For Those of us Who Love Broadway...

[mjaclyn]

I'm SO happy that (some) of the DIS podcast team are interested in Broadway. DH and I live in NY and LOVE to go as often as we can. The last show we saw on Broadway was Billy Elliot (absolutely excellent but had a LOT of cursing)... and the last non Broadway show we saw was Sunset Boulevard (ultimately disappointing for DH who has seen Betty Buckley and Glenn Close in it before). I love the story but the actress who played Norma Desmond (Stefanie Powers) did not do the role justice IMO. I'm really hoping for a revival that's not a copout like Sweeney Todd. Is there anyone else out there who enjoys a good theater experience, even if it's not on Broadway?

Here are my top 5 shows out of all the ones that I've seen - what are yours?:
1. Wicked (original cast)
2. Billy Elliot
3. The Music Man
4. Gypsy (the Patti LuPone version)
5. Phantom of the Opera

Top 5 worst:
1. Boys from Syracuse
2. Miss Saigon
3. Jekyll and Hyde
4. Follies
5. The Woman in White

*Side Note* To anyone who likes to watch Glee... I was so disappointed in the episode where Idina Menzel sings a duet with Lea Michele. I was fully expecting an incredibly awesome rendition of 'Defying Gravity' and instead found myself sitting through a torturous Lady Gaga song. I mean...seriously... You have the stars from Wicked and Spring Awakening and that's the best you can come up with??? I was appalled.. but will still be tuning in next season.

 

[WaltD4Me]

I haven't actually made it to Broadway to see a show, but Playhouse Square here in Cleveland does a pretty good job of hosting the shows.

Favorites.....

1. Wicked

2. Beauty & the Beast

3. My Fair Lady

4. Phantom of the Opera (saw this in in Toronto)

5. Les Misérables

Worst.....

Just one...Miss Saigon

I love Idina Menzel, but my favorite is Kristin Chenowith. I'd do just about anything to see her live in just about anything. Just love her! For Good is one of my favorite songs ever.

 

[DisneyKevin]

Best Theater Experiences

1. Angels In America (Millennium Approaches and Perestroika)
2. The Search For Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe
3. Evita (with Patti Lupone)
4. West Side Walt with Katherine Hepburn
5. Noises Off


Worst Theater Experiences.

1. The Best Little *****house Goes Public.
2. Fosse
3. Orpheus Descending with Vanessa Redgrave
4. Sunday In The Park With George
5. Fences with James Earl Jones

 

[mjaclyn]

We saw Kristin Chenoweth in Wicked and she was incredible!! We've really enjoyed everything she's been in from Broadway, movies and TV shows. I think she's a great actress.

Kevin... Who did you see in Sunday in the Park? I actually liked the Mandy Patinkin / Bernadette Peters version.

 

[DisneyKevin]

I have a really funny Miss Saigon story that I cant tell on the boards.

Ask me the next time you see me.

 

[mjaclyn]

I have a really funny Miss Saigon story that I cant tell on the boards.

Ask me the next time you see me.

I'll hold you to that! If DH has his way it will be on the February ABD trip. We're booked but I'm still in a panic over leaving the kids, so the only way we're going is if I don't run out of Xanax before the 14 day cancellation period is over.

 

[DisneyKevin]

Kevin... Who did you see in Sunday in the Park? I actually liked the Mandy Patinkin / Bernadette Peters version.

I saw Bernadette and Mandy.

I had box seats stuck to the wall of the theater. We could see nothing on the left side of the stage.

I had my folks with me. we learned that my folks dont like / get / understand / appreciate Sondheim.....especially when they cant see half of whats going on.

 

[princessbride6205]

Can't wait to hear your Miss Saigon story, Kevin!

I grew up in NJ and was really into theatre, so I've seen a lot of Broadway shows. I really miss it. There are lots of shows I really liked over the years, so picking my top was a little difficult.

Top 5:
1. Les Miserables
2. Thoroughly Modern Millie (original cast)*
3. Spamalot (original cast, except David Hyde Pierce was out)
4. Avenue Q (original cast)
5. Tie between Ragtime (original cast) and Crazy for You (still fabulous, though I did not see the original cast featuring Jodi Benson)

* Saw ...Millie a 2nd time on Broadway a few months before it closed - the cast was borderline bad and none of the jokes worked. DH would say this show was the worst he's ever seen.

