What Makes You Love A Musical?

What are the components you look for in a musical that makes it worthy of people to enjoy it? What encaptures you? What makes you get so inside of a musical that its hard to get out?

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funny, great music, good storyline, talent in cast (star power, but not always needed), good choreography (sp?), and cute guys! woot!

Oh dear.... this is a hard question, but usually the big thing for me is how I feel the moment I walk out of a theater. If I walk out feeling like "Oh my God I MUST see that show again," then that means I really loved it. It's rare for me to see things that I don't absolutley fall in love with more than once.

I don't think there's any ONE component that makes a show for me, considering that my favorite shows are all pretty different... and I don't think there's any ONE component that makes a show something that EVERYONE will enjoy. I think that from especially on this board, we know that peoples' opinions will always differ greatly. A lot of it is the basic premise, and a lot of it is the way it's presented I guess.... encompassed in that would be everything - the acting, the music, the book, and even the sets, to a degree - as a whole package. I guess there just has to be *something* really special, but that "something" can be any one of a million thing that really makes the show get under your skin. Cabaret, Rent and Aida did it for me. There were characters that I cared about, and I really felt like I was transported into their world. That's what makes a show for me.

Well, yay for more rambling, roundabout, "must-waste-time-so-I-don't-need-to-study" posts from me....

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Updated On: 3/27/04 at 08:58 PM

What does it for me is hard to put in words. How do you describe one's aesthetic tastes. If something moves me, takes me out of myself and makes me feel something good-well, then that's enough for me. Taboo did that but even more so - the music of Dance of the Vampires. And I don't give a rat's ass what the popular opinion on that show was. I LOVED IT.

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There's a lot of things about a musical that make me fall in love with it.

I'd probably have to say the number one thing is the music MUST hit a chord in me somewhere. I say this because I have been a fan of musical theater since I was about three or four years old, a good 21 years before I saw my first professional stage musical (Sorry, I'm not counting countless school musicals, or even ballets which number in the thousands.)

For so long, I only had the music itself, not the visuals to go with it, to make a musical work for me. Case in point, Phantom. I always knew I would LOVE it when I got to see it for the first time, because the music - even on the OLCR - moved me to the point where I would listen over and over and over again. Sound of Music did the same thing for me, as did a few others in those early years.

Now that I've seen Phantom numurous times, and have many, many recordings of it . . . cast makes or breaks it. Out of eight times, the only time I really didn't totally fall into it was the very last time. Partly because of a minor lack . . . a brand new phantom who wasn't comfortable in his shoes yet coupled by a Christine who . . . um, was having a very OFF night and my favorite Raoul being out that day . . . every other time I've left the theatre with a feeling of euphoria. Although I think part of the letdown was knowing it was the last time I'd see it for a LONG time.

I've fallen in love with other shows because of staging and dancing (DOTV, Sound Of Music, Aida, etc) although the music, there's got to be at least ONE song that touches me, maybe even makes me a bit misty, if not downright makes me cry.

(Which I know when I finally DO Get to see Wicked, I'll be bawling during "For Good" . . . I already do from the cast recording!)

So all in all, it's about the MUSIC and the way it makes you feel! I think maybe my screen name says it all

*I'm Inside The Music*

Great musicals are ones that you walk out singing and want to go right back to the box office and purchase another ticket. There's something about the music that captivates you and your feel tap along the entire time (at least in the fast songs). I also love it when musicals have fun, upbeat songs along with beautiful slower songs (e.g. Mamma Mia, Rent, and even Les Mis). Of course, you need great actors / singers ... people that give you chills when they sing. They can make or break a musical.

A musical, or any theatre for that matter, should be able to transport me to the actors world. The musical score and the choreography must serve the strong book. The musicals that I love have it all - high energy casts, great costumes, a wonderful score, great dances and a strong story. It must give me something to chew on days after I've left the theatre.

You know what makes me love a musical? The opinions of people here on Broadway World!

I'm a Broadway World shill.

Sorry, couldn't help myself.

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High quality music, an entertaining plot, and an energetic cast.

the hotties,the music,the story, the characters and the actors.

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The music.

Tendres Baisers,
Juliette Capulet

music, acting, a non- confusing storyline, and the sets.

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At this point--good writing at all, especially the book.

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