Musicals (Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Others)

[artvandelay]

The song they showcased from Band made me very sure I never want to see it. Fake thick accents, piercing vocal fry, song reminiscing of movies someone once saw... no thanks.

A lot of songs showcased from last year's Tony's also turned me off.

Seeing Hamilton this Wednesday.

What did you think of the song SpongeBob did?

Enjoy Hamilton. It lives up to the hype.

 

[Disneylover152]

What did you think of the song SpongeBob did?

I wish they showcased Spongebob a little more, and had them do "Hero is my Middle Name" to start off, and then switch into the song they did.

Tina Landau wanted the performance to be about the ensemble, but I wish they did a song with Spongebob Sandy and Patrick in addition to Squidward & the ensemble.

 

[BuddyThomas]

I wish they showcased Spongebob a little more, and had them do "Hero is my Middle Name" to start off, and then switch into the song they did.

Tina Landau wanted the performance to be about the ensemble, but I wish they did a song with Spongebob Sandy and Patrick in addition to Squidward & the ensemble.

Here is a better video than what they presented on the Tonys:

 

[MisterPenguin]

What did you think of the song SpongeBob did?

I wish he didn't try to sing in Squidward's voice, because it didn't come off as too pleasing to hear. The song, and the staging, and the ingenious use of the extra legs was really good. But, trying to remember what was sung... not too memorable. No one's gonna be whistling that tune coming out of the theater.

 

[BuddyThomas]

Unfortunately, I was unable to watch the Tonys last night (had to take my sister to the airport at 4:00 in the gorram morning ), but looking at the winners list now. And The Band's Visit is the one nominated musical that I knew absolutely nothing about. It seemed like all the momentum was with Mean Girls and Spongebob (at least from what I saw on Facebook), so I'm a little surprised that it cleaned up in almost every category.

Also, I can't tell you what the actual stage production looks like, but from the script alone, I'm just a little ticked that Cursed Child did as well as it did last night (and that's coming from a massive Harry Potter fan). I've heard that the actual production on stage is marvelous, but the plot of that thing is really bad.

Band's Visit was always projected to be the winner. It's the only "intellectual" musical in competition and Tony voters want to feel smart. Mean GIrls could have been an upset, as could have Sponge Bob, but yeah, it went exactly as has been predicted. At least Once on this Island pulled an upset and won Best Revival over My Fair Lady, which was expected to take everything. The current revival of Once on This Island is one of the best things ever:

 

[Princess Leia]

Band's Visit was always projected to be the winner. It's the only "intellectual" musical in competition and Tony voters want to feel smart. Mean GIrls could have been an upset, as could have Sponge Bob, but yeah, it went exactly as has been predicted. At least Once on this Island pulled an upset and won Best Revival over My Fair Lady, which was expected to take everything. The current revival of Once on This Island is one of the best things ever:

I just found out that a girl I was in drama with in high school is an understudy for Band’s Visit, so I’ll probably be checking out the soundtrack today

 

[MisterPenguin]

I saw Aladdin and Frozen in NYC two weekends ago. Aladdin was cute but felt like a more expensive, longer version of one of the theme park musicals. Frozen however was amazing! The use of technology, the actors' talents, the new songs, the sets - everything was fantastic!! I've also seen The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Mary Poppin, and The Little Mermaid.

What? No Tarzan on Broadway? You're not a real Disney fan!!!!!!

 

[Disneylover152]

I saw Aladdin and Frozen in NYC two weekends ago. Aladdin was cute but felt like a more expensive, longer version of one of the theme park musicals. Frozen however was amazing! The use of technology, the actors' talents, the new songs, the sets - everything was fantastic!! I've also seen The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Mary Poppin, and The Little Mermaid.

My issue with Frozen is it overused projections and lighting effects to create Elsa's Ice Powers. With Disney I expected them to create something groundbreaking like they did with all their other shows (exception of Newsies). The carpet in Aladdin, the flying sequence in Mary Poppins, the puppets in The Lion King, the costume change of the Beast in Beauty and the Beast. Frozen didn't have a "wow" factor that other shows did.

Spoiler: SPOILER- DRESS CHANGE

And the dress change is just a kabuki system on a dress, something I've seen regional theatre do.

specially upset that I missed Newsies

*GASP* Newsies is my favorite broadway musical ever. I've seen it 6 times live. 2 times at Paper Mill's Pre-Broadway Run, 3 times on Broadway and 1 time on tour. I also saw a regional theatre do it last night.

 

[Disneylover152]

Really? I LOVED the projections and ice effects. I thought it was all very well done and very advanced. I don't know how else they would have done it. The ice castle and the staircase could have been more impressive but I thought the reveal still worked really, really well and was really beautiful. I thought this show as lightyears better than Aladdin (I saw them both in the same day and I'm glad I saw Aladdin first).

