Unpopular opinions you hold- Page 6

[ChiChi]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 11:09pm

Carrie really is a guilty pleasure of mine. I don't think it's a great show, but there is a lot that IS good.

[Broadway Joe]

Posted: 7/25/11 at 11:28pm

I didn't enjoy Red.

[littlegreen2]

Posted: 7/26/11 at 1:08am

I guess it is an unpopular opinion that I definitely love the Phantom movie. And I also love the Rent movie, because I think Rosario Dawson is a much better Mimi than Daphne Rubin-Vega, and Tracie Thoms is a beautiful Joanne.

[wickedpurple]

Posted: 7/26/11 at 2:47am

@littlegreen2 - Thank you so much for taking the time to reply.

My main problem with the show is that I didn't feel like there was a meaningful plot, it all seemed rather random and disconnected so I just felt apathetic towards the characters and whatever happened to them. I didn't even enjoy "Memory" for that reason, beautiful song but nothing more.

Your explanation though really gave me a new perspective.
I'd actually like to see the show again-never thought I'd say this- after reading some of the back stories of the characters just to see if I'd experience it in a different way.

By the way, I can't stand Daphne Rubin-Vega, I'd take Rosario or Renee Goldsberry over her any day.

Tracie Thoms IS Joanne, she's just incredible. I don't see this as an unpopular opinion though.

[ChenoKahn]

Posted: 7/26/11 at 2:58am

I think he or she was just stating liking the Rent film is not a popular opinion. But just thought Rosario and Tracie deserved props for their performances. I love the Rent film to by the way.

[wickedpurple]

Posted: 7/26/11 at 3:09am

@ChenoKahn mmm yeah, you're right. I'm gonna go ahead and blame the time and my insomnia instead of my stupidity for this.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 7/26/11 at 4:15am

Sondheim can almost do no wrong, but only almost.

"Sunday in the Park" was boring at Playwright's Horizon and on opening night on Broadway (when the person sitting next to me actually shouted during the laser show: "Maybe this would work if I were stoned!").

And it's still boring no matter how many times Frank Rich tries to tell us why we have to love it.

"It's really haaaaard to be an artist!" Yeah? Try working in a coal mine.

Updated On: 7/26/11 at 04:15 AM

[Rockyfan2000]

Posted: 7/26/11 at 4:34am

OK here goes

- I hated "A Chorus Line"
- Disliked Bebe Neuwirth in "The Addams Family" a lot! Performance boring as hell..
- Idina Menzel is totally overrated and ruined "Chess in Concert" at the Royal Albert Hall
- "BOM" is only out to shock and did not deserve all those Tony's. If this is the future of Broadway musicals - then God help us!!
- "RENT" is way overrated

- I loved "Titanic"
- Glad to hear that "Carrie" is being revised and revived
- Really enjoyed "The Woman in White" in the West End

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 7/26/11 at 6:41am

AwesomeDanny: "I hate when actresses mix things that really should be belted. It sounds a lot less impressive when you mix."

What does it mean to "mix things"? I guess Ethel Merman did not mix things, because she sure did belt most of her songs, to great effect IMO.

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 7/26/11 at 7:58am

^Mixing is a relatively new technique that involves employing a combination of belt and head voice. It's a sound within varying degrees that is softer than pure belt and harder than pure head voice. Lea Salonga, for example, mixes quite a bit.

[Leia947]

Posted: 7/26/11 at 9:03am

jdrye2222 said: ""Next To Normal" was an offensive portrayal of mental illness that seemed to have no grounding in what real people go through with this kind of condition."

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! I thought I was the only one who felt that way.

[AwesomeDanny]

Posted: 7/26/11 at 10:41am

ChenoKahn, if you want to hear my thoughts about the Phantom movie, I'm sure you can find what I've said if you do a search of the boards. I'm sort of tired of explaining it so many times.

And I forgot one--Chess is an overrated show with a bland pop score. It doesn't deserve all of the chances it has gotten.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 7/26/11 at 11:32am

- I find most of the Hair cast to be supremely annoying.
- I absolutely love the score to Big River and would rank it among my favorites without hesitation.
- I thought Billy Elliot deserved Best Musical over Next to Normal, even though I think Next to Normal itself (book, music and lyrics but not the actual production) was better.

[backwoodsbarbie]

Posted: 7/26/11 at 3:48pm

I was of "fan girl" age when Spring Awakening was the hot show and I never understood the obsession. I found it perfectly average.....and preachy.

I think Andrew Lloyd Webber's best partner in terms of lyrics was Don Black, not Tim Rice.

I don't think Company is anything special, particularly compared to what I believe to be Sondheim's better shows.

I think Sutton Foster plays the same character in every show.

I loved the musical "Vanities" off-Broadway.

I think Billy Elliot is an abysmal show.

And last but not least, I'm not sure what the general opinion on this is, but I believe A Chorus Line is perfect as is and should never be updated or changed.

[staunchcharacter]

Posted: 7/26/11 at 4:59pm

-Billy Elliot is overrated
-I find Spring Awakening to be whiny and annoying
-I liked the movie version of Mame
-Im a huge Herman fan
-I like the Addams Family

[provocation]

Posted: 7/26/11 at 5:38pm

I absolutely HATE Shakespeare. I find his work to be entirely overrated and boring.

