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Top 50 Musicals: By the Numbers

Really happy to see Strange Loop make the list. It's a harrowing and difficult work that jumps right into the most explicit end of the pool, but the heights it hits are in the stratosphere. Deserved that Pulitz.
 
I watched Wicked just before sending my final, revised list, one day past the deadline. Very well done movie, wonderful songs.

I also read the book forever ago (definitely more than 15 years). I only remember it extremely vaguely. I did like it, but I think it's a pretty slow read. The only thing I remember, is that Elphaba and the people she lives with, at some point, are going ice skating. And maybe that's just made up in my mind, too.
 
Lokii said:
Really happy to see Strange Loop make the list. It's a harrowing and difficult work that jumps right into the most explicit end of the pool, but the heights it hits are in the stratosphere. Deserved that Pulitz.
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The description definitely has me interested. I am a big sucker for media that crushes my soul in an intelligent and engaging way.
 
I have also never seen Wicked. The play came out around when I was in grad school and had no money, so even if it came to Denver (which I don't think it did) I couldn't have afforded to go. Then I moved to small town Oregon and was still financially tight and have to drive 3 hours each way to see a show. I'd prefer to see the play than the movie, since it's such a huge thing I feel like I should try to see it, I'll have to pay more attention.
 
Wicked is cool, I think I’ve seen a school play version of it. Maybe it’s just a modern thing (a lot of the fans from the movie seem to be younger)
 
37.
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68 Points, 3 Lists, Highest Vote: #10 @nataeryn ​
Originators: Rebecca Sugar created the show but the story, directing and music are in the hands of a lot of people. Check out the Wikipedia page for a good sized listing.
Time: 2019
Place: Beach City

Two years after half-human/half-alien Steven Universe convinced his enemies to become friends and turn swords into plowshares, he believes he’s living his happy ending. However, when a mysterious figure arrives and attacks, the fallout leaves his closest friends without their memories. Ironically, that strange figure, Spinel, has also lost her memory and his helping as Steven tries to discover the nature of his friends to help them re-acquire their memories. But he doesn’t have much time as Spinel has left a device that will poison the Earth if he can’t find a way to stop it.

Steven Universe was a critical darling from early on, with strong characters and willingness to explore queer themes. But Steven Universe the Movie was the beginning of a very long epilogue continued in the final season Steven Universe Future. Here, the franchise explores the idea of however many threads are closed in the narrative, there are no “happy endings” because there are no endings and that it’s OK even after years of achievement to be a work-in-progress, to see how much we have changed, will change and need change.

Showstopper

Next show (based on the title): Oh, it’s a penis. I get this one.[SIZE]
 
After watching that song, I'm not sure I ever watched Steven Universe: The Movie? Which is weird, I loved it, back when the show was on. I mean, I do remember watching part of it, so, huh?
Another case of desperately needing a rewatch. Just that video showed me enough of its strength, the beautiful art with the soft colors and the light songs. And, of course, the whole worldview of the show. Beautiful.
 
I have this board to thank for my enjoyment of SU. I felt like the movie fit better into the definition of a musical than any particular episode. Plus the songs are really good. I really like "Independent Together". Its got Steg, Pearl and Opal. I like the little animated summary of Pearl's story inside the guitar solo.
Spinel is great and I love her old fashioned rubber hose animation style. "Drift Away" gives her the sympathetic background (how convenient since we just talked about Wicked) And although Spinel and her big device give you a bit of the monster of the week vibe starting off before the story shifts to the deeper themes.
Happy to see SU: The Movie on the list.
 
I remember that one good song with Steven and the villain girl, I can't remember the name though
 
Here, I think it's this one:

I liked how the fight synced up with the music
 
Missed the beginning of the list while I was mostly offline during holiday travels, lot to catch up on! Tons of good stuff already. I really should have voted for SU; I adore the show but while it's always featured music as an essential component, most of it doesn't quite feel like a musical per se... except the Movie, which totally works, whoops.

The two I did vote for so far are both ones from my childhood. A Funny Thing Happened was introduced by my middle school Latin teacher and is just a fun comedy romp, and Music Man was a favorite of my mom's so I saw the movie version several times (and music was a part of growing up with piano and trumpet, so I had that connection as well). It's been ages since I've seen it now though and I'd forgotten how inspired the song patter is, especially in that opening number.

I completely missed hearing about Strange Loop, it looks really intriguing.
 
36.

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68 Points, 3 Lists, Highest Vote: #2 @Issun ​

Originators: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Pam Brady, Marc Shaiman
Time: 1999
Place: South Park


When Cartman, Stan, Kyle and Kenny go to an R rated movie, it expands their swearing vocabulary which causes a moral panic within the community. Soon, the panic escalates to a war with the film’s country of origin, Canada, with the parents stoking the fires of war. The children decide to put a stop to it but to do so must band together as a revolutionary group before Hell literally bubbles up onto the Earth with the team of Saddam Hussein and Satan.

In the eyes of the public, South Park was an enfant terrible in the late 90s, Comedy Channel’s break out his courting the same controversy that the Simpsons and Beavis and Butthead once courted before becoming accepted. The creators used their to explore the nature of scapegoating and finger pointing in culture and politics as well as making a film that has great songs and jokes. The series itself was evolving a lot from a show that just seemed interested in what it could get away with to a show that wanted to say something. Granted, some of their choices are what eventually turned me off of the series but their film largely holds up, particularly the songs, one of which was rightly nominated for an Oscar.

