CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

Hey everyone, I'm starting to get interested in checking out musicals to watch but outside of Phantom of the Opera, Newsies, hairspray, and highschool musical (I haven't seen the broadway versions of any of these by the way) I really haven't seen much else and I was wondering if any of you are musical buffs and can suggest some good musicals to check out. I'm interested in seeing Wicked which is down around where I live thanks to Broadway Across America,but i want to know if there are any other good musicals so I know which ones I to go check out.

A few suggestions off the top of my head:

My Fair Lady (Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison version)
The Music Man (preferably the older version, i.e. not Matthew Broderick)
Oklahoma!
Fiddler on the Roof
Guys and Dolls
The King and I (Yul Brenner and Deborah Kerr)
The Lion King (stage version, if you ever get to see it Off-Broadway)
Beauty and the Beast (stage version)
Godspell (with Victor Garber)

That's all I can think of for now, and I'll definitely continue to recommend Wicked. There's some amazing music in that play. XD

All I know is that Wicked is awesome. I loved it.

Les Miserables is amazing!
I also really liked Wicked.

Here are a few I'd recommend.

-The Producers (hilarious!! created by the great Mel Brooks)
-Little Shop of Horrors (catchy songs, an amusing B-movie plot-line, and Rick Moranis singing!)
-Moulin Rouge
-Bedknobs and Broomsticks (one of my favorite movies as a kid)
-Mamma Mia (I'm a huge ABBA fan, so I loved it. Saw the stage version twice. The movie version comes out this summer)
-Bride and Prejudice

There are just so darned many... but I'll try to keep it to a manageable size:

Jesus Christ Superstar - Make sure to find the 2000 version, which is a BBC adaptation of the late 90s West End revival. Don't bother with the early 70's movie version, which is terrible.

I second the motion on 'Music Man' - (But R.D., even though the Robert Preston one is very, very good, I absolutely love the Matthew Broderick one!)

Pirates of Penzance - Absolutely hilarious. The best screen version is one with Kevin Kline, Angela Lansbury and Linda Ronstadt, but it's hard to find.

The Mikado - Also hilarious. I wish there was a good version on DVD, but I haven't found one yet. Find a live performance sometime.

Fiddler on the Roof!!!!

West Side Story!!!!

Les Miserables!!!!

Candide!!!

I've also a great fondness for the old greats: 'Hello, Dolly', 'My Fair Lady', 'Camelot', 'The Sound of Music', etc...

Best Disney musical ever is "Mary Poppins", hands down. But you've surely seen that by now.

Oh, I have to mention my all-time fave musical, Flower Drum Song by Rodgers and Hammerstein! It hasn't been on Broadway for several years, but the movie version is on DVD and VHS. It's a (somewhat stereotypical, admittedly) story of San Francisco's Chinatown with an all-Asian cast, including the first Asian woman to win an Oscar, Miyoshi Umeki-sensei. The songs include "I Enjoy Being A Girl", which was used in a GAP commercial with Sarah Jessica Parker a couple years back(trust me, the original version is much better!).
Also, if you like child stars and old films, some of Shirley Temple's films may be worth a look, particularly "The Poor Little Rich Girl", which Leonard Maltin calls one of the greatest musical movies ever made.

[font="palatino Linotype"]Well, I have to third The Music Man suggestion, because my school is performing it in May. =^_^=

If you'd like some Anime-inspired musicals...((And like the animes they're from))

There are the:
-Bleach Musicals ((Saien, The Dark Of The Bleeding Moon, Live Bankai Show Code: 001, No Clouds In The Blue Heavens, [and the two new ones coming out] The All, and Live Bankai Show Code: 002))~I can give you links to watch them on YouTube~

-Prince of Tennis Musicals ((Haven't watched them yet))

-Sailor Moon Musicals ((Eheh, same here.))

and others. I think there was a Hunter x Hunter musical or something...?[/font]

Moulin Rouge is easily my favorite musical. Sweeney Todd comes in at a close second and Across the Universe at a distant third (Across the Universe could have been great but they sacrifice any story to cram in as many Beatles songs as they can. Even so, it's an entertaining movie if you just watch it for the visuals and music)

Really not a HUGE musical fan (not in the traditional sense... like Phantom of the Opera, Hairspray, Rent, etc... ) but there are some good ones out there (mentioned above ) And I REALLY wanna see Wicked. Thats like the only Broadway show that's ever peaked my interest enough to actually wanna go see a stage production.

What is this? A thread about musicals and only one brief mention of The Sound of Music? Blasphemy! Anyway, you should see it. Fantastic movie.

Also, if you like American history, check out 1776. Sounds boring, I know, but it's actually really hilarious.

ShiroiHikari (post: 1212836) wrote:Also, if you like American history, check out 1776. Sounds boring, I know, but it's actually really hilarious.

The only problem is, I don't think it was supposed to be funny....

Honerable mentions for Oliver and for Little Orphan Annie, by the way.

Rent?

Technically Gilbert and Sullivan wrote OPRETTAS and not MUSICALS.

