical - Fall 2012

Gee, you folks really like lists, don't you? Well, I'm more than happy to comply.

I recently posted this semester's list of the "most overrated" musicals, as selected and defended by my current crop of students in my musical-theater history course at the Boston Conservatory. Many of you commented on the selections -- some agog, some aghast -- and said that you were looking forward to their selections of the "most underrated" musicals.

As promised, here we go, with the usual caveats. Students typically discuss their choices with me before they sit down to write, and I try to steer them toward shows that lend themselves to the "underrated" treatment, and away from the shows that don't work as well. So the following list is decidedly unscientific, and heavily influenced by yours truly.

Why is it that some shows work for this paper and some don't? Well, essentially, I use this paper to give the students an opportunity to start spotting and analyzing the various innovations, techniques, devices, and other signs of a quality musical that we're exploring in the course. Of course, most of these innovations spring from our discussions of Rodgers and Hammerstein. (e.g. integrated songs, dramatically purposeful dance, extended musical scenes/sequences, effective character arcs, uses of leitmotif and the dramatic reprise, etc.) So shows that don't adhere to the R&H revolution (Mamma Mia, Jersey Boys), or shows that come later in the historical sequence and deliberately subvert the innovations (Chicago, Cabaret, Movin' Out, Contact, The Drowsy Chaperone) are much harder for the students to defend, at least at this point in the course.

That said, here are the shows that received multiple "votes":

Wicked 18
The Light in the Piazza 4
The Scottsboro Boys 4
In the Heights 3
The Last Five Years 3
Once on This Island 3
Ragtime 3
Urinetown 3
110 in the Shade 2
Aida 2
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels 2
Floyd Collins 2
Legally Blonde 2
Seussical 2
Titanic 2

And here are the shows that received one "vote" each:

Annie Get Your Gun, Assassins, Bat Boy, Camelot, Children of Eden, GreyGardens, Little Women, Merrily We Roll Along, Once Upon a Mattress, Sunday in the Park With George, Parade, Passion, Pippin, She Loves Me, SideShow, The Color Purple, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, The Phantom ofthe Opera, The Secret Garden, Thoroughly Modern Millie.

So, what exactly do we mean here by "underrated"? Well, essentially, there are two broad categories of underrated shows: hidden gems that don't get the attention they deserve, and big blockbusters that frequently get dismissed as being too frothy, too spectacular, too...well...popular.

Ergo, Wicked, clearly this year's winner, and by quite a hefty margin. I'm sure the fact that I consider Wicked underrated myself frees my students up to express their affection for the show, an affection that is often met with derision from their peers. I frequently receive comments on my own list of the most underrated musicals, particular as to how I could possibly consider Wicked to be underrated. The comments are sometimes impolitely incredulous. "Wicked!? UNDERRATED?! [scoff] How could you possibly consider Wicked underrated!? [sneer] It's, like, the most overrated show, like, EVER!!" (Actually, I should probably add some more egregiously capitalized words here, and maybe a dozen more exclamation points, but you get the point.)

Well, when I say that Wicked is underrated, I mean exactly that. And I think the intensity of the incredulity of some of my commenters only serves to reinforce the notion that people don't give Wicked enough credit for being more than just entertaining. It's also smart. The characters are complex. Glinda and Fiyero claim to be shallow, at least at first, but Stephen Schwartz gives them complex rhymes and clever wordplay to make their eventual evolutions more credible. "Don't be offended by my frank analysis/Think of it as personality dialysis/Now that I've offered to become a pal, a sis-ter and adviser, there's nobody wiser."

