wicked- 7 lion king- 7 addams family- 6 jersey boys- hsi billy eliot- 10 promises- 8 memphis- 8 mamma mia- 5 mary poppins- 10 phantom- 4 a little night music- 8 west side story- 6 american idiot- 10 in the heights- hsi la cage- hsi chicago- hsi rock of ages- seeing it soon! fela- hsi million dollar q- hsi next to normal- 10
*hsi* haven't seen it
"(in a sweedish accent) Oh! What a lovely T-shirt you are wearing!"- Catherine Zeta-Jones refering to my ALNM shirt at the CD signing.
Say NO to drugs and YES to Jackie Hoffman Live At Joes Pub!
"ITS THE DAY OF THE SHOW YA'LL!!"-Bwaynerd
wicked- 8 lion king- 7 addams family- hsi jersey boys- hsi billy eliot- 7 promises- hsi memphis- hsi mamma mia- 6 mary poppins- hsi phantom- 6 a little night music- hsi west side story- hsi american idiot- 9 in the heights- 9 la cage- hsi chicago- 7 rock of ages- 7 fela- hsi million dollar q- hsi next to normal- 10
"(in a sweedish accent) Oh! What a lovely T-shirt you are wearing!"- Catherine Zeta-Jones refering to my ALNM shirt at the CD signing.
Say NO to drugs and YES to Jackie Hoffman Live At Joes Pub!
"ITS THE DAY OF THE SHOW YA'LL!!"-Bwaynerd
wicked- 6 lion king- 4 addams family- hsi jersey boys- hsi billy eliot- hsi promises- 7 memphis- hsi mamma mia- 7 mary poppins- hsi phantom- 5 a little night music- 9 west side story- hsi american idiot- 8 in the heights- 8 la cage- hsi chicago- 6 rock of ages- hsi fela- hsi million dollar q- hsi next to normal- 9
I will only rate the ones I've seen because that is unfair.
Wicked ---- 11 ----- FAVORITE Promises, Promises---7.5--- if KC wasn't there a 6 In the Heights ---8.5 --- West Side Story --- 6 --- WORST show I've seen The Lion King --- don't remember--- The Addams Family--- 8 ----
wicked- 6 lion king- 7 addams family- 4 jersey boys- 3 billy elliot- 8 promises- 4 memphis- 3 mamma mia- 1 mary poppins- 3 phantom- 5 a little night music- 7 west side story- 6 american idiot- 7 in the heights- 8 la cage- 4 chicago- 6 rock of ages- 3 fela- 2 million dollar q- 4 next to normal- 8
wicked- 9 lion king- 7 addams family- 2 jersey boys- 8 billy eliot- 10 promises- 7 memphis- 5 mamma mia- 5 mary poppins- 9 phantom- 6 a little night music- 9 west side story- 4 american idiot- 4 in the heights- 5 la cage- 7 chicago- 5 rock of ages- 1 fela- hsi million dollar q- hsi next to normal- 10
Million Dollar Quartet- HSI Mary Poppins- 7 Mrs. Warren's Profession- 3 (generous) American Idiot- 7.5 Phantom- 5.5 Memphis- 6 Lion King- 7.5 Next to Normal- 6.5 Billy Elliot- 7.5 In The Heights- 10 The Addams Family- 6 Rock of Ages- 4 West Side Story- 8 La Cage Aux Folles- 8 A Little Night Music- 7.5 Fela- 8 Chicago- 7 Wicked- 7 Jersey Boys- 9 Promises Promises- 8
wicked- 7 jersey boys- 7.5 billy eliot- 10 phantom- 2 west side story- 8 american idiot- 4 in the heights- 4 chicago- 9 rock of ages- 7.5 next to normal- 10
wicked- 8 lion king- 8 addams family- 3 jersey boys- 4 billy eliot- 10 promises- hsi memphis- hsi mamma mia- 7 mary poppins- 7 phantom- 10 a little night music- 10 west side story- 3 american idiot- 10 in the heights- 8 la cage- hsi chicago- 10 rock of ages- 6 fela- hsi million dollar quartet- hsi next to normal- 10... okay, 15
wicked- 3 lion king- 4 addams family- hsi jersey boys- 8 billy eliot- 9 promises- hsi memphis- hsi mamma mia- hsi mary poppins- hsi phantom- hsi a little night music- 3 west side story- 8 american idiot- 10 in the heights- 9 la cage- 10 chicago- hsi rock of ages- 8 fela- hsi million dollar q- hsi next to normal- 10
These are based on my reviews - mostly done within a short time of opening, so long running shows like CHICAGO and PHANTOM are based on the original casts.
