i can't believe there's a thread on musicals and i never posted in it! i absolutely adore musicals. i was brought up on them, and except for a short period in my early teens when i went off them, my love for them has just grown and grown.
on stage (including amateur productions), i have seen:
- les miserables
- phantom of the opera
- wicked
- billy elliot (twice)
- joseph and his amazing technicolour dreamcoat
- cats
- wizard of oz
- mary poppins
- grease
- guys and dolls
- west side story
- little shop of horrors
- bugsy malone
- the mikado
- yeoman of the guard
i was meant to see cabaret - i had the tickets and everything - but then the show closed early.
i've also seen several productions which used song and dance, but weren't conventional musicals (tristan and yseult, a matter of life and death, and brief encounter, all by kneehigh theatre; and a whole bunch of plays by riding lights theatre company).
on film, i've seen:
- les miserables
- phantom of the opera
- moulin rouge!
- cats
- hairspray
- rent
- chicago
- cabaret
- sweeney todd
- the producers
- wizard of oz
- chitty chitty bang bang
- oliver!
- mary poppins
- the sound of music
- singin' in the rain
- the king and i
- grease
- west side story
- little shop of horrors
- bugsy malone
- gentleman prefer blondes
- there’s no business like show business
- funny face
- my fair lady
- half a sixpence
- jesus christ superstar
- dr dolittle
- fiddler on the roof
- annie
i've also been in two musicals myself - i played angelo in the sweeney todd shock and roll show (a totally different production the stephen sondheim musical tim burton made into a film, but based on the same story) and zeus in pandemonium (based on a selection of greek myths). there weren't enough boys in my musicla theatre group, and i have a very low singing voice for a girl, so i always had to play a male role.
my favourite musical is most definitely billy elliot - hysterically funny, deeply moving, absolutely spectacular, and a sheer joy to watch. the first time i went, billy was played by layton williams and he was truly phenomenal – a very charming actor, a pleasant singer, and a breathtakingly talented dancer. definitely one to watch.
