The Broadway show thread where we discuss all things Broadway

[CapeCodTenor]

Spamalot! I saw it at the Shubert Theater in May 2007. Funny, funny show.

Yeah, I missed it and wasn't happy about it.

Mine is still Jekyll & Hyde. Love the music and moodiness of it.

It seemed to do quite well when I came through some time back. I'm always surprised not to see it mentioned.

I prefer the pre-B'way cd (2 cd's actually) over the B'way version, there's more music. On the pre-B'way version, theirs a song that, to me at least, set's the entire mood for the show, and it's called "I need to know." Very good song.

 

[SamRoc]

Annie is my favorite because my dd did the Broadway National tour when she was 9!

 

[MrJT]

On tour, in San Antonio, some 15 years ago, I saw Jesus Christ Superstar. It had Ted Neely and Carl Anderson in the lead roles. I was already a fan of the music, and had seen the movie, so it was wonderful.
About a year later, Phantom of the Opera came to San Antonio. MrsJT and I went together, and it blew me away!
I didn't get to experience another show until a couple of weeks ago. We spent the week before Christmas in Manahattan, and the final piece of our tour was on Christmas Eve. We saw Wicked. It was a true Broadway experience, and it was awesome. Two days later I bought both the Cast Recording as well as the original novel. That's a show I wouldn't mind seeing again.

 

[sdarwkcabemanmy]

CapeCodTenor--you are NOT alone. I love the musical CATS also..my VHS copy is almost worn to a nub and I wish I could find it on DVD around here.
Last summer, our HS did Bye Bye Birdie which was terriffic. I also really like RENT.

When DH and I were in community college together, we were stagehands (I did backstage prop work and he was in the lightbooth) for Little Shop of Horrors and Sweeney Todd (another of my favorites). During Sweeney, our lead actor (the guy playing Sweeney) really taught us all what "The show MUST go on!" means. During a tech rehearsal about a week before the show opened, he fell through the trap door beneath his barber's chair. His back was all scraped up and he broke 4 ribs. I was a spot op and DH was on lightboard when it happened. We could see the trap door had been opened prematurely,but we couldn't radio down to the stage mgr quick enough to do anything about it. Our Sweeney went to the hospital and came back I think the next day all taped up and doped up on pain meds but ready to perform.
He put on a pretty good show too. When he stalked out on the stage for the first number, you could see people in the front row just kind of leaning back to get away from him.

 

[eliza61]

Anyone see Sunset Blvd? I saw it in NY with Betty Buckley. I loved the sets in this show. The mansion set was amazing.

Yes, I saw that. It was fabulous!!

 

[LoraJ]

Anyone see Sunset Blvd? I saw it in NY with Betty Buckley. I loved the sets in this show. The mansion set was amazing.

I saw it with Glenn Close. Really enjoyed it.

 

[Cee]

I have loved everything I've seen on the Great White Way. I think my stand-outs are:

Play: The Elephant Man
Burn This(John Malkovich-HOT!)

Musical: The Wiz(Andre de Shields as the Wizard-AWESOME)

 

[flying_babyb]

Lez mis
Phantom of the opera
Rent

I love rent. Glory is like my favorite song. I love plays.
Only play I ever thought was dull was The Fantasticks. I saw it done at our local college and it was very odd plot. I was so bored. Then again I was only there cause my best freind was in it.

 

[sdarwkcabemanmy]

Speaking of, we had a HS here that was in a lot of hot water recently because they had decided to do "RENT" (albeit a toned down version). A lot of parents got very upset about it and the school eventually decided to cancel all performances. DH and I were planning on going, too, to support the young actors even though it's not our town's HS. I think it was awfully brave of them to even think about doing this at a HS level. It's very intense and deals with some very adult situations.

No day but today...

 

[Tumblwd501]

Hmm.. I'm not even sure I know what my #1 favorite is.. good question!

But my favorites include: Wicked, Miss Saigon, Annie & The Producers

We had a chance to see The Producers here in Chicago before they opened up in Broadway. And while the songs weren't the greatest, Nathan Lane was amazing and Matthew Broderick did pretty well too. And the two of them together were hilarious!

 

[DebbieB]

Phantom of the Opera and Wicked. I love the music in each.

 

[piney]

I could never pick just one. I love all musicals, some standouts for us were:

Jersey Boys
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Hairspray
Mamma Mia
Spring Awakening
All Shook Up
The Wedding Singer
The Producers
The Pirate Queen
Sweeney Todd
Sweet Charity

Recently, off-Broadway: Rock of Ages - awesome show!

We loved Shrek, believe it or not this was a great show.

Two of my lesser favorites were Chicago and Phantom of the Opera. I liked Wicked, but not enough to want to see it again.

 

[HARASW]

Jersey Boys was my favorite so far.

 

[piney]

I also loved Christina Applegate in Sweet Charity!

 

[Nancyg56]

I don't have one favorite.

I loved Aida. Also Phantom, Les Miz, and The Producers. I also enjoyed Jesus Christ Superstar on Broadway. I saw it in town and was not as impressed.

I was not fond of Cats and saw Rent one time. I was glad I saw it but would not choose to see it again.

DH has not seen Phantom so we are going this Spring when it comes back.

 

[Goofyluver]

Just wanted to add: I know in the community theater circles I run around in I'm in the minority, but I liked the musical Cats!

My FAV!!!

*Phantom of the Opera
*Starlight Express
*Three Guys Named Moe (Not sure if you can call this one "broadway" but I loved it).
*A Christmas Carol, the Musical (saw this in '07 and made my Xmas since it was the last with my wife)
*Cats

Lot more, but these are the ones off the top of my head....

I loved Three Guys Named Moe!

I'll add Phantom as well.

 

[Hercules10]

Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat....think I've seen this one 5 times.

 

[piney]

Let's not forget Disney:

Beauty and the Beast
Lion King
The Little Mermaid

 

[LoraJ]

Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat....think I've seen this one 5 times.

That was the first show I saw on Broadway (I had seen Annie on tour up to that point). Saw it with David Cassidy in 1983. I saw it again in the 90's with some former teen star and I can't remember the name.

 

[Stucas]

I've seen a bunch but Beauty and the Beast will always be my favorite. I saw it at least 8 times since the year it opened and I cried when I found out it was closing (it better have a revival once I have kids...or there will be more crying)

My second favorite was Spamalot. I Got DH (then just DBF ) tickets in the front row of the balcony on the opening night of previews, which was Valentine's day a few years ago. He is a huge monty python fan and even though frankly I don't like their stuff I LOOOVED the show. I'm sure it helped to have the best cast possible....Hank Azzaria was there, need I say more?


-Lauren