Musical Theatre

[TinyDancer]

Do you play in instrument GB?

[Well Behaved Lady]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_bE0O8iAWM

[joe_and_michelle]

Michelle's favorite musical was Wicked.    It's playing in Detroit right now.   Lin and I, along with Michelle's sister and mom went to see it on Saturday.  

Lin's new favorite song is "For Good".   She told her Aunt that she likes to think of it as a song for her and Michelle.

[joe_and_michelle]

"Kinky Boots" playing Detroit right now.   Just got home from it.   Fantastic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PhhhBvfUzE

[joe_and_michelle]

Went to PIPPEN yesterday as a Fathers Day gift from my beautiful daughter.  Though, I think it was the idea of (and paid for by) her Grandma, Aunt, and Grandpa, who attended it with me.
It was a bit odd.    I should have read a bit about it before seeing it.   Reading about it on Wikipedia this morning, helped to clear up a few things.    Performances were great all around.    Not sure I'd see it again.   Music was good, but lyrics were so-so.

[thetaxmancometh]

All of Les Mis, Phantom, and Wicked are great. I have seen a ton of musicals and there are a lot of duds but there are a lot of greats! I was sad NPH didn't host the Tony awards this year... he should be the permanent host.

[ObiDongKenobi]

I generally dislike musicals.  There should be a law against Sondheim, Webber and others of their ilk (ducks incoming boos). Two notable exceptions are "Sunny Afternoon" (the story of the Kinks) and "The School Of Rock" (the only musical I have seen twice and was blown away by the kids' musical ability).

Recently discovered that there is a musical about Bob Marley on in London so I plan to go to that.

[Hilda]

I generally dislike musicals.  There should be a law against Sondheim and Webber (ducks incoming boos). Two notable exceptions are "Sunny Afternoon" (the story of the Kinks) and "The School Of Rock" (the only musical I have seen twice and was blown away by the kids' musical ability).

Recently discovered that there is a musical about Bob Marley on in London so I plan to go to that.

It's a relief to find another musical-intolerant soul here on KB. The only one I've ever seen is The Rocky Horror Show.

My intolerance goes deeper. I can't stand opera, which I guess is the grandmother of musicals. I've also no time for highly stylized (i.e. unnatural) performing arts. In short five-minute bursts they make me yawn. Anything longer than that and I started groaning.

[ObiDongKenobi]

Ha.  I had forgotten about the musical theatre genre of Opera (and ballet). I was resistant to both until about twenty years ago I bought tickets to an opera as a present for Mrs ODK who liked both and I was prepared to suffer. Fortunately I picked a wonderful production of Carmen, complete with live horse ridden on to the stage. Also it was at the Royal Opera House, London, and the auditorium is just stunning.  I have seen a couple of ballet and opera productions since.  Unfortunately the modern trend is for minimalism in the set/production which I think detracts from the experience;  and although I adore the music of old Wolfgang I have disliked both operas of his that I have seen.

I also like the operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan; especially the much praised production of "The Mikado" by the sadly departed Jonathan Miller (who also directed operas). I have seen it several times but am sorry that I was too late to see the first production starring Eric Idle.

It may be just modern musicals I detest. At the invite of other family members I was taken to recent revivals of "Top Hat" and "Anything Goes" and did enjoy them.

The best modern musical never to be seen in its entireity has to be "Springtime For Hitler" 

[Hilda]

Ha.  I had forgotten about the musical theatre genre of Opera (and ballet). I was resistant to both until about twenty years ago I bought tickets to an opera as a present for Mrs ODK who liked both and I was prepared to suffer. Fortunately I picked a wonderful production of Carmen, complete with live horse ridden on to the stage. Also it was at the Royal Opera House, London, and the auditorium is just stunning.

Ah, we've gone in opposite directions.

The way my mother used to tell it, she was well into her pregnancy when she went to the opera in Italy. When the fat lady began to sing (okay, I'm making that up) I gave her a hefty kick and she yelped. The friend sitting next to her said, "Your baby clearly appreciates fine music."

I'm pretty sure it was the other way round, and I was expressing my displeasure in the only way I could. 

[Pornhubby]

My grandfather had season tickets to the opera, ballet, summer musicals, and symphony. So it was very much a part of my life growing up. I remember when I was in fourth grade, and he bought me a record player with the complete works of Ludwig van Beethoven. I think I was 10 years old? LOL. I really liked the old Broadway musicals by Rodgers and Hammerstein. South Pacific, Oklahoma, The King & I, Show Boat, The Sound of Music, so many good ones.

[Hilda]

My grandfather had season tickets to the opera, ballet, summer musicals, and symphony. So it was very much a part of my life growing up. I remember when I was in fourth grade, and he bought me a record player with the complete works of Ludwig van Beethoven. I think I was 10 years old? LOL.

I grew up with a stack of shellac 78s and a wind-up phonograph, the kind where you have to change the steel needle every few plays. Most of the records were operatic arias. With nothing else to listen to, I learned those records by heart, and whenever we hosted a party, my parents would drag me from my room and insist that I sing my song.

"Oh, how cute," the guests would say. "The little darling is singing La donna è mobile [Woman is fickle] from Rigoletto."

Wince, cringe, squirm, groan. 

[Pornhubby]

I grew up with a stack of shellac 78s and a wind-up phonograph, the kind where you have to change the steel needle every few plays. Most of the records were operatic arias. With nothing else to listen to, I learned those records by heart, and whenever we hosted a party, my parents would drag me from my room and insist that I sing my song.

"Oh, how cute," the guests would say. "The little darling is singing La donna è mobile [Woman is fickle] from Rigoletto."

Wince, cringe, squirm, groan. 

We had 100’s of 78 sets. My grandfather put a stack on the player before bed, and a timer would go off at sunrise and fill the house with the sound of music. This is how I learned how to grow up.

I have an old crank phonograph with the bell sound horn, and a steel needle. It’s really just a decorative piece, we don’t use it for anything, but it will play.

I’m not an old fogey. I’m actually quite a libertine, but I think it’s sad that this younger generation knows so little music history or appreciation.