Listen to the CD or See the Show First?

I have a question: Would you rather buy the album and get familiar with the show first before seeing it? or see the show and then get the CD?

I was just thinking about Avenue Q and how I had the CD months before i saw the show and when i saw the show i already knew all the jokes, so i didn't find it as funny as most people did. But with Drowsy Chaperone I only really knew one song from the show and when i saw the show i thought it was one of the funniest I've had seen, and I warmed up to the album a lot more.

What's your preference?

i;m on the fence about this, its nice to get the CD first to see if you like the music, and if you do, then you get really into it and its really cool when you see a show when its still on your ipod's playlist and you are really into the music.

Although it is also nice to go without knowing the show and being plesantly suprised. However, as has happened, i hated the show and if i listened to the CD first i probably would not have wasted all that $$$ on a ticket. not to mention these days i hardly like any of the music on first hearing it and have to get used to it.

anyways, im trying that this summer for purple and spamalot, not knowing anything about the music (or plot in the case of spamalot)

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I always prefer to see the show first.

Me too !

OBCR first-I tend not to appreciate the show when I have not heard anything from it- like what happened to "In the Heights" when I saw it... If I heard the demo first , most likely I will have a different experience..

J*

Updated On: 7/26/07 at 04:24 PM

Me too.

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If I can help it, always see the show first.

I usually get the cast album first, for the simple reason that I only get to see a few Bway shows a year and I want to make sure I'm going to like the show that I pick out to see. I make it a point not to get too cozy with the music before I see the show- I try to get it so I can hum along a little and know some of the words, but not to the point that I could go up there and sing the songs myself. Then, I try not to listen to the music for a few weeks before.

I like knowing some of the story (but not all of it) and the characters first. It makes theatre a very lazy experience and gives me room to see the little details instead of figuring out who's who.

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Now that I live here, show first. I would have always preferred that, but being a minor in another state didn't always afford such opportunities. I love seeing the show first so that when you listen to the CR you can attach the memories and the initial reactions from what you've heard, or recall what you've just seen through your listening experience.

A recent example is that when I saw 110, I wasn't crazy about it, but I got the CR and listened to it, and remembered the staging and thought about the performances again. Listening to the music was the sole I went back to see it again!

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I tend to listen first because you know which song is which and you become much more familiar with the show.

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I see the show first.

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I live in Michigan, so given that our theatre scene isn't exactly "rocking" here -- it's definitely the albums for me.

I was going to write almost the same thing as jordangirl. It depends on the show. Drowsy Chaperone, I loved having never heard any of the music. I saw Curtains twice. First on opening night, and I thought it was only okay. I went back after having bought the cast recording and enjoyed it much, much more. In general though, I think I enjoy the shows more if I know some of the music going in.