Broadway and Beyond

[tamaradixon]

I was told I could start a thread for theatre here. So chat away about your favourite Broadway (and beyond) experience.

I just heard today that they are closing the Lord of the Rings musical early. I saw this awhile ago and have to say that while it boasted the most impressive staging and effects I've ever seen it was also horribly slow with an entirely forgettable score.

Apparently its going to be re-tooled and open in London next year. I look forward to hearing how it does over there, since they felt the show was perhaps too 'high brow' for us lowly Canucks.

[starskin]

There's a LOTR musical? Good lord, it shows you how out of the loop I've gotten since high school and college. From the ages of 12-18, musical theatre was pretty much ALL I listened to. I shunned almost every other kind of music. What could be more sublime than Phillip Quast as Javert in the 10th anniversary recording of Les Mis? And I desperately wanted a voice like Lea Solanga. She was my idol, and the reason I started taking voice lessons to begin with.

As I said, I've gotten a little out of touch with the musical theatre world since I graduated (used to be in shows constantly), but it was integral to my being able to survive puberty.

Thanks for starting this thread.

[livviebway]

Starskin? Your post was my post. Who knew there was a LOTR musical? I've gotten so out of the loop (since elementary school, when I was way into musicals). And Philip Quast= The Best Javert Ever.

[starskin]

Oh god, wasn't Philip Quast just beyond wonderful? I mean, I know everyone and their mother loved Colm Wilkinson as Valjean but...and I am probably facing stoning here....I seriously prefered Philip Quast's voice. Colm Wilkinson did a weird little yelp thing at the end of almost every held note, and it kinda bugged. Don't get me wrong, he still was great, but I prefered Javert.

You know what I was surprised to like? Titanic. I think it was "Barret's Song" that really drove it home for me, but I found myself liking that recording way more than I thought I would.

Aida, though, was beyond bland to me. And I love Tim Rice and Elton John! I just think they should have written it back in the 1970s. Then it would have kicked ass. Now? Meh.

*runs and hides*

[iceblink]

I, for one, HATE Colm Wilkinson as Valjean and in any other role. His vocal mannerisms drive me up the wall. I'm still suffering flashbacks from hearing the cast of Phantom that he was in.
But Quast is cool.

[starskin]

Woah! What cast of Phantom was he in? Now that is something I can NOT picture (er...hear...whatever). I can give him a pass as Jean Valjean because I liked what he did with "Bring Him Home", but I can't even imagine him as Erik. Yes, I'm being super wanky, I called him Erik.

[iceblink]

It was the Toronto cast from way back in the day; there was a CD out but it may be out of print. We can only hope.
It's a pity that he was so spectacularly awful because the Christine from that cast was Rebecca Caine (who was Cosette in the original London production of Les Miz and is on the London cast recording of that show), and she's got a gorgeous voice. But he ruins it. Bad vocals, bad acting, just bad bad bad.

[livviebway]

Isn't he Jekyll/Hyde on one of the really early concept albums of that too? Like before the Anthony Warlow concept album.

ETA: He sings the role of the the Phantom in the Cameron Mackintosh spectacle "Hey There, Mr. Producer." If you can get a hold of that it's worth it, even with the horror that is Colm Wilkinson singing the Phantom.

[whatever]

"Wicked" and "Sweeney Todd" are the best shows I've seen in the last 2 years.

I was honestly shocked that "Sweeney" didn't win for best lead actors. Patty Lupone should win just for breathing in my opinion - and the fact that's she's also a member of the musicians union? Wow!

[iceblink]

livviebway said:

Isn't he Jekyll/Hyde on one of the really early concept albums of that too? Like before the Anthony Warlow concept album.

Yeah, and I've managed to avoid ever hearing that, luckily!
Anthony Warlow, now, there's a great voice. He should be way more famous than he is.