It's easy to understand why Broadway musical sequels happen, especially sequels to the big ones that people adore. Audiences love a show so much that it seems likely they would like to spend more time with them and hopefully enjoy more showtunes from the same composers. On paper, that might make sense, but in execution Broadway musical sequels are almost always a bad idea. Let's take a look at some Broadway musical sequels and assess.
My blog today was supposed to be an exploration of Broadway sequels, but I am going to have to postpone that to another day. No, time and space demand that I write a reaction to Fox Networks remake of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Oh, how I wanted to love it (or at least like it) but this production sits on one like a bowl of slightly spoiled rice pudding sits in your stomach. It's not something I needed to begin with, and now I'm slightly nauseous for the experience.
Country music and Broadway rarely make a successful mix. The fans of Broadway musicals don't typically gravitate to the styles of country, turned off by its twang. There have, however, been successful Broadway musicals that incorporate country music in their scores, none more so than The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. With a score by Carol Hall, a book by Larry L. King and Peter Masterson, ingenious direction by Masterson and Tommy Tune, and unforgettable choreography by Tune and Thommie Walsh, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas was the surprise hit of 1978
Broadway musical sequels are seldom successful (or a good idea) so I’d like to preface this article by asserting that I, in no way, suggest that creating a sequel to any of these shows should happen (see my piece this coming Sunday on musical sequels for further debate on that topic). What I will suggest is that there are certain musicals that ended in a way that made us curious about what comes next. Whether the characters’ stories still have some journey left in them, or we are left with burning questions that we want answered, these are the ten musicals that have made me ponder their fates past the curtain call.
