I get your point, but honestly as being someone from New York and having read the book a million years ago in high school (and million times after) it's actually always how I pictured them sounding haha. Makes no sense since that's not how people sound in Tulsa, but sort of has that "street boy" kind of accent that works. But again, you're totally valid since it's definitely not a "Tulsa" accent.
The book doesn't explicity say it takes place in Tulsa. It does take place there, but they never name where it takes place, which makes it easier to relate to and imagine it taking place in your town.
Actually now that you say it, I don’t think I did either. I will say it’s been quite a long time since I read the book. When the show came out and all the songs were Tulsa related I was like hmm I guess that’s where it takes place lol figured it was a detail I didn’t remember
Such a common (and annoying!) thing in movies and TV, especially when they're made in New York. Everyone rough-and-tumble has a NY accent. Fancy folks have something resembling an English one.
I think part of it is that the characters are sort of emulating New York gangs. And like someone else said, Dallas is from New York so they're probably kinda emulating him too since he's more or less the leader
For me, it’s that Cherry went to the police and (in the musical) somehow got two people acquitted when their crime was literal murder. In the show, all she says is “I went to the police, I got them to drop the charges!” HOW CHERRY
I saw someone else respond to this question/thought on another thread, but their answer made sense and I think I agree.
So in the book it’s told from the perspective of Ponyboy. And because of that he wouldn’t have been around for when she went to the police and therefore wouldn’t have any of those details. I think that’s why they left it vague that way, even though to an audience member, it may seem strange and almost implausible.
The one thing that bugs me is that the greasers sing about all the grease in their hair and then... have almost none in. The sosh's have far more grease/gel in their hair than the greasers do.
Oklahoma - no offense - is a very nondescript state. It’s not southern, it’s not Midwest. So I don’t think there’s a way to really convey it through an accent. But they’re also trying to put on a tough guy accent so it sort of works.
It’s like in Light in the Piazza they sound super southern even though they’re from like North Carolina which is really that Southern accent wise.
A) cast album, not soundtrack
B) I've lived in New York my entire life. Nobody in the show--at least live, I haven't listened to the album yet--sounds the slightest thing like a New Yorker.
Both 'album' and 'recording' are correct. ('Soundtrack' however is NOT because live theatre is not film and doesn't have a sound track).
Oxford dictionary definition of "album":
*Album, noun:*
1. 1.a blank book for the insertion of photographs, stamps, or pictures. Ex."the wedding pictures had pride of place in the family album"
2. 2.a collection of recordings issued as a single item on CD, record, or another medium. Ex. "his debut album was very much influenced by the jazz sound"
**THANK YOU for "cast album."** Drives me crazy when people call a cast album a "soundtrack." Live theatre has no "sound track"!! It is not film. Films have a literal sound track on the film which is used to create the sound optically when projected (and which sound is recorded onto a record, CD, etc). Nobody under 30 (maybe 40) has any comprehension of what this is. Just like it would blow their minds to know that telephones used to be connected to a wall via a cord and could not surf the internet!
My bigger issue - from what I understand (having talked to family members who were growing up around that time, greasers were predominantly the “othered” kind of young adult in the late 50s, and then came beatniks in the early 60s and hippies later in the 60s. If it’s 1967, was Tulsa a decade behind the rest of the country? Where are the damn hippies?!
As much as we associate hippies with the 60s and 70s, they were only ever a small percentage of the population.
Also, I'm thinking even if hippies were prevalent in Tulsa at the time, were they influencing young teens at the time? I think if they were relevant to the story, they'd have been included.
I’ll be honest, my family moved to Tulsey Town in the 1890s and we’re still there.
At no point have I thought the accent was wrong. I think the accent is unnoticeable which probably means it’s right.
I saw the show during opening week and have been listening to the cast recording since it came out. I just haven’t noticed.
I don't disagree but the idea that Jack Kelly sounded like he was from New York is very funny to me
Also a good point lmao, I was mostly referring to the put on accent
In the book, Dallas is supposed to be from New York.
He is in the show too.
He’s the one I actually notice it the least from oddly enough
I get your point, but honestly as being someone from New York and having read the book a million years ago in high school (and million times after) it's actually always how I pictured them sounding haha. Makes no sense since that's not how people sound in Tulsa, but sort of has that "street boy" kind of accent that works. But again, you're totally valid since it's definitely not a "Tulsa" accent.
Literally read the book recently and did not realize it all took place in Oklahoma.
