What show has had the most profound impact on you?
What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Wildcard
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/21/06
#0What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 12:50am
What show (or part of a show) has had the most profound impact on you, possibly even changing your life? Why/How?
Two musicals stick out for me. The first is "Miss Saigon." It is the show that made me realize what musical theater was. It showed me the artistry of stagecraft and how modern operas exist today. Yes, before this, I saw movies of "The Sound of Music", "The King and I", etc. But none had the same effect as this show as I had been interested in it as early as the London casting process (even before "The Heat is On"). I probably wouldn't be too much into musicals if not for this show making me interested in learning about other composers, directors, styles and scores.
The second is "Contact", specifically the second act "Did You Move?" I watched this show one week after my first boyfriend of (3 years) and I broke up. Don't ask me why or how but I watched it with him. Probably bec. I didn't want to waste the tickets or couldn't find anyone else to go with me. It was a very emotional time. When that second act came on, I saw myself on stage. That was our relationship where I was the "wife" who wanted to escape. My ex was very controlling just like in the show. I couldn't move, look at anyone, make friends, etc. At the end of that act, he was crying and just apologizing profusely to me. He suddenly realized what he was like and how I must have felt. I no longer see him now but being my first love, he will always have a place in my heart. "Contact" helped make that transition much easier.
Updated On: 7/4/06 at 12:50 AM
#1re: What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 12:50amThat show by andrew loyd wright.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
FindingNamo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
#2re: What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 12:52amWickrent.
Twitter @NamoInExile
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colleen_lee
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/16/05
#3re: What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 12:55am
::cowers under desk::
WHERE ARE ALL THESE PEOPLE COMING FROM?!?!?!
"You just can't win. Ever. Look at the bright side, at least you are not stuck in First Wives Club: The Musical. That would really suck. "
--Sueleen Gay
#4re: What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 12:58am
This may sound corny... but the very first Broadway show I ever saw... and probably for that very reason.
It was the revival on "On Your Toes" in the early '80s, with Natalia Markarova, Lara Teeter, Christine Andreas, Dina Merrill, George S. Irving and George de la Pena.
It was directed by George Abbott (yes, the original director, who was in his 90s at that point), with the original Balanchine choreography.
It was pure magic from start to finish. Everyone on that stage "belonged" there. It was BROADWAY, and my first taste of it. Everything about it was right.
And it had a huge, profound effect on me.
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
FindingNamo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
#5re: What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 12:58am
To quote the immortal Alice Cooper (who really deserves a jukebox musical of his own):
Schooooool's out for summer
Twitter @NamoInExile
Instagram none
#6re: What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 1:02am
An Alice Cooper jukebox musical?
Hmmm...
Okay, but only if Disney produces it.
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#7re: What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 1:05am
I know it's cliche but RENT has a lot of impact on me and what I want to do. I didn't see the show until when I was 19 and I saw so many different aspects of myself and my friends in the characters. And it was the first musical that I actually cried in; and I mean I lost control during "I'll Cover You" (reprise). And to this day I get emotional when I hear it.
Also The Light in the Piazza; watching Victoria Clark, Aaron Lazar, and Katie Clarke was breath-taking. I was watching what being a true artist is. There were so many layers to each character and their justifications for their actions was so apparent. I absolutely loved every moment of it.
Cheers,
Christopher
www.christopherviolett.com
#8re: What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 1:05am
Double post; sorry!
Cheers,
Christopher
www.christopherviolett.com
Updated On: 7/4/06 at 01:05 AM
DG
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/2/05
#9re: What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 1:18am
THE ELEPHANT MAN.
Seeing the original Broadway production, and then playing John Merrick 11 years later, absolutely changed my life. To view existence from that very different perspective was eye-opening in a way that I hadn't allowed before.
#10re: What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 1:19am
I know it's trite - but RENT. Back when I was in middle and high school and really started to discover it, it changed my life.
Other important shows that come to mind:
SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE
NINE
CONTACT
THE SOUND OF MUSIC
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy."
-Charlie Manson
#11re: What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 1:22amDG---That's VERY cool.
