I'm OBSESSED WITH THIS CONVERSATION! The Carousel conversation is one of my fave topics. I'm of the opinion that it's a time capsule that should be revisited in an educational sense/in a concert like you'd mentioned. I'm a playwright and I don't think that golden age musicals should be re-written 😬 I understand the well-intentions with the rewrites but I'd rather we just invest in new works of our time and appreciate/learn from the capsule shows.
Ive only seen high school and semi professional productions of Oklahoma, South Pacific, Guys n Dolls, and The Music Man but I still count them amoung my favourite shows. The opening numbers for Music Man and Guys n Dolls are in my top 5 best opening numbers of anything Ive seen. The King and I isnt my fave but it has some solid numbers and the costumes are amazing. Your list is another reminder that Ive yet to see Sondheim anything on stage - a true gap in my live theater experience. It also gives me some other shows Im not super familiar with to look into, which is always fun.
My favorite 3 golden age musicals are all on your list! In no particular order: Guys & Dolls, Music Man, Oklahoma! I love 90+% of the songs from all 3 shows. When I said I love those songs, I meant I have listened to them on repeat for probably 100+ times, and I sought out different renditions, in different languages. For some reason, Gypsy was out in 1959, but it feels like the next generation. Otherwise I would totally include it as well. Another honorary mention is Annie Get Your Gun, I love that show too!
I AM LEGIT THE WORST and thought Gypsy was 1960 so SPOILER it's my number one in the next of this series. I am a foooooool!!! And oh my gosh I do also love AGYG.
Although you specify the period 1929-1959, I don't think you included anything predating Oklahoma! (1943). I would have tweaked the period slightly, 1943-1969 maybe, because for all the change that West Side Story introduced, there were still classic musicals after it, so that we could consider Fiddler on the Roof, Hello Dolly, Mame, and maybe - because it's a bit of a different kind of show - 1776.
West Side Story is 100% the right answer. I was frustrated recently by a few song rankings that were very indicative of recency bias...so I made my own (as Daffy Stardust) with a bias towards classic stuff. Of course there are plenty of songs from some of the shows you listed here. I'll be interested to see your rankings for, what? 1960-1999 maybe?
Good call with "WEST SIDE STORY." I would add "GYPSY" to the list and not include "THE MUSIC MAN." "SOUTH PACIFIC" & "MY FAIR LADY" are tied for my #1 Spot. "CAROUSEL" will never be on any list of mine; for it's treatment of toxic/abusive relationships as you discussed.
Here are my top 10 classic Broadway shows!! 10. High Button Shoes 09. Once Upon a Mattress 08. The Sound of Music 07. Carousel 06. Finian's Rainbow 05. Brigadoon 04. Candide 03. South Pacific 02. Gypsy 01. The Most Happy Fella
I had to double check with Gypsy cause I know it tragically lost at the 1960 Tony's so I always think of it as a 1960 show but it opened in 1959 @@itskatharinequinn
I'm late to this, but YES I DO know that trailer for the R&H Collection (hello, fellow millennial!) I just found it here: th-cam.com/video/XbfiC65nBVE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=U-kOcoeSJdupvBWA Ahh, memories!
Wait you play piano at a professional level too? What CANT you do? As a performer who has also found himself on the other side of the lens doing tech work, I wonder how you satisfy that part of you that loves to entertain? I would love to see a few videos exploring that. I personally still perform in some small way to please that muse, and if someone ever asked me to audition for a musical or a film, I wouldn't say no. But the struggle is real.
Math. I cannot do math. I cannot read alto clef! I also have no gifts with technical theatre. And honestly this (the YT channel) is toooootally a performance kick for me! Not quite the same, but often scratches the itch :) I also genuinely prefer building theatre to being in it and that's always been the case, so I don't mind! But I know a lot of folks who aren't that way. 💛
I'm OBSESSED WITH THIS CONVERSATION! The Carousel conversation is one of my fave topics. I'm of the opinion that it's a time capsule that should be revisited in an educational sense/in a concert like you'd mentioned. I'm a playwright and I don't think that golden age musicals should be re-written 😬 I understand the well-intentions with the rewrites but I'd rather we just invest in new works of our time and appreciate/learn from the capsule shows.
