Favorite Style of Musical Theatre Music?

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 6/18/17 at 10:36pm

Probably one of my favorite aspects of musical theatre is how you can not only tell a story through music, but use different genres of music to tell the story best. What style of music do you think works best in musical theatre? I've always been partial to light William Finn jazz, or if I'm in the right mood, bluegrass music like in Golden Boy of the Blue Ridge or Bonnie and Clyde.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 6/18/17 at 11:46pm

I might say that my favorite collective style might be the "thoughtful pop" scores (I just made that term up). The scores heavily influenced by modern pop, but not like shallow pop - more like the kind of pop that feels full of life and emotion. Written with care, to develop the story. I also really love keltic music in musicals. 

Having said that, I don't know if my favorite categories really line up with my favorite composers, which is interesting. I think my favorite composers, like Sondheim, Jason Robert Brown, and Dave Malloy, are the ones that don't fit very easily into a clear genre, or into a lumped category with other musical theatre composers.

[leighmiserables]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 3:21am

I wouldn't say I have a favorite style, per se, but my favorite scores are ones that just work so perfectly for the story: like the rock score for Next to Normal, hip-hop/rap for Hamilton, whatever-the-hell-Dave-Malloy-is for Great Comet, and so forth. 

[Elfuhbuh]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 3:30am

leighmiserables said: "I wouldn't say I have a favorite style, per se, but my favorite scores are ones that just work so perfectly for the story: like the rock score for Next to Normal, hip-hop/rap for Hamilton, whatever-the-hell-Dave-Malloy-is for Great Comet, and so forth. "


I second this! 

[kdogg36]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 10:32am

I like all kinds of music, but my favorite shows tend to have music that's ridiculously romantic and borderline operatic. Examples include West Side Story, The Most Happy Fella, Passion, and The Light in the Piazza.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 5:05pm

Easy, the brassy often jazz influenced scores of the 1960s and early 1970s. Prime examples include LITTLE ME, SEESAW, and HIGH SPIRITS.

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 6/20/17 at 9:15am

My favorites are catchy and singable — in the shower, in the car, with likeminded friends....  The Music Man, Hello, Dolly!, A Chorus Line, Urinetown, My Fair Lady, West Side Story...