Go Read It!

Five prominent theater people debate the question of what is the greatest musical ever done for the stage. There's no hard answer and eventually they don't even come to one…but the discussion is interesting, especially the defining of what is and isn't a musical.

For what little my opinion may be worth, I would have argued for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum followed closely by My Fair Lady. Both are dismissed by the panel for being too dependent on great stars…but that's an arbitrary disqualifier. I would certainly disagree with the claim that casting can't ruin Guys and Dolls. If you wish to debate that point further, I will take you in my time machine back to a production I saw starring Milton Berle as Nathan Detroit and I will win that argument.

Anyway, read what they have to say but don't send me your votes. Thanks to Ira B. Matetsky for telling me about this.