Schwartz also makes liberal use of leitmotif ("Unlimited...", "I'm limited...") and includes a really effective dramatically purposeful reprise. In fact, I include the following paragraph in the directions for the underrated paper to give the students a sense of what I'm looking for:

Wicked has a number of clever musical devices that help audience members understand what the characters are feeling. One particularly effective device is the use of the dramatic reprise. In the first act, Elphaba sings a song called “I’m Not That Girl,” in which she laments that she could never gain the hand of Fiyero, the show’s main male love interest. Elphaba sings, “Don't dream too far. Don't lose sight of who you are. Don't remember that rush of joy. He could be that boy, but I'm not that girl.” Composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz paints a heartbreaking picture with just a few lines, nicely evoking Elphaba’s loneliness and resignation. But the real payoff comes later, when Glinda sings a reprise of “I’m Not That Girl.” The simple device of using the same song but switching characters deftly demonstrates not only that the tables have turned for Elphaba, but for Glinda as well. Glinda sings almost the exact same refrain as Elphaba, and the reprise is only four lines long, but it nonetheless conveys both Glinda’s loss and Elphaba’s gain.

What's more, Wicked is a terrific example of a show that people can enjoy on multiple levels. If you're just looking for spectacle and screlting, the show has both in abundant supply. But if you're willing to take a closer look at the underlying message of the show, it's actually fairly savvy when it comes to social commentary. Take, for example, the sly political reference in "Popular":

Celebrated heads of state,
Or even great communicators.
Did they have brains or knowledge?
Don't make me laugh.

They were popular.
Please, it's all about popular.
It's not about aptitude,
It's the way you're viewed.
So it's very shrewd to be
Very, very popular, like me.

And who was the great communicator? Why, Ronald Reagan, of course. The idiot who ruled our country for eight years, not because he was bright ("Not just because you're bright..."), but rather because he was charming and had a way of saying genuinely horrendous things in a way that was palatable to far too many people in this country. ("Romney...cough, cough...Romney...")

Is Wicked a masterpiece? Hardly. I've never really been a fan of the bland power ballad that is "As Long As You're Mine." And there are a few minor songs that don't really serve much more purpose that they would if they were simply turned into dialog. ("A Sentimental Man" and "Something Ba-a-a-a-ad") But, overall, I'm genuinely thrilled that Wicked has become the seemingly unstoppable blockbuster that it is. Think of all the kids that get turned on by musical theater because of Wicked. I'd rather see them swoon over Wicked than The Lion King, Mary Poppins, or [shudder] Spider-Man.

But, then, the current list of underrated musicals doesn't completely conform to my personal preferences. I'm not really much of a fan of In the Heights, although it has its heart in the right place and contains many elements of genuine quality. [SPOILER ALERT] I just can't quite get past the deus ex machina plot resolution. Everything works out just fine because someone wins the lottery? Really? That's the message we're giving out to people seeking upward mobility? Play the lottery? Haven't lotteries done enough damage? Preying on the poor with false hope, exhorting them to divert huge portions of their income based on infinitesimal odds? How about making the plot resolution based on someone making a decision to effect a major change in his or her life through personal initiative?

But enough of my tirades and encomiums. What do you think of this year's list, dear reader? Surprises? Omissions? I'm all ears. (Unless you use all caps and/or exclamation points. In which case, my ears shut down.)

Comments

[Gil]

Interesting; I never considered the winning of the Lottery in In The Heights to actually be a resolution. I think it's because the song where we find out that Abuela won the lottery happens a third of the way through the show. I'm having trouble remembering who ends up with the lottery money at the finale but isn't it Usnavi (who decides to not leave the Heights just because he now has money) and not Nina (who'd be able to use it for college)? Doesn't the money not fundamentally "fix" anybody's life?

[ccaggiano]

Gil, you make valid points. What I'm saying is that Usnavi and Sonny suddenly have $96,000, which gives them options they didn't have before. Sure, Nina doesn't get the money, but it certainly forces the issue with her family, who make the decision to sell the business.

Perhaps I overstated my case, but I think the essence of my argument remains he same: the show reinforces the impetus on the part of the poor to place their hopes in the lottery. When I see people at the local convenience store spending $50 a day on scratch tickets, it's pretty galling for me to think how much better off they'd be putting that money into an IRA.

[Gil]

I think at the time I just presumed that it was trying to be a realistic portrayal of a culture where people do really buy a lot of lottery tickets. But I'm pretty sure saying that makes me a little racist.

