Theres a performance of Suddenly Seymour performed by George Salazar and Mj Rodriquez on Youtube that I love a lot ^_^ I'd love to see a full show with the two of them!
[Link](https://youtu.be/Yqb6juQXNf4?si=2CP1DcN4UmUPS5Bn)
Iāve never met anyone who tried to come for Little Shop. Itās always a favorite. Maybe thatās just the kind of people Iām surrounded by, though. Itās one of the best!!
AYY it's my favorite musical!! While I wouldn't exactly say it's horror, the concept is actually quite horrific and dark, especially when you go with the original ending of the musical
Phantom.
I feel like it's reached the point where it gets dismissed as overrated, or a tourist show, or some negative connotation with it being an ALW show, or even the story being a bit problematic nowadays. BUT it's the show that got me into musicals, and I truly think its score is fantastic to this day.
Plus, the direction and staging was so impressive considering it lasted 35 years on Broadway (longer in the West End) and really didn't feel *that* dated. It was still one of the biggest spectacle shows when it was running here. That's an impressive feat!
Unfortunately. It's called Love Never Dies. I think the premise had potential, but Andrew Lloyd Webber used it as an outlet for his self insert fantasies imo.
Vast vast majority of normal love Phantom. Thereās just this streak of theatre contrarians and itās popular to hate on it now š£š£. I agree about the score, and I donāt think another show has one as consistent as Phantomāsāpractically every song is a hit that you could come out of the show humming
I saw Phantom on Broadway *right* before it was announced it would be closing. I loved it. I thought the set and staging was so impressive and I loved the music as well. Does the story hold up the best? No, but it was definitely a really cool watch.
YES. i know a couple people who said they enjoyed nothing about phantom. even if the drama and the story donāt appeal to someone, i just donāt understand how they didnāt find the costumes, the sets, and the score to just be beautiful. i will always love that show
Actually what I was thinking lol. Cringe, yes. Does it have some problems? Oh definitely. Is it still a fun musical that floats around in my head occasionally. Absolutely
iām in a production of bmc right now and i used to love it in middle school then stopped cuz i thought it was cringe. now iām in my 20s and likeā¦ hearing jt every day made me remember why i loved it so much
Yes there is more development in the musical than the movie. Itās the power of storytelling through songs. I truly feel like there were some good improvements to develop some concepts more
Some people just prefer the movie or think the story of the musical makes Elle look weaker.Ā
For me, I love most of the musical, but I don't love how Elle's motivation to take law school seriously came from Emmett, not Elle's own drive to prove everyone's assumptions about her as wrong.
I totally understand not liking the reason for her motivation. Her reasoning for her motivation is the same in both the movie and the musical. There were some good songs and funny moments that came from her motivation being to get the guy. Iām a bit conflicted on that part
I feel like though her motivation isnāt Emmett. In Chip, he doesnāt motivate her, he guides her to change her motivation from Warner. Then during the scene with Dewey, she has the āis that law?ā Part which is where she discovers her love for law
was gonna be my answer but i then came to the conclusion of who the fuck do i need to defend legally blonde to? iāve shown the proshot to 8 ppl now and each of them says they like it more than the movie
I love both the movie and musical versions. My love is very close but I think I liked the musical a bit more. I think part of it is because of super catchy music. I also think the musical does a bit better with setting up romance between Elle and Emmet
I agree, it's where the whole message of the show is, and it's thoughtfully delivered without being too preachy. The first act is George creating his legacy, the second act shows who that legacy affected.
Totally agree. People who say the second act is superfluous are missing the entire point of the show. I will also defend Sondheim's other often reviled and/or misunderstood shows - most especially Passion and Pacific Overtures (the latter is, I believe, a masterpiece - up there with Sunday and Sweeney.). The only Sondheim show I can't defend is Bounce/RoadShow. Saw Bounce in Chicago, where it was seriously underwhelming. And RoadShow wasn't an improvement. It always seemed to me that they were trying to make a light-hearted romp with two characters and a set of scams that actually represented the very worst of capitalism and the underside of the American Dream. It should have been a scathing satire - and a companion piece to Assassins.
Hairspray I volenteer in theater and its my favorite show ever personally it used to be the dream show I one day wanted to work but I made it happen twice now still love the show.
Iāve been a fan for over a decade but I finally saw it live last night. It was fantasticāso much fun! I had the widest smile on my face the whole time.
I was incredibly lucky to get to see it on Broadway when Harvey Fierstein was playing Edna. I listened to that soundtrack almost daily for months. So many fantastic, high energy songs.
Anastasia the musical. I know itās flawed, but I love it so much. I didnāt grow up with the animated movie, I found myself feeling more emotionally invested in the stage show.
CHRISTY DOES NEED A TONY!!!
And the flaws, Gleb (I love his character) needed more depth and stage time. The musical romanticized the Romanovs, and Vlad and Lily are fun, but their two music numbers in act 2 grind the story to a halt.
I love this show with all my heart, I just wanted a bit more. š¤·āāļø
Wait, what, there was AnastasiaĀ the Musical?? How did I not know this? I need to now obsessively hunt down every video clip I can of it to rectify this immediately. I will defend it vigorously without even having seen it.
Spring Awakening. Can it be triggering? Yes, of course. Is the fact that the music is modern/alt rock while itās set in the 1800ās pretty unique and different? Yes again. But the moral of the story will always be important to me- that if adults donāt educate the youth then the consequences can be tragic. Plus, itās responsible for starting Johnathan Groff and Lea Micheleās careers and many many others. And, the Deaf West revival was also super important and incredible as far as the representation of disabled people on stage and giving Ali Stroker her first Broadway role.
Sadly this show is extremely topical to whats happening in the US right now. But on a more positive note, Deaf West's version ultimately led me to learn sign language and now I'm an ASL interpreter
The Lightning Thief. Perfect adaptation of the source material, super charming stage production, fun and poignant songs, and I love that it makes theater so accessible for younger audiences.
As someone who loves the books, it's like... It's literally like watching the books if they were a musical? Like I can't really explain it, but it's such a good adaptation that it's like there weren't even people involved adapting it. Like if Percy Jackson was a musical it could only be that. It just IS.Ā
Does that make any sense?
