BROADWAY SECRETS: Wherein we confess our controversial opinions- Page 19

[Showface]

Posted: 5/1/15 at 6:44pm

"""- FOLLIES sucks

-Sweeney Todd isnt really good."

Actually, that IS the popular opinion--- among the actual theatregoing public, that is.

It's only that small coterie of entrenched elitist snobs-- the ones, unfortunately, who get to set the media agenda --- who believe otherwise.

"
 You're well informed apparently, but when was this extensive poll of "actual theatregoing public" taken?"

 

I've asked for data sets to prove his point.

I never received them.

I'm still waiting

[DigificWriter]

Posted: 8/2/15 at 8:35pm

Some of my 'unpopular' opinions:

* Jekyll & Hyde has one of the best scores and stories of any show I've ever seen

* Good 'N Evil is a far better song than Bring on the Men and is a much better fit for the story of J&H

* Gerard Butler and Russell Crowe were perfectly cast as The Phantom and Javert, respectively, and their voices fit the characters more perfectly than any other actors I've heard sing the roles

* Even though I love both Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, even they couldn't save the score of Wicked, which, on the whole, I find to be boring, bland, and unimpressive

* Rosario Dawson is a much better Mimi Marquez than Daphne Rubin-Vega, the actress who originated the role on Broadway, and has far more chemistry with Adam Pascal

* I really enjoyed the original arrangement of Love Never Dies and firmly believe that it flows much more seamlessly into the original story of Phantom than the show as rewritten does; it also has the better score overall

* Carrie Underwood and Alison Williams killed it as Maria and Peter, respectively, in NCB's LIVE! presentations of The Sound of Music and Peter Pan

* Christopher Walken's take on Captain Hook in Peter Pan LIVE! was hilariously brilliant

[skies]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 1:01pm

I didn't  find "The Book of Mormon" all that subversive or offensive.  It's like any other traditional musical comedy show.

[mattporter17]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 1:43pm

I cannot stand Something Rotten and think it is a lousy, degrading version of  Spamalot, or The Producers. Their Tony performance was so lame. I mean seriously, that was the number that supposedly gets standing ovations every night??  NO Thanks.  Borle is the only thing award worthy in that show and it and he  got what they deserved. 1 Tony, and 1 Drama Desk (all for Borle).

Updated On: 8/3/15 at 01:43 PM

[lunch]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 2:11pm

1. Rent is the most over-rated Broadway production of the past 30 years.

2. I hated, hated, hated, hated Hand to God.  I don't understand the appeal beyond the one-note humor of sex with puppets.  That people liked it and that they laughed at some of the darkest moments, makes me question all of humanity.

3. That Broadway is still so dominated by a gay, white, male sensibility in 2015 is a sad commentary on how, for all its claims to the contrary, Broadway still lacks diversity.

4. The Book of Mormon was not very good and I hated the stereotypical portrayal of Africans and the humor that seemed aimed at 14-year-old boys.  The last line (a recurring line throughout the show) is the best example of that.

5. Christian Borle is the most talented male actor in Broadway musicals today. 

6. I hate Lea Michelle. She's a good singer but a mediocre actress. And I'm not saying this because I am jealous of her. Please.

7. I hate it when kid actors have Twitter feeds that are written in the first person but that are obviously completely composed and posted by their mother. I'm looking at you Sydney Lucas.

8. All the we're-so-special Broadway benefits are more self-serving than helpful. I'm talking about Broadway Barks, Broadway Sleep Out, Broadway Gives Back, etc. etc.

9. People should stop giving standing ovations at every performance of every show.

10. Broadway  should prohibit people consuming food and drink in the seats.

11. People who show up at the theater dressed like they are heading out to wash the car look terrible.  I'll defend their right to wear tank tops, cargo shorts and flip flops, but they look like crap.

 12. I loved, loved, loved Fun Home, but Ring of Keys was my least favorite part.

Updated On: 8/3/15 at 02:11 PM

[littlemouse921]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 5:10pm

-Christian Borle just bothers me. I don't know what it is but I just can't stand him.

-Mary Poppins is a really good show despite is being called childish and flawed.

- Kinky Boots and Jersey Boys on the other hand are extremely over rated and have nearly reached the end of their shelf life.

- Next to Normal was good, but Billy Elliot was a much better show and deserved to win what it won and maybe even some of N2N's.

[sean-cougar]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 7:01pm

-Idina's voice is very annoying, although I still enjoy her performances

-Sutton did okay in Anything Goes, but I think a few other actresses would've absolutely killed that part.

