[The_X]

OK.. so first off, I LOVE musicals. I think they're such a unique form of performance and I just love the atmosphere of NYC Broadway and the theaters there. I've seen Beauty and the Beast, Sound of Music (off Broadway), and Lion King so far. Beauty and the Beast was by FAR my favorite, I loved the added songs over the Disney movie and the set and performers were all incredible. Lion King was surprisingly "meh".. it seemed very childish, lots of jokes and dialogue interrupting the music. It definitely was not worth all the hype IMO, but my parents and little brother enjoyed it a lot. I've wanted to see Wicked and Rent for a while now, I'll try to go this Thanksgiving. What are yours?

 

[nickknutson]

I loved the Lion King!

 

[ken36]

My Wife and I used to go to NYC every year to the Musicals. Our favorite was and remains Les Miserables. (Le Miz) Silly story, but the music is wonderful. We saw it in New York, London, Los Angeles and Paris (in French) We loved it each time. We still watch the DVD (Les Miserables 10th Anniversary Concert) every Holiday season.

 

[The_X]

Thats pretty cute Traditions like that are really nice...

 

[seacard]

Les Miserables and Miss Saigon is really the head of the class. Nothing in the world compares.

There are a few recent musicals that are spectacular: Urinetown, Avenue Q, and Wicked. Wicked is a difficult ticket to get, so make sure you get it in advance. And it really is worth seeing. Urinetown is no longer playing, while Avenue Q can be had at 50% off these days.

Of the classics, there are many that are no longer playing and are just a little less enjoyable on CD alone. Annie, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Oliver, My Fair Lady, Chess, Rent (still playing), and Phantom of the Opera (still playing) are some of my favorites as well.

 

[Febs]

These are the shows I've performed:

Aida (bass)
Annie Get Your Gun (bass)
Anything Goes (bass, 2 productions)
Beauty and the Beast (bass)
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (guitar/banjo)
Cabaret (music director/guitar/banjo)
Camelot (bass)
Cats (guitar)
Cinderella (upright bass)
City of Angels (bass, 2 productions)
Dark of the Moon (guitar/banjo)
Fiorillo! (bass)
Fiddler on the Roof (guitar/mandolin)
Footloose: The Musical (guitar, 2 productions)
Godspell (guitar, 1 production; bass, 1 production)
Good News (bass)
Grease (bass, 1 production; guitar, 3 productions)
Guys and Dolls (bass)
High School Musical (guitar)
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (guitar)
Irene (guitar/banjo)
Is There Life After High School? (bass, 2 productions)
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (bass, 1 scheduled for 6 weeks in November/December)
Little Shop of Horrors (guitar, 2 productions)
Mame (guitar/banjo, 2 productions)
Me and My Girl (bass, 2 productions)
Miss Saigon (upright and electric bass)
My Favorite Year (upright bass)
Oklahoma! (upright bass, 2 productions; guitar/banjo, 3 productions)
The Pajama Game (guitar/banjo)
Perfectly Frank (bass)
Pippin (guitar/banjo, 3 productions)
Ragtime, The Musical (guitar/banjo/mandolin)
The Robber Bridegroom (guitar/banjo)
Seussical the Musical (bass, 1 production; guitar/banjo, 1 production)
Showboat (guitar/banjo)
The Who’s Tommy (bass)
Two Gentlemen of Verona (bass)
You're a Good Man Charlie Brown (upright and electric bass)

Of these, Aida, Annie Get Your Gun, Cats, Seussical, Charlie Brown, Miss Saigon, and 2 of the 5 productions of Oklahoma were professional productions at AEA theaters. Most of the rest were regional, community or high school productions that I was hired to play.

Some of the shows that I've seen in various professional productions include:

Cabaret (Philadelphia)
Cats (Philadelphia)
A Chorus Line (Philadelphia)
The Drowsy Chaperone (London)
Les Miserables (Broadway and Philadelphia)
Man of La Mancha (Philadelphia)
Phantom of the Opera (London and Philadelphia)
The Producers (Broadway)
Wild Party (Philadelphia)

Purely from my perspective as a musician, The Who's Tommy was far and away the most fun to play. I would have a hard time picking the "best" production that I've seen or participated in based on any other criteria.

 

[will-san]

I am a lighting designer so I have done my fair share of musicals.

My favorite is Steven Sondheim's Assassins. It sound's like a terrible Idea for a musical but it is a really amazing show.

 

[ckacosta]

I saw Annie on Broadway 77~78 with Sarah Jessica Parker in the lead role.

I have since seen Les Mis, Cats, and Phantom. Love them all.

 

[zenaphile]

On my Zen Wav player as we speak is A Chorus Line... 5...6...7...8

 

[Febs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by will-san /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am a lighting designer so I have done my fair share of musicals. My favorite is Steven Sondheim's Assassins. It sound's like a terrible Idea for a musical but it is a really amazing show.

Assassins just played in Philadelphia, and I wanted to see it, but unfortunately, it was up at almost the same time as I was playing Miss Saigon.

 

[will-san]

Sorry you missed it. I really recommend it if you get a chance. The original cast album With Victor Garber (Sidney's Dad on Alias) as Booth is fantastic. I love musicals but rarely listen to them (i prefer to see them) but Assassins is a show I can listen to over and over again.

I also hear the recent revival was good, I missed it by a couple weeks.

I got to see Miss Saigon in London with Jonathan Pryce as the engineer. I really liked that show, although I was in theater school at the time where it was very uncool to admit you liked it.

The other show I think is underrated is Big River. Deaf West (cause honestly who does musicals like a theater for the hearng impared) did a production In LA a few years back that was really outstanding.