Everything I Know I Learned From Musicals

Review - Evita Revival on Broadway With Ricky Martin

How much of a difference can one performer make? That's the question I was left to ponder while walking out of the strangely lifeless revival of Evita that's currently packing them in at the Marquis Theater in New York. I had seen this production during its London run and was generally positive about it, particularly regarding the dynamic central performance from Argentinian spitfire Elena Roger. (Read my review of the London production.)

So, I was genuinely looking forward to seeing the production again, now that it has made the trek across the pond. There was, however, a bit of a bump in my road to the Marquis, as I was originally scheduled to see one of the performances that got "rained out," as it were. As you may have heard, the producers of Evita had to cancel two performances because the "deluge curtain," part of a theater's fire protection system, was accidentally triggered, which flooded the stage, necessitating a two-day clean-up process.

Since I was already in the city to see some other shows, I hustled over to the Marquis box office to exchange my ticket for another performance. Well, in my absent-mindedness, I chose a matinee performance, momentarily forgetting that the actress who plays Eva Peron historically doesn't do matinees. Which means I didn't see Elena Roger again but rather Christine DiCicco, the Eva alternate. DiCicco was never less than professional, and at times was downright impressive in terms of her energy level and vocal prowess. What she wasn't was electrifying, which Elena Roger decidedly was when I saw the show in 2006.

The experience put me in mind of seeing the recent revival of A Little Night Music both with Catherine Zeta-Jones (read my review) and then Bernadette Peters (read my review) in the central role of Desiree Armfeldt. With Zeta-Jones, the show was presentable but uninspired. With Peters, the show came to vibrant life. The cast was otherwise almost exactly the same, as were the members of the production staff. But Peters, like the rising tide, lifted all of the boats, whereas Zeta-Jones was more like an anchor dragging the show down and keeping it from achieving its full forward speed.

I genuinely hope to get back and see this production of Evita again to see if, perhaps, it was Elena Roger who made all the difference in London. That would also give me the opportunity to more fully put Ricky Martin's somewhat spotty performance as Che, the show's sardonic narrator, into context. Don't get me wrong: Martin is by far the most entertaining part of the current production. He's animated, engaging, mischievous, and boasts a genuinely strong and resonant musical-theater-quality singing voice. But he did frequently allow his mannerisms to overshadow his sense of characterization, and he noticeably flubbed his lyrics on more than one occasion. It was almost as though he was trying to make up for the lack of energy in the production as a whole. I got the sense that, if he had just relaxed a bit more and trusted the material, he could have been outstanding. (Parenthetically, I was very glad to see that, despite the fact that Martin is clearly the draw here, the production still gives Eva the final bow during the curtain call.)

But the more I think about it, the more I have trouble ascribing the listless nature of this production to the change in the central player. Something else seems to have been lost in the translation from London to Broadway. The production as a whole lacks focus and a sense of forward motion, and those deficits must fall at the feet of director Michael Grandage. The production remains visually impressive (with sets and costumes by Christopher Oram and lighting by Neil Austin), but the scenes and characterizations lack cohesion, as though there were no sure hand at the helm. Even Rob Ashford's choreography, which I found it thrilling in London, here seemed resolutely earthbound, although thematically the movements seemed more restrained and idiomatic than some of his more recent Broadway work.

One final note: it's really interesting to have the chance to see both Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita on Broadway at the same time. (Read my review of JCS here.) It's a sort of sobering reminder that, at one point in his career, Andrew Lloyd Webber actually made challenging choices and used interesting musical devices, mostly when he was paired up with lyricist Tim Rice. It makes me wonder what could happen if Sir Andrew ever teamed up again with a lyricist who actually made him think.

Review - Jesus Christ Superstar Revival on Broadway

The current theater season has provided me with ample opportunities for wistful nostalgia: Godspell, Evita,  Follies.  These were some of the recordings that I and other show-tune queens of a certain age listened to when we were first becoming obsessed with musical theater. ("Gee, Chris, there was a time when you weren't obsessed with musical theater?")

