Broadway Baby

I've posted in great detail about a few musicals with which I am obsessed. Namely, "Rent", "In the Heights", "Joseph..." and "Wicked". I still love all these musicals and listening to the Original Broadway Cast recordings always takes me back to the feeling of when I saw the live performances.

However, I haven't talked as much about some other musicals that I love. I thought I'd put together a little list.

1. "Miss Saigon": "Rent" isn't the only Broadway musical that is based on an opera. "Miss Saigon" is a modern adaptation of "Madame Butterfly." It's a heartbreaking story, and the music makes me cry whenever I hear it. I love listening to Lea Salonga's portrayal of Kim, the Vietnamese girl whose American soldier husband is forced to leave her behind with their son and move on with his life. The sacrifice she makes for her son is so sad. It's impossible not to cry through the show. There are some entertaining and funny songs too though, thanks to the Engineer (played perfectly on the Broadway recording by Jonathan Pryce). I originally saw it in downtown Chicago where they were able to land a helicopter on stage. I liked the music at the time but had trouble getting into the story. I was 16 though. I saw it again at a smaller theater where the focus was on the story and the music instead of the scenery. This time, I sobbed throughout. I was 25 this time. It was a cathartic experience and the intimacy of the stage made the story feel that much more intense.

2. "Les Miserables": This is by the same producer as "Miss Saigon," oddly enough. I like it mostly for the music. The songs are so memorable and easy to follow along with. George even got "Master of the House" stuck in his head on an episode of "Seinfeld." :) I've seen it on stage four times. I was 15 the first time and just liked it for the songs at that time. When I saw it again at age 21, I was crying so hard that my glasses kept fogging up. That was probably the best performance. The two times I saw it after that were enjoyable, but didn't carry the same momentum. In any case, it's hard to see "Les Miz" and not sing along! I sing the songs to my kids all the time, as well.

3. "Avenue Q": I first wanted nothing to do with this musical because it won for best musical instead of "Wicked" at the Tony Awards. Then a year or so later, I heard that it was worth listening to the OBC recording, so I decided to give it a chance. Then I was laughing out loud and kept wanting to listen more often. In 2007, I finally got to see it on Broadway and it was even funnier that way. It's like "Reality Bites" meets "Sesame Street." Lots of puppets swearing and talking about sex. My favorite songs are "Schadenfraude" and "I Wish I Could Go Back to College," as I can relate to both. I also love that a woman plays Gary Coleman. It would probably be weird to see it now that Gary Coleman is dead, but who knows?!?

4. "Guys and Dolls": I've only seen school productions, but I really enjoy the music. We learned a lot about it in musical theater class when I was in high school and I found the soundtrack to be very addictive. It has that old school musical feel and it's just a lot of fun.

5. "Into the Woods": I've seen it at a community theater, at my old high school and at a professional performance at the Marriott Lincolnshire (same small theater that did "Miss Saigon" so well). I still can't get enough of it. I love all the songs and the dialogue. My favorite motto comes from it, as well: "Opportunity is not a lengthy visitor." I also love the PBS performance with Bernadette Peters that I have on video. There's just something so appealing about it and I can never seem to tear myself away.

6. "Little Shop of Horrors": I've also seen various stage versions of this musical (at different professional levels). I last saw it in downtown Chicago when I was pregnant with my older son. It's such a fun musical with great songs by the same songwriting team that brought us "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast." I first fell in love with it through the movie with Rick Moranis that came out in 1986. I listened to the soundtrack all the time after that. Some songs are different in the stage production and the ending is changed, but it's still enjoyable to watch.

7. "Tick Tick Boom": Jonathan Larson wrote this before he wrote "Rent." It's a one act musical but tells an interesting story through dialogue and some fun and interesting songs. The whole feel of the musical is very powerful and there are only three performers who do the entire show. I got to see it with Christian Campbell (Neve Campbell's brother who also starred in "Trick"), Wilson Cruz (Rickie from "My So-Called Life") and Nikki Snelson (played Brooke in "Legally Blonde" on Broadway). I even got to meet the actors after the show. So it brings back special memories for me.

I'm sure I could list quite a few others (such as "Aida," "The Drowsy Chaperone," "Beauty and the Beast," etc.), but these were the ones that stuck out the most for me from all the musicals I've seen.

I'm not as impressed with what is on Broadway nowadays, but I hope someone will write a good musical again soon. I do want to see "Next to Normal" when it comes to DC. I'd also love to see "The Last Five Years," as I've been listening to the soundtrack for the last seven years and still love it.