Introducing DC to musicals

[vvviola]

I love musicals. I'm currently sobbing my way through Les Miserable for the millionth time although Cosette is still really annoying

And it makes me think I really need to brainwash encourage my DDs to love musicals just as much as I do so I can have company.

But where to start them on "proper" (i.e. not Disney cartoon) musicals. I mean there's parts of Les Mis that aren't exactly suitable for a 10 year old and a 6 year old.

So, how do I start the brainwashing process. (DD1 is doing Annie with her school drama group, so that's one for my list).

I must dig out all my soundtrack CDs for the car to inflict on them...

My kids are already brainwashed. I sang them Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty songs as lullabies. We have little shop of horrors soundtrack in the car. Matilda songs and Oliver! and Annie (both versions) are sang all the time. Sometimes we change the words to suit whatever situation we are in 😂

Funnily though, les mis is one my DS hates. I don't think the music is that accessible for kids - Matilda is great for kids!

Buggys Malone
High school musical
School of rock
Oliver
Scrooge 1950 version
Or the try pitch perfect ot a musical but modern day close

One word: Annie. My poor parents deeply enjoyed were forced to endure watching that film literally hundreds of times. Another childhood favourite of mine was Victor Victoria-although in hindsight I'm not sure my parents should have shown it to me so young

In short stick to musicals with kids:
Annie
Sound of Music
Hairspray and Grease (at a stretch)
Oliver!

We started with cheap box sets of musicals from a well-known tax-avoiding retailer and, for a while, Saturday night was family musical night. Even now, dc still loves The Sound of Music.

Wizard of Oz

There are plenty! Oliver, Sound if Music, Mary Poppins, Fiddler on the roof, Bugsy Malone, the Slipper and the Rose, Oklahoma, Seven Brides for seven brothers, West side story. I love musicals!

Newsies. (The stage version not original film) You can download it on Amazon or Google play. It's fantastic.

The Sound of Music. It has got to be done. I actually asked a student to stop singing 'Doe, a deer' in a lesson today. It wasn't a music or drama lesson.

Oh god yes! Buggy Malone!

I loved Victor/Victoria so much as a kid too! I also think The Sound of Music and The Wizard of Oz are great but very long for little ones.

*Doh?

I was introduced to Les Mis at about 14 Pickle, I think that's the ideal age - music a bit more accessible to me (although I was deep into classical music at that stage) and I thought I could identify with Eponine .

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. I think I was a bit like a kid in a sweet shop and couldn't quite focus on which musical.

Although unfortunately Sound of Music will have to stay off the list for the moment. My Dad used to watch it over and over with DD1 when she was about 4. He died suddenly about 6 month ago and I was humming one of the songs a couple of weeks ago and poor DD burst into tears and yelled at me to stop!

I think I'll go with Oliver and Mary Poppins this weekend and work from there why is there no evil grin emoticon

Is West Side Story (one of my favourites) not a bit much for kids though (what with all the dying and the rape scene?)

Mama Mia was my ds2 favourite film from about the age of 4-6. They both love Annie and had it on the other day (13 and 9 yr old boys!)
Sorry for your loss xx

Not one of my favourites but kids like it - Joseph?

I was going to suggest Joseph - mine love the songs from it (and Annie, Oliver, Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, Slipper and the Rose, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang etc etc). Want to try them on Grease, Kiss Me Kate and West Side Story but they're a bit young...

Oh my goodness, Newsies I had completely forgotten about that one. A friend and I watched it over and over and over in our early teens. Musical + Christian Bale - No contest!

The filming of the stage version with Jeremy Jordan of Supergirl fame far surpasses the Christian Bale version.

Ah, I didn't realise your dc were older - my DS is only 6 which is why I said les mis wasn't suitable 😂 Probably a bit old for Matilda too then maybe? Wicked is amazing as well if your dc are old enough to enjoy it!

Don't be a snob about Disney musicals!! Let them like what they like, as long as it's a musical! I think Oliver and grease are good introductions as not too long, Annie also good. Love Meredith willson and Rogers and Hammerstein but they are too long for kids

Matilda!!!

Oh I'm not being a snob about Disney musicals shake - they've just seen them all (and that's how I know they might be convinced to move on to more grown up ones).

Is West Side Story (one of my favourites) not a bit much for kids though (what with all the dying and the rape scene?)

I’ve decided it’s too much for my 7 year old just this week (had the opportunity to see someone we know in it on stage). My mum taught me the songs from it when I was about the same age, but I didn’t see it until I was 12 or 13 (and I don’t think I even registered the rape scene).

Joseph got us started. DD also loves Bugsy, Wizard of Oz, Oliver, Annie, Wicked, Sound of Music, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. We have several soundtrack and compilation albums on constant loop in the car.

Has anyone suggested Grease or Hairspray yet?

Little Shop of Horrors is another fave. You can also get dvds of stage musicals, Shrek and Billy Eliot for example.