I’m not disputing that they can’t have very good productions, or very talented casts, or very talented costumes/scenic designers/orchestras/whatever. But they take out possibly the element of a musical that matters the very most to me, the writing. Oh, sure, there are some that pretend to have a plot, but the plot’s really just a loose construction around a variety of songs and the characters always seem to have brick-wall endings.
And there’s no original music. I mean, isn’t that the point of a musical? Really? The music?
If nothing else, I think jukebox musicals and musicals with original scores should maybe be judged differently. It seems unfair to put them against each other. It’s like how the Golden Globes have different categories for comedy and drama. It’s just a thought. It’s not as if jukebox shows get nominated for best score, which I suppose is the main difference, but even beyond that they just… come off two different art forms more than not.
Or there’s the kind of jukebox musical that one one hand I hate more and on one hand I hate less. The one that’s really just people in costume putting on a concert. Its not trying to fake a plot can be seen as a good thing because at least it’s not going to patronize you with some cheesy story about teenage lovers who happen to have the names of characters in songs by whatever band/artist/whatever, but it also just seems like it really ought to be one of those tribute bands that tours local theatres and not considered a “Broadway musical.”
I don’t know. Maybe I’m just a snob. Maybe I just haven’t seen the magical jukebox show that will persuade me otherwise. Maybe, maybe, maybe.
–your fangirl heroine.
partlydrawn 
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