I think Aladdin is better, but its hard to compare the two. Aladdin is a spectacle show but Frozen is attempting to be an art.

Spoiler: Do not read this unless you don't care about some aspects of the show being spoiled

The reason I say Frozen is attempting to be an art is because it has some artsy factors like Anna turning to ice with the ensemble forming her ice coat, but other times I feel like they are making it a spectacle by trying to make you feel like your in Arendelle with the entire opening sequence including building Olaf out of toys and the Pixar ball.

It just doesn't know if it wants to be a spectacle with making the show feel real or making the show an art using puppetry. That's the issue I have with Disney. Sometimes they try to combine both into a show but that's not possible. They know that shows like Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin are successful for its spectacle style of show, but they also know The Lion King and Mary Poppins is successful for its artsy style of show. Then in some shows they try to combine both, but it never works.

BTW one of my 4 majors I'm debating is being a theatre critic so let me know how I did (I know this is very informal, lol).

 

[Disneylover152]

Haha you did great! You raise some interesting point but as a theater fan and Disney lover, I didn't mind what you said about Frozen at all. I really loved every minute of it and almost every song!

I liked Frozen on Broadway, but I feel like there are better Disney Musicals and better musicals in general. I don't know, it just felt forced.

But what was your favorite number? I'm curious because mine is Fixer Upper, but a lot of people say Hygee (which I think they took a little too far at points, lol).

 

[Disneylover152]

Lion King is better imo but Frozen really was everything I wanted out of a Disney Broadway musical so I was happy. We can't expect all of them to be as creative and unique as LK.

I know it's cliche but my fave was Let It Go! After watching the first act, my heart started pounding when LIG started bc I knew it was going to be amazing and it was! I loved it so much haha. But I also really loved Love Is An Open Door which is funny bc it's not one of my favorites in the movie. I thought it was so cute and funny with the little dances and all. In Summer was a crowd pleaser and it was fun how they transformed the stage. Hygge was fun and exciting lol. Fixer Upper is a song I don't love from the movie but really loved it visually on stage. Then Monster and True Love were great additions.

I really like Dangerous to Dream from the soundtrack but I don't really remember anything cool happening onstage. The songs I listed above were much more memorable. I really enjoyed the whole thing though. I was waiting for there to be moments where I was like "w-t-f is this new song?" like I've had with other Disney Broadway shows but I really didn't. Some were better than others of course but I thought it was nicely done!

That's true.

I really did love Let it Go and Love Is An Open Door. Monster was a great song, and I loved Colder By the Minute. I feel like the way I judge if a song is amazing is if I sing it when I leave the theatre. I did that for Monster and Colder By the Minute, but didn't for any other song. And Fixer Upper was my least favorite song in the movie but my favorite in the musical. And I really love the Hidden Folk (Norwegian Mythology) compared to the Trolls. But again, that was another example of the spectacle (Hidden Folk) vs. the art (trolls).

I personally felt like In Summer was going to be the show stopper number, but it turned out to be Fixer Upper. In Summer was just okay, and I felt like it was underwhelming. I needed to be longer and have a dance break I think. What they did with it was cute, but not for the entire song, maybe just a verse.

Frozen was a great musical, but it wasn't as good as the movie IMO, and I've just seen so many broadway shows (everything that has come out after 2011 plus the icons like Phantom, Wicked, Lion King, Mamma Mia, etc.) that I feel like my standards are higher than most. Like I was disappointed with Dear Evan Hansen, a great musical, but didn't live up to the hype and Come From Away was better.

 

[BuddyThomas]

This is not a musical, but if anyone is in NYC this summer, there is a great play called SKINTIGHT starring Idina Menzel (voice of Elsa) at Roundabout Theatre Company. I was at the opening night and it is hysterical. Here are a few clips:

 

[Princess Leia]

The bff and I just tried our luck with the Hamilton Chicago lottery. We'll know tomorrow if we get tickets or not

 

[winstongator]

Saw Wicked a while back, I think in Chicago. The Lion King on Broadway over 10 years ago. We saw Aladdin last week in London. Does the Beauty and the Beast Live action production on the Disney Dream count?

Saw Merlin and Penn & Teller in Manhattan a very long time ago - Merlin > 30 years ago.

 

[BuddyThomas]

I want to see this!! I can't imagine a show where Idina doesn't sing but I do love her!

She's soooooo good in this and the show is absolutely hysterical.

 

[BuddyThomas]

I saw Aladdin and Frozen in NYC two weekends ago. Aladdin was cute but felt like a more expensive, longer version of one of the theme park musicals. Frozen however was amazing! The use of technology, the actors' talents, the new songs, the sets - everything was fantastic!! I've also seen The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Mary Poppin, and The Little Mermaid.

