What are your favorite Broadway musicals?

[Grok]

The Music Man with Robert Preston is my all time fave. Con-man story, innovative music, and a barbershop quartet. Gotta love it. Also contained the only show tune the Beatles ever recorded: "Til There Was You".

Anything Goes, one of Cole Porter's shows. It was the first show I ever performed in, so it holds special appeal for me. I've always loved the catchy tunes in this one.

Haven't yet seen The Producers, but from what I've heard I'm guessing it would make my list instantly.

Which ones do you like? You don't have to have seen them in person - the movie version counts.

[Katisha]

Hmmmm. I'm really not wild about The Music Man, although I had fun when I was in it (despite the always-perilous march around the piano). I know I'm in a minority there.

Anyway, shows I like...

Les Misérables
Camelot
My Fair Lady
The Sound of Music (if I'm in the right mood -- and again, performing in it was lots of fun)
Jesus Christ Superstar
Rent
Into the Woods (which my high school almost staged my senior year, then decided it wouldn't be accessible enough. Bastards. [We did Music Man instead.])

[Esprix]

Jesus Christ Superstar
Into The Woods
Assassins
Tomfoolery
Les Miserables

Then again, I'm queer.

Esprix

[Katisha]

I need to check out Assassins one of these days -- all of my friends who are into musical theater rave about it. (There was a production at U of Mich last fall -- I know one of the cast members -- but I had something or other going on that weekend and didn't get to see it...)

[AbbySthrnAccent]

Les Miserables
Cats
Camelot
The Phantom of the Opera
Fiddler on the Roof
Grease

I only saw the top three on Broadway though. I've seen a few others as they made their way through Dallas or Houston, but those are my favorites. I can't wait to go back someday. I'd like to see Suessical, The Producer's and Evita.

Humming showtunes now,
Abby

[blur]

My favorites are Le Mis and Cats. Off broadway, it was West Side Story.

[Redboss]

She Loves Me is a small-scale charming musical by Bock and Harnick, the people who went on to write Fiddler On The Roof.

It's set in Europe in a small perfume store, and the basic plot is the same as You've Got Mail. But the attention paid to all the characters, who work in the shop, each of whom gets a shining moment and memorable solo, makes it a delightful well-rounded gem of a show.

Most famous songs: She Loves Me, Vanilla Ice Cream, Dear Friend.

Barbara Cook had a personal triumph in the role, and I saw it performed here in Melbourne Oz last year, during a very limited season.

That's my favourite. Thanks for asking Grok!

Redboss

[screech-owl]

Never seen anything on Broadway (but there's hope!), only local and tour.

Candide
West Side Story
Sweeney Todd
A Little Night Music
The Wiz
Cabaret
Chicago
Mame

[Carnac the Magnificent!]

Phantom of the Opera
Les Miserables
Jeckyl & Hyde
The King & I
Chicago
How to Succeed in Business...
The Sound of Music
Into the Woods
Guys & Dolls
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Mame

[Eve]

I would kill to see Anna Held in “The Parisian Model” (1906), with numbers like “A Gown for Each Hour of the Day,” “I Just Can’t Make My Eyes Behave,” the early rag “La Mattchiche,” and the naughty “Bells” number where the chorus girls had bells attached to their legs and kicked out the tune.

I also love the “Princess” shows of the 'teens, by Wodehouse, Botlon, Kern, Gershwin: "Oh, Kay!," "Lady, be Good," "Very Good Eddie," etc.

[Gamelan]

Inventive music, tongue-in-cheek, politically aware..

Hair

By far my favorite

[Superdude]

Originally posted by screech-owl


Cabaret

I dig this one, too. I saw a touring production about a year or so ago with, of all people, Lea Thompson as Sally Bowles. And she was great. She did a better British accent than Natasha Richardson did. And she's SO much cuter than Liza Minelli.