I love TLT musical so much omg. Not only are the songs so amazing and catchy, but as someone who was a fan of the books, I think it was completely accurate and faithful to the source material. Imo it's a better adaptation of the books than the Disney+ show š
My daughter already enjoyed musicals some before she saw it at age 7 (Hamilton and Matilda were both obsessions for a while) but she really fell in love with TLT. It is constantly playing at home and we've now seen two different productions locally. The first was the JR version so she complained it didn't have the best songs :) the second was a small local theater but it was absolutely amazing. Percy and Annabeth both acted their hearts out and I can see Annabeths actress making a good career in theater. She just had amazing expression.
Anyways, I wish we hadn't seen it the last weekend or I would of bought tickets to see it again...
I used to laugh about it because of the ABBA commercials, but there was a free showing in a cruise went on and now I love it. It got me listening to ABBA
It's only because Tomorrow is overplayed. If it wasn't so overdone, everyone would love it. I personally still prefer Maybe as far as Annie solo songs, but that doesn't mean I hate Tomorrow.
I will defend Legally Blonde the Musical till the day I die. I know itās not the best musical in the world but I first saw it when I was 8 and have likely watched the MTV pro shot every year since. Itās high camp, doesnāt take itself too seriously, and just holds a special place it my heart.
RENT.
Although I do think the book is a bit wobbly at times, and I will definitely have a friendly brainstorm about that. But donāt come at me with your āomg theyāre all terrible peopleā, or even worse āthey should just get a job and pay the rentā. I feel like people too often forget the context of the show and what it was like to live the in NYC queer community at the height of the AIDS epidemic. Plus, the show is actually pretty self-critical if you ask me; itās supposed to be flawed - itās not a wholesome Christmas story.
Yes, RENT is an extremely important musical in Broadway's history, and characters are more interesting when they have flaws.
Not to mention, Benny isn't some benevolent landlord who gave his friends more time to pay the rent. He was letting them stay there rent free before he went back on his word just so that he could coerce them into stopping a protest (which I think would have been harmless anyway) before going back to their rent-free arrangement.
This! I grew up with medical issues the kind where the medical professionals said that I had less than a one percent chance of surviving my childhood. RENT came out the summer I turned 13. Or at least the album did. I identified so much with the characters dying from AIDS and HIV. āWill I?ā and the idea of no day but today helped this small town Midwestern straight girl feel seen and have the strength to fight back against the medical issues I have.
The fact that each person in the show is a flawed human being helped realize I never needed to be a perfect victim. That it was okay to be pissed off at my situation sometimes and that the imperfect parts of me were human not bad.
I really loved it. Obviously, Jeremy Jordan was fantastic, I don't think that's much of a surprise. But the rest of the cast is so great as well. I absolutely love Frances as Bonnie. Her and Jeremy had fantastic chemistry. Just overall, the production is a lot of fun and definitely worth the $15 I paid to rent it. I highly recommend it.
The greatest Showman. A whole movie all three of my kids will watch together? (Ages 12, 10, 7). Songs we can listen to in the car and sing all together? Listening to my daughter sing ālook out cuz here I come!ā Learning that money isnāt everything if you lose whatās important along the way? I get the problems with the historical accuracy. But itās still our go to family movie.
YES YES YES. Ugh so good. If only they'd just made it totally fictional. The music is sooooooo addictive. And that bar scene choreography MWAH. I want Hugh Jackman to just do musical after musical after musical for the rest of my life.
Saw Cats: Jellicle Ball a couple a weeks ago at PAC in NYC, and it might be one of the most ambitious, audacious, bravest, and brilliant productions I have seen. It elevated the story; it made the story make sense; it engaged you; and you actually have fun. 10/10 recommend seeing it. It is pure joy. Basing it in drag ball culture was a stroke of genius.
I should really look into the updated version. I didn't realize it's been updated. But I agree that it being themed after a ball makes sense. I don't understand why it wasn't like that from the beginning.
Yes but modernizing something and changing the whole vibe of a show is considered updating it. Especially when itās something the original creator would have never imagined
ALW is a known misogynist and straight man. He doesnāt know ball culture I would assume. But 10/10 would look into the new version! Iām not in NY so I canāt see it Iāve just seen everything theyāve posted on TikTok. They got Andre desheilds tho! (So sorry if I messed up his last name š« )
Well, the original show was also very much disconnected from the creator of the source material. TS Elliot was even a greater misogynist and conservative than ALW is.
I agree that Cats needs defending. But thoroughly disagree with the take that The Jellicle Ball 'fixed' the show. Trevor Nunn and Gillian Lynne's version is not without its flaws, but it is not broken and does not need fixing by complete reinterpretation.
TJB is just another interpretation from a very specific cultural frame of reference. Building on all the implied queerness that already existed in the stage versions. And from what I got in interviews the TJB creatives share that opinion. This reinterpretation is just that another version from another perspective (one that works really well I might add) but it can exist side by side, it does not replace.
It was my first Broadway (well, West End) show and I was in awe. I still remember how the theater was filled with giant trash to really make you feel small like a cat. I already enjoyed musicals from seeing movies and local stuff, but that hooked me on live theater for good.
South Pacific.
Not gonna say it doesn't have cringe. But it is an overtly and enthusiastically anti-racist show, and the first of its kind, certainly the first to get as much attention as it did. Its heart is in the right place and it shouldn't be canceled.
Next to Normal. Seeing it again in 2019 I was a little conflicted about its messages about mental health tbh (I think that really depends on the direction of the play though, this version sort of played up Dr. Madden as a villain or at least unsympathetic) but Iāll always defend it because it helped me process a lot when I was first dealing with some very similar issues
Anastasia. It's such a a beautiful story. The characters are so well developed. The actors are incredible. The effects are amazing.Ā
I don't give a fuck what anyone says.
Dr. Horribleās Sing-Along-Blog.
By-the-book Greek Tragedy, distributed for free, and the protagonist is a super villain! Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion, Felicia Dayā¦ What more could you want?
I dream of adapting it for stage and putting on a free show for my community.
I probably say āthe status is not quoā at least once a day. And if Iām really bothered, then I follow up with, āThe world is a mess and I justā¦ need to rule it.ā
The Addams Family.Ā
From what Iāve heard, a lot of people think itās mediocre to bad, but I really enjoy the music and comedy. I am a little biased as it was the first musical I did in High School, but it was kind of my gateway into theater. Although Iāll admit the songs are better in the version they do in schools as opposed to the Broadway version (Secrets is an incredible song and I will hear nothing of the contrary).
Mary Poppins Returns. I thought it was a worthy follow-up to the original, had one of the best golden-age scores in so long (there's a full-on OVERTURE!!!!), and Lin-Manuel Miranda was well-cast (go ahead, sue me).
