# What are your favorite Broadway musicals? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 27, 2001, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-broadway-musicals/70286 "2001-06-27T05:31:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mauvaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mauvaise/32/11084_2.png) [@Mauvaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mauvaise)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2001, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-broadway-musicals/70286/21 "2001-06-28T02:15:33Z")
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\*\* (sensing a theme here? 🙂 ), **Assassins** and **Evita** (Mandy Patinkin, Patti LuPone). ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2001, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-broadway-musicals/70286/22 "2001-06-28T04:06:28Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![exchicagoan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/0ea827/32.png) [@exchicagoan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/exchicagoan)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2001, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-broadway-musicals/70286/23 "2001-06-28T04:27:17Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2001, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-broadway-musicals/70286/24 "2001-06-28T04:54:04Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2001, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-broadway-musicals/70286/25 "2001-06-28T05:52:18Z")
Just got back from seeing “The Civil War” with Larry Gatlin. I should get the concept album - probably more interesting. Good show, tho… Esprix ---
**Author:** ![Mauvaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mauvaise/32/11084_2.png) [@Mauvaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mauvaise)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2001, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-broadway-musicals/70286/26 "2001-06-28T13:21:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*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 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![caircair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@caircair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caircair)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2001, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-broadway-musicals/70286/27 "2001-06-28T15:16:46Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2001, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-broadway-musicals/70286/28 "2001-06-28T16:28:55Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2001, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-broadway-musicals/70286/29 "2001-06-28T20:56:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fenris \* > \*\*\*\ ***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. ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2001, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-broadway-musicals/70286/30 "2001-06-29T01:58:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GingerOfTheNorth \* > \*\*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. :D) ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2001, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-broadway-musicals/70286/31 "2001-06-29T03:48:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*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!” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![xanadu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c4cdca/32.png) [@xanadu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanadu)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-broadway-musicals/70286/32 "2002-11-21T18:07:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*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! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-broadway-musicals/70286/33 "2002-11-21T18:21:10Z")
**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. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-broadway-musicals/70286/34 "2002-11-21T18:22:39Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-broadway-musicals/70286/35 "2002-11-21T19:21:39Z")
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! ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-broadway-musicals/70286/36 "2002-11-21T20:06:04Z")
I’ve really enjoyed: \*\*Kiss Me Kate Phantom of the Opera The Fantasticks \*\*I know off broadway **How to Succeed** with Matthew Broderick and don’t laugh **Jane Eyre** It’s good! Really! ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-broadway-musicals/70286/37 "2002-11-21T21:45:45Z")
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) ---
**Author:** ![WSLer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@WSLer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WSLer)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-broadway-musicals/70286/38 "2002-11-22T01:16:23Z")
**The Fantastiks** **A Chorus Line** **West Side Story** ---
**Author:** ![Flowerchild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/858c86/32.png) [@Flowerchild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flowerchild)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-broadway-musicals/70286/39 "2002-11-22T03:54:45Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-broadway-musicals/70286/40 "2002-11-22T04:12:01Z")
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. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-broadway-musicals/70286.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-broadway-musicals/70286.md?page=3)