Hi Guys, Please vote for you favourite musical, and explain why.

If yours doesn't appear on the list just choose other and tell us what it is, there is so many it was a nightmare deciding what to put on the list, as it is I have missed some classics

I am starting with - Les Miserables

I musicals so it is really hard for me but I think that Les Mis is pretty all emcompassing for me, musically and theme wise it!
Recently went to scotland with my aunty, and cousins we listened to the whole of Les Mis on the way up, it was fantastic we had such a riot singing all of the songs in her open top car, though I have to say we had some odd looks from a group of lads in their chav mo-bile when we started blasting out the words to 'Lovely Ladies'

Out of the ones on the list, I would have to say either Wizard of Oz or Fiddler on the Roof. Can't decide which is better...

Car Expert

I was torn between Les Mis and The Wizard of Oz. In the end I went for the Wizard of Oz, mainly because it was the first musical I took part in and so it will always have a place in my heart . Infact, I'm now sitting here humming Somewhere Over the Rainbow...

I think we've had a similar thread before, and I said Lion King. But having just seen the DVD again, I've now changed my mind to Cabaret!!!

I love musicals... my favourite for many years has been Guys and Dolls... I don't really know why...the songs are just different... I love "I've never been in love" "If I were a bell" "My time of day".... and all the funny and lively numbers. I think he did Mack and Mabel aswell... can't remember is it Loesser? and I like bits of that. My sons are enjoying musicals too...in fact our first hamster was called Oklahoma.... one has discovered My Fair Lady and The Rocky Horror....mm Iknow.... they love Les Mis.... hard choice. Does anyone know much about Bernsteins Peter Pan...I listened to bits on Amazon the other day... Ihave used My House for students and really like it....sorry rambling...ooh I think Aspects of Love is the worst musical I have seen...although a few good songs.... love Kiss Me Kate...

Went for Phantom although it's between Phantom, Fiddler and My Fair Lady.

I can't vote for just one.

I'm torn between the Sound of Music, West Side Story and Phantom of the Opera. I would say Les Mis as well but I've only heard some of the songs so can't really say whether I like the whole thing!

I went for 'other' as I LOVE 'The Desert Song'. I've had a crush on Gordon Mcrae ever since I was about 6 - and seeing him dressed up as the leader of the Riffs.....!

I'm a fan of Marvin Hamslich's music, so 'Chorus Line' has to be one of my top 5. 'West Side Story' for Leonard Bernstein's music and Jerome Robbins choreography. Also adore Gene Kelly, so I'll controversially suggest 'Brigadoon'. Oh - and I love 'Yentl' although why Barbra didn't let Mandy Patinkin sing......

You see what happens when you get me started on musicals...!

Sorry to Phantom fans - I can't STAND ALW!

('Mack and Mabel' had music and lyrics by Jerry Herman)

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What else did the Guys and Dolls writer do...it was Loesser.... wasn't it.... will look it up as it's going to annoy me now.
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Have looked it up and don't know any of them. So he only had one hit. Ishall look into the others and see why.
messed up quotes again...sorry Bing

Loesser's other musicals weren't big hits, but the songs he wrote for them were. For example:

Baby it's cold outside (covered recently by Tom Jones)
I don't want to walk without you (Barry Manilow)
On a slow boat to China (Rosemary Clooney/Bette Midler)
Wonderful Wonderful Copenhagen (and all the rest of the songs from Hans Christian Anderson with Danny Kaye).

Spamalot! it's hilariously funny .

"Sweeny Todd, a wonderful piece of musical theartre...., "FOLLIES" an unusual concept but very very good....and I loved "Sunday In the Park with George" a staggering score and very cleverly staged..

All the above by Stephen Sondhiem...not a huge LLoyd Weber Fan though miilions would disagree with me so what do I know?

kindest regards

Andrew

Saw 'Follies' in concert at the Palladium in Feb this year with Philip Quast, Maria Friedman, etc. Saw 'Sweeney Todd' at the Festival Hall 2 weeks back with Bryn Terfel, Philip Quast, Maria Friedman et al. Have a recording by 'Forbidden Broadway' on 'Into the Woods' called 'Into the Words' which cracks me up! And have a recording of 'Sunday in the Park with George' starring Mandy (he who Barbra wouldn't let sing in Yentl) Patinkin.

So agree with you there AUK!

