How do you guys do it?
How do you guys do it?
geniuswithADD
Chorus Member Joined: 7/4/09
#1How do you guys do it?
Posted: 7/19/09 at 12:30amI became interested in theatre when I was a freshman in high school, but I didn't really know anything other than My Favorite Year (the musical my school did), Phantom of the Opera (a family favorite) Wicked (the musical my friends got me interested in) and Hairspray (a musical I saw with my one friend). But other than that, I didn't know many shows. Now, four years later, I still don't know that many shows. I've heard of a ton, but I don't know any. How do you guys find the time to learn all these shows? How do you go about learning them? Just by listening to the music or reading reviews or what? Tell me how all of you can quote an entire show of any show that's ever been out! I feel so useless on threads because everyone seems to know every single song from every show, and I hardly know any!
#2re: How do you guys do it?
Posted: 7/19/09 at 12:33amI don't know everything about every single show, and I'm sure not a lot of people here do. We might know a lot, but not everything. A lot of people here are really passionate about theater, so they do research on shows, the history of shows, flops, hits. etc. I actually learn a lot everyday about shows from here.
#2re: How do you guys do it?
Posted: 7/19/09 at 12:36amyeah this is the main place i get any information on shows that are not being produced for me to check out right now. this board, wikipedia,actually going to see the shows, and cast albums do it for me.
BROADWAY IMPACT!
TAKE ACTION! EQUALITY!
http://www.broadwayimpact.com/
sgv123
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/16/06
#3re: How do you guys do it?
Posted: 7/19/09 at 12:37amI agree with the other two... I havbe learned the most here :)
#4re: How do you guys do it?
Posted: 7/19/09 at 12:40amI randomly rant about Broadway gossip with some of my friends who are into Broadway, but don't post here. I know all the insider info because of this site : )
COOOOLkid
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/15/05
#6re: How do you guys do it?
Posted: 7/19/09 at 12:47am
When I first visited this board, I was like, "Who is Carol Channing?"
I think this board taught me tremendously about everything related to Broadway. And how to make snide remarks.
geniuswithADD
Chorus Member Joined: 7/4/09
#7re: How do you guys do it?
Posted: 7/19/09 at 12:48amI went to Barnes and Noble the other day, and they only had 3 shows I don't already own. Where do you find all the shows that aren't like Wicked or other really popular shows?
#8re: How do you guys do it?
Posted: 7/19/09 at 12:49am
When I joined in October, my favorite show was Legally Blonde and I would get mad when people dissed it. I also loved Wicked.
Now, my favorite musical is West Side Story, and I dislike Wicked, very much.
geniuswithADD
Chorus Member Joined: 7/4/09
#9re: How do you guys do it?
Posted: 7/19/09 at 12:50amOh wow. I love Legally Blonde and Wicked. haha.
#10re: How do you guys do it?
Posted: 7/19/09 at 12:52am
I don't think it's necessarily a good thing to say you were 'brainwashed' to hate Wicked, lol. (Unless you mean you found other shows and now you can't look at Wicked in the same way)
I enjoy both shows.
The issue becomes when people *only* like/have seen Wicked and maybe a couple of other shows, and then start proclaiming it's the best show EVVAAARRR, IMO.
#12re: How do you guys do it?
Posted: 7/19/09 at 12:54am
How can someone learn an entire show from the "Arts" section of the NYT?
#13re: How do you guys do it?
Posted: 7/19/09 at 12:55amNo, it didn't brainwash me, it just opened my eyes to other, much better (in my opinion) musicals.
#14re: How do you guys do it?
Posted: 7/19/09 at 1:04amNot an entire show, I just think it's more important to be aware of what's going on in the theatre rather than learning every line to a show for the sake of learning it.
#15re: How do you guys do it?
Posted: 7/19/09 at 1:04am
genius-we all start where you are-just at different times. I happen to have started a very long time ago yet there are people on this board half my age who know twice as much as me.
If it is a passion, you have the means to learn. I only had the library. You have the unlimited resourses of the internet and practically every song and lyric AND history ever written at your fingertips. I envy you.
millie_dillmount
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/22/04
#16re: How do you guys do it?
