|
Last 5 Years is one of my all time favorite musicals. I saw a local production of it a few years ago. The guy who played Jaime was incredible. Cathy? Not so much. A kid I went to high school with was in two different local productions. One was a gay version with "Matty" instead of Cathy. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to see either one  It is my DREAM to play Cathy in this show. Or really any role that Sherie Rene Scott originated
|
#
?
Nov 28, 2015 19:41
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 24, 2024 00:52 |
|
|
ZealousQ posted:Like every good thread, I'm gonna desperately drag #auspol into this with one of Australia's most niche musicals: Casey Bennetto's KEATING! The Musical We Had To Have. This sounds amazing. Thanks, I will watch this tonight.
|
|
#
?
Nov 28, 2015 20:02
|
|
|
AnonymousNarcotics posted:Last 5 Years is one of my all time favorite musicals. I saw a local production of it a few years ago. The guy who played Jaime was incredible. Cathy? Not so much. Turning it gay would have been quite interesting. I'm guessing they might have changed some of the lyrics too? Shiksa Goddess springs to mind. I think I'd prefer the original unless they had very different voices though, as one of my favourite things about it is the constant juxtaposition between both mood and style, and I think hearing guys sing every song would kill it a tad.
|
|
#
?
Nov 28, 2015 21:07
|
|
|
I always regretted that the threat of a lawsuit by JRB's ex-wife necessitated a bunch of small but telling changes to Cathy's character in TL5Y. She was originally Irish ("Kathleen Ryan") instead of generically non-ethnic, there was a superior song about Irish girls in the place of "Shiksa Goddess," and "Climbing Uphill" had this in place of the "I am a good person..." section: So I pray to the Irish Trinity: Maureen O'Hara, and Maureen O'Sullivan, and Maureen McCormick, Take pity on your sister, Grant me grace!
|
|
#
?
Nov 28, 2015 23:29
|
|
|
Cruel and Unusual posted:Anything Goes I wasn't familiar with this show until I played it recently. Great jazzy pit book. I was playing trumpet 1 so I got all the Blow, Gabriel, Blow soloing  Zenithe posted:Anybody else ever seen or been part of a production of The Last Five Years? Mind blowing, so much cool music, such a well thought out and sculpted musical. It almost never sees production apparently though, as it only has 2 actors. Saw it locally a few years ago. Brilliant idea for a show.
|
|
#
?
Nov 28, 2015 23:50
|
|
|
Did anybody see the movie? I refuse to see it because Anna Kendrick is horribly miscast as Cathy
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2015 00:03
|
|
|
AnonymousNarcotics posted:Did anybody see the movie? I refuse to see it because Anna Kendrick is horribly miscast as Cathy Mat of mine who directed the production said it was a fair bit more poppy than the stage production, and that he thought it worked better as a musical but still allright. Erwin posted:I wasn't familiar with this show until I played it recently. Great jazzy pit book. I was playing trumpet 1 so I got all the Blow, Gabriel, Blow soloing I've done this too, and was super jealous of the trumpet parts (I was hitting poo poo). Music is great, show is poo poo and racist. "Times have changed" indeed. Why do all old musicals hate Chinese people so much?
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2015 00:09
|
|
|
Zenithe posted:I've done this too, and was super jealous of the trumpet parts (I was hitting poo poo). Music is great, show is poo poo and racist. "Times have changed" indeed. Why do all old musicals hate Chinese people so much? I'm not sure. Maybe we were seen as easier targets.
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2015 00:29
|
|
|
Zenithe posted:Mat of mine who directed the production said it was a fair bit more poppy than the stage production, and that he thought it worked better as a musical but still allright. They tried to "fix" the racism in Thoroughly Modern Millie, and even that didn't work so well. I have a white friend who did it in high school who was cast as one of the Chinese guys, and was told to just say Chinese-sounding gibberish instead of the actual loving Chinese in the script. Anything before the 60s has a fairly high chance of being horribly offensive to at least one minority, but mostly white companies in middle America keep producing them because their very old subscriber base loves the music.
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2015 00:30
|
|
|
If they just had some kind of disclaimer saying "hey, poo poo like this really isn't on, but we've decided to perform it warts and all because it's a product of it's time" it would at least acknowledge the issue.Practical Demon posted:They tried to "fix" the racism in Thoroughly Modern Millie, and even that didn't work so well. I did this one a few years ago too and again was really uncomfortable, but I don't know what edition they were doing, or even that there are ways they have tried to fix it. For our production they were just white guys speaking in accents. By the end of the production, my jaw would sieze every time I knew "oh, herro mirrie" was coming.
