# Why no Broadway musicals on DVD? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 1, 2007, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-broadway-musicals-on-dvd/424923 "2007-11-01T20:44:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-broadway-musicals-on-dvd/424923/1 "2007-11-01T20:44:33Z")
Not that I’m…you know…_into_ Broadway musicals… But I wouldn’t mind a DVD of a production of Spamalot just for starters. And Hair. You’d think it would be easy enough to point a couple cameras at the stage (I’m not talking about Hollywood film versions), with or without an audience present. And there’s bound to be a market for that kind of thing. I think it’s a racket. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-broadway-musicals-on-dvd/424923/2 "2007-11-01T20:55:48Z")
**Pippin** > **[Amazon.com: Pippin : Various: Movies & TV](https://www.amazon.com/Pippin-Various/dp/B00004W5VC)** > > Product Description Pippin is a pip of a Broadway musical that is not only a contemporary classic but also the play that made director choreographer Bob Fosse a famous name long before "Cabaret" and "All That Jazz". Using the medieval legend... There are others – I think Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is available as well. It’s just that, once a film version exists, they seem to prefer to market that. You can find operas on DVD, too. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-broadway-musicals-on-dvd/424923/3 "2007-11-01T20:57:14Z")
In fact, look down the linked page to find **Into the Woods** and **Sweeney Todd** (Memo to self – look before you post) ---
**Author:** ![Karen\_Lingel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karen_lingel/32/18649_2.png) [@Karen\_Lingel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karen_Lingel)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-broadway-musicals-on-dvd/424923/4 "2007-11-01T20:58:27Z")
A lot of Sondheim’s stuff is on DVD: Into the Woods, Sunday in the Park with George, Passion, The Barber that Cuts Up People and his Girlfriend Makes them Into Meat Pies (can never remember the title of that one.) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-broadway-musicals-on-dvd/424923/5 "2007-11-01T21:07:35Z")
Netflix has a few: _Barnum_ (incredible staging and acrobatics, incidentally), _Sweeney Todd_, _Sunday in the Park with George_, etc… Andrew Lloyd Webber is the main person who releases DVDs of B’way productions, though he waits until they’ve run their course, but almost all B’way shows are taped and I’ve often wondered why they don’t go for the home market once the show is over. Or even before it’s over, for that matter: _Fiddler on the Roof_ is a hit whenever it’s revived and it’s been a (great) movies for 30+ years and done by every high school group. Speaking of Broadway meets film news, Barbra Streisand is in [negotiations](http://www.zimbio.com/Barbra+Streisand/articles/18/Streep+Close+Streisand+Vie+Sunset+Boulevard) (along with Glenn Close) to play Norma Desmond in the film adaptation of the musical version of _Sunset Blvd_. Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!!! ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-broadway-musicals-on-dvd/424923/6 "2007-11-01T21:10:06Z")
[QUOTE=Karen Lingel] The Barber that Cuts Up People and his Girlfriend Makes them Into Meat Pies (can never remember the title of that one.) [/QUOTE] _Sweeney Todd_, soon to be a [major motion picture for the Christmas season](http://youtube.com/watch?v=yQM9TK9V2R4) (though the lyrics “Attend the tale of the Barber that Cuts Up People/He served a dark and vengeful God” has a ring to 😃 ). ---
**Author:** ![Plynck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Plynck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plynck)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-broadway-musicals-on-dvd/424923/7 "2007-11-01T21:13:07Z")
[QUOTE=Karen Lingel] …The Barber that Cuts Up People and his Girlfriend Makes them Into Meat Pies (can never remember the title of that one.) [/QUOTE] _Funny Girl?_ ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-broadway-musicals-on-dvd/424923/8 "2007-11-01T21:14:58Z")
The DVD of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s [Cats](http://www.amazon.com/Cats-Musical-Commemorative-Elaine-Paige/dp/B00004XMTJ/) is delightful. I’ve seen the show several times on stage, and never enjoyed it as much as this version. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-broadway-musicals-on-dvd/424923/9 "2007-11-01T21:20:04Z")
[QUOTE=Plynck] _Funny Girl?_ [/QUOTE] No, that’s about the political activist who chews up scenery. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-broadway-musicals-on-dvd/424923/10 "2007-11-01T21:25:31Z")
There was a guest asking about this recently, but I can’t find the thread. PBS has a good selection, but I’d imagine you can get the same stuff on Amazon. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-broadway-musicals-on-dvd/424923/11 "2007-11-01T21:26:24Z")
The movie version of [Hair](http://www.amazon.com/Hair-John-Savage/dp/0792841638/) isn’t bad, although everybody is too old. My main complaint is that they left out my favorite song, “Frank Mills.” ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-broadway-musicals-on-dvd/424923/12 "2007-11-01T21:31:52Z")
One I’d love to see on DVD is _Purlie_. There was a production of it (not sure if it was B’way or LA) starring Robert Guillaume, Sherman Hemsley, Melba Moore and several “that’s the woman from that show” actors that had some fantastic moments. (Ossie Davis hated the musical, but mainly because of one admittedly unthought out number.) [There are](http://youtube.com/watch?v=8UF5EyCd_cM) clips [on](http://youtube.com/watch?v=HZ3FZf3FOIE) YouTube, including the hauntingly beautiful (if only to me) duet [Down Home](http://youtube.com/watch?v=GsbHHHGo0j4). ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-broadway-musicals-on-dvd/424923/13 "2007-11-01T21:37:20Z")
