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Aaron Tveit, Sutton Foster will next star in ‘Sweeney Todd’ Oct 30
2023, 06:15:02 PM
Noideawhatimdoinghere said: "BUT, that being said. Aaron is more than a high belting pop tenor. Not many people know that he basically trained as a classical singer his whole life before changing from classical voice major to musical theatre major in college. He's even sung both the Rodolfo aria from La Bohème and an English art song in his concerts. Have a listen to this audio of him singing Che Gelida Maninahttps://youtu.be/ZKPtqFzKx4c?si=SkWQk2iIlhIqufW1I think this definitely is proof that he's got the legit vocals. He'll definitely throw in some grit and growls though, when required. He doesn't have the baritone timbre, but Sweeney has been played by tenors before. Alexander Gemignani for example. Hugh Panaro is also a tenor, though darker than Aaron. And I know that Aaron will go full out in this role and be a bat**** insane Sweeney. Plus, it's been a dream role of his for 10 years. He'll do it justice.
"
Aside from the terrible arrangement and his getting the words wrong, I really don't think that this performance of "Che gelida manina" is proof that he's more than a high belting pop tenor, since that's exactly what he sounded like.
I really hope I can be surprised, but I'm not at all excited about this casting.
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Encores! 2023 season announced: LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA with Ruthie Ann Miles, DEAR WORLD with Donna Murphy, and a 2-week run of OLIVER! Mar 20
2023, 02:49:04 PM
I went last night, this was my first time at an Encores! production and it was everything I hoped for it to be.
Though admittedly this is not a great play, I very much enjoyed it and thought that it was hilarious at times. The score is fantastic and it really shined last night with the full Encores orchestra, cast and chorus. Donna Murphy is sublime and I am very happy I finally got to see her live. The rest of the cast was also great, but I especially loved Ann Harada an
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Sorkin and Sher to revive CAMELOT for Broadway Mar 20
2023, 02:11:21 AM
I went to see Camelot today and I absolutely loved it.
I’m not too familiar with the original book, but can say that I very much liked the new Aron Sorkin book. It is not perfect, by any means. There are some things that didn’t land for me (references to Voltaire and that whole “business partner” deal).
I understand that Sorking didn’t want to place the story on a particular time period, but I don’t think
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SWEENEY TODD Revival announces further casting Feb 26
2023, 04:13:28 PM
BCfitasafiddle said: "Everyone going today: ENJOY! I'm thrilled for you and jealous of you! Please post your thoughts after! I can't wait for March 17th!"
I’m also going on March 17th! I can’t wait!
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Encores! 2023 Production hints??? Jun 14
2022, 12:16:35 PM
So what does this mean for Love Life?
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Little Lotte question? Aug 6
2020, 01:25:23 AM
Lotte Lenya
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Rodgers & Hammerstein thread May 25
2020, 11:12:40 PM
OlBlueEyes, I have that Show Boat recording, it is my favorite recording of that wonderful score! I especially enjoy listening to all of the additional material, particularly It's Getting Hotter in the North, I love that number and I think it is a very clever development of the tune Magnolia plays on the piano prior to her meeting with Ravenal in Act One.
While we’re at it, I should also like to point out that I very much enjoy Ella Fitzgerald's Rodgers and Hart album, I guess we do hav
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Rodgers & Hammerstein thread May 24
2020, 03:59:26 PM
OlBlueEyes said: "I’ve been here too long to be surprised that no one reacted to the songs I plucked from Pipe Dream. And if they had reacted, it would probably have been negative. But I still call this the catchiest tune Richard Rodgers ever wrote.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ks9RtF1RPwA
"
I adore Pipe Dream! Though definitley not Rodgers and Hammerstein’s best, it does have some great songs: All Kinds of People, Everybody’s Got a Home, Sweet Thursday, All at Once You Love Her, The Next Time It Happens, all top-notch.
Now, regarding Rodgers & Hammerstein shows, I believe that their first five are some of the best/most interesting musicals ever written.
All right, maybe that’s a stretch for Allegro, but it is a very interesting show with a great score and set a precedent for “concept” musicals along with Love Life. But I don’t think that anybody could dismiss the greatness of Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific or The King and I.
And yes, their later shows weren’t as great, but you can still find some gems among those scores. Regarding The Sound of Music, I don't believe the score is great, it has some lovely melodies but I find the lyrics a bit dull (it's hard to reconcile the fact that the man who wrote the infamous “a lark who is learning to pray” is the same man who wrote A Puzzlement or What's the Use of Wond’rin’). But still, the film is undeniably a classic, even though they sadly dropped two of the best songs in the score, How Can Love Survive? and No Way to Stop It.
Also, to anyone who is looking to get to know Rodgers & Hammerstein's scores, I would also recommend looking into the shows they wrote prior to their collaboration, then one can get an idea as to how these two geniuses combined early musical comedy’s use of popular music with operetta's need of character and plot development through tightly written scores to produce the single most influential work of musical theater, which led to the invention of the musical play as we know it today.
Some Rodgers and Hart shows you should get to know are Dearest Enemy, Babes in Arms, The Boys from Syracuse, On Your Toes and, of course, Pal Joey. You will find that some great standards come from these shows.