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2015 00:44
|
|
|
Zenithe posted:Mat of mine who directed the production said it was a fair bit more poppy than the stage production, and that he thought it worked better as a musical but still allright. At least Flower Drum Song isn't so bad
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2015 00:55
|
|
|
Zenithe posted:Turning it gay would have been quite interesting. I'm guessing they might have changed some of the lyrics too? Shiksa Goddess springs to mind. I asked him what they did about Shiksa Goddess and he said "He played it off feeding into the stereotype saying yaaas queen and stupid stuff. It didn't really work but if your going to do L5Y illegally like that you could totally just swap in "I could be in love with someone" which was the cut song and shiksa goddess took its place haha"
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2015 00:56
|
|
|
Zenithe posted:If they just had some kind of disclaimer saying "hey, poo poo like this really isn't on, but we've decided to perform it warts and all because it's a product of it's time" it would at least acknowledge the issue. The Sutton Foster Broadway production in 2002 was adapted from the 60s film, and used actual Chinese men speaking actual Chinese in an attempt to "subvert" the Mickey Rooney yellow face poo poo by having them make fun of the white people. Still didn't work, and I'm certain a majority of productions since have used yellow face.
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2015 01:02
|
|
|
The last 18 months have been really good to me in regards to roles in musicals locally. I got to play the voice of Audrey II in a production of Little Shop of Horrors, which I've always been a fan of, but there are two other musicals I hadn't heard before I became involved in them that I really fell in love with Got to play Dr. Parker, the villain and first voice you hear in this song from Bat Boy! the Musical, which, yes, is a show based off the Weekly World News running gag https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og0LTR95jlw and most recently got to play Vice President Martin van Buren and get the initial solo in this song from Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbFbzvk_En0 Both shows I definitely recommend to anyone. And, yeah, I also can't stop listening to Hamilton
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2015 01:32
|
|
|
No love yet for Book of Mormon? Saw it live when it came through town and it was just incredible. I'd love to see the exact show a dozen more times, even though the power went off halfway through the show, requiring a 10 minute pause for all the computers to reboot. What are other good comedy musicals? I feel like I've run out after Avenue Q, Sweeny Todd, Rocky Horror, Little Shop of Horrors, and the Producers. Spamalot is meh, Urinetown is boring. "Standard" musicals like Rent just make me wanna vomit.
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2015 01:48
|
|
|
Zenithe posted:I've done this too, and was super jealous of the trumpet parts (I was hitting poo poo). Music is great, show is poo poo and racist. "Times have changed" indeed. Why do all old musicals hate Chinese people so much? The crazy thing is that the currently licensed book was written in the eighties. By John Weidman, who also wrote Pacific Overtures and Assassins. I suppose the Chinese thing at the end was intended to satirize that kind of casual racism in old musicals, but it ended up being too close to the real thing.
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2015 03:34
|
|
|
epenthesis posted:The crazy thing is that the currently licensed book was written in the eighties. By John Weidman, who also wrote Pacific Overtures and Assassins. It's not just the white guys dressing up and play acting Chinese (although that is terrible too), it's also the fact that the only two people involved who are supposed to be actually Chinese are both morons, and one's only character trait is being a compulsive gambler.
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2015 03:53
|
|
|
Zenithe posted:
Oh yeah, that. Oddly in the production I played for, they replaced the Chinese characters with nuns (followers of the Henry T. Dobson) and one had the gambling problem. They wound up in jail with Billy and Moonface, strip poker ensues, and then the final scene has the two dressed in yellow face with the most thoroughly racist impressions they can muster. I don't know if this weird non sequitur was an invention of this production, or of the newer books, but it was surreal 
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2015 04:56
|
|
|
Rogue Copter Pilot posted:The last 18 months have been really good to me in regards to roles in musicals locally. I got to play the voice of Audrey II in a production of Little Shop of Horrors, which I've always been a fan of, but there are two other musicals I hadn't heard before I became involved in them that I really fell in love with I genuinely really like... aspects of this musical. The part of the finale with Dr. Parker and his wife is really lovely-sounding when done correctly, though, so I hope you nailed it.
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2015 05:04
|
|
|
Theatre likes to get up its own rear end about how progressive and inclusive an art form it is, but people get real loving defensive about their favorite old musicals when you mention all the racism in them. I'm working with a company this summer that has The Mikado in its season, and I really wish it didn't because I know it's going to be all white people. I can't afford to turn down work for political reasons, but I don't really agree with the "satirizing British culture" and "product of its time" defenses.