-Ramin Karimloo is the best Phantom ever, but his voice doesn't suit many other shows and Sarah Brightman is just awkward.

-The concept album of Jesus Christ Superstar will always be better than any movie or live performance.  If they want to get close then they can't cast traditional Broadway actors as Jesus and Judas, they need to be actual rock singers.

-I absolutely hate Joseph.

-A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is my favorite Sondheim show and I do not like Into the Woods.

-The best Jean Valjean/Javert duo is Hugh Panaro and Norm Lewis.  Unfortunately they never performed together on Broadway, just at the Muny in St. Louis.  Russel Crowe wasn't the worst performance in the movie, that would go to Eddie Redmayne who sounded like Kermit.

-I think people are hating on Book of Mormon because it brings in people who wouldn't normally see shows and they don't understand that it's written by the creators of South Park, which is wayyy more offensive than Book of Mormon.

-STOP MAKING EVERY MALE LEAD A TENOR

-Finally, I like Hedwig, but I don't think it's a good enough show to be getting all of the attention that it has recently.

[MVintheheartland]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 7:04pm

I think "Hamilton" is too long. Act 2 needs some serious editing. Awesome show, but could use a trim. 

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 7:14pm

I LOVE LEA MICHELE...and I don't care if YOU don't!

Updated On: 8/3/15 at 07:14 PM

[ChildofEarth]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 7:27pm

I have a lot:

1. Kristen Chenoweth's voice gives me a headache - speaking and singing

 

2. The Chicago movie is better than the Broadway show.

 

3. I don't understand all of the fuss about Something Rotten - it was cute but not worthy of praise.

 

4. Bernadette > Barbara

 

5. LMM is the weakest link in Hamilton acting & singing wise.

 

6. Darren Criss was a fantastic Hedwig and I'm excited about what he will bring to Broadway in the future.

 

7. On the Town wasn't anything special.

 

8. Disney musicals annoy the crap out of me.

 

9. Funny Girl is one of the most boring musicals of all time. So is Hello Dolly.

 

10. Musicals that are primarily children singing (Annie, Matilda) are annoying.

 

11. I preferred Tracie Thoms to the original Joanne in Rent.

 

12. I absolutely hate that Idina Menzel has become a household name.

13. Lea Michele is nothing special. I'd prefer she stay in Hollywood.

Updated On: 8/3/15 at 07:27 PM

[bwayfan42]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 7:42pm

-I don't understand the Kelli O'Hara hype. I don't think she's really that great, and her accents are terrible. I can't even listen to her on The King And I soundtrack.

-Kristin was robbed of her Tony. We all know that if Kelli had won on any of her previous nominations then Kristin would have gotten it.

-The Visit absolutely deserved to run longer than it did.

-Idina Menzel is highly overrated, and her unprofessionalism during If/Then performances really got on my nerves. 

-Hand To God is an amazing play, and I enjoyed it way more than Curious Incident.

 

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 8:57pm

I don't know why Caroline, or Change isn't considered the greatest musical of the last 15 years (including Fun Home and Grey Gardens)

Bernadette Peters was beautiful in Follies... even though the creative team ××××ed up that whole production.

Ah, Paris is the worst Sondheim song ever written and I'm amazed that no one has cut it.

I don't understand why A Little Night Music gets so much hype.  It's good, but it's not THAT good.

The Visit was gorgeous and it should've run for years.

Book of Mormon is good and it's a fun show, but its not a masterpiece.

[skies]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 10:18pm

I preferred Matt Morrison to Jeremy Jordan in Finding Neverland.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 10:45pm

I think finding neverland is probably one of the best shows in 5 years.

 

I love PIPPIN

 

Matilda>kinky boots

 

Wicked is a great musical, but I agree all the male parts songs are absolutely dreadful.

 

I thought the lyric operas carousel was one of the best productions I've ever seen.

 

[Fantod]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 10:51pm

I'm amazed how someone could find Hello, Dolly! boring. 

 

[Margo319]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 11:01pm

I love when people post their opinions, only to be judged in the one thread that should NOT be happening (Lea Michele).  Shut up.

I loved the sh*t out of High Fidelity and think Elena Roger sounded like a shrill, army general in Evita.  I was horrified I brought my guests from South Korea to see that show. Jesus Christ.  

I loved Memphis and Adam Pascal killed the show with his refusal to do the accent or participate in barely any way. 

Updated On: 8/3/15 at 11:01 PM

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 11:15pm

I'm sure I have posted on this thread before, but I have a few new unpopular opinions to add...