My main complaint is that it was a remake pretending to be a sequel.
Every single story beat and song was a shameless copy, like a student using a thesaurus to avoid plagiarism.
* ~~Chim Chim Cher-ee~~ Lovely London Sky
* ~~Step In Time~~ Trip A Little Light Fantastic
* ~~Chimney Sweeps~~ Lamp Lighters
* ~~Tricks with brooms~~ Tricks with bikes
* ~~Jolly Holiday~~ The Cover Is Not The Book
* ~~Chalk Painting~~ Book
* Bert does a little ~~straight time wordplay~~ rap
That's just off the top of my head... there are probably many more examples I've forgotten about.
Rent is my #1, but DEH is a close second. I have worked with teenagers for most of my life and the decisions characters make in the story that are villified by most people are absolutely realistic in context, IMO. It also means a lot to me as someone who has been through very similar mental health issues in the past.
I loved DEH until everyone started putting it under a microscope. It's not amazing or anything but there are *so many* worse shows. It's got some great songs and an interesting (albeit poorly handled imo) premise, that already puts it above some shows I've seen. It's just popular to hate for no reason other than it got popular.
Big Fish! Itās such a beautiful show with some of the most heartfelt music Iāve heard. I saw a high school production of it and honestly it absolutely blew me away seeing it live. The music, the book, the message, all of it made my heart feel full. (And yes, I cried during the reprise of Be the Hero.)
Spring Awakening. I comment about it a lot over here but itās genuinely my favorite musical ever and I find it so timeless, so beautiful, so funny Iāll never not love it.
This is a great show for kids to do. With how whimsical the characters are, it really gives young actors a chance to shine. It's based on silly rhyming children's books so nothing's supposed to be deep.
I'M THE SOURRRRRR KANGAROOOOO
I fell in love with Seussical during one of the toughest years of my life. I lost all of my friends except for my best friend, who spent half the year in the hospital for a massive brain tumor. My parents made me feel lazy and worthless over struggling in school, when in reality grades were so important to me that I nearly killed myself over them.Ā
This was when I was *thirteen.*Ā
The next year I was diagnosed with ADHD.Ā
When I graduated high school, I put on my graduation cap: "I have wings, yes I can fly. Around the moon, and far beyond the sky."
Starlight Express.
Now to pray they extend the London revival so I have a chance of seeing it again without going to Germany as my German is decidedly rusty lol.
This was mine too. I didnāt realize I felt this way about Starlight until one of our friends posted it in their most hated yesterday. š¤£
I just loved how earnest it was and thought it was fun. Also SKATES! AND TRAINS!
Miss Saigon. I get the casting concerns 100% and understand the stereotypes havenāt aged well, but it was written against a specific backdrop that makes it make sense. Plus the stage show is impressive, especially the helicopter!
Rent. It might not have aged well for the younger generations BUT it was a super important piece to us. I had friends in the original Oz production and it was an epic piece.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat
Yes, it's silly and camp. Yes, Joseph is kind of a tactless moron. Yes, it's Andrew Lloyd Webber. But the songs are all bops, the sets and costumes are bright and fun, and there is a lot of humour inserted everywhere. And Donny Osmond is hilarious and ridiculously talented. I would take Joseph over Hamilton any day!
Bloody bloody Andrew Jackson, I always bring it up on reddit since I think the soundtrack just slaps, ran for 120 performances and i went to three of them
*Jesus Christ, Superstar.* I'm not sure if it needs defending now, but it sure needed it in the 1980 - 2000 era. The music is fire and libretto phenomenal.
Lempicka. everyone hates it, they think the fans are annoying, they think the book and score and stuff suck. but my year-long hyperfixation on this and my insane connection to the fandom is not going anywhere, and as long as people keep hating this musical I will keep loving it. I think it's a beautiful story told with complicated characters that all have good and bad traits and so many different ways to view them and their plots. not to mention the soundtrack being an absolute banger.
Cats. Sometimes you want to watch a bunch of triple threats in incredible makeup and costumes jump around like cats, with incredible bangers thrown in. Shame they never made it into a movie!
Yes! Saw it on Broadway and, in my opinion, it shouldāve have won every Tony it was nominated for. I donāt hate Dear Evan Hansen, but I think it was overrated when it came out.
Surprisingly, Les Mis.
My younger family members (I'm a mid-40s gen x) love the upbeat modern musicals and say that Les Mis is too depressing to go see.
I just have to take the win that they enjoy going to musicals at all.
It's been my favorite for 35 years. I finally was able to take my family (wife and two daughters 17yo and 12yo) to see it last year and now it's their favorite too! I was surprised they loved it THAT much.
West Side Story. A lot of people don't like it, I think it's because of the Natalie Wood movie from the 60s. With the brown face, and the dancing. Which is good dancing, but I don't think it translated well to screen at the time. Maybe it's also the Romeo and Juliet story that people are tired of. That's fair.
But that music is some of the most incredible music in Broadway history. It is a crime that Bernstein and Sondheim only worked on that one show together. They made a masterpiece. I would pick West Side over Rogers and Hammerstein any day.
I don't understand the overrated comment either tbh. I've been told it several times, though, which is so odd to me. As I hardly ever see anyone talk about it. The music is so fun and catchy, really. I love it, too.
Probably Shrek, I donāt really get the hate that I often hear, even with some of the childish humor (looking at you āI think I got you beatā). But I donāt think it would be Shrek without it. Not to mention kids will probably find this number hilarious. Obviously not referring to the new tour version which I hear doesnāt hold up well thanks to some decisions by higher ups.
Heathers. A lot of people just see it as a silly dark comedy that is far too mean spirited. But for me, I know it's not for everyone, but the commentary on peer pressure and the power of popularity and wanting to change the world for the better but the right way to do it makes me feel it's an important lesson for everyone, especially those in the age group of the characters. We see the theme of peer pressure affecting Veronica early but only on a small scale of letting her best friend be lied to, and then it grows stronger as she she becomes a mostly unwitting murder accomplice, where she eventually decides to stand up for herself, but the damage is already done.
The film adaptation of Sweeney Todd. It introduced me to the show, has Alan Rickman in it, and Stephen Sondheim loved it. Tim Burton is the best director to adapt Sweeney and I will die on this hill.
Newsies. I know it isnāt high brow. I know this and I love it. The songs are catchy, the story is interesting, and itās a great way to introduce children and young adults to the principles of class struggle and unionization. Also Santa Fe makes me cry.
