The Broadway show thread where we discuss all things Broadway

[JenM]

... backs away slowly.

Hehe...

I saw it for the first time in 1989, so it took awhile to get there. I also have a ton of playbills, programs, two posters (one signed by the 10th anniversary Broadway cast), and two coffee table books. One is from the 80s when the show was still new, and the other is the stage to screen book that came out this year, which has a whole history of the show through the movie (that is an awesome book, btw).

And of course, I have the Victor Hugo novel.

This summer I got to meet Hugh Jackman! We went to an advance screening of the new Wolverine movie, and I got picked to go up on stage for the Q&A before the movie. I kept joking afterwards that getting to hang out on stage with Hugh while I was wearing a pair of Wolverine sneakers and holding a foam claw hand was exactly what I thought might happen while I was sobbing my way through Les Mis a few months earlier.

So it's ok if you don't like Les Mis...some of are crazy enough to like it way to much for anyone who doesn't!

 

[superme80]

And I hate West Side Story & Oklahoma

I hate Sound of Music. I have seen it a total of 3 times and I still can't stand it.

 

[JenM]

A kindred spirit!! My text ringtone is "One Day More." My older daughter, who likes musical theatre but isn't in love with it, says it's going to be a long two and a half weeks while we wait to leave for my younger's college. She asked how many times we would have to listen to it on the 10.5 hour drive. She also doesn't understand why we have to see the show Friday and Saturday night. Where did I go wrong???

"One Day More" is my favorite Les Mis song! Your daughter must be having a blast working on the show. How cool is that?

My family loves Les Mis. It's like a running joke who outcries who at the end. We took my aunt with us the first time we saw it, and she was bawling so bad when Fantine appeared...then when Eponine walked out I heard her mutter, "Oh sweet Jesus, here comes the other one!"

We took her to the movie over Christmas week, and she actually filled an empty popcorn bag with all of the napkins she'd cried into.

 

[Imzadi]

Les Mis is my favorite musical. I've seen it 8 times on Broadway and once in London, and I can't wait to see it for the 10th time when it comes back to Broadway next year. A new commercial just came out for it! Yay!!!!

http://youtu.be/w_x8ip2Q6YE

I saw that commercial too the other day.

Who is playing Valjean, do you know? I've seen it 4 times on Broadway. I want to see it only if it has an absolutely fabulous Valjean.

Sorry, I didn't like Hugh Jackman's talking/singing. And I didn't think his voice was that great in the role. I don't want to spend another $150 - $200 to see that same level on Broadway. (I just spent $600 this weekend to attend a workshop with 5 of my favorite ceramic artists. So I do pay for a once in a lifetime events.) But, I want someone of the calibre of Colm Wilkinson or Alfie Boe. Otherwise, I can see some community theatre level to get Hugh Jackman's level.

 

[JenM]

I saw that commercial too the other day.

Who is playing Valjean, do you know? I've seen it 4 times on Broadway. I want to see it only if it has an absolutely fabulous Valjean.

Sorry, I didn't like Hugh Jackman's talking/singing. And I didn't think his voice was that great in the role. I don't want to spend another $150 to see that same level on Broadway. I want someone of the calibre of Colm Wilkinson or Alfie Boe. Otherwise, I can see some community theatre level to get Hugh Jackman's level.

No idea. I've heard rumors about Alfie Boe, but nothing confirmed.

And I loved Hugh Jackman's Valjean. No, of course he doesn't have a voice like Colm or Alfie, but I knew that going in since I'd already seen him on Broadway a bunch of times (and I adore his singing/dancing). But he portrayed that role so beautifully...from the way he broke down during the Soliloquy, and the fear during Who Am I, and his scene with Anne Hathaway and little Cosette. Even Bring Him Home...he didn't hit those high notes, but you could see how much it was about Valjean realizing that he needed to let Cosette go, and I'd never really seen the song as being about that before.

I loved that the movie brought in aspects of the novel, and kept the focus on Valjean's story, where in the show, the Eponine-Marius-Cosette love triangle takes over a bit in Act II. The new song was beautiful, and how it was reprised when Valjean leaves her at the end just broke me. And that ending scene? Forget it.

But to each his own. And hey...there are some fine community theater singers.

 

[Imzadi]

I've heard rumors about Alfie Boe, too. But, it didn't look like him in the commercial. I wondered if they showed the upcoming cast, or if it was just a pic from one of the touring companies?