A trope Sadder but wiser girl character in a new modern musical would be Veronica from Heathers. lol
Please do your top ten Sondheim shows
Ranking musicals of the 60s and 70s is next :)
Ive only seen high school and semi professional productions of Oklahoma, South Pacific, Guys n Dolls, and The Music Man but I still count them amoung my favourite shows. The opening numbers for Music Man and Guys n Dolls are in my top 5 best opening numbers of anything Ive seen. The King and I isnt my fave but it has some solid numbers and the costumes are amazing.
Your list is another reminder that Ive yet to see Sondheim anything on stage - a true gap in my live theater experience. It also gives me some other shows Im not super familiar with to look into, which is always fun.
Liverpool Fc Fans , team in english premier league. They sing You'll Never Walk Alone. But they don't know it is from the musical Carousel.
My favorite 3 golden age musicals are all on your list! In no particular order: Guys & Dolls, Music Man, Oklahoma! I love 90+% of the songs from all 3 shows. When I said I love those songs, I meant I have listened to them on repeat for probably 100+ times, and I sought out different renditions, in different languages.
For some reason, Gypsy was out in 1959, but it feels like the next generation. Otherwise I would totally include it as well. Another honorary mention is Annie Get Your Gun, I love that show too!
I AM LEGIT THE WORST and thought Gypsy was 1960 so SPOILER it's my number one in the next of this series. I am a foooooool!!! And oh my gosh I do also love AGYG.
Although you specify the period 1929-1959, I don't think you included anything predating Oklahoma! (1943). I would have tweaked the period slightly, 1943-1969 maybe, because for all the change that West Side Story introduced, there were still classic musicals after it, so that we could consider Fiddler on the Roof, Hello Dolly, Mame, and maybe - because it's a bit of a different kind of show - 1776.
West Side Story is 100% the right answer.
I was frustrated recently by a few song rankings that were very indicative of recency bias...so I made my own (as Daffy Stardust) with a bias towards classic stuff. Of course there are plenty of songs from some of the shows you listed here.
I'll be interested to see your rankings for, what? 1960-1999 maybe?
60s-70s is next :)
Good call with "WEST SIDE STORY." I would add "GYPSY" to the list and not include "THE MUSIC MAN." "SOUTH PACIFIC" & "MY FAIR LADY" are tied for my #1 Spot. "CAROUSEL" will never be on any list of mine; for it's treatment of toxic/abusive relationships as you discussed.
Here are my top 10 classic Broadway shows!!
10. High Button Shoes
09. Once Upon a Mattress
08. The Sound of Music
07. Carousel
06. Finian's Rainbow
05. Brigadoon
04. Candide
03. South Pacific
02. Gypsy
01. The Most Happy Fella
I am a fool. Gypsy is my number one and FULLY put it in 1960 😭😭😭
Also this list is *chefs kiss*
I had to double check with Gypsy cause I know it tragically lost at the 1960 Tony's so I always think of it as a 1960 show but it opened in 1959 @@itskatharinequinn
West side story 🙌🏽
I still find astonshing that Guys and Dolls did not win best score at the Tony Awards.
I'm late to this, but YES I DO know that trailer for the R&H Collection (hello, fellow millennial!) I just found it here: th-cam.com/video/XbfiC65nBVE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=U-kOcoeSJdupvBWA Ahh, memories!
Wait you play piano at a professional level too? What CANT you do? As a performer who has also found himself on the other side of the lens doing tech work, I wonder how you satisfy that part of you that loves to entertain? I would love to see a few videos exploring that. I personally still perform in some small way to please that muse, and if someone ever asked me to audition for a musical or a film, I wouldn't say no. But the struggle is real.
Math. I cannot do math. I cannot read alto clef! I also have no gifts with technical theatre. And honestly this (the YT channel) is toooootally a performance kick for me! Not quite the same, but often scratches the itch :) I also genuinely prefer building theatre to being in it and that's always been the case, so I don't mind! But I know a lot of folks who aren't that way. 💛
READY FOR YOUR NOTES AND DISAGREEMENTS BABES