Well, dear readers, I wonder this: If the authors of a new musical called South Pacific tried to get their show done today, how many readings would it have – then how many workshops would it have? How many producers would be telling the creative team how to write their show? How would the posts be on the Internet chat boards? In other words, in today’s climate would it even be possible for a musical like South Pacific to even exist. Yes, you can do a revival, but if it were NEW? And exactly what it is? I think they’d be laughed out of the business, frankly. Why? Because of the Musicals 101 world we live in. A world where writers are taught by the book. And just who came up with the rules of this book? That, of course, is an interesting question. And why do most musicals today feel like most films today – like cookie-cutter machines with cookies all from the same mold? Like Screenwriting 101, authors of musicals are now taught “rules” – the “rules” by which musicals are made. And when I’ve sat on the ASCAP/Disney panels listening to people critique new musicals, and when I’ve listened to “producers” spout the party line about the form of musical theater, well, this is not how art gets created. If Rodgers and Hammerstein weren’t making it up as they went along, if they were taught or told by others how to write South Pacific, it would be a very different show and I’m quite comfortable in saying, not in a good way. I use South Pacific as a textbook example when people spout these “rules” at me. Because we all know, because it’s the party line, that a great opening number will put us into the world of the show and tell us what we’re in for. Cool. If that works for the show. But it doesn’t always work for the show, does it? Then we’re told that our hero or heroine must have an “I want” song – all great musicals have an “I want” song and it’s usually in second position. Cool. If that works for the show. Pippin’s second song is an “I want” song – Corner of the Sky. Wicked’s second song is an “I want” song – The Wizard and I. Both shows are by someone who teaches musical theater a lot – Stephen Schwartz. So, when people throw these things in my direction, I ask simple questions like: What is the opening song in South Pacific. They stare at me dumbfaced, so I tell them – Dites Moi. Not exactly a killer opening number and who gives a damn? That song is then followed by a quick succession of other sung numbers – Twin Soliloquies, A Cockeyed Optimist (not exactly an “I want” song), and Some Enchanted Evening. The audaciousness of that opening segment of South Pacific is that it adheres to not one “rule” of today’s musical theater. No, what we get instead is a compelling portrait of two people – we get to know them, we listen to their sung thoughts, we like them. We know they’re on an island – we know there’s a war on. We get actual dialogue – yes, dialogue, and during the show we get a lot of it. Not a page between songs, but real honest-to-God dialogue scenes. And guess what? Even though it follows no rules it works brilliantly. I’ve seen several productions of South Pacific that move up Bloody Mary to the top of the show – introducing the sailors, Bloody Mary, the war, the setting, all before we actually meet the characters that we MUST love and root for. Does it help? No. Does it hurt? Absolutely. Would any producer today stand for the opening of South Pacific as it is written? I don’t think so.
What is the actual opening number of Guys and Dolls? Not really Runyonland as that’s just dance, blocking, and visual jokes set to music. The actual number is about horse racing, sung by three inveterate gamblers. It’s perfect, of course. If others were writing Guys and Dolls today would that number be in the show? Doubtful. Let’s look at another Rodgers and Hammerstein musical – The King and I. What is the opening number? I Whistle a Happy Tune. Is that an “I want” song OR like any of today’s opening numbers? No. Would a producer allow that today? I don’t think so. Sometimes classic musicals have an “I want” song and it’s an obvious one – Gypsy has Some People. Bells Are Ringing has It’s a Perfect Relationship. But there are also many great shows that don’t – that don’t serve up an opening number as taught in today’s musical theater pronouncements. I bring this up because watching the broadcast of South Pacific (and I probably wrote about it when I saw it live) one is struck time and again by the construction and beauty and power and humor of the show. And none of it conforms to anything other than the story they were trying to tell. It’s the same in Screenwriting 101 – this must happen by this page, the first act must establish something for the hero or heroine to deal with or overcome in act three – we must have backstory for the characters, and on and on, rule after rule. And while that works for some films or that formula can be applied to some classics, it does not apply to others. Psycho is a perfect example of a film that does not conform to any screenwriting program. Its leading lady and her story are dispensed with thirty minutes into the film, and the film becomes about a whole different character. Tell me the “backstory” of Phyllis Dietrichson in Double Indemnity. Other than Walter Neff being an insurance salesman who gets tangled up with a femme fatale, what do you know about him? Well, you know enough for the movie to be brilliant and not conform to a screenwriting formula. One could go on and on, but one day my fervent wish is that we will get rid of these gurus and get back to a world where people can write from the heart, write what they feel is something great, and then people take chances and do it without asking everyone to conform to the same model. Because until we do, I’m afraid we’re just going to get the same old same old. Again, if a formula happens to work, great – but to impose a formula on all art is to kill the art and leave creativity in the dust. So it is written, so it shall be done.