[gobear]

Chicago (saw this here in DC with Nana Visitor (Major Kira Nerys from [i]Star Trekeep Space Nine[i/]) and Vicki Lewis (Newsradio, Three Sisters, Robert Urich playing Billy Flynn--FABulous!
Guys and Dolls
Rent
Hedwig and the Angry Inch (coming to a theater near you July 10)
Kiss of the Spider Woman (GREAT Kander and Ebb score)
Pippin
Jekyll and Hyde

[stuyguy]

Sweeney Todd
Chorus Line
A Little Night Music

... and many others too numerous to list, inluding some pretty obscure ones.

(Obnoxious nitpick to follow:

Assassins was not a Broadway musical. It only ran OB.

Hey, I need some excuse to mention that I was one of the privedged few to see the original off-Broadway NY production before it closed.)

[NotWithoutRage]

B'way: Rent, Les Miserables, Gypsy
Off B'way: The Last Session

[zev_steinhardt]

My votes:

Les Miserables (#1)
Fiddler on the Roof (#2)
Into the Woods (#3)

Now, if only I could get tickets to see The Producers before the end of the decade... :sigh:

Zev Steinhardt

[Fairy Princess Kitty]

I haven't seen either one but I love the music and I'm bound and determined to see them eventually
Les Misérables and Rent

Kitty

[lawoot]

Originally posted by Grok
Anything Goes, one of Cole Porter's shows. It was the first show I ever performed in, so it holds special appeal for me. I've always loved the catchy tunes in this one.

My first as well... played Sir Evelyn Oakleigh. Had to be onstage in just my boxers, a t-Shirt, socks and garters. AND with shaving cream on my face. Fun show.

Rent? BLEAH! Wouldn't have lasted a year on B-way if the author hadn't died right before opening.

Other Faves? Guys & Dolls (another one I've been in, played Nicely-Nicely Johnson), 1776, Oklahoma (if only for 'Poor Jud is Dead'), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Into The Woods, and Jesus Christ Superstar

[Fenris]

On the Twentieth Century: I've never seen it, but judging from the cast album, it must have been one of the funniest musicals ever made. Madeline Kahn doing "Veronique" alone can get a laugh from me. And with John Cullum (sp) playing opposite her....I'd kill for a bootleg video of a performance.

Guys and Dolls: Perhaps the perfect Broadway musical. The songs, story and dancing come together in a perfect, cohesive whole. Loesser's masterpiece.

Pippin: Ben Verene(sp) is stunning in this musical and steals every scene. Except the one that "Granny" from the Beverly Hillbillies (Irene Ryan) steals)

Blondel: Again, I'm judging from the cast album. From the opening moment when four monks, in perfect barbershop harmony sing "Bu-bu-buh, Bu-Benidictus" (a la the Beach Boy's "Barbara Ann") to the song that contains an acrostic in the lyrics, to the "No Rhyme for Richard" song, it's brilliant. I don't know why it failed. Funny, good songs, witty...sigh. (Ok, this one's a West End musical, but I refuse to be America-centric)

West Side Story, Gypsy and The Music Man: A few more perfect musicals where everything just meshes seamlessly.

How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying: If pressed to choose my single favorite musical ever, this would it. Morse's performance was stunning, Reilly was a perfect foil and there's something so...charming about it.

and

Eating Raoul: Never been staged AFIK, but it was recorded as a concept album and if I were rich, I'd become an impressaio just so I could fund a stage-version on Broadway. How can anyone not love a musical with lyrics like:
Mary Bland (trying to decide who's skull to stave in ("bop") with a cast iron skillet):
It could not last,
It was me who I was foolin'
The time has come
I've got to chose my man
Am I gonna bop Paul
Or do I do Raoul in?
My destiny lies in this frying pan!
<snip>
One Bop, one last bop
I can throw away the handcuffs
and the riding crop
One bop, one bop
It's over.
I may never have sex again
If I bop my sexy Mexican...

< ahem >

Now, if you'll 'scuse me, I'm gonna go listen to some albums.

Fenris

[Grok]

Originally posted by lawoot
My first as well... played Sir Evelyn Oakleigh. Had to be onstage in just my boxers, a t-Shirt, socks and garters. AND with shaving cream on my face. Fun show.
[/b]

I played Sir Evelyn too! We should start a support group.

