Bulldog!! I haven't seen you on BWW in a LOOONG time!!
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
This is really sad that I'm writing this, and evident of me really wasting too much time here.
The Threepenny Opera The Lieutenant of Inishmore Tarzan Barefoot in the Park The Pajama Game The Drowsy Chaperone Three Days of Rain The Wedding Singer Awake and Sing! Chita Rivera: A Dancer's Life The Color Purple Jersey Boys The Odd Couple In My Life Sweeney Todd A Naked Girl on the Appian Way Doubt The Pillowman All Shook Up Brooklyn The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Spamalot Chitty Chitty Bang Bang The Light in the Piazza Sweet Charity Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Little Women La Cage Aux Folles The Lion King Hairspray Phantom of the Opera (2nd time ever, first time older than 15) The Producers Chicago Fiddler on the Roof Little Shop of Horrors Avenue Q Wicked Rent (my 3rd time seeing it but first when I was 15 or older) Cabaret Take Me Out Aida Flower Drum Song Into the Woods
95% sure of the correctness of this
"If there was a Mount Rushmore for Broadway scores, "West Side Story" would be front and center. It snaps, it crackles it pops! It surges with a roar, its energy and sheer life undiminished by the years" - NYPost reviewer Elisabeth Vincentelli
Oh, wow. I wouldn't be able to name the order, I gotta say. I'm only 17 now, so that's about two years of a window for me to fill. But, um... I'll definitely try.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Tour, but with NLB, so it counts) Curtains (L.A.) Sweeney Todd Rent Spamalot Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Spelling Bee The Wedding Singer The Color Purple Tarzan The Drowsy Chaperone (L.A. run) Little Shop of Horrors The Producers Beauty and the Beast Big River Little Women Avenue Q Wicked Hairspray Mamma Mia!
I turned 25 in December 1984...so working backwards:
Nov 1984: SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, SWEENEY TODD (NYCO), PACIFIC OVERTURES (revival) and (does this count?) Radio City Christmas Show
Aug 1984: SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, CATS
Mar 1982: DREAMGIRLS, BARNUM
Oct 1981: MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG (preview), AMADEUS, MY FAIR LADY (revival), SUGAR BABIES, MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG (yes, again), EVITA, WOMAN OF THE YEAR, plus CARMEN (a/k/a CARMEN JONES in French) at NYCO
Dec 1980: 42ND STREET, EVITA, ANNIE, BABES IN TOYLAND (Light Opera of Manhattan production)
Nov 1977: THE KING AND I (my first Broadway show...seen the day after it was recorded), A CHORUS LINE, THE ACT, ANNIE, I LOVE MY WIFE, THE MAGIC SHOW, HAIR.
Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks." Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!
I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com
Rent (maybe even on my 25th birthday. It was cetainly one of my presents ) Evita Phantom of the Opera (along with most of SF) Ms. Saigon Les Miserables (I couldn't get into the actual stage production due to my startle reflax, but the songs are beautiful)) Secret Garden (my only actual musical seen on Broadway in this time frame. ) Cats And of course Annie, the musical that started it all for me.
I justed turned 25, so I'll post shows I have tickets to first:
Mary Poppins Les Miserables
actually seen: (newest to oldest) which is reverse?
The Wedding Singer (off-broadway) I Love You Because Wicked Phantom of the Opera Les Miserables The Music Man Aida (3 times) RENT The Scarlet Pimpernel Chicago Cats
1997 4. Chicago 5. Phantom of the Opera 6. The King & I 7. Master Class 8. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum 9. Bring in Da Noise Bring in Da Funk 10. Rent
1996 1. Victor/Victoria 2. Sunset Boulevard 3. Les Miserables
Ok so Toronto has a lame theatre scene what can I do?
Toronto has a far more innovative and thriving theatre scene these days than it has had in years.
Since Labour Day we have seen an excellent staging of KING LEAR by Soulpepper Theatre, Rick Miller's hysterical MacHOMER, A first rate production or Noel Coward's PRESENT LAUGHTRER, the premiere of a new production of James Kirkwood's LEGENDS, a re-mounting of Daniel McIvor's HERE LIES HENRY, and the Canadian Premiere of REEFER MADNESS - THE MUSICAL.
In the weeks ahead we have the plays TINY DYNAMITE, GENEROUS, BABY WITH THE BATHWATER, and OF MICE AND MEN plus the musicals THE LAST RESORT, ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER, and PIPPIN.
What about all the shows still on at Stratford including THE GLASS MENAGERIE, OLIVER!, SOUTH PACIFIC and LONDON ASSURANCE? The Shaw Festival season runs until the end of October and includes the musical HIGH SOCIETY which is a hellova lot more fun than the recent Broadway version, a riveting production of Arthur Miller's THE CRUCIBLE, the well-received staging of THE MAGIC FIRE, a sparking revival of Shaw's ARMS AND THE MAN, and a very fine production of THE HEIRESS.
I must confess I am concerned that you are going back to see WICKED a third and a fourth time, while ignoring so many other shows, yet have the audacity to label our theatre scene as "lame." Toronto's theatre scene is anything BUT lame.
Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks." Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!
I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com