As I've sat watching the current productions of these shows (or will sit watching, when I see Evita tomorrow), certain musical passages have elicited warm rushes of memory, transporting me back to my teenage bedroom, with my LPs strewn across the floor, singing heartily along to the songs, imagining what the full Broadway stagings must have looked like from the production photos in the gate-folds of the cast recordings.

In some cases, the shows have more than lived up to the promise of those teenage memories. The most recent Follies, for sure, and Evita when I saw the current production during its London run. Other times, the memory has been richer and more artistically fulfilling than the production itself. Godspell and the recently opened Jesus Christ Superstar fall into that disappointing category. It may be mere coincidence that it was the two religion-based shows that appealed far more to my younger self than to the adult who has strayed significantly and irrevocably from the path. I think it has more to do with my evolving musical-theater aesthetic: when I was younger, I either didn't see or was able to forgive these shows for their dramaturgical flaws. Today, I'm not.

Regarding Jesus Christ Superstar in particular, here's the bottom line: individually, the songs are great, but they add up to an entertaining album, not a compelling stage show. The score represents composer Andrew Lloyd Webber at his most inventive and ambitious, back when Lord Andrew actually seemed to care and made adventurous choices. Note the interesting time signatures, for example the 5/4 in "Everything's Alright," giving the listener the subconscious impression that the title is ironic. Or the purposeful use of leitmotif, as in "Judas' Death," which quotes numerous musical passages from earlier in the show, including "I Don't Know How to Love Him." Even more moving is the use of the musical phrase that underscores the lyric "Then I saw thousands of millions..." from the premonitory "Pilate's Dream." Lloyd Webber repeats the phrase during the scene in which Pontius Pilate pleads with Jesus to assist him in saving Jesus's life, and the emotional callback is stunning.

(Interesting footnote: I saw this Jesus Christ Superstar on the same day that I took in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying for the second time, and was reminded that the first six notes of the "Jesus Christ Superstar" title number are virtually identical to the first six notes of "Rosemary" from How to Succeed. And remember that How to Succeed was written about seven or eight years before JCS. Just sayin'. I have absolutely no larger point to make here. Nope. Just sheer coincidence. Yup.)

But if Lloyd Webber's music is more interesting than anything he's written since, Tim Rice's lyrics for Jesus Christ Superstar have aged far less well. The quips, the schoolboy snark, the anachronisms, which I found refreshing as a teen, in context work against the tone of the piece. For instance, during "The Last Supper," the apostles sing, "Then when we retire, we can write the gospels so they'll still talk about us when we've died." It's clever, sure, but it calls attention to the lyricist rather than revealing something meaningful about the characters. The show is also replete with slant rhyme: "fire/messiah," "fighting/riding," and most egregiously, "apostle/gospel."

The show also has detrimental holes in the narrative. For instance, we never really learn why Judas turns Jesus in to the authorities. We see him kvetch and moan before and after, but we don't really know why he did it. Now, someone might say that the Bible never really explains this either, and that this question has been the subject of debate for nearly two millennia. But Jesus Christ Superstar isn't a theological treatise. It's a musical-theater piece, and it would have been perfectly appropriate for the author's to fill in the blanks, as it were, to make the piece more dramatically compelling.

(Also, has "Herod's Song" ever worked? In context, it seems stunningly out of place. It doesn't help that Bruce Dow, who appears as Herod in the current production, plays the role like a drag queen in pants. I must admit, I've always really liked the song as a song, and even imagined myself playing the role, but when you're sitting in a theater and experiencing the score in order, the song is a real head-scratcher.) 

[SPOILER ALERT: I reveal a significant piece of staging in the paragraphs below.]