As for Hammerstein, definitley check out his and Jerome Kern’s Show Boat, one of the greatest achievements in musical theater of the 20th century. It is one of the greatest scores ever written, a backstager of epic proportions tracking down the very history of musical theater along with the history of America from 1887 to 1927. Although some of the material may be considered dated, it still remains on of the greatest pieces of musical theater of all time.
Also from Hammerstein, you should check out some of his operettas, particularly The Desert Song and The New Moon, both with music by Sigmund Romberg (and collaborating on the lyrics and book, Otto Harbach).
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What musical is said to be unpopular and obscure, but actually isn't? May 24
2020, 04:40:53 AM
GavestonPS said: "STREET SCENE (Elmer Rice, Langston Hughes, Kurt Weill) is "obscure" to most theatergoers. It ran for a couple of months in 1947 and hasn't had a major revival since. I wouldn't even know it if Equity Library Theater hadn't done a brilliant production off-Broadway in the late 1970s.
HOWEVER, it is done in opera houses and has had major recordings from both the English and Scottish National Operas. It was shown on PBS and is currently
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Short Musicals Oct 30
2019, 12:48:57 PM
Gilbert and Sullivan’s ‘Trial by Jury’
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Musicals without Romance Oct 11
2018, 09:55:36 PM
The Cradle Will Rock, perhaps? Although it has that Gus and Sadie love duet, I don’t think their romance is a mayor plot point.
Goodtime Charley
Jacques Brel...
Pacific Overtures
Passing Strange
Songs for a New World
Tommy
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
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Saddest songs in musical theater Jun 26
2018, 08:29:05 AM
“What Would You Do?” from Cabaret
“Down” from Grind
“Marieke” from Jacques Brel...
“There is No Other Way” from Pacific Overtures
“Dear Friend” from She Loves Me
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Broadway Records to release MY FAIR LADY cast album Jun 8
2018, 10:21:21 AM
ScottyDoesn'tKnow2 said: "We do get the tail end of the Servant's chorus in "Rain in Spain" but not the full performance.
Btw, when I saw it in previews, Lauren Ambrose did not have that lovely reprise of "Loverly" when she went back to Covent Garden after "Show Me" (the three men did though). However, on the album, she definitely has it and I was very happily surprised to hear her sing it. Is it in the show now?
I also, don
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Broadway Records to release MY FAIR LADY cast album Jun 8
2018, 09:37:18 AM
EvanstonDad said: "So I'm looking at the track listing and see that the Servants' Chorus (not sure if that's actually what it's called) isn't on the album. I'm thinking of the scene where the servants sing "Poor Professor Higgins" over and over while he's teaching Eliza. For those who've seen the show, did they just leave it off, or is that song not part of this production?"
The Servants’ Chorus is indeed
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Broadway "Stores" May 18
2018, 07:49:54 PM
Hello all! I'll be going to NYC next week, and was wondering if there are any stores that sell cast albums on vinyl.
I'm from Mexico City and it is really hard to find any cast albums here. I recently started to collect second-hand cast albums on vinyl and I want to expand on my collection.
Thanks!
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Max and Elsa songs: Oct 16
2017, 12:34:11 AM
I am not a big fan of The Sound of Music, and I think it’s a shame both songs didn’t make the cut, since I believe those are the best numbers in the whole score (except, perhaps, for Edelweiss). At least the ones with the most interesting and fun lyrics.
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Small Musicals w Minimal Sets Apr 27
2017, 05:26:35 PM
The Cradle Will Rock, Jacques Brel..., Threpenny Opera, Company, Assassins, Chicago, Sweeney Todd, Falsettos, Man of La Mancha, Zorba
Really, most great musicals don't need big sets and costumes, they can stand only on their book, music and lyrics.
Good luck!
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Best Confrontational/Argumentative Duets? Dec 17
2016, 05:34:50 PM
Anything You Can Do - ANNIE GET YOUR GUN
Jealousy Duet - THE THREEPENNY OPERA
Waltz for Eva and Che - EVITA
The Thrill of First Love - MARCH OF THE FALSETTOS/FALSETTOS
The Chess Game - MARCH OF THE FALSETTOS/FALSETTOS
You Must Meet My Wife - A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC
People Will Say We're In Love - OKLAHOMA!
I've Got It All - ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Take Him - PAL JOEY
The Next Time It Happens - PIPE DREAM
A Boy Like Th
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Favorite opening number? Dec 13
2016, 01:03:21 PM
So many to choose from, I guess my favorite are
The Ballad of Sweeney Todd - SWEENEY TODD
Prologue - INTO THE WOODS
The Carousel Waltz - CAROUSEL
Four Jews in a Room Bitching - MARCH OF THE FALSETTOS / FALSETTOS
Life Is - ZORBA
The Advantages of Floating in the Middle of the Sea - PACIFIC OVERTURES
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Must read books for musical theater freaks Jun 27
2016, 08:54:52 PM
I recommend reading Scott Miller's guides to musical theatre, they are composed of thorough analyses for different musical plays and sheds new light to some musicals that are considered dated by today standards, such as Oklahoma!, My Fair Lady or The Cradle Will Rock (all three amazing musicals, in my opinion): - From Assassins to West Side Story - analyzes Assassins, Cabaret, Carousel, Godspell
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