[Mauvaise]

I can't believe no one has said Sunday in the Park with George (Bernadette Peters, Mandy Patinkin by Sondheim), it won the Pulitzer!

That is by far my favourite musical. It never fails to move me to tears. Even just listening to the soundtrack will bring make me cry.

I also love Hair, Sweeney Todd, [Into the Woods[/b] (sensing a theme here? ), Assassins and Evita (Mandy Patinkin, Patti LuPone).

[GingerOfTheNorth]

I've never been to Broadway, but I've been in a bunch of musicals; I don't think I have ever seen one that I didn't enjoy. Ones I've performed in:

Guys & Dolls - young Miss Adelaide's Mama (prologue written for me)
Carousel - Julie Jordan
HMS Pinafore - (two separate times, once as Josephine, once Buttercup)
Fiddler on the Roof - (matchmaker, can't remember the name)
West Side Story - Maria (with a LOT of makeup & hair dye)
Little Shop of Horrors - Audrey (I)
The Music Man - a silly chorus lady
Anne of Green Gables - Anne

[exchicagoan]

I've never seen anything ON "Broadway" so we're talkin "regional" or "roadshow".

WESTSIDE STORY
GREASE
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF

The recent, revised, SHOWBOAT. The music that was put back in is just stunning.

[amarinth]

Stage musicals:
A Little Night Music
Sweeney Todd
Assassins
Passion (yes, I know, I was the one person in the world who liked it)
Lucky Stiff
Ragtime
Guys and Dolls
Chicago

Movie Musicals (that I like better than their stage counterpart):
Sound of Music
Music Man

[Esprix]

Just got back from seeing "The Civil War" with Larry Gatlin. I should get the concept album - probably more interesting. Good show, tho...

Esprix

[Mauvaise]

Originally posted by amarinth
Passion (yes, I know, I was the one person in the world who liked it)

No, you're not. It's not a "favourite", but I liked Passion. I even have a video of it somewhere

[caircair]

Too many to list but:

Best of the best: Phantom. No contest. Never saw Michael Crawford in it, but was completely hooked listening to the soundtrack. Have seen it three times since in Seattle, two well done productions and one simply HORRIBLE one.

Also: King and I, Passion (I, too, have the video), Into the Woods (heck, ANYTHING by Sondheim!), West Side Story, Fiddler, My Fair Lady (in the Chorus of that one), Sound of Music (Mother Abbess in high school), The Unsinkable Molly Brown (MUCH better than the movie! -- chorus in high school)

and dozens of others too numerous to mention.

[Eonwe]

Fiddler on the Roof (by far the most wonderfuly compelling and honest story ever seen on Broadway, IMO)

Sweeny Todd

JC Superstar

Tommy

Into The Woods

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

and following in the footsteps of Fenris, if there was one show that should have been staged but never was, I'd say "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway", an early Genesis concept album that has great music and a very bizarre storyline.

[Annie-Xmas]

Originally posted by Fenris
[b][b]Blondel: Again, I'm judging from the cast album. From the opening moment when four monks, in perfect barbershop harmony sing "Bu-bu-buh, Bu-Benidictus" (a la the Beach Boy's "Barbara Ann") to the song that contains an acrostic in the lyrics, to the "No Rhyme for Richard" song, it's brilliant. I don't know why it failed. Funny, good songs, witty...sigh. (Ok, this one's a West End musical, but I refuse to be America-centric)

I've said it before and I'll say it again: There is nothing so obscure on this planet that some Doper hasn't heard of it. I love the cast album for Blondel and consider it one of Tim Rice's finest. He mentions plans for a production in Vienna in the linear notes, and I wish it had happened.

My own favorites are Phantom of the Opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, By Jeeves and Evita. Also the relatively obscure Aspects of Love and CHESS! Tim Rice's best work.

