Most Boring Musicals

[Patash]

"When you listen to the songs and get familiar with them, ONCE is really not boring at all."

hmmm, interesting concept and perhaps a great idea, but how can you get familiar with the songs if every time one starts you nod off from the boredom? But it's interesting that you seem to admit that it IS boring until you learn the songs. Another interesting concept -- that the show isn't interesting unless you know the songs beforehand.

[Replacement Cast]

I will never understand the appeal of "Damn Yankees" - very boring. And, of course, anything by Jason Robert Brown puts me to sleep faster than Sominex.

[helvizz]

There are many awfully boring shows, but a new one that comes to mind is American Idiot.
It was dreadful, I really wanted to sleep. The songs try to create a coherent plot, but the show completely fails at it.
And there were many rock songs (which you'd think would scare the boredom away, at least because they're loud), and it had an interesting flying sequence and beautiful set, but the plot was terrible.

[Mister Matt]

Huh. I found American Idiot to be one of the most vibrant and artistically creative shows I've seen in a very long time. I had no problem following the plot and as a conceptual piece of socio-political commentary on the youth of its setting (somewhat like Hair), I wasn't expecting a traditional book structure. In fact, that's one of the reasons I was never bored and absolutely buzzing with excitement from beginning to end all three times I've seen it (and would see it again in a heartbeat).

But I was mostly bored with Closer to Heaven (the Pet Shop Boys musical) in London. There were a couple of funny scenes with Frances Barber as Billie Trix, but nothing else to enjoy.

[theatregeek6]

Mary Poppins
Phantom

Older shows:
Good time Charley
Pacific overtures



I fell asleep only once in the theatre. Spider-Man

[ukpuppetboy]

I remember being SO bored by Leonardo the musical back in the day that I spent most of the show studying the lighting rig hoping for time to speed up. Similarly, during what felt like the tenth reprise of Louison in an early preview of Martin Guerre at the Prince Edward I wanted to start ripping posters off of the walls of the theatre to claw back some of the money wasted on the ticket.

[Wickedlover56]

The Pirate Queen
Peter Pan
Lestat
Young Frankenstein
Little Women
Parade
In The Heights
Camelot
Man of La Mancha
Mary Poppins
Cats
Billy Elliot

[VernonGersch]

Far From Heaven was sooooo boring. How could I forget?

[songanddanceman2]

Got to say I'm surprised to see Bonnie and Clyde on some lists. I can't stand Wildhorn shows normally but I thought this was fantastic and a damn shame it closed. I thought most of the score was pretty bloody good.

[Someone in a Tree2]

^ Agreed. And yet, even I can admit that Act II dragged a mite.

That seems to be the curse of a great many of the shows folks are listing, no?

[brdway411]

If/Then
MOTOWN (worst Book EVER)

[Brian07663NJ]

Civil War the musical (Wildhorn)

I counted the exit signs and wondered how they came up with the numbering sequence throughout the St James.

[ErinDillyFan]

I think I found something interesting in every show I have seen.

But, the hardest work I have ever had to do was watching: "God Bless You, Mr Rosewater" by Ashman/Menken.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EciSm7T-g6c

[Scarywarhol]

Must have been a lousy production, because what a score!

[degrassifan]

"Urinetown?!?! I've never heard it described as boring. At least, not the Broadway production."

To be fair, it was a college production, so maybe that played a part in why I was bored? Still, the acting, singing, and production values were great, but I was just bored.

[Mister Matt]

I've seen an amateur production of Urinetown and without the right direction, the show is deadly (I left at intermission). The Broadway production did not waste a single moment. It was the single funniest musical I've ever seen.

[degrassifan]

I believe you, Mister Matt. Something was just off when I saw it. It must have been the direction. The jokes fell flat on me, and I usually laugh at anything.

[hundredsofhats]

[But, the hardest work I have ever had to do was watching: "God Bless You, Mr Rosewater" by Ashman/Menken.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EciSm7T-g6c]

Oh no, a cast made "Cheese Nips" boring? : (

[Brian07663NJ]

This might be one of those cross-over threads (do you listen/purchase the cast album before you see a show) because I purchased/listened to Urinetown the Musical before I saw the show. Based upon my impression of the cast recording I never wanted to go see the show. This was also a reason why I stopped purchasing cast recordings until after I see a show.

[jsg03jd]

SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE. Pure torture to sit through this.

Ditto with MOVIN' OUT, JEKYLL & HYDE and TARZAN. All awful.

[kooky]

IF / THEN ….

[GoSmileLaughCryClap]

This is a huge minority opinion, but my most boring is Jersey Boys.

I felt like I was fast forwarding through a movie on my DVR. Every minute and a half a billboard/Lichtenstein image/streetlamp would fly in for what seemed like sixty seconds, and then the cast would run upstairs walk across the catwalk with two lines of dialog and run down the stairs on the other side of the stage.

This repeated over and over and over again. I truly stopped watching the action and started counting the number of scene changes.

The long second act confrontation book scene was the only time I focused on what was happening with the characters.

The rest felt like a wind-up toy. And I felt for the actors who spent over two hours running up and down stairs in between snippets of songs.

[Millie Lammoreaux]

"The Act" - Kander and Ebb's 1977 star vehicle for Liza

[Polka Dot2]

Holler if Ya Hear Me

[mjohnson2]

Polka Dot2, having just seen it, I have to agree with you.
Also, American Idiot, Porgy and Bess, and Bonnie and Clyde.

edit: add Big Fish and the Bridges of Madison County