So, for a variety of reasons, Jesus Christ Superstar doesn't really work as a show. What about the merits of the current production beyond the words and the music? Well, director Des McAnuff seems to have returned to his Jersey Boys form after the painful misstep that was the most recent revival of Guys and Dolls. McAnuff makes a number of smart and additive choices in staging the show, particularly in the prologue, which compellingly evokes a sense of police-state persecution and establishes Jesus for what he most likely would have been at the time: a wanted man, a subversive figure, a danger to the men in power. McAnuff makes only one major misstep, during Judas's death scene. At first, it seems that McAnuff is content to suggest Judas hanging himself by having 30 pieces of silver fall from the fly space, which was extremely effective. But then McAnuff gilds the lily by having the feet of a dummy Judas suddenly appear dangling from the top of the proscenium. Which was extremely laughable.

McAnuff stages the show with a constant sense of motion. Unfortunately, this sometimes gives rise to some showboating dance moments from choreographer Lisa Shriver. (For more examples of showy, crowd-pleasing, and not entirely thematic dance maneuvers, watch for my review of Newsies in the coming weeks.) Some of the dances feature rather impressive but dramatically questionable ninja-like acrobatics, which seem decorative, superfluous, and ultimately counterproductive. What's more, a number of the members of the chorus were continually pulling focus, giving the impression of a number of regional performers who were clearly thrilled to be making their Broadway debuts. (I mean, bully and congrats and all that. But, "Don't pop the head, Cassie." Know what I'm saying?)

Most of the comments I've heard about the show focus on the cast, and there are certainly some standouts. Paul Nolan as Jesus has piercing eyes and killer rock belt, but there didn't seem to be much emotion going on behind those eyes. Josh Young as Judas Iscariot could certainly act the role, but his vocal technique didn't seem sustainable, although perhaps that's more a function of the illness that has caused him to miss quite a few performances. Young seemed to be focusing more on making the role of Judas believable and sympathetic, and less on the vocal pyrotechnics that typically accompany this role. Young did, however, appear to be very uncomfortable during the title number, and couldn't seem get into the groove of the music, although that may have been due to the tight, unflattering, bright blue Vegas tuxedo he was forced to wear in this number.

For me, the best person on stage was new to this production. As you may know, this Jesus Christ Superstar started at the Stratford Festival in Toronto, followed by a stint at the La Jolla in San Diego. Tony winner Brent Carver originated the role of Pontius Pilate, but dropped out before the California production. In his stead, we have Broadway stalwart Tom Hewitt, who has both the vocal and the acting prowess to bring this role to vivid life. Hewitt is simply outstanding, and it made me wonder what the production might have been if more of the performers had Hewitt's well-rounded profile of performance abilities.

Contest - Win Two Tickets to Jesus Christ Superstar Revival on Broadway

As you may have read, two formidable cultural icons are making double comebacks on Broadway this season: Jesus Christ and Andrew Lloyd Webber. The former is represented by both Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar, while the latter has Evita and...Jesus Christ Superstar.

(Click through on the Godspell link above to read my review. I'll be seeing both Evita and JCS later this week. Watch for my reviews.)

I've been hearing great things about the new Jesus Christ Superstar, which has played successful and acclaimed engagements at both the Stratford Festival and in La Jolla. My sources tell me that director Des McAnuff has breathed new life into the piece, which already features one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's most ambitious and accomplished scores, not to mention the sharp and erudite lyrics of Tim Rice. I'm eagerly anticipating seeing the show again, and greatly look forward to communicating my views of the show to you, dear reader.

Now, here's a chance for you to see the show yourself. I have here a voucher two tickets to see Jesus Christ Superstar. (The voucher is good for performances from March 27th to April 26th on Tuesdays at 7 pm, Wednesdays at 2 pm and 7 pm, and Thursdays at 7 pm)

Below are five trivia questions about the show and its authors. Answer the questions as best you can and I will randomly draw a winner from all of the entries with the correct responses. (You can submit your answers via the comment link below. Don't worry: I won't publish your comment until the contest is over.) The contest ends Monday, March 19th.

