City of IF

Phantomfan · Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 2:41 pm Post subject: Favorite Musical!

So, lately it has come to my attention that there are a bunch of musical theater fans here.

And, out of curiosity, I just wanted to ask;

What is your favorite musical?

It's a long, long list over here, but I would have to say a few of my favorites are Phantom of the Opera and Wicked.
Any other thoughts?

DeadManWalking · Joined: 24 May 2006 Posts: 1005

Sweeney Todd

Avenue Q

Spamalot

Black Hawk · Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:17 pm Post subject:

my friends performance of 'Cats' was excellent and got me interested in musicals

Scheherazade · Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:38 pm Post subject:

Crazy for You was the first I preformed in (pit orchestra); I that's probably one of my favourites.

Wicked was good, too.

Alegria · Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 8:43 pm Post subject:

Ooooh! I have a list!

My top ten-

10. 1776

Why- It's an interesting take on history and is uncannily accurate for something that was not meant to be a documentary type thing. Good music, and the movie version stars MR. FEENY!!!!!

9. Hairspray

Why- It's really fun and touches upon a subject that is a big deal in the U.S. It also has very catchy period music.

8. Sunday in the Park With George

Why- Stephen Sondheim, enough said. It has a good storyline, and it's fun to watch the famous paintings come together on stage.

7. Avenue Q

Why- The songs and ideas are hilarious! With songs titled "The Internet is for Porn," "It Sucks to be Me," and "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist," it's a show that goes there with innapropriate puppets. Gotta love it.

6. The Sound of Music

Why- It's just plain cheesy goodness. It's hoplessly cliched and inaccurate about Austrian culture, but it's so old that it made the cliches, so it's all good.

5. Wicked

Why- I love the whole "nature of evil" idea it brings up. The songs are also catchy.

4. Sweeny Todd

Why- The soundtrack is astoundingly beautiful. I love it when I'm not expecting a note or a chord and this soundtrack does that all the time. The show is also wonderful and well-written. Good gory stuff.

3. Phantom of the Opera

Why- It is Lloyd Weber's masterpeice. I feel for the phantom and songs such as Music of the Night and Think of Me make it an instant classic. The Phantom may be one of the best characters I've ever seen in a show.

2. Into the Woods

Why- Great music, great characters, great jokes, great themes... that's a whole lot of greatness in one musical, which was the work of the great Stephen Sondheim. The songs are catchy, the characters familiar, but the staging and the way the characters interact is cleverly done and the twists of the second act are wonderfully unexpected (killing the narrator). The best songs are No One Is Alone, the Prologue, No More, and Children Will Listen.

and number one is...

Les Miserables!!!!

Why- The show, the music, the characters, the plot, they all just come together in a way few shows do. Nothing seems forced or campy, the characters are sympathetic and easy to relate to (My favorite was Eponine). It's poignant but inspirational. It's a great work.

There you go!

DeadManWalking · Joined: 24 May 2006 Posts: 1005

I've seen your top seven (except for Wicked), and I wholeheartedly agree.

almost.

I would've put Sweeney Todd a bit higher up.
I think Javere is a better character than Eponine.

pretty much every other comment:

YES!!!!! you took the words right out of my mouth

Banthanar · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 6:13 am Post subject:

Oh goodness...
I'd have to say that Wicked is my ultimate favorite. But I also enjoy side-splitting comedy musicals, like those of Mel Brooks (The Producers, Young Frankenstein) or Spamalot. Just about any musical is one I love lol.

Guest · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:15 am Post subject:

'Cats' for their beautiful song of midnight!

'phantom of the opera' ha another song about midnight!

tramp in a storm · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 2:02 pm Post subject:

*thwacks bob, notices the scary moving eye in Deady's av* thanks, Christal and Deady, that's cool :lol:

Anyway, the musicals... *thinks* I've not seen many...

Phantom on the Opera has to be my fave! Mainly 'cos of Gerard Butler lol he's got a good voice. I want to watch the original though. Mainly 'cos of the Phantom in that one too! I could never imagine him playing a serious role. I've only ever seen him as Spencer. *mimics Spencer* "Betteeey" :lol:

I also like Mary Poppins, Chichi chichi bang bang and Sound of Music probably almost or as much as Phantom of the Opera. Blood Brothers...ok maybe I've seen a few lol! Blood brothers I saw when we went on a trip with school. That was good.

I think my least fave are High school musicals (They aren't that bad actually, I quite liked them. just that the main guy annoys me) and I didn't like Hair Spray as much.

Can't think of any more right now.

D-Lotus · Joined: 21 Oct 2004 Posts: 4123 Location: Hollywood, USA

Nobody mentioned West Side Story. That's a classic. HAven't watched one of the recent ones: The Mamma Mia remake (how is it?)

