Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
#1Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/24/17 at 10:45am
Everybody who sees or performs in a lot of musicals has one or two pet peeves- those tropes or cliches that show up in musical after musical, that you wish would just die a natural death already.
What are yours?
#2Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/24/17 at 11:16am
I wish they stopped mentioning stars, sky, moon and eyes in the lyrics. Seriously. Stop.
orlikethecolorpurple
Featured Actor Joined: 1/28/16
#3Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/24/17 at 11:23am
Breaking the fourth wall when it’s not integral to the plot or storytelling. Hate, hate, hate it.
#4Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/24/17 at 11:38am
This isn't just a problem with musicals - it's a frequent thing in some plays too. But what really bugs me is relying heavily on "reference humor" to be funny. As soon as you reference something recognizable to the audience, it's somehow automatically considered funny.
#5Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/24/17 at 11:45am
Can you count standing ovations as one?
Alex Kulak2
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/11/16
#6Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/24/17 at 12:41pm
Jukebox musicals. Unless it's a show like Jersey Boys that is about a band and their songs, write original music. It's not that hard.
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#7Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/24/17 at 12:57pm
^ Yes, it is. Very....or everyone would do it. (But I don't like jukebox musicals,either -- even ones like JB)
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
Alex Kulak2
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/11/16
#8Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/24/17 at 12:59pm
I'm not saying it's easy, but it's not it's so prohibitively difficult for theatrical producers to go "screw it" and start scanning through the radio for material.
Updated On: 9/24/17 at 12:59 PM
#9Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/24/17 at 1:09pm
JBroadway said: "This isn't just a problem with musicals - it's a frequent thing in some plays too. But what really bugs me is relying heavily on "reference humor" to be funny. As soon as you reference something recognizable to the audience, it's somehow automatically considered funny."
What about shows like Something Rotten, where nearly all the humor is either innuendos or theatre references (I say this as a fan of the show)? I love them, but I do realize how obnoxious it can be to some.
#10Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/24/17 at 1:13pm
@itonlytakesajourney: Yes, I thought Something Rotten was a terrible musical for this exact reason. In fact I think it's the poster child of terrible and lazy reference humor.
@Alex, I agree with you and understand your point. I think I would have rephrased it though. Rather than saying "it's not so hard to write original music" I would say "it's not so hard for producers to find composers able to write original music." Sorry if I'm putting words on your mouth, but that strikes me as closer to what you meant.
#11Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/24/17 at 1:19pm
Shoehorning dance numbers in shows which absolutely don't need one. Here I am crying about my dead mother, and 5 minutes later there's 20 dancers doing high kicks and tricks, so audience would wake up/leave feeling they got their money's worth.
Caption: Every so often there was a rare moment of perfect balance when I soared above him.
Updated On: 9/24/17 at 01:19 PM
#12Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/24/17 at 1:19pm
I don't get the hostility towards jukebox musicals. There have been so many great songs already written, so why not mine them for musical material? In a way, it makes more sense than trying to write new great songs (which is really difficult and rarely happens).
Updated On: 9/24/17 at 01:19 PM#13Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/24/17 at 1:26pm
hork said: "I don't get the hostility towards jukebox musicals. There have been so many great songs already written, so why not mine them formusical material? In a way, it makes more sense than trying to write new great songs (which is really difficult and rarely happens)."
It may be easier to do, but it's much harder to do well. It's very difficult to make songs feel necessary, and to make them drive the plot and develop character when the songs are pre-existing. It's not impossible, and I've seen jukebox musicals use a variety of methods to solve this problem. But it IS an inherent problem to be overcome. The practice, by its very nature, clashes with the necessities of the art form in its current state.
#14Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/24/17 at 1:39pm
I can agree with that. There's a lot of lazy hackwork to be found in jukebox musicals. But that's a failing of individual shows rather than the nature of the form. I think a talented writer could write a really amazing jukebox musical.
#15Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/24/17 at 1:42pm
JBroadway said: "This isn't just a problem with musicals - it's a frequent thing in some plays too. But what really bugs me is relying heavily on "reference humor" to be funny. As soon as you reference something recognizable to the audience, it's somehow automatically considered funny."
Agreed. A lot of shows think it's enough to simply reference something without bothering to add any commentary, wit or observation to that reference. I especially dislike modern pop culture references because they instantly date the show (tweeting, Trump, modern slang, pretty much all of the jokes in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory).
Rumpelstiltskin
Broadway Star Joined: 4/22/07
#16Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/24/17 at 2:35pm
The Rockettes-style high kicks. I have no idea why so many people feel these are applause-worthy.
#17Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/24/17 at 2:44pm
Bette must cringe every time she has to sing
Turns a frump to a trump lady fair.
