Favorite Stage Musical
 

Okay, time for you all to be real men and admit to a stage musical that is your favorite. I'll start, but I'll post why later, so it'll give others a chance to list their reasons why.

Les Miserables.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

I agree with this choice. I have seen a number of musicals over the years, and this remains my favourite for its very high level of emotional engagement, and music and lyrics that are moving, appropriate, memorable and quite profound.

Miss Saigon is close to this, but isn't quite to this very high standard.

In terms of of comedy value, The Producers is absolutely gut-bustingly funny, and so bad-taste is makes your teeth itch. Delicious.... Also props for the Rocky Horror Show and Little Shop of Horrors.


Okay, I admit it, I do like musicals a lot...in my time, I've seen the following on stage (as well as the above): Cats, Chess, Oklahoma, King and I, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Cabaret (a big favourite of mine because of the political aspects), Singin in the Rain, Half a Sixpence, and numerous others.

I'd definitely recommend Les Miserables and The Producers to anyone who wants a great night out though.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

Phantom
Sunday in the Park With George

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

Put me down for Les Miz.

Guys and Dolls gets an honorable mention.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

[ QUOTE ]
I agree with this choice. I have seen a number of musicals over the years, and this remains my favourite for its very high level of emotional engagement, and music and lyrics that are moving, appropriate, memorable and quite profound.


[/ QUOTE ]

My reasons for liking Les Miz are almost identical. In fact, I rank it in my Top 5 Artistic Events In Life That Changed How I View The World. An incredibly complex story, inventive staging, a score that requires all the players to have real talent, some good comic relief in a work where nearly everyone is dead by the end, and even the bad guys are likeable while remaining bad.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

Ah - Les Miserables... seen it 3x, Diebitter described it perfectly.

Lion King was thoroughly entertaining. Had a pretty profound effect on me too - was fortunate to have an aisle seat at about row 20. (It's for big kids too!)

Going to see Wicked on Broadway this fall. Anybody seen it?

Cats - a huge disappointment.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

First of all, it all depends on the particular production. It's kind of silly to compare a third-time revival of Guys and Dolls with the first-time production of Cats, or anything else.

Just off the top of my head, I'd include the following in my list of top-notch productions I've seen on Broaday (either in the original or revival form):

Three Penny Opera
Fiddler on the Roof
Company
Evita
Lez Miz
The Wiz
The Music Man
Hairspray
A Chorus Line
Kiss of the Spider Woman
Company
Sweeney Todd
Guys and Dolls

If I were to be asked which musical I consider inherently the best, I'd probably pick West Side Story, even though I've never seen a really good version on the stage.

As for Wicked, my daughter loved it, as do many kids. I thought it was pretty mediocre.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

On Sunday in the Park: I absolutely loved the 1st act, but felt the 2nd act was weak. Anybody else feel the same way?

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

For me it's close between West Side Story & Man of La Mancha.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

also,

A Chorus Line on Broadway and The Fantastiks at that little stage in NY where it played forever.

I also loved Into the Woods and A Little Night Music.

Basically, I think Sondheim is the end all-be all in musical theater.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

My two favorites are Fiddler on the Roof and The Wizard of Oz. I think Fiddler is up there for the profound reason that it was the first musical I ever saw. My mom guilted me into going with her when I visited on vacation. I thought I would hate it but found it to be an excellent, highly entertaining show.

I saw The Wizard of Oz at the Muny in St Louis and they had Cardinal Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith play the Wizard. He did a good job with the role and it was a bonus to an already excellent show.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

West Side Story has the most interesting Broadway music by far. Great story and choreo as well.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

I like Les Miz, sure. I like the costumes - the colors. It reminds me of Delacroix’s painting “Liberty Leading the People”.
Link to the pic:


http://history.hanover.edu/courses/art/delalib.html



I like Big River. It's a musical based on Huck Finn. Anyone else?

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

I'll split this into a few different catagories, since the experience is different in terms of venue/performance.

Favorite actually seen on Broadway: Guys and Dolls with Cats a close second.

Off Broadway: Evita

Off Off Broadway: Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Performed in (equity waiver): Pippin, with Beggars Opera a very close second.

Never seen live, but loved the script/movie: West Side Story.


Shauna

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

I know people either love or hate Phantom, but I loved it. Saw it for the first time at the Majestic Theater in New York. I remember my mom listening to the soundtrack over and over so I knew the music and story before ever going into the theater. I don't know if that made a difference but it made the music come alive...to see who was singing and what they were doing (I know it sounds so corny [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img])

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

I must add....

