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Another Opening, Another Show

Lost SalientLost Salient blink twiceif you'd like me to mercy kill youRegistered User regular
edited October 2009 in Social Entropy++
What with the SYTYCD thread, the thread devoted to Glee and now the thread where we all boast about how awful our music tastes are, no time has seemed more appropriate to mention a thing that requires our growing awareness. A thing you and I both love (and if you don’t, you’re lying to yourself and also terrible).

Yes, that’s right. It is the time to talk about SHOW TUNES.

Before you pooh-pooh and scoff and send me away to a midnight showing of Rocky Horror (not without justification), consider how long musical theatre has been around and just how many awesome people have been involved in it over the years. The people you most trust; the stars of your favourite films and television shows; yes, even your mom and/or dad; all of these and more may be involved in this age-old pandemic. “But,” I hear you ask, “How could they do such a thing?!” Well, there are many reasons that one may find themselves involved in such a phenomenon. You see, the musical theatre has everything you may find in normal media – drama, humor, insanity, wit, and violence – all with the added trappings of song, dance, and occasionally silly costumes. And it’s been going on since before there were many alternative medias to choose from! Don’t believe me?

Arguably, the modern musical really began with that dashingest of duos, composer Arthur Sullivan and lyricist William S. Gilbert. They’ve recently been (further) immortalized in the film ‘Topsy Turvy,’ but their works are still put on in modern theatres with regularity, and their songs have been parodied or referenced in all sorts of things, from The Simpsons to Doctor Who to the book Stranger in a Strange Land. They wrote about pirates and shogun and England, mostly.

With Cat-Like Tread

They wrote their material in the late 19th century. Following in their footsteps years later came people like Irving Berlin, who wrote Puttin' on the Ritz and White Christmas, and George Gershwin, creator of I Got Rhythm and approximately one million other songs you may not even realize you know. “Nobody listens to that old crap anymore,” You may say. Or perhaps, “The only reason to be in theatre is because you’re too ugly for the movies.”

Fortunately, the imaginary, possibly slanderous words I’ve put in your mouth can be proved false by skipping ahead a few years, and showing some of these guys:

New York, New York

In 1949, Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and Jules Munshin starred in On the Town as the hottest sailors ever to do a soft-shoe. But maybe you straight guys out there aren’t convinced of the sex appeal in a song-and-dance routine. May I introduce you to Cyd Charisse?

Bandwagon

Fred Astaire's not too shabby, either.

Although they get a lot of flak for a variety of reasons, the musical has been an important tool for social commentary and the voicing of progressive/transgressive opinions for almost the entirety of its existence. The method of conveyance differs, of course. Sometimes it’s hopeful:

Ragtime

Sometimes it’s bittersweet:

Hair

Sometimes it’s funny and involves puppets and Gary Coleman!

Avenue Q

But enough from me. Admit it here and now – somewhere out there is a musical, or just a song from a musical, that you love. You were in it in high school, or you watched the tape a hundred times when you were a kid, or you just think it’s catchy as hell. What are your favourites, SE++?

RUVCwyu.jpg
"Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
Lost Salient on
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Posts

  • The GeekThe Geek Oh-Two Crew, Omeganaut Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited June 2009
    The Geek on
    BLM - ACAB
  • vsovevsove ....also yes. Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I am a tremendous fan of Les Miserables. When I was a kid, we used to go camping a lot, and my dad had the entire London Cast Recording on audio cassette. Every time, we'd listen to the whole thing at least two or three times over the course of the trip, and so I have a lot of nostalgia associated with it.

    vsove on
    WATCH THIS SPACE.
  • sarukunsarukun RIESLING OCEANRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    This is the best thing I've ever seen in my life.

    sarukun on
  • The GeekThe Geek Oh-Two Crew, Omeganaut Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited June 2009
    The Geek on
    BLM - ACAB
  • vsovevsove ....also yes. Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    vsove on
    WATCH THIS SPACE.
  • AMP'dAMP'd Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Lost Salient, with the best thread

    Now, have this song stuck in your head for the rest of forever

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WB44FLm5g14

    AMP'd on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • Lost SalientLost Salient blink twice if you'd like me to mercy kill youRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Ain't no shame in that! I once owned more than one recording of Les Mis. I'm not even embarrassed to admit it!

    Little Shop is such a good movie. How can you not love Steve Martin and Rick Moranis?