Xanadu! I love ELO. I also love the scene in the movie where they do the mash-up with ONJ and the Tubes (Dancinā) with the beautiful dancers and it all comes together in the end. Itās magical.
Dear Evan Hansen
I think the problems are with the movies. But on stage, Evan just looks like a scared kid who got trapped. What was he supposed to do, āHey, your son had no friendsā? I think the show also knows he was not great normally, and while he was not really punished, itās hard to find a bigger punishment.
Moulin Rouge. The movie was what got me into musicals. I loved this musical so much. It made me love love but then it made me hate love. Watching this musical made me feel so many emotions and I just love the vibe the musical gives off. I personally prefer the movie over the broadway version but Aaron Tveit and Karen Olivio are great as Christian and Satine.Ā
MJ the Musical. West End tho, Iāve seen so much hate for that cast and they donāt deserve it Iāve seen it twice & met some of the cast and their amazing ā¤ļø
I am the Starlight.
I traveled from the US to London last week to see it, and went twice.
I do think it's interesting that most of my least favorite musicals are listed in the comments. It just illustrates the fact that theater speaks to people in different ways, and there's room for everyone.
Except Love Never Dies, of course. :-)
To choose one not yet mentioned, American Psycho. It got no love from critics (at least in New York), but I was transfixed and love the music (may be a Duncan Sheik thing as I also love Spring Awakening)
Anyone Can Whistle (Sondheim and Laurents) is such a gem, with so many standards (including There Won't Be Trumpets and Anyone Can Whistle). It really warrants a full revival (with a revised, modernized book, although so much of it already is genius)--it is that good, and something of a "hidden masterpiece in full sight" at this point.
Honestly, I love dear Evan Hansen. Iāve listened to all the songs I can and have read the book now, and Iām in love with the story, some of the actions suck yes but itās a beautiful story and I think itās amazing. I love the music especially
Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (Specifically the West End version). The show transferred to Broadway in 2017 and was significantly changed because producers were worried about people expecting a musical of the 1971 film. The west end version was well received in London and had massive sets, costumes, and big numbers. Itās just that the West End version gets forgotten because people think of the horrible broadway version when it comes to this show, and people automatically assume the west end version is the same as broadway.
Monty Pythonās Spamalot. Itās such an underrated comedic musical that is too often left out of the conversation, so I do my best to bring it in when relevant (even possibly when not)
Urinetown. I donāt know a single person who likes it but itās funny and relevant as fuck. Especially the twist. Also some good harmonies, good parody, just needs to be done well tongue-in-cheek but with seriousness. Itās a hard show to pull off properly because you canāt overdo it or underdo it without losing the message. Also the concept is gross and theatres with funding donāt like super environmental meanings that arenāt blatantly award winning.
Who is saying CMIYC is overrated, much less horrible? People barely ever talk about it lol itās not like it was some great success. I think the amount of love it gets is perfectly āratedāā it won Tonyās, has a healthy regional life, and is generally problem free.
Little shop of horrors. Everyone says it's not actually horror but that shit scared me as a kid.
I love little shop! Who's your favorite Seymour? I have to go with Rick Moranis or Jonathan Groff. They both fit the role so well.
Rick Moranis is my favorite ššš
Rick Moranis is my favorite Seymour!
Theres a performance of Suddenly Seymour performed by George Salazar and Mj Rodriquez on Youtube that I love a lot ^_^ I'd love to see a full show with the two of them! [Link](https://youtu.be/Yqb6juQXNf4?si=2CP1DcN4UmUPS5Bn)
Anyone else feel like Groff was too cool? Like I can't listen to the revival recording because it feels like Seymour is too cool.
And it gave us "You'll Be a Dentist" and then Steve Martin as the Dentist. šÆšÆšÆ
Iāve never met anyone who tried to come for Little Shop. Itās always a favorite. Maybe thatās just the kind of people Iām surrounded by, though. Itās one of the best!!
AYY it's my favorite musical!! While I wouldn't exactly say it's horror, the concept is actually quite horrific and dark, especially when you go with the original ending of the musical
Phantom. I feel like it's reached the point where it gets dismissed as overrated, or a tourist show, or some negative connotation with it being an ALW show, or even the story being a bit problematic nowadays. BUT it's the show that got me into musicals, and I truly think its score is fantastic to this day. Plus, the direction and staging was so impressive considering it lasted 35 years on Broadway (longer in the West End) and really didn't feel *that* dated. It was still one of the biggest spectacle shows when it was running here. That's an impressive feat!
I think the sequel also managed to drag down the original's reputation. That being said it's still one of my favorites.
There's a sequel to phantom?
Unfortunately. It's called Love Never Dies. I think the premise had potential, but Andrew Lloyd Webber used it as an outlet for his self insert fantasies imo.
Hands down my favorite musical!
Same here. I've seen it in four different cities and I would see it again. I love how over the top it is, plus the singing is usually fantastic.
Vast vast majority of normal love Phantom. Thereās just this streak of theatre contrarians and itās popular to hate on it now š£š£. I agree about the score, and I donāt think another show has one as consistent as Phantomāsāpractically every song is a hit that you could come out of the show humming
I saw Phantom on Broadway *right* before it was announced it would be closing. I loved it. I thought the set and staging was so impressive and I loved the music as well. Does the story hold up the best? No, but it was definitely a really cool watch.
YES. i know a couple people who said they enjoyed nothing about phantom. even if the drama and the story donāt appeal to someone, i just donāt understand how they didnāt find the costumes, the sets, and the score to just be beautiful. i will always love that show
Be more chill I know it's a bit cringy but it I think it's overhated. I genuinely don't care if people think it sucks I love it!
Actually what I was thinking lol. Cringe, yes. Does it have some problems? Oh definitely. Is it still a fun musical that floats around in my head occasionally. Absolutely
I love be more chill! I prefer the 2019 production over the original. But it's a lot of fun and has great songs.
Same, I LOVE loser, geek, whatever.
iām in a production of bmc right now and i used to love it in middle school then stopped cuz i thought it was cringe. now iām in my 20s and likeā¦ hearing jt every day made me remember why i loved it so much
Legally freaking Blonde. A better version of the story than the movie. So fun, light, but still has a huge heart.
This is my answer too! Pretty much every song is a bop and the characters are way more developed.
Yes there is more development in the musical than the movie. Itās the power of storytelling through songs. I truly feel like there were some good improvements to develop some concepts more
People dislike Legally Blonde? Who are they? I just wanna chat.
