Dictionary definition of “jukebox musical”

jukebox musical

n. a theater show built around popular songs. Subjects: English, Entertainment, Music

Editorial Note: Also sometimes called a karaoke musical.

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Citations: 1993 D. Partridge Courier-Mail (Australia) (Feb. 1) “Enthusiasm Can’t Save This Musical”: Another jukebox musical—revive someone else’s plot (in this case Shakespeare’s Tempest and a forgotten MGM sci-fi movie of the 1950s), punctuate it with feel-good songs from the 1960s, and disguise the thin idea. 1995 Bill Morrison @ Fayetteville News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) (May 29) “‘Five Guys’ swings on Jordan’s star”: Right now they’re putting on the ultimate jukebox musical, Louis Jordan’s “Five Guys Named Moe,” and swinging everybody into bad health. 2005 Jesse McKinley New York Times (Feb. 14) “You Can Name the Tune, But Does It Fit the Plot?”: It highlights the challenges faced by writers of so-called catalog, or jukebox, musicals, an increasingly popular form of show in which a new story is woven around existing hit songs.…In particular, the problem for “Good Vibrations,” and other jukebox shows, is that the song lyrics cannot be altered to fit the sentiments of the characters who sing them. 2006 Charles Isherwood New York Times (May 1) “‘Hot Feet’: A Fractured Fairy Tale Set in Boogie Wonderland”: It has not been a vintage season for the jukebox musical.…Even this little-loved genre has been around long enough for standards to be set, for beloved highs—the nitwit glory that is “Mamma Mia!”—and notorious lows (take your pick).

Posted 18 Feb 05 | Permalink | Tell a Friend