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#12re: What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 1:26amMost recently, Movin' Out has impacted me. I just saw it on Saturday and I am still in awe of what I saw. It's to bad that I probably won't get another chance to see it since it's not on Broadway and I doubt it'll come back to Chicago. After watching "Summer Highland Falls," "Shameless," and "James" I felt something I never felt at the theatre before...I can't put my finger on it, but it was an amazing feeling.
"Chicago is it's own incredible theater town right there smack down in the middle of the heartland. What a great city! I can see why Oprah likes to live there!" - Dee Hoty :-D
#13re: What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 1:27amGypsy! That show changed my life so much!
#14re: What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 1:44am
Les Mis- This impacted me because it introduced me to the world of musical theatre. Singing a song from this also got me started in singing.
Sweeney Todd- Intoduced me to Sondehim.
I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.
#15re: What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 1:54am
There are 3:
Wizard of Oz- it is the ultimate movie (I know it's not techincially a stage musical, but there is a stage version)
Chorus Line- Trite as it may be, it's what got me into theatre, it's why I do what I do.
Wicked- First show I saw on broadway. OBC, Row ZZ, removable handicap Seat 36 (I think). It was breathtaking. At that point in my life I was dealing with a lot of things and strongly identified with Elphaba, and it just took me away, and made me realize some things.
#16re: What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 2:02am
I saw A Chorus Line done by a local college when I was 7 or 8 and I barely remember any of it. The next year I saw Cabaret at the same college and that was probably the show that had the biggest impact on me. I didn't understand most of it at the time because of my age (well my mom was whispering most of what was going on in my ear), but I have loved the theatre ever since I saw that musical.
The first professional musical that I saw was Mamma Mia when I was 11 and I loved it, but looking back, all it really did was entertain me for the night. There are so many musicals that are FAR better than that one.
#17re: What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 2:10am
Spiderwoman
It is such a deep emotinal moving piece and made me feel so many things and look at like in a differnt perspective.
<------ Me and my friends with patti Lupone at my friends afterparty for her concert with audra mcdonald during the summer of 2007.
"I am sorry but it is an unjust world and virtue is only triumphant in theatricle performances" The Mikado
"I am sorry but it is an unjust world and virtue is only triumphant in theatricle performances" The Mikado
gavrochegirl
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/16/05
#18re: What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 2:30amI've got to go with RENT here. I'm too lazy and tired to explain why, though...
What the puck?!
#19re: What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 2:41am
Guys & Dolls! It was my introduction to (live) musical theatre. After that I was hooked!
I have to credit Spamalot too because it was my first Broadway show and the show that brought me back to theatre. (I had a falling out with the theatre world and several years passed where I had no desire to see any shows. But somewhat randomly I was given tickets to see Spamalot and I remembered why I used to love theatre so much!) Even though Spamalot isn't "great theatre" it still had a great impact on me!
#20re: What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 2:42am
Oliver! - This was the first show I did when I was 8 and I caught the acting bug.
Into The Woods - This was my first star role and it was awesome. I got a letter a few weeks after the close from a woman who saw the show and how it affected her. I will never forget that.
Footloose - I am who I am today because I did this show and I am eternally grateful for how it helped me.
"You know just because you put a smiley face after it doesn't change the fact that it was an a-hole comment." ~ Sumofallthings
Cruel_Sandwich
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/30/05
#21re: What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 2:44am
Hedwig, yo. Hedwig.
Anything Goes, however, made me love acting. Twas the first show I did.
#22re: What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 10:20am
Yeah, I've got to hop on the bandwagon and say RENT. I was 19 when I saw it for the first time, and it really hit home for me.
I will also say I was very profoundly impacted by a production of HAIR that I did a couple of years ago. I find that the shows I'm in have a greater effect on me than the shows I see.
"If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition and then admit that we just don't want to do it." -Stephen Colbert
#23re: What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 10:50am
Rocky Horror Picture Show
it taught me WAY BACK....that it was ok to be who and what you are.
It is ridiculous to set a detective story in New York City. New York City is itself a detective story...
AGATHA CHRISTIE, Life magazine, May 14, 1956
latheatrelover
Stand-by Joined: 5/28/06
#24re: What show has had the most profound impact on you?
Posted: 7/4/06 at 10:59am
A Chorus Line, I think. It touched me that people could speak so honestly about their feelings.
But if I had to pick one number from a show that spoke to me, it would probably be "Being Alive" from Company.
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