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2015 05:10
|
|
|
A musicals thread! I am a hopeless musical theatre fangirl. Faves that I've actually seen, Gypsy in the West End with Imelda Staunton. Her performance in that was probably the best thing I've ever seen on a stage. They've filmed it (it closed last night ) and it'll be on tv over Christmas. I 100% recommend you watch it.Also Wicked but I mostly see it for the different casts - I try and see as many different Elphie/Glinda pairings as I can. It was on tour this year and I saw the tour five times while it was here. Hair, the Broadway Revival that then came to the West End in 2010. Like Gypsy, this is because of the cast and the atmosphere of the show. For ones I've not seen, Fun Home and Next To Normal are top of the list. They need to come to London. I am also a massive Sondheim nerd. A lot of people don't like him and I understand why but I just love his music so much.
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2015 12:35
|
|
|
Practical Demon posted:Theatre likes to get up its own rear end about how progressive and inclusive an art form it is, but people get real loving defensive about their favorite old musicals when you mention all the racism in them. I'm working with a company this summer that has The Mikado in its season, and I really wish it didn't because I know it's going to be all white people. I can't afford to turn down work for political reasons, but I don't really agree with the "satirizing British culture" and "product of its time" defenses. White people playing faux-Asian is pretty grim, although an Asian actor playing someone named "nanki-poo," or "pitti-sing" doesn't sound too good either. Hopefully your production designer will make it a little less embarrassing. elphiemcdork posted:I am also a massive Sondheim nerd. A lot of people don't like him and I understand why but I just love his music so much.
|
|
#
?
Nov 29, 2015 22:16
|
|
|
 Never saw it beyond local theatre productions, but I enjoyed it quite a bit.
|
|
#
?
Nov 30, 2015 02:30
|
|
|
Dilkington posted:That's not a great situation. Seriously, there's no good way out. I might be designing for it, and I'm not sure what I'll be able to steer the director toward. There was a made for TV version with Eric Idle in it that made the setting 1910s England, which is probably the best solution. The worst I've seen is an anime-styled production.
|
|
#
?
Nov 30, 2015 02:58
|
|
|
Practical Demon posted:Seriously, there's no good way out. I might be designing for it, and I'm not sure what I'll be able to steer the director toward. There was a made for TV version with Eric Idle in it that made the setting 1910s England, which is probably the best solution. The worst I've seen is an anime-styled production. I'd like to hear more about the anime-styled production because that sounds horrifyingly bad.
|
|
#
?
Nov 30, 2015 03:20
|
|
|
Would it worth trying to get a disclaimer into the pre show voiceover/program notes ala old cartoons?
|
|
#
?
Nov 30, 2015 03:32
|
|
|
I don't remember what production image I saw originally, but it turns out there have been several anime Mikados. Each is worse than the last.   Bad design gives me joy and embarrassment in equal measure. Other good sources are Low Budget Milky Whites and Low Budget Beasts. So many ashamed high schoolers. Zenithe posted:Would it worth trying to get a disclaimer into the pre show voiceover/program notes ala old cartoons? I don't have the pull for that, but believe me when I say their audience couldn't give less of a poo poo.
|
|
#
?
Nov 30, 2015 03:37
|
|
|
Practical Demon posted:I don't remember what production image I saw originally, but it turns out there have been several anime Mikados. Each is worse than the last. 
|
|
#
?
Nov 30, 2015 03:48
|
|
|
Lot of stuff I'm going to have to watch in here. To contribute, two musicals by STARKID: Twisted which is kind of like Wicked, except for Aladdin/Disney in general. Wicked is even mentioned in the opening song. If you enjoy that then you may also like The Trail to Oregon. It's exactly what you think.
|
|
#
?
Nov 30, 2015 03:51
|
|
|
Rogue Copter Pilot posted:Got to play Dr. Parker, the villain and first voice you hear in this song from Bat Boy! the Musical, which, yes, is a show based off the Weekly World News running gag Bat Boy! The Musical is a guilty pleasure of mine. My favorite: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bf-dnHH4LvI Regarding the shamefully outdated/racist depictions of Asians, Allegiance is kind of refreshing. It's about Asian Americans, and it was created by and stars Asian Americans. Unfortunately most reviewers seem to agree it's pretty mediocre . Still, I like the story behind it. Essentially George Takei had an emotional reaction to Inutil during In the Heights which lead to a conversation with Jay Kuo and Lorenzo Thion, who happened to be seated nearby. Read the article for the rest, it's actually pretty interesting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttAGLq13JJo
|
|
#
?
