Anyone wanna talk about musical?

[Chaos Eclipse]

Cuz I do! Mostly I wanna see people’s inputs on things. I’m not an avid follower of all musicals on or off Broadway or just exist, I am just a watcher of many a musical and sometimes I like them. If you wanna find a place to start you can use the following:

Favorite musical:
Most hated(or least liked/favorite) musical:
Honorable mention(s):
If someone was to see one musical: (as in if someone was only going to watch one EVER what would you recommend)

And don’t be afraid if you have bad taste. It’s musicals, even bad ones are a good time.

Favorite musical: Hadestown
Most Hated: Dracula
Honorable mentions: Starship, Shrek the Musical, Beetlejuice the musical the musical the musical, the Aladdin Spectacular they used to have at DCA
If someone was to see one musical: Drowsy Chaperone

My personal input about Dracula here is that international versions have been much better but the actual structure itself has problems. If you can find the full Korean version let me know! I’ve only found clips! But the Russian version was actually pretty good from what I caught and it is easier to find with subtitles.

Anyway I wanna hear other people’s recommendations.

 

[Sync]

You generally can't go wrong with musicals written by Andrew Lloyd Webber or Gilbert & Sullivan.

ALW musicals tend to be a bit deeper compared to the often-light-hearted nature of G&S, but both writers were/are masters of their craft.

 

[Mint]

Ooh, I used to (and still do) love musicals back in my high school and college days, I was even in some of 'em! But here's my list.

Favorite musical: Avenue Q-- yes, unironically, I find it the funniest and the most 'fun' production I've seen in a musical. Has some really good songs in it too.
Most hated(or least liked/favorite) musical: Legally Blonde-- only hate this one because I was apart of it in high school and hated the production so much, and I don't particularly like any of the songs from it. While I still love the MOVIE, I don't like the musical for this one.
Honorable mention(s): Phantom of the Opera (Even if you don't like the story, you HAVE to admit the music is absolutely stunning.), Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hello Dolly! (A classic!)
If someone was to see one musical: (as in if someone was only going to watch one EVER what would you recommend): I'd say go with a big classic, Wicked would probably the one I'd recommend most people. Though you can't go wrong with something like Hamilton or Lion King!

 

[Chaos Eclipse]

Ooh, I used to (and still do) love musicals back in my high school and college days, I was even in some of 'em! But here's my list.

Favorite musical: Avenue Q-- yes, unironically, I find it the funniest and the most 'fun' production I've seen in a musical. Has some really good songs in it too.
Most hated(or least liked/favorite) musical: Legally Blonde-- only hate this one because I was apart of it in high school and hated the production so much, and I don't particularly like any of the songs from it. While I still love the MOVIE, I don't like the musical for this one.
Honorable mention(s): Phantom of the Opera (Even if you don't like the story, you HAVE to admit the music is absolutely stunning.), Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hello Dolly! (A classic!)
If someone was to see one musical: (as in if someone was only going to watch one EVER what would you recommend): I'd say go with a big classic, Wicked would probably the one I'd recommend most people. Though you can't go wrong with something like Hamilton or Lion King!

One: those are all good choices 10/10.

Two: I definitely see what you mean for Legally Blonde. It is certainly not a great musical, however of the musical adaptations of movies I have seen it is also not the WORST. Most of them reek of wanting to be the next Hairspray, Legally Blonde definitely had some thought put in and love of the original story and didn’t seem to resent what it was. Doesn’t make it good but it isn’t entirely “we only did this for the paycheck.” Where I can’t really say the same for Bring it On the musical.

I also definitely agree on Phantom. I like it as an adaptation of the story because a lot of good choices were made to the source material and a lot of work was done to make a cast of characters who don’t know what a brain cell is actually like able to any degree. And giving the role of the one who has and knows how to use their brain cells to Madame Giry was a good choice because while I like the character, having someone only known as the Persian is not a good look. I’m terms of pacing and knowing fully what it is, Phantom is basically a perfect musical whether you like it or not.

Also Avenue Q is definitely a top tier musical to me.

 

[Jerram]

Favorite musical: Evita
Most hated (or least liked/favorite) musical: Cats
Honorable mention(s): Oklahoma, Cabaret, Cop Rock, My Fair Lady

Anyone who saw Patti LuPone perform Don't Cry for Me Argentina from Evita will never forget that performance. The movie version of Cabaret has one of the most powerful scenes in American cinema, the beer garden set where the camera focuses tight on the kid singing Tomorrow Belongs to Me, then pulls back to reveal a Htr Youth as the singer, everyone standing and joining in except the WW1 veteran.

 

[Chaos Eclipse]

I definitely respect what Cabaret did as a movie musical, was start us with the varying degrees of what a musical could be in film after the fall of the big movie musical. I know it was called “the musical for people who hate musicals” but I feel like that isn’t even the case, it’s just a musical that made a choice and leaned into it. Which more need to do.

 

[Jerram]

The idea of Liza Minelli playing a third-rate lounge singer is preposterously effective. And that scene with Joel Gray dancing with the gorilla is a punch in the gut with the aside to the audience (movie version) at the end of the number.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but in the movie version of Evita, the Che and Peron characters acknowledge each other's existence only twice, the second time during the funeral. I can't remember the first time, and I don't remember if this is in the play, which I've seen twice. And had Another Suitcase in Another Hall come out in 1960 instead of 1978 (?? it would have gone to the top of the charts.

 

[Angel In Chains]

I've been telling myself to join in this discussion and I keep hesitating since I can't keep my thoughts straight. Musicals are wonderful pieces of moving art, and my admiration for them exists in a small range compared to many other die-hard fans.

Favorite musical: "The Scarlet Pimpernel" and "Elisabeth Das Musical" (as of current, the latter has been my #1 ever since I discovered it on YouTube during COVID.
Most hated(or least liked/favorite) musical: That's a good question. There are many that I HAVEN'T watched, either through lack of trying or just never heard of it
Honorable mention(s): Phantom, Six, Legally Blonde, Hamilton, Hadestown, Frozen, Les Mis, Come From Away, Moulin Rouge (the last two I haven't even seen live yet), and probably Jersey Boys because I love the music, not so much the visuals. Can't forget Kiss Me Kate, and Jekyll & Hyde (both of which I have the DVDs to).
If someone was to see one musical: (as in if someone was only going to watch one EVER what would you recommend) Probably same as my top 2 favorites. TSP is no longer in production, and Elisabeth pops up all over the world in multiple languages.

My city has a good rotation of touring musicals, but I would LOVE to actually go to Broadway and watch some on the NY stages. I believe we have MJ coming up, as well as Aladdin in the near future. One of my supervisors at work has season passes to our theatre.

Oh lord, another honorable mention: "Anastasia", how could I forget? It is different from the movie, I'll give it that, but because of childhood nostalgia, I'm okay with it (not perfectly happy that they changed some things around but I'll take what I can get).

 

[vysethethird]

Hmm, have not seen many 'on stage' musicals, but will admit some I like.

Want to see: The Book of Morman

Do admit, one musical number may sound like a prise to an awful man (Springtime for Hitler) but is meant to mock him (Again, this is a movie that was produced and written by Mel Brooks).

Probably others, but rather not get too long winded with it.