That's a fairly impossible question to answer. I love many of them for a range of different reasons. Cabaret has fantastic music and is divinely decandent, Pippin has great classic Schwartz and that Fosse feel that I love, RENT has an edgy score and a great message to it, Guys and Dolls is a classic, and Hairspray is just too much fun to be ignored. I commend you on choosing some of the more drastically different selections I've seen though.
"You're the worst thing to happen to musical theatre since Andrew Lloyd Webber!" --Family Guy
"Shut up! It's been 29 years!!!" --the incomparable Patti LuPone in her MUCH DESERVED Tony acceptance speech for Gypsy.
Kitzy's Avatar du Jour: Kitzy as Little Red Ridinghood in her college's production of "Into the Woods"
hmmm, i might shock everyone, but yeah, im gonna say...RENT! =) No, really, I agree that you cant really compare all those shows... I LOVE WSS and Hairspray and Cabaret, all for different reasons
I would pick Into the Woods because I love the way each Fairy Tale is linked together. It gives us an adult view at the characters we loved as children; and it teaches a lesson or two.
"It's the little things; the details, that distinguish the Barbra Streisands from the Rosalyn Kinds."~Gilmore Girls~
That's a good question. I'm leaning toward Cabaret, but mostly the film version - the filmed Cabaret is one of the finest films ever done, and has a superior story to the stage version (it's basically John Van Druten's play I Am a Camera, but improved quite a bit, with musical numbers commenting on the action). I'm not sure that I'm as fond of the stage version at all, even if I like a lot of the songs.
That aside, probably Rent. I actually like Rent as a drama, where it has become severely underrated by the snobbish backlash that followed its initial success.
Into the Woods because it has an appeal to all ages. From children to 80 year old grandparents wondering if their grand daughter is on stage, it is loved by so many. It has a wonderful score and a delightful book, despite some of the second act's more depressing themes. It has several good messages and has strong acting and singing parts for a large number of people.
Cabaret because it is just amazing. It has a wonderful message and I love the setting. The WWII climate has always interested me and it is really fascinating to see it put to music. Also, the characters are very rich in, well, character. I would love to play Sally, for example. The score is lively and funny at times, somber at other. All around, a winner.
West Side Story for the sheer briliance of the score and beauty of the whole story and production. Followed by Into the Woods for how clever and fun it is. Although, this question intrigues me. Why did you pick these shows?
Gosh, this is such a hard one....I don't think I can pick! Each one of the shows listed has an amazing quality to offer....I just like each one for different reasons.....Sorry, can't choose!
See Ya!
Phantom05
------- "We Drink Your Blood And Then We Eat Your Soul, Nothings Gonna Stop Us Let The Bad Times Roll"
-------"Past The Point Of No Return, No Backward Glances, Abandon Thought And Let The Dream Begin"
into the woods.....the score simply amazes me. everytime i watch it, i understand yet another message in the show. The amount of depth and different layers are astounding. i seriously love this show. a true masterpeice.