Worst:
1. Grease (horrifying B'way revival in the 90s - Xena Warrior Princess was Rizzo)
2. Urinetown (National Tour)
3. Cats
There were some other shows I didn't really like - but not enough to say they were the worst.

 

[BriarRosie]

Broadway is one of those things I'll get around to someday. Meanwhile, I've seen some "Broadway in Chicago" shows, and shows I love to see at a small 'in the round' theater because they are so creative with such a small space.

One such show there was "The Drowsy Chaperone". I loved this show. I wish I could have seen the original stage version. I would see this one again.

The other show I loved was a traveling production many years ago of "City of Angels". I bought the soundtrack, which I rarely do for shows. Biggest surprise was Barry Williams in the traveling cast. He was surprisingly good. I say that because I was able to get past the "Greg Brady" stuff almost immediately.

I also saw Donny Osmond in "Joseph", so I seem to hit all the 70s teen idols in traveling productions.

 

[CastawayJP]

I've only made it to Broadway twice, but I saw Beauty and the Beast and Music Man w/ Robert Sean Leonard. Music Man was my favorite!

I loved Phantom when I saw it at the Kennedy Center, and seeing My Fair Lady under the stars at Wolftrap was great!

My worst musical experience ever was seeing Titanic: The Musical at Kennedy Center... That was terrible!

 

[carpedm]

OK, my 5 best theatre experiences (in no particular order)...

1) Sunset Blvd, last performance in LA before going to NY. The audience was absolutely electric and gave Glenn Close a 5 minute ovation on her entrance.
2) Gypsy, 2 particular performances: Bernadette Peters last performance and seeing it with LuPone. I didn't particularly like Peters in this role, but the audience was so invested in her last performance that I still count it as a good experience. I'm not old enough to have seen Merman, so LuPone is probably as close as I'm going to get.
3) The Secret Garden in Pasadena. This show has no business getting to me, but for whatever reason, it does. Very much enjoyed seeing this and still enjoy the original cast recording.
4) The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. I love the simplicity of the production that really brings out the depth of emotion.
5) Wicked. I went into this expecting typical tourist fare, and it was, but I enjoyed every minute. I guess seeing Chenoweth and Mendel can do that.

5 Least Favorite
1) Floyd Collins at Playwright Horizons. I know critics liked this one, but it couldn't end quick enough for me.
2) Jekyll & Hyde, aka generic musical #37.
3) Boys from Syracuse- a mediocre show with an even more mediocre production.
4) Whistle Down the Wind in London- just a bad idea from the beginning by Sir Weber.
5) Tango Argentino in NY- I picked up tickets at the TKTS booth, and even at half price, it wasn't even close to being worth it. Not sure what I was thinking here...

My worst musical experience ever was seeing Titanic: The Musical at Kennedy Center... That was terrible!

Now I liked Titanic, having seen it in both NY and Philly, but I can see how some would not.

 

[Kimberle]

I love seeing shows on Brdwy! My girlsfriends & I go 2x a year. We recently saw South Pacific. Our next show is Promises Promises. My dd loves brdwy, too. I just took her to see Wicked! Mama Mia is another fav.

 

[starwood]

We also saw Wicked with Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel (and Pete it's pronounced Cheno weth not worth). We also met her at a book signing. I've lost track of how many shows we've seen.

DS saw his first show around 7 years old (Peter Pan with Cathy Rigby). He was the type of kid who couldn't sit still for 5 minutes but he sat there for an hour and a half with this look of amazement on his face.

 

[Chropistopy]

One of my favorite things is to sit in a theater (any theater) and see a show. I was just in NYC in May and will be back in September.

Favorite:

1. Next to Normal (with Alice Ripley...she's amazing)
2. Wicked
3. Promises Promises (Sean Hayes is not the best singer but love him anyway...and Kristen Chenoweth...wow!)
4. Jersey Boys (the show is just plain fun!)
5. Ragtime (it was my first show on Broadway...)