Posted: 7/19/09 at 1:12am
My first real exposure to Broadway musicals was the national tour of 42nd Street. I was really fascinated with everything that I had a desire to see more shows. I was younger, so it was difficult for me to just pick up and see a show.
I would visit a lot of the show websites and research shows I wanted to see, as well as buy the cast recordings. Additionally, I tried to see as many national tours as I could. I also posted a lot on Broadway World and read other theater-related websites such as TheaterMania and Playbill. When I got older, I started seeing more shows by myself.
#17re: How do you guys do it?
Posted: 7/19/09 at 1:15am
Check out books on theater history. There are still many shows I'm not entirely familiar with but very few people are ever going to know about every musical ever written. A long time ago I became very interested in "flops" after someone gave me a copy of "Not Since Carrie". I ended up using that book as a sort of checklist, learning as much as I could about every show in there that I didn't already know. I found recordings and footage and pictures and while a good few of those shows are just utter crap there are some that are brilliant and I'm so happy I discovered.
That's just one way to get started, though.
geniuswithADD
Chorus Member Joined: 7/4/09
#18re: How do you guys do it?
Posted: 7/19/09 at 1:18amJordan Catalano- where'd you get all the music from? It's really hard for me to find music!
dramadude2
Broadway Star Joined: 6/29/07
#19re: How do you guys do it?
Posted: 7/19/09 at 1:20ami spend every i tunes dollar i get on cast recordings.
#19re: How do you guys do it?
Posted: 7/19/09 at 1:56amhttp://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/ A great resource.
#20re: How do you guys do it?
Posted: 7/19/09 at 2:01amReading books, reading this board, and above all, seeing way more shows than I can afford.
wizard2joe
Featured Actor Joined: 11/20/08
#21re: How do you guys do it?
Posted: 7/19/09 at 2:12am
I go to my local library.
I found out that they have a whole section about theatre/Broadway and I'm there most of the time and usually I am the only one in that section.
My friends even left me at the library alone and I was there reading their books since I don't own a library card. I could never get bored.
#22re: How do you guys do it?
Posted: 7/19/09 at 2:18am
I have a question:
I've been doing theatre since I was little, and I've always been obsessed with musical theatre. I have tons of recordings and have seen a bunch of tours and I'm usually pretty good about knowing the latest news. However, what I'm really passionate about is straight theatre. I find it difficult to remain in the know about plays because they don't get nearly as much hype, usually aren't on youtube, don't have recordings, usually don't tour, and get about 10 seconds of screen time at the Tonys (yet we get to see three mt touring companies...) How do you know all the straight theatre info?
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#23re: How do you guys do it?
Posted: 7/19/09 at 2:23am
As a kid: I didn't ONLY do the shows at my high school, I did community theatre, I went to theater camp, I went to see any community theater I could. I borrowed every cast album (yes, I'm that old to actualy have owned albums) I could from anyone I could. I read the liner notes extensively and over and over again. I read the arts section of the NY Times. I read plays from the library until my eyes bled.
I was a theater major and learned about the history of theater, and musical theater, and talked to more and more people that were involved with theater. I began to take day trips into NY with my college friends to see whatever show we could scrounge the money up for.
As an adult, I go to NY easily once a month. I never only see one show. It's a minimum of two and in some weekends as many as five. When I have a vacation, I often go to NY for 3 to seven days...seeing as many as 11 shows. I also follow individual favorite performers...thier caberet shows, their websites -- to learn of what's next in store for them professionally.
We talk, we learn, we listen, we read....good lord how we read. I find it hard to believe that your local book store has so few OBC's that you didn't already own considering you know so few. But if that's the case...play around at Sh-k-boom.com and even Amazon.com to learn about available recorded shows. Amazon has over 1,800 cd's in that category -- granted some are collections but that's not terrible either. Find books on b'way -- again on amazon or at your local bookstore. If buying on line is a problem for you, LOOK at amazon and then ask your local store to order it for you.
If you want to learn (about anything) you must take the time to do so. The most beautiful thing about Broadway is that it's a community and there's always room for more.
#24re: How do you guys do it?
Posted: 7/19/09 at 2:29amJust 'straight theatre' attract more straight people than 'musicals' (aka gay theatre).
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