Despite this, I think BARE is an incredibly moving piece of theater despite it's trite Romeo and Juliet-type plot. In fact, it's a story that resonated with me intensely when I fell for my freshman roommate in college. I also feel that a lot of the issues Bare dares to tread upon are prevalent for many teenagers, not just gay ones--the inability to cope with difficult parents and school pressures, peer pressure in relation to drugs, and suicide. All of which I have dealt with. It's incredibly realistic despite the love triangle it presents.

Some others:

Emma Hunton completely stole the show from Alice Ripley during the tour of Next to Normal. I love how realistic and non-mechanical her interpretation of Natalie is. Plus, she's a rockstar. Her voice is so incredible.

Shoshana Bean needs to stop screaming during her concerts and start using that incredible mix again. Her range is nowhere near as large as it used to be, and her voice is absolutely gorgeous when she's not screaming at everyone.

Natalie Weiss needs a starring role on Broadway. And a cast recording. Not only is her voice phenomenal, but I don't think anyone knows how incredible of an actress she is, as well. And completely unrelated, she's one of the most gracious performers I've ever met. And I've met some a*sholes.

And finally, I know Caissie Levy received some crap for her short time with Wicked in Los Angeles, but her performance was the best performance I've ever seen on stage. Moving, nuanced, and grounded, she saved that show from the awful predecessor, Eden Espinosa, whom by the end of her run did nothing but riff her way through the score and yell whenever that wasn't possible. I'm appalled at the way Levy as treated because she was awe-inspiring and rekindled my desire to perform.

Updated On: 7/26/11 at 05:38 PM

[strummergirl]

Posted: 7/26/11 at 8:13pm

-A Behanding in Spokane felt too much like McDonagh attempting to be early Tarantino. The out of nowhere racism by Christopher Walken's character made that pretty apparent and nearly ruined an otherwise well-performed, darkly humorous, but still, unremarkable play.

-Had Daniel Radcliffe had How To Succeed on a Broadway a year earlier, he would have been nominated for a Tony. His omission was 'Hollywood star' backlash based on the year before.

-A lot of Wilde plays are funny strictly because of how dated in time they are.

-I have a love-hate relationship with this movie but Phantom of the Opera definitely had songs and scenes elevated by how cinematic it was. "Masquerade" is a particular standout and frankly, I cannot really enjoy a stage version of that song (those symbols!) since.

-Ian Gillan's work on the concept album of JCS can never be topped- not even by Ted Neeley.

-Rent and Hair may have captured the zeitgeist of their time period, and their scores each have highlights, but both shows and the fans of the shows take themselves a little too seriously that often lacks any reflection despite the shows being a while ago.

-The Light in the Piazza had one of the more ridiculous plots ever. Gorgeous score and yeah, that plot point pre-existed from its source material but, wow!

-If you want your play to be adapted into a movie, please do not let Nicholas Hytner direct.

-I still wonder how The Pajama Game won for Best Revival over Sweeney Todd, polarization over John Doyle be damned.

[showchoirguy]

Posted: 7/26/11 at 8:22pm

Wonderand was a fantastic musical.

Sherie Renee Scott was a fantastic Maureen in Rent.

Hugh Panero is one of the best Phantoms on broadway.

Carrie was such a great musical and I'm so happy it's being revived.

Daphine Rubin Vega voice does not fit for certain songs.

[showchoirguy]

Posted: 7/26/11 at 8:27pm

Also Carol Channing scares the living daylights out of me when she opens her mouth. Even though I love her.

And as much as I love her, Liza Minelli is such an overrated diva.

[LegallyBroadway2]

Posted: 7/26/11 at 8:55pm

AKarp2013, a burning passion cannot explain how much I enjoyed that musical.

I loved the *story* of Spider-Man 1.0 more than any other musical I've seen.

I think Spider-Man 2.0 is the most brilliant musical ever.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 7/26/11 at 10:05pm

One starts to wonder how many of the opinions expressed here are... hmm... how to say it gently... real?

This is, after all, a board about artistic illusion.

[ChenoKahn]

Posted: 7/26/11 at 10:10pm

Legally, is it your favourite or do you think it's the best musical ever?

[theatrefreak0109]

Posted: 7/26/11 at 10:38pm

i have one more, i LOVED the Love Never Dies cast recording( i really want to say i loved the show but alas i have not seen it) but from what i know i believe it is a worthy sequel to Phantom(except for how they killed Raul's character)

[chewy5000]

Posted: 7/30/11 at 4:50am

I love what I've heard of Rent Remixed

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/30/11 at 9:10am

I think this thread points out who is in their teenage years and know absolutely nothing about musical theater. And while it's great they do love the theater, they do need to stop pretending they know everything there is to know about it at the tender age of 16. Some of their posts bug the sh*t out of me.

I loved the PHANTOM movie.

My dog doesn't like FOLLIES. I was watching it last week and he farted non stop for 2 hours.

People who bootleg broadway shows should be honored with special Tony awards for preservation.