To listen to the cast recording or not- Page 2

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 6/2/16 at 3:12pm

I guess I'm in the minority but I am so glad I saw Hamilton fresh without listening to the cast recording. (That's generally my preference for any show.) Granted I saw it at the Public so it was a smaller space, but I didn't have any trouble understanding. I also took my mom and dad during previews before the OBCR was available. They may have missed a few words here and there but it's not like they didn't know what was going on. My mom ended up sitting with the OBCR and the booklet to figure out the words but I don't think it hurt her that she did that after she saw the show. 

 

I just love going in fresh. In fact, when I really like a show, I get sad at the end thinking I'll never be able to experience it for the first time again. Missing a few words is worth that for me. 

[JudyDenmark]

Posted: 6/2/16 at 3:18pm

Depends on the show. I saw Hamilton before the recording was out, and I sat there frustrated the whole time because I felt like I had only a minimal grasp on what was happening (especially from the balcony). I think I would've had a completely different experience if I had listened to it ahead of time and knew the plot and characters and could just focus on the overall production. 

 

But I listened to Book fo Mormon before I saw it, which I deeply regret, since it "ruined" several of the jokes that probably would've been more effective in the context of the show. (I still really loved it, though - "ruined" isn't really the right word.)

 

Tl;dr - For Hamilton specifically, I'd 100% listen to it. Especially if your seats aren't close. You'll want to sit back and enjoy without stressing over what you missed. 

[jakebloke]

Posted: 6/2/16 at 4:09pm

For Hamilton, I'd say listen a few times and then stop.  I wasn't going to listen to the recording before I saw it, but then I gave in.  I listened to it practically everyday for months and then when I finally saw the show, I felt like I knew it so well I was just seeing a staged version of the recording.  There were no surprises.  I wish I had gone in mildly familiar with it, but able to maintain a level of surprise (for lack of a better word).  I think I would have enjoyed the show even more had I been able to put the recording away and let it be after a few listens.  

[uncageg]

Posted: 6/2/16 at 4:35pm

I usually see a show before the cast recording is released. If it is released shortly before I see the show, I wait until after seeing it. The two exceptions that come to mind are "Wicked" and "Hamilton". Defying Gravity was so "popular" that I had to buy the cd. With Hamilton, knowing it could be a while before I see it, I broke down and listened to it twice. I decided that a lot of it may be better live than on the recording. At this point it is not a recording I would listen to over and over. And I doubt that I will after seeing it. There are songs I really like and will probably buy them individually, if at all. Satisfied will stay in my collection though.

[pickles2]

Posted: 6/2/16 at 5:04pm

rangersrule132 said: "
I guess I mean in the sense of it having that wow factor. I had someone force fun home songs down my throat in a car ride and then it kind of ruined the emotion, the intensity because all I kept on thinking about was oh I know this and oh I know that. I felt as if it really took away from my experience when I saw the show.

"

One thing to keep in mind is that pretty much the entire show is on the Hamilton album, save for a couple extremely short scenes, so if you listen then there is going to be very little to surprise you as far as the music goes. More so than most other shows.

I personally like the experience of hearing the music for the first time live, so I might listen to one or two songs to decide if I want to see the show but don't listen to the whole album. I hadn't heard the OBCR before I saw Hamilton for the first time, and didn't have trouble understanding the words or following the plot. It went by fast, but when I bought the cast recording and listened right after the show I felt I was able to relive seeing it live, because of how much of it they recorded.

[bluetuna]

Posted: 6/2/16 at 5:13pm

I feel like when I've seen a show without having listened to the cast recording, I'll generally enjoy it.  But if I listen to a cast recording first and any songs stick out, I'll be all the more attentive during the actual show (and also look forward to seeing it performed live).  When I see a show without having listened to the cast recording, I might then fall in love with a song when I do listen to the cast recording and wish I remembered more about the staging and that I'd really focused in that moment.  That all said, this definitely depends on the quality of the show. 

[Taryn]

Posted: 6/2/16 at 5:53pm

I actually didn't listen to anything from Hamilton before seeing it and really loved the experience of going in blind.

[gypsy101]

Posted: 6/2/16 at 6:22pm

In the 8 months since the recording came out I'll admit for the first 5 or so I was basically obsessed with the recording, listening to it day and night (probably a total of 50 times all the way through, but a look at my iTunes shows some songs I've listened to many more than that -- Schuyler Sisters is the top with almost 150 plays, Satisfied, Helpless and You'll Be Back being the next 3...yes, I was obsessed). I've cooled since, I haven't listened to it all the way through in about 2 months, but especially since I'm seeing it three weeks from today for the first time, I kind of wish I could press a reset in my mind. Maybe still not go in completely blind, but maybe having only heard it a few times.

[mailhandler777]

Posted: 6/3/16 at 8:20am

I listened to Wicked,Legally Blonde,Next to Normal and Ghost before I saw the shows for the first time. Didn't harm me in any way. Tried listening to Hamilton during that free trial thing and turned it off after 5 minutes. Just not my thing. Also my 72yr old aunt asked me what that crap was I was playing. She did not like In The Heights at all. 

[Marianne2]

Posted: 6/3/16 at 8:59am

It depends on the show for me. Like if I'm already familiar with the music because of seeing a movie version or knowing the music from an artist,  then I will just listen to the music before seeing a show because I don't think it will improve or take away anything. 

However,  I did get the one for Hamilton without knowing the show. I figured it would be a long time before I can see it. I actually find trying to listen to it all the way through a bit tedious sometimes.  I like it, but I do wonder if seeing the show would help me with listening.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/3/16 at 9:16am

As a basic rule, I try not to listen before hand.  I've made a few exceptions, however, and never regretted it.  I don't think I enjoy the show any more or less but I know I usually enjoy the recording more AFTER the fact.

