What is the best show you have ever seen?- Page 3

[light_in_the_dark2]

Posted: 7/20/11 at 1:14am

Next to normal with Mazzie was my first and favorite musical I've ever been to. A fantastic, moving production that was just incredible.

I just saw my first play (the normal heart) and it was fantastic. It will be hard to beat. The message of the show and incredible actors made it one of my favorite broadway shows ever

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/20/11 at 1:26am

qobin, I would have killed to see "August: Osage County" before it hit Broadway.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 7/20/11 at 3:38am

I assume the question refers to a single performance in production and not just what is the best show on paper?

The best show I ever saw was "March of the Falsettos" at the Westside Theater with the original cast except Brent Barrett had replaced Stephen Bogardus as Whizzer. The act was still good when it became Act I of "Falsettos," but when they performed the hour by itself, the cast attacked the material like they all expected it was the last show they would ever do. Totally fierce.

That being said, the most thrilling experience I ever had in a theater was the original production of "Follies," a few weeks after it opened. I was a teenager with no background in avant-garde theater and that show nearly made my head explode! I had never dreamed a musical could accomplish all that.

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 7/20/11 at 4:35am

This post is in response to thoughts expressed about MY FAIR LADY from charlesjguiteau and JohnBoy2, the latter having seen the original London production with Julie Andrews, but without Rex Harrison.

I was privileged to see the entire Broadway original cast of MY FAIR LADY at the beautiful Mark Hellinger at a Saturday matinee when I was about 15. I especially remember Julie Andrews, Rex Harrison and Stanley Holloway. While JohnBoy2 remembers Andrews owning the stage whenever she was on, I remember Rex Harrison being equally impressive. He was just perfect as Professor Higgins. I also remember the unbelievably beautiful sets by Oliver Smith and the many gorgeous costumes by England's Cecil Beaton. The scene at Ascot may have been my favorite. MY FAIR LADY is really a perfect musical and I would have selected it as the best show I have ever seen if I were not such a GYPSY fanatic.The thrills which GYPSY affords me cause it to be number one for me.

A word about the recordings of the show: I feel that the mono Broadway version is superior to the stereo London recording. This is manifested in two spots. John Michael King singing the beautiful "On the Street Where You Live" is considerably better than whoever sings it on the London recording. The other spot is at the conclusion of the show when Rex Harrison sings/ speaks," Marry Freddie--Hah!!!" with enormous gusto. On the London recording he merely speaks the words.

Incidentlally, I thought that the 1980(?) revival at the St.James with Christene Andreas as Eliza and Ian Mckellan(sp?) as Higgins and with the always wonderful George Rose as Alfred Doolittle, to be terrific.

A

Updated On: 7/20/11 at 04:35 AM

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 7/20/11 at 4:36am

This post is in response to thoughts expressed about MY FAIR LADY from charlesjguiteau and JohnBoy2, the latter having seen the original London production with Julie Andrews, but without Rex Harrison.

I was priviledged to see the entire Broadway original cast of MY FAIR LADY at the beautiful Mark Hellinger at a Saturday matinee when I was about 15. I especially remember Julie Andrews, Rex Harrison and Stanley Holloway. While JohnBoy2 remembers Andrews owning the stage whenever she was on, I remember Rex Harrison being equally impressive. He was just perfect as Professor Higgins. I also remember the unbelievably beautiful sets by Oliver Smith and the many gorgeous costumes by England's Cecil Beaton. The scene at Ascot may have been my favorite. MY FAIR LADY is really a perfect musical and I would have selected it as the best show I have ever seen if I were not such a GYPSY fanatic.The thrills which GYPSY affords me cause it to be number one for me.

A word about the recordings of the show: I feel that the mono Broadway version is superior to the stereo London recording. This is manifested in two spots. John Michael King singing the beautiful "On the Street Where You Live" is considerably better than whoever sings it on the London recording. The other spot is at the conclusion of the show when Rex Harrison sings/ speaks," Marry Freddie--Hah!!!" with enormous gusto. On the London recording he merely speaks the words.

Incidentlally, I thought that the 1980(?) revival at the St.James with Christene Andreas as Eliza and Ian Mckellan(sp?) as Higgins and with the always wonderful George Rose as Alfred Doolittle, to be terrific.

