All Shook Up.
Jukebox Musicals.
Creative or lazy? I have yet to decide.
I suppose it depends on the one in question though.
Tonight, "All Shook Up" impressed me.
Of course, taking Elvis songs and putting it to Shakespeare's Twelfth Night had to be a challange to get right.
But somehow they succeeded.
Are Jukebox Musicals really a new theatrical genre? Or have they been consistently developed under the rador this whole time?
Can you tell me that Rodgers and Hart didn't just throw their trunk songs (trunk song meaning a song written for something else and then cut, or just written with no show in mind) into flimsy stories such as "Babes In Arms" and Babes In Hollywood?"
They certainly couldn't never decide what songs to go in which show.
Regardless of where it began, the Jukebox Musicals are holding strong and fast. Hopfully not forever.
But would it be all that bad?
Something tells me, nah!
1 comment:
All Shook Up sounds interesting. I love Elvis music. I'd like to see it.
As far as jukebox musicals go, I haven't seen many but two come to mind that I absolutely love. They are Mamma Mia! and The Boy From Oz. Mamma Mia! is just a really feel good little show. You can't help but tap your foot and sing along to the songs of ABBA. The Boy From Oz on the other hand almost seemed to me that each song was written just for the story. It became gut wrenching at times. I saw the show three times and each time it overwhelmed me. The most amazing performance I've ever seen was Hugh Jackman on the stage...alone...singing "Once Before I Go". So powerful.
I really think jukebox musicals will be around forever. They fill the gap between the other musical shows that don't seem to come out as often. They are also easy crowd pleasers it seems because non-Broadway type people can adapt and get into them more. It's easier for them when they already know the music.
I sure miss Broadway. I'm dying to go back to NYC for a visit!!!
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