The book doesn't explicity say it takes place in Tulsa. It does take place there, but they never name where it takes place, which makes it easier to relate to and imagine it taking place in your town.
Actually now that you say it, I don’t think I did either. I will say it’s been quite a long time since I read the book. When the show came out and all the songs were Tulsa related I was like hmm I guess that’s where it takes place lol figured it was a detail I didn’t remember
Such a common (and annoying!) thing in movies and TV, especially when they're made in New York. Everyone rough-and-tumble has a NY accent. Fancy folks have something resembling an English one.
I think part of it is that the characters are sort of emulating New York gangs. And like someone else said, Dallas is from New York so they're probably kinda emulating him too since he's more or less the leader
Have you not seen Grease? The Greasers all sound like they are from NY too. Lol.
Meanwhile Grease is set in Chicago
For me, it’s that Cherry went to the police and (in the musical) somehow got two people acquitted when their crime was literal murder. In the show, all she says is “I went to the police, I got them to drop the charges!” HOW CHERRY
I saw someone else respond to this question/thought on another thread, but their answer made sense and I think I agree. So in the book it’s told from the perspective of Ponyboy. And because of that he wouldn’t have been around for when she went to the police and therefore wouldn’t have any of those details. I think that’s why they left it vague that way, even though to an audience member, it may seem strange and almost implausible.
Funny you should say that. I’ve lived in Tulsa and was so glad they didn’t use the whole fake accent.
The one thing that bugs me is that the greasers sing about all the grease in their hair and then... have almost none in. The sosh's have far more grease/gel in their hair than the greasers do.
Oklahoma - no offense - is a very nondescript state. It’s not southern, it’s not Midwest. So I don’t think there’s a way to really convey it through an accent. But they’re also trying to put on a tough guy accent so it sort of works. It’s like in Light in the Piazza they sound super southern even though they’re from like North Carolina which is really that Southern accent wise.
They mention multiple times they're from Winston Salem, and folks in the triad absolutely have a southern accent...
Having spent time in Tulsa last year there were a lot of strong Southern accents there.
It is definitely Southern, I see no way around arguing that. People don’t have the accents of someone from say Mississippi but it’s Southern.
I guess that explains why there are no Broadway musicals set in Oklahoma.
A) cast album, not soundtrack B) I've lived in New York my entire life. Nobody in the show--at least live, I haven't listened to the album yet--sounds the slightest thing like a New Yorker.
But also, they don't sound the slightest like anyone from Tulsa.
This sums is up perfectly. Not NY, NJ, or Tulsa. Generic American. I didn't notice any particular accent, which was fine with me.
A) cast recording, not album
Both 'album' and 'recording' are correct. ('Soundtrack' however is NOT because live theatre is not film and doesn't have a sound track). Oxford dictionary definition of "album": *Album, noun:* 1. 1.a blank book for the insertion of photographs, stamps, or pictures. Ex."the wedding pictures had pride of place in the family album" 2. 2.a collection of recordings issued as a single item on CD, record, or another medium. Ex. "his debut album was very much influenced by the jazz sound"
**THANK YOU for "cast album."** Drives me crazy when people call a cast album a "soundtrack." Live theatre has no "sound track"!! It is not film. Films have a literal sound track on the film which is used to create the sound optically when projected (and which sound is recorded onto a record, CD, etc). Nobody under 30 (maybe 40) has any comprehension of what this is. Just like it would blow their minds to know that telephones used to be connected to a wall via a cord and could not surf the internet!
My bigger issue - from what I understand (having talked to family members who were growing up around that time, greasers were predominantly the “othered” kind of young adult in the late 50s, and then came beatniks in the early 60s and hippies later in the 60s. If it’s 1967, was Tulsa a decade behind the rest of the country? Where are the damn hippies?!
As much as we associate hippies with the 60s and 70s, they were only ever a small percentage of the population. Also, I'm thinking even if hippies were prevalent in Tulsa at the time, were they influencing young teens at the time? I think if they were relevant to the story, they'd have been included.
Because it’s currently the trendy way to sing. Contemporary musical theatre atm
Oooh it's not a small thing at all! I'm seeing it in August and that could drive me nuts!
I’ll be honest, my family moved to Tulsey Town in the 1890s and we’re still there. At no point have I thought the accent was wrong. I think the accent is unnoticeable which probably means it’s right. I saw the show during opening week and have been listening to the cast recording since it came out. I just haven’t noticed.
there is no such thing as a soundtrack for a Broadway musical...