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?

[KatyMac]

I saw the origional version of Blood Brothers & loved it

DD is a bit fixated on 'Tell me on a Sunday' & loves trying to sing 'Capped teeth & Ceasar Salad'

[showtunesgirl]

Ah Imelda Staunton! Yes I saw that NT production, it was fantastic! I got a glimpse of her backstage at Sweeney when I went to see it last year as I worked with Peter Polycarpou on a show ages ago and he was in it too.

I was front row at the Lyceum when Oklahoma! transferred so I got a big eyeful of Hugh Jackman sans shirt.

I never saw Divorce Me Darling but I did play Maisie in a production of it a long, long time ago. It was a very small affair that one, not the Ruthie Chichester one! I wish!

One of my fave musical theatre moments was seeing Ruthie sing I Dreamed A Dream at an Open Air concert of Les Mis. It was shortly after the Tenth Annniversary Concert and it was amazing. Thousands of people stood up and sang Do You Hear the People Sing? in a field in Essex! Of course, I went all fan girl and got her autograph afterwards.

Actually, a funny thing happened to me on that day. Before the show, a guy came up to me and said: Are you showtunesgirl? I said yes and he looked vaguely familiar. Turns out he was a guy from my old school choir, but he'd then transferred to another school after a year or so. We're still in touch now and he went to actually play Marius after he graduated from Guildford School of Acting.

[SorrelForbes]

I saw Sweeney at Chichester. Brilliant production. I'm a fan of Peter P. He was excellent in Oklahoma! and very good in Imagine This (Plymouth TR).

I loved Divorce me Darling at Chichester. Such a strong cast. Ruthie, Jack Trip, Martie Webb, Rosemary Ford and of course, Tim Flavin. I met him a while back after a production of White Christmas. My friend arranged it with the director as it was my birthday and she knew I had a huge crush in Tim since seeing him in Crazy for You many moons ago. He is a perfect Texan hunk of gorgeousness.

[showtunesgirl]

I'm STILL annoyed though that they didn't record that NT production of Guys & Dolls.

I was a student in London during the late 90s and saw so many great things.

[SorrelForbes]

I've got a pic of me on my profile in rehearsal for Oklahoma! Upside down!

[showtunesgirl]

Love it, O Bra Guru!

[SorrelForbes]

Thank god they recorded Oklahoma!

[SorrelForbes]

And god did I need a good bra for that!

[showtunesgirl]

I think I'm going to have to do some DIY on my new bras. Everything is ride on them apart from the fact that the straps are too wide set at the front for me. I think I'm going to have to unpick them and re-sew them a bit closer in. Maybe just half a cm but I think it will make all the difference. At the mo, they are sitting in my armpits.

I bought them anyway as they tick all the other boxes and were only £7 each! Rather good value I thought for a 32G!

[showtunesgirl]

right, not ride!

[ofcoursethisisanamechange]

(rushes back in after few days) Maria Friedman in Passion was actually the UK premier in 1996- not the Donmar. I did see John Barrowman and Philip Quast in The Fix at the Donmar many moons ago. Was in a complete tizzy about seeing Philip- John Barrowman was pretty much unknown at the time!

[SorrelForbes]

John Barrowman was excellent in AG (both times!). I'm sure I read somewhere that Stephen Sondheim said that JB gave the definitive performance of Bobby in Company.

[SorrelForbes]

Northumberlandlass When's your audition? If you're interested I'll pm you a link to some pics from our production last year

[showtunesgirl]

I know the Donmar wasn't the first one! Wish I could've seen Maria Friedman but Elena Roger was pretty damned good. The bit where she got on the train to follow him was brilliant. The entire theatre gasped in horror that she had so crossed that line into stalker territory!

I was a bit too young to see Company at the Donmar but saw the BBC2 broadcast of it which I still have on VHS. I loved Adrian Lester in it and for Sondheim's 30th birthday, they did a concert version with pretty much all of the Donmar cast. It was for one day only, with a matinee and evening show. I was so, so desperate to get tickets for this and ended up going to both shows. His Bobby is so charismatic. Not the best sung one but for me he's still my Bobby.

John Barrowman is classic Bobby though isn't he? I was disappointed not to catch his Joe Gillis in Sunset as well. I had Glyn Kerslake instead who was good but I really wanted to see JB!

[SorrelForbes]

I wish John Barrowman would stop arsing around on TV and do another big musical. I had hoped he be cast in Barnum.

[showtunesgirl]

He needs to lay off the Botox though. His forehead is getting too tight and shiny!

And I meant 80th birthday of course for Sondheim. Doh!

[Northumberlandlass]

Sorrel - pics would be lovely!
I did Anything Goes 15 years ago and had the part of Erma. So pleased we are doing it again so I can go for Reno.

I'm going up to MD's house tonight to sing through audition pieces. I assumed my audition piece would be "I'd get a kick out of you", but they have chosen "You're the Top" and "Blow Gabriel".

Auditions are on 30 June

[Northumberlandlass]

Agree with Barrowman, incredibly talented man. I haven't seen him in a musical but have seen him on tour. I luff him

[SorrelForbes]

I played Erma in 2005 and went for Reno last year purely at the suggestion of others! I was mightily relieved not to get it. Blow Gabriel would have been OK but I would have slaughtered I Get No Kick. I'm a belter me . I was an Angel instead and had a ball (blonde one in 2012 version pics on the website).

Oh, just re-read your post. My audition piece was I Get No Kick. Apparently the panel were surprised at how restrained I was whilst singing it. I prefer to call it 'inwardly crapping myself'.

[Northumberlandlass]

Wow - Sorrel. You are stunning !!!

The list is out for those auditioning, there are a couple of names down for all parts, but there are about 20 names down for the Angels. Everyone wants to be one.

Plus loads of interest in Moonface from the men.

Do you struggle getting young men into the society? We do

[SorrelForbes]

Pah, I can rock a blonde 30s wig but that's about it. But thank you anyway .

Hmmm, we struggle for men full stop! We have had a recent influx from our Youth Group and some guys from the Uni but they move on too soon. We had a fair number for Oklahoma! which was fortunate. I think we are also lucky in that we ones we do have can all sing and dance!

I didn't audition for an Angel last year but when I didn't get Erma again (Director decided, wisely I agree, not to re-cast anyone in the same role they played in 2005), I was asked to be an Angel. I was a bit hesitant as the other three were 20 years younger than me (stealth boast). I used a good foundation!

If I was a guy, I'd want to play Moonface. It's a brilliant part.

What did you play in G&D?

[Northumberlandlass]

Adelaide. I loved it.
Just love being on stage really. I've bought new ridiculously expensive tap shoes. So I hope I get it !!

[SorrelForbes]

Oh, there's nothing like a pair of new dance shoes. When I played Erma I bought a brand new pair of 3" tan leather T-bars and fitted toe and heel taps. Then I got one of the guys to paint them so that they looked like those 30s two-tone shoes. I passed them on to the girl who played Erma last year!

Your G&D pics are great. What a lovely set. We were very cheeky when we did G&D and did a full strip down to frilly knickers during Take Back Your Mink (like the recent London production). Kept our backs to the audience of course but I think some of the lads on stage saw more of me than they would ever have wished to have seen!

[Northumberlandlass]

Oh i don't think a small market town in Northumberland is ready for just frilly knickers!!!! Good on you though.

Hahaha - can imagine the wings were full of men wanting a toot. That's brilliant

[SorrelForbes]

I inadvertently flashed the band when playing Mazeppa in Gypsy (lots of traumatised am-dram men down this way!)