Unpopular Opinions You Hold- Page 14

[siny]

Posted: 7/19/09 at 10:15pm

"I. hate. Hairspray. passionately."

Me too ! I consider it the worst Broadway show I've ever seen. For me, it had no redeeming qualities whatsoever except for Harvey Fierstein's performance.

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 7/19/09 at 10:18pm

Spring Awakening's choreography is beautiful.

[moowithme85]

Posted: 7/19/09 at 11:09pm

"I think that Broadway actors are ten times more talented than Hollywood actors are. It pisses me off how the Bway actors never get any credit outside of the Broadway community."

I 100% agree!

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 12:34am

Spring Awakening's choreography is beautiful.

Hello, AndAllThatJazz22. Where have you been all my life?

[CSonBroadway]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 12:49am

I think Spring's choreography is beautiful and haunting, also.

[Rudy2]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 12:52am

Moowithme85, I know it's not your original comment, but isn't that a popular opinion? I know I hold it. Broadway actors all the way!

Estelle Parsons: "I wasn't interested in film."

Marian Seldes: "...I want to be part of a group of actors putting on a play...I'm a theatre creature."

:)

Here's an actual unpopular opinion...

I find Jane Krakowski endlessly irritating. I cannot stand the woman.

Here is another (at least for my age bracket)...

"Rent" is highly overrated and reminds why I have not crossed the line to being a full-fledged liberal. I will never understand why the show resonates so strongly with people, mostly because I never saw a cast of characters that seemed so far removed from my own experience. Also, I think if you have an apartment you ought to pay your rent. That said, "Seasons of Love," "Out Tonight," "No Day But Today," "One Song Glory" and "What You Own" are fantastic songs. I think the show's biggest asset, what really made it such a hit, is that Larson's songs sound like rock songs, not showtunes, but they have the sincerity and earnestness of showtunes.

Also, "Spring Awakening" is devoid of good songs and has no redeeming message. Aside from the OBC having excellent talent and doing a great job with the material they had, I found the show a major cliched-rittled letdown. Off that topic, I think the last thing this generation needs is a show advocating more sexual freedom.

[Gobstopper]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 1:17am

^The message of Spring Awakening is not so much that of advocating "sexual freedom." If anything, it gives pause to many young viewers because of the repurcussions of Melchior and Wendla's sexual experience (because dying from a botched abortion is not exactly a sexy good time).

The message of Spring Awakenning is moreso a rallying call to parents to EDUCATE their pubescent children about sexuality and the changes of their bodies. It is piece about how parents who fail to be honest with their children only serve to create a culture of ignorance and fear.

More than anything, it is a story about analyzing and questioning the "values" that society has force-fed you for your entire life. It is about understanding and accepting who you are, not just sexually, but spiritually and emotionally.


/end tangent

[Rudy2]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 1:51am

^ I understand this, but I suppose I was less than impressed with the way the message was delivered, and, as I indirectly put forth, I at the very least feel half-hearted that we need this message at all.

I guess overall my biggest complaint remains that it felt like a chore to watch. I also stronngly felt that the gay scene was tacked on for political correctness. In fact, that's what the show basically felt like to me - an extended politically correct PSA with song.

But, of course, this is the unpopular opinions thread. :) Also, I still remember being strongly impressed by the guy who played the original Moritz (I believe that was the character who committed suicide), very much so.

Updated On: 7/20/09 at 01:51 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 7:19am

The "gay scene" was part of the original work which is over a hundred years old. (So it wasn't tacked on.) In fact, in the original, the vineyard scene is suppose to have taken place after they been intimate instead of just kissed. (One of the many reasons it was banned for so long.)

The original Moritz (John Gallagher, Jr) and his first replacement (Blake Bashoff) were both incredible in the role. Gallagher won a Tony award for it.


As for your thoughts on Rent -- I concur. I didn't get why anyone would want to be friends with any of those people. Sure there are people like that in the world...but why are we romanticizing them? The musical couldn't get me to care about any of them. I didn't get why we were celebrating: drug use, sloth, casual sex and lacking being a valuable member of society.

(R2, sorry, though you didn't like SA -- I was quite moved by it. To each his own!)