[Katisha]

Originally posted by GingerOfTheNorth
[b]HMS Pinafore - (two separate times, once as Josephine, once Buttercup)

Impressive. (I'd love to play Buttercup. Actually, I'd like to play Josephine, too, but I couldn't hit the notes...)

My list of shows I've performed in...

The Wiz
Godspell
How to Eat Like a Child
Annie Get Your Gun
Oklahoma
The Sound of Music
The Music Man

And I've done crew for The Mikado, The Sorcerer, and HMS Pinafore (I was an assistant stage manager for Pinafore). Though I don't really consider G&S "Broadway musicals" as such, or else my list would be full of G&S...

(Oh, and I was in one number from The Pirates of Penzance...and made a hundred bucks for it. Sweet. )

[lawoot]

Originally posted by Grok
I played Sir Evelyn too! We should start a support group.

The Support Group slogan:

"I've got hotpants for you!"

[xanadu]

Originally posted by Superdude
I dig this one, too. I saw a touring production about a year or so ago with, of all people, Lea Thompson as Sally Bowles. And she was great. She did a better British accent than Natasha Richardson did. And she's SO much cuter than Liza Minelli.

NATASHA RICHARDSON IS BRITISH!

[CalMeacham]

1776 -- It hasn't been ruined by having its songs played by schmaltz musicians. And it's based on historical incidents! How much better can it get? I saw it on Broadway during its initial run, and acted in it in college.

Fiddler on the Roof -- Classic Broadway. The second Broadway show I ever saw. Probably seen as over-sentimentalized, but I still love it.

Pippin -- not really based on history, but who cares? A very "show=y" show.

Godpell -- so sue me. I'm an agnostic, but I loved this light version of The Gospel of St. Matthew. During the intermission, they actually served wine to the audience on-stage.

West Side Story -- Bernstein's music. The Play is structured differently than the film, so if you've only seen one, you haven't seen it.

Les Miserables

Phantom of the Opera -- Pepper Mill's favorite.

[RealityChuck]

Cabaret (saw it touring with Kate Shindle, who was amazing)
Chicago
Anything Goes
Oklahoma!
The Music Man
Les Miserables
My Fair Lady
Annie Get Your Gun
Kiss Me Kate
How to Succeed in Business
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

[Eonwe]

Imagine how it feels to be enjoying reading what fellow posters have said on a topic you enjoy, waiting to finish reading the thread so you can post yourself, and then find you've already posted... a year and a half ago!!!

I feel like I've done the time warp... again!

[Zebra]

I've really enjoyed:

Kiss Me Kate

Phantom of the Opera

The Fantasticks I know off broadway

[b]How to Succeed[b] with Matthew Broderick

and don't laugh

Jane Eyre It's good! Really!

[astorian]

I'd LOVE to include some Gilbert & Sullivan myself, but the only G & S show I know was on Broadway is "Pirates of Penzance," not one of my favorites. If we must stick to Broadway, my favorites are:

#1- Fiddler on the Roof
#2- Les Miserables
#3- Guys and Dolls
#4 Show Boat
#5- Cabaret
#6- A Chorus Line
#7- My Fair Lady
#8- Chicago
#9- Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (the only Webber musical I really like as a whole)
#10- South Pacific (dated story, but still R & H's best collection of songs)

[WSLer]

The Fantastiks

A Chorus Line

West Side Story

[Flowerchild]

hmmm..... oh yeah! RENT RENT RENT RENT RENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!



and maybe , the revival of " You're a good man , Charlie Brown"

but only because the guy in that was from RENT RENT RENT RENT RENT RENT RENT RENT RENT RENT

[Mehitabel]

TITANIC (the GOOD Titanic story from 1997)
CHESS
THE FANTASTICKS
ON THE T0WN
WEST SIDE STORY
RENT
SUESSICAL
CANDIDE
GIRL CRAZY
CAROUSEL

I was able to sit through Les Mis and Cats exactly once. Yargh.

[masonite]

Well, I liked 42nd Street a lot.

