1. Spring Awakening
2. Rent
3. Next to Normal
4. Les Miserables
5. Avenue Q
6. Aida
7. Billy Elliot
8. Guys and Dolls
9. Hair
10. Hairspray
How did you hear about 7?
It was playing on the West End when I was in the UK.
Would 4 make a good movie?
I think it could work, sure.
What's your favorite song from 10?
"Without Love."
Who's your favorite actor from the original cast (Broadway, London) of number 3?
J. Robert Spencer. Nicest guy ever.
How many times have you seen 9?
I actually haven't yet. I will soon.
Who's your favorite character from 2?
Mark Cohen.
What sort of merchandise do you have from 5?
I have a playbill and the cast recording.
Is 8 by your favorite composer/lyricist?
No.
Do you have a recording of every musical written by 1's composer?
No. I need Whisper House.
Could you recite all of the lyrics and dialogue from 6 by memory?
Nah, but I know a lot of the lyrics.
The first musical you ever saw live (or that you at least remember)?
Regionally, I've been seeing musicals for so long that I can't remember. As actual Broadway/tours, Les Miserables in Boston.
The first musical you saw on Broadway?
Mamma Mia! Please don't judge me. It was a school trip.
The first musical you saw off-Broadway?
Again, no clue. It's been so long.
The musical got you into musical theatre?
Les Miserables
Your favorite composer?
Jonathan Larsen.
Your favorite musical from your favorite composer?
RENT
The musical with your favorite choreography?
Billy Elliot.
Ever left a musical at intermission?
No, I believe in getting my money's worth.
Your all-time favorite song?
What You Own-RENT
Your all-time favorite lyric?
"You're fucked if you just freeze up. Can't do that thing, that keeping still. And you're fucked if you speak your mind, and you know, uh huh, you will." Spring Awakening.
Your all-time favorite line of dialogue?
"Thank you, Dr. Valium is my favorite color. How did you know?" (Next to Normal).
Another favorite: "FOOOOOOOOOKING 'ELL." (Billy Elliot). Don't ask why. Something about the British accent and the little boy's voice saying it just kills me.
Are you one of those people who leave in the middle of a curtain call?
No. Stay and give the performers the applause they deserve.
You're given a chance to go back in time. The only catch is that all you can do is see a musical - any time, any where, any cast. As long as it actually happened.
Opening night on Broadway for RENT, or Evita with Patti LuPone and Mandi Patinkin.
How do you feel about the more recent trend of turning popular movies into musicals? (Ex: Shrek, Legally Blonde, Lion King, etc)
I'm not really a fan, although I love Billy Elliot.
Your opinion on jukebox musicals?
They're fun, but I enjoy original music and theatre that's a little more thought provoking. I liked Mamma Mia!, but I would never shell out a ton of money for it.
Your favorite performance from this year's Tonys?
Hair, Billy Elliot during the opening, Guys and Dolls (haha just kidding...let's just call it "Tries and Fails"), Next to Normal (Aaron Tveit. Come on). It was a good year.
Also, I'm going to call Alice Ripley's acceptance speech a performance. Let me reiterate. “There’s a quote in the Kennedy Center by John Fitzgerald Kennedy, and it says, ‘I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we, too, will be remembered not for victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit.’ And he’s talking about ART. HE'S TALKING ABOUT ART!!!!!"
Have you ever seen these shows live?
All but Hair.
What's your favorite song from show 2?
What You Own.
Who's your favorite character from show 4?
I'm partial to Enjolras.
What's your favorite scene from show 5?
Either "Everyone's A Little Bit Racist" or "I Wish I Could Go Back to College." Or maybe "The Internet Is For Porn." It's hard. There's a lot of good ones.
What's your favorite lyric from show 8?
"You gamble on everything all except me."
From show 10, which character are you most like?
Tracy.
Can you quote every line from show 1?
Uh, pretty much. And by pretty much, I mean yes.
How many times have you seen show 3?
As of today, three. As of next Monday, five. As of next time Kayleigh comes, 6.
If you could be anyone from show 6, who would it be? Why?
I don't think I'd want to be anyone from that show. Their fates aren't so good. I mean, I'd love to be Aida because she gets to make out with Radames, who is always gorgeous, but they both die in the end, so that's not okay. So I guess I'll say Amneris, who survives and becomes a strong, powerful pharaoh, but she has to make the decision to execute her fiance. Not okay.
What's your favorite song from show 7?
Either Electricity or Solidarity. Electricity is a gorgeous, Elton John-esque song with some beautiful lyrics (it's like that there's music playing in your ear, and I'm listening, and I'm listening, and then I disappear, and I feel it move me...), but Solidarity is a lot of fun and has one of my favorite juxtapositions in pretty much all of theatre.
What's your favorite quote from show 9?
I have a bunch.
- In this dive we discover sensation.
- Down to the gutter, up to the glitter, into the city where the truth lies.
- Let the sunshine in.
Out of all these shows, which one is your absolute favorite?
Spring Awakening, although RENT and Next to Normal are trailing closely behind.
Who's the best Broadway actor?
Right now: Anthony Rapp, Aaron Tveit, J. Robert Spencer, Kiril Kulish, David Bologna, Trent Kowalik, Gregory Jbarra, Jonathan Groff.
Ever: Mandi Patinkin, Colm Wilkinson, etc.
Who's the best Broadway actress?
Right now: Haydn Gwynne, Alice Ripley, Sutton Foster, Karen Olivo, Marcia Gay Harden
Ever: Patti LuPone, Bernadette Peters, Angela Lansbury, Idina Menzael, Kristin Chenoweth.
What's the best musical they turned into a movie?
I think the movie version of Chicago worked really well. I also love Guys and Dolls, but you really can't beat Brando and Sinatra. That one is in like a whole other league.
Is there a musical you DON'T like?
Yes.
If so, which one? Why?
Cats. I'm sorry, but fancy costumes and dancing do not compensate for lack of plot, minimal character development, and a relatively shitty score. I'm also not a fan of My Fair Lady, but that's because I really hate Henry Higgins.
Do you think the movie versions are better, or the original Broadway shows?
As a rule, the shows. Chicago did great, but I think that's an exception. I think these stories were written to be performed on stage, not to be watched from your living room, and as such, a lot gets lost in the translation. Let's look at the RENT movie, for example. I love it, but only because I love RENT. The problem with watching a movie like that is that you can never replicate the energy felt in the theater during scenes like "Rent" and "La Vie Boheme." Another problem with translating stage shows to the screen is that Broadway shows are well over two hours long. Movies shouldn't be. And as a result of this, cuts have to be made, but in a lot of these shows, every song is relevant and important, and the film suffers as a result of this.
1 comment:
Hey Heather,
It's Emily. I got bored of not having a blog again, so I figured I'd try something (since pretty much everyone screwed Xanga and went to these guys).
Anywho, I'm probably going to be moving to CT soon so we'll have to plan some times to get together :-)
Hope all is well.
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