Today's Random Question: "...The Musical"

[PatrickDC]

Why do some shows have "...The Musical" in the title of their name in their official posters and marketing, while some don't? Is there a standard or protocol that dictates it, or is it just a whim of the producer and/or creative team and what they feel like? AVENUE Q, CHICAGO, and KINKY BOOTS are some that have The Musical, while HAIRSPRAY and THE BOOK OF MORMON are just that and no subtitle.   

Then there's HAMILTON: An American Musical, PIPPIN: The Broadway Musical, and COME FROM AWAY: A New Musical. 

Why the differences for the same type of product? 

 

[JBroadway]

The sense I've always gotten is that it's entirely up to the whim of the artists/producers. Naturally, if it's based on an existing property, it's more likely to have a "The Musical" subtitle. I imagine sometimes it's for comedic effect, like "Disaster! The Musical" which just sounds funnier than "Disaster!" 

[greensgreens]

What I really don't understand is when they add "The Musical" onto titles that never had that in the first place when they are revived. I have never recalled "Once On This Island" being "Once On This Island: The Musical" until this revival (I guess that's similar to the Chicago example). Didn't they tack that on for the current production or am I simply not remembering the original correctly?

[Lot666]

I've always thought it unwise to call a show "____ A New Musical" (e.g., Wicked) because "new" is an adjective that quickly becomes inaccurate. I remember thinking it quite odd that the signed window cards for BC/EFA that were sold during the tour I saw referred to the show as "Wicked: a New Musical". Any show that begins on Broadway and subsequently launches a tour is no longer "new".

[fashionguru_23]

An even better question is when shows use "A New Musical", how long does it take until its no longer "new"...

[darquegk]

Annie was "new" until the late nineties, wasn't it?