To seek revenge may lead to hell yet everyone does it but seldom as well......
michaelhale
Stand-by Joined: 8/5/17
#18Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/24/17 at 2:59pm
Unnecessary love songs! Feels like every show thinks it needs to give its romantic leads a song even when it detracts from the plot. Newsies is he biggest offender, both of its romantic ballads leave me confused! They come out of nowhere and serve the plot nothing. Dear Evan Hansen and even Bandstand's love songs also felt really superfluous as well.
#19Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/24/17 at 3:19pm
michaelhale said: "Dear Evan Hansen and even Bandstand's love songs also felt really superfluous as well."
I actually disagree with that. I have a lot of problems with DEH (very angry that it won as many awards as it did over Comet), but one thing I will say for it is that I think the book is excellently constructed, which includes the placement and narrative purpose of each song. During the intermission at 2nd stage, I thought to myself "how are they going to believably move forward with Evan and Zoe's relationship when it's based entirely on her brother? They're going to need to give them a song in act 2 that in some way distances their relationship from Connor and all of Evan's lies." And sure enough, that's exactly what "Only Us" does. It was very satisfying to see. And though you may disagree, I think their romantic relationship is hugely essential to the plot, and Evan's character.
#20Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/24/17 at 5:43pm
Mostly on the music side:
— that *sting* that announces "I've had a revelation I'm going to sing about!"
— 4/4, key of C — there's more to music than that, people!
— leitmotifs. Wagner knew how to use them. You dont. Kindly stop.
— winsome solo piano intros
— two-character scene, very intimate, and a song starts. It builds and builds and builds and builds to a blow-out emotional finish with all brass blaring... and then you're wretched completely out of the moment because the scene continues in its small, intimate, now-utterly derailed way
— overtures with facile transitions from one song to another
— Jerry-Herman-titleofshow-esque production numbers
There's probably more, but those will suffice.
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#21Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/24/17 at 6:10pm
Wow, SeanMartin, I just closed a production of "Beauty and the Beast" and every single one of those is represented in that show. (I think it's pretty much a perfect example of musical theatre as sincere, effective melodrama, but I know a lot of people think the show is creaky. To each his own!)
michaelhale
Stand-by Joined: 8/5/17
#22Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/24/17 at 6:34pm
JBroadway said: "michaelhale said: "Dear Evan Hansen and even Bandstand's love songs also felt really superfluous as well."
I actually disagree with that. I have a lot of problems with DEH (very angry that it won as many awards as it did over Comet), but one thing I will say for it is that I think the book is excellently constructed, which includes the placement and narrative purpose of each song. During the intermission at 2nd stage, I thought to myself "how are they going to believably move forward with Evan and Zoe's relationship when it's based entirely on her brother?They're going to need to give them a song in act 2 that in some way distances their relationship from Connor and all of Evan's lies." And sure enough, that's exactly what "Only Us" does. It was very satisfying to see. And though you may disagree, I think their romantic relationship is hugely essential to the plot, and Evan's character.
"
I agree their relationship was definitely important for the general plot, but the song just sticks out poorly to me? Like, it doesn't, as a song, really seem to move anything, maybe if it did something else than just... Be a kind of generic love song. But I'll concede, to each their own.
#23Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/24/17 at 6:45pm
The way people drive onstage. Maybe it's because most New Yorkers don't drive, or they're exaggerating for effect, but if anyone drove the way they do, the car would be swerving off the road and end up in a ditch.
Also, grocery bags. All anyone ever seems to buy when they come back from the grocery store is a celery stalk and a baguette.
#24Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/24/17 at 11:54pm
highly agree re: standing ovations being de rigeur. are there performances that deserve them?? yes! but not every show you ever see is going to deserve one and i find them exhausting.
"Contentment, it seems, simply happens. It appears accompanied by no bravos and no tears."
VintageSnarker
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/30/15
#25Musical cliches and tropes that should go away already
Posted: 9/25/17 at 12:25am
I'm not sure how much these are cliches and tropes but...
I usually hate it when the ensemble is dancing in the middle of a song when they don't need to be there. You don't have to put bodies there just to fill the stage or to justify their paychecks. It usually serves no purpose and takes me out of the show.
I am tired of lazy rhyming dictionary lyrics. If I never hear "kiss" rhymed with "bliss" again, it'll be too soon.
I am tired of diversity being one black actor (usually a woman) cast to sing a gospel or belting number. Basically, Amber Riley on Glee.
Musicals set in a particular time or place that don't sound enough like the music from that region or time period. Everything doesn't have to be reminiscent of the same few contemporary musical theater composers.
I've had enough of the only prominent female character in the show just being there to support the white, male protagonist in his not terribly interesting struggle. If the female characters are best described a male character's wife, girlfriend, mother, daughter, etc. it can absolutely still be a fantastic show (Nine is a great exception) but the odds are not good. Or guy goes through vaguely misogynistic and/or stalkerish plot to win the girl. Essentially, I'm tired of the lazy musical equivalent of sitcoms. It's not that I don't like stories with male protagonists. It's that I don't like dull, predictable stories with male protagonists.
