Which Rodgers & Hammerstein Classic do you love the most? — Page 2

On film: The Sound of Music
On stage: I've always been partial to Oklahoma!, particularly with the De Mille choreography.

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Oklahoma!

Without a doubt: THE KING and I

Carousel has always been my favorite.

But I have another question to ask. How come the earlier musicals (Carousel, Oklahoma, South Pacific) all had heavy themes but by the time they got to The Sound of Music it was all treacle? Was this because the source material was that way or did R&H just want to write lighter fare?

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"It was the first Broadway show I ever saw."

Sorry for that. The only good thing about that show was that they had a really cool show curtain.

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The problem with the character of Maria is that she's so sweet and there's really nowhere to go with the character. Maria von Trapp was quoted as saying that she told both Mary Martin and Julie Andrews to "butch it up" (Okay maybe she didn't say it that way, but you get the meaning).

The problem with Luker was that she, imo, is a bland actress and playing a sweet character made her fade into the scenery.

And even Patti Cohenour, who I enjoy, really didn't have the gravitas to play the Mother Superior. I felt like I was watching a high school girl trying to play old and wise.

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I completely agree. I obviously never saw Martin, but I think that Luker is missing the "wink" that Martin and Andrews had. Her performance is just so earnest that it lacks any depth. I just couldn't see the kids falling in love with her, her Maria was no fun at all. I also think she read too old for the part.
Sang like a dream though. But even her singing suffered in comparison to Andrews.
Oh well. Little me was enamored with whoever was playing Rolf, and I loved every second of the production.

Cinderella.

Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, that is. Not the deformation thereof currently on display at the Broadway Theatre.

My three favorite R&H songs are: "Some Enchanted Evening", "You'll Never Walk Alone" and "If I Loved You". I would say a tossup between "Carousel" and "South Pacific".

The King and I. The Uncle Tom's Cabin ballet adds something that no Broadway show has ever replicated in terms of originality.

When played correctly the relationship between Anna and the King make this show, perhaps the most sophisticated, primal and complicated "love" story ever seen on stage. The score is beyond brilliant. SOMETHING WONDERFUL is my fav R&H song. As I child I was in the show and when the song is re-prised at the King's death bed, I cried every night.

Choosing one show is way too hard, but the original FLOWER DRUM SONG was complete charming and the "revisal" was an abomination . It deserves better.

After Eight, I finally have seen Cinderella and unfortunatly I will never think that "deformation" is the correct word for what I saw. You see, it's just that I never cared for the original Cinderella on television or it's other two versions because they feel like mashed potatoes going against the composers other legendary work on stage. At least I will give the Broadway version some credit that Beane and the creative team tried to make Cinderella more well known to the public and to make a unique version that, at least to me, put more effort than Hawng could dream up in his sleep. But hey, your opinion is perfectly fine, if you love the original for what it is, more power to you.

Yet the new Flower Drum Song's use of the word deformation is a criminal understatment. THAT HORRID, UNATURAL, DEMONIC S*** CAN GO TO "THE OTHER PLACE" FOR ALL I CARE!! SOMEONE CALL THE EXORCIST! PLEASE I BEG YOU!!

Curtain, I will defenitley agree that the score to The King and I is nothing short of a masterpiece, and the film version will always be my favorite movie musical of all time. Plus it is my absolute favorite musical from Rodgers and Hammerstein; it's a shame that Me and Juliet had to come afterwards.

Gothampc - I saw this wonderful production a few years ago that had what looked to be a real carousel, and than when the transition came, the center piece folded like an umbrella and was pulled upwards, and the horses all were on wheels or something like that and rolled off. It made for a beautiful transition, and was remarkably designed. There could be a turntable to make it spin. It didn't seem to be too much of a cost, and it really was spectacular! I'm not the best at descriptions...