I also probably give the show credit because I thought Usnavi/Abuela was going to give Nina the money and all her problems would go away as the resolution to her storyline. I was really glad that it didn't go that way, although I suspect there was probably a version of the script where it did.

[Lisa]

I find it fitting the the song "Popular" is quoted more than once in the post about Wicked considering it is far superior to the rest of the songs in the show, in my opinion (well, Defying Gravity is a close second).

Besides these two songs, and the interesting playing with time signature in Thank Goodness, the problem I continue to have with Wicked is the score. If you just look at "Popular" or "Defying Gravity," you would consider it a gem... but so many of the songs fall short lyrically and musically. When I saw the show, I liked everything but the score, but it's hard for me to really get on board with a musical if I can't embrace the songs.

Interestingly, I had seen Stephen Schwatrz in concert about 6 months prior and Liz Callaway was with him and sang Defying Gravity. From that performance, I got so hyped up to see the show... and then was so let down by so many of the songs. I don't know if it's underrated or not... I tend to think it's overrated... but I guess this might prompt another discussion of if you can truly respect a musical based on the rest of the production (book, acting, tech) if the music just isn't that good. Perhaps a new subject for one of your classes, Chris? :)

[Andrew K.]

"Sunday in the Park with George" is my favourite musical score and play and Pulitzer Prize and all I'd probably say it's an underrated music (not THE most underrated, I'd probably have "She Loves Me", "The Rink" in there too).

What I find fascinating about "Sunday" is that folks, perhaps somewhat reticently, willing to agree that the score is intricate and layered and meticulously and even beautiful but there's always a BUT it's not commercial enough or fun or it's too abstruse. And, as far as universality of musicals go, I think "Sunday" is the near the top. I wrote a lengthy paper for my West Indian Literature class on artistic inclination using using "Sunday" as a main reference and it opened my eyes even further to how far-reaching the themes of the play are.

Intricate it definitely is, but not necessarily abstruse (I watched the taped recording with my 9 year old nephew who understood and liked it). I'd argue fervently for it being underrated because it's ability to transcend culture - as any good art work should - is, I think, often ignored.

PS. Touching on what Lisa said about considering if a show is underrated if the music isn't very good, what about vice-versa? The book for "Chess" IS dubious, but I think the score - specifically the complete London one - is an oft forgotten gem.

[Lisa]

I love Sunday too- probably my favorite musical. I don't know if I'd call it underrated though. I more often think that people who don't like it or think it inferior just don't get it or aren't educated enough about musical theatre to recognize its genius... though I guess you could argue that makes it underrated :)

I think there are a lot of examples of musicals that have great music or at least many great songs, but the book doesn't really work- I think Chris has an article about this somewhere or references it. I agree about Chess. I also think Parade is in this category, as is My Favorite Year. But I also think that topic is often talked about, whereas great book, not great music isn't as often discussed. Maybe there aren't that many examples? I don't know...

[-Rich]

I agree with certain aspects of your comment. I was very let down with the score of this show but I always feel I am changing my opinion. Musically, I think its wonderful. Lyrically, not so much. My favorite song is actually "The Wizard and I" simply because I feel it is the most well-rounded of the songs, but I normally ignore songs like "Popular" and "Defying Gravity" because I find them remedial at best. I do feel Wicked is underrated though because it got very mixed reviews upon opening. The way I like to put it is "Underrated by the critics, overrated by the general populace."

[harry]

I first came to know Wicked through reading the novel. I wondered, while reading, how on earth they could possibly make a coherent and entertaining stage musical from this source. Next, I heard the Original Cast Recording and I was not blown away. Finally, I saw the touring production, in Toronto, and it all came together and made sense and, finally, blew me away! Now, I thoroughly enjoy listening to the CD but it took seeing the show live, on-stage, with all its various elements, to allow me to enjoy the score to the fullest. So I suppose that I was guilty of underrating this wonderful musical, based on individual elements, until I finally experienced a complete, live staging.