    Edit: OH MY GOD THAT IS MY FAVOURITE SONG FROM LES MIS

    okay calming down now and watching siamese kids walk by for eight years

    Lost Salient on
    RUVCwyu.jpg
    "Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
  • HunterHunter Chemist with a heart of Au Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    A movie about making a musical that was turned into a musical that was then remade as a movie.

    The Producers

    Springtime for Hitler.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNXj-SCx5dY&feature=related

    Hunter on
  • AMP'dAMP'd Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    My school did Les Mis last fall

    The best part is definitely how often Javert squeals "IT MUST BE EITHER VALJEAN OR JAVERT"

    AMP'd on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • The GeekThe Geek Oh-Two Crew, Omeganaut Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited June 2009
    The Geek on
    BLM - ACAB
  • vsovevsove ....also yes. Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Ain't no shame in that! I once owned more than one recording of Les Mis. I'm not even embarrassed to admit it!

    Little Shop is such a good movie. How can you not love Steve Martin and Rick Moranis?

    Edit: OH MY GOD THAT IS MY FAVOURITE SONG FROM LES MIS

    okay calming down now and watching siamese kids walk by for eight years

    It is the best song from Les Mis, though I'm also a fan of:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PXZ1nLiUZo

    I like Javert's songs, however, specifically because I can sing them well as I have a similar singing voice.

    vsove on
    WATCH THIS SPACE.
  • HunterHunter Chemist with a heart of Au Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
  • AbracadanielAbracadaniel Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I saw Avenue Q live a few months ago.

    It is highly recommended.

    Abracadaniel on
  • Metzger MeisterMetzger Meister It Gets Worse before it gets any better.Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    When a felon's not engaged in 'is employment

    Metzger Meister on
  • sarukunsarukun RIESLING OCEANRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Geek you are the best.

    sarukun on
  • thorgotthorgot there is special providence in the fall of a sparrowRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    my friends are surprised that a musical by the name of urinetown exists

    but i love that show

    thorgot on
    campionthorgotsig.jpg
  • AMP'dAMP'd Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    The best scene in Les Mis is the death of Gavroche because seriously after two months of rehearsals I am good and ready to hear your squeaky voice fall silent

    AMP'd on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • thanimationsthanimations Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I love musical theater, and I try to catch the various productions that pass through

    some of my favorites:

    I can do better than that

    Last Five Years is more of a song cycle and never made it farther than Off-Broadway, but I love it, especially that song

    Our Favorite Son

    from Will Rogers Follies, I got to perform that song once and it was fun as hell. A fun little musical by the composer who did Sweet Charity

    I'm the bravest individual

    Sweet Charity is one of my favorite musicals, there just isn't a bad moment

    thanimations on
  • Lost SalientLost Salient blink twice if you'd like me to mercy kill youRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    When a felon's not engaged in 'is employment

    'is employment!

    Javert is the most interesting character in the book and in the musical, in my opinion.

    I haven't gotten to see Avenue Q onstage, and I want to so badly! But I did get to see the original cast of Urinetown.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hixg5gz054

    Which was amazing. John Cullum.

    Lost Salient on
    RUVCwyu.jpg
    "Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
  • vsovevsove ....also yes. Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    In high school, we did a production of 'Funny Thing Happened on the Way To The Forum'. It was the one and only time my school actually hired professionals to help out with choreography and such.

    It was a lot of fun. I got to be Soldier #1! I had a couple of lines!

    vsove on
    WATCH THIS SPACE.
  • HunterHunter Chemist with a heart of Au Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    There needs to be an SE++ the musical. The opening song is 15 minutes of people singing "Cocks! Dicks! LOL!" over and over while random audience members are taken on stage, beaten, then raped.

    Hunter on
  • The GeekThe Geek Oh-Two Crew, Omeganaut Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited June 2009
    The Geek on
    BLM - ACAB
  • sarukunsarukun RIESLING OCEANRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Yakko, Wakko, and Dot Warner do a rendition of this that is fucking off the chain.

    sarukun on
  • AMP'dAMP'd Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    vsove wrote: »
    In high school, we did a production of 'Funny Thing Happened on the Way To The Forum'. It was the one and only time my school actually hired professionals to help out with choreography and such.

    It was a lot of fun. I got to be Soldier #1! I had a couple of lines!

    A maid? A maid! A maid! A MAID!

    AMP'd on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • sarukunsarukun RIESLING OCEANRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Holy shit, apparently Alvin and the Chipmunks did a version.

    sarukun on
  • Lost SalientLost Salient blink twice if you'd like me to mercy kill youRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    AMP'd wrote: »
    The best scene in Les Mis is the death of Gavroche because seriously after two months of rehearsals I am good and ready to hear your squeaky voice fall silent

    And let me say it only takes three high school girls singing "On My Own," at the same revue to make you wish your ears were broken.

