Mormon Mania
Mormon Mania
#1Mormon Mania
Posted: 6/11/11 at 4:34pm
Hello Everyone! No doubt what we have here is an incredible season on Broadway. And I mean quite literally everything is oozing with Talent. But something I wanted to maybe ask people is...Do you think the Mormon Mania is overshadowing a lot of other incredible productions?
My example would be Catch Me If You Can. A fantastic production that is so underrated and I feel being overshadowed this season! This show is such a true Broadway musical. What do you think? Any other shows overshadowed?
*This message board is not Anti-Book of Mormon in any way. The show is fantastic. This is just an idea I had and wanted to discuss.
#2Mormon Mania
Posted: 6/11/11 at 4:36pmCatch Me is a mediocre musical with a mediocre score. A truly great original musical like Mormon SHOULD be overshadowing dreck like that.
#2Mormon Mania
Posted: 6/11/11 at 4:37pmYou might want to peek in on some of the other Mormon threads as this is already being discussed.
Just give the world Love.
#3Mormon Mania
Posted: 6/11/11 at 4:39pm
I swear based on the thread title and my first glance at your smiling avatar I thought this was going to be a "come to jesus" thread.
....but the world goes 'round
#5Mormon Mania
Posted: 6/11/11 at 4:48pm
Tazber- I'm DYING at your comment. And clearly it isnt! But that is hilarious.
Jordan- I wouldn't say so. That may be your personal opinion but I've noticed on multiple threads a lot of people that like Catch Me.
finishmyhat
Understudy Joined: 1/5/11
#6Mormon Mania
Posted: 6/11/11 at 5:52pm
"My example would be Catch Me If You Can... This show is such a true Broadway musical."
Really? Really???
The last time I checked, a musical that was originally intended to be a lavish book musical that chickened out and decided to hide behind the poorly executed guise of being set on a "variety show" for no real apparent reason other than the real Frank Abagnale apparently liked them does not read TRUE Broadway musical at all. (Frank Abagnale liked a lot of things... a lot of which are presented in this musical and have NOTHING to do with variety shows.)
TRUE Broadway musicals don't feature a unit set that has nothing to do with the plot or characters, a device that has nothing to do with the plot or characters, and a band on stage. Honestly, John Doyle could have done a better job with their concept than they did.
And why? BECAUSE MOST OF THE SONGS DON'T SPEAK TO BEING PERFORMED ON VARIETY SHOWS. And they weren't written to be.
The Book of Mormon has been written and presented in every aspect as a good old-fashioned American musical comedy and it succeeds on every level. And then some.
What IS Catch Me If You Can? A concept show? Leave that to Sondheim or Kander and Ebb, they do it much better. And it's definitely not a book musical. Book musicals don't frame themselves inside a device that leaves most of the audience confused. It's a confused piece of theatrical mess that people want to enjoy ONLY because The Book of Mormon is such a hit now, it's no longer "cool" to like it.
pinoyidol2006
Broadway Star Joined: 5/3/11
#7Mormon Mania
Posted: 6/11/11 at 6:10pmBook of Mormon is BRILLIANT. I've only listened to the Catch Me score, and I was bored. I didn't even like "Live in Living Color" or "Don't Break the Rules" all that much. This is a fantastic season, though. The Book of Mormon changed my life.
I like your imperturbable perspicacity.
#8Mormon Mania
Posted: 6/11/11 at 11:59pm
"TRUE Broadway musicals don't feature a unit set that has nothing to do with the plot or characters, a device that has nothing to do with the plot or characters, and a band on stage."
I don't think that's true. I agree with everything else you said, though. The Sweeney Todd revival had the cast doubling as the orchestra on stage and that was every bit as broadway musical as anything I've ever seen.
It has a sometimes fun sometimes painful score with a poor book, a boring set, and just overall mediocricy. In another season, like last, I may have awarded it best musical. This season, it's hardly deserving of its nomination. The other 3 noms + WOTV, BBAJ, or People in the Picture would have all been better, in my opinion.
Scratch and claw for every day you're worth!
Make them drag you screaming from life, keep dreaming
You'll live forever here on earth.
Updated On: 6/12/11 at 11:59 PM
#9Mormon Mania
Posted: 6/12/11 at 12:01am
I really/liked admired CATCH ME and I think that when you have a season like this one that has such a variety of quality spread across so many different types of musicals, some will not get the credit that they deserve. I compare it to the Miss America Pageant. If you watch that inevitably some of the girls will come across as plain...because they are standing on a stage full of beautiful women. Now should you see one of those 'plain' women on the street, at the mall, or anywhere else you might see them as stunning.
I hope that makes sense....it does to me. In a season full of beautiful shows, perhaps CATCH ME seems 'plain'. Now last season, CATCH ME could very well have been Heidi Klum.
#10Mormon Mania
Posted: 6/12/11 at 12:21am
Count me as someone who enjoyed Catch Me. It was no masterpiece, but it was entertaining and the score was quite good. Reminded me of a Jule Styne or Cy Coleman show from the early 60s. No masterpiece, but entertaining.
I think Mormon's overhyped personally. It's a very good Hasty Pudding Show.
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#11Mormon Mania
Posted: 6/12/11 at 6:45am
I haven't seen BOM yet, so my info is strictly from hearsay. YES, I think BOM is overrated, but still likely the best new show currently playing. (Most of the folks I know persoanlly that saw it LIKED it, but didn't LOVE it.) I can't wait to see for myself...two more weeks!
Catch Me is not being overshadowed by anything. It's just NOT that good. I didn't hate it, but I would never go back to see it again. I found the music boring, the acting lacking, and the concept a bore. It SO did not deserve a Tony nom as best new musical. I came out of the theater liking the movie even more...and wanting to watch it.
Sadly, the two musicals I thought were the best of this season both flopped miserably -- The Scottsboro Boys and Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
#12Mormon Mania
Posted: 6/12/11 at 9:30amI agree with you that SCOTTSBORO and BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON were the best new musicals of the season. Loved them both!
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