THE ADDAMS FAMILY - 2
AMERICAN IDIOT 3
BILLY ELLIOT - 8
LA CAGE AUX FOLLES - 7
CHICAGO - 9
FELA! - 9
IN THE HEIGHTS - 7
JERSEY BOYS - 9
A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC 6
THE LION KING - 6
MAMMA MIA - 6
MEMPHIS - 6
MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET - 5
NEXT TO NORMAL - 7
PHANTOM OF THE OPERA -5
ROCK OF AGES - 6
WEST SIDE STORY - 8
WICKED - 6
I haven't seen PROMISES PROMISES or MARY POPPINS yet.
(The recently closed SOUTH PACIFIC was a 10)
Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks." Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!
I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com
Wicked - 6 Lion King - 6 Addams Family - 4 Jersey Boys - 6 Billy Eliot - 7 Promises, Promises - 4 Memphis - 5 Mamma Mia - 5 Mary Poppins - 5 Phantom of the Opera - 4 A Little Night Music (new cast)- 7 (with a full orc, it would be 9) American Idiot- 1 In The Heights - 2 La Cage aux Folles - 8 Chicago - 9 Million Dollar Quartet - 2 Next To Normal - 1
wicked- 6 lion king- 1 addams family- hsi jersey boys- 5 billy eliot- 6 promises- 9 memphis- 8 mamma mia- 6 mary poppins- 1 phantom- 6 a little night music- 8 west side story- 10 american idiot- 1 in the heights- 1 la cage- 5 chicago- 8 rock of ages- 8 fela- 1 million dollar q- 4 next to normal- 2
*hsi* haven't seen it
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one".
-Felicia Finley-
I thought the approach to the story was banal and two-dimensional. I know others find it profound and true to life - these are all subjective opinions. "Truth" matters much less to me than "entertaining" and skill in writing. And, though I've had many bi-polar friends, I really don't care about the perceived "authenticity" of the portrayal. It felt like an evening of maudlin martyrdom, with no real development of the story - just more and more of the same situation, over and over.
I also don't care for the score - the music (to me) is loud and unsophisticated; the lyrics often ridiculous, and anything-for-a-rhyme. I don't feel that "rock" scores work particularly well for theatrical projects, because the music tends to be so loud as to almost hide the lyrics (and I love lyrics).
But that's just me (and some of my friends, and a few others on this site).
wicked- 7 (Murney as Elphaba) lion king- 4 addams family- 7 jersey boys- 6 billy eliot- 5 promises- 5 memphis- 5 mamma mia- 7 (with Carmello + Burkhardt, two of my favourites) mary poppins- 7 phantom- 9 a little night music- 7 (ORC) west side story- 6 american idiot- hsi in the heights- hsi la cage- hsi chicago - 7 rock of ages- 7 fela- hsi million dollar q- hsi next to normal- 5
No, Edna you can't fully and fairly evaluate a show unless you see it live in a theatre. A murky video shot by Parkinson-afflicted teen fan doesn't count.
Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks." Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!
I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com
wicked- 5 lion king- 6 addams family- 4 jersey boys- hsi billy eliot- 2 promises- hsi memphis- 4 mamma mia- 0 mary poppins- 6 phantom- 8 a little night music- 6 west side story- 6 american idiot- 1 in the heights- 7 la cage- hsi chicago- 0 rock of ages- 5 fela- hsi million dollar q- 3 next to normal- 8
The best shows to me currently aren't on broadway with the exception of Next to Normal and Phantom
Wicked- hsi Lion King- hsi Addams Family- hsi Jersey Boys- 10 Billy Elliot- 6 Promises, Promises- 8 Memphis- 7 Mamma Mia- 6 Mary Poppins- 7 Phantom of the Opera- 7 A Little Night Music- 10 (current cast) West Side Story- hsi American Idiot- hsi In The Heights- hsi La Cage Aux Folles- 8 Chicago- 8 Rock of Ages- hsi Fela- hsi Million Dollar Quartet- 7 (rating reflects great music and musical performances paired with slight storyline) Next To Normal- 7
Wicked- 9 The Lion King - 4 The Addams Family - HSI Jersey Boys - 8 Billy Elliot - HSI Promises, Promises - HSI Memphis - 6 Mamma Mia! - 7 Mary Poppins - 3 The Phantom of the Opera - 8 A Little Night Music - HSI West Side Story - 5 American Idiot - 7 In the Heights - 9 La Cage aux Folles - HSI Chicago - HSI Rock of Ages - HSI Fela! - HSI Million Dollar Quartet - HSI Next to Normal - 4
"Rather than ignore those who choose to publish their opinions without actually talking to me, I am happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions and am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest and feel most fortunate to be working with wonderful people in the business I love."
-Neil Patrick Harris
wicked- 10 lion king- 4 addams family- 9 jersey boys- 10 billy eliot- 8 promises- 8 memphis- 12 mamma mia- 9 mary poppins- 7 phantom- 9 a little night music- 10 west side story- 9 american idiot- 0 in the heights- 0 la cage- 10 chicago- 6 rock of ages- 0 fela- 2 million dollar q- 1 next to normal- 9
I am a bagel on a plateful of onion rolls. If you know what I'm talking about, good. If you don't, you're on your own!