The Musicals Thread

[Taalcon]

I did a search for some sort of similar thread, and couldn't find it. So if there's some sort of long-running thread a long-time-absentee is simply ignorant of, please except my apology, shame, and guilt.

Otherwise:

Here's a thread to share your experience with musicals.
Those you have listened to (and please let us know which version, if there are multiple)
Those you have seen, those you wish you have seen, and those you wish you hadn't seen or listened to. And which versions (stage, film adaptation, etc).
Also, any prior (or later) relationship or reaction to any of the musical's original source material, if there is any.

I'll start off with the one I saw last night: Wicked.

I saw it at the Fox Theater in Atlanta.

I'd listened to the original cast recording album before, years ago, and really enjoyed the music - but at times was somewhat lost in regards to the story. I made some assumptions, and had a general idea of the story worked out in my mind.

I never ended up reading the original novel.

So I saw it performed last night, and my world was somewhat rocked. I was afraid that by having listened to the album, I'd have somewhat spoiled any surprises. Well, I was wrong. I was surprised, fascinated, corrected, and highly impressed at the full story and experience. I found it to be far more thought provoking than just the (very) enjoyable music had let on. Funny, outstanding performances, and some great insights on the nature of perspective.

I just wish I had been sitting a little more center than far off to the front-left. The speakers at times drowned out the vocal performances.

ENJOYMENT RATINGS:

Source Material: [No Experience]
Original Cast Recording: * * * *
Stage Production [Atlanta]: * * * * * *

(The star system is flexible. If you enjoyed something 10 stars worth, go for it. I expect the cap to grow and shrink - and to perhaps change and be replaced by other things- as the discussion continues.

So:

What are some of your musical experiences?

[Claire]

I love musicals! My favorite is Les Miserables. The first time I heard the music I was probably about 9 years old-- some of my bunkmates at camp had the music and would sing along to it all the time, so much so that I knew about half the songs by heart before I ever saw it live. When I got home from camp at the end of the summer, I BEGGED my parents to take me to see it on Broadway. Since then, I have seen it multiple times on Broadway, once in London, and several school/camp productions. It hasn't lost any of its appeal. I often listen to the soundtrack when I jog, because I know all of the lyrics so well I can just lose myself in them. The ending can still make me cry.

On the other end of the spectrum, everyone else seems to like Spring Awakening-- I HATED it!

[steph]

Brian and I went on a quadruple date earlier this month with all the men in the family and their wives to see Les Mis. Last time I saw it, I was in high school. The show has been redesigned for the 25th anniversary and it is STUNNINGLY beautiful. We saw an understudy for Val Jean, and I'm really glad I had the opportunity to see his performance. There was some serious chemistry between the cast and the audience. I haven't seen that kind of chemistry in the theatre in YEARS. The kid who played Gavrache totally owned that stage. He was unbelievable. The show was even better since I actually finished reading the whole unabridged book before I went. It made it so much more meaningful. It was also awesome to be there with my Brothers-in-law, Father-in-law and all the wives. It was an awesome night.

25th Anniversary Touring cast in Denver with Val Jean understudy: *****

We planning on trying to do the quadruple date again in April to see Wicked. I'm going to take Brian anyway, since he's never seen it, but I hope we can make it work with the fam!

[Taalcon]

Les Mis is coming to the Fox in April. I've never seen any stage production of it, although I've listened to many different cast albums. I'm ecstatic about the revised version. I'm begging everyone I know to commit to it now so we can order early group tickets, and get good seats.

I'll say more about Les Mis and my experiences later, but as it stands, I consider it one of the most powerful stories ever written. In any medium.

Ever.

[steph]

You MUST go. And everyone you know.

And I agree. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

[Mich]

Awesome idea for a thread, Taal.

I've seen a lot of musicals in my time, mostly highly quality high school productions, but a good amount of others. Probably my favorite play musical ever is Into the Woods. The discussions of tropes, subversions, quality songs, and ability to be both a parody and still have a moral makes it most excellent.

Will be watching this thread with more interest. I love hearing people talk about musicals.

[Taalcon]

I will say my first experience with a stage musical was a high school production of The Sound of Music, where I performed in the pit orchestra (French Horn). The most memorable part of that experience was a notebook the pit passed around making MST3K style comments throughout the rehearsals and productions. We did some bets, like "Number of times the nuns go off key", "Number of times Gretl flubs her lines", "Number of times Max trips", etc. It was a blast.

[Syphon the Sun]

Probably my favorite play musical ever is Into the Woods.

I sort of hate to ask it, but do you have a basket?

[Mich]

I sort of hate to ask it, but do you have a basket?

I have the Broadway original cast soundtrack. "No One is Alone" is really the only one listening to from the recording, and "Agony" loses so much when it's not performed.

