Hardest show for a chorus?- Page 2

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 2:11am

DOTV "hard" for a chorus??! Where did you get that idea?

Chess is probably the hardest...

[Seany]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 2:11am

HAIR must be pretty difficult - lots of running around and belting high notes.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 2:26am

bwaybaby2- who were you? more specifically did you understudy any of the leads?

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 2:28am

Never Seen in DOTV was pretty complex, before they cut it into a duet

[meagan9848]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 5:03am

I think she was maybe kidding?

The Scarlet Pimpernel was no walk through the park vocally...dance and blocking wise High Society was difficult was we all had to tap 4 big numbers. I must say that my high school did great productions. That's what I miss most about HS, the shows :)

[magruder]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 6:07am

Urinetown was a very hard show for the ensemble, at least in the Broadway production. The show had heavy duty singing, actors rushing to make quick changes from rich character to poor character and back again, actors rushing through the alleys, under the stage, up several flights to the mezzanine and outside the front of the theatre to make entrances and exits, and a go-for-broke style of comedy that required a certain added energy, right through to the curtain call dancing frenzy. A very very physical show.

[paradox_error]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 8:59am

Easily the hardest show for a chorus is Sweeney Todd. The requirements for vocal range are astounding. Sopranos need to be able to reach a high D, Baritones need to sing through their feet and and they need to squeeze their balls to sing the top notes (sorry for such graphics)...i would tell u the exact ranges required...but I don't have my vocal score on hand. I think anything by Sondheim is very complicated and difficult to learn, chorus included...i guess thats y i love it all so much!
I have to disagree with anyone who claims that chorus parts for any of the "poperettas" are overly difficult. I'd hate to offend anyone...but Lloyd Webber and Wildhorn wouldnt know complicated if it bit them on the ass...and much as i love Les Miz it is not complicated at all (except in its storyline).

[MusicalDirector109]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 9:05am

"The Secret Garden" -Many great harmonies to learn
"The Music Man"
"Sweeney Todd"

[lildogs]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 10:27am

gotta agree with Sweeney and Ragtime...

West Side Story ain't no walk in the park either...for the dancers at least...

[Plum]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 10:35am

I don't know about complicated, but Lloyd Webber definitely knows how to write difficult parts. Can anyone really play Eva 8 times a week?

And I'll add my vote to those who said Ragtime- it seems like every other song in that show involves the chorus- and Sweeney, which not only has a sort of Greek chorus, but is also very harmonically complex. Updated On: 8/25/04 at 10:35 AM

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 10:47am

Sweeney Todd's a bear.

Secret Garden has some extremely complicated choral music too -- the leads get off easy in that show!

[lovettespies]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 11:25am

Sweeney is Sondheim, of course it's going to be difficult. Incredibly beautiful with goregous arrangements, but difficult.

[magic8ball]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 11:50am

The most difficult score ever written for a chorus undoubtedly belongs to "Chess". Many productions also include some heavy dancing in numbers like "One Night in Bangkok", as well, so I'm going to go with this show.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 12:38pm

Jerome Robbin's Broadway (ok sorta a revue)
Fosse's Dancin
& Fosse! ( ok these are mostly dancing shows)

[DancerGirl16]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 12:43pm

Vocally:

Sweeney Todd....

Basically anything sondheim but Sweeney Todd especially in God That's Good and Parelli's (don't quote me on that spelling) the chorus's entrances are completely random and there is no partern to the notes either. (or words for that matter)


"God thats good that is de have you licious ever tasted smelled such oh my god what perfect more thats pies such flavor god thats good"???

[Eyemakeup3]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 12:46pm

The past: Starlight Express-those skates were MURDER.

The present: Hairspray, those nicest kids are hard workers.

Special mention to Tyler Haynes in The Frogs, he's a one-man-band at times with his boundless energy. Did I express how much he rocks? :)

[DBillyP]

Posted: 8/25/04 at 12:51pm

Well, I am currently working on a production of Lippa's THE WILD PARTY, and let me tell you, some of that music is tough!

Fortunately, I am on the production staff, so I don't have to learn any of it!

David

[dancinfan]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 9:19am

Lots of options, certainly. It depends on whether you're talking about sweaty, difficult dancing or crazy-tricky vocals or never-stop-for-a-moment-because-of-costume-changes pace. For dancing right now on Broadway, I'd have to say Movin' Out - that dancing is harder than any other Broadway show I've ever seen (including Fosse, Dancin', and JRB'way). For singing, we seem to have a clear winner in Sweeney Todd, although I must say that there is very difficult music in a lot of shows that are usually more heavily staged than Sweeney. Which brings me to Les Miz, where not only does the ensemble have a lot of big music to sing, they also run around the turntable a lot, and when they are not onstage they are making dozens of costume changes (yes, one set of rags to another set of rags to another...).

In the costume changing category, I would have to say that my favorite "hard chorus" show to do was Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, but it was hardly a tough sing and only occasionally a break-a-sweat dance show.