ksmusicals

 Using as source material the videos linked to the wiki schedule page illustrating musical theatre, the dvd seen in class covering the development and making of Taboo, Caroline, or Change, Wicked, and Avenue Q, as well as The Fantasticks, speculate on aspects of the shows presented that appear to have led to their success and/or failure in the periods in which they were developed. In other words, why have some shows succeeded while others have failed, during the period when they were created? 

 The business of putting on musicals on Broadway is a risky task. Private funders invest large amounts of money, many legal contracts are involved, and many people rely on the jobs provided by the show. So if the show closes, there are various economic consequences as a result. It is important for producers and directors to try to put together the perfect "formula" for a successful show. And although there is no true perfect formula, there are important aspects of musicals that can help make a musical successful. A few of these aspects include: advertisement, nostalgia, audience availability, and the music.  In my opinion, the advertisement of the show is the most important element for a successful production. With successful advertisement, the other elements for success can properly fall into place. First off, the production must be known by the public and hopefully encourage them to attend. In the movie, Show Business, two musicals particularly stuck out to me due to advertisement reasons. Wicked, chose to use characters that encouraged audiences to dress up to resemble. This provides for great advertisement for the show because people cannot only connect to the show, but they also make people, who do not know about the show, curious. If people are seeing a bunch of children dressed as green witches outside a theatre, most likely they may become interested in finding out more. In addition, because people can connect the show, they are more likely to buy merchandise after the show. Not only does the selling of merchandise provide good revenue, but also is a form of advertisement that the consumer is taking home with them. Now when anyone sees that poster or stuffed witch doll, they will ask about the show and the word continues to spread. Word of mouth can be the most powerful advertisement tool. However, too much advertisement and publicity can also harm a show. There needs to be a correct balance, which the musical Taboo did not successfully achieve. Because of the legal troubles surrounding their producer Rosie O'Donnell along with the limited audience for the show to target, it provided a bad mix for advertisement. This show ended up closing in a week, and is a good example that there is a wrong way to advertise.  Another great element to make a show successful is playing into the audience's nostalgia. Wicked, Lion King, and Avenue Q provide different but good examples of this. Wicked and Lion King, because of their subject content, appealed to younger audiences. But, because Wicked is the predecessor for a popular movie, The Wizard of Oz, and the Lion King is the musical based on the Disney movie, the older generation can reconnect with their childhood. And not only does the older audience connect, but also they enjoy "feeling like a kid again" and enjoy that moment with their children. Avenue Q also provides nostalgia for older audiences. In this musical, adults can relate back to their childhood because of the puppets, and it probably reminds them of shows like Sesame Street. But, Avenue Q also plays into "adult humor" that has shown to successfully entertain audiences. Many current television shows, like the Simpsons, use a similar style to Avenue Q and is an example that this style is successful with older audiences.  The availability for many audiences is a major element to determine the success of a musical. The production relies on the money they receive from the customers. So, if there are less customers, there is less money. Wicked and Taboo are great examples of a large audience appeal versus a small audience appeal. Taboo, in particular, had risky subject content. This limited their audience greatly because only adults could see the musical. Then because the content was also uncomfortable for many people, it again reduced their available audience greatly. Although many people enjoyed the show, there were not enough people attending in order for the show to make enough money. On contrast, Wicked is a very successful show with a large and diverse audience. This show is appropriate for children, so families can attend together. This provides for a larger target audience and draws more people to see the show. The content of Wicked is not risky, unlike Taboo, and the songs are appropriate to sing along to.  Our presenter, Nick Coster, explained that music was an important aspect of what makes a musical successful, both the score and the music. I agree with this because the powerfulness or catchiness of a piece can create a lasting memory on audiences. Rent is a good example of having powerful and memorable music. In contrast, musicals like Wicked and Avenue Q have catchy and fun songs that people can sing a long to. Music can also help develop characters and establish the tone for the production. For example, the musical The Fantasticks uses music to develop the two main characters’ personalities. And The Lion King is a great example of the music setting a tone for the performance. In The Lion King, the music is upbeat which intrigues and excites the audience. Music is so important because after all, that is what the audience expects from a musical! Without good and effective music, the audience will feel robbed from a great performance.  When analyzing a musical’s performance, often it is easier to determine what makes a play unsuccessful rather than successful. A successful piece relies on all sorts of elements to make it loved by the public. And although the Best Musical Award Tony puts musicals in the “spot light” for that brief time, it is crucial for the longstanding success of these productions to adapt as the audiences evolve and change over time.