Favourite Musicals?

[Katty]

thought I'd start a thread on musicals.
David(Ferb) and I listened to a recording of the entire score of Les Miserables on our mini-honeymoon-staycation (because we couldn't go anywhere due to lockdown so the parents let us have run of the house for a few days since we're not in our own place) and so we go to benefit from surround sound speakers.
It was brilliant.

 

[Dustparticle]

Here is my favorite: 

Earthly Paradise

Edited April 18, 2021 by Dustparticle

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

Oklahoma was the first live musical show I went to. The singer for 'Old Jud is dead' had such a memorable voice, it jumps up the list.
We also enjoyed Topol singing his 'If I were a rich man' from Fiddler on the Roof.
We also saw 'Singing in the Rain'.
How many favourites am I allowed?
Old (Downunder) Tone

[daydream]

Quote

Curly (Gordon MacRae) draws a picture of what would happen if Jud (Rod Steiger) were to hang himself. Unbeknownst to Jud, who takes the idea very seriously (thus, the somber face throughout), Curly is teasing more than sympathizing.

I can only remember Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin', The Surrey With The Fringe On Top
Many A New Day, Oklahoma, Many A New Day and The Farmer And The Cowman

 

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048445/trivia

[Thesauron]

I have to say, Les Misérables, because of the beautiful and deep lyrics. When the production is good, it is fantastic.

Take my hand
I'll lead you to salvation
Take my love
For love is everlasting

And remember
The truth that once was spoken
To love another person
Is to see the face of God

Do you hear the people sing
Lost in the valley of the night?
It is the music of a people
Who are climbing to the light
For the wretched of the earth
There is a flame that never dies
Even the darkest night will end
And the sun will rise

They will live again in freedom
In the garden of the Lord
We will walk behind the ploughshare
We will put away the sword
The chain will be broken
And all men will have their reward

Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade
Is there a world you long to see?
Do you hear the people sing?
Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring
When tomorrow comes!

Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade
Is there a world you long to see?
Do you hear the people sing?
Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring
When tomorrow comes!
Tomorrow comes!

[daydream]

Topsy Turvy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWFcMRYjJtA

Gilbert: His Life & Strife

Edited April 19, 2021 by Mclove

[Thesauron]

[EccentricM]

 

[JayMusicGirl]

Two of my favorite musicals are The Lion King and Dreamgirls. Some of the only two I've seen in person haha. 

[Hope]

@Katty are we talking about movies or stage shows?

[EccentricM]

 

 

 

Edited April 28, 2021 by EccentricM

[Katty]

12 hours ago, Hope said:

@Katty are we talking about movies or stage shows?

I'm not picky: movies, stage shows, TV shows that act like musicals. I love them all!
I'll probably post my favourite ones a little later. I'd do it now, but I'm afraid I might miss the ministry meeting hehe

[LRJW]

I love Les Mis, even if there is a pesky ghost/Christendom-heaven thing at the end.    My wife loves it, too, but refuses to listen to it because "Do You Hear the People Sing?" is extremely catchy and stirs up feelings of patriotism in her opinion.  

 

Before Covid, we had the pleasure of catching Phantom of the Opera on Broadway.  It was the first time I had ever seen that in any form.  It was a pretty spectacular production.  After coming home from our NY trip, we sat down to watch the movie with Gerard Butler.  It was pretty boring and we fell asleep in the middle of it. 

[EccentricM]

 

 

Edited April 29, 2021 by EccentricM

[EccentricM]

 

 

 

[Thesauron]

I love Les Mis, even if there is a pesky ghost/Christendom-heaven thing at the end.    My wife loves it, too, but refuses to listen to it because "Do You Hear the People Sing?" is extremely catchy and stirs up feelings of patriotism in her opinion.  
 
Before Covid, we had the pleasure of catching Phantom of the Opera on Broadway.  It was the first time I had ever seen that in any form.  It was a pretty spectacular production.  After coming home from our NY trip, we sat down to watch the movie with Gerard Butler.  It was pretty boring and we fell asleep in the middle of it. 

Skip the film version of the Phantom. And skip the film version of Les Mis. They are both bad. The stage productions can be spectacular. Regarding the religious parts of Les Mis, the whole story is about finding the right path, and at the end Valjean, a convict, dreams about following in the footsteps of the good people who have gone before.

[On the huh]

For me, West Side Story.  Only watched the film version, never seen the stage.

Tonight, Something Coming, and Maria are favourites.

[LRJW]

7 hours ago, Thesauron said:

Skip the film version of the Phantom. And skip the film version of Les Mis. They are both bad. The stage productions can be spectacular. Regarding the religious parts of Les Mis, the whole story is about finding the right path, and at the end Valjean, a convict, dreams about following in the footsteps of the good people who have gone before.

Agree on the Phantom movie (even if we never did finish it), and I actually liked the Les Mis movie (the most recent one) even if the singing wasn't great.  The acting performances, I thought, were very good.  But I do definitely prefer the stage version of it.

