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slammerkinbabeFor hour eight, ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
givesmevoice asked that I write about musical theater. I have been gawping at this blank screen for -- well, for like two minutes probably, but my sixty-minute clock is ticking! -- and I don't even know where to begin. And if any of you comment to tell me I should start at the very beginning because it's a very good place to start, I will... I don't know. Tell you that I already made that joke, I guess.
Since I am currently 100% inspiration-free, what I am doing is... a meme! About Broadway!givesmevoice, I don't think you'll mind? But if you'd rather a non-meme post, let me know and I'll do it up later (free, natch). There are still slots open.
1. The first musical I ever saw on Broadway was: Into the Woods. The Vanessa Williams revival. I liked it, actually, aside from the part where the kid playing Jack was so off-key he wasn't even in the ballpark. I don't know if he was an understudy or what, but man. Incidentally, I think this may be the only Broadway show I haven't stage-doored.
2. The musical I would most like to see again is: Ohhh. I'm supposed to answer this? How am I supposed to answer this? I... okay, in a *very* close squeak, I'll say Grey Gardens. But only with Christine. Drowsy would come next, but only with Bleavel.
3. The musical I never want to see again is: Avenue Q. Know what, folks? I hated this goddamn show. Normally I'd mince words about this since everyone on my flist seems to love it, but I've been blogging for eight hours straight and I haven't slept since sometime long enough ago that I forget about it so screw it. I only like about half the songs, and Everyone's a Little Bit Racist was actually, in itself, appallingly racist as far as I'm concerned. Dude, sure everyone's a little bit racist, but maybe you could look at the possibility of trying to stop being that way, instead of validating that hey, it's totally cool, so go ahead and run with it! Also, puppet sex ain't my kink.
4. The best performance in a Broadway musical by a woman I’ve ever seen is: Christine Ebersole, Grey Gardens. This is not even a question, although I am sorry that Patti in Gypsy has to get bumped to runner-up, and Bleavel in Drowsy lands way down in third. And that Bebe Neuwirth (whom I only saw as Roxie, admittedly, and in what must have been an off night for her in Here Lies Jenny) doesn't even place in this race. Sorry, guys.
5. The best performance in a Broadway musical by a man I’ve ever seen is: Hrm hm. Danny Burstein as Aldolpho would be the obvious choice. But do you know who I loved? Bob Stillman as Gould in Grey Gardens. I thought he was amazing.
6. The person I wish they'd never cast was: I don't know who "they" is here, but I will tell you that when we saw Drowsy they had replaced Georgia Engel with JoAnne Worley and Edward Hibbert with some random old guy, and I haaaaaaated both of them.
7. The person they should have cast was: Can I just go with Georgia Engel and Edward Hibbert?
8. My favorite Broadway choreography was in the show: I guess I have to say Chicago. Curtains was actually pretty badass, but the oversexualized "Indian" dance ruined it for me.
9. The lyric/line that always brings a lump to my throat is: Oh wow. My first thoughts were "I miss the music/I miss my friend" from Curtains (oh my God so sad) and, like, a good half of "Another Winter in a Summer Town". (How does "Oh God, my God" pack that much of a punch?) Then I realized I could talk about shows I hadn't actually seen on stage (yet), though. And then I remembered that I cry like a fucking baby every single time I listen to "Breathe" from In the Heights. And although maybe no one else will get this, I always break completely at "Straighten the spine, smile at the neighbors/Everything's fine, everything's cool./The standard reply, "Lots of tests, lots of papers..." I just remember giving that "standard reply" SO many times when my life was falling apart at Harvard and I was afraid to tell anyone. That whole song is basically what my life was during my abortive sophomore year.
10. The stupidest lyric/line I’ve ever heard is: I always hated "I feel nothing in my hand/Not even the feel of steel/I have no choice/What I must do I weel" from Miss Saigon.
11. The first musical I had to go back and see twice was: Haha, like I have the money to go back and see something twice just because I want to! I've seen RENT and Chicago twice, but that's solely because I got cheap-ass tickets to at least one showing of each.
12. The first musical I ever walked out of was: Jesus Christ who can afford this?!?
13. The most under-praised musical in my opinion is: Of all time? I have no idea. If it's that under-praised I probably haven't heard of it.
14. The most overly-praised musical in my opinion is: Overpraised by whom, public or critics? I mean Phantom, Mamma Mia, etc. are pretty much flaming turd extravaganzas, but... I still hate Avenue Q.
15. The show tune I’m most likely to sing while I’m dancing around at home is: TBH, I don't really dance around, even at home. My body does not understand the "dance" command. But I'll wander around belting "Defying Gravity" at the top of my lungs, at least lately. And yes, okay, this is totally Chris Colfer's fault.
16. If I could recast any role in a current Broadway musical with a performer of the past it would be: I would give four of my molars to see Bebe Neuwirth and Ann Reinking in Chicago. Never you mind the fact that I have impacted wisdom teeth, that would still be amazing.
17. If I could recast a current actor in a Broadway musical that was before their time it would be: Christ, I'm running low on inspiration here. I'm also not parsing this sentence very well. Put Kristin Chenoweth in Sweet Charity or something, whatever.
18. The show they should never change a word of because it is already perfect is: You know, I'm not that fussed about changing most of the shows that I like.