Showstopper

Next show (based on the title): Oh, I love this Mediterranean country
 
One of the reasons the film works so well is that, despite the cynicism of a lot of their humor, Matt and Trey sincerely love musicals and it shows.

I know Blame Canada got most of the attention but I've always found Uncle Fucker to be the stand out track (although every song in this film is a banger).
 
35.
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69 Points, 3 Lists, Highest Vote: #2 @nataeryn ​
Originators: Jim Jacobs, Warren Casey, John Farrar
Time: 1958/1959
Place: Rydell High

Danny Zuko and Sandy Ollson has a passionate Summer romance that both fear is coming to an end with the start of the new school year. But when Sandy comes to Zuko’s school, both are surprised to see each other again. Sandy wants to continue but Danny, a greaser who wants to retain his “cool guy” mystique, blows her off in a move he soon regrets. The two spend their senior year trying to find ways to win the other over while their groups of tough friends, the T-Birds and the Pink Ladies, have their own misadventures.

I don’t think this is the first “nostalgia for the 50s” work in the 70s but it’s an early one and one that hit big. I suspect Happy Days wouldn’t have been made without it. Putting Disney aside, I feel like Grease formed my assumptions of what a musical looks and feels like, a romance with humour and fun characters and everything is bright and cheery. It’s easy to forget that there’s some pretty saucy humour and a teen pregnancy subplot. But it’s a film that is so breezy and comfortable, it’s easy to remember it being fun and nostalgic.

Showstopper


Next Show (based on the title: If it's hard enough, we'll just hear gargling sounds.
 
Same, thought about it and on a different day it easily could have made my list because it was a big part of my introduction to musicals, but ultimately didn't make it.
 
My family had the movie for Grease on VHS with Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. I don't know if it was popular everywhere, but wikipedia says there was a theatrical re-release in 1998 and that's when i remember having the VHS. I don't know if it was happenstance or what but around that time black leather jackets were also in fashion and I had a black bomber jacket. Our HS musical my sophomore year was Grease and it was our first sellout. Back then, we used our community college's theatre and it was pretty big, so I remember selling out was a big deal. My guy friends also got black leather jackets and we sort of fancied ourselves the T-Birds. My real life name is Nick and so there was a moment where I attempted to get Kenickie to stick as a nickname, especially with girls. (I have no idea where i managed to find unearned confidence in high school, it was very out of character).
I was wearing that black leather jacket when i got hit by a car as a pedestrian. Broke both my legs below the knee and had surgery, but the leather jacket kept me from getting any cuts or road rash on my arms. They still cut it off of me though.

So, Grease got a #2 vote from me more for the nostalgia of if and how it informed my early high school experience. I look back at that time and still wonder how i ever had the audacity to presume I was cool enough. I mean, I was very sheltered and naive and while Grease is about high schoolers who are stealing, smoking and having sex, its not in your face about it. I understood they were "bad" kids, but in the cool way, not the scary way. It was fun to play a bit of the persona of a "bad" kid while being about the most goody goody rule follower there was.
 
nataeryn said:
I was wearing that black leather jacket when i got hit by a car as a pedestrian. Broke both my legs below the knee and had surgery, but the leather jacket kept me from getting any cuts or road rash on my arms. They still cut it off of me though.
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Holy shit. I didn't know about this, damn.
nataeryn said:
So, Grease got a #2 vote from me more for the nostalgia of if and how it informed my early high school experience. I look back at that time and still wonder how i ever had the audacity to presume I was cool enough. I mean, I was very sheltered and naive and while Grease is about high schoolers who are stealing, smoking and having sex, its not in your face about it. I understood they were "bad" kids, but in the cool way, not the scary way. It was fun to play a bit of the persona of a "bad" kid while being about the most goody goody rule follower there was.
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There was something, I dunno, welcoming about it? It was cool but still musical theater so a hybrid of acceptability? I've heard other people say something similar.
 
nataeryn said:
I was wearing that black leather jacket when i got hit by a car as a pedestrian. Broke both my legs below the knee and had surgery, but the leather jacket kept me from getting any cuts or road rash on my arms. They still cut it off of me though.
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Oof, glad Grease saved you from a little extra pain.
 
I watched Grease a few years ago. Couldn't really get into it, and I think it's mainly, that I don't like Travoltas singing. I do like the songs a lot, that are sung by others (like the Glee version of Greased Lightning).

But yeah, great songs. I can easily see, how this is a classic.
 
Personally I've always been fond of the title song.
Frankie Vallie had a choice to sing this or play the guardian angel.
 
I had Grease at #10 on my list. The 1978 movie adaptation was my introduction to it.

I'm not quite sure I can articulate why I had Rabbit of Seville as #2 on my list other than gosh darnit, it's fun, funny and I like it. And I'm not alone when it comes to appreciating it:
In 1994, Rabbit of Seville ranked number 12 in a list of "The 50 Greatest Cartoons" released in North America during the 20th century, a ranking compiled from votes cast by 1,000 artists, producers, directors, voice actors, and other professionals in the field of animation.
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Johnny Unusual said:
Showstopper
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I know it's just supposed to be a quick gag for a cartoon but Elmer was awfully ready to put on that wedding dress. Elmer, have you always been a bridesmaid and never the bride?
 
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