References or nods to musicals in other musicals
References or nods to musicals in other musicals
#0References or nods to musicals in other musicals
Posted: 6/16/06 at 5:42pm
Hello everyone! I thought of a fun thread and hope you guys enjoy it.
In SPAMALOT, they come out in a boat and a chandelier comes down when they sing THE SONG THAT GOES LIKE THIS. BIG nod to PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. And in RUN AWAY!, you can see Eponine (and others?) from LES MISERABLES. BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE includes a SINGING IN THE RAIN dance with umbrellas.
THE PRODUCERS is full of them: KATZ (CATS) and many other titles.
Let's see what we can all come up with 
"TO LOVE ANOTHER PERSON IS TO SEE THE FACE OF GOD"- LES MISERABLES---
"THERE'S A SPECIAL KIND OF PEOPLE KNOWN AS SHOW PEOPLE... WE'RE BORN EVERY NIGHT AT HALF HOUR CALL!"--- CURTAINS
Updated On: 6/16/06 at 05:42 PM
#1re: References or nods to musicals in other musicals
Posted: 6/16/06 at 5:44pmDrowsy Chaperone is full of 'em.
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#3re: References or nods to musicals in other musicals
Posted: 6/16/06 at 5:46pm
EponineAmneris, you missed one of the biggest ones from Spamalot! The Fiddler on the Roof dance in the middle of "You Won't Succeed on Broadway" !
fritz33
Swing Joined: 6/14/06
#4re: References or nods to musicals in other musicals
Posted: 6/16/06 at 5:47pm
when i was in honk, during the scene at the cat's house, we had a poster from "CATS" on the wall just for kicks.
jonartdesigns
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/04
#5re: References or nods to musicals in other musicals
Posted: 6/16/06 at 5:49pm
glinda's evita entrance in wicked
urinetown spoofed les mis a bit
"Grease," the fourth revival of the season, is the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values. - Michael Reidel
#6re: References or nods to musicals in other musicals
Posted: 6/16/06 at 6:31pm
Opps 
I sure did miss that one, bjh2114 
"TO LOVE ANOTHER PERSON IS TO SEE THE FACE OF GOD"- LES MISERABLES---
"THERE'S A SPECIAL KIND OF PEOPLE KNOWN AS SHOW PEOPLE... WE'RE BORN EVERY NIGHT AT HALF HOUR CALL!"--- CURTAINS
#7re: References or nods to musicals in other musicals
Posted: 6/16/06 at 6:39pm
In Batboy, the gave a nod to "the Lion King" in "children, children" one of the actors came out on 4 stilts just like the giraffe.
also in the same show, SPOILER, SPOILER, after everyone dies, they all stand and sing again, I always took that as an homage to Sweeney.
"I'm an American, Damnit!!! And if it's three things I don't believe in, it's quitting and math."
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#8re: References or nods to musicals in other musicals
Posted: 6/16/06 at 10:19pm
I don't understand the "children,children" song in BatBoy.
Also, instead of naming the shows, can you explain the references?
#9re: References or nods to musicals in other musicals
Posted: 6/16/06 at 10:23pmThis is actually quite a common practice, though most are simply homages not intended to inspire laughter. Here's one of my favorites from "The Producers", clevering utilizing an orchestration. After Roger sings "Ethel Merman dontcha' know!" in "Springtime", I love the trumpets' musical reference of "I had a dream", from "Gypsy", of course.
...And so, there I was at the stage door for "Equus". The enthused avalanche of "Harry Potter" fans was literally pushing me into the barricades. As I was thrust face-first into Daniel Radcliffe's hat, I suddenly felt the thumb of a lanky gentleman behind me pressing firmly into my back. It was then that I realized that both of his hands had Playbills, and that both arms were outstretched in front of me...
#10re: References or nods to musicals in other musicals
Posted: 6/16/06 at 10:24pm
HAIRSPRAY- At the end of Big Dollhouse, Edna goes, "For Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee"------ GYPSY style
"Are you sorry for civilization? I am sorry for it too." ~Coast of Utopia: Shipwreck
Updated On: 6/16/06 at 10:24 PM
#11re: References or nods to musicals in other musicals
Posted: 6/16/06 at 10:26pmI was just going to suggest that one! I'm sure "Hairspray", being a musical comedy parody of the 60's, has a few more.
...And so, there I was at the stage door for "Equus". The enthused avalanche of "Harry Potter" fans was literally pushing me into the barricades. As I was thrust face-first into Daniel Radcliffe's hat, I suddenly felt the thumb of a lanky gentleman behind me pressing firmly into my back. It was then that I realized that both of his hands had Playbills, and that both arms were outstretched in front of me...
#12re: References or nods to musicals in other musicals
Posted: 6/16/06 at 10:35pmLots of "Gypsy" references in "Ruthless: The Musical"!
#13re: References or nods to musicals in other musicals
Posted: 6/16/06 at 10:37pmlol- Yes, go and pull out the "Roots" book on it, and I know there are more, but I'm too lazy to go and look
"Are you sorry for civilization? I am sorry for it too." ~Coast of Utopia: Shipwreck
#14re: References or nods to musicals in other musicals
Posted: 6/16/06 at 10:40pmOklahoma------->Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
#15re: References or nods to musicals in other musicals
Posted: 6/16/06 at 10:43pm
DRS is in the same vein, too. In "Love is My Legs", I know the candle-holding-choir outside the doorway reminds me of something, but I can't put my finger on it. I'm tempted to say "Phantom", proving an interesting slam on that show between DRS and Spamalot in the same season.
