Is the Broadway Overture Dead?

Because I was thinking about this article last night, and, for what it's worth, I think it probably is.

So, here's a very concise, well-thought-out list of my Top 10 Favorite Broadway Overtures of All Time

1. Gypsy - Literally, the "Mother" of all overtures

2. My Fair Lady - Kickin' it old school

3. Merrily We Roll Along - And then Sondheim said, "Hey, I could get used to this uptempo stuff...Maybe I will write that jingle for Buzz Cola!"

4. Promises, Promises - Shagadelic!

5. City of Angels - Who Framed Roger Rabbit? meets something really, really awesome.

6. A Little Night Music - It starts weird, then becomes really fucking gorgeous, then frightening, and then back to the most gorgous thing ever in one fell swoop.

7. The Most Happy Fella - Even when played on only two pianos, it packs an emotional wallop.

8. Candide - Somebody else said it better than I ever could in that article: This makes me want to sit up and write a check to the next PBS pledge drive.

If you don't believe me, watch this trippy clip from the 51st annual Tony Awards and then try to tell me what the hell it's supposed to be.

9. Mack and Mabel - The ultimate ice-dancing song.



Incidentally, I was really pissed that I found this HYSTERICAL clip of the failed musical with the same plot Keystone only a few minutes after I hit "Publish" on my last entry. Even if you didn't find any of the things I listed in it hilarious, I'm sure you'll agree that this one only renders all of them totally moot. WATCH IT!

Seriously. Tears.

10. Carousel - Because you don't fuck around with Rodgers & Hammerstein.