Do you like Musicals?

[theparsonski]

My school is putting on Les Miserables, and my parents are encouraging me to audition for it. They did Guys and Dolls last year, and despite never having been into musicals I went along and watched it, and to my surprise enjoyed it immensely. It looked like a lot of fun. Now, I like acting a lot, but I've always hated singing, not because I have a terrible voice, because I don't think I do - it's just never been something I've been inclined to.
What do you lot think? I've watched the DVD of the 25th Anniversary concert of Les Mis, and I like the music and characters quite a bit. Should I go for it?
On a wider subject, in order to keep the thread alive beyond 'Yes, go for it' and 'No, don't!' answers, what is your opinion on musicals in general?

 

[theparsonski]

Nope

I just don't like the medium. I think the idea of telling a story through song and dance is a bit silly. I know that is closed minded but it's hard to be immersed when a child dies and they break out into song and dance.

3333 Posts, COMBO!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am honoured that my thread is the one to play host to this momentous event in your forum career.

 

[bobmus]

Yes. I'm a guy and an unashamed fan - Les Mis is the best of the bunch, with West Side Story falling a close second.
Though if you're an under-confident singer at school, be prepared for a chorus/minor part...

 

[theparsonski]

Yes. I'm a guy and an unashamed fan - Les Mis is the best of the bunch, with West Side Story falling a close second.
Though if you're an under-confident singer at school, be prepared for a chorus/minor part...

I think the main problem for me is that I've always told my parents that I hate singing and I'm not very good, so whether there is actually any truth in that fact has been buried by the fact that I don't want to admit that I was lying about it to my parents. If I go for it then I'm just going to think 'fuck it' and sing my heart out. I'd quite like the part of Enjolras, mainly because he gets the best song, imo.

 

[ChupathingyX]

Not really, but I loved The Blues Brothers.

 

[bobmus]

Yes. I'm a guy and an unashamed fan - Les Mis is the best of the bunch, with West Side Story falling a close second.
Though if you're an under-confident singer at school, be prepared for a chorus/minor part...

I think the main problem for me is that I've always told my parents that I hate singing and I'm not very good, so whether there is actually any truth in that fact has been buried by the fact that I don't want to admit that I was lying about it to my parents. If I go for it then I'm just going to think 'fuck it' and sing my heart out. I'd quite like the part of Enjolras, mainly because he gets the best song, imo.

Yup that's a damn fine part!
Would your parents be offended that you'd decided to give singing a go?! I doubt they would see it as you having been lying to them, just as you trying out something you'd been closed-minded to previously.

 

[Queen Michael]

(sung to the tune of "I am the very model of a modern major-general")
I love to sit down on the couch with friends and watch a musical!
There are so many good ones I don't know which one to choose-ical!
They're great both when you're sober and when you have had some booze-ical!
No matter what it's always great, this thing we call a musical!

As long as all the songs are good I don't care what the plot is like,
so musicals with stupid plots I certainly do not dislike.
So even though the plot is lame I gladly would pay cash to go
and see a midnight showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show!

 

[theparsonski]

(sung to the tune of "I am the very model of a modern major-general")
I love to sit down on the couch with friends and watch a musical!
There are so many good ones I don't know which one to choose-ical!
They're great both when you're sober and when you have had some booze-ical!
No matter what it's always great, this thing we call a musical!

As long as all the songs are good I don't care what the plot is like,
so musicals with stupid plots I certainly do not dislike.
So even though the plot is lame I gladly would pay cash to go
and see a midnight showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show!

Did you make that up yourself? It's very good.

 

[Queen Michael]

(sung to the tune of "I am the very model of a modern major-general")
I love to sit down on the couch with friends and watch a musical!
There are so many good ones I don't know which one to choose-ical!
They're great both when you're sober and when you have had some booze-ical!
No matter what it's always great, this thing we call a musical!

As long as all the songs are good I don't care what the plot is like,
so musicals with stupid plots I certainly do not dislike.
So even though the plot is lame I gladly would pay cash to go
and see a midnight showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show!

Did you make that up yourself? It's very good.

Thanks! Yeah, it's the first thing I wrote in verse that didn't suck comepletely, haha.

