Damn Yankees and other classic musicals

This week I went to see Cabrillo Music Theatre's excellent production of Damn Yankees.  The next day I could not get the songs out of my head. Now, I should explain that I have been in two productions of DamnYankees so I know the songs pretty well.  So the songs were already in there (my head that is). This just brought them out.

It got me to thinking how much I love this show and many of the classic shows from Broadway's "golden age" (1943 to 1964).  Now to the part where I sound like a crotchety old man. Many younger people think these shows are old fashioned or dated. Maybe its a sign of my age but there's a reason these shows are classics. I have always considered this show among my favorites. Would Iplace in the same league as say Sweeney Todd? No way! I have categories of faves or classics. For instance this would fall under the category of fun or joyous shows a la Pajama Game, Guys & Dolls, Bye Bye Birdie. I like the big brassy funny shows, The Producers, Hairspray. Then there are the esoteric classics, pretty much anything Sondheim. Or groundbreakers like A Chorus Line (the IT show when I was in my teens) Rent, and now Hamilton.  What am I not a fan of? Pretty much anything Lloyd Webber, British mega musicals of the 1980s.  Younger folks tend to go for Spring Awakening, American Idiot, and the jukebox shows to which I go "Eh? I don't get it."

Am I old? Showing my age?  No. I love newer shows like Next to Normal, Avenue Q, Book of Mormon.  As an actor and because I am now older or an "adult", I've had a chance to re-visit some of the classic shows and let me tell you there is a reason those are classics. Last year I was in an excellent production of The Music Man. Now, some people might say it's hokey or old fashioned. But I can honestly say after working on it that I firmly believe this is one of the best musicals of all time.  That opening scene on the train? One of the best opening numbers ever written. The songs are classic and the story is great. Its a perfect show.

Back in the day, Broadway shows produced many hit songs. These songs, in turn,  became a part of our pop culture. When I was growing up, (after the classic era had pretty much come to end but still a part of our very recent past), we sang these songs in grade school music class and in chorus. All of them. From Wells Fargo Wagon to Hey Look Me Over to Oklahoma to I Won't Grow Up.  And when's the last time a song from a Broadway musical ended up on the pop charts? (Rent in 1996 maybe) And apparently Hamilton may land on the pop charts too. I'm hoping so.

My thoughts are this, the 1950s musicals were FUN! Great songs, amazing choreography by the masters, George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Bob Fosse, Michael Kidd, Onna White.  Maybe not the greatest books (I've always taken issue with the whole out clause, etc and Two Lost Souls limbo scene in Damn Yankees). But who cares with those songs and dances?

I suppose with the big effects musicals of the 1980s and the more recent musicals attempts to integrate more modern forms of music and dance, (which don't get me wrong, should be happening), younger generations consider the older stuff, well, old. Also the fact that these shows have been done by every high school and community theater in this country for 50 years have contributed to the belief by some that they are outdated.

But when you dissect them or see them done with a decent budget or in a first class professional production, you can see them for the true classics they are.

So forgive me if I go on about the "classics". I will take them any day. I want to leave the theater singing! I want to leave there wishing I could dance like that. I'd rather that than a helicopter or a barricade or a floating tire any day.

My point is this...you kids out there. Don't discount the classics. They're great shows.  They may be old fashioned to you but they stand up. I am all for newer styles of shows. We need them to draw in younger and more diverse audiences. It's very important. Its critical that they reflect the diversity of our country. They need to reflect the times, but there is still room for the old style Broadway belt, the 11:00 number.  And you'll forgive me for belting out the score of Gypsy over American Idiot. There's room for both on my plate.