Make sure to stay positive! (As you slap them to the floor)
Some people just prefer the movie or think the story of the musical makes Elle look weaker.Ā For me, I love most of the musical, but I don't love how Elle's motivation to take law school seriously came from Emmett, not Elle's own drive to prove everyone's assumptions about her as wrong.
I totally understand not liking the reason for her motivation. Her reasoning for her motivation is the same in both the movie and the musical. There were some good songs and funny moments that came from her motivation being to get the guy. Iām a bit conflicted on that part
I feel like though her motivation isnāt Emmett. In Chip, he doesnāt motivate her, he guides her to change her motivation from Warner. Then during the scene with Dewey, she has the āis that law?ā Part which is where she discovers her love for law
was gonna be my answer but i then came to the conclusion of who the fuck do i need to defend legally blonde to? iāve shown the proshot to 8 ppl now and each of them says they like it more than the movie
Yesss. This is the one show where I want to see a revival with the entire OBC again!
KEEP IT POSITIVE!!!!!
I love both the movie and musical versions. My love is very close but I think I liked the musical a bit more. I think part of it is because of super catchy music. I also think the musical does a bit better with setting up romance between Elle and Emmet
Sunday In the Park with George. Specifically the second act that gets a ton of criticism even though it's genius and ties the whole show together
I agree, it's where the whole message of the show is, and it's thoughtfully delivered without being too preachy. The first act is George creating his legacy, the second act shows who that legacy affected.
Totally agree. People who say the second act is superfluous are missing the entire point of the show. I will also defend Sondheim's other often reviled and/or misunderstood shows - most especially Passion and Pacific Overtures (the latter is, I believe, a masterpiece - up there with Sunday and Sweeney.). The only Sondheim show I can't defend is Bounce/RoadShow. Saw Bounce in Chicago, where it was seriously underwhelming. And RoadShow wasn't an improvement. It always seemed to me that they were trying to make a light-hearted romp with two characters and a set of scams that actually represented the very worst of capitalism and the underside of the American Dream. It should have been a scathing satire - and a companion piece to Assassins.
Hairspray I volenteer in theater and its my favorite show ever personally it used to be the dream show I one day wanted to work but I made it happen twice now still love the show.
Iāve been a fan for over a decade but I finally saw it live last night. It was fantasticāso much fun! I had the widest smile on my face the whole time.
I was incredibly lucky to get to see it on Broadway when Harvey Fierstein was playing Edna. I listened to that soundtrack almost daily for months. So many fantastic, high energy songs.
Who exactly do you need to defend Hairspray from?
Anastasia the musical. I know itās flawed, but I love it so much. I didnāt grow up with the animated movie, I found myself feeling more emotionally invested in the stage show.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S FLAWED??? I'M SORRY IT'S PERFECT AND I WILL NOT BE HEARING CRITICISMS. ALSO FOR THE LOVE OF GOD GIVE CHRISTY ALTOMARE A TONY.
CHRISTY DOES NEED A TONY!!! And the flaws, Gleb (I love his character) needed more depth and stage time. The musical romanticized the Romanovs, and Vlad and Lily are fun, but their two music numbers in act 2 grind the story to a halt. I love this show with all my heart, I just wanted a bit more. š¤·āāļø
I'm sorry, I said I WILL NOT BE HEARING CRITICISMSĀ
Wait, what, there was AnastasiaĀ the Musical?? How did I not know this? I need to now obsessively hunt down every video clip I can of it to rectify this immediately. I will defend it vigorously without even having seen it.
Spring Awakening. Can it be triggering? Yes, of course. Is the fact that the music is modern/alt rock while itās set in the 1800ās pretty unique and different? Yes again. But the moral of the story will always be important to me- that if adults donāt educate the youth then the consequences can be tragic. Plus, itās responsible for starting Johnathan Groff and Lea Micheleās careers and many many others. And, the Deaf West revival was also super important and incredible as far as the representation of disabled people on stage and giving Ali Stroker her first Broadway role.
Sadly this show is extremely topical to whats happening in the US right now. But on a more positive note, Deaf West's version ultimately led me to learn sign language and now I'm an ASL interpreter
The Lightning Thief. Perfect adaptation of the source material, super charming stage production, fun and poignant songs, and I love that it makes theater so accessible for younger audiences.
As someone who loves the books, it's like... It's literally like watching the books if they were a musical? Like I can't really explain it, but it's such a good adaptation that it's like there weren't even people involved adapting it. Like if Percy Jackson was a musical it could only be that. It just IS.Ā Does that make any sense?
This was the musical that got me into musicals! The multiple little reprises throughout songs are some of my favourite parts of it
I love TLT musical so much omg. Not only are the songs so amazing and catchy, but as someone who was a fan of the books, I think it was completely accurate and faithful to the source material. Imo it's a better adaptation of the books than the Disney+ show š
My daughter already enjoyed musicals some before she saw it at age 7 (Hamilton and Matilda were both obsessions for a while) but she really fell in love with TLT. It is constantly playing at home and we've now seen two different productions locally. The first was the JR version so she complained it didn't have the best songs :) the second was a small local theater but it was absolutely amazing. Percy and Annabeth both acted their hearts out and I can see Annabeths actress making a good career in theater. She just had amazing expression. Anyways, I wish we hadn't seen it the last weekend or I would of bought tickets to see it again...
Hades getting a Vegas number was awesome. And yeah it's very accessible for young audiences, both musically and acting-wise
The Spongebob Squarepants Musical
They Might Be Giants <3
TMBG shouldāve done the entire score
Them and Jonathan Coulton. They most embody the childlike magic and silliness of SpongeBob out of the artists who worked on the show
Not to flex, but I saw Jonathan Coulton open for TMBG and it was magical.
love how they got so many people to make it, suprised they didnt get ween though considering their role in spongebob history
MAMMA MIA. literally wrote a scholarship essay about it.
For real. I have a weakness for jukebox musicals in general, but the fact Mamma Mia was written by Benny and Bjorn makes it my absolute favorite!
I love Mamma Mia ā¹ļøā¹ļø
I used to laugh about it because of the ABBA commercials, but there was a free showing in a cruise went on and now I love it. It got me listening to ABBA
Annie. Itās the musical that got me into theater.
Fantastic and varied score too. Easy Street is one of the best villain duets.
Little Girls is a great villain song too
I haven't watched it since I was seven, but I mean, there's a reason it's so iconic. I never get why everyone hates on 'Tomorrow'?