Worst:
It is hard for me to pick a worst...but would have to be some Bollywood type show that I've blocked out the name to. I didn't stay to even finish that one.

When I'm in NYC in September, I'm going to be able to see 3 shows. I'm seeing Next to Normal with the new cast. I'm struggling with what the other two shows will be...Has anyone seen and can give me a quick review of the following?

Trust (Off Broadway...with Sutton Foster & Zach Braff)
In the Heights
A Little Night Music
The Fantastiks (Off Broadway)

 

[dgthree]

Has anyone seen and can give me a quick review of the following?

Trust (Off Broadway...with Sutton Foster & Zach Braff)
In the Heights
A Little Night Music
The Fantastiks (Off Broadway)

I haven't seen In the Heights, but I'm DYING to. Bought the soundtrack after seeing the one performance on the Tonys, and have been in love ever since.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Kevin, my partner has some good Mandy stories which cannot be told on a message board (Mandy played the lead in my partner's musical, which was off-Broadway about a decade ago).

Anyway, my top 5 theatre experiences

1) The Normal Heart (@ the Public Theatre, with Raul Esparza and Joanna Gleason)
2) Harvey Fierstein's last performance of Hairspray
3) Idina Menzel's last performance of Wicked
4) bare (closing night off-Broadway at ATA)
5) opening night of Patti LuPone's Gypsy at City Center (sat across the aisle from Arthur Laurents)

Honorable mention: opening night of Lestat, Bernadette's closing night of Gypsy, Gypsy with Tyne Daly

 

[EPCOT is a verb]

Mama Mia is another fav.

DD and I had the most fun together at Mama Mia! People were dancing in the isles! Just listening to the soundtrack makes me smile.

 

[auroralark]

I'm a huge Broadway fan, but even though we live in NY we can't go much because it's so pricey. I have many favorite shows, many of which I have never had the pleasure to see performed live (like Wicked, I know...) Some of my favorites: Spring Awakening, The Music Man, The Scarlet Pimpernel, 1776, Little Shop of Horrors, Ragtime, Jekyll and Hyde and Rent. I could list a lot more! I did not enjoy Movin' Out, but I'm not big into dancing. I also wasn't big on Phantom of the Opera... Andrew Lloyd Webber has done much better IMHO.

 

[jpeka65844]

I also, am a huge musical theater fan! I've only been to NYC twice and saw:

Ragtime
Cabaret
Kiss Me, Kate
The Producers

Kansas City has for a long time, been a stop for sub-par touring companies of shows (non-Equity, not original productions, etc...) Which is fine but they, as a rule, charge premium prices! That's beginning to change thank goodness and some good stuff has been coming through!

So my love of theater is usually through cast recordings and local productions. My favorites are:

Guys and Dolls (just all around cool!)
The Phantom of the Opera (the first "professional" musical I ever saw in a big city!)
The Music Man (still makes me laugh after all these years!)
The Last Five Years (love ANYTHING by Jason Robert Brown)
Children of Eden (I know Wicked gets a lot of love here but this is Schwartz's best music, IMHO)


I used to do community theater in my "salad days"! Oh my, how I miss it!!

 

[Fantasmic23]

I'm so envious of all of you! I lived in Brooklyn for six years and I only made it to Broadway twice: Les Mis and a revival of Jesus Christ Superstar (With Ted Neeley and Carl Anderson!). But I was born and raised in New Haven, CT, the place where many musicals and plays were given a trial run before heading to Broadway ... Does that count for anything?

So, my top 5 would be:

1. Les Mis (Broadway)
2. Jesus Christ Superstar revival (Broadway)
3. Annie (Broadway in the early 80s with Allison Smith and Alice Ghostley)
4. Rumors (Non-musical, New Haven 1989)
5. Contact (Oakdale Theater - Wallingford, CT)

The worst would have to be some Tony & Tina's Wedding knock-off I saw at the Oakdale (Wallingford, CT) in 1998.

I just bought the "Wicked" and "Avenue Q rotfl" soundtracks. It's awesome ... DH and I will be jamming to "Dirty Deeds (Done Dirt Cheap)" on my iPod and the next song up will be "Popular".