Musical lovers?

Not the biggest fan, but I do love watching musicals every now and then.

I've been to two operas, too - Rigoletto and Tosca. And once to ballet - Swan lake.

 

I love musicals! And I also enjoy theater very much, it a very different experience from movies and such. I have watched the Phantom of the opera, Mamma Mia and Wicked several times
Since I live in Denmark there is sort of a limited number of professional musicals, so I have stated watching musical movies If you really enjoy musicals you might like Sweeney Todd (it is a horror movie though, but an amazing musical), Les Misérables, Into the woods, a very potter musical (its really funny), Mamma Mia and Grease (of course)

 

I don`t like musicals that much...

 

I have a huge passion for musical theatre. I, like many others, grew up watching Disney animated classics, but I never really saw them as musicals - just cartoons with characters who sang in them (it was only later on that through some research that movies beginning from The Disney Renaissance - namely the Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast - were conceptualized by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken whose most famous stage work was the cult classic Little Shop of Horrors).

I also grew up watching classics like The Sound of Music and My Fair Lady etc but again, to the young me, I merely saw them as movies with singing. I did not understand the concept of a "musical", of how a song would replace dialogue , and how the singing would act as a way of expressing emotions in lieu of spoken words.

My first "proper" introduction to musical theatre was when I first saw a performance of Seasons of Love from RENT on the special charity episode (Idol Gives Back) on Season 7 (2008) of American Idol. I went online and found the Wikipedia article of the song, and then began reading about the musical RENT. I was in my mid-teens then, just beginning to explore things such as sexuality and the themes of the musical resonated with me really strongly. I also found the grungy sounding pop rock score very accessible. I was so thrilled to find that a movie version had been made with the original Broadway cast with the exception of the actresses who played Mimi and Joanne - and that introduced me to two of my favorite musical theatre performers - Idina Menzel, through whom I discovered the musical Wicked, and Anthony Rapp, who was one of my first ever Broadway crushes.

Through Idina, I discovered Wicked, and the brilliance of the songs, the story and the wonderful Kristin Chenoweth. A year later, I was also introduced to Glee, and through that show (which I only watched Season 1 and 2, I stopped watching beginning Season 3 because it had become a joke to me tbh - and I never really liked Darren Criss :rolle: ) I was introduced to Lea Michele and her work prior to Glee - a powerful and poigant musical called Spring Awakening. Spring Awakening (based on the play of the same name) is about a group of German youngsters in 18th century Germany who are so sheltered by their ultra-conservative and ultra-religious adult figures on the matters of sex and love that results in tragedy. I watched a wonderful production of this in Singapore and I cried my absolute heart out during the finale. It was my first time ever experiencing the magic of live musical theatre and I was so, so emotionally satisfied. (I also saw the Australian touring cast of Wicked a few days later, which was really magical. The special effects were absolutely incredible and I cried so so much at "For Good" and at the part where Elphaba rises up into the air in "Defying Gravity")

As my journey through musical theatre continued, my tastes also diversified - from British mega hits such as Phantom , Cats, Sunset Boulevard, Evita, Les Mis etc to Sondheim classics such as Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods to Kander and Ebb essentials like Cabaret and Chicago to Disney magic such as Beauty and the Beast, Aida etc.

One of my absolute favorites is The Last Five Years, a musical written by Jason Robert Brown that has only two characters and requires a very minimalist staging - but it as moving as a Broadway blockbuster because of how each lyric and each song tugs at your heartstrings.

Right now, I am very obsessed with West Side Story, as you can tell from my signature

(P.S. I cannot believe at the amount of people who like Love Never Dies that musical should NEVER have existed :tears: it's an absolute insult to the original Phantom musical and its source material - the novel by Gaston Leroux)

 

I FOUND MY FAVOURITE THREAD LET ME LOVE YOU ALL.

Ahem... um, I really like musicals. Is everybody ready for my favourite musical list?!

1. Wicked
2. RENT
3. If/Then
4. The Lion King
5. Phantom of the Opera
6. Les Miserables
7. Fun Home
8. Next To Normal
9. Footloose
10. Annie
11. Shrek

There are loads more I need to know about. The sheer number of musicals I don't know about is distressing. I just want the knowledge of all the musicals. All of them. I want to live and breathe musicals and showtunes.

---------- Post added 28th Oct 2015 at 09:11 PM ----------

OH AND FINALLY PEOPLE WHO WILL UNDERSTAND WHY I CRACK UP ABOUT THE FABRIC SOFTNER MY MUM BROUGHT CALLED 'Spring Awakening'

 

1. Mary Poppins
2. Sound of Music
3. Annie

 

Jacqueline Hughes, the actress I saw as Elphaba in Wicked, is currently preparing to tour with Mary Poppins in the UK as an ensemble member (although personally I think she should be playing Elphaba in London; she was spectacular!)

Annie was the first musical I saw, when I was 9 years old. I wish I'd realised back then how amazing musicals are, because it's only when I saw Wicked at 14 that I decided I wanted to act as a career, and it might be too late for me now

 

Hello,

I don't think it will be. You could start out as an extra and then move your way up, and I've been told you don't need a drama A-level to get into drama university courses.

I saw Mary Poppins on stage when I was 7, watched the film since I was around 5. I think I need to see a different version again before I watch the 2017 movie, just so I don't stay too attached to the '64 version.

 

I've done a lot of research and admission into drama schools is based purely on your performance at the audition, which is a positive side. I wanted to do an A level in Drama and Theatre studies along with three more sensible options, but my mum refuses to support me if I do that so...