 

[bobmus]

(sung to the tune of "I am the very model of a modern major-general")
I love to sit down on the couch with friends and watch a musical!
There are so many good ones I don't know which one to choose-ical!
They're great both when you're sober and when you have had some booze-ical!
No matter what it's always great, this thing we call a musical!

As long as all the songs are good I don't care what the plot is like,
so musicals with stupid plots I certainly do not dislike.
So even though the plot is lame I gladly would pay cash to go
and see a midnight showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show!

Did you make that up yourself? It's very good.

Thanks! Yeah, it's the first thing I wrote in verse that didn't suck comepletely, haha.

A fellow Michael, and one who both likes musicals and writes in verse?
I think we can be friends.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Hell no, if there is one thing on this world that makes my teeth grind more then QTEs it's musicals, as silliness goes they don't just turn it up to 11 they go a full 21.

 

[theparsonski]

Hell no, if there is one thing on this world that makes my teeth grind more then QTEs it's musicals, as silliness goes they don't just turn it up to 11 they go a full 21.

Have you seen Les Miserables? It's actually a very good story, it just happens to be told entirely through song. But yes, I agree with that statement regarding a lot of musicals.

 

[Aris Khandr]

I love musicals, both in theaters and on stage.

In reference to your specific question, yeah, you should audition. Life is about experiences, you don't want to miss that one and regret it.

 

[Buzz Killington_v1legacy]

I'm very particular about the musicals I like. I can't stand Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Rent makes me break out in boils, but I love Stephen Sondheim. (I'm going to see Sweeney Todd in the West End next week, actually.) I also really enjoy Gilbert and Sullivan, althought their stuff is more properly operetta.

As for your other question: Hell yes, audition. Life is short, and you're always going to regret the things you didn't do way more than the ones you did[footnote]Wisdom not valid in cases of jumping off cliffs, setting yourself on fire, poking a badger with a spoon, etc.[/footnote].

 

[Chemical Alia]

Musicals are kind of hit or miss for me, but there's plenty that I like. I used to live about an hour from NYC and would take the bus up with my mom from time to time and get discount Broadway tickets in Time's Square every so often, so I've seen some good and some bad ones.

The Music Man is my favorite.

 

[bobmus]

Hell no, if there is one thing on this world that makes my teeth grind more then QTEs it's musicals, as silliness goes they don't just turn it up to 11 they go a full 21.

Have you seen Les Miserables? It's actually a very good story, it just happens to be told entirely through song. But yes, I agree with that statement regarding a lot of musicals.

To be fair, there is a book version. The musical is based off an old French novel by Victor Hugo, but that's pretty inaccessible, being 1400+ pages long!!

 

[SckizoBoy]

My school is putting on Les Miserables, and my parents are encouraging me to audition for it. They did Guys and Dolls last year, and despite never having been into musicals I went along and watched it, and to my surprise enjoyed it immensely. It looked like a lot of fun. Now, I like acting a lot, but I've always hated singing, not because I have a terrible voice, because I don't think I do - it's just never been something I've been inclined to.

Wow... Les Mis, that's a bit of an undertaking (i.e. editing the original musical to an accessible length and still making the story coherent). Still, props to the director of music for that one.

What do you lot think? I've watched the DVD of the 25th Anniversary concert of Les Mis, and I like the music and characters quite a bit. Should I go for it?

Oh, hell yeah! There are some numbers from Les Mis that I'm more than willing to belt out given the opportunity. And there's enough of a range to it that some of the songs even cater to my voice.

On a wider subject, in order to keep the thread alive beyond 'Yes, go for it' and 'No, don't!' answers, what is your opinion on musicals in general?

Ehm, have a guess. Though I'm more 'old school' insomuch that I don't like Andrew Lloyd Webber (or rather William Lloyd Webber... but that's a whole other kettle of fish) that much, and I sooooooooo prefer Rodgers & Hammerstein and Cole Porter.

And Avenue Q.

As for performing, I used to enjoy it when I was more assured about my singing voice. Having perfect pitch and terrible pitch aim is one of the worst combinations to have when you want to sing. Anyway, I had a classically trained voice, as opposed to a musical theatre one, which suits oratorios more (and anyone who suggests opera gets punched).

 

[Chalacachaca]

I haven't seen many musicals, but I participated in one a year ago, I wasn't that thrilled about the experience, and I think the music could've been better (if I have to hear that damn 1960's Archie song again...)