Alegria · Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 9:47 am Post subject:

Definitely a more "girl oriented" movie.

I didn't like it, but I do (sometimes) enjoy ABBA

But I hate the Dancing Queen song.

Novelest_Ninjagirl · Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 10:01 am Post subject:

*blinks, then sighs* I am very very deprived. I have not watched any of the listed musicals. Or any that I can think of.

Mother Goose · Joined: 09 May 2004 Posts: 511 Location: Connecticut

How about some of the really really old ones? (I'm really really old.) Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, The Music Man? Even Oklahoma?

The Powers That Be · Joined: 19 May 2005 Posts: 545 Location: Santa Monica, CA

I have to admit I haven't seen too many musicals on the stage (although the Anime/Hip-Hop style stage version of "Pippin" I saw recently was...interesting), but when it comes to movie musicals, the discussion of "best" begins and ends with "Singing in the Rain".

The White Blacksmith · Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 2629

What, no mentions of Billy Elliot? Classic stage show - very British though, so Americans might not get the references.

sir wax · Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 6:58 pm Post subject:

Pennies from Heaven (movie)

Singing Detective (mini-series)
Lipstick on your Collar (mini-series)
Anything Gene Kelly
Anything Astair and Rodgers
Anything Bubsy Berkley
A lot of pre-hays Hollywood musicals like Love Parade by Ernst Lubitch
A Mighty Wind
Grease

Sincerely,
SirWaxaLot

P.S. Alegira wrote: But I hate the Dancing Queen song. Um... How can you hate the greatest song ever produced?

EDIT:

Almost forgot Hedwig and the Angry Itch. Very awesome musical.
All that Jazz
Cabaret
Dancer in the Dark

there are too many out there

Alegria · Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 1:34 pm Post subject:

I can name HUNDREDS of songs that are better than "Dancing Queen."

I don't even think that's the best ABBA has produced.

I think that's "Lay All Your Love On Me"

The White Blacksmith · Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 2629

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention 'Dr Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog'

That's an awesome musical! Check it out!

Lord Byron · Joined: 18 Feb 2008 Posts: 56 Location: Dol Guldur

Sweeny Todd and Phantom of the Opera, saw Phantom live

Guest · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 5:38 am Post subject:

There is also "Beaty and The Beast" and "Lion King", but I wish I could have seen them... Yes they preform them...

Alegria · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 6:15 am Post subject:

I'm an idiot. I forgot to mention Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Greatness :D

Bookwizard · Joined: 07 Oct 2007 Posts: 639 Location: Gallifrey

I watched "phantom of the Opera" though sadly I did not have the pleasure of seeing it live, though I was greatly disappointed, it really wasn't what I thought it would be. I'll have to think for a bit to find a my favorite musical....

ceej · Joined: 14 Nov 2008 Posts: 28 Location: the YY

Rent
easily!!

=]]

The White Blacksmith · Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 2629

Alegria wrote: I'm an idiot. I forgot to mention Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

I saw that in town on Tuesday. It brought back memories.

Alegria · Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 6:03 am Post subject:

I was just about to mention Rent, Ceej.

Or Spring Awakening. Listen to the soundtrack. Just do it. You won't be sorry.

Phantomfan · Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 7:30 am Post subject:

Oh my gosh, Spring Awakening is AMAZING.

So is Brooklyn the Musical.

Alegria · Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 9:01 am Post subject:

Never seen Brooklyn.

I don't know if movie-musicals count, but one of the best is...

MOULIN ROUGE!

sparta12 · Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 1:54 pm Post subject:

The Lion King Musical... 'Nuff Said :lol:

ceej · Joined: 14 Nov 2008 Posts: 28 Location: the YY

would you count Nightmare Before CHristmas as a musical
if so
obviously the best!
in maybe the whole world
lol!!!

=]]

Reiso · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 2:51 am Post subject:

It's a toss up between Les Miserables and Fiddler on the Roof. As it stands, more on the Les Mis side, but to be fair, my first exposure to it was the anniversary performance by the "Dream Cast", which mostly consisted of the original London Cast, though Phil Quast is definitely the best Javert.

My opinion may change though, 'cause I've never seen a good performance of Fiddler live--the movie has been my main reference--and the current TOPOL cast is coming to San Diego in July. I can't believe he is still doing it after all these years! After I see that in its entirety, I may very well like it more than Les Mis.

I've never seen Musicman, but I keep meaning too. I caught the beginning of it on TV once, and I loved the little opening number they sang to the train's smoke stack: "CASH for the merchandise, CASH for...etc". Very clever.