 

So Fantine's ghost leading Valjean to heaven after his work was done isn't "real" within the story?  Is it like a hallucination as he's dying?  I always took it as being literal. 

[Hope]

8 hours ago, Thesauron said:

Skip the film version of the Phantom. And skip the film version of Les Mis. They are both bad. The stage productions can be spectacular. Regarding the religious parts of Les Mis, the whole story is about finding the right path, and at the end Valjean, a convict, dreams about following in the footsteps of the good people who have gone before.

oh my goodness - this so much!!!

 

I've only watched the filmed version of each once - just to see how they were.  When we watched "Phantom" on DVD, we were so frustrated by the singing, Adam actually cued up the Original Cast Album to match the songs on the film and turned the TV volume down.   We do know the Broadway version by heart and I've seen the stage production three times, once in New York ❤️

 

"Les Mis" - I saw the film before I had the opportunity to see the stage show.  The acting was good, the singing - not so much.  I'm not even a fan of Jackman's singing that much.  The stage show is infinitely better.

 

The good thing is that BOTH productions are available on DVD for your superior viewing pleasure.  The 25th anniversary of Phantom and the Dream Cast (BEST!) and the 25th anniversary of Les Mis are well worth finding and enjoying.

 

Side note -- I wish with all my heart that more Broadway productions were released for home viewing.  There is no comparison to a live performance!  Waiting patiently for Lion King to become available...

[LRJW]

14 minutes ago, Hope said:

Side note -- I wish with all my heart that more Broadway productions were released for home viewing.  There is no comparison to a live performance!  Waiting patiently for Lion King to become available...

https://www.broadwayhd.com/categories/musicals

 

Lion King isn't available yet, but they seem to have a pretty good collection. . .

[Thesauron]

Agree on the Phantom movie (even if we never did finish it), and I actually liked the Les Mis movie (the most recent one) even if the singing wasn't great.  The acting performances, I thought, were very good.  But I do definitely prefer the stage version of it.
 
So Fantine's ghost leading Valjean to heaven after his work was done isn't "real" within the story?  Is it like a hallucination as he's dying?  I always took it as being literal. 

No, I don’t think ghosts are mentioned even once in the manuscript, as far as I can remember. He has feverish dreams, or hallucinations, as he fades. It is also a technique to tell a story. He found the path to peace, just like all the others who appear as a chorus.

Fantine does say a prayer, though: “Lord in heaven, look down on him in mercy.” And Valjean chimes in: “Forgive me all my trespasses and take me to your glory.”

Regarding the Phantom movie, there is a filmed sequel - Love Never Dies, where the singing is much better, and it takes the story to New York.

[Thesauron]

https://www.broadwayhd.com/categories/musicals
 
Lion King isn't available yet, but they seem to have a pretty good collection. . .

They do have Into the Woods there, but I really did like the film version of that musical.

[LRJW]

1 hour ago, Thesauron said:

No, I don’t think ghosts are mentioned even once in the manuscript, as far as I can remember. He has feverish dreams, or hallucinations, as he fades. It is also a technique to tell a story. He found the path to peace, just like all the others who appear as a chorus.

Fantine does say a prayer, though: “Lord in heaven, look down on him in mercy.” And Valjean chimes in: “Forgive me all my trespasses and take me to your glory.”

Regarding the Phantom movie, there is a filmed sequel - Love Never Dies, where the singing is much better, and it takes the story to New York.

Wow, that's the first time I've ever heard that.  I'm not doubting you at all, I just hadn't heard that before.  What I assumed is the same as what's on the Wikipedia page for it: 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Misérables_(musical)#Act_II

At a convent, Valjean awaits his death, having nothing left to live for. The spirit of Fantine appears to him and tells him that he has been forgiven and will soon be with God. Cosette and Marius arrive to find Valjean near death. Valjean thanks God for letting him live long enough to see Cosette again, and Marius thanks him for saving his life ("Valjean's Death"). Valjean gives Cosette a letter confessing his troubled past and the truth about her mother. As he dies, the spirits of Fantine and Éponine guide him to Heaven reminding him that "to love another person is to see the face of God". They are joined by the spirits of those who died at the barricades, who sing that in the next world, God lays low all tyranny and frees all oppressed people from their shackles ("Do You Hear The People Sing? (Reprise/Finale)").

Edited April 29, 2021 by LRJW

[Old]

IMO  a stage production of a musical is almost always better than the movie version though I did like the movie versions of Phantom. I watched Westside story on the big screen and thought Ho-hum. 15 years later I saw it on stage and was blown away.

My two favorites musicals are Fiddler on the Roof and the one featuring XXIVDCI.

Personally 'Man from La Mancha' was better in the film version than on the stage, perhaps Sophia Loren had something to do with that. 

 

[Old]

I didn't like the plot in 'Miss Saigon' but that Huey helicopter landing in a stage set was worth the sitting through the whole show.