Speaking of Steyn

I think he must have crawled inside my brain. I'm looking at my new "Little Women, The Musical" CD this morning (highly recommended by an online buddy) and wondering just why such a promising-sounding production did so badly on Broadway. I flip it open to read the synopsis, and my Steyn-trained eye immediately lights on "The story opens in New York City. . . . Jo March has recently arrived from Concord." Well, DUH. You don't open "Little Women" with Jo off by herself. There's the key to your flop, right there.

Good grief. I guess now I know everything there is to know about writing a musical, huh? Too bad I don't have a creative bone in my body. But anyone who loves theater, make sure you read Steyn's Broadway Babies Say Goodnight sometime. (And pay special attention to pp. 13-19 if you're wondering how it's possible for the first ten minutes to kill a show.) Brilliant work. The chapter on Sondheim alone ("to be cut from a Sondheim flop is as high praise as you can get") is worth the price of admission.