-The On the Twentieth Century revival (including Chenoweth) did not do much for me. I was underwhelmed.

-I think that Hand to God was by far the best play from last season, and I enjoyed it much more than Curious Incident.

-I thoroughly enjoyed Finding Neverland from beginning to end, and I thought Matthew Morrison was great.

-I absolutely LOVED the design elements for the most recent On the Town revival. I thought it was like looking at New York City through a candy colored lensed kaleidoscope. I didn't think it looked cheap at all.

 

 

[Crateful]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 11:57pm

Sometimes, late at night, I watch a YouTube recording of Legally Blonde for MTV.  And I get super dreamy over Christian Borle.  When he rips open his jacket in Something Rotten and says "It's sexy but it's hard" something inside me went a little bit wobbly.  In a good way.

Also, I hate Rent.  I always thought everyone should get a job (Or at least temp!  Seriously!  Wait tables!  Do SOMETHING!), squatting is illegal, Benny is the best character, and Mark's film probably really sucked.

[ChildofEarth]

Posted: 8/4/15 at 12:11am

Also more confessions thanks to others I've seen:

I loved Rent as a teenager but now I realize Benny had a point.

 

When people ask me if I like Wicked, I say no...but I did love it. I really did.

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 8/4/15 at 12:11am

I love Andrea McArdle's rendition of "Tomorrow", but that's it. I find her voice to be really strident on every other Annie song.

To quote Broad City, why did they think they didn't have to pay rent? Everyone has to pay rent. Someone tried to explain to me many years ago why Benny was wrong to evict them, but to me, it seemed like everyone was taking advantage of him. Also, I hated how they treated the restaurant owner and staff, actual working class people, in "La Vie Boheme" (at least in the movie version). I also think Mark's movie probably sucked too.

Updated On: 8/4/15 at 12:11 AM

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 8/4/15 at 12:26am

"* Gerard Butler and Russell Crowe were perfectly cast as The Phantom and Javert, respectively, and their voices fit the characters more perfectly than any other actors I've heard sing the roles

 

 

 

* Carrie Underwood and Alison Williams killed it as Maria and Peter, respectively, in NCB's LIVE! presentations of The Sound of Music and Peter Pan

* Christopher Walken's take on Captain Hook in Peter Pan LIVE! was hilariously brilliant"

WOW. I mean, you are absolutely entitled to your opinion but WOW.

"9. People should stop giving standing ovations at every performance of every show.

10. Broadway  should prohibit people consuming food and drink in the seats."

"-STOP MAKING EVERY MALE LEAD A TENOR"

AGREED.

"The Chicago movie is better than the Broadway show."

I'm not sure about the original but it's better than the revival. The revival is fun but it's for people who already like the show or don't care.

"Wicked is a great musical, but I agree all the male parts songs are absolutely dreadful."

I like As Long As You're Mine but otherwise, yes.

 

 

 

[DigificWriter]

Posted: 8/4/15 at 1:08am

Some explanations about why I consider Butler and Crowe's Phantom and Javert to be perfect:

* The Phantom may compose operas, but he shouldn't sound like he's performing in one. Butler's gravelly-voiced portrayal of the character perfectly matches his tragic backstory and the 'status' of the character, far better than any other person I've heard or seen perform the role, and he also encapsulates the forbidden (by today's standards, at least) nature of the relationship between the character and Christine. Plus, he's got great vocal chemistry with Emmy Rossum, who delivers one of my all-time favorite performances as Christine

* Russell Crowe may not have the vocal range of others who've performed the role of Javert, but he doesn't need to; his approach to the character and the range at which he sang perfectly encapsulates everything about who the character is and the single-minded devotion he has to both the law and to God, and his version of Stars, far more than any other I've heard, genuinely sounds and feels like the prayer/hymn it's supposed to be; it's intimate and soft-spoken, and yet incredibly powerful all the same

[icecreambenjamin]

Posted: 8/4/15 at 1:12am

^I disagree with that on soooo many levels,  but this is a judgement free zone and I will refrain from judging.

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 8/4/15 at 1:24am

I always thought I hated the song "Music of the Night" but after seeing and hearing Ramin Karimloo's version, I changed my mind.

[DigificWriter]

Posted: 8/4/15 at 1:30am

Speaking of Karimloo's Phantom, here's another controversial opinion from me:

* Ramin Karimloo's performance as The Phantom on the recording of Love Never Dies is far better than his performance as the character on the 25th Anniversary recording of Phantom of the Opera