Nov 30, 2015 06:48
|
|
|
Practical Demon posted:Theatre likes to get up its own rear end about how progressive and inclusive an art form it is, but people get real loving defensive about their favorite old musicals when you mention all the racism in them. I'm working with a company this summer that has The Mikado in its season, and I really wish it didn't because I know it's going to be all white people. I can't afford to turn down work for political reasons, but I don't really agree with the "satirizing British culture" and "product of its time" defenses. There was a big kerfuffle over a production of The Mikado last year here in Seattle that was cast with almost nothing but white people, which is really absurd when you consider what a major population of Asians of all types that we have. The people producing it got all stiff about "following tradition" and "it's not really ABOUT Japan", which is an extra dumb argument now that Japan is just another part of the world, not an Exotique And Weirde Place Of Strangeness. Really, there are so few actual references to Japan in the play itself that scrubbing it to a generic nonsense land is not only easy but frequently done (e.g. "We are gentlemen of this land"), but a lot of companies are lazy/racist enough to not give a poo poo about how saying "ching chong ling long" is both unfunny and hurtful.
|
|
#
?
Nov 30, 2015 07:24
|
|
|
bowser posted:Bat Boy! The Musical is a guilty pleasure of mine. My favorite: This is my favorite song from that show, which made our mediocre Meredith that much more disappointing. She wasn't even that bad, very pretty, but there were definitely girls in that cast who could have sung it better. Anyway. More on topic, can anyone explain the hate that Andrew Lloyd Webber gets? My first musical ever was Phantom so I'm a little biased. Is it just because of Cats?
|
|
#
?
Nov 30, 2015 15:05
|
|
|
I'm a huge Andrew Lloyd Webber fan. Jesus Christ Superstar is one of my all time favorites. I saw School of Rock yesterday and it was pretty good. We saw the man guy's understudy and he was awesome. The kids are INSANELY TALENTED. Like, holy crap. Every song with the kids in it was amazing.
|
|
#
?
Nov 30, 2015 17:16
|
|
|
Rogue Copter Pilot posted:This is my favorite song from that show, which made our mediocre Meredith that much more disappointing. She wasn't even that bad, very pretty, but there were definitely girls in that cast who could have sung it better. Anyway. And Starlight Express.
|
|
#
?
Nov 30, 2015 18:55
|
|
|
Dilkington posted:And Starlight Express. Mostly Starlight Express. Jesus Christ Superstar is awesome, though, and I will defend Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat to the death. So underrated aBagorn has a new favorite as of 23:27 on Nov 30, 2015 |
|
#
?
Nov 30, 2015 21:48
|
|
|
I know a French horn player who hates him for always rewriting the same song, but my ears can't really tell. It's also pretty easy to set him up as the evil counterpart to Sondheim.
|
|
#
?
Nov 30, 2015 22:52
|
|
|
I just really dislike his music. Even Phantom sounds so weird to me with the constant electric guitar riffs paired with overblown organs. It's odd that he's so into rock instrumentation, and just shoehorns it into shows that don't call for it. I'd be willing to give School of Rock a try, because that seems like something that could actually work to his strengths. But yeah, his track record just isn't great. Cats and Starlight Express are embarrassments, and I don't even like his biggest hit. He also represents that 80s/90s trend of megamusicals that throw boat loads of cash at shows to have giant crashing chandeliers and helicopters landing on stage while not always making a show worth spending the money on.
|
|
#
?
Nov 30, 2015 23:06
|
|
|
Practical Demon posted:...and helicopters landing on stage while not always making a show worth spending the money on. If this is you making a roundabout dig at Miss Saigon, well, I like the cut of your jib, goon.
|
|
#
?
Nov 30, 2015 23:33
|
|
|
Cats is mostly terrible and hilarious, but screw you if you don't like Gus' song. e: I kind of like Cats because it's hilarious to imagine all the boyfriends and husbands who had to attend and pretend to enjoy a bunch of people prancing around in stripey nylons licking each other. Pick has a new favorite as of 00:00 on Dec 1, 2015 |
|
#
?
Nov 30, 2015 23:57
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 24, 2024 00:52 |
|
|
I'd like Webber a lot more if he didn't seem to insist on making the audience hear every song at least twice.
|
|
#
?
Dec 1, 2015 00:42
|
|