From jazz hands and high kicks to Sondheim magic

[showtunesgirl]

Welcome to the Mumsnet Musical Theatre thread.

Pull up a sequinned pouffe, get cosy with a porn star martini, kick off those character shoes, take off the wig and let out your inner Bernadette Peters.

This is a thread for lovers of musical theatre, whether watching or participating in it. Anything Goes here so to speak...

I'll kick off by saying that in the last week I saw The Book of Mormon and sob, Merrily We Roll Along. Both excellent in completely different ways.

Anyone else?

[Northumberlandlass]

I have spent my afternoon tap dancing in preparation for my audition in a couple of weeks for the part of Reno in Anything Goes!!!

I just adore musicals, have been involved in local musical theatre groups since i was a child & have been lucky to do some awesome roles!

I can't imagine my life without singing, dancing, watching & living musical theatre.

Last musical I saw was Rocky Horror's 40th birthday tour this February.

I know I am involved in Am Dram & people sneer, but honestly this is as close as I get to living the dream
(Cheesy I know, but I do have a flare for the dramatic)

[showtunesgirl]

Have you seen this? It blows your mind!

[Northumberlandlass]

Yes!!! I've watched loads of the clips from 2011 Broadway show. It's brilliant. Sutton Foster is incredible.

Do you go on stage?

[showtunesgirl]

Without outing myself, I used to do a lot of musical theatre and it will always be my first love but career wise, it's been more straight acting based and also some directing.

Musical theatre went on the back burner but I'm now having lessons again as recently I've been up for some heavy weight shows and have been surprised that I've been up for them.

[Mrsrobertduvall]

I shall say it first...I stay in on a Sunday to listen To Elaine Paige.
Not for her (oh the laugh) but the music.

I am going to see Book of Mormon in the summer....last went a few weeks ago to see Evita.
One of my faves is Witches of Eastwick.

[squashedbanana]

Oooooohmigod! Thanks for starting this thread!

I love musicals music, it's my guilty secret. Makes up the bulk of the contents of my iPod but is considered so uncool, people give me funny 'eh?' looks when I tell them what my favourite music is

showtunes I love that clip and is that JOEL GRAY???!!!!

[EddieVeddersfoxymop]

I'm a jazz dancer.......can I join in? I attend a ladies jazz class, we do street dance then work on musicals for fun!!!!!!!! Chicago, hairspray, kiss me kate.......

jazz hands are obligatory

[showtunesgirl]

Oh yes, Sunday afternoon with EP. I love that show just because of how big her ego is. I love it when she plays herself and mocks other people who have "covered" one of her songs. My new singing teacher worked with her and apparently she was a complete cow. I have heard this from several people.

Yes, it's Joel Gray, he's still going!

[Northumberlandlass]

Wow Show that's very cool!! You ARE living the dream.

I haven't tap danced in years, so am having to put some time into it.

I realise that my MN name, musicals & what i'm auditioning for will out me, but i'm not known at all

[Greenandcabbagelooking]

I love musicals. I went to see Wicked this week, it was excellent.

[redexpat]

I have a playlist on my ipod called musical singalong. I have 45 minutes each way when I go to college, and I'm one year into my course. My breath control has improved immensely during this time.

[showtunesgirl]

Ha, it's hardly a dream! I'm currently really trying to find my mojo as motherhood has really knocked the ambition out of me so I'm trying to do baby steps back into things. And you'd be hard pressed to find me in the MT world as that's not how things have gone for me.

I just found out though that the community centre on my road are starting to do tap and modern classes after DD goes to bed. I guess it's time to dust off my old tap / jazz shoes.

However, I have been in this business long enough to very rarely pay for theatre tickets as I usually get them for free or failing that I can get cheaper tickets.

What course are you doing redexpat?

[AintNobodyHereButUsKittens]

Have you seen Neil Patrick Harris's BIG opening number at the 2013 Tony awards yet? Well worth a Youtube, very funny if you like musical theatre.

My iPhone playlist is currently mostly Chicago, City of Angels (neglected gem), Guys and Dolls, Curtains (lesser known Kander & Ebb) and the best of Fred Astaire. I feel better for saying that.

[showtunesgirl]

Yes but they keep pulling it off youtube.

DH is getting annoyed with me, I've put Les Mis on the TV and I keep doing the Ruthie Henshall version over Anne Hathaway.

I love Lost and Found from City of Angels. Mmm, probably one I should dust off, I have the sheet music somewhere.

I have never quite understood exactly why MT is a guilty pleasure. Lots of people know more MT than they think they do. For example, Liverpool fans are all bloody singing Carousel!

[Allthingspretty]

me me.

although i have not seen many and dont really like Andre Lloys Webber musicals.

[MooncupGoddess]

I went to see an amateur production of Anything Goes last night! It was fab. Reno is a brilliant character.

My all-time favourite musical is Sweeney Todd. Unbeatable.

[showtunesgirl]

Allthingspretty, his lesser known ones are strangely enough his better ones! I quite like By Jeeves and some bits of Sunset Boulevard are great.

I went up for a production of Sweeney a few weeks ago. I didn't get it though. I think that one's going to be a great show though. It's going to be on at the West Yorkshire Playhouse and Manchester Royal Exchange.

[Allthingspretty]

Maybe I would like them. I was so dissapointed with Cats when I watchwd it on TV.

[showtunesgirl]

No, I'm not keen on Cats either! Try the 25th Anniversary DVD of Phantom, that's a pretty good recording. Ramin is sooooooooo sexy as the Phantom and Sierra playing Christine is also marvellous.

[Allthingspretty]

show ihave pmd you

not a big fan of phantom

[Greenandcabbagelooking]

I love CATS! I'm not a huge Sondhiem fan, but Into the Woods is good.

[MoreCrackThanHarlem]

Another big mt lover here. Last show i saw was Matilda, but I am enjoying new musicals recently; Loserville was amazing but has closed now, I think.

showtunesgirl was it the Nikolai Foster revival of Merrily? He directed a production of Annie my dd was in and I think he's fantastic. Saw his production of Beautiful Thing with Suranne Jones last weekend and it was lovely.

[joanofarchitrave]

I WANT TO SEE MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG. Very of anyone who has seen it.

All together now - In olden days a glimpse of stocking was looked on as something shocking, now heaven knows....

[MoreCrackThanHarlem]

Oooooh are you northern, then?

[showtunesgirl]

No, it's the Maria Friedman directed one. It's her directorial debut and bloody hell, she's done herself proud!