And yes, I know there are some fantastic community theatre singers. But, you usually don't find them on the level of Colm Wilkinson. It is usually a surprise and joy to see one at that level. And you don't have to pay $150 to see them.

 

[JenM]

The cast in the new commercial is the 25th Anniversary London tour cast. That's John Owen Jones as Valjean. You can hear them on the 2010 recording, they sound amazing.

 

[Imzadi]

The cast in the new commercial is the 25th Anniversary London tour cast. That's John Owen Jones as Valjean. You can hear them on the 2010 recording, they sound amazing.

Thanks. Please PM me if you find out it's Alfie Boe playing Valjean. I'll be standing in line for tickets even before I finish reading your PM.

 

[TifffanyD]

hassled?

Hated! Sorry, was on my phone.

 

[TifffanyD]

I liked the music in Les Mis... there was just SO MUCH of it (with not much talking). We were exhausted and couldn't stay for the 2nd act.

 

[emilily88]

Spring awakening was ok but I hated dream girls and wicked!

HOW can you hate Wicked?! You crazy I liked the film version of Dreamgirls but not crazy about the stage show.

I loved the Les Mis movie except for Russell Crowe he should never have been cast IMO. I was pleasantly surprised by Amanda Seyfried, I turned off Mamma Mia halfway through because I thought it was awful so I didn't know much about her vocal range but I thought she was great. They should just cast Aaron Tveit as every male part so he can sing throughout the entire thing

Also hate the Sound of Music. Way overrated IMO!

 

[elgerber]

HOW can you hate Wicked?! You crazy I liked the film version of Dreamgirls but not crazy about the stage show.

I loved the Les Mis movie except for Russell Crowe he should never have been cast IMO. I was pleasantly surprised by Amanda Seyfried, I turned off Mamma Mia halfway through because I thought it was awful so I didn't know much about her vocal range but I thought she was great. They should just cast Aaron Tveit as every male part so he can sing throughout the entire thing

Also hate the Sound of Music. Way overrated IMO!

HOW can you hate The Sound of Music !! Blashpemy!

I agree with everything else, especially the Aaron Tveit comment (did you watch Graceland??), but not the SoM comment LOL!

 

[TifffanyD]

HOW can you hate Wicked?! You crazy I liked the film version of Dreamgirls but not crazy about the stage show.

Well it started with hating the book. I love the original stories and think it's criminal for someone else to come in and try to change them!

A couple of the songs in Wicked I like but the rest just seemed really odd to me - like when I was a kid and would sing what I was doing without any real musical knowledge (think of Elf - "I'm in a store! And I'm singiiiing!!"

 

[emilily88]

I agree with everything else, especially the Aaron Tveit comment (did you watch Graceland??), but not the SoM comment LOL!

Yes! Loved him in that! I highly recommend his Live at 54 Below CD!

 

[elgerber]

Yes! Loved him in that! I highly recommend his Live at 54 Below CD!

Oooh, thanks, I will look for that. My daughter is in love with him. We watched the pilot of Graceland just to see him, and goot hooked. I could not believe how darn good and exciting it got!

 

[AllisonK]

So I missed the off-Broadway revival of The Last Five Years last spring (and I was disappointed because I really wanted to see it) and it was announced today that the cast will be doing a concert production in Boston in November, so I immediately bought tickets, since I will be off work that weekend! I've never seen the show live, but I've loved the music for years so I am excited to see the concert.

 

[emilily88]

I'm so jealous!! It's one of my favorite shows and I cannot wait for the movie!

Edit: just bought the off-broadway cast recording, which apparently released today... I am so excited!!

 

[Kimberle]

Can anyone give a brief, spoiler free summary of Big Fish? I can't tell what it's about by the ads. Thanks.

 

[MissDisney121]

Can anyone give a brief, spoiler free summary of Big Fish? I can't tell what it's about by the ads. Thanks.

It is about the relationship between a father and a son. The son is very serious and the father is full of grand stories about his life. All the son wants is the truth about what happened in his fathers life. The story is told in present day as the son is having a family of his own and in flash backs of the events of the father life. It is an amazing musical. I would highly recommend it.

 

[superme80]

It is about the relationship between a father and a son. The son is very serious and the father is full of grand stories about his life. All the son wants is the truth about what happened in his fathers life. The story is told in present day as the son is having a family of his own and in flash backs of the events of the father life. It is an amazing musical. I would highly recommend it.

I believe it is based on the movie. I heard some of the music and very impressed. Of course Norbert Leo Butz could sing me the phone book and I would be impressed. I love that man!!!!