So, I just saw my college's production of the classic musical, "Gypsy." Before I begin my rant, allow me to make a few points.
1) Yeah, Gypsy is an old show.
2) Bernadette Peters was, in fact, awful. That's why she didn't win the Tony for it.
3) I love Gypsy in general. It's a favorite of mine.
Anyway, my problems with the production lie in the direction. If you study theater, you can really tell what problems come from the actors and what problems come from the direction. I'll simply say the direction was horribly unfocused and had no grasp of the theme or emotional heart of the show.
To my point, in analyzing the typically showstopping "Rose's Turn," one finds the climax of her character arc not in her lyrics, but rather the music accompanying her. All she says is, "Me, me, me, me, me." The music however says a number of things: she envies her daughter's success and wants it for her own (hence the recurrence of Gypsy's strip motives in the piece); that Rose is finally seeing the reality of her dreams laid to rest (illustrated by the "I had a dream" motive, repeated numerous times and being corrupted and eventually destroyed by the end of the number); Rose is in a rapid decline and everything is "closing in on her" (the increasingly dissonant bass against the melody, the "Why did I do it?" melody, contrasted by the dissonant bass line and its contrary motion to the melody later); her realization that all she has is herself- she can only ever rely on herself and that she is the only way her dreams will come true, even though its too late ("Everything's Coming Up Roses" motif against the "show" trumpet motif).
That's all in the accompaniment, disregarding words entirely. Now, how can you possibly, even conscionably, direct a Theatre major to deliever this highly motivic, emotional piece as though she was a flatlining heart attack patient?
Maybe we need to learn that the first five letters in musical theater are "music," that there really is more to music than just pretty notes- good musical theater is created in such a way that the music one sings with is equally as important as the lyrics one sings and the lines one delivers inbetween songs.
Would Sweeney Todd be as twisted and dark, would the show make it's point if it were set to the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber?
No, it'd suck.
Would Eponine truly seem lonely if every instrument in the orchestra was playing behind her?
No, she'd seem like head cheerleader. There's a piano and a string behind her, that's it. Her singing, all on her own. Sounds pretty lonely to me.
How else would you know that the Gods ruling the peasants of "Once on This Island" were so important? Sure, they show up for their songs, but the peasants constantly pray to them - how many times do you hear the "Asaka, grow me a garden..." melody in the show? Innumerable.
How would you know the Dreamers in Secret Garden are ghosts? They sing like ghosts, they sound like ghosts. How do you know Lily is dead? She too sounds like a ghost. How do you know Dickon knows the garden is still alive? "Wick" definitely isn't some slow, depressing song, it's constantly moving, always bright and alive.
Learn a little bit about music if you want to be a professional musical theater actor. It's in your job description. Not to mention it'll make finding your character a hell of a lot easier if you listen to what the music is telling you do to.
Love,
A Musical Theater Geek
Current Mood: 
aggravated
Current Music: "Rose's Turn" - Patti LuPone
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happy