    Metzger, I can't tell you how long it took me to decide which Gilbert and Sullivan song to post! And I was originally going to put up "Still Hurting" from The Last 5 Years, but I figured six videos in one OP were enough to be going with.

    Lost Salient on
    RUVCwyu.jpg
    "Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
  • AbracadanielAbracadaniel Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    My roommate and his fiancee went to New York last year and got to see Spring Awakening, Legally Blonde, The Last 5 Years and uhhh....something else. And they're going to see RENT in a month or two with several of the original cast members.

    Abracadaniel on
  • vsovevsove ....also yes. Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    AMP'd wrote: »
    vsove wrote: »
    In high school, we did a production of 'Funny Thing Happened on the Way To The Forum'. It was the one and only time my school actually hired professionals to help out with choreography and such.

    It was a lot of fun. I got to be Soldier #1! I had a couple of lines!

    A maid? A maid! A maid! A MAID!

    I, Miles Gloriosus! (A man among men!)
    I, paragon of virtue! (With sword and with pen!)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=082y805mkA8

    vsove on
    WATCH THIS SPACE.
  • thanimationsthanimations Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Smart Hero wrote: »
    My roommate and his fiancee went to New York last year and got to see Spring Awakening, Legally Blonde, The Last 5 Years and uhhh....something else. And they're going to see RENT in a month or two with several of the original cast members.

    I saw that tour of Rent with some of the originals and it was pretty good, but all of the crazy Rentheads was a bit much for me

    thanimations on
  • Metzger MeisterMetzger Meister It Gets Worse before it gets any better.Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Rent is a little heavy-handed for me.

    Metzger Meister on
  • JordynJordyn Really, Commander? Probing Uranus. Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Jordyn on
    thumbsupguy-1.jpg
    JordynNolz.com <- All my blogs (Shepard, Wasted, J'onn, DCAU) are here now!
  • Lost SalientLost Salient blink twice if you'd like me to mercy kill youRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Hunter wrote: »
    There needs to be an SE++ the musical. The opening song is 15 minutes of people singing "Cocks! Dicks! LOL!" over and over while random audience members are taken on stage, beaten, then raped.

    Are you volunteering to write it? Because you seem to have the libretto down perfectly for the first fifteen minutes, at least!

    Geek, did you get to see Evil Dead the Musical? I heard it's awesome. And that you get blood on you in the front rows. Possibly that's why it's awesome, I suppose.

    Lost Salient on
    RUVCwyu.jpg
    "Sandra has a good solid anti-murderer vibe. My skin felt very secure and sufficiently attached to my body when I met her. Also my organs." HAIL SATAN
  • AbracadanielAbracadaniel Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I really really wanna catch Wicked when it's down in Miami next year. If I'm still in FL, that is.

    Abracadaniel on
  • Metzger MeisterMetzger Meister It Gets Worse before it gets any better.Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I wanna be in a musical so badly but I can NOT fucking dance. My talent is like 100% vocal.

    Metzger Meister on
  • JordynJordyn Really, Commander? Probing Uranus. Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Hunter wrote: »
    There needs to be an SE++ the musical. The opening song is 15 minutes of people singing "Cocks! Dicks! LOL!" over and over while random audience members are taken on stage, beaten, then raped.

    The Aristocrats!

    Jordyn on
    thumbsupguy-1.jpg
    JordynNolz.com <- All my blogs (Shepard, Wasted, J'onn, DCAU) are here now!
  • sarukunsarukun RIESLING OCEANRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Jordyn wrote: »

    YAY!

    Edit: God, that shit is fantastic.

    sarukun on
  • MonkeyfeetMonkeyfeet Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    The most recent show I have seen was Spring Awakening. I actually really liked it. Khavall will come in here and tell me it is dribble so fuck him in advance

    Monkeyfeet on
    sig1.jpg
  • AMP'dAMP'd Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Smart Hero wrote: »
    I really really wanna catch Wicked when it's down in Miami next year. If I'm still in FL, that is.

    I saw the original cast of Wicked

    So good

    AMP'd on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • BlankspaceBlankspace __BANNED USERS regular
    edited June 2009
    I'm seeing My Fair Lady tonight as a present for my girlfriend. I have never heard anything from this show.

    Blankspace on
    SIG.gif
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