My taste in musicals.....must be lacking- Page 2

[Liz_Bennet]

Posted: 7/25/05 at 9:59pm

Watch what you say about my avatar, Garland Grrl.

Sometimes something just doesn't resonate with you, and making an effort to understand it is the best you can do. I think trying to like something is all anyone can legitimately ask of you. I'm a music major with generally broad tastes, but I've never understood Mahler. I've listened to lots of Mahler and gone to Mahler concerts and I still can't understand why everyone thinks his music is so moving. But what can you do, really? To thine own self be true.

Do you know many pre-Oklahoma musicals? You might like the music a lot- try some shows by Gershwin, Porter, Arlen or Berlin.

[Aigoo]

Posted: 7/25/05 at 10:08pm

I feel a show like Piazza might need a specific interest maybe, since it seems so lenient towards a more operatic sound. Or maybe it's just a personal interest thing. I didn't see what the big deal about it was at first, but subconciously, I just started listening to it non-stop.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 1:24am

With all due respect, I do not believe that you have to be prepared to "explain why" you don't like something. I absolutely love some Sondheim and find other Sondheim unlistenable. Yes, I could elaborate and deconstruct--and get into huge debates with people--but what for? If something doesn't appeal to me, it just doesn't. Why must I explain it?

My husband likes black licorice, and I don't. So he buys it and eats it. I don't ask him to defend his taste. It's just what it is. Of course, I can still say "Yuk" everytime I see a bag of it, but that doesn't mean I think he's ignorant, unsophisticated or silly. I just never touch the stuff! Nor does my opinion of black licorice mean that black licorice is "bad." I just don't care for it and doubt I ever will.

Gooch, I agree with Millie42: "I think it's good that you like musical theatre, period." And as teh_pretty said: "It's all good in the end."

Hey, I seem to be the only person on this board who liked "Little Me" with Martin Short and disliked Spamalot. People can yell their opinions at me all they want, it's not going to change my response to a production or a performance. So your taste in musicals isn't "lacking."

And quit this "advanced age" stuff. I saw The Sound of Music with Mary Martin. I try not to think of myself as "old," but rather, "lucky"! (Okay, maybe I'm "old AND lucky"!)

[TabooPhan1]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 1:46am

Wildcat, might I just say that you're my hero? :) Besides Steph...:)

[Gooch]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 7:34am

Miss Pennywise, I love your attitude, and thanks; I am old and lucky, whether I like Piazza or not! Funny thing, my kids were raised on misical theatre, seeing everything and having been told that musicals were "kids music". Two of them (19 and 22 boys) say they "hate" Broadway stuff and a daughter, 26, endured it when I take her. Such is life.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 11:01am

Gooch, I love the fact that your name is "Gooch"! Nice "Mame" connection!

My parents took us kids to the theatre constantly. We lived in NYC when I was really little, and even when we moved to the suburbs, we were still only 10 minutes from the Lincoln Tunnel. Also, my dad's business was in NYC, so we were there A LOT. Anyway, Broadway musicals was what we did "as a family."

I am addicted to musical theatre (and non-musical theatre, too, to a lesser degree). My two brothers see things occasionally--even though they live right outside of NYC. My sister, who lives in NYC, likes musicals, but she can't afford to see anything, so she only goes when I take her. I live 250 miles away now, but it's only a 3-hour train ride, so I'm "lucky" (again!)

My kids are 9 and 3 (I had them when I was "old"!). My 9-year-old daughter ADORES musicals. I've taken her to see quite a few. My son got to see his first show this week ("Hairspray" at the Kennedy Center). My husband and I were nervous wrecks going into it because we thought he just couldn't sit still for 3 hours. Well, he was entranced! (Next week we all see "Wicked" in Chicago. I pray he is as good for that show.)

So I am hoping that they keep this fascination with musicals. We should start a parents group dealing with "How to Raise Musical Theatre Aficionados"! Who cares about their growing up to be brain surgeons...unless they have "Corner of the Sky" piped into the operating room, of course!

Sorry for the long post.

[Garland Grrrl]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 11:30am

dear liz bennet,
someone would be said to have low-rent tastes if they thought cherry a hack -- that was my point. it would be a highly unpopular opinion. i don't think much of a certain tony winning witch that is adored on this site -- so i just don't bring it up.
you don't have to explain how you feel to defend yourself -- but i'm certainly interested in your reactions --especially if they are atypical.

Updated On: 7/26/05 at 11:30 AM

[Gooch]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 4:30pm

If you saw Mary Martin in Peter Pan, and you have a 9 yr old and a 3 yr old, you are either a major medical miracle, or you saw mary fly at a reivival!

[Liz_Bennet]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 5:42pm

Garland Girl- I was joking. Hence the . No offense taken.

[grizzabella]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 10:26pm

While I see no need to defend personal tastes, it's nice to have reasons when you're discussing the content or style of a particular work. That makes discussion more interesting (and indeed possible).
However, I see nothing at all odd or lacking in Gooch's choices. It's refreshing that we don't all like the same things. The only requirements for intelligent discourse that I see are an open mind, an open heart, and a willingness to listen and learn, and Gooch clearly has those.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 12:26am

Grizabella, you are so civilized and gracious. I wish to have tea with you.

Gooch, I saw Mary Martin in The Sound Of Music when I was 3 years old. (I am 2 years old in my avatar pictured with the Three Stooges. That was my "moment": being photographed with the Three Stooges. It's been downhill ever since. Anyway, that was 1960...putting me today at almost exactly 47. I thought I was "old" to have my son, but my doctor reassured me that I wasn't old at all. She told me she delivered triplets to a woman 56!

PLEASE, no one read this and think it's a good story to develop into a musical. It's not.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 12:33am

Oh, and Gooch, there's one more thing: Christine Baranski is playing Mame in a revival at the Kennedy Center in March 2006. You should go! I am definitely going to see it. I love her and I love that show.