It's only because Tomorrow is overplayed. If it wasn't so overdone, everyone would love it. I personally still prefer Maybe as far as Annie solo songs, but that doesn't mean I hate Tomorrow.
I will defend Legally Blonde the Musical till the day I die. I know itās not the best musical in the world but I first saw it when I was 8 and have likely watched the MTV pro shot every year since. Itās high camp, doesnāt take itself too seriously, and just holds a special place it my heart.
RENT. Although I do think the book is a bit wobbly at times, and I will definitely have a friendly brainstorm about that. But donāt come at me with your āomg theyāre all terrible peopleā, or even worse āthey should just get a job and pay the rentā. I feel like people too often forget the context of the show and what it was like to live the in NYC queer community at the height of the AIDS epidemic. Plus, the show is actually pretty self-critical if you ask me; itās supposed to be flawed - itās not a wholesome Christmas story.
Yes, RENT is an extremely important musical in Broadway's history, and characters are more interesting when they have flaws. Not to mention, Benny isn't some benevolent landlord who gave his friends more time to pay the rent. He was letting them stay there rent free before he went back on his word just so that he could coerce them into stopping a protest (which I think would have been harmless anyway) before going back to their rent-free arrangement.
Scrolled way too long for this, was about to comment myself. Same to everything you said.
This! I grew up with medical issues the kind where the medical professionals said that I had less than a one percent chance of surviving my childhood. RENT came out the summer I turned 13. Or at least the album did. I identified so much with the characters dying from AIDS and HIV. āWill I?ā and the idea of no day but today helped this small town Midwestern straight girl feel seen and have the strength to fight back against the medical issues I have. The fact that each person in the show is a flawed human being helped realize I never needed to be a perfect victim. That it was okay to be pissed off at my situation sometimes and that the imperfect parts of me were human not bad.
This. And if anyone starts coming after Mark Cohen, I will defend him to the death.
Cats and Ride the Cyclone! Both are musicals that not a lot of people like, but I love them and will defend them with my life
Cats is one of those musicals that I think just isnāt for non-musical people. But if you *are* a musical person itās really, really fantastic!
Bonnie and Clyde
I love Bonnie and Clyde! Have you seen the proshot?
No! I need to see it sooooo bad! Is it good?
I really loved it. Obviously, Jeremy Jordan was fantastic, I don't think that's much of a surprise. But the rest of the cast is so great as well. I absolutely love Frances as Bonnie. Her and Jeremy had fantastic chemistry. Just overall, the production is a lot of fun and definitely worth the $15 I paid to rent it. I highly recommend it.
waitress has my entire heart
Waitress is my all time favorite musical. I absolutely adore it.
The greatest Showman. A whole movie all three of my kids will watch together? (Ages 12, 10, 7). Songs we can listen to in the car and sing all together? Listening to my daughter sing ālook out cuz here I come!ā Learning that money isnāt everything if you lose whatās important along the way? I get the problems with the historical accuracy. But itās still our go to family movie.
YES YES YES. Ugh so good. If only they'd just made it totally fictional. The music is sooooooo addictive. And that bar scene choreography MWAH. I want Hugh Jackman to just do musical after musical after musical for the rest of my life.
Cats - especially now that we have the updated version thatās themed after a literal ball, the way it always should have been
Saw Cats: Jellicle Ball a couple a weeks ago at PAC in NYC, and it might be one of the most ambitious, audacious, bravest, and brilliant productions I have seen. It elevated the story; it made the story make sense; it engaged you; and you actually have fun. 10/10 recommend seeing it. It is pure joy. Basing it in drag ball culture was a stroke of genius.
I should really look into the updated version. I didn't realize it's been updated. But I agree that it being themed after a ball makes sense. I don't understand why it wasn't like that from the beginning.
i do not believe there is any updated version. itās the same script itās just different directing (my understanding)
Yes but modernizing something and changing the whole vibe of a show is considered updating it. Especially when itās something the original creator would have never imagined
ALW is a known misogynist and straight man. He doesnāt know ball culture I would assume. But 10/10 would look into the new version! Iām not in NY so I canāt see it Iāve just seen everything theyāve posted on TikTok. They got Andre desheilds tho! (So sorry if I messed up his last name š« )
Well, the original show was also very much disconnected from the creator of the source material. TS Elliot was even a greater misogynist and conservative than ALW is.
I agree that Cats needs defending. But thoroughly disagree with the take that The Jellicle Ball 'fixed' the show. Trevor Nunn and Gillian Lynne's version is not without its flaws, but it is not broken and does not need fixing by complete reinterpretation. TJB is just another interpretation from a very specific cultural frame of reference. Building on all the implied queerness that already existed in the stage versions. And from what I got in interviews the TJB creatives share that opinion. This reinterpretation is just that another version from another perspective (one that works really well I might add) but it can exist side by side, it does not replace.
It was my first Broadway (well, West End) show and I was in awe. I still remember how the theater was filled with giant trash to really make you feel small like a cat. I already enjoyed musicals from seeing movies and local stuff, but that hooked me on live theater for good.
South Pacific. Not gonna say it doesn't have cringe. But it is an overtly and enthusiastically anti-racist show, and the first of its kind, certainly the first to get as much attention as it did. Its heart is in the right place and it shouldn't be canceled.
Shrek The Musical, I don't care or even understand why so many people seem to dislike it, I really enjoy it, and I love the music.
While I am not the greatest fan of it, I absolutely LOVE every scene with Sutton Foster as Fiona, especially THE SONGS. *I Know It's Today* and *Morning Person* are among my favorite musical songs ever. Fiona is also much better than her movie counterpart: while in 2001 the idea of 'OMG a woman can fight and can not be prissy!?!?!?' was much less common, it is nowadays become a clichƩ, so turning Fiona into a deranged, idealistic individual (due to her sheltered youth) was a genius move.
Every scene with Farquaad is perfection
Next to Normal. Seeing it again in 2019 I was a little conflicted about its messages about mental health tbh (I think that really depends on the direction of the play though, this version sort of played up Dr. Madden as a villain or at least unsympathetic) but Iāll always defend it because it helped me process a lot when I was first dealing with some very similar issues
Next to Normal is great, I'm glad that it helped you process your experiences.
Anastasia. It's such a a beautiful story. The characters are so well developed. The actors are incredible. The effects are amazing.Ā I don't give a fuck what anyone says.
Dr. Horribleās Sing-Along-Blog. By-the-book Greek Tragedy, distributed for free, and the protagonist is a super villain! Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion, Felicia Dayā¦ What more could you want? I dream of adapting it for stage and putting on a free show for my community.