Good luck!

PLEASE NOTE: The contest is over and the winner has been notified. The answers to the trivia questions are below. Thanks to everyone who entered. --C.C.

1. Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice worked together on a number of shows in the early years of their careers. What are the names of their two other shows that have played on Broadway? [ANSWER: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Evita]

2. Before they struck gold with their big commercial successes, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber collaborated on a show that wasn't actually produced until 2005. What was the name of that show? [ANSWER: The Likes of Us]

3. Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber have collaborated, albeit infrequently, since they parted ways after Evita. What was the name of the show they wrote for Queen Elizabeth's 60th birthday? [ANSWER: Cricket]

4. What was the name of the song that Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote that won them the Academy Award? [ANSWER: "You Must Love Me"]

5. What's Andrew Lloyd Webber's last name? [ANSWER: "Lloyd Webber" is ALW's technical last name, not "Webber," although one observant reader pointed out that "Lloyd" is actually ALW's father's middle name, and that "Lloyd" isn't historically part of the family's surname, but rather a relatively recent addition to same. So there.]

Upcoming Musicals - The 2010-2011 Broadway Season

In examining the past Broadway season, at least with regard to the new musicals, there's really only one word that sums up the general impact and quality of the offerings: meh.

But as Clarice once sang to Rudolph, there's always tomorrow.

Or rather, next season. Quite a few interesting shows are on the horizon, so as a service to my readers, I figured I'd provide a little preview, based on some of the new musicals that have been officially, and not-so-officially, announced for the upcoming Broadway season.

The Book of Mormon
Source: Well, in theory, it's based on the actual Book of Mormon. In reality, it comes from the warped and offensive minds of Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the guys behind "South Park."
Staff: The aforementioned "South Park" guys, as well as Jason Moore and Robert Lopez, the director and co-lyricist/co-composer, respectively of Avenue Q.
Cast: None yet announced.
Status: Slated to start performances in March 2011, at a theater TBD.
My take: Some people are offended by the very nature of the project. I say, go for it. In my opinion, nothing is above ridicule. My one hesitation is the fact that the musical offerings on the "South Park" show, as well as the terrific movie "South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut," tend to be rather pedestrian efforts, with bad prosody and forced rhyme. But the South Park/Avenue Q combination alone makes this one of the most intriguing possibilities for the new season.

Catch Me If You Can
Source: The 2002 Stephen Spielberg movie of the same name, based on the early life of con artist Frank Abagnale Jr.
Staff: Book by Terrence McNally, music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, direction by Jack O'Brien, choreography by Jerry Mitchell.
Cast: The show had a tryout run at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theater last August, and the cast featured Aaron Tveit, Norbert Leo Butz, Kerry Butler, Linda Hart, and Tom Wopat. No word yet on whether any or all will return.
Status: The Seattle tryout got middling reviews, and the show is apparently under revision. But CMIYC is reportedly on track for Broadway in the spring of 2011. Mitigating factor: O'Brien and Mitchell are also involved in Love Never Dies (see below), which is also coming in the spring of 2011, and which appears to be in need of some major changes. (To say the very least.) Can both men do both shows?
My take: I haven't been blown away by what I've seen of the show. (Check out this video of the number "Live in Living Color," featuring Aaron Tveit.) But count this creative team out at your peril.  

Love Never Dies
Source: Well, technically, the show derives from Gaston Leroux's original book, Phantom of the Opera. But Love Never Dies features what appears to be an "original" story. 
Staff: The book and lyrics are by Glenn Slater and Ben Elton, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The London production was directed by Jack O'Brien and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, and they are slated to repeat this roles on Broadway.
Cast: London cast members Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess will reportedly recreate their roles in New York, playing the "The Guy With the Funny Mask" and "The Girl With the Funny Voice," respectively.
Status: The Broadway bow for Love Never Dies was reportedly pushed back from this coming fall due to an illness/injury that ALW is recovering from. Uh-huh. More likely, the delay is meant to accommodate a significant overhaul to the show. The London bow received decidedly mixed reviews, and Sir Lloyd Webber, who hasn't had a hit since...well, since The Phantom of the Opera (1988), has a lot riding on making sure the show works. 
My take: Oy. The show has been rather infamously dubbed Paint Never Dries by the fabulous West End Whingers. Other bloggers, including my friend Steve on Broadway, have panned the show as well. Hey, anything could happen, but things ain't looking good. 