 

ie.....could not get into Natasha, Pierre by the recording alone.  Was almost dreading seeing it.  Saw it in boston, fell in love, and often adore listening to the recording.

[hork]

Posted: 6/4/16 at 2:56am

It depends on the show for me, too. Generally, if it's a new musical, I won't listen to the cast album first, but if it's a revival or a show that's been running a long time, I will. But that's not a hard and fast rule.

I sometimes wonder how familiarity with the score affects my appreciation of the show. I tend to enjoy a show more if I know the music, and I definitely enjoy an album more if I've seen the show. And since they both work to enhance my appreciation of the other, it's hard to say which should be experienced first. So I tend to go with my gut. With Fun Home, for instance, I went in cold, and I think that was the right choice (I love the cast album, but I don't feel like familiarity with it would make me love the show any more than I did the first time, if I saw it again). In the case of Hamilton, I went in cold, as well, but I don't think it would have made a difference either way (since I didn't like the show, and listening to the album didn't make me like it any more).

Sometimes it's pointless to listen to an album, because it doesn't really give you an idea of the show. Spring Awakening is a good example. I listened to the album, didn't like it, saw the show, liked it a lot, listened to the album again, still didn't like it much. So, yeah, it all depends.

Updated On: 6/4/16 at 02:56 AM

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 6/4/16 at 5:04am

If you can't understand the lyrics on your first hearing in the theater, then they are meant to be read and not heard.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 6/4/16 at 5:21am

Looks like I'm the odd man out here. I want to know and hear everything I can before seeing a show so that I miss nothing when I actually attend.

[ebontoyan]

Posted: 6/4/16 at 6:21am

I'm in the camp of learning what the show is about "prepping for the show" before going to see it and that includes listening to the cast album.  I have found that I enjoy the shows more since I can follow what's going on.  More often for me, if I don't like the cast album, I wouldn't like the show.  In recent years, I have used this as a barometer on whether to see a show or not. 

[Capeguy]

Posted: 6/4/16 at 6:48am

I had the same experience as the previous poster. I also saw it before the OBC came out and was in the balcony. I was lost at the end of Act 1 since I missed most of the lyrics. The second Act -- not so much. Ordinarily, I would not listen to the music before but with Hamilton -- YES -- your experience will be better if you do.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/4/16 at 7:05am

Better? No, just different.

 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 6/4/16 at 12:46pm

I have found that, the more complex the score, the more I benefit from having familiarity before attending a performance.  This is particularly true with Sondheim.  I disliked Night Music, Sunday With George, Into the Woods, Company the first time I saw them.  After I was familiar with the score, I saw them again and enjoyed them much more (except with Woods, which I don't like to this day, although I would point out that I have never liked the overall score to Woods (although I did like some individual songs very much).

I became familiar with Hamilton because I missed a lot of the lyrics while watching In the Heights.  So, from that perspective, it was a plus to listen a few times.  The only negative aspect, which wouldn't be an issue with most shows, is that I missed some of the excitement the audience as a whole experienced hearing the score for the first time.  Since Hamilton is much more inventive than most shows, thats a potential issue.  I'd say to listen to it, but not to overdue it.

 

[Markie27]

Posted: 6/4/16 at 9:09pm

It's a hard question.  I would have loved to watch Hamilton again now that I know all the songs by heart.  But I was swept away with the show regardless of me going in blind.  But when I did listen to Fun Home and Rent OBCR before watching them I hated the music.  I thought to myself why all the praise for these shows?  Then after watching them I was literally sobbing and couldn't stop listening to the cast albums months after.  And then there is Les Miz where I had the album years before finally watching the show live.  And I loved every second of it.   But yeah Hamilton is hard.  It has such a beautiful score that even as a standalone album you would still enjoy the songs unlike Rent or Fun Home where you really need to experience the show to appreciate the songs.  Specially if you listen to "Satisfied" where it is such a catchy song and worthy of a radio AirPlay and then watch it live - God I'm sure you would be blown away on how they presented it.  

[LLJ3]

Posted: 6/5/16 at 12:11pm

I generally don't listen to the entire recording but I watch clips on Youtube of guestings or promo reels to see if the show would be something I'd be interested in. That said, I went into Hamilton blind and was shocked at how long the show was. I was sick and jetlagged when I saw it so I had to keep pinching myself during the second act to keep myself from falling asleep. (I was successful, FYI. LOL) It didn't keep me from enjoying the show though. Weeks after, I'm still obsessed. :)

Exceptions are shows like Miss Saigon, Phantom, Les Miserables, and Rent -- I grew up listening to the cast recordings of these shows so I was familiar with the songs and plots when I saw them on Broadway/West End. Oh and The Last Five Years -- a friend gave me the cast recording back in college. It took ten years before I finally saw a production. 

[JayG 2]

Posted: 6/5/16 at 5:22pm

Listen to Hamilton first. I didn't and had no idea what was going on 90 percent of the time. The score's terrific (lyrics sloppy), so. trust me, you will appreciate the show more if you can follow it. Wish I knew it before I saw it.

[SamIAm]

Posted: 6/5/16 at 5:50pm

If I see a show before the OCR is out, then there is no choice. If the OCR is already available and I have heard that the score is complex, I will probably listen to it several times before I see the show. That way I don't miss the rest of the experience because I am so distracted by or focused on the music. 

[HarveyDent]

Posted: 6/16/16 at 4:13pm

I always, always go in fresh. Hamilton would have been no where near as moving for me if I heard the cast recording first.