By Jeremiah Ginn
f you couldn't guess by the title, all of my F music are from musicals. We first start with a little known and appreciated musical titled "Floyd Collins". It was written by a very gifted composer named Adam Guettel (he wrote The Light in the Piazza). The story, though tragic, is a true one about Floyd Collins, a farmer/cave explorer who, upon discovering an underground cave on his land, explores it, gets caved in, and eventually dies alone in the cave. His story was one of the first "Media Circuses" of the century, with people selling concessions, hawking their wares, etc. above ground while below ground, Floyd was stuck and almost forgotten. That part of history is presented in a sequence of the show titled "The Carnival", a GORGEOUS piece in the musical. The music is very unique. It has a very Adam Guettel sound to it, while also mixing the folk and country influences that were prevalent at the turn of the century.
Next onto "The Fantasticks". It is the longest running show of all time. It has been playing Off-Broadway since 1960. After closing for a short time, it has since reopened and still plays to adoring audiences. The story is simple; kind-of the antithesis of Romeo and Juliet. It is set in middle America maybe around the 40's...a simpler time. Boy loves the girl next dorr; their fathers are bitter enemies and built a wall to separate them. But in reality, the fathers are best friends who are playing reverse phycology on their kids to make them fall in love. They eventually stage a "battle" in which the girl is abducted by El Gallo, a traveling salesman who sells...well...abductions. The boy of course wins the battle and the feud is over. But then the boy and girl must make their love as intriguing as it was when it was a forbidden love. The music is absolutely beautiful, and definitely worth knowing. I personally want to play the boy one day...so this show is pretty special to me.
After that we have "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum". This HILARIOUS farce was written by the infamous Stephen Sondheim in the days before he was really known for writing music and lyrics to some of the most groundbreaking and artistic pieces in musical theater. This show is just plain fun. The music, though definitely having a Sondheim feel to it sounds more like a classic show from its era (1962). I played Hero in the show when I was 17. The cast can crew I worked with were incredible; so this show will always have a fond place in my heart.
Lastly, we have Sondheims acclaimed musical "Follies". The show is almost a tribute to those glory days of the theater where the Zigfield Follies were around. However, true to Sondheim's shows, this show is not just a happy-go-lucky revue. The show takes place in a crumbling theater which was home to a famous Follies that is about to be demolished. There is a reunion going of in which old performers and friends of the theater are there to see it off. The musical focuses on two couples, both of which are suffering from marital problems. The show follows these couples and they come to terms with these problems. Some of my favorite songs from the show inlclude "Could I Leave You?", "Too Many Mornings", "Losing My Mind", and "I'm Still Here".
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