musicals, schmusicals

I finally bought the soundtrack to Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which I've wanted for a really long time. So I've been singing along while blogging and doing other procrastination-related activities.

The music is just so damn good. It makes me think, "Why aren't there more contemporary rock musicals?!" But then I remember the only musicals I actually really like are Hedwig and Victor/Victoria (then there are maybe a couple others I can tolerate).

What are the common patterns? The obvious is the gender-bending component that is integral to both. But what makes them musicals I can even stand, let alone love, is the fact that all the singing actually makes sense in the plot and moves the narrative forward. They aren't singing just to sing. They don't stop in the middle of the street and perform some over-choreographed goofy song. Both of the central figures are also performers in the plots of the stories. And the stories are well developed and plausible.