Worst bookwriter in musical history- Page 2

[Hackasaurus_Rex]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 9:40pm

I'm the one that is sorry, Musical Master. Sincerely. Here's the thing. "More longer" and "Most worst" are bad writing. It's just longer and worst. I don't mean to make you feel bad. I simply think that when going out on a limb to critique other's work we should make sure that we don't present our ideas in a way that undermines the point we are making. That is all. I would never have busted you on your writing if your post was a positive one. The fact that it was based in negativity got my feathers ruffled. That said, I'm sure you are a very nice person.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 9:43pm

That's very good advice Rex, thank you.

[Hackasaurus_Rex]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 9:43pm

I do see what you are saying Liza. But here is the thing. I am not saying that you need to be an expert to have an opinion. Not at all. What I AM saying is that while you are critiquing the work of said architect it would be wise to not be building a really crappy tree house at the very same time. Do you see my point?

[Musical Master]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 10:00pm

The thing is Rex is that sometimes I do have some grammer issues that it comes off negative when it's not. So my apologies.

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 10:05pm

I do, Rex, I do. And honestly this debate is kind of pointless because at the end of the day we're not talking about anything technical. We are talking about something creative and artistic, which means it's solely subjective.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 10:09pm

Back on topic, from critics, the original Broadway book for The Capeman was bad, in a legendary way.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 10:18pm

Spork if you think Legally Blonde's book was the worst then I will say you have been very licky. Glory Days Wonderland I would even say The Women in White all had awful books.

Yeah, I said "Maybe not the worst." I just think that LB is a particularly egregious example because I like the score and the book actually ruined the show for me.

I definitely agree that Aida's book is a mess. The humor and lightheartedness of it felt so tonally off to me.

[bobs3]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 10:19pm

The Capeman was won of those musicals (based on the score) that should have been a huge hit but hiring a Nobel Prize winning poet to write the book was a huge mistake. It was filled with heavy handed symbolism and metaphors.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 10:33pm

^^What's very funny about Aida's book Spork, is that the humor and lightheartedness was added by either Falls or Hawng or better yet, both; Woolverton's original Atlanta book (from some people who have seen that production) was a bit darker and it's humor was low key at most.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 10:43pm

It is any bookwriter who has done all of those things, even one-shots.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 10:57pm

Out of curiosity: what would make a score better than the book in which it's operating? Isn't part of the job of one to make a cohesive whole with the other? If the score is tonally different of the book, why is it more likely for the score to get a pass?

This is not to say there AREN'T bad books.

[JohnyBroadway]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 11:11pm

Winnie Holzman.

[finebydesign]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 11:14pm

"^^What's very funny about Aida's book Spork, is that the humor and lightheartedness was added by either Falls or Hawng or better yet, both; Woolverton's original Atlanta book (from some people who have seen that production) was a bit darker and it's humor was low key at most."

It is my understanding Falls and Hwang removed most of the "funny" stuff. You want a terrible book, watch Lestat or Tarzan!

[Gothampc]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 11:17pm

"Isn't part of the job of one to make a cohesive whole with the other?"

What about successful shows where this hasn't been done? In "Big River" it's like the songs were wedged into the book and they don't always join together. The songs are good and the book is fairly decent, but the two just don't come together.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 11:19pm

Then Big River, on the page, doesn't sound very successful.

[After Eight]

Posted: 3/15/14 at 12:11am

James Lapine.

If there are any more stultifying or odious books than those of Sunday in the Park With George or Passion, I have mercifully not seen them. And Into the Woods' witlessness ranks right down there as well.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/15/14 at 12:37am

....aaaand there it is.

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 3/15/14 at 12:42am

....why am I not surprised by that one?

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 3/15/14 at 12:46am

I seriously did not see that coming…it's like I actually managed to forget After Eight exists.

[undercoveractor]

Posted: 3/15/14 at 12:58am

I've heard many an insult hurled at INTO THE WOODS over the decades, but 'witless'?!? Wow. You may not like it and that is fine, but to say that it is without wit?? Well, that just makes me think you do not know what the word 'wit' means. Thats like calling Liza 'sequinless'.

[blaxx]

Posted: 3/15/14 at 1:57am

You know he's not for real, right?

[mjohnson2]

Posted: 3/15/14 at 2:33am

I would say that James Lapine is perhaps the best book writer in musical history. As far as the worst, Glen Berger.

[wicked1492]

Posted: 3/15/14 at 2:42am

He's not the worst, but let's talk about Terrence McNally's book for THE FULL MONTY. Wooooooooof.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/15/14 at 4:05pm

We're not "fighting." We're disagreeing.

Maybe someday you'll learn to do it a little less disagreeably.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/15/14 at 4:05pm

We're not "fighting." We're disagreeing.

Maybe someday you'll learn to do it a little less disagreeably.