Musicals

[Storm]

Just recently my brother, sister and I all watched: Westside Story and The Fiddler on the Roof.
We really enjoyed these musicals partly because the story was pretty good, but mostly because we love the music in the musicals. It was amazing to me how I had never even heard much about the musicals but when I listened to the songs they were very familiar to me. For instance, when watching Fiddler on the Roof songs like If I were a rich man and others that I had heard before jumped out at me. I guess this was partly because our family loves music and is aquanted with a lot of it. Although I think it is just because this music has really become part of our heritage. Like it says in Fiddler on the Roof. Tradition!

So I was wondering: What musicals do you people like? I am really interested because some of the musicals that I have never heard of have some of my favorite songs.

Also if you would like post your favorite musical and your favorite songs from that musical.

[Irwin]

Joseph and the Amazing Techincolor Dreamcoat

Our highschool did this a few years ago, and it was awesome!

[American Eagle]

I haven't ever seen an onstage music (except for at church), but I love the musical films Fiddler on the Roof (favorite movie) and The Sound of Music (as mentioned above), and probably more that I can't think of right now.

[Iron and Light]

About the only one that comes to my mind is The Sound of Music. Other than that, I know I've seen a lot more, but just can't think of them right now.

Musicals usually end up aggravating me because it seems all decent plot aspects and dialogue is traded out for a bunch of stupid dance moves and ridiculous ditties sung by the characters . Take Highschool Musical, for example, lol.

Does Mary Poppins count ?

[KODY 105]

Yes, it counts.
Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, The Fiddler on the Roof, and The King and I are the ones I can think of at this moment. Oh, I think Chitty Chitty Bang Bang had a few songs in it... and I especially like the "Old Bamboo" song.

[Jugglah]

I love musicals! (I'm so obsessed that I can sing every song in at least 7 musicals! )

Fiddler on the Roof (my personal favorite, considering that I've played Chava in a production of it. Too bad I wasn't old enough to play Hodel, who gets all the best songs. By the way, the new cast recording is fantastic. Who knew Alfred Molina could sing!)
Grease (Pure escapism)
Hairspray (The only 60's type music I'll put up with)
Little Shop of Horrors (Who knew the Beauty and the Beast guys could come up with music about a man-eating plant? Great stuff)
Chicago (case in point: these are my favorites, not necessarily recommendations for everyone. The music in this show is fantastic, but it's a very...immoral...story. So don't listen to it unless you're mature enough to take it with a grain of salt.)
Beauty and the Beast
Gypsy (Stephen Sondheim is a genius)
Cabaret (same caveats as Chicago)
The Drowsy Chaperone (this is probably the most fun musical I've ever heard of. And it starred Sutton Foster. What more could you ask for?)
Les Miserables (Epic)
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (this one's got some issues, too, but it's hilarious)
The Pajama Game (the version with Harry Conick, Jr. is great. Also, the show was choreographed by Bob Fosse. And if you know anything about Broadway, you know that that means awesomeness. Here's a number from TPG that's typical Fosse: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjrEt7Iyuos )
Jersey Boys (I'm a sucker for 50's bands with really good harmony)
Thoroughly Modern Millie (Awesome, awesome show. Great music, and nothing objectionable. And Sutton Foster again. You can't lose with this one.)
South Pacific (I used to like all the Rodgers and Hammerstein shows, but now I think they're all kind of cheesy except for this one.)
Sunday in the Park with George (Sondheim again. A very intellectual show)
Sweet Charity (Jazzy and fun)

[BrokenButBeautiful]

I like the stage version of Sound of Music (never seen the movie), I like Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and I LOVE Grease.


BBB

[Catspaw]

I love musicals! One of my all-time favourites is Singing in the Rain. I've seen it dozens of times, and always love it! The story is so much fun, and lots of fun songs with variety. My family quotes this musical regularly. I finally bought the soundtrack a year or so ago, a few years after finding the DVD, which was a lovely find!

The King and I is another one that I really enjoy. I actually haven't watched it in a few years, but the songs are just wonderful. I purposely try to get "Whistle a Happy Tune" in my head sometimes, and the "Shall We Dance" song is a favourite! Definitely some sad parts in the movie - I have cried at the end.

Sound of Music is another long-time favourite that I hope to see in a stage production soon! Sooo good. I love Julie Andrews, and there are tons of favourite songs in the movie! I am happy to own the movie and the soundtrack as well.

My Fair Lady is another classic. The story is quite amusing, and I enjoy all the songs. I love Eliza's "Just You Wait" and there are so many funny moments and poignant songs! I just started listening to "Show Me" from thinking about the soundtrack - I am pleased to say that I own this one as well! Even better than the movie soundtrack, the one I have does have Rex Harrison, but has Julie Andrews as Eliza - it's listed as an original Broadway Cast version, and I prefer it this way. I do own the movie with Audrey Hepburn, which is good too!

