Saturday, November 6, 2010

A Bit of Me(Me): Broadway!


Today's question from There's a Book:

Have you ever seen a Broadway musical? Do you like theater?


Once again, are you sure you want to ask me this question? Sheesh this is really opening up a can of worms here because I LOVE Broadway! We've had season tickets to the theater in SLC for going on 15 years and they bring in four (usually) wonderful shows each year starring the New York touring companies. (Now and again they even bring us the original stars like Carol Channing and Donny Osmond and Hayley Mills.) Also, we usually get season tickets for the local summer outdoor theater and have seen tons of stuff there too. Not to mention the fact that every year we go to both the high school and junior high school's musical shows and they do such and excellent job that you forget you're not watching professionals!

My all time favorite shows are:


Les Miserables: the 10th anniversary concert is all over YouTube and I can't pick a favorite, but the dude that plays Enjolras, which you can see in this song, is stunning... and this song also shows cute Michael Ball playing Marius.

Jekyll and Hyde: I just highlighted this one the other day with a link to my favorite song, Confrontation.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: with Donny of course (when I saw him in this show, I had my two oldest kids with me, and he thumbs uped at them during the finale! So cool!)

Forever Plaid: such a fun silly show


The Scarlet Pimpernel: drama and comedy in one! My favorite song,  Into the Fire.

The Secret Garden: yes, based on the beloved book. I love every single song, but the one I especially love is the two brothers singing about the girl they both love, Lily, who is now dead. It's called Lily's Eyes (not the best quality video of this but this one is sung by the "real" guys.)

The Music Man: I love love love the train scene right at the start. When they did this at the high school years ago, my son got to be one of these guys.They did an awesome job.

West Side Story: Tony's Something's Coming is the best

Fiddler on the Roof: mostly I'm familiar with the film version of this one, and yet another where it's so hard to pick a favorite song! But the rich man song.... it's got to be the classic of this one!


Close in the running:

The Phantom of the Opera
Cats
Wicked
Oliver!
Evita
Into the Woods
Seven Wives for Seven Brothers
Beauty and the Beast
The Lion King
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Annie Get Your Gun
Hello Dolly
Oklahoma!
Miss Saigon
Camelot

Other ones I've seen that I really really enjoy:

Peter Pan
Sound of Music
The King and I
Mamma Mia
The Pirates of Penzance
All Shook Up
Hairspray
Once Upon a Mattress
Children of Eden
Little Women

And even with that list, it just barely skims the surface of the stuff we've seen and loved. Yes, we love Broadway around here! And now you know why I end up comparing my books read to shows I've seen!

This year the four shows we'll be seeing (one coming up in just a couple of weeks) are The Color Purple, Mary Poppins, Les Miserables and Young Frankenstein.

Some shows I haven't seen but would LOVE to:

Aida
Starlight Express
Whistle Down the Wind
Spamalot

Whew, I don't know about you all, but I had a blast making that post! :)


What shows have you seen and loved? Or dare you admit that you aren't a fan of musical theater?

13 comments:

  1. WOW, that is some list and so many that I know I would enjoy.

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  2. Fabulous shows, I'm sure! I need to get out more...LOL.

    Thanks for visiting my blog.

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  3. I interpreted it like you did. Broadway anywhere. And wow! I love the local outdoor theater, but we've never gotten season tickets. Sounds like you've had a lot of experiences. I'm mostly a fan of local theater myself :)

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  4. I haven't been to a Broadway musical as I'm all the way in California but I have seen the performances when they are touring my way. I love musicals.

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  5. We definately love musical theater! Wicked is probably our favorite, but Les Miserables is high up there. We're way jealous of your list.

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  6. Wow! That is incredible! I would love to have seen all the shows you've been to! I honestly don't think it matters where you see them, because there is usually some fantastic talent wherever you happen to be. My favorite experience was in LA. Now to get back for more!

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  7. Hahaha, wow, we really are opposites on this one! I can't stand The Music Man, lol. I was in it in high school and...well, rehearsal for a musical can be a bit wearing, hahah.

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  8. I am going to have to make a list now. To say what I have seen in London, New York, SLC, and just here in good old Orem. Then I need to make a list of all the shows I have been in. We do love musicals here!!!

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  9. What fun; I love Broadway shows but really hardly get to any of them when they tour through here. I wish they would film more of them--not make a movie of them, they are rarely as charming.

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  10. CMash: You think I over did it? :)

    Laurel-Rain: All fabulous, yes!

    Melissa: Summer just not summer with out the SCERA Shell. And last year, we didn't get them! It was sad.

    Pussreboots: Yes, I've only been to one in New York once. But many of these shows have been the New York touring company, so that's just as good I'm thinking!

    TwoBiblios: When I finally saw Wicked last year, I decided I still liked Les Mis better! But yeah, it was so very fun.

    1st Daughter: As I said before... perhaps I over did this post!? :)

    Crystal: Yeah, when you are actually IN a show, sometimes it ruins it I'd say.

    Aloha: Now that's something I can't list, I've never been in one! (Actually, i was in the pit for Hello Dolly in high school. Maybe that counts?)

    Lisa: yes, we have several plays on DVD (not movies as you say, but the actually play with a life audience) and we love them.

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  11. I'm a huge Broadway fan! I actually have a blog where I review live theatre in Indianapolis...

    stagewrite-mayer.blogspot.com

    Les Mis is one of my favorites as well. I also love Wicked, RENT, In the Heights, Cabaret, Lion King, Phantom, Fiddler, My Fair Lady, Mamma Mia, Sound of Music and a slew of others. I loved in London for awhile and got really hooked on shows.

    I saw The Color Purple and Mary Poppins early this year and reviewed both. I've also seen Aida and Spamalot which are both wonderful! So glad you shared this post!

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  12. Avid: I'm glad you enjoyed this. I went to your stage review site because I'm really curious about what to expect with The Color Purple next week. You made me think it's going to be pretty good after all. I'm a little nervous about it being too dark and hard to handle.

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  13. I was worried about the same thing, but they did a great job embracing the joy instead of just the pain. Enjoy the show!

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