> [@](#): > > I met a boy called Frank Mills > On September twelfth right here > In front of the Waverly > But unfortunately > I lost his address Yep, best song in the show and a sorry lack from the movie. I can’t imagine there would be a problem with the stage versions taking sales from the movies because REAL fans would buy BOTH! [aside] I’m glad my daughter is bringing a friend to Saturday’s trivia contest at work because one of the categories is songs from musicals. Our periods don’t overlap–I’m Jesus Christ Superstar and before and he’s Any Sondheim and other newer stuff. [/aside] ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-broadway-musicals-on-dvd/424923/14 "2007-11-01T21:56:19Z")
[QUOTE=dropzone] I can’t imagine there would be a problem with the stage versions taking sales from the movies because REAL fans would buy BOTH! [/QUOTE] Yeah, but people who aren’t real fans wouldn’t, and a lot of consumers are not real fans. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-broadway-musicals-on-dvd/424923/15 "2007-11-02T01:34:25Z")
[QUOTE=garygnu] There was a guest asking about this recently, but I can’t find the thread. PBS has a good selection, but I’d imagine you can get the same stuff on Amazon. [/QUOTE] I think you’re talking about this thread: [real theater dvds](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=438216) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-broadway-musicals-on-dvd/424923/16 "2007-11-02T01:43:43Z")
[QUOTE=sqweels] You’d think it would be easy enough to point a couple cameras at the stage (I’m not talking about Hollywood film versions), with or without an audience present. [/QUOTE] It would be easy, yes, but it would be difficult to get a really satisfactory result that way. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-broadway-musicals-on-dvd/424923/17 "2007-11-02T01:50:14Z")
[QUOTE=Sampiro] One I’d love to see on DVD is _Purlie_. There was a production of it (not sure if it was B’way or LA) starring Robert Guillaume, Sherman Hemsley, Melba Moore and several “that’s the woman from that show” actors that had some fantastic moments. (Ossie Davis hated the musical, but mainly because of one admittedly unthought out number.) [There are](http://youtube.com/watch?v=8UF5EyCd_cM) clips [on](http://youtube.com/watch?v=HZ3FZf3FOIE) YouTube, including the hauntingly beautiful (if only to me) duet [Down Home](http://youtube.com/watch?v=GsbHHHGo0j4). [/QUOTE] Ahem. It’s true that Robert Guillaume was in the show, but he was not the orginal Purlie V. Judson. That honor is held by Cleavon Little, who actually won a Tony for the role. Guillaume replaced Little during the show’s run, but it’s Little whose voice is on the cast recording. Which I have. In vinyl. Soon to be converted to mp3. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-broadway-musicals-on-dvd/424923/18 "2007-11-02T02:22:36Z")
[QUOTE=Bricker] Ahem. It’s true that Robert Guillaume was in the show, but he was not the orginal Purlie V. Judson. That honor is held by Cleavon Little, who actually won a Tony for the role. Guillaume replaced Little during the show’s run, but it’s Little whose voice is on the cast recording. Which I have. In vinyl. Soon to be converted to mp3. [/QUOTE] I have it on vinyl _and on_ CD, because I _know_ how to show my love for Cleavon. (But I prefer Guillaume.) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-broadway-musicals-on-dvd/424923/19 "2007-11-02T02:31:39Z")
[QUOTE=pinkfreud] The movie version of [Hair](http://www.amazon.com/Hair-John-Savage/dp/0792841638/) isn’t bad, although everybody is too old. My main complaint is that they left out my favorite song, “Frank Mills.” [/QUOTE] Did you hear Harvey Fierstein sing it at a recent concert version of HAIR? Interesting. (The song, for those who don’t know, was literally just an ad in a newspaper that Rado and Ragni and McDermott put to music [though they might have changed the name].) I’d like to see the John Barrowman production of HAIR, though mainly because I’d like to see John Barrowman take his [flag](http://www.sparklies.org/gallery/displayimage.php?album=lastcom&cat=0&pos=0) off. (Now _imagine_ if they released Radcliffe’s _EQUUS_ on DVD- that would probably set DVD sale records in all genres.) ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-broadway-musicals-on-dvd/424923/20 "2007-11-02T02:40:20Z")
I think there is some undeniable snob appeal associated with Broadway shows, where the small circle of rich New Yorkers who get to enjoy shows on a regular basis would somehow feel their special experience is cheapened by releasing them on DVD for the unwashed masses. Sure, tourists get to go to New York City to catch shows on Broadway – I did it myself, when I saw _Rent_ and _Les Miserables_ over the summer – and shows tour all the time. But attending the theater is still an expensive form of entertainment, and usually something for “the elite” to enjoy, rather than most families, students, younger couples on dates, and so forth. Packaging shows just like movies would reduce some of that grandeur and mystique for the core audience, even if it meant expanding the overall audience and allowing more people to enjoy the same things. Usually we’ll just have to wait for shows to be adapted into movies, which are usually just as good (or at least different enough to be interesting). On that note, it would be great to get a _Les Miserables_ movie based on the actual show, and a _Wicked_ movie before Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth get too old to play the parts they created. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-broadway-musicals-on-dvd/424923.md?page=2)