A few months ago I took my kids(7 and 9) to Annie. It was their first musical. I had not seen it since I was a kid and we had so much fun! Mostly I took pleasure in watching my kids watch the show...their faces were so expressive-eyes like saucers, laughing and singing along. It was awesome!

Even Utah enjoyed himself....he kind of dragged his feet about going and really had a good time.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

Les Mis is certainly up there, although each time I see it, there is one actor whose voice I don't like for the part, and that always ends up bugging me.

Cabaret might be my favorite though. Extremely poignant.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

Forgot all about Cabaret - good choice.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

[ QUOTE ]
For me it's close between West Side Story & Man of La Mancha.

[/ QUOTE ]

Upon further review......

Took a break from working in the garden & brought the subject up with wife & daughter. (Wife very talented ex-performer who's specialty is Musicals/show tunes).

She was surprised to hear that I didn't add "Damn Yankee's" and she's right.

After all....."Ya gotta have Heart"!

We agreed upon West Side Story as #1.

The absolute brilliance of Bernstein's score, Sondheim's lyrics, Robbins choreography and Shakespeare's classic story are too much competition for anything else.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

[ QUOTE ]

Cabaret might be my favorite though. Extremely poignant.

[/ QUOTE ]
Cabaret means a lot to me too. I saw a simple little touring production just after I'd got married and moved to a new city where we knew no-one, so we were pretty isolated, and it was a wonderful tonic to the blues.

They did a scene which started with one of the KitKat waiters did a tenor-solo of 'Tomorrow Belongs to Me'. It sounded sweet and hearfelt, and then another joined. Suddenly on the other side of the stage, the sarcastic MC was spotlit, doing his makeup at the dressing-room chair, and he seems to notice the song, and looked bemused.

Then a third waiter joined in, and the beat became more milataristic, and the voices deeper and more masculine.

The MC got up and started walking around, looking at the singers, sneering, pulling faces, and then looking worried and again bemused.

Then a fourth waiter joined in singing, and it got into a full-flow militaristic anthem. The MC shook his head, sneered at them, and then walked up some stairs, across a gangway that was above the stage, at the back. As they drew to a close at full military beat, the MC drew a Hilter moustache on himself, and struck the Nazi salute, standing in a strong down-light.

The music stopped suddenly, and the place fell silent, and all lights went off except that on the MC-s standing there, looking like and saluting like Hitler. Then it went pitch black, and you heard the MC snort a contemptuous 'hah!'


You had to be there really, but it made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. Wonderful theatre.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

City of Angels.

To those who say Phantom....do you mean Phantom or do you mean Phantom of the Opera?

Josh

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

[ QUOTE ]
City of Angels.

To those who say Phantom....do you mean Phantom or do you mean Phantom of the Opera?

Josh

[/ QUOTE ]

I am saying Phantom of the Opera.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

I've seen Phantom twice, once in London, once with the touring company, and although I respect the performances, the songs, the sets, and I can see why people love it, I really don't. It has to do with the characters themselves and my interpretation of what's going on.

Women seem to love it because it's so romantic. But lets face it, the Phantom is a psycho that kills people because he's obsessed with the one he loves, and he wants to imprison her too. Unforgivable in my book, not romantic, I don't care that he's some wounded soul. I have no sympathy for anyone in the musical, so despite everything, I just don't like it.

Now, if one looks a little deeper at the musical and spins it into a tale of Christine's descent into madness, where the Phantom is all in her mind and her fiances love for her rescue's her from a prison of her own making, I could like that. The story doesn't quite fit, but I find it much more palatable.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

My Fair Lady at Trinity in Providence with two pianists on stage during the performance interacting with the cast. The guy who played Eliza's father almost made me forget Stanley Holloway, and one actor who played an English twit watching the race didn't utter a line, yet he nearly stole the show with his facial expressions.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

a couple points...as an old fart, South Pacific and other R&H musicals were quite "out there" vanguard type of social commentary for their times...we have just progressed, thank heavens.


also, i just saw a musical play reading at the Phoenix Theater that was way up there on the poignant rating, and the music was excellent as well. "The Journey" is a play about a breast cancer survivor and wasn't overly sappy, but rather quite informative for any cancer victim or members of their families.

One of my personal favorites is the video "oliver" which i taught to several classes as social commentary as well as wonderful music.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

I listened to the soundtrack of Les Miserables again yesterday, and so many good songs. But there's a small section of 'I dreamed a dream' that is just moving beyond any words.