A

Updated On: 7/20/11 at 04:36 AM

[binau]

Posted: 7/20/11 at 10:28am

uncageg, I should have been more clear :p. While it was the steppenwolf cast and production, it was post-Broadway in Australia. As opposed to the e.g. new Melbourne production of Osage County, which I didn't see.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 7/20/11 at 11:27am

Musical: Les Miserables

Play: An Inspector Calls

[charlesjguiteau]

Posted: 7/21/11 at 12:54am

Not to highjack this thread, but huge thanks to Johnboy and Gypsy for sharing their memories of My Fair Lady in all it's mythic glory. Back in 1971, I found a this magic little paperback in the library at the American Embassy in Tel Aviv (long story), of the book and lyrics of MFL, along with about 20 black and white photos of the fullstage pictures of nearly every scene. Thought I had died and gone to heaven. I always wished a truly definitive book on the original production would be compiled one day. (And Keith Garebian's book doesn't come close.)

[ChiChi]

Posted: 7/21/11 at 2:30am

I get asked this all the time and I honestly can't pick just one. I couldn't even narrow it down to five. I just love so many. But there are also plenty that I don't love.

[sondheimfan2]

Posted: 7/21/11 at 11:52am

Tie:

SWEENEY TODD with OBC
SUNDAY IN THE PARK with OBC

[NDR]

Posted: 7/21/11 at 11:55am

Play: The Normal Heart (recent revival)
Runner-Up: The Cherry Orchard (RSC London '97)

Musical: Miss Saigon (Toronto)
Runner-Up: Next to Normal (OBC)

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 7/21/11 at 11:56am

Every time I get asked this I say the same thing: the Ragtime revival.

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 7/21/11 at 1:19pm

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 7/21/11 at 1:23pm

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 7/21/11 at 1:25pm

Pleshette and Duke

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 7/21/11 at 1:29pm

CAROLINE, OR CHANGE on Broadway. Saw it on a Saturday night for the first time. Went back the next day for the matinee and saw it again.

THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, JERUSALEM and the recent COMPANY revival are all close contenders.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 7/23/11 at 2:08pm

The original national tours of "Beauty and the Beast," "The Lion King," "Wicked," "Mary Poppins," and "Jersey Boys" were all amazing.

[Lottery Addict]

Posted: 7/23/11 at 3:18pm

The Drowsy Chaperone with the original cast, especially Bob Martin as Man in Chair and Beth Leavel as the chaperone. It was the first lottery I ever won, and I sat in the front row loving every minute.
Updated On: 7/23/11 at 03:18 PM

[raker]

Posted: 7/23/11 at 9:38pm

The Book of Mormon, today at 2. A knockout.

[shrekster224]

Posted: 7/24/11 at 1:21am

raker, I heard there were some understudies on today in BoM. Could you give more info? thanks

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 7/24/11 at 7:41am

Musical : Follies at the State Thestre Melbourne ( one night only event ) Directed by Tony Sheldon with a cast that was a who's who of Australian theatre. The night was perfect.

Play: Angels in America on Broadway

[raker]

Posted: 7/24/11 at 9:09am

There were no understudies in BoM on Saturday at 2. What talented actors they all are. Understudies always do a nice job, but it would be a shame to have to miss anyone in this fabulous cast

[sueb1863]

Posted: 7/24/11 at 7:02pm

A Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival production of 'Nicholas Nickleby' in Cleveland, Ohio, 1982. Saw the whole thing in one day and the effect is sort of hard to describe - maybe 'immersive'? An eight-hour show sounds like it would be a tough slog but when you're so wrapped up in the story, it just flies by.

It's a shame few theaters stage the show anymore, probably because it's so long and you need a lot of actors. Even when they do put it on, it's the truncated six-hour version, not the full eight-hour version. It's just not the same.

The poster who saw the original 1981 production with Roger Rees is so lucky!! That must have been incredible.

[shrekster224]

Posted: 7/24/11 at 7:38pm

raker, I heard Nick Spangler was on for both shows, no? At least as an Elder.

[Q]

Posted: 7/24/11 at 7:55pm

JohnBoy - I meant to ask you basically the same question as before, but about MIRACLE WORKER. Did you only see Pleshette, or did you also see Bancroft and preferred Suzanne?