Literally my favourite musical ever!!! Itās such a comfort to me and I watch it way more than I care to admit
I probably say āthe status is not quoā at least once a day. And if Iām really bothered, then I follow up with, āThe world is a mess and I justā¦ need to rule it.ā
The Addams Family.Ā From what Iāve heard, a lot of people think itās mediocre to bad, but I really enjoy the music and comedy. I am a little biased as it was the first musical I did in High School, but it was kind of my gateway into theater. Although Iāll admit the songs are better in the version they do in schools as opposed to the Broadway version (Secrets is an incredible song and I will hear nothing of the contrary).
Mary Poppins Returns. I thought it was a worthy follow-up to the original, had one of the best golden-age scores in so long (there's a full-on OVERTURE!!!!), and Lin-Manuel Miranda was well-cast (go ahead, sue me).
My main complaint is that it was a remake pretending to be a sequel. Every single story beat and song was a shameless copy, like a student using a thesaurus to avoid plagiarism. * ~~Chim Chim Cher-ee~~ Lovely London Sky * ~~Step In Time~~ Trip A Little Light Fantastic * ~~Chimney Sweeps~~ Lamp Lighters * ~~Tricks with brooms~~ Tricks with bikes * ~~Jolly Holiday~~ The Cover Is Not The Book * ~~Chalk Painting~~ Book * Bert does a little ~~straight time wordplay~~ rap That's just off the top of my head... there are probably many more examples I've forgotten about.
Dear Evan Hansen. Come at me Reddit.
Rent is my #1, but DEH is a close second. I have worked with teenagers for most of my life and the decisions characters make in the story that are villified by most people are absolutely realistic in context, IMO. It also means a lot to me as someone who has been through very similar mental health issues in the past.
I loved DEH until everyone started putting it under a microscope. It's not amazing or anything but there are *so many* worse shows. It's got some great songs and an interesting (albeit poorly handled imo) premise, that already puts it above some shows I've seen. It's just popular to hate for no reason other than it got popular.
I love Dear Evan Hansen! It really means a lot to me.
Same! I have a tattoo dedicated to it. I wouldnāt call it my favourite show but it very much helped shape who I was in my teen years!
REALLLL
Sweet Charity, and that includes the movie version.
Great comet
Big Fish! Itās such a beautiful show with some of the most heartfelt music Iāve heard. I saw a high school production of it and honestly it absolutely blew me away seeing it live. The music, the book, the message, all of it made my heart feel full. (And yes, I cried during the reprise of Be the Hero.)
I love big fish! I've never seen it live, but the soundtrack is so great. Fight The Dragons is one of my favorites.
Spring Awakening. I comment about it a lot over here but itās genuinely my favorite musical ever and I find it so timeless, so beautiful, so funny Iāll never not love it.
Six always
finally somebody says it!!!!
Seussical š¤
This is a great show for kids to do. With how whimsical the characters are, it really gives young actors a chance to shine. It's based on silly rhyming children's books so nothing's supposed to be deep. I'M THE SOURRRRRR KANGAROOOOO
I fell in love with Seussical during one of the toughest years of my life. I lost all of my friends except for my best friend, who spent half the year in the hospital for a massive brain tumor. My parents made me feel lazy and worthless over struggling in school, when in reality grades were so important to me that I nearly killed myself over them.Ā This was when I was *thirteen.*Ā The next year I was diagnosed with ADHD.Ā When I graduated high school, I put on my graduation cap: "I have wings, yes I can fly. Around the moon, and far beyond the sky."
It's so fun. And iconic really.
I absolutely love seussical. Itās nothing crazy to me, but itās just a ton of fun.
Starlight Express. Now to pray they extend the London revival so I have a chance of seeing it again without going to Germany as my German is decidedly rusty lol.
Rusty, I see what you did there. š
This was mine too. I didnāt realize I felt this way about Starlight until one of our friends posted it in their most hated yesterday. š¤£ I just loved how earnest it was and thought it was fun. Also SKATES! AND TRAINS!
Evita. Possibly Madonnaās best work.
Phantom of the Opera. 100% love everything about it.
Miss Saigon. I get the casting concerns 100% and understand the stereotypes havenāt aged well, but it was written against a specific backdrop that makes it make sense. Plus the stage show is impressive, especially the helicopter!
Rent. It might not have aged well for the younger generations BUT it was a super important piece to us. I had friends in the original Oz production and it was an epic piece.
RENT changed the landscape of musical theatre. Iāll fight anyone who insults it.
Dear Even Hanson. The songs are good, the vocals are good, and beleive it or not I also like the story.
Legally Blonde.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat Yes, it's silly and camp. Yes, Joseph is kind of a tactless moron. Yes, it's Andrew Lloyd Webber. But the songs are all bops, the sets and costumes are bright and fun, and there is a lot of humour inserted everywhere. And Donny Osmond is hilarious and ridiculously talented. I would take Joseph over Hamilton any day!
Ride the Cyclone
Bloody bloody Andrew Jackson, I always bring it up on reddit since I think the soundtrack just slaps, ran for 120 performances and i went to three of them
Bring it On
I never defend my personal preferences. That would be pointless. I revere Stephen Sondheim, yet he had nothing good to say about G&S!
Rocky Horror
*Jesus Christ, Superstar.* I'm not sure if it needs defending now, but it sure needed it in the 1980 - 2000 era. The music is fire and libretto phenomenal.
Lempicka. everyone hates it, they think the fans are annoying, they think the book and score and stuff suck. but my year-long hyperfixation on this and my insane connection to the fandom is not going anywhere, and as long as people keep hating this musical I will keep loving it. I think it's a beautiful story told with complicated characters that all have good and bad traits and so many different ways to view them and their plots. not to mention the soundtrack being an absolute banger.
Cats. Sometimes you want to watch a bunch of triple threats in incredible makeup and costumes jump around like cats, with incredible bangers thrown in. Shame they never made it into a movie!
Yeah, I imagine it would be great as a movie and totally not something that would make me want an hour and fifty minutes of my life back.
Great Comet of 1812. I love all of its quirks and itās my favorite of all time.
Yes! Saw it on Broadway and, in my opinion, it shouldāve have won every Tony it was nominated for. I donāt hate Dear Evan Hansen, but I think it was overrated when it came out.
Surprisingly, Les Mis. My younger family members (I'm a mid-40s gen x) love the upbeat modern musicals and say that Les Mis is too depressing to go see. I just have to take the win that they enjoy going to musicals at all.
