Great Obscure Musicals That Nobody Seems To Know

[icecreambenjamin]

What are some wonderful little musicals out there that no one seems to really pay attention to?

I've noticed that PS Classics has some of the best recordings of some of these kinds of shows.  I've recently listened to their recordings of A Minister's Wife, The Adding Machine, and My Life With Albertine.  All three were beautiful recordings.

What are some of your favorite little unknown shows that have almost faded away?

[dramamama611]

The Me Nobody Knows.

Carnival

Around the World In 80 Days.

[Mekroth]

I happened very recently upon The Zulu and the Zayda, having heard absolutely nothing about it before. The score is truly wonderful and the story is an absolute treasure.

[JBroadway]

The Story Of My Life!

[Michael Kras]

A Minister's Wife and Adding Machine are two favourites of mine. Joshua Schmidt is a genius composer that more people should know. 

One of my favourite musicals is Spoon River, which left me a weeping mess when I first saw it in Toronto. I've since seen it four times. 

If you're not from New York, chances are you may not have heard of Dave Malloy's Ghost Quartet. Viscerally affecting, and that SCORE.

Calvin Berger is a hilarious, heartfelt piece of musical theatre for young audiences. Barry Wyner wrote a melodic pop score with clever lyrics. 

Come From Away is a musical about a small town in Newfoundland during the 9/11 attacks. I saw it in early workshops here in Toronto a few years ago and it is moving through a very successful path. It's currently running at Seattle Rep.

Jeremy Schonfeld's Drift is a song cycle about divorce and what it takes to move on. As a child of divorce, much of this show resonates. And the rock score is strong.

The Theory of Relativity is another great song cycle by Neil Bartram and Brian Hill (same composing team behind Story of my Life). There are some pleasing melodies and emotional storylines.

 

[broadwaysfguy]

I absolutely loved Tales of the City, the musical version of Armistead Maupin’s books on gay life in san francisco in the mid to late 1970s

it world premiered at ACT in san francisco, had a lot of fantastic songs (jake shears scissor sisters) and a great cast. It did run too long,and had a few story lines that seems kind-off extraneous, but i really though this could be broadway worthy with some polishing....

and it WAS really good fun....

heres the original trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgReoTDyyd4

Here's a link to live recording of the songs from the show. (Its not a fantastic recording...).

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtxzdNdrGbbjPnUZJEGRBSJohp60gUQf4   

[Mr Roxy]

Inner City

Johnny Guitar

The Grass Harp

[carolinaguy]

The Human Comedy is full of wonderful songs. I wish Roundabout would look into it and convince Sam Gold to direct a new production.

[StageStruckLad]

Agree about Human Comedy. Great score, and it was a wonderful production at the Public many years ago.

 

Unfortunately, the 1987 Off-Broadway production of Staggerlee, written by Vernel Bagneris with a score by Allen Toussiant, wasn't recorded. But I remember loving that show.

 

And the PS Classics recording of Kitty's Kisses is delightful. Once you hear it, you will have "Choo-Choo Love" in your head for days.

[Steve C.]

Drat The Cat! a new musical. The main theme I believe it to be about a cat burglar and rom-com musical. 

1965-1966 production produced by Barbra Streisand with a couple of investors.

It starred Lesley Ann Warren and Elliot Gould. featured "She/He Touched Me".

Seems like the production was a doomed victim of circumstance and couldn't hold on to stay open.

 

[Mr Roxy]

The producers may have not waited long enough before closing. It might have caught on if they had let word of mouth build

[Theater_Nerd]

I watched "The World of Henry Orient" on Turner Classic Movies on Monday and it just piqued my interest in the musical adaptation, "Henry Sweet Henry". 

[Mr Roxy]

I remember Henry. Saw it at the Palace theater. Nice score but not to much choreography. 

[Theater_Nerd]

Mr Roxy said: "I remember Henry. Saw it at the Palace theater. Nice score but not to much choreography. 

 

That's interesting to know Mr. Roxy. For a show that was choreographed by Michael Bennett it's odd that it didn't have much of it.

 

 

 

[Mr Roxy]

I don't think the story lent itself to a lot of dancing. For that matter, Promises Promises did not have much either There was one big number Turkey Lurkey Time and I cannot remember much beyond that. I am basing this on the original production with Jerry Ohrbach.

[Theater_Nerd]

Mr Roxy said: "I don't think the story lent itself to a lot of dancing. For that matter, Promises Promises did not have much either There was one big number Turkey Lurkey Time and I cannot remember much beyond that. I am basing this on the original production with Jerry Ohrbach."

 

Wow Mr. Roxy you were fortunate enough to have seen a lot of classic musicals when they originally premiered. I'm impressed. 

 

I wonder if the archives at Lincoln Center has any filmed recording of "Henry Sweet Henry". I would really like to see how that specific story transitioned onto the stage with music. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mr Roxy]

Never saw the movie. I do not know if Lincoln Center recorded that far back.

[illiniparkie]

Re:  Carnival!

 

We did that musical in high school waaaaaay long ago.  It is indeed a charming, family-friendly musical based on the movie "Lili" with Leslie Caron (the song "Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo" came from it).  It takes place in a circus so there are a lot of acrobatics and magic involved as well as the interactions between Lili and the puppets in her act (she falls in love with the puppeteer).

 

I also enjoyed a musical that ran forever in Chicago called "Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?".  While I remember nothing about the music, it was a fun look at a group of kids growing up together at a Catholic school and was based on a popular book.

[Theater_Nerd]

• "Don't Bother Me I Can't Cope"
• "Your Own Thing" (actually ran Off-Broadway at The Orpheum)
• "Carmelina" [based on the 1968 romantic comedy, "Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell"]

[Mr Roxy]

Saw #'s 1 & 3

[Theater_Nerd]

Wow Mr. Roxy, do you remember anything specifically in regards to "Carmelina"? 

[Mr Roxy]

I enjoyed it a lot. Nice score, good ensemble and Georgia Brown in the Gina Lollabrigida role. Got unwarranted IMO bad press.  Encores would be nice

 

A few others are quick foldo Music Is and Tricks.

[Theater_Nerd]

Mr Roxy said: "I enjoyed it a lot. Nice score, good ensemble and Georgia Brown in the Gina Lollabrigida role. Got unwarranted IMO bad press.  Encores would be nice

 

A few others are quick foldo Music Is and Tricks.

 

 

Hmmm, yes I would love to see Encores do a show like "Carmelina". I was under the impression that the whole purpose of Encores, at least originally was to shine a light on the more obscure musicals like "Carmelina" that weren't being revived.

 

When they started doing shows like "The Wiz", "Little Shop of Horrors" and now..."1776" the series really loses it's original intention.

 

[EricMontreal22]

Mr Roxy said: "I don't think the story lent itself to a lot of dancing. For that matter, Promises Promises did not have much either There was one big number Turkey Lurkey Time and I cannot remember much beyond that. I am basing this on the original production with Jerry Ohrbach.

 

"

Bennett got much of his praise for how he kept so much of the show choreographed though people might call that staged movement - it was one of the first show to have complexly choreographed scene changes, the subway scene, The Grapes of Roth etc

[Mr. Nowack]

 

 

Love the HENRY score too. I believe there were several production numbers, including the above "Poor Little Person" and maybe the act finale?