[xanadu]

Originally posted by Eonwe
Imagine how it feels to be enjoying reading what fellow posters have said on a topic you enjoy, waiting to finish reading the thread so you can post yourself, and then find you've already posted... a year and a half ago!!!

I feel like I've done the time warp... again!

Yeah, sorry to confuse you, but I was doin' a little research - trying to figure out if buying the soundtrack of the recent "Cabaret" production was a good idea. So I typed it in, and got this thread, and after reading the comment about Natasha Richardson I just had to post. It was too ironic.

I did end up borrowing it from a friend, and I have to say that it is quite fantastic. And I'm very much addicted to it, now.

[Moe]

I was coming in to mention Sunday in the Park with George

[Moe]

<<ooops, wrong button>>

I was coming in to mention Sunday in the Park with George but it seems Mauvaise just barely beat me to it.

I think it's a masterpiece (or at least the first act).

[Annie-Xmas]

Forbidden Broadway:So keep your eyes on the future, eyes on the prize. Broadway is an invalid that never dies . And apparently, neither does its thread.

For all you Chess people: Chess pa svenska is now available. This is a 2CD set of Chess in Swedish. Lyrics by Benny & Bjorn, who did the original music way back when. Worth a listen.

[Sampiro]

You know what's really irritating? The stereotype of gay men is that they love showtunes. As a gay man who's been dating for 18 years more off than on, I have YET to meet a single gay man under 60 of whom this is true. I'm 36 and LOVE damned near every musical ever written.

My all time favorites:
LES MISERABLES
RENT
MY FAIR LADY (I'd love to see it remade with a modern/ebonics setting)
CHESS
THE LION KING (the African choir makes it, especially the haunting Mamela number)


The new recording of CABARET leaves the other one in the dust. It's grittier, grimier, and raunchier, but also a lot more indicative of life in pre-Apocalypse Berlin.

Musicals not mentioned yet that are totally worth a listen:

HAIRSPRAY (http://hairsprayonbroadway.com) A total throwback to the "feel good" light musicals of the 50s. The site has a lot of soundfiles.

PURLIE- Ossie Davis, who wrote the play on which this is based, hated the musical version, but it's still good, especially the gospel numbers.

I have a great soundtrack for a musical that's gaining momentum but hasn't yet played any theater more major than the Alabama Shakespeare Festival (http://asf.net), which is a more major venue than you might think- it's entitled FAIR AND TENDER LADIES, is based on the Lee Smith novel of the same name, and is a funny and sad bluegrass musical that takes place over 60 years in the life of a mountain woman named Ivy Rowe. (It isn't a romanticized version of hillbilly life, but a very real story.)

My least favorite "just couldn't get into 'em" musicals:

THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL
PASSION
JECKYLL AND HYDE
(blasphemy) THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (he was great with Tim Rice, but with other lyricists Lloyd Webber's become the Aaron Spelling of B'way)

Since I could talk on this thread all day I'll let it end here.

[Sampiro]

I lied- I'll ad this, then quit:

A great thing about the musical 1776, in addition to what CalMeacham mentioned, is that many of the songs were actually "written" by the actual characters. The beautiful love song "Till Then", sung between the "obnoxious and disliked" John Adams and his "pigeon toed" "dearest friend" Abigail, is drawn almost entirely from their love letters.
"Do you still smell of vanilla and spring air?/and is my favorite lover's pillow still firm and fair..." oy, I'm ferklempt.
The song "Mama Look Sharp" is haunting and terrifying, sung by a courier but recounting the last moments of a soldier at Lexington as he waited for his mother to find his body.
The DVD of 1776 restored the "Cool Cool Considerate Men" number and some other footage.

[Zebra]

Oh and few I forgot to include.


Sunset Blvd Chicago 42nd St

[Sampiro]

While I acknowledge that CZJ is hot and more box office reliable, I really wish they'd kept Bebe Neuwirth for the movie of CHICAGO. (Cicero!)
I also wish they'd cast Carol Burnett as Mama Morton.

[Shirley Ujest]

Music Man Robert Preston you were outstanding!

Guys and Dolls I got the horse right here....