Priscilla: Queen of the Desert
Source: The fabulous 1994 movie "The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert."  
Staff: The book is by Broadway newcomers Stephan Elliot and Allan Scott. Direction by Simon Phillips. The score comprises such pop interpolations as "Go West," "I Love the Nightlife," and "I Will Survive."
Cast: Recent announcements indicate the cast will include major hottie Will Swenson and BoCo grad Nick Adams. Tony Sheldon will repeat his acclaimed London performance as Bernadette, the Terence Stamp role in the movie.
Status: The show will have a tryout run in Toronto in October before a Broadway bow at a theater TBD. (Vance, poodle, we expect a full report.)
My take: As always, I prefer an original score with my musicals. But I hear great things about the physical production, and I'm a big fan of the film. 

The Scottsboro Boys
Source: Based on the real-life case of the Scottsboro Boys, an infamous 1930s miscarriage of justice in the American south.
Staff: Direction and choreography by Susan Stroman, music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, book by David Thompson.
Cast: TBD. But Brandon Victor Dixon, a standout among the Off-Broadway cast, will be appearing as Ray Charles in Unchain My Heart (see below) on Broadway this coming season, so he probably won't repeat his Scottsboro role on Broadway.
Status: The show premiered Off Broadway at the the Vineyard Theatre in February 2010 to very strong reviews. There was talk of bringing the show to Broadway this past season, but nothing came of it. Instead, the producers held off for the 2010-2011 season, and recently announced that the show will play the gorgeous and historic Lyceum Theatre. Prior to that, the show will play an eight-week run at the Guthrie Theater this summer. (Steve on Broadway, darling, we expect a full report)
My take: This was probably the best musical I saw all this past season. (Read my review of the Off-Broadway production.) I'm thrilled that the show will have a chance to reach a wider audience. And I can't wait to see it again.  

Spider-Man
Source: The Marvel comic Spider-Man.
Staff: Direction and design by Julie Taymor, score by Bono and The Edge. Book by Taymor and Glen Berger. (Um...who?)
Cast: Who knows? They've already lost Alan Cumming and Evan Rachel Wood due to the ridiculous production delays. Word has it Patrick Page may take Cumming's place as the Green Lantern, or Hornet, or Goblin, or whatever. And someone named Reeve Carney is supposed to be playing Spider-Man.
Status: Oy and double oy. Spider-Man is easily the biggest current joke on Broadway. Word on the street puts the budget at a laughable $50 million, which could eventually creep up to $60 million. ( Who are these producers? "A fool and his money...") That's more than twice the estimated budgets for such bloated would-be hits as Young Frankenstein, The Little Mermaid, and Shrek.
My take: Well, I can't say I'm looking forward to it. But whether it's a hit or a bust, it's a must-see. 

Unchain My Heart
Source: Based on the life of Ray Charles.
Staff: Libretto by Suzan-Lori Parks, winner of the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her play, Topdog/Underdog. Music from the Ray Charles songbook. Directed by Sheldon Epps. Choreographed by Kenneth L. Roberson.
Cast: Brandon Victor Dixon will play Ray. Nikki Renee Daniels will play his wife Della.
Status: The show has booked the Barrymore Theatre. Performances begin in October.
My take: This show kinda came out of nowhere for me. I haven't heard anything about any workshops or regional productions, although I'm sure they've taken place. But the only things that interest me here are Suzan-Lori Parks and Brandon Victor Dixon. Otherwise, it looks like a mash-up of the jukebox/bio musical genres, and I'm a fan of neither. 