Mandy Patinkin is breathtaking vocally, not well known here in England and a pity that La Streisand didnt let him sing in Yentl. I saw him in FOLLIES on Broadway when it was done there, you name them they were in it, Carol Burnett, Elaine Stritch even Lee Remick... a stunning evening. Also Saw Mr Patinkin in "Sunday in the Park with George" he was excellent. I don't mean to sound unkind but we don't have such a stable of talent like the Americans, we are always slightly rettiscent in our performances here, we have so few major stars that can carry a show, and any Micheal Ball performance should come with a brown paper bag, the talent pales in comparison to the Americans...

I saw the Original dreamgirls on Broadway, with Jennifer Holliday.....what an explosive voice, tore the roof of the theatre, pure soul, gospel and raw talent...I doubt we could even stage it here, the voices dont exist in England it seems, our gospel singers are good but Miss Holliday could stop a train with her voice and I am yet to hear a voice here that does that.

No insult intended to any musical theatre stars of the British theatre just my honest opinion...

Kindest regards

Andrew

sounds fantastic!

Oklamhoma is my favourite, we did it at school (many, many years ago) and the songs still stick in my head.

Every time I am in my veggie plot this summer, looking at the sweetcorn, the words "The corn is as high as an elephant's eye" come to mind - although our corn is doing nothing like so well! Wrong sort of corn, anyway, I think

Les Mis is one of my favourites, but WICKED is just amazing and dont think anything will beat that for now.

It's got to be Les Miserables. I start crying at 'I Dreamed A Dream' and then don't stop!

What other musical has every song being an absolute corker? And nothing can beat 'One Day More' as a Finale to Act 1!

Amazing!

I can't believe I'm the only one who voted for Singin' in the Rain! Not only my favourite musical but one of my all-time favourite films (along with Casablanca, Who framed Roger Rabbit, The Blues Brothers, Sleepless in Seattle and . . . can't think of any others at the moment!)

It's not that I don't like JCS, Les Mis, etc, but SITR is simply the best!

N.B. Two years ago my younger son played Combferre (?spelling?) in his school production of Les Mis. This week he has auditioned for the part of Herod in next years production of JCS!

Not any more...

I went for 'Singing in the Rain', but I was slightly torn, since most days it's my favourite, but some day's I'd say my favourite was 'Kiss Me Kate', which isn't listed. I love Cole Porter generally.

To be honest, I prefer most of the '40s and '50s musicals to later ones. I'm not sure which of the more recent ones are true classics yet. Some of them will be, but I suspect in 20 or 30 years some will have dropped clear out of sight, like everything Rodgers and Hart did other than 'Pal Joey'.

Like David I have to say that "Little Shop Of Horrors" is fabulous, wonderful score, great songs, "Suddenly Seymour, Skid Row, Little Shop, You'll be a Dentist, all great songs...

Saw it in London many years ago, the Plant, Audrey II was fantastic...

Sooo many choices! Ask me tomorrow and you will probably get a different answer! Today I go for The Secret Garden just for the music.

Les Mis!! I love it sooo much!!
Yeah, it is actually the best! I cried for basically all of it when I saw it in London
The best song, I think, is "Stars."
When Javert died....it was soooooo sad!!
But a great musical!!

It's so hard to choose just one!!

I voted Guys and Dolls but also love The Lion King and Miss Saigon.

My Fair Lady. I was in it in the third year at at school. Year 9 nowadays.
Beverley. PS I like Les Mis too.

Carousel..It's the first one I saw when I was 6 or 7, and it made me cry.

I went to see it in the theatre with my mum when I was 7 or 8 and it made me cry then too. I watched it a few months ago and guess what, gets me every time, such a wimp!!

But a close 2nd and 3rd would have to be high society and an American in Paris oooohhhh...and Singin in the Rain at 4th..is it just me who finds Gene Kelly v attractive? (once you get over the ankle swingers!)

Me too...

if it wasn't for guilty pleasures!

And me!!!

I bought a CD which had all his songs from his shows - Heather on the Hill - You were meant for me - I got rhythm......

He's such a MASCULINE dancer and singer - and those twinkly eyes....SIGH

it seems we have a new club forming LOL!

I'm going to buck the trend and say that I prefer Fred Astaire to Gene Kelly Not that I think he's attractive, but I prefer his musicals to GK's - possibly because of the music and the elegance of the 1930s musicals

Have to say, only only time I ever saw Gene Kelly looking awkward was.... dancing next to Astaire! Kelly had bags of style, Astaire just was pure style! I'd happily watch either

Different style...Kelly was more balletic.