Well, I certainly went off on a tangent, didn’t I? Don’t I have some notes to write? I will say I had a rather nice day yesterday. CDs and helper arrived at nine and everything was to the postal office and the UPS Store by eleven. We did some other things that needed doing and then the helper went on her merry way. I did have an amusing e-mail from someone wanting to know why I had sent them a Promises, Promises when they’d ordered a Billy Barnes’ L.A. Now, I will be the first to admit that all these Promises releases did confuse us a little. But not so much that someone would order a Billy CD and I would send out a Promises CD. So, I looked up the gentleman’s invoice and guess what he ordered? A Promises CD, which is what he got. He’s sending it back and we’ll send him a Billy CD when they arrive – but you see how amusing this gets sometimes. Then Shelly Markham arrived and we went over a lot of stuff, after which our beloved Mr. Jason Graae arrived. He’s just too much fun and if you put the two of us in the same room it gets pretty wild and pretty funny. He sang through his three numbers and it’s always such a treat to hear him sing – and he’s even going to play his oboe in the instrumental section of one of his songs, so that will be fun. Then Damon Kirsche arrived and we ran his numbers. I’ve only seen him in one show, but he’s really talented, with charm and a terrific voice and he really understands how to sock home a number like Ten Percent. I’m sure we’ll be working together again, and I kept thinking that he’d probably make a very good Harry Schechter.
After that, Shelly and I went and had a sandwich at Jerry’s Deli. I picked up no packages and no mail, which was the only irritant of the day. Then I came home, and was informed that we are approved for our new release, which I’ll announce here at midnight tomorrow night. It’s a biggie – a two CD set, a soundtrack, and a bit of a Holy Grail if you love the composer and the film, both of which I do. It will be the definitive presentation of this score – it was released on LP back in the day, and we have the LP program, which runs about thirty-nine minutes, and then we have the entire score, every note of it, which runs about eighty-one minutes, in glorious stereophonic sound. It’s a major release, and all I can tell you is that before it’s even announced it will almost be sold out, because dealers are going for this heavy-duty. So, do not delay. Then I went and did some prep work with the editor who’s putting together the clip reel for the JMK event in November, after which I came home, finally did a mile and a half jog, and then I watched South Pacific up till the end of act one.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because these here notes are way too long, which Musicals 101 would never allow – we’d have had to have three songs by now.
Today, other than writing some liner notes and doing some errands and whatnot (and someone is supposed to call me and I think I may have something to do at some point, but not anything major), the day and evening are basically mine all mine, which is nice.
The weekend will be pretty light, too, although I have to write the blurb for our new release, and do all that prep work for our Monday morning announcement. I’m really excited for people to know what it is – and REALLY excited that Kritzerland is the one who got it.
Next week will be quite busy, with all manner of things going on, but it’s all good and will hopefully all be fun. And then we get close to our debut Gardenia evening, which I’m really looking forward to.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a jog, write some liner notes, do some errands and whatnot, hopefully pick up some overdue packages and an important envelope, and then watch a motion picture. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/video player? I’ll start – CD, a whole slew of Stravinsky, along with a whole slew of upcoming Kritzerland projects. Blu and Ray, Pandora and the Flying Dutchman and three Ozu films. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, and make sure they all conform to Musicals 101 – you’ll need an opening number post, you’ll need an “I want” post, and you’ll need some heart.