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Source: The 1988 film "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" by Pedro Almodovar.
Staff: Direction by Bartlett Sher. Music and lyrics by David Yazbek. Book by Jeffrey Lane.
Cast: Possibly Jessica Biel, who took part in a recent reading under the auspices of the Lincoln Center Theatre. The reading also featured Paulo Szot, Tom Hewitt, and Patti LuPone. Also likely to appear in the show is Oscar Isaac, who is currently appearing as Prince John in the film "Robin Hood."
Status: The show is booked into the Belasco Theater, and is scheduled to start performances in October.
My take: I'm loving the creative staff. Sher is a pretty hot property right now, although I wasn't -- and still am not -- a fan of South Pacific. I am, however, a major proponent of Yazbek's previous Broadway shows, The Full Monty and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. So color me very intrigued, indeed. 

Yank
Source: To my knowledge, an original story: a fictitious love affair taking place between two soldiers during World War II. According to the show's Web site, all the characters are fictional. However, "all of the situations and viewpoints come directly from memoirs and oral histories of gay (and straight) service members who took part in WWII."
Staff: Book and lyrics by David Zellnik. Music by Joseph Zellnik. Director David Cromer will replace Igor Goldin, who has directed the show since its inception.
Cast: Bobby Steggert says that he is very likely to recreate his wonderful turn as the lead soldier, but that has not been confirmed.
Status: After a very successful run at the York Theatre, the show was announced for Broadway next season, but the theater and starting dates are TBD.
My take: In short, I'm thrilled. I was quite enamored of the show when I saw it at the York. (Read my review.) I'm not sure how long it will last on Broadway, but I greatly look forward to seeing it again. It's a gem.

Oh, Yeah. Shrek Is Closing, Too

It suddenly occurred to me that Shrek is closing today and that I hadn't really made much mention of it, other than a Twitter post when the closure announcement first came. Kinda tells you something about the lasting impression that the show has made on my consciousness.

As I said I my review, I actually sort of enjoyed Shrek, particularly the talented cast of Broadway stalwarts, including Brian d'Arcy James, Christopher Sieber, Sutton Foster, and relative newcomer Daniel Breaker. The show was reasonably entertaining, although there were some rather poorly staged sequences when I saw the show early in previews.

The main problem for me was, and remains, the lackluster songs by Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire. Other than "I Know It's Today," there really isn't any song in the show that has stuck, for me at least. I think if the score had been more overtly tuneful and memorable, Shrek might have been a winner. The story is certainly very strong, the cast was exemplary, and most of the production elements were solidly in place. "Family" shows really live or die based on the appeal of the actual songs in the show, and Shrek just didn't have the "wow" factor in the score department. 

I'll be very interested to see if David Lindsay-Abaire continues to get offers to write musicals. Both Dreamworks and Disney have had mixed results in bringing on the pedigree playwrights to work on their would-be blockbusters. Experience seems to have shown that writing a mass-appeal musical (Shrek) is quite different from crafting a Pulitzer-Prize-winning drama (Rabbit Hole). Doug Wright (I Am My Own Wife) had similar challenges with The Little Mermaid, although he did fare much better with Grey Gardens. And David Henry Hwang (M. Butterfly) has likewise met with both relative success (Aida) and a decided lack thereof (Tarzan). So, I don't think we're going to see these guys disappear entirely from musical creative rosters, but producers will likely think more carefully before they blithely assume that the skill sets for crafting effective plays and winning librettos are necessarily transferable.