Well I disagree Don't get me wrong, I love watching both of them. But seeing them dancing side by side, which I only have once, Astaire made Kelly look a bit awkward (and I think you'll agree, "awkward" is not a typical ballet characteristic!). They were both amazingly stylish however. It is the only time I ever saw Gene Kelly dance on film and not be by a country mile the most charismatic/magnetic dancer on the screen. Possibly one of the few who wouldn't look a total plonker mirroring Astaire??! They were both good, clearly - they were fantastic dancers. Gene Kelly just (for once!) didn't come off the best in a close comparison.

I recently went to see Guys and Dolls in Edinburgh...it was really good and the whole thing impressed me...other than that it was Les Mis and Wizard of Oz... 'Somewhere over the rainbow...'

Fred Astaire is a fantastic dancer - but I don't believe anyone can rival Gene Kelly's ### appeal, or that magnetic aura that's about him. Sitting here, I can picture him with his sleeves rolled up - as he always did in his musicals - strong forearms - strong thighs.....Just so strong....

Got to stop this. It's distracting me from work!

OK, are you trying to distratc us all???!?!?!?!

Oops, typo not intentional but left in as evidence

Westside, simply because it's got great music to play and it is Sooooooo rare to get a good am/dram with enough good, young men to make it believable. I've been playing pits for many years and have only ever done it twice (once dreadfully and once brilliantly - the men, not me!!!!)

no work for a little while now...Bing's plan for world distraction certainly working. Now...where are those DVDs..?

My all-time favourite musical is Les Miserables!!!

I've read the book, know the lyrics to most songs, listen to the Original Broadway album on my iPOD regularly, own the DVD of the 10th Anniversary and (happiest of all!) have caught the live musical in London in Sept 2005. The musical is enrapturing and wonderful beyond words!! Paid for an expensive seat too, just to enjoy the show more.

If I go to London again, I'll be sure to watch it again! The musical has a wonderfully compelling storyline, lovable characters, lovely, lovely music and the best and most elaborate sets (e.g. the battle at the barricades!).

If you're a fan of Les Mis, what're your favourite songs and characters? My favourite songs are "On My Own" and "I Dreamed a Dream". When I was reading the book years back, I was in love with Marius... Right now, my favourite character is Eponine.

I have the piano solo book, but unable to play most of the pieces yet.

Eponine is my favourte character too I love 'On My Own' My other fave songs are 'Master of the House' it always makes me laugh, and of course 'Do you hear the people sing?' gives me goosebumps everytime

I can barely watch 'Les Mis', ever since at a Royal Tournament, an army singer stood in the middle of the arena and sang 'Bring Him Home'. This was just after I had lost an RAF friend in the Middle East. Absolutely DESTROYS me every time I hear it!

(PS - this is a positive comment on Les Mis - not a negative one!!)

Calamity Jane!!

I played the part of Henry Miller a few years ago.

Fabulous music - My Secret Love, Deadwood stage, Windy City, Adelaide, A Woman's Touch, Black Hills of Dakota

< ear-marks a singing slot for StuMac at the next Leeds forum users concert >


Please?

Calamity Jane, now theres a wonderful show, great showstopping numbers in that one...I always love the way they transform Calamity's Cabin.....all in the space of a few bars...suddenly its painted, curtained and all spick and span...the front door is miraculously transformed from a weather beaten few boards full of holes to a pristine machine cut planked door, not a whiff of weather beating and no holes, yet they have only painted it....That must be some paint!

Great show, well done,

What about "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" Jayne Powell and Howard Keel...?

I can only sing when dressed in silly clothes and wearing stage make up, and then very badly!




Actualy Henry Miller is a non singing part, but I doubled up as a cowboy in the chorus!

For some reason, I don't 'get' Howard Keel at all. I'm actually put off a musical when he's in it. But in general I don't particularly like 'Seven Brides'.

How's this for a random one - I've just bought 'Damn Yankees' on DVD. Anyone familiar with it? The most popular song was 'Whatever Lola wants....'

Strangely enough I was in Seven Brides too.

If anyone has the 2006 Guiness Book of Records they will find that the Dundee Universirty Am Operatic Soc.'s production of Seven Brides holds the world record for the fastest theatrical production ever staged!

We were told what show we were puting on at 8PM on Friday night, and the curtain went up 23.5 hours later at 7:30 on Saturday. It actually went quite well, although the paint on the set was still wet!

I was in the chorus and also played Mr Begby so had three lines.

Amazingly enough we had an after show party too so I got to bed at 2:30 on Sunday morning having been up since 8AM on the Thursday before. Had a few snoozes throughout the day!

I don't think it's anywhere near as good as Calamity.

And then there's the Pirates of Penzance!

Now that is quality stuff!

I love Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, forgot about that one! Used to watch it all the time when i was little.