The Great American Musical

[Highlander]

I miss them. And the whole milieu in which they thrived. The plays, movies, popular music ... all permeating the culture. They told stories and addressed personal and social issues without the woke hammer we currently see. And I don't mean Disney, i.e. The Lion King.

I also don't mean a movie that was turned into a musical ... or even music that was assembled and turned into a musical. Although that eliminates "Jersey Boys" and "Mama Mia", favorites of mine. And I don't mean unsingable offerings like Phantom of the Opera or Cats. And Hamilton, IMHO, is an abomination.

Does it resonate? My favorites are probably Showboat, Carousel, Porgy and Bess, Oklahoma, and West Side Story. Yours?

[anawim]

Brigadoon has always been one of my favorites.

[zeno]

Lyle the Kindly Viking is my fave.

[Highlander]

Brigadoon has always been one of my favorites.

Absolutley:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sxQfIHCU78

[Highlander]

Lyle the Kindly Viking is my fave.

I/m happy for you.

[anawim]

Brigadoon has always been one of my favorites.

Absolutley:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sxQfIHCU78

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

My Fair Lady is in a league of its own, but not an American league.

The Music Man is in a different league of its own, an American one.

Edit: I take it back. MFL debuted on Broadway.

[Highlander]

DW is a My Fair Lady Fan.

The mention of Brigadoon brought to mind Finian's Rainbow ... by Peggy Lee:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD80b3SXzJA

And, of course:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXV2jqYM51I

[anawim]

I'm going to give this one an honorable mention because while I'm familiar with some of the music, I never saw the play: The Fantasticks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO0t03Y ... yN&index=2

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

The Fantastiks is ... meh.

[Highlander]

I'm going to give this one an honorable mention because while I'm familiar with some of the music, I never saw the play: The Fantasticks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO0t03Y ... yN&index=2

Good song.

BTW, this exercise is reviving my memory of many good musicals with great songs. Like Man of La Mancha and Camelot. However, IMO, the absolute best:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=880764219230647

Not the best performance and not the best performer and dated, but, in context, perhaps it fits best in this version of the musical. Warfield, I think, is better.

[Highlander]

I was thinking -- a parlous activity -- and it occurred to me that the Great American Musical was a repository for Americana. And Americana is not popular these days.

[Riverboat]

I had the privilege to have performed in numerous musicals in local productions. The performers were amateurs, but not amateurish. I started in chorus and walk-on parts, then rose to Reb Mordcha in Fiddler on the Roof, Commander Harbison in South Pacific and the mayor of Whoville in Seussical the Musical. I was always astonished at the depth of talent in Victoria, Texas.

Musicals are life.

[Highlander]

Good on you. And for all the local folk who take musicals outside of NYC.

Had not recalled South Pacific. Below, sung by, IMO, the best female singer of the period 1940-1960.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOzlvwPsKlg

[peregrinator]

My favorite is probably Oliver!