Cinderella - the Rodgers and Hammerstein version, not the Disney one, is another lovely musical that I have the soundtrack for, while I'm listing off Julie Andrews-related stuff. It's the 1958 TV soundtrack, and I also have the matching DVD from the TV performance that was done live back in 1957, with Julie Andrews as Cinderella. I would definitely recommend it! My sister and I just discovered this one a few years ago, when the DVD came out and we noticed it because we love Julie Andrews. There is a Disney version with the Rodgers and Hammerstein songs (with Jason Alexander in it! Fun!) but we prefer the original Julie Andrews version, of course. If you can't track that one down, the Disney one is okay. "Impossible/It's Possible," "Ten Minutes Ago," and "do I Love You Because You're Beautiful (Or Are You Beautiful Because I Love You?)" are songs that stand out for me.

The Phantom of the Opera is another classic, though this is a classic that I only discovered a couple years ago, a while after the more recent movie version came out I own the soundtrack connected to that film (as well as the movie itself) - I know that there are many other versions available as well, but I really like this one! "All I Ask of You" is definitely a favourite song.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat was performed at my high school years ago, and that's when my family and I discovered the fun songs and great (albeit less than perfect) retelling of the story of Joseph. I got to see a more professional version soon afterwards, and the movie is good as well. I love this soundtrack and know almost all of the words, even when they're singing the colours! (I always mess up on a couple of them.) "Close Every Door" stands out as a very moving song, and "Go Go Go Joseph" stands out as sheer fun! Incredibly fun to sing along with!

Bride and Prejudice is the musical, somewhat Bollywood version of Pride and Prejudice, and it's quite enjoyable! My best friend and I randomly rented it a few years ago, and I've bought the movie and the soundtrack since then! Fun songs and fun retelling of a great story.

Hairspray is definitely a good musical, as Jugglah mentioned! I haven't seen the original movie, but the one that came out a couple years ago is quite enjoyable. I went to see it with a few friends, and thoroughly enjoyed it! A few content issues, but some solid songs and general good times! "I Know Where I've Been" is a moving song.

Beauty and the Beast is a classic animated favourite with lots of great songs! I'm going to see a stage production in the near future, so I may have more to say after that! I'm only familiar with the Disney version, so seeing it without the animated talking clock and candlestick might be a strange experience. Though of course this should be counted as a great movie for no other reason than that it has Hal Smith voicing Philippe the horse!

So apparently I like lots of musicals. I'm sure there are others that I haven't named, but those are a bunch of favourites!

[jasonjannajerryjohn]

I LOVE MUSICALS!!! Anyone who knows me at all knows that I'm a rising musical theater geek. I could list tons of musicals here that I love so much, but I won't because it can get extensive and there are alot I wouldn't talk about on here for content reasons, but I will share a few that don't have very much "questionable content."

Wicked!!!!- My absolute favorite! This is definitly a must see. It's the story of the Wizard of Oz and what happened before the Wizard of Oz told from the Wicked Witch's (Elphaba) point of view. And also from the Good Witch's (Glinda) point of view. Absolutly love love this show. It twas my first musical that got me started on them, I just love it.

Hairspray- Definitly a modern classic. A Cinderella story of a girl who is a bit on the chubby side. Set in 1960s Baltimore at the rise of the civil rights movement, it's a hit. With exciting dancing and a great feel good story, it's definitly highly recommended.

Phantom of the Opera- A great gothic love story that has it's roots in the great gothic horror of the early twentieth century, i.e. Jekyl and Hyde, Dracula, and Frankenstein. Beautiful story of a man doomed to spend all of his life underground because of the way he looks. Andrew Lloyd Webber really takes off with this epic music.

Sound of Music, King and I, ect.- Anything by Rogers and Hammerstein is definitly very good. The music is fantastic and the stories are all very good. Definitly recommended for someone with a very long attention span. You'll be rewarded if you don't fall asleep during it, lol.

West Side Story- Modern day Romeo and Juliet set in NYC about Jews vs Christians. As they say, You Won't Suceed on Broadway if You don't Have Any Jews. Aha.... theater joke. Ummm... Anyway, this is a beautiful piece of theater and definitly worth a watch.

Spamalot- If you have seen Monty Python and the Holy Grail, you know this story. This is the musical adaptation of the film, and it is hilarious. That last thing, the jews part, was from it. Anyway, if you're a Python fan, check it out.

Well, there are many more I could put here, but that's enough for now. If you want to know about musicals, just ask me, I could prolly tell you. Or ask another fine upstanding person in this board. Anyway, that's all.

[NateMaxwell]

Seussical!

McGallogets pool (Its Possible)