What is the greatest 'Jerry Mitchell' Musical

[nyclover2]

What is the greatest 'Jerry Mitchell' Musical#1

Posted: 7/22/18 at 6:56pm

[Jordan Catalano]

What is the greatest 'Jerry Mitchell' Musical#2

Posted: 7/22/18 at 7:01pm

Hairspray.

[dramamama611]

What is the greatest 'Jerry Mitchell' Musical#3

Posted: 7/22/18 at 7:25pm

Yup.

If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.

[AEA AGMA SM]

What is the greatest 'Jerry Mitchell' Musical#4

Posted: 7/22/18 at 8:19pm

I agree with the others who’ve already said Hairspray. I find his choreography tends to suffer a bit when he’s pulling double-duty as director/choreographer, and I don’t think I’ve seen a show that he’s directed where I thought it was anything above servicable.

[jkstheatrescene]

What is the greatest 'Jerry Mitchell' Musical#5

Posted: 7/22/18 at 8:29pm

I'm going to have to go with The Will Rogers Follies... did you see him in that loin cloth dancing on that drum???

But seriously... Hairspray was his best choreography. And I know it gets a bad rap here but I really enjoyed Legally Blonde.

[nasty_khakis]

What is the greatest 'Jerry Mitchell' Musical#6

Posted: 7/22/18 at 8:56pm

The ones he does on Fire Island in his pool with all the dancers! SUCH fun!

[SomethingPeculiar]

What is the greatest 'Jerry Mitchell' Musical#7

Posted: 7/22/18 at 9:03pm

LEGALLY BLONDE seems to be aging like a fine wine. With each passing year, the memories grow fonder. I think his work really pulled that show together and didn't get enough credit back in 2007.

It does seem that with every show he has directed, he's trying to recreate the energy and heart that HAIRSPRAY had -- which is not a bad goal. And I think he came very close to it with Kinky Boots.

[Bettyboy72]

What is the greatest 'Jerry Mitchell' Musical#8

Posted: 7/22/18 at 9:19pm

I’d say Legally Blonde. I find it athletic and thrilling. I agree that the show didn’t get its due. He did great work on that show. Elle is a hard role to pull off.

I found Hairspray pretty full and typical.

"The sexual energy between the mother and son really concerns me!"-random woman behind me at Next to Normal "I want to meet him after and bang him!"-random woman who exposed her breasts at Rock of Ages, referring to James Carpinello

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

What is the greatest 'Jerry Mitchell' Musical#9

Posted: 7/22/18 at 9:23pm

I still think Legally Blonde got as much due as it deserved at the time, maybe more than it deserved.

[Unknown User]

What is the greatest 'Jerry Mitchell' Musical#10

Posted: 7/22/18 at 9:34pm

for me, his best, most  character specific,  show fitting work is The Full Monty....that dance was essential to the plot and darn fun to watch. He's never gotten better than that for me. and even its clear he knows musical theater well, I still don't believe he is a full time director. If he stayed focused on the movement and dancing he would have more more quality work to show from it.

[markypoo]

What is the greatest 'Jerry Mitchell' Musical#11

Posted: 7/22/18 at 9:41pm

The Full Monty.

[SomethingPeculiar]

What is the greatest 'Jerry Mitchell' Musical#12

Posted: 7/22/18 at 9:53pm

"Whipped Into Shape" deserves to be singled-out. It's an ideal 2nd act curtain-raiser in the tradition of "Shipoopi" and "Take Back Your Mink" and "Side By Side" –– it gets the audience comfortable and excited, it's low on plot, but it still helps move the act forward. And his choreography was thrilling. 
(NOT saying it's of equal quality to Sondheim and Loesser and Wilson's work but it serves a similar purpose!!)

[Mister Matt]

What is the greatest 'Jerry Mitchell' Musical#13

Posted: 7/22/18 at 11:53pm

Hairspray, closely followed by the London production of Legally Blonde (greatly improved from the Broadway production).

"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian

[Ravenclaw]

What is the greatest 'Jerry Mitchell' Musical#14

Posted: 7/23/18 at 3:37am

To echo what others have said, Hairspray was definitely his best choreography. 

As for shows he's directed, I think the original Broadway production of Legally Blonde was weighed down by having too much scenically--every location did not need to be so fully realized. The set kind of dwarfed the story. The London production was a more reasonable size (though, still, by no means modest) and allowed room for the characters to breathe. Plus, the edits to the book were small changes that made big impacts. So, by the time it got to London, I'll say Legally Blonde was his best directorial work, but Kinky Boots is definitely very skillfully done.

[adamgreer]

What is the greatest 'Jerry Mitchell' Musical#15

Posted: 7/23/18 at 6:16am

Choreography would be Hairspray, direction would be Legally Blonde, which I always felt was under appreciated.

[ACL2006]

What is the greatest 'Jerry Mitchell' Musical#16

Posted: 7/23/18 at 8:14am

Just as choreographer.

1. Hairspray

2. Kinky Boots

3. The Full Monty

4. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

5. Legally Blonde

6. Gypsy '03

7. Catch Me If You Can

8. On Your Feet

9. La Cage aux Folles '05

10. Rocky Horror

 

A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.