FIORELLO?
Read the script and get the cast album. It's a very well written musical and unusual in that the leading character barely sings at all. He is defined by the songs sung about him.
I have never seen it staged, it has been rather unfairly neglected. No movie or TV version, rarely revived. But remember, it tied with SOUND OF MUSIC for the 1960 Tony award (Over GYPSY no less.)
I have also never seen OF THEE I SING (except a TV version in 1972 with Caroll O'Connor and Cloris Leachman) but of the 5 I have seen SUNDAY is my favourite. On stage I love CHORUS LINE but listen more to the score of SOUTH PACIFIC on records.
Of these 7 shows RENT is my least favourite. I like it a lot but like the other shows more.
Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!
I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/23/05
A Chorus Line and Sunday in the Park with George.
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, hands down! And, the one that won the Pulitzer, not the crappy film or revival versions.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/12/05
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
FIORELLO is a very well written show. But it's also VERY dated.
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/23/05
Sunday in the Park With George and Rent
1 Rent
2 Sunday in the Park with George
3 A Chorus Line
4 South Pacific
Swing Joined: 1/7/08
RENT!!
all the way ... especially the OBC
A Chorus Line
Sunday.
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/17/04
South Pacific, followed by A Chorus Line.
Broadway Star Joined: 5/12/03
A Chorus Line, RENT, then Sunday. I haven't actually seen Sunday, though -- just heard the cast recordings. I liked it, but I'm pretty sure I'm missing something from just hearing the score and reading the plot synopsis.
My favorite is Rent, which is what the original question was, but I think the most perfect musical is Sunday.
Understudy Joined: 8/4/07
Sunday In The Park With George would definitely be my favorite. The Rest Would Be As Follows.
A Chorus Line
How To Succeed
Rent
Of Thee I Sing
South Pacific
I Haven't listened to Fiorello yet, so my opinion might change the minute I do.
"Sunday in the Park with George" by far.
Broadway Star Joined: 2/7/06
That's very, very tough for me, especially because they're all so different. Can I have a four-way-tie between A Chorus Line, Sunday in the Park with George (based on the cast recording alone), Rent and South Pacific?
I guess if I had to choose one, I'd go with A Chorus Line.
And if August: Osage County won the Pulitzer, I would be very happy.
Leading Actor Joined: 3/31/04
ray-andallthatjazz86 wrote:
They already missed the one for this decade: CAROLINE, OR CHANGE. In what world does RENT have a Pulitzer and CAROLINE, OR CHANGE doesn't? GREY GARDENS would have been a nice choice for '06 too.
The Pulitzers don't mysteriously happen because a committee gets together and decides to award something. There is a nominating process and entry fees to be paid. Do you knpow that CAROLINE or GREY GARDENS was even submitted to the committee? When I nominated SITPWG in 1984, I was surprised to learn that Sondheim had never been nominated for the Pulitzer before then, and I still believe FOLLIES deserves it more than SUNDAY IN THE PARK.
CAROLINE, OR CHANGE was indeed submitted. Rumor has it Ben Brantley threw a tantrum saying he'd leave the committee if the show got nominated. Not sure if this is true or not, but what is true is that the show deserved the award.
Leading Actor Joined: 3/31/04
Then you must know someone involved with the submission for it. Since I have no idea of what the other submissions were for that year or, for that matter, what the winning play was, I'm sorry that your choice didn't win. As I said before, my nomination was Sondheim's first, and I'm still amazed that COMPANY, FOLLIES, or SWEENY TODD, which I feel should have been nominated as an opera, were never submitted. At the time I did it, Steve said, "we'll never win," so sometimes good things happen on the first toss of the dice.
Sunday in the Park, followed by A Chorus Line.
SUNDAY all the way...
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