A musical or play you disliked the first time, but now like/love?

[egghumor]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 7:38pm

The musical I had the biggest change-of-heart about has been THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD

As far as plays, several come to mind, but I'll name M. BUTTERFLY

[Nettik]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 8:10pm

Musicals: Godspell, Gypsy, Nine

Plays: Angels in America

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 8:17pm

Some shows I had previously not been particularly impressed with have grown in my estimation because of great revivals and or concert productions: Company (the Philharmonic production is what finally won me over), A Little Night Music, Chicago, and Cabaret.

I detested The Real Thing when I saw the original Broadway production, but Leveaux, and the wonderful acting of Dillane and Ehle in the superb revival made me change my mind. Big time!

[beccaface]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 11:18pm

I hated Oklahoma until Hugh Jackman came along.

This is probably true for a lot of people, but I hated Shakespeare until I was old enough to understand it.

[egghumor]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 11:27pm

henrik, I was monumentally disappointed by the original Broadway production of THE REAL THING. I was taken to see it for my birthday by a dear freind who had seen previously in London. She thought the Broadway mounting was superior, but the magic was lost on me. Unfortuantely, I did not see David Leveaux's lauded production.

nettik, did you first see ANGELS on Broadway, OB, or a regional or local production? I first saw the play at Charlotte Rep and it was a phenominal production.

[BroadwayFan12]

Posted: 11/18/11 at 11:42pm

Sweeney Todd.

[Copperfield2]

Posted: 11/19/11 at 2:00am

Sweeney Todd. I still don't love the tale but I do enjoy the score.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 11/19/11 at 10:19am

Glad to know I wasn't the only one Egghumor. "Detested" may have been going too far but I found the play shallow and the characters very unlikeable, the former probably being a function of the later. Irons, Close and Baranski are certainly great actors but they did nothing for me in this one. The only saving moment was the very young Cynthia Nixon, a ray of light in her one very brief scene. The revival, however, was a revelation.

[AwesomeDanny]

Posted: 11/19/11 at 12:02pm

Evita--I first saw the movie, which was a complete bore. I'm so glad I gave it another chance.

Pacific Overtures--this was an acquired taste for me. I still don't love it, but I appreciate it more.

Sunday in the Park with George--I was too young to understand it when I first watched it, but now, I'm absolutely in love with it.



There are a lot of shows that have gone in the other direction with more familiarity.

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 11/19/11 at 12:13pm

Les Miz, because I was a kid and thought it was way too depressing for a musical.

[xxdrewboy85xx]

Posted: 11/19/11 at 12:58pm

I used to despise Carousel. Love it now, and would kill to direct a production of it.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 11/19/11 at 1:44pm

I was taking vicodin for a bad back and, for the umpteenth time, had to take a relative to see PHANTOM in L.A. Suddenly it was an entirely new show and I wept like I've rarely wept in the theater: I'd never realized that the tragic triangle at the heart of the show was like something from Sophocles or Shakespeare.

***

henrik, I'd seen countless productions of COMPANY (including the original on Broadway (with Larry Kert) and the first national tour) and I never thought it worked until the Philharmonic production. It helped that the birthday parties were minimized, but more importantly, Neil Patrick Harris may be the first Robert I ever saw who was sufficiently likable to have that many close friends.

But I never actively disliked the show, I just thought it didn't quite work; so it doesn't count for me here.

[Nettik]

Posted: 11/19/11 at 6:17pm

I saw a recorded production of ANGELS... while I was reading the play for a class. It wasn't the miniseries (which I did enjoy), it was a most likely illegal recording of a regional show. I think that the content just hit me wrong at the time, as I went back and re-read it after the class and really enjoyed it. The miniseries later cemented my enjoyment of the show.
Updated On: 11/19/11 at 06:17 PM

[canmark]

Posted: 11/19/11 at 6:50pm

The first time I read The Glass Menagerie (as a student) I thought it wasn't all that. It didn't hold a candle to A Streetcar Named Desire (or so I thought).

But as I got older and re-read it, and saw two different productions of it, I came to see that it's a magnificent play. I love it, and re-read it every few years.


I didn't like reading Chekov (The Cherry Orchard) in school, either, but haven't gone back to him. Perhaps some day I'll come to appreciate him as others do.

Updated On: 11/19/11 at 06:50 PM

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 11/19/11 at 7:58pm

I know what you mean, canmark. Sometimes it doesn't help that we are told we MUST love the classics. (I, too, struggle with CHERRY ORCHARD and prefer several other Chekhov plays.)

[charlesjguiteau]

Posted: 11/19/11 at 9:42pm

@ Henrik and Egghumor, Sorry to read of your disappointment with the '84 Real Thing-- I hold that production up as one of my favorite play-going experiences (though the revival was impressive as well.)

I'm putting WICKED in for the show I first detested (with the OBC) and found very moving (for Act One anyway) with the sitdown LA company that opened at the Pantages 3 or 4 years ago.

Special mention goes to CABARET. The '87 Prince revival with Joel Grey seemed so lifeless I thought the show just couldn't work. Needless to say the Mendes/ Marshall revision at Studio 54 blew the pants off that theory.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 11/19/11 at 10:10pm

A Little Night Music. We watched the Live From Lincoln Center production in a class, and I didn't appreciate it as much as I could have. But, I saw the revival with Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch, and now have the OBCR and like it now.

[PopAria]

Posted: 11/19/11 at 10:14pm

american idiot

[brochatkid]

Posted: 11/20/11 at 3:32pm

Rent. I saw it before I was familiar with the soundtrack. Once I had heard it a few times, I went back to see the show and LOVED it!

[Mark_E]

Posted: 11/20/11 at 5:30pm

Hair.
Really wasn't sure about it when I saw it in NYC. Ended up loving it the next two times in London.

[TotallyJeannius]

Posted: 11/20/11 at 11:39pm

Les Mis and South Pacific
But then again, the first time I saw these shows they were being performed by my high school's drama club so that might explain the initial dislike. They did a great job with Noises Off though, and I've liked that play ever since.

[philly03]

Posted: 11/20/11 at 11:49pm

Ragtime; actually the revival changed my entire stance on it.

[singtopher]

Posted: 11/21/11 at 12:00am

Once on this Island.

I saw a high school production of it the first time (which may explain it) but I remember thinking it was the oddest musical ever.

Then I had the chance to do it in college and now It's one of my favorites.

[ggersten]

Posted: 11/21/11 at 8:12am

Ok, Cats. First time, I was bored out of my mind (saw tour in SF from way up in the balcony in the barn of the Golden Gate Theatre). Watched the film version on PBS - bored. But daughter loved it and so took her to the Winter Garden theatre to see it before it closed. And, in that theatre, I loved it.
But, then saw a touring production last spring - back to bored.

Les Miz - first time - bored in SF for the sit down there. But it was the 10th Anniversary concert that sold me on the show and ever since.

[morosco]

Posted: 11/21/11 at 9:54am

SIDE SHOW. When I first heard the score I detested it. But after a few more listens I came to adore it. Such an underrated score. And after seeing the show and being deeply moved by it I loved it even more.