I don't see how you can have Mary poppins without Julie Andrews. Julie Andrews is right up there on my list of Queens, just below Idina Menzel (who is the ultimate Queen of all time)

Why is so much stuff happening in 2016/17? Mary Poppins film, Wicked Film (hopefully!), Finding Dory... ALL THE STUFF.

---------- Post added 28th Oct 2015 at 09:47 PM ----------

Oh and i just remembered that idina menzel is back in if/then which makes me happy.

 

Julie Andrews is a wonderful singer, I asked my Dad to get me the entire 'Princess Diaries 2' CD just for 'Crowning Glory'. She played Queen Clarice, so you're fictionally right. I'm hoping they have her do a cameo in Mary Poppins, maybe singing 'feed the birds' as her meaning behind that is wonderful.

Indina Menzel, for me, was great in GLEE, but not so much of a voice over [Frozen, Arthur]. I'm yet to see her in a musical, love her quote you put, for me, it's a more tolerable non-singing or peer-pressuring version of 'Let it Go'.

 

I personally dislike Glee, so I haven't watched any of it. I'm annoyed at them having Idina and Kristin Chenoweth on in consecutive episodes and not having their characters interact at all :/ (I ship Chenzel quite hard XD)

I think Idina is amazing in pretty much anything she does XD she's my cinnamon roll, too pure for this world XD which is really, really weird because I sort of want to wrap her up in a blanket and shield her from all the mean things people say about her, but I also sort of want to kiss her, but I'd also love to be adopted by her and Kristin and I'm just going to list this as reason #24601 as to why I am considered mentally deranged by everyone I know XD.

I haven't seen her live *sobs* but I watch bootlegs of her in ANYTHING. I even found audio of her in the Vagina Monologues which was... Well, as interesting as it sounds XD It was a spiritual experience XD

I'm sorry, I have literally wittered on about her. This is why nobody talks to my about my idols. Is there anyone that you can talk on and on about? It can't just be me XD

 

I talk about The Doctor ... but the character, not the actors. Missy was based off Mary Poppins, the darker version in the books. I like to talk about Mary Poppins too, the books, the acting, the songs. I wish a version of 'Chimpanzoo' was available on Ipod. I would go on about how lovely Julie Andrew's voice is and how beautiful she is but I feel guilty, talking about someone behind their back is never nice, even if it's nice things you're saying.

I found April Roads annoying, but the way she played her was just awesome.

 

Oh, you're a doctor who fan too? I love doctor who, and Missy is just excellent XD I love it when people talk about thinks they like, more so in person because you see their entire face light up and their eyes fill with joy.

I don't have any reservations about talking about celebrities online as long as you're not being mean or prying into their personal lives. It must suck to see all of the negative comments about themselves, so I like to balance it out a bit. But I officially hate anyone who is outright nasty to celebrities. It breaks my heart that Idina sung 'creep' by radiohead on every night of her world tour because peoples comments made her feel inadequate. It's just not fair at all

I haven't watched any of the actual episodes, but I love Kristin so much and she's so tiny and adorable that I don't think I'd actually care about the character. I would watch a whole movie if Kristin or Idina had like... 2 lines in it XD

I find it really annoying that loads of DW fans are refusing to watch it because it's not the same now that David Tennant is gone, and they don't like Peter Capaldi. And then they're calling the new fans fake because we haven't seen the past doctors. I only started when Peter became the doctor, So I haven't seen any others. But I still think I'm a better fan then those that have gone out in a strop, because the motto I go by is 'a proper fan doesn't have to be there from the beginning, just until the end.'

Alternatively, 'you're not a real fan until you hang off the ceiling and spin around rapidly'

 

It's Doctor Who on Halloween ... I wonder which takes priority?

I didn't start watching until the 11th Doctor, because my Mum thought it would be too scary for me, but I watched it with my dad and didn't get scared so she let me. I then went back and watched the rest. Watched SJA, K9&Co., Torchwood as well. Can't wait for the new spin-off. They're saying it might close due to ratings down, but it's not because of the show, but because the doctor. Although to be quite honest, if they ended on the 12th Doctor I wouldn't be dissapointed as a clock has 12 phases which sounds like faces and goes back to the 1st. [yes, i'm ignoring the war and 10.5 doctor].

But like in life, we say we shouldn't judge, so maybe all are fans, just fans of different aspects.

 

I have my cousins' 16th birthday parties on Halloween, but we should be back in time for doctor who. Which means that I get to dress up as Elphaba AND watch Doctor Who on the same day, which I think is pretty damn fabulous.

For a minute can I just talk about what a bitch archiveofourown is to me? So just in case you didn't know archiveofourown.org is a fan fiction hosting site. I just searched 'Chenzel' on it like I do every day, to check if there are any new fics. Last time I looked, it said there were 31, so while it was loading I was like 'please let there be 32, please let there be 32!' And then it tells me there are 32, so I'm really happy and go to check out the new fic.

Turns out its only just decided to count my one, which I posted over a week ago ;-; no new chenzel.

 

I've never seen that site, but seems quite slow on the upkeep of things.
If anyone comes whilst watching Doctor Who, I'm going to point a jammy dodger at them and tell them it's a devise that is used to stop kids from stealing candy. [it was either that or jelly babies].

 

Oh my goodness! Musical theatre gives me LIFE! Anybody else currently obsessed with Hamilton?

 

While I act in musicals, I generally dislike them lol