[Young Val]

Secret Kelly Trivia: I entered college as a theatre major.

LOVE musicals.

[steph]

Secret Kelly Trivia: I entered college as a theatre major.

LOVE musicals.

[locke]

Tom Hooper, who directed King's Speech, will next be directing the film version of Les Mis.

my favorite musical is probably a Disney film, Beauty and the Beast, or the one I saw last night, The Lion King. However Lion King is barely a musical with three songs sung by the cast (The rest is overlay music).

Favorite live action musical probably swings between Singin in the Rain, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers or The Golddiggers of 1933

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnpv1qXMnaM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Mich]

However Lion King is barely a musical with three songs sung by the cast (The rest is overlay music).

Let me guess: "Circle of Life", "Be Prepared", and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"? I've never seen it, but those are my guesses.

[locke]

you are 33% correct.

[Taalcon]

However Lion King is barely a musical with three songs sung by the cast (The rest is overlay music).

Let me guess: "Circle of Life", "Be Prepared", and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"? I've never seen it, but those are my guesses.

Circle of Life would be an overlay song. Try "I Just Can't Wait To Be King". And "Hakuna Matata". And, if you consider the 'extended version' legit, then perhaps "Morning Report" as well.

[Mich]

Right, right, because "Circle of Life" is a hardcore dance section, right? The "fun" songs are the ones that get sung. I would have said "Morning Report", but I figured it wasn't as likely.

Whereas I think that "Circle of Life" is semi-important, in terms of lyrical content to the story. But whatever.

[steph]

When did that change? When I saw it, back when the tour kicked off in Denver, everything was sung. At least I thought. I remember sitting in the balcony and right over to my right, Brian Love was singing in Circle of Life. Do I totally remember it incorrectly?

We're taking the kids to see Lion King in November. I am super excited. They love the movie as much as I do, so I'm excited to see them experience the live show. It's totally worth pulling Tyler out of school for.

[Young Val]

Steph, I'm with you. When I saw The Lion King ti qualified as a full-on musical.


Love Sondheim, because, obviously. Of the musicals I've performed in, though, I have to say my favorite was Once on the Island. Or maybe The Pirates of Penzance. Or My Favorite Year.

Ok, clearly I cannot choose.

[VelvetElvis]

I don't know that I've ever seen a "musical" then.

[Jayelle]

I would love to see a real Broadway musical on stage. I almost had the chance to see Wicked on tour when I was home for my Grandma's funeral, but there wasn't enough time . I've watched a DVD of the live show of Into the Woods and it was amazing!

I saw a local production of Beauty and the Beast that was pretty fun, and I loved the musicals we did in High School (Oklahoma, Annie, Finnigan's Rainbow, King and I).

Mostly, though, I have just watched movie musicals. Singing in the Rain (apart from the weird bit in the middle) is awesome.

[VelvetElvis]

If we get to count musicals on tape/dvd/bluray, then I have seen several!

[Young Val]

Seeing Wicked in Broadway previews is one of the best theatre experiences of my life.

I love, love, love Idina Menzel, and by the time I got to see RENT on Broadway she had already left the cast. So when I heard she was starring in Wicked I convinced my friend, Chris, to meet me in New York City (we were in college at the time, I was at Ithaca, he was at Emerson) and we'd try for the lottery.

It was a weekend in early October. I woke up and drove myself to the bus station early Friday morning and rode the bus for 5 or 6 hours, listening to Into the Woods on my discman repeatedly. I think I was 19 or 20? We met in New York, stayed in the village in the cheapest, creepiest, sketchiest hotel I've ever stayed in in my life, with shared bathrooms for the entire floor and ancient, ripped spring mattress. We walked everywhere because we couldn't afford subway fare, and ate two meals a day: a bagel in the morning, and a slice of pizza at night, for a whopping total of $2.50. We were in college, and we were SUPER poor (bagel and pizza prices in NYC have since inflated).

We saw a matinee of Aida ($15) and an evening performance of Gypsy starring Bernadette Peters ($20) on Saturday, after trying for the lottery Saturday morning AND afternoon and getting shafted both times. We tried again Sunday morning and were also unlucky. But we were not leaving without seeing Wicked. So we waited in line for Will Call cancelations, and we got them. 6th row, center, for $100 a piece. Chris didn't have the much cash on him OR in the bank, and while I didn't have the money on me, I did have it in the bank. Barely. I begged, begged, BEGGED the ticket seller to hold the tickets for us for 5 minutes while I ran to the ATM and emptied out my bank account. He did and I did, and that's how I got to see Wicked.

[VelvetElvis]

That's a great story, Kelly!

