Man, that was some great music!

Cafe Society
1

I just watched Little Shop of Horrors once more after leaving it on the shelf for a long time, and I was struck once more by the terrific music/singing.

I got to wondering, what other musicals out there have a similar energy and zest? I know very little about Broadway, but I understand that some great stuff has come out in the last few years.

Dopers, clearly the most erudite and intellectually enlightened indivuals on the planet that they are, will surely have recommendations I can trust.

So, how about it? Any suggestions?

2

Many many many shows,
but having just gotten home from seeing and loving Hedwig and the Angry Inch, I must plug it.

3

There are hundreds. Some include:
Movies:
“42nd Street”
“Singin’ in the Rain”
“Footlight Parade”
“The Band Wagon”

Stage Shows:
“Cabaret” (see the current Broadway version instead of the movies)
“The Music Man”
“Guys and Dolls”
“Anything Goes”
“Kiss Me Kate”
“Annie Get Your Gun”
“Chicago” (listen to the CD, which has the entire show)

4

Let us not forget…“The Rocky Horror Picture Show”

5

Hmmm, ok, let’s narrow parameters.

I am aware of most of the things already suggested; I am looking for recent contributions, so how about productions in the last ten years?

And please, gush all you want, let loose the gates of wonder and delight! Let us know what was so great about the songs/productions you suggest.

Like, what about Rent, or The producers, or others not so broadly advertised or known?

6

The last ten years have been particularly dismal, both on Broadway and in movies.

There have only been a handful of musical films – “Evita,” “Everyone Says I Love You,” “Love’s Labour’s Lost,” “A Knight’s Tale” (stretching the definition a bit) and “Moulon Rouge” (probably the best of them all).

Broadway has been hampered by Sondheim and his clones, but I understand the score for “The Producers” is pretty good. “Rent” was an OK score, though the play (especially the last scene) wasn’t all that great. Unfortunately, the best scores on Broadway these days are revivals (I’d also argue that the new version of “Cabaret” is much different than the earlier versions).

7

I’d have to say The Nightmare Before Christmas - in particular This is Halloween, and Kidnap the Sandy Claws. I’ve watched this movie several times in the past few weeks, and I just grow to love it more and more.

Susan