[moowithme85]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 8:23am

Rudy2 - Hmm, it might be popular among theatre fans I guess. Most of the people I make go see musicals with me are more interested in seeing "famous" people or big names.

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 8:24am

"I think the last thing this generation needs is a show advocating more sexual freedom."


You need to go out and rent 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show'.

[Rudy2]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 12:09pm

DramaMama, I did not realize that the source for SA was 100 years old. I still felt that the scene was one-dimensional, though. I suppose that, for me, the more correct feeling given the age of the source material would be rushed, not tacked on. :)

[Leia947]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 12:18pm

"You need to go out and rent 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show'."

Funny thing about TRHPS? I hated the movie. Even though Tim Curry is in it. He's all sorts of awesome. But my friend made me watch the movie before we saw the revival in 2001(?) and I hated the movie. HATED IT. So much that I almost begged off going to see the show.
But the live show? SOOO much better than ever imagined. I think the audience participation and live actors responding makes the show so much better than the movie/audience participation.

Thankfully, there's a theater about an hour away from me that does a live adaptation of the movie every Halloween and it's so much fun.

Updated On: 7/20/09 at 12:18 PM

[Larcen26]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 12:46pm

I think Benny's plan for the studio spaces is a really good one.

I think that if Spring Awakening wants to keep it's plot in the 1800's (or somewhere around there) then they shouldn't mention things like "Turning a Stereo On"

[fgreene1938]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 12:48pm

Let's see, 10 unpopular opinions, hmmm....

1.) "Hair" is a dreadful musical.
2.) "The Producers" was junk.
3.) Patti Lupone is a lousy actress and an annoying singer.
4.) "Caroline, or Change" is the best musical of the last 25 years.
5.) "The Light in the Piazza" was exceptional.
6.) "Follies" at Encores is one of the best revivals ever, anywhere.
7.) Phyllicia Rashad gave the performance of a lifetime in...."Gem of the Ocean".
8.) The "West Side Story" revival is terrific.
9.) Jose Llana and Telly Leung are two of the best male singers in today's theater.
10.) The plays of Tennessee Williams are uniformly overrated.

Bonus opinion: ketchup is better than hotsauce.

[taylorPHENOMENON2]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 12:53pm

Leia what?! I LOVELOVELOVE The Rocky Horror Picture Show but not crazy about the stage version. (Granted I didn't see the 01 revival, but every other version isn't as good simply because it's not as bad!!!!)

[zoraksferal]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 12:54pm

I cannot even stand the concept of Hair. A musical about hippies just doesn't do it for me. Interaction with the audience, though fun, I feel is pretty tacky for a Broadway show. Simulated sex and drug use... really? I just cannot fathom why it is so popular. To each his own I guess.

[claudioislove]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 1:14pm

(Negative opinions of Hair make me sad.)

I love Adam Pascal. and Aida.
I loathe the song "I Got Rhythm". But that might just be because I hate "Crazy for You".
I think Caissie Levy is incredibly talented and underrated.

Updated On: 7/20/09 at 01:14 PM

[Leia947]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 1:19pm

taylor, I appreciate it much more now! I still don't love it, but I will watch it whenever it's on and I bought the DVD I shall amend my previous post to "hated" because I no longer hate it. I think I needed to see the live version to actually appreciate the movie since it was a stage show first and foremost.

[Rudy2]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 1:32pm

fgreene, I have not read them all, but your #10 really hurts me. That's all I'll say.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 1:35pm

Rudy2, I agree about #10. Ouch. Tennessee is my homeboy.
Updated On: 7/20/09 at 01:35 PM

[Rudy2]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 1:39pm

:)

While I'm at it, I would LOVE a revival of "The Night of the Iguana." Is that another unpopular opinion? :)

[Leia947]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 1:41pm

I LOVE "Night of the Iguana". Would love to see that come back.

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 1:45pm

I love the score to shrek and think it serves the purpose of the show well. Is it a masterpiece to be remembered for the ages? No. But is it enjoyable and have a couple really good tunes? Yes.

Passing Strange was a lyrical masterpiece and even still ahead of its time.

The Sweet Smell of Success is a very good show with only a couple problems here or there. It has two wonderfully written characters for male actors.

[malletgirl02]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 2:32pm

Glee doesn't look that great, in fact it looks cheesy.