to start a thread for us to discuss our favourite musicals?

[CharleyDavidson]

I spend a fortune each year on my favourite hobby and scour the 3 or 4 local ish theatres to see what's out there.

I have this week just discovered Rent and was blown away by the performance of Layton Williams. Singing, dancing, back flipping and doing the splits - all in three inch heeled red boots! Just wow. The ticket price was worth it for that itself!

So, what are your favourites (so I can find some new ones to watch)...?

Avenue Q

Fabulous and our family all quite it at each other and randomly sing the songs spontaneously

I love Kander and Ebb: Chicago, Cabaret and a lesser known one called Curtains which I saw at the teeny Landor Theatre a couple of years ago.

This year I've seen Funny Girl (highly recommended if you can catch the tour - not a great musical but a world beating performance from SS), Rebel Wilson in Guys and Dolls (utterly ridiculous but fun and I always adore G&D) and I'm off to see Lazarus next week.

I can't be doing with the big dramatic modern musicals - I can't be doing with Les Mis and the only Lloyd Webber I like is By Jeeves, but I keep meaning to sit down and catch a bit of Hamilton on YouTube to see what all the fuss is about.

My mum loved musicals. It was the best hand-me-down. I remember going to see evita, Oliver and Jesus Christ superstar as a child. She was very much of the World War Two rogers/Hammerstein musical genre, I think, because her life was so difficult as a teenager in
London during the war, the colour and joy and escapism of singing in the rain, my fair lady, seven brides, on the town, Oklahoman South Pacific gave her something to aspire to during bleak times... Emotions so intense you had to sing.

I love Sondheim. Sweeney Todd & company are my favourite things to sing. Rent is fab. I used to play/sing the cd of wicked in the car and my DCs all know every word.

Any suggestions for a dh who has never seen a musical, but is somewhat reluctant? To see in the west end?

I think les Mis might be a bit much for him...he started watching the film with me and got sent to bed when he said 'whys the mayor saying he's Jean Valjean?'

Les mis and phantom are my favourites. I live in Scotland so far too expensive to go to London to see them. Fortunately when they tour they always stop at the theatre in town so have seen the tour productions.
Me and my mum always go to them, Dh and dad are not fans of them !

Other favourites are cats, wicked, grease, rocky horror, we will rock you, and loads more.

Can't stand Joseph. My fair lady or sound of music.

I loved the DVD of 'love never dies' that was restaged for Australia, keep hoping a U.K. Tour will get made.

Oh cabaret! Chicago! Yes to both.

My top ones are The Producers, The Rocky Horror Show, Les Miserables and (embarrassingly) Mamma Mia. I like Jersey Boys too.

Grease is my all-time favourite film musical but I've never seen a stage version I liked. Same for Singin' in the Rain.

Book of Mormon is everything...

My favourite musical has to be Les Miserable, saw it twice years ago. Recently saw Chicago with John Partridge, Jessie Wallace and Hayley (sorry can't remember her second name, she was in Coronation Street and Emmerdale) it was amazing and great to see these wonderful actors in different roles. Also loved Singing in the Rain live. Have seen a few Andrew Lloyd Webber ones in the 80s and 90s, Miss Saigon, Pantom and Evita. Also recent ones like Mamma Mia, Grease and the Rod Stewart one, Tonight's the night (thought the storyline was a bit weak in that but loved the songs!) Would love to see West Side Story and Cabaret live.

My faves are a bit old, 7 Brides for 7 Brothers, Kiss Me Kate, Anchors Away, Singing in the Rain. More recent ones Jekyll and Hyde and Phantom of the Opera.

Phantom - I have seen it 8 times in the theatre and too many times to count on DVD
Evita - but with Marti Pellow as Che
Les Mis
Miss Saigon
Vampires Rock (wonder if I'm alone in finding Steve Steinman as a vampire ludicrously sexy?)
Mamma Mia

I don't know why, but I can't be doing with musicals where people sing everything. It annoys me after a while. Les Miserables absolutely captivated me even though it's sung through, but it might just be the sheer amount of characters and story going on.

If noone's mentioned it yet, there's a new radio station which launched this week.
Free app and on DAB. It's called Encore and it's solid musicals (nb, not musical theatre, there's Disney and films in there too)

It's bloody brilliant!

For the Hamilton fans, and those interested a lovely cover of the Dear Theodosia song :

Wicked, Once and Rent are my top three. I have seen all three numerous times and know them off by heart now. I love them.

Someone up thread mentioned Miss Saigon going to broadway, it's actually doing a uk tour from next year into 2018. So no need to pay mega bucks to go to America and the broadway ticket prices ! Lol.
The DVD of the 25th anniversary performance has just been released in the shops too.

Assassins
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change
The Mystery of Edwin Drood

I didn't enjoy Cats though, although it was a long time ago!

We did Joseph last year at school. If I have to hear "Jacob and Sons" one more time I might actually scream.

We're doing Anything Goes this year, which is fine because nothing could make me hate that.

The bodyguard was amazing musically but spoilt with the fake American accents.

Talking of musicals, did anyone else hate the Cats revival production? I had fond memories of Cats from my childhood, paid a fortune to see it a couple of years ago and was very disappointed. DH and I were quite upset at having wasted an evening away from the kids to see it.

I saw Songs for a New World last year - it was amazing

I am seeing Rent in Jan & hoping for In the Heights before Christmas & maybe Wicked

& we are on the list to book Hamilton!!!

yesthisisme my DD's school put on a fantastic version of 70 Girls 70 for which my DD played the piano throughout (Hit it Lorraine!). I was so proud!

They did a great job, but I'd love to see it on the professional stage.

Wicked. I saw I for the first time this year in Bradford and went with fairly low expectations, it completely blew me away. Jaqueline Hughes played Elphaba and was just phenomenal. I want everyone in the world to see it!!! I love the story, and the music, its fantastic. Also love Miss Saigon, Guys and Dolls, Rent was fab when I saw it, ummmm, love musicals all in all x

rocky horror is the best

loved in no order
evita
joseph
we will rock you
chicago
jesus christ superstar

was ok
mamma mia
hairspray
grease

wasnt keen on
cats
wicked