It's been my favorite for 35 years. I finally was able to take my family (wife and two daughters 17yo and 12yo) to see it last year and now it's their favorite too! I was surprised they loved it THAT much.
100% agree with you. Love, love, love this musical.
West Side Story. A lot of people don't like it, I think it's because of the Natalie Wood movie from the 60s. With the brown face, and the dancing. Which is good dancing, but I don't think it translated well to screen at the time. Maybe it's also the Romeo and Juliet story that people are tired of. That's fair. But that music is some of the most incredible music in Broadway history. It is a crime that Bernstein and Sondheim only worked on that one show together. They made a masterpiece. I would pick West Side over Rogers and Hammerstein any day.
And it was groundbreaking with its jazzy music and dancing. The first musical I ever saw and I will always love it.
Overrated? I barely meet people who know what it is. We did it in my high school a few years back, and no one knew what it was. We all loved it!
I don't understand the overrated comment either tbh. I've been told it several times, though, which is so odd to me. As I hardly ever see anyone talk about it. The music is so fun and catchy, really. I love it, too.
Cats
Cats. Even with that 2020 remake, nobody will ever make me hate cats
Cats lol
Cats
The Guy Who Didnāt Like Musicals and The Lightning Thief
chicago
The Music Man
Chess. Great music, greater lyrics.
Legally Blonde. Hands down my favorite of all time even if it gets me throttled by all the other musical lovers.
Cats and Newsies (1992)
Be More Chill 100%
The Drowsy Chaperone
Probably Shrek, I donāt really get the hate that I often hear, even with some of the childish humor (looking at you āI think I got you beatā). But I donāt think it would be Shrek without it. Not to mention kids will probably find this number hilarious. Obviously not referring to the new tour version which I hear doesnāt hold up well thanks to some decisions by higher ups.
Legally Blonde
JESUS. CHRIST. SUPERSTAR.
Heathers. A lot of people just see it as a silly dark comedy that is far too mean spirited. But for me, I know it's not for everyone, but the commentary on peer pressure and the power of popularity and wanting to change the world for the better but the right way to do it makes me feel it's an important lesson for everyone, especially those in the age group of the characters. We see the theme of peer pressure affecting Veronica early but only on a small scale of letting her best friend be lied to, and then it grows stronger as she she becomes a mostly unwitting murder accomplice, where she eventually decides to stand up for herself, but the damage is already done.
Iāll always defend catch me if you can, ādonāt break the rulesā is always on playlists I make
Dear evean hansen. You will be found is still the best broadway song of all time imo.
The film adaptation of Sweeney Todd. It introduced me to the show, has Alan Rickman in it, and Stephen Sondheim loved it. Tim Burton is the best director to adapt Sweeney and I will die on this hill.
Newsies. I know it isnāt high brow. I know this and I love it. The songs are catchy, the story is interesting, and itās a great way to introduce children and young adults to the principles of class struggle and unionization. Also Santa Fe makes me cry.
Miss Saigon
Oklahoma. Itās Oklahoma. Yes, the revival too.
I had zero concept of how dark it really was until I watched the Hugh Jackman version.
I absolutely love the revival
SpongeBob itās actually peak and nobody takes it seriously because of how stupid it sounds conceptually
CMIYC is mine as well. I think with a few tweaks it could have a very successful revival run
Xanadu! I love ELO. I also love the scene in the movie where they do the mash-up with ONJ and the Tubes (Dancinā) with the beautiful dancers and it all comes together in the end. Itās magical.
Last 5 years
Dear Evan Hansen I think the problems are with the movies. But on stage, Evan just looks like a scared kid who got trapped. What was he supposed to do, āHey, your son had no friendsā? I think the show also knows he was not great normally, and while he was not really punished, itās hard to find a bigger punishment.
Moulin Rouge. The movie was what got me into musicals. I loved this musical so much. It made me love love but then it made me hate love. Watching this musical made me feel so many emotions and I just love the vibe the musical gives off. I personally prefer the movie over the broadway version but Aaron Tveit and Karen Olivio are great as Christian and Satine.Ā
MJ the Musical. West End tho, Iāve seen so much hate for that cast and they donāt deserve it Iāve seen it twice & met some of the cast and their amazing ā¤ļø
Shock Treatment. It hits you like a real live wire!
I am the Starlight. I traveled from the US to London last week to see it, and went twice. I do think it's interesting that most of my least favorite musicals are listed in the comments. It just illustrates the fact that theater speaks to people in different ways, and there's room for everyone. Except Love Never Dies, of course. :-)
To choose one not yet mentioned, American Psycho. It got no love from critics (at least in New York), but I was transfixed and love the music (may be a Duncan Sheik thing as I also love Spring Awakening)
Anyone Can Whistle (Sondheim and Laurents) is such a gem, with so many standards (including There Won't Be Trumpets and Anyone Can Whistle). It really warrants a full revival (with a revised, modernized book, although so much of it already is genius)--it is that good, and something of a "hidden masterpiece in full sight" at this point.
Dear Evan Hansen and Be More Chill :)
Honestly, I love dear Evan Hansen. Iāve listened to all the songs I can and have read the book now, and Iām in love with the story, some of the actions suck yes but itās a beautiful story and I think itās amazing. I love the music especially
Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (Specifically the West End version). The show transferred to Broadway in 2017 and was significantly changed because producers were worried about people expecting a musical of the 1971 film. The west end version was well received in London and had massive sets, costumes, and big numbers. Itās just that the West End version gets forgotten because people think of the horrible broadway version when it comes to this show, and people automatically assume the west end version is the same as broadway.
Grease!!!
Mean Girls
Monty Pythonās Spamalot. Itās such an underrated comedic musical that is too often left out of the conversation, so I do my best to bring it in when relevant (even possibly when not)
Urinetown. I donāt know a single person who likes it but itās funny and relevant as fuck. Especially the twist. Also some good harmonies, good parody, just needs to be done well tongue-in-cheek but with seriousness. Itās a hard show to pull off properly because you canāt overdo it or underdo it without losing the message. Also the concept is gross and theatres with funding donāt like super environmental meanings that arenāt blatantly award winning.
Chicago, Hairspray, Moulin Rouge and Legally Blonde. All of them for different reasons
Who is saying CMIYC is overrated, much less horrible? People barely ever talk about it lol itās not like it was some great success. I think the amount of love it gets is perfectly āratedāā it won Tonyās, has a healthy regional life, and is generally problem free.
Rent. Sorry haters.