Best Musical

Chdamn

Chdamn

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I feel like I’ve done this before. Who knows, not me. I suffer from CRS.

I have seen quite a few live. And a couple on broadway (phantom of the opera and Les miserable to be precise).
I even acted in a couple back in the day. Mainly sung in the choir. Couple of solo parts. Never a lead.

For me, the best musical of all time is Les Miserable. I’ve read the 1500 page book by Victor Hugo and I knew all the songs by heart before I even saw the play.
The movie adaptation was excellent.

The others were good but there is just so much emotion in Les Mis. It’s the saddest love story ever told.

 
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I had to read Les Miserable in school. Required reading in World Lit as a sophomore.

Turned out to be the best book I ever read. The character development was unsurpassed.
 
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fieldgrade said:
I had to read Les Miserable in school. Required reading in World Lit as a sophomore.

Turned out to be the best book I ever read. The character development was unsurpassed.
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Agreed. But damn. That’s a helluva an assignment. lol.

Kudos to the dominatrix of a teacher.
 
Chdamn said:
Agreed. But damn. That’s a helluva an assignment. lol.

Kudos to the dominatrix of a teacher.
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Great Prof. Don King. He ended up being the Dean of Academics if I recall. @Gray ’s dad would have taught with him.
 
It was however, a damn long read.
 
Chdamn said:
He was paid by the page. lol. True story.

Lots of history in that book.
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In total candor, I am not entirely sure I read 1500 pages. It’s so long ago, but it seems I was told the original work was multi volume. Pretty much a book for each character, but I’m thinking I only had to read 600-700 pages, and that’s a WAG at this late date. Maybe some abbreviated version. It was a small school in the mountains, and we drank a lot, as all 20 year olds are supposed to do.
 
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Was always a fan of Phantom of the Opera. Depending how you look at it, they are all absolutely horrid characters and there really is no hero.
 
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B00ger said:
Was always a fan of Phantom of the Opera. Depending how you look at it, they are all absolutely horrid characters and there really is no hero.
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I saw that on Broadway. All I can remember is the tall guy in front of me, and the cramped seats for my large carcass.

And the spectacular stage preps to run all those effects.

Only show I’ve ever seen on Broadway.
 
fieldgrade said:
I saw that on Broadway. All I can remember is the tall guy in front of me, and the cramped seats for my large carcass.

And the spectacular stage preps to run all those effects.

Only show I’ve ever seen on Broadway.
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Saw it on broadway.

Second row center. The phantom swinging out right over my head was amazing.
 
fieldgrade said:
I saw that on Broadway. All I can remember is the tall guy in front of me, and the cramped seats for my large carcass.

And the spectacular stage preps to run all those effects.

Only show I’ve ever seen on Broadway.
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So, my daughters were enamored with it for a while. I told them I was tougher than the Phantom, and when questioned I just said "How you REALLY think he got scarred...he messed with your old man."

I once, years ago, in a rare fit of romanticism, dressed up like the phantom and greeted my wife at the door with a song and a dinner. I sing like a pregnant rhino giving birth to a WWI nautical mine while eating shards of glass...but...she appreciated it.
 
MacEntyre said:
How about Rocky Horror Picture Show?
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I let my last viewing of that color my opinion and I shouldn’t.

Saw it on tv the first time. Loved the music and the story.

Went to a couple of viewings with some marine buddies out it CA and they were very fun and entertaining.

Took the wife to one here about 20 years ago and it was super annoying and lame.
 
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Reading Hugo's unabridged epic is a commitment. But I think that Moulin Rouge is pretty good. Of all the old ones I'm partial to Oklahoma. After all, Poor Jud is Dead.

But my all time favorite is Cabaret. I've seen several productions, the best was at Playmakers at UNC a few years back.

My absolute favorite to be a part of was Marat Sade. A bit dark and not much music but great fun to play a lunatic.
 
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Annie Get Your Gun?
well, this is a gun forum.
 
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I love Les Mis. Read the tome, which was good, but took a minute. Complicated story.

Saw it on Broadway 3 times, twice in Raleigh, once in Durham.

PBS is broadcasting the stage concert later today.

I saw Phantom of the Opera twice.

I like some musicals, others not. I also like West Side Story, Chicago, The Music Man, Carousel.
 
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Me. said:
Is Jesus Christ Superstar a musical or an opera?

I guess it must be an opera. I’ve seen it live many times. I love the music.
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I would call it a musical.

A good friend of mine in high school, who was - much better singer than me had the lead in an off broadway of JCSS. I went to see him in it and he was great.

I don’t know why, I mean I like the music but I never thought the rest of it struck anything in me.
 
I've never met a musical I liked. I must be without culture.
 
Les White said:
I've never met a musical I liked. I must be without culture.
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Nah. They’re not for everyone.

If I hadn’t been taking music theory in high school, singing in 3 different choirs and thinking about going to college for music I might not have found them enjoyable.
 
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Disney’s On The Record was way more enjoyable than I expected.

Here’s a sample of just the audio…


 
Grease.
Chicago.
And Phantom, the Las Vegas version. The Broadway version is crap, but for Vegas they condensed it and it's outstanding.
 
Chdamn said:
Nah. They’re not for everyone.

If I hadn’t been taking music theory in high school, singing in 3 different choirs and thinking about going to college for music I might not have found them enjoyable.
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I can't sing for shit, but played in multiple bands/ensembles and played in the pit for some musicals and operas. That really sparked my interest.

The next time Les Mis comes around I want to find out who to contact to sit in the pit.
 
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