I shouldn't tell you this, but a couple of months ago, I went on Stub Hub around 7:00 PM and they had a front row center ticket to Frozen listed for $39.00. Needless to say, I grabbed it as fast as possible. Even though the critics didn't love it, I thought it was freaking amazing on pretty much every level, especially for $39.00 (it was actually closer to 50 with fees, but still!)

 

[Disneylover152]

I would like to say that after spongesobbing for the past two days, I officially bought seats for Spongebob closing night front row center for $225. But, with a discount because I know the stage manager, she is giving me them for $92 for being such a giant fan!

Wow that's so cool!! I will say though that it was worth every penny of the $100 I paid! I loved every second. It was worth it to me to guarantee having a seat =)

I saw Frozen for $65 cause I bought tickets almost a year in advance. I would say its worth $150 maximum for the first time. But for the second or more time I wouldn't pay more than $70. I liked parts of it but I feel it was in a bit of an identity crisis and parts of act one is slow because they moved stuff around to have Let it Go as the act closer. Plus it doesn't make sense that Olaf is just there... in the movie Elsa creates him during Let it Go but now that he is introduced before Let it Go, it doesn't make sense that he is just... there. I know thats a little thing but for me it was a big deal, lol.

Also, Frozen is now the cheapest Disney on Broadway musical to get (on average and not in an abnormal situation like @BuddyThomas ).
- Frozen = $89.
- Aladdin = $99
- The Lion King = $145

Anyone else find this unexpected and weird?

 

[Disneylover152]

Interesting. I read reviews before I bought tickets to make sure it was something I wanted to see and other people brought up your points, mainly about the first act being so long. This really wasn't a problem for me. I love Disney and also love musicals and the mix for me is a dream. Again, I really loved every minute! And I'm not being biased - I've seen Aladdin and The Little Mermaid lol. If I really dissected it and broke it down I could find a few things that weren't perfect (like what you're saying about Olaf lol) but I enjoyed it for what it was and could overlook tiny discrepancies that didn't take away from my experience. I compare it to a lot of people on here that are too critical of the attractions in WDW when I enjoy them for what they are and they are still very pleasurable for me. It's safe to say that most people seeing Frozen The Musical have seen the movie anyway - people are already familiar with the characters.

But yes, I do think those prices are interesting. The Lion King is still my second favorite musical that I've ever seen (after Wicked) and deserves the expensive ticket prices. I was so impressed by the tech, songs, costumes, sets, and talent in Frozen that I place it third on my list. However, I saw Aladdin the same day I saw Frozen. Again, I enjoyed it for what it was and did have a great time and did love it. But it's arguably not the most amazing musical or even Disney musical. In total, I've seen six Disney musicals: Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Frozen (plus Newsies at the movie theater lol) and Aladdin is far down on the scale for me.

I really did enjoy Frozen, but it was just little stuff for me that makes it not the best Disney musical. It's not the worst, but its not the best. I'm just over critical over Broadway musicals because I've seen every show on Broadway right now at least once and I just am like an amateur theatre critic, lol. Frozen is just in an identity crisis, while Aladdin and The Lion king aren't. Frozen is like a high school senior who doesn't know where they want to go. That's what puts it my least favorite Disney musicals out of the 3 on Broadway. But again, I still really loved it as I do with every Disney musical.

I have seen all the Disney Musicals live, and I made a list of my favorites. I'm curious to hear all of yours!

Favorite Disney Musicals:
1) Newsies
2) The Lion King
3) Beauty and the Beast
4) Mary Poppins
5) Aladdin
6) Frozen
7) The Little Mermaid
8) Hunchback of Notre Dame (I saw at Paper mill since its never been on Broadway)
9) Tarzan (love the movie, but not the musical)

 

[BuddyThomas]

Moulin Rouge begins performances tonight in Boston prior to its planned Broadway run. Here is a first picture of the theatre:

 

[El_Tomato]

I really did enjoy Frozen, but it was just little stuff for me that makes it not the best Disney musical. It's not the worst, but its not the best. I'm just over critical over Broadway musicals because I've seen every show on Broadway right now at least once and I just am like an amateur theatre critic, lol. Frozen is just in an identity crisis, while Aladdin and The Lion king aren't. Frozen is like a high school senior who doesn't know where they want to go. That's what puts it my least favorite Disney musicals out of the 3 on Broadway. But again, I still really loved it as I do with every Disney musical.

I have seen all the Disney Musicals live, and I made a list of my favorites. I'm curious to hear all of yours!

Favorite Disney Musicals:
1) Newsies
2) The Lion King
3) Beauty and the Beast
4) Mary Poppins
5) Aladdin
6) Frozen
7) The Little Mermaid
8) Hunchback of Notre Dame (I saw at Paper mill since its never been on Broadway)
9) Tarzan (love the movie, but not the musical)

Would you mind to share your thoughts on Hunchback?