Who is Michael Ball, why should I care...?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/11/03 at 8:14pm

Someone please explain why this continues to be a topic highly discussed. Do we really care if this Michael Ball is leaving CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG? The interest this topic seems to have generated is too absurd to be real.

Just my opinion folks, 'cause I'm

Yours for a better Broadway!

p.s. What does Michael Ball have to do with Broadway anyhow? This website isn't entitled "WestEndWorld.com," now is it?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/11/03 at 8:24pm

Uh...

Are not the West End theatre and Broadway theatre quite intricately entwined with one another?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/11/03 at 8:27pm

Perhaps.

My question still is unanswered however. Why should we care this guy is leaving CHITTY. Why should we even care about CHITTY?

Your for a better Broadway!

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 7/11/03 at 9:13pm

Then don't read the thread.

It's not your concern what others feel like talking about. Updated On: 7/11/03 at 09:13 PM

[sharon1]

Posted: 7/11/03 at 10:03pm

Broadway and the West End have always, thank goodness, been entwined. MB is leaving a very good West End Production. Some, like myself, hopes it comes to Broadway. He is a remarkable singer. And if you have read the thread, which you have, is a fine performer. If you want more info see Alone Together, which is superb. Or one of his conceert videos. He was the original Marius, did Phantom, Aspects, and Passion in London. Was in Les Miz' 10th Ann. Show. and ALW 50th Bday blast where he brought the house down. Continues to do boffo concerts in the UK. Recently Harrogate. As all performers have theri detractors so does he. But there is one thing they all agree on is voice. Remarkable range, and passion. So that in a nutshell is why we want to see him on Broadway. The role does not fully utilize his voice but they have written an addition to the show for him to "exercise his lungs"
I hope I have given you enough info.

[TheatreNut]

Posted: 7/11/03 at 10:09pm

I agree that the West End and Broadway are related. Usually a good show from "across the pond" will come to Broadway eventually. And most people would love to see the originator of the role also originate it on Broadway.

As for Michael Ball, a thread on him leaving CCBB is like a thread of Harvey leaving Harispray. Nobody would complain about a thread like that.

[sharon1]

Posted: 7/11/03 at 10:30pm

Thank you. You are entirely correct.

[sharon1]

Posted: 7/11/03 at 10:43pm

Theatre Nut
I thought of some others:
Richard Burton leaving Camelot
Rex Harrison leaving My Fair Lady
Colm Wilkinson leaving Les Miz
Michael Crawford leaving Phantom
See a common thread
also
on the American side
Robert Preston leaving Music Man
Just thought I would expound and use past examples of why we wan MB in CCBB here

[kec]

Posted: 7/12/03 at 12:44am

First to answer your question. People care about him leaving CCBB because we think he has done an excellent job in the role, and we have high hopes that if and when Chitty goes to Broadway he will be in the driver's seat. A great many people feel strongly that Chitty the stage musical was a wonderful adaptation of the film. It is a musical that is great fun to watch and full of exciting moments, i.e. seeing the car flying above the stage.


If you have read the entire message thread, you will see that the discussion has gone beyond his leaving Chitty in London to discuss what else he has done. Have you seen the 10th Anniversary concert of Les Miz? Michael Ball was Marius. He originated the role of Alex in Aspects of Love in London and again on Broadway. He was also Giorgio in Stephen Sondheim's Passion when it played in London. He can also be seen in the ALW Birthday celebration, singing Gethsemane, All I Ask of You with Sarah Brightman, Gates of Heaven, and Love Changes Everything (his signature song).

But while he excels in singing show tunes, he has expanded his repertoire beyond them-- he sings love songs, rock and roll, inspirational, -- he's even done opera. He is a man who puts his heart and soul in each song he sings, no matter what the genre. He is a singer well worth listening to.

[JakeB]

Posted: 7/12/03 at 3:32am

He is also famous for having crazy fans who'll stop at nothing to be the greatest fan. They stalk him, they argue amongst each other, they call themselves his friend, they try and get best tickets to see him/touch him. On a theatre message board he's banned from being discussed because the women just don't stop harking about him and it needs constant monitoring due to language/abuse.

[sharon1]

Posted: 7/12/03 at 5:40am

Actually the message board you are referring to is becoming famous for abuse of lots of performers, shows, and even the people write in to the boards. They can't monitor themselves and delve into personal attacks. That of course would never happen here. People here are much more friendly and pleasant.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/12/03 at 8:32am

I had no idea who this guy is. Some of you have helped to at least position him in the stellar firmament for me. I enjoy West End Musicals as much as the next musical aficionado....anyone see SPEND, SPEND SPEND?

Some of you have also answered for me that there is no reason for me to care about Michael Ball. Thank you for that.

Yours for a better Broadway! Updated On: 7/12/03 at 08:32 AM

[kec]

Posted: 7/12/03 at 3:48pm

Jake, please don't tarnish all of Michael's fans with that brush. We are not all "crazy." As you will have seen by another thread on that board, Michael's not alone in having "over-enthusiastic" fans. I suspect it's the case for most performers these days. But I have to disagree with you about the banning issue -- as I recall, the ban came up because each thread would degenerate into an exchange of very crude, personal insults first about Michael then his fans posted by people with an obvious dislike of the man.