That said I would list the following Gilbert And Sullivan OPRETTAS as muct see/hear:

*HMS PINAFORE
*THE MIKADO
*THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE
*THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD
*IOLANTHE

other notable musicals to see/hear:

*CAMELOT
*THE SOUND OF MUSIC
*CINDERELLA
*OKLAHOMA!
*FLOWER DRUM SONG
*CABARET
*1776
*BABES IN TOYLAND
*GODSPELL
*EVITA
*THE FANTASTIKS(How can a thread about musicals not include one of the most legendary musicals of all time?)
*CATS

QUOTE:*FLOWER DRUM SONG

Yay, someone else knows FDS! It's one of my all-time fave films, but almost every time I mention it to someone I get a blank stare.

mitsuki lover (post: 1212886) wrote:*THE FANTASTIKS(How can a thread about musicals not include one of the most legendary musicals of all time?)

Because while The Fantasticks is certainly regarded as a classic, it's not exactly "legendary" in that it's not well-known. If you want to talk about musicals that truly were legendary, take a look at Showboat or Oklahoma.

MomoAdachi (post: 1212911) wrote:QUOTE:*FLOWER DRUM SONG

Yay, someone else knows FDS! It's one of my all-time fave films, but almost every time I mention it to someone I get a blank stare.

I've actually heard about it and have been meaning to see it for some time now. XD A friend of mine has been recommending it for a while, but I have yet to secure a copy. I love Rogers & Hammerstein's work, though, so I'm sure I'll give it a shot some day.

And on the subject of Rogers & Hammerstein, while Cinderella is a good recommendation, I would definitely suggest finding versions other than the one starring Brandy. XD There's an earlier version of the play as well, recorded live as a television broadcast, actually, and while it's the only other one I've seen, it's still not that good. XD I do know that Julie Andrews had an old black and white version, but I have no idea how readily available that is. Julie Andrews is excellent, though, so I'm sure it's wonderful. XD

I'm also appalled with myself for forgetting The Sound of Music. XD Meet Me In St. Louis is also cute.

[quote="Radical Dreamer (post: 1212930)"]
And on the subject of Rogers & Hammerstein, while Cinderella is a good recommendation, I would definitely suggest finding versions other than the one starring Brandy. XD

I personally like that version quite a bit, mainly because growing up I was a Brandy fan, Moesha was one of my favorite shows, the actor who played the prince is cute, and I loved the more modern musical arrangements. I guess it's one of those films that you either like or you don't, but everyone who's seen it has some strong opinion about it.

I started to watch the b&w version of Cinderella once. I acknowledge that it was a landmark television broadcast and all that, but the pacing is really slow. I have yet to finish watching it. @_@

"Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" is another really good one. I love it --funny as all get out. You can probably find it at Hastings to rent.

mitsuki lover (post: 1212886) wrote:Technically Gilbert and Sullivan wrote OPRETTAS and not MUSICALS.

"Opretta", "Light Opera", "White Opera" and "Musical" are frankly just different names from different eras for the same theatrical format.

The only real difference between the first three and the last is that you often see opera companies performing the former, but never the latter.

The reason for this is a complete mystery to me. I can't see any reason not to regard "Penzance" and "The Music Man" in the same category. They are both stage plays consisting of about half spoken words and half songs.

You should call me on "Jesus Christ Superstar", though. No spoken lines at all, only a series of solos and choruses, making it technically an opera rather than a musical. Of course, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the Met to stage it.

My memory is somewhat dim, but it seems to me that Les Mis has darned few spoken lines in it, too.

Disney "Musicals":

Beauty And The Beast
The Little Mermaid
Pocahontas
Aladdin
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Oliver and Company
Snow White
Cinderella
Sleeping Beauty
Mulan
The Lion King

Now, for the non-cartoon made into a musical films:

Dancer In The Dark was never on stage though it is a musical movie. The music is very different than you're typical "musical" but I found it really engaging, a little strange but through provoking almost. Though if you dislike Bjork than I wouldn't give it a listen!

Summer Magic

Singin' In The Rain

Wizard of Oz

Shall We Dance

Fiddler On The Roof!!! (Both a movie and musical!)

Les Miserables (like others have mentioned. I love the song Castle On A Cloud! )

Muppet Treasure Island...ok, you can laugh but those songs were great IMHO!

Annie Get Your Gun ..."Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better!". I don't know if you've seen the AMV with that song for FMA: You can view it here.

Thoroughly Modern Millie

Les Demoiselles de Rochefort

Kiss Me Kate

I love everything from Cirque du Soleil. It's all amazing. The music of Alegría is my all time favorite and I really want to go to Tokyo to see the 2008 production which will be held at their Disney Resort

Les Miserables (look for the 10th Anniversary Concert)
CATS (going to see it this weekend! Woo!)
Cabaret (excellent movie/musical, but rather dark w/adult situations)
Guys and Dolls
West Side Story
Little Shop of Horrors
The Phantom of the Opera (the movie does not compare. See it live!)
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (I've seen this one twice. Very fun and funny musical.)

fiddler on the roof
there are some others, but they were mentioned