Next up at the Broadway Theater was supposed to be the upcoming revival of Promise, Promises, directed and choreographed by Rob Ashford, with Sean Hayes as Chuck, Kristin Chenoweth as Fran, Brooks Ashmanskas as Dobitch, Katie Finneran as Marge MacDougall, and Tony Goldwyn as Sheldrake. But I've heard (totally unsubstantiated) rumors that the producers are looking for a different venue. Perhaps, now that more theaters are starting to open up -- including the Neil Simon, the St. James, the Marquis, and the Golden -- the producers are looking for something a bit more intimate than the barn that is the Broadway. Andrew Lloyd Webber is said to have his eye on the Neil Simon for Love Never Dies, and the Golden is probably way too small. But the St. James and the Marquis are certainly possibilities.

As for Shrek, Dreamworks has been very tight-lipped about the total cost for the production, but it's very likely to be well north of $20 million, perhaps even $25 million, given the weekly operating losses the show has reportedly been incurring. There's no way the show recouped on Broadway, but a national tour will embark this summer. Might Shrek eke out a profit in the provinces, much as Disney is (realistically?) hoping to do with The Little Mermaid and Mel Brooks is (laughably?) hoping to do with Young Frankenstein? If I find out, you, dear reader, will be the first to know.

Andrew Lloyd Webber Must Be Stopped

 
I've never been one to reflexively bash Andrew Lloyd Webber. Some of his shows I genuinely like, particularly Evita, while other shows I find flawed but enjoyable, for instance Sunset Boulevard. I usually even find something worth liking in each of his mega-hits. Cats has some great instrumental passages, especially "The Jellicle Ball." And the "Prima Donna" sequence in The Phantom of the Opera, though bloated, for some reason invariably makes me smile. 

So, I certainly don't consider myself a knee-jerk Lloyd Webber hater. But the more I hear about his current projects, the more I get the impression that ALW's late career is turning into an expanse of easy repetition.

First, there's the upcoming sequel to Phantom, with the rather uninspired title Love Never Dies. I'm not one to assume that any particular show will be an automatic disaster. It all depends on the execution. And just because no musical has ever had a successful sequel, doesn't mean that it could never happen. No, the reason I was disappointed with Love Never Dies is that ALW chose to pursue a Phantom sequel over a far more interesting project.

For years, Lloyd Webber was toying around with the idea of turning Mikhail Bulgakov's brilliantly surreal novel, The Master and Margarita, into a stage show. The book takes place in Moscow in the 1930s, and involves an earthly visitation by Satan, accompanied by a motley retinue of assistants, including an anthropomorphous cat named Behemoth. It's a richly bizarre and satisfying book, and would make a wonderful stage show, in the right imaginative hands. But ALW gave up on the project, saying the book was too dense. "I've decided it's un-doable," he told the press in 2007. "It's just too difficult for an audience to contemplate. It's a very complicated novel."

No, Andrew. It's not un-doable. It's just that you couldn't find a way to do it. There's a difference. And don't blame the audience for your professional failings.

To a certain extent, it's understandable that ALW would want to play it safe. He hasn't had a true hit in over 20 years. Most of his shows since Phantom have been disasters (Whistle Down the Wind, The Woman in White) or disappointments (Aspects of Love, Sunset Boulevard). He's certainly not hurting for money. The substantial and steady income from Phantom and Cats notwithstanding, he's produced a successful-but-attenuated series of British reality-TV shows to cast a variety of London revivals, including The Sound of Music, Oliver, and his own Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. More easy, lazy repetition.

But the thing that really put me over the edge was the recent announcement that ALW would be penning six new songs for a forthcoming London stage version of The Wizard of Oz, although the classic Harold Arlen/E.Y. "Yip" Harburg songs will reportedly remain. (Have you no shame, Sir. Andrew? At long last, have you no shame?) The show will be cast via reality show (natch) and will likely hit the stage sometime in the 2010-2011 season.

So ALW is taking a well-loved and proven property, supplementing the score with six songs that no matter how good they are will pale in comparison to the originals, and casting the show with the already beaten-to-death reality-casting format, efforts that are lazy, sacrilegious, and lazy, in that order. Let's just say that Love Never Dies had better be spectacular. And I'm not talking chandeliers here.