He slept a summer by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came
And still I dream he'll come to me
That we'll live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather



In just 8 lines of song and in simple plain lyrics, we're given a vivid history and insight into what shaped this woman's life, and what she lives for now, hoping against all hope I think (despite those last 2 lines).

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

[ QUOTE ]
I listened to the soundtrack of Les Miserables again yesterday, and so many good songs. But there's a small section of 'I dreamed a dream' that is just moving beyond any words.


He slept a summer by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came
And still I dream he'll come to me
That we'll live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather



In just 8 lines of song and in simple plain lyrics, we're given a vivid history and insight into what shaped this woman's life, and what she lives for now, hoping against all hope I think (despite those last 2 lines).

[/ QUOTE ]

Jesus Christ that is good. I haven't seen Les Mis in a long time.

I saw Julie Andrews in Victor, Victoria years ago, and it was first rate.

My favorite, however is a short-lived, critically panned musical called Working by Studs Terkel.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

West Side Story is very far number one with Guys and Dolls next.

Odd ones I recall enjoying include the Doonesbury musical which I saw on Broadway as a kid, and until today have neither thought or heard of it in 20 years. Off broadway, I saw a version of Little Shop of Horrors that I loved...and I have always wondered if anybody ever saw Chess, and if they did, what the heck was going on with that...please tell.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

I love musicals. Not sure what my fav is, but this thread made me realize there are lots of good ones I haven´t seen.

-Craig

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

POTA by far. The music is hauntingly beatiful. The story is a great story about a man and the woman he can't have.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

I really liked the music in Godspell.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

All plays I have seen in San Francisco.

My favorite as well is Les Miz. With a close 2nd going to Wicked. I just love the soundtrack to Wicked.

For completeness sake, these I have seen:

Lion King
Phantom Of The Opera (x3)
Wicked
Les Miserables
Rent (I love this soundtrack too)
Evita
Brigadoon (At a local theater though)

C-Dog

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

For me this is really, really easy. The 1994 Broadway production of "Carousel" was hands down, the best musical I've ever seen live. It's my favorite musical of all time-- I just think the level of craftsmanship on display from Rogers and Hammerstein has never been equaled, and Audra MacDonald's performance just blew my mind.

Such a great show.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

Les Miserables is my favorite for reasons db and others have mentioned.

A personal favorite was seeing Matthew Broderick in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. It was funny, Walter Cronkite was the narrator and the actor who did the voice of 'Jafar' was in it. You coudl tell that the cast truly enjoyed performing the show which made the experience all the more memorable.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

Wow, not a single mention of Chess? =( I guess im alone to like that one then...actually, i havn't heard any other musical that even comes close to it.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

[ QUOTE ]
Wow, not a single mention of Chess? =( I guess im alone to like that one then...actually, i havn't heard any other musical that even comes close to it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually there was a single mention on Chess prior to yours. Limit refugee posts about it a few above yours. He/she wondered if anyone else had seen it and wonders more about it. Perhaps, you can help him out.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

I really thought someone would have mentioned 42nd Street by now. Also for me, Chicago on stage runs circles around the movie. As a kid, I really liked Oliver and Peter Pan.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

Although I've only seen the movie, the soundtrack to Rent is my favorite by far.

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

Let's face it: all musicals are dumb. People burst into song? Yecch. And I love music.

The music I like the most from stage musicals:

My Fair Lady
Fiddler on the Roof
West Side Story
Porgy and Bess
Phantom of the Opera
Jesus Christ Superstar

Re: Favorite Stage Musical
 

[ QUOTE ]
City of Angels.

To those who say Phantom....do you mean Phantom or do you mean Phantom of the Opera?

Josh

[/ QUOTE ]

*Ding*

I've played in the pit orchestras for a lot of musicals - easily more than 60 different titles - and Maury Yeston's shows are the best that I've played and/or seen. Yeston's Phantom may not have the instantly-memorable tunes that a lot of other shows do (ex: Phantom of the Opera), but the music is wonderful and very, very well orchestrated. The story is a lot better than the "other" Phantom as well.

Still, one of Yeston's other shows, Nine, is the best musical I've ever played. In most shows, I'm bored with the music by the time the show opens. When I've played Nine, I hated closing.

After Phantom and Nine, my favorites (to play) are:

- Man of La Mancha
- Fiddler on the Roof
- My Fair Lady
- Guys and Dolls

Bernstein's shows are also great. On The Town has outstanding music as does, obviously, West Side Story but the latter is just a bear for reed players.