RGBP Friday Five

A Theatre Queen's Paradise

1. Describe the last play or musical you saw. (At least provide the what, when, where, and why). What was your opinion of it?

I think...it's been awhile...it was the local kids' production of "Peter Pan." Every summer, the kids, ages 10-14, stage a show at the theater in town. Usually it's a shortenend version of something. The year Sparky was able to participate, they did a version of "Oliver Twist" with (mostly) different songs from the Broadway version (although the most recent tour did use one of the songs from the kids' version, which thoroughly confused me...).

Anyway, last summer's: they actually did the Broadway (Mary Martin/Cathy Rigby) version, including the 'flying' of four kids. It was astoundingly good, considering the population of the town is about 25,000, and everyone in the cast was under 14. It's such fun to see the kids I know from the library dancing and singing on stage, and doing it well. OK, it's not Broadway, but very cool on a different level.

2. All time favorite play? Musical?

Play: I like anything Shakespeare. Or, anything humorous.

Having said that, my all-time favorite would be "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." They did that one locally a couple of years ago, and it was one of the best straight plays I've ever seen. Ever. In any venue. With amateur cast and crew. I actually forgot that one of the "crazy people" was the mayor. [hee hee]

Musical: Like NotShy, this is awfully hard for me. I would have loved to see "Jesus Christ Superstar" when it was first done (I was, uhm, 6 at the time) because I love the music. I love "A Chorus Line" for the funny lyrics and pathos. I love "Fiddler on the Roof" for the songs and the story and the history. And I love "Les Miserables" because we saw the touring version and I was literally unable to move at the end: great songs, great staging, Romantic story, a bleeding-heart plea for donations to the homeless at the end... The only reason not to like it because of Hugo's penchant for killing off all the interesting women.

3. “The Producers,” “The Philadelphia Story,” “Hairspray,” “The Wedding Singer”…all were movies before they were musicals (okay “The Philadelphia Story” was a play and then a movie, and they changed its name when it became a musical, but whatever). What non-musical movie do you think should next get the musical treatment?

He left out "Footloose." hah

Anyway. "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" could be awfully amusing, if they did it right. Or "Heathers." Which they'd never do because of the subject matter. How about the "Matrix" movies?

This question is giving me the giggles.

4. Favorite song from a musical? Why?

Yoicks. I can't do this. I love almost every song in "My Fair Lady" so much that I have them all memorized ("Why don't the English teach their children how to speak?" "Don't talk of worlds spinning above! If you're in love, show me!"). I have most of "Fiddler" and "Sound of Music" (the Broadway show, not the movie) memorized too. There are some songs from "Les Mis" that destroy me when I hear them.

OK, getting serious...I'll go with "Sunrise, Sunset." OK, or "Tits and Ass" (from "A Chorus Line").

5. The most recent trend in Broadway musical revues is to construct a show around the oeuvre of a particular super-group or composer, where existing songs are woven together with some kind of through story. The most successful of these (“Jersey Boys” (The Four Seasons), “Mamma Mia” (ABBA), “Movin’ Out” (Billy Joel)) have made a mint, but many (“All Shook Up” (Elvis), “Hot Feet” (Earth, Wind and Fire)) have bombed. What great pop/rock singer/composer or super-group should be the next to be featured, and what might the story-line be for such a show?

Frankly, I have little or no interest in these shows. My mental pictures when hearing the songs have nothing to do with a "story" behind the scenes. Much as I love Billy Joel, I've resisted "Moving Out" (though I hear it's returning to us this fall...?).

But, how have they missed The Bee Gees? Or The Doors? Or Led Zeppelin (would it sink like a zeppelin?)...or Bob Seger...or (ohmygod) PRINCE?!

Not that I'd go see any of these....