[Gravity Defier]

I saw RENT on Broadway (NYC) back in March of 2007, so not too long before it ended. I don't know about the cast and while I do have the program and could tell you, I'm too lazy at the moment to do it.

I then saw Wicked on Broadway (Chicago) in July of 2007 and once again in January of this year, but in Tucson. Same story about me not knowing the cast but having the program.

I have not seen The Last 5 Years performed live but I did watch a crappy quality video uploaded to youtube; that is now on my list of things I need to see before I die. I have a cast recording (not crappy quality) but I don't know the details on that, either.

I have the Wedding Singer cast recording (again, lousy on the details at the moment) but I haven't listened to that all the way through.


And, I watched the PBS (think it was PBS anyway) recording of Chess with Steph last year.


My musical experiences seem kind of lacking but alas.

[Petra456]

I LOVE musicals, but I've only been to see one. Will took me to see Jersey Boys one of the first times going to San Francisco with him. We ALMOST went to see Wicked (which i'm DYING to see), but didn't because we were broker then broke while it was here.

[Luet]

I've seen Phantom on Broadway twice and Les Mis locally as a traveling broadway production (I think that's what it's called).

[Petra456]

Oh man, I completely forgot about seeing Spamalot a couple of years ago in Seattle! It was funny, but not one of my all time favorites.

[Syphon the Sun]

I have a cast recording (not crappy quality) but I don't know the details on that, either.

It's the 2002 (off broadway) cast. Norbert Leo Butz and Sherie Rene Scott.

[Young Val]

Does Sherie Renee Scott's voice irritate anyone else on that recording? I wish Lauren Kennedy had been able to stay with the project.

[steph]

I your Wicked story, Kelly. Also, thanks for verifying that I'm not out of my mind about Lion King!

Someday, I'll make it to NY to see some shows on Broadway. Luckily, I did get to see Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp in RENT the last time the tour came through. That's as close as I've been. Oh, I guess I did see Stephanie J. Block in Wicked, and she was Elphie in the early previews, before they switched to a bigger name. Well, I guess I also did see Linda Eder in Jekyll and Hyde when it previewed in Denver before Broadway. That's all pretty close, but still no NYC.

Someday I'll have enough expendable income to go to the theatre regularly, like I did in college. For most of my theatre fixes right now, I trade massage for comp tickets to an awesome dinner theatre nearby. Productions are amazing, the theatre is beautiful and the food is actually quite delicious, since they employ a chef. The goal of this theatre was to fix everything that's wrong with dinner theatre and they did that, for sure.

Also, I was just coming on here to tell people they should check out Chess in Concert that aired on PBS. Adam Pascal, Idina Menzel, Josh Groban. I love my DVD so much. And my cast recording.

[Young Val]

Steph, I too would love to get to a place in life where I can attend the threatre regularly.

The next time any of you go to New York, remind me to give you my cheap theatre tips! You can see Broadways shows for $18 by going to the theatre about 45 minutes before show time (matinees and weeknights obviously work best) and asking if any standing room only or obstructed view tickets are available. Standing room only is a blast, and the obstructed view seats often aren't very obstructed at all, and if they are, often the seats all around you will be empty. Just move over.

[Syphon the Sun]

Does Sherie Renee Scott's voice irritate anyone else on that recording?

Confession: I very rarely listen to the full soundtrack. I usually only listen to Shiska Goddess, Moving Too Fast, and The Schmuel Song, mostly because I'm never in the mood for the full LFY experience and those are the "happy" songs.

[locke]

I was referring to the orginal lion king, not the stage lion king, which I haven't seen. Can you Feel the Love Tonight and Circle of Life are not sung by the characters (not really, there's like a line-ish, each for simba and nala, but it's otherwise just soundtrack and not the characters singing).

[steph]

Oh my gosh. I feel dumb now! Sorry for the confusion I caused!!

[LilBee91]

I might give a more thorough review later, but for now I'm just going to list the musicals I've seen. Unfortunately, I have not seen any of them on Broadway, and I'm still mad at myself for not coughing up to see Wicked or Spamalot in London.

Professional Stage Productions:
Phantom of the Opera (two times--Salt Lake City and Vegas) I have also read the book.
Spamalot (the touring cast with Mr. Peterman in Anchorage)

High Schools/Community Theatre:
Les Mis (absolutely love the soundtrack and I will see it on stage someday)
Beauty and the Beast
West Side Story
Little Shop of Horrors (does that count as a musical?)
Grease
Footloose

I also listen to the Wicked soundtrack semi-obsessively, and have a DVD version of Oklahoma starring Hugh Jackman (best mistake my mom ever made--she meant to order the 50's version and bought Hugh instead). If we want to get into other movie versions I think my list may get excessively long.