R&H favorites- Page 2

[kec]

Posted: 11/2/03 at 11:25pm

Theatrebaby, which version of Cinderella are you talking about -- the one with Lesley Ann Warren as Cinderella, or the more recent version with Whitney Houston as the Fairy Godmother?

[Kitzarina]

Posted: 11/3/03 at 12:09am

While I'm not a very big R&H fan, I love "Oklahoma," probably because Matt Bogart played Curly when I saw it this summer. I also like "The Sound of Music," but I suppose that's kind of a given. Seriously--R&H are a bit schmaltzy for my tastes. Nothing like a poorly done production of "The King and I" to make you wanna do yourself bodily harm.

[kec]

Posted: 11/3/03 at 12:34am

I forgot to add that The King and I is also a big favorite, mainly because I had the pleasure of seeing Yul Brynner do the show in the early-mid 80's on Broadway. The Shall We Dance, still gives me the shivers when I hear it!

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 11/3/03 at 8:27am

Oh sorry :) I should have clarified. I was talking about the Whitney Houston version. Everyone in the movie is talanted, but not everyone was right in those roles.
I thought Bernadette Peters, Vienne Cox, and Natalie Desselle were perfect in their roles. The guy who played the Prince (I forgot his name) was good; but I thought everyone else was rather miscast.
I thought the overall movie was cute. I just wasn't overly impressed by some of the actors in it. Then again, it's just one of those Disney TV Versions. It's meant to be cheesy yet enjoyable. LOL

By the way, there will soon be a Gift Set of DVD's being released. It includes:
"Annie" (1999), "Cinderella" (1997) and "The Music Man" (2003).
I'll probably get it just because I think those versions are cute, but I wonder why they're not including the recent adaptation of "Bye Bye Birdie" with Jason Alexander and Vanessa Williams? I never did get a chance to see that.

[rlbgbc]

Posted: 11/3/03 at 8:32am

I adore alot of R&H shows, but the one that moves me the most is CAROUSEL. What a score, what an orchestration, what perfect integration of plot, music, and dance.

I was fortunate enough to dance in a production of CAROUSEL choreographed by a dancer in the City Center revival; ergo, the majority of our choreography was the DeMille stuff. "The Hornpipe" in "Blow High, Blow Low" was great fun, as was the "Beach Ballet". Very educational in the "DeMille way".

I think the moment in the show that moves me the most is "What's The Use Of Wondering". If it's done right, it can reduce me to a blithering mess. And I'm one of those "bitter queens" discussed in another thread, too!

[onceadancer2]

Posted: 11/3/03 at 10:46am

Having been fortunate to dance in a number of Richard Rodgers musicals, and having known the man ever so slightly, I would say that my favorite Richard Rodgers show is really none, but that my favorite Richard Rodgers songs are many.

Richard Rodgers always towered above many of the shows he wrote with Hammerstein. I'm sure I'll be branded a heretic, but I still think his best shows were the ones with Hart. They were light, fast and funny. While Stephen Sondheim says that the lyris of Hart were sloppy, I think they towered above Hammerstein's.

THE R&H shows were rather lugubrious even in their own day. But this was not noticed as much. Why? I can't even give a true answer: star presence, the times and economy, perhaps. But the one thing these shows did have was music, and that is what will ensure their longevity. If you can put up with the plodding librettos and wait for the music, you definitely have your reward.

I'd also like to say something about ALLEGRO. It has become something of a legend: a great production that failed, a musical ahead of its time. That is not true at all. It was one of the most plodding, boring shows to have ever been seen. The chorus was extraneous, the acting numbing and the songs not from the top shelf at all. What it did have was Lisa Kirk, who really gave the show a big kick when she appeared, and the dances of Agnes de Mille. I believe Allegro and Brigadoon were her best works, and it is too bad that that choreography for ALLEGRO has been lost.

Miriam

[Corine2]

Posted: 11/3/03 at 10:55am

I can not pick I love them all.
I am fondest of Sound Of Music as I played Liesel and was only in the Chorus in Carousel.

[WillParker]

Posted: 11/3/03 at 11:25am

1) Carousel
2) Oklahoma!
3) The King & I
4) South Pacific
5) Cinderella

You know, everyone has said how cheesy or schmaltzy R&H musicals are, which almost surprises me (Well, except for TSOM--it is cheesy). All of the scores are first-rate (well, they're no Sondheim, but...), and the books, while cheesy & schmaltzy on a first read, deal with imortant & sometimes dark issues...for instance Carousel--domestic violence, and the leading man dies halfway thru the show!! How often did that happen in the 40s?? South Pacific deals with prejudice...I'm of the opinion that Carousel & The King & I have two of the best books in a musical before or since. And of course all of the scores (even The Sound of Music--ugh) are fantastic....