Living in a recycled culture

I just read something quite interesting...

"You have two kinds of shows on Broadway -- revivals and the same kind of musicals over and over again, all spectacles," says Sondheim. "You get your tickets for 'The Lion King' a year in advance, and essentially a family comes as if to a picnic, and they pass on to their children the idea that that's what the theater is -- a spectacular musical you see once a year, a stage version of a movie. It has nothing to do with theater at all. It has to do with seeing what is familiar. We live in a recycled culture." - Stephen Sondheim from Frank Rich's New York Times article.

I can't help but competely agree and I feel like this is exactly the reason why I don't go to Broadway shows. It's pretty sad when I hear these wonderful stories about a time long lost, where Rodgers and Hammerstein's works were considered brand new. Can you imagine what it would have been like to be in the premier of Guys and Dolls? Or West Side Story?

At the same time, I feel that there are new musicals being produced, like In the Heights that are worth seeing, however, with the cost of the trip and the ticket combined, I fear I might be dissapointed, so I end up talking myself out of it.
Now speaking of movies, I hear that there will be Spiderman: The Musical. Even if it's directed by Julie Taymor, and is sure to have some brilliant headliners, it's kind of sad that there are no original ideas for theatre anymore. I'm sure it all comes down to money, but can't SOMEBODY just come up with a good story and instead of making a movie first, make it into a musical??
I'm just sayin...

I'll just submit my idea... box office, the musical. It'll be a hit! :) Now I just need Stephen to write the music and I'm gold! ;)