Broadway Bulldog, I'm glad we helped a little, but I'm sorry we haven't piqued your interest enough to check out his music. Updated On: 7/13/03 at 03:48 PM

[jo]

Posted: 7/12/03 at 5:50pm

A few weeks ago when I was in New York ( where I crammed five shows in a short time - Hairspray, Man of La Mancha, Nine, The Producers and Take Me Out) - I visited COLONY RECORDS to look for a supposed-to-be-released DVD version of the Broadway production of PASSION. Unfortunately the release did not push through - and I ended up buying DVDs of The Sweeney Todd Concert and Hey Mr Producer instead. What was interesting though was one of the senior people who assisted me led me first to a set of prominently displayed albums - which turned out to be Michael Ball's "The Musicals" and "Screen and Stage" albums. I was quite pleasantly surprised - and he explained that Michael Ball is his favourite singer and "The Musicals" his favourite album of Michael. He even said he was sorry they have run out of the few items they had on stock of Michael's Donmar show ALONE TOGETHER....

It was good to know that Michael's work is recognized in one of Broadway's favourite music stores.

While the bulk of Michael's musical theatre work have been at the West End ( original Marius in Les Mis, Phantom of the Opera, Aspects of Love, Passion, and original Caractacus Potts in the stage musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), he has also appeared on Broadway when he reprised the role of Alex in ASPECTS OF LOVE. Hopefully, if and when CHITTY comes to Broadway, Michael will reprise the role of the madcap inventor.

What is rare about Michael Ball is that not only has he done some credible work in musical theatre ( How many musical stars can really say they have worked with the likes of Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Boublil and Schonberg and the Sherman brothers?) but that he also has a very successful career as a recording and concert stage star.

Perhaps as a first try, you may want to listen to his albums on the musical theatre ( "The Musicals" and "Centre Stage" with the latter featuring more contemporary material), even if his most successful album was one on famous movie songs "The Movies"? Or the video/dvd of Andrew Lloyd Webber's CELEBRATION, where he sang Gethsemane, All I Ask of You, Vaults of Heaven from Whistle Down the Wind, and Love Changes Everything - quite a range of material in musical theatre? Or his role in Marius in the 10th Anniversary Concert of Les Miserables? Or you may even want to try his famed work in the Donmar Warehouse series called ALONE TOGETHER , for a change of pace and material?

It is also interesting to know that Stephen Sondheim did write some fresh material for him in the London production of Passion ( I Love Fosca) and eventually sent him a deeply complimentary letter for his work in the show. And that Cameron Mackintosh, who discovered him while he was singing the role of Frederick in Pirates of Penzance in a regional production, called him the definitive voice of Marius in Les Mis.

Given this background it is not strange to see some sustained discussions on him on this board... Not only that, it was actually "Playbill.com" which featured a by-lined article on his departure from CHITTY and his upcoming concert tour - and was eventually picked up on this board.

Hope you will give his work a try.

jo

[sharon1]

Posted: 7/12/03 at 7:50pm

Bravo
Well said and thanx

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/12/03 at 8:54pm

Thank you. I'll try to give Michael a listen. I am prejudiced however against anyone who primary claim to artistic fame is a strong current of ALW musicals and those guys who wrote Les Miz. Sorry but just my thing about the lowering standards of Broadway.

Yours for a better Broadway!

[sharon1]

Posted: 7/12/03 at 10:08pm

Broadway Bulldog
I am so pleased you will give it a try. You will find I am sure a very large number of musicals covered by Michael Ball. His Gethsemane is especially good. He even does some funny Sondheim take offs. Also some of the standards like You Made Me love You, etc. But please try the Alone Together video or dvd and you will see what we are all talking about. Thanx for listening.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/14/03 at 5:59am

JakeB are you are the same Jake who posts on that particular website on which Michael Ball is banned..... if so looking back at the archieves,it seems you are responsible for starting and fueling a fair few of those threads yourself.

Broadway Bulldog I hope you do give Michael's music a chance if you don't like it fair enough but make your own mind up don't let
those who would rather stick needles in their eyes rather than say a good word about MB effect your judgement.He has a wonderful range and talent which means he can pretty much sing anything he likes.

I'd like to think Broadway and the WestEnd will always be linked.

[sharon1]

Posted: 7/14/03 at 9:47am

Thank you Ria.

[Javi]

Posted: 7/14/03 at 12:05pm

Hey, Jo, when I was in New York a month ago I was able to buy the original Broadway cast DVD of Sondheim's 'Passion', so it has been released. I bought it from Footlight Records for around $22.

Javi

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/14/03 at 1:51pm

who is asking "who is Michael Ball?" He's pretty well known in the theatre world. He's been well known since like 1986!! lol

[sharon1]

Posted: 7/14/03 at 4:22pm

That would be Mr. Broadway Bulldog.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/14/03 at 4:31pm

well I know, but asking who Michael Ball is, is like asking who's Michael Crawford...

[kec]

Posted: 7/14/03 at 4:45pm

Yes, Rob, but sadly not too many people outside the theatre world seem to know of him. I once asked a group in a chat room if they'd heard of him, and only one person thought they knew him -- wasn't he the original Marius? she asked. Those Americans that do know and admire him seem to have discovered him watching the various PBS programs -- The Andrew Lloyd Webber Celebration, the Les Miz 10th Anniversary concert, or Michael's own Royal Albert Hall concert from 1999.

I have to confess that I had really never heard of him until I happened to be in London a year ago and decided to see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I found myself captivated by the man with the marvelous voice singing "Hushabye Mountain," and here I am a year later, trying to "spread the word," as it were .

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/14/03 at 4:47pm

But they should at least know that he was the original Marius, if not the orignal Alex who sings "Love Changes Everything" the infamous ALW song from Aspects of Love. He voice is PRIME on that double disc cd. A MUSSSSST HAVE for Ball fans.