...And so, there I was at the stage door for "Equus". The enthused avalanche of "Harry Potter" fans was literally pushing me into the barricades. As I was thrust face-first into Daniel Radcliffe's hat, I suddenly felt the thumb of a lanky gentleman behind me pressing firmly into my back. It was then that I realized that both of his hands had Playbills, and that both arms were outstretched in front of me...
Updated On: 6/16/06 at 10:43 PM
wickedrentq
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/6/04
#16re: References or nods to musicals in other musicals
Posted: 6/16/06 at 10:50pm
There's a couple in DRS. After Great Big Stuff, when deciding in his mind to take Freddy on as a student Lawrence says to Andre: "Look at him. So deliciously low...so horribly dirty" which is exactly what Higgins says to Pickering when he decides to take Eliza on as a student in My Fair Lady.
Also in DRS, yes she sings a song called "Oklahoma?" but Jolene's "story" also mirrors Oklahoma. She mistakenly thinks a guy wants to marry her when he really doesn't, just like Ado Annie in Oklahoma! And Jonathan Pryce has added a line where Lawrence said to Jolene..."like your people say, whoa!"
There's so many in all shows, particularly comedies. In Spamalot's introduction to You Won't Succeed on Broadway, when talking about Broadway people/Jews, David Hyde Pierce refers to them as "The luckiest people in the world"--a line from Funny Girl. And also a knight introduced "Sir-Not-Appearing-In-This-Show" references Man From La Mancha.
While not a parody, an exact line from Something's Coming from West Side Story is included in Avenue Q's Purpose: "Could it be? Yes it could. Something's coming; something good."
I think the sequence Roger Debris sings about in The Producer's "Keep It Gay" comes from A Chorus Line, but I'm not positive.
Ooh, and Carmen Ghia tells Roger he's coming out a star, just like it's told to Peggy in 42nd Street.
In Tick Tick Boom, Jonathan recalls and recites a line he sang from West Side Story's The Jet Song.
"If there was a Mount Rushmore for Broadway scores, "West Side Story" would be front and center. It snaps, it crackles it pops! It surges with a roar, its energy and sheer life undiminished by the years" - NYPost reviewer Elisabeth Vincentelli
jimnysf
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/10/05
#17re: References or nods to musicals in other musicals
Posted: 6/16/06 at 10:56pm"Applause" has several including "Hello, Dolly!" and "Fiddler on the Roof".
"I've lost everything! Luis, Marty, my baby with Chris, Chris himself, James. All I ever wanted was love." --Sheridan Crane "Passions"
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"Housework is like bad sex. Every time I do it, I swear I'll never do it again til the next time company comes."--"Lulu"
from "Can't Stop The Music"
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"When the right doors didn't open for him, he went through the wrong ones" - "Sweet Bird of Youth"
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"Passions" is uncancelled! See NBC.com for more info.
#18re: References or nods to musicals in other musicals
Posted: 6/16/06 at 10:58pm
"Stiff Upper Lip" from Crazy for You has the scene with the barricade at the end. I thought that was cute.
Maybe it's just me, but "The More You Ruv Someone" from Avenue Q reminds me of "I Have A Love" from West Side Story.
best we know x
Chorus Member Joined: 6/7/06
#19re: References or nods to musicals in other musicals
Posted: 6/16/06 at 11:04pm
In Wedding Singer, there's an homage to Sweet Charity, specifically "Big Spender". There are a couple more that I can't remember right now.
In The Last 5 Years, in "A Summer In Ohio", there are just a couple of brief references...not really an homage.
You're a writer...write me a letter.
#20re: References or nods to musicals in other musicals
Posted: 6/16/06 at 11:59pmIn "In The Beginning", the Maury Yeston musical about the other people who were in the Garden of Eden and were left out of the Bible, as two of the survivors of Noah's flood sail on, you hear a bit of "Sail On" from Maury Yeston's "Titanic"
"A coherent existance after so many years of muddle" - Desiree' Armfelt, A Little Night Music
"Life keeps happening everyday, Say Yes" - 70, Girls, 70
"Life is what you do while you're waiting to die" - Zorba
Madame X
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/13/03
#21re: References or nods to musicals in other musicals
Posted: 6/17/06 at 12:30amOne of the Spamalot songs had a line "and another hundred people just contracted the plague" which is a shot out to Company "another hundred people just got off of the train."
"Some of us have it worse, you know, Dana. Some of us are dating lesbian men. Okay? C'mon."
Color and Light
Broadway Star Joined: 10/23/05
#22re: References or nods to musicals in other musicals
Posted: 6/17/06 at 12:59amOne that almost goes without saying in Tick, Tick ... BOOM! - "Sunday", a flat out parody of the song of the name from Sunday in the Park with George.
Stop looking at my charisma.
#24re: References or nods to musicals in other musicals
Posted: 6/17/06 at 3:24amjonartdesigns, could you describe Glinda's EVITA entrance? I've seen a photograph of Kristen wearing a white dress, standing before a microphone on a platform, and arms outstreched -- I immediately thought of the Casa Rosada balcony scene.
Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae
Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra
Salve, Salve Regina
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Eva
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
O clemens O pia
Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra
Salve, Salve Regina
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Eva
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
O clemens O pia
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