19. The show I'd most like to get my hands on and rewrite is: tick...tick...BOOM! could do with some serious work, man.
20. The role I was born to play on Broadway is: Hahaha, this is hilarious.
This is the hour eight post of my blogathon for my aunt Tricia, who is dying of end-stage ovarian cancer and whose family is being hit with a whole lot of bills that they can't afford alone as a result. Donations can be made at the link given above. A number of topics are still unclaimed and can be bought for $5 or more.
givesmevoice asked that I write about musical theater. I have been gawping at this blank screen for -- well, for like two minutes probably, but my sixty-minute clock is ticking! -- and I don't even know where to begin. And if any of you comment to tell me I should start at the very beginning because it's a very good place to start, I will... I don't know. Tell you that I already made that joke, I guess. Since I am currently 100% inspiration-free, what I am doing is... a meme! About Broadway!
givesmevoice, I don't think you'll mind? But if you'd rather a non-meme post, let me know and I'll do it up later (free, natch). There are still slots open. 1. The first musical I ever saw on Broadway was: Into the Woods. The Vanessa Williams revival. I liked it, actually, aside from the part where the kid playing Jack was so off-key he wasn't even in the ballpark. I don't know if he was an understudy or what, but man. Incidentally, I think this may be the only Broadway show I haven't stage-doored.
2. The musical I would most like to see again is: Ohhh. I'm supposed to answer this? How am I supposed to answer this? I... okay, in a *very* close squeak, I'll say Grey Gardens. But only with Christine. Drowsy would come next, but only with Bleavel.
3. The musical I never want to see again is: Avenue Q. Know what, folks? I hated this goddamn show. Normally I'd mince words about this since everyone on my flist seems to love it, but I've been blogging for eight hours straight and I haven't slept since sometime long enough ago that I forget about it so screw it. I only like about half the songs, and Everyone's a Little Bit Racist was actually, in itself, appallingly racist as far as I'm concerned. Dude, sure everyone's a little bit racist, but maybe you could look at the possibility of trying to stop being that way, instead of validating that hey, it's totally cool, so go ahead and run with it! Also, puppet sex ain't my kink.
4. The best performance in a Broadway musical by a woman I’ve ever seen is: Christine Ebersole, Grey Gardens. This is not even a question, although I am sorry that Patti in Gypsy has to get bumped to runner-up, and Bleavel in Drowsy lands way down in third. And that Bebe Neuwirth (whom I only saw as Roxie, admittedly, and in what must have been an off night for her in Here Lies Jenny) doesn't even place in this race. Sorry, guys.
5. The best performance in a Broadway musical by a man I’ve ever seen is: Hrm hm. Danny Burstein as Aldolpho would be the obvious choice. But do you know who I loved? Bob Stillman as Gould in Grey Gardens. I thought he was amazing.
6. The person I wish they'd never cast was: I don't know who "they" is here, but I will tell you that when we saw Drowsy they had replaced Georgia Engel with JoAnne Worley and Edward Hibbert with some random old guy, and I haaaaaaated both of them.
7. The person they should have cast was: Can I just go with Georgia Engel and Edward Hibbert?
8. My favorite Broadway choreography was in the show: I guess I have to say Chicago. Curtains was actually pretty badass, but the oversexualized "Indian" dance ruined it for me.
9. The lyric/line that always brings a lump to my throat is: Oh wow. My first thoughts were "I miss the music/I miss my friend" from Curtains (oh my God so sad) and, like, a good half of "Another Winter in a Summer Town". (How does "Oh God, my God" pack that much of a punch?) Then I realized I could talk about shows I hadn't actually seen on stage (yet), though. And then I remembered that I cry like a fucking baby every single time I listen to "Breathe" from In the Heights. And although maybe no one else will get this, I always break completely at "Straighten the spine, smile at the neighbors/Everything's fine, everything's cool./The standard reply, "Lots of tests, lots of papers..." I just remember giving that "standard reply" SO many times when my life was falling apart at Harvard and I was afraid to tell anyone. That whole song is basically what my life was during my abortive sophomore year.
10. The stupidest lyric/line I’ve ever heard is: I always hated "I feel nothing in my hand/Not even the feel of steel/I have no choice/What I must do I weel" from Miss Saigon.
11. The first musical I had to go back and see twice was: Haha, like I have the money to go back and see something twice just because I want to! I've seen RENT and Chicago twice, but that's solely because I got cheap-ass tickets to at least one showing of each.
12. The first musical I ever walked out of was: Jesus Christ who can afford this?!?
13. The most under-praised musical in my opinion is: Of all time? I have no idea. If it's that under-praised I probably haven't heard of it.
14. The most overly-praised musical in my opinion is: Overpraised by whom, public or critics? I mean Phantom, Mamma Mia, etc. are pretty much flaming turd extravaganzas, but... I still hate Avenue Q.
15. The show tune I’m most likely to sing while I’m dancing around at home is: TBH, I don't really dance around, even at home. My body does not understand the "dance" command. But I'll wander around belting "Defying Gravity" at the top of my lungs, at least lately. And yes, okay, this is totally Chris Colfer's fault.
16. If I could recast any role in a current Broadway musical with a performer of the past it would be: I would give four of my molars to see Bebe Neuwirth and Ann Reinking in Chicago. Never you mind the fact that I have impacted wisdom teeth, that would still be amazing.
17. If I could recast a current actor in a Broadway musical that was before their time it would be: Christ, I'm running low on inspiration here. I'm also not parsing this sentence very well. Put Kristin Chenoweth in Sweet Charity or something, whatever.
18. The show they should never change a word of because it is already perfect is: You know, I'm not that fussed about changing most of the shows that I like.
19. The show I'd most like to get my hands on and rewrite is: tick...tick...BOOM! could do with some serious work, man.
20. The role I was born to play on Broadway is: Hahaha, this is hilarious.
This is the hour eight post of my blogathon for my aunt Tricia, who is dying of end-stage ovarian cancer and whose family is being hit with a whole lot of bills that they can't afford alone as a result. Donations can be made at the link given above. A number of topics are still unclaimed and can be bought for $5 or more.
