show stoppers (the wrong kind)- Page 2

[BNN]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 4:03pm

I just feel like The Miller's Son is in the wrong place of the show. For me it's bizarre that we see such a development from two couples in the show, and then a character who in a sense could be considered secondary suddenly decides to lament the idea of getting married. I like the song, it's placement just confuses me.

[Luckydave14]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 4:03pm

"Something Bad" in Wicked (pretty much all the scenes with Dr. Dillamond are a bore)

"Harvard Variations" and "Blood in the Water" in Legally Blonde.

Every time the Queen of England sang in The Pirate Queen.

Agree about All I Need is the Girl.

There are definitely more that I can't think of off the top of my head.

[Pippin]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 4:08pm

les mis- the entire "a heeeeeaaaaaaarrrrttt foooooooooooooooooooolllll of looooooooooooooovve" section. stops the show dead in it's tracks for me.

[sondheimgeek]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 4:19pm

I LOVE 'The Miller's Son', and I sort of agree about it's placement. For me it doesn't ruin the pace of the show, but it feels somewhat awkward. I mean I can't think of any other time in the show that it could be used, and I wouldn't change it's order, but it is weird that we get that much insight into her character so close to the end of the show.

I think it is fine where it is, but it's just a minor question I've always wondered about.

[legally_popular]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 4:21pm

Have to disagree with "All I Need is the Girl" and "Little Lamb" from Gypsy. Gypsy is actually the only show that I can think of where I like all the songs and they are all in the right spots. I feel that they all serve a purpose, including these two.

"A Sentimental Man" from Wicked... ehh I guess it's meant to foreshadow the Wizard being her father or something? My least favorite is "Something Bad."

[NYC_or_Bust]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 4:33pm

Ugh, I TOTALLY agree with "More I Cannot Wish You". LAME

Other songs IMO that are Skip worthy:

Something Bad - WICKED
Dear Old Shiz
A Sentimental Man
Wonderful

Only In New York -Millie

A Very Nice Prince - Into The Woods

[jordangirl]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 4:40pm

eponine3 ~ That's my other one. I totally skip "Rare Songbirds On Display" every time. *makes face* I just don't like it.

[dramarama2]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 4:44pm

Blood in the water...

and also 1775, The Flagmaker from Songs for a new world. I can't believe people actually like that song. It's the worst of the whole lot (except for maybe 'She Cries'). Is it just me?

[BNN]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 4:48pm

When I first saw Songs for New World, I thought it was a show with a linear plot and whatnot, so every song was a showstopper. That being said it definitely does have some clunkers stuck inbetween some really great music though.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 5:50pm

I love "A Heart Full Of Love." But maybe that's because I adore Michael Ball, and Marius and Cosette's courtship was one of my favourite parts of the book. Also, I've only seen the more recent versions, where the whole "Heart Full of Love" scene is really awkward and funny.

However, there is one song from Les Miserables that I just can't bring myself to like-- "Dog Eats Dog." And Thenardier is my favourite character in the musical!

I definitely agree with those songs from Wicked. Other ones:

"You Were Meant For Me" from "Singin' In The Rain". At least, I think that's what it's called. The one where Don's in the studio with Kathy and is putting on all the special effects. Ugh, mind-numbingly boring.

The whole "Out Of My Dreams" sequence, with prolonged ballet, in "Oklahoma."

"Chow Down" from "The Lion King."

"The Contest" from "The Little Mermaid."

"Miss Baltimore Crabs" from Hairspray (and, in terms of the film version, for some reason I always get bored at Queen Latifah's version of "I Know Where I've Been," which is a song that I otherwise love).

"The Contest" from Sweeney Todd. Especially in the film. To a lesser extent, "Ladies In Their Sensitivities" because you're sitting there waiting for the "Kiss Me" Quartet to start up again, but the Beadle usually has such an awesome voice that it doesn't matter.

Awww, Harvard Variations is one of my favourite songs from "Legally Blonde." But I do feel like about half the songs from that musical are total clunkers. The show has several pretty good songs, and several completely forgettable songs that prolong a scene to a ridiculous extent.

[philly03]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 6:19pm

"Obsession"/"Reflection"/"The World Has Gone Insane"/etc. whatever other Jekyll song fits in right before IN HIS EYES. It was just like an excuse for Jekyll to be on stage to introduce In His Eyes? I don't know, don't like any of them. Another one: "I Need to Know"...don't understand why some people are so keen on keeping this in the show.

From Gypsy, my first is "Little Lamb". I happen to believe it's real purpose is so that Louise can have a solo? Who knows. Regardless, "All I Need is the Girl" is next.

From The Scarlet Pimpernel, "The Scarlet Pimpernel," whatever is left of whatever version you saw. Also, I'm not that big on "Creation of Men"...it seems too bizarre/makes Percy too foppish when he probably shouldn't. It's funny to see live [the first time] but otherwise fhgjhjgf.

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 6:25pm

If you listen to the lyrics of LITTLE LAMB, it's obvious why the song is in the show. And Styne and Sondheim fought hard to keep the song in the show.

ALL I NEED IS THE GIRL works great if you have a good Tulsa. And Yazbeck totally drew me into the number.

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 6:30pm

Updated On: 5/1/09 at 06:30 PM

[antiandrewx]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 6:32pm

Word of Your Body - Spring Awakening

[elphiesmagic]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 6:51pm

All I Need Is The Girl serves a huge purpose - Louise believes Tulsa is talking about her being the partner. It's character development for both of them. Having seen that number should play into how you feel for Louise when she brings Rose the note that June has written.

Yazbeck is not a good Tulsa, imo, and that's probably why so many people here are having trouble "getting" the number. Robert Lambert played it with much more truth, energy, and excitement.

Little Lamb is another piece of character development. If Benanti wasn't sobbing through the entire number (at least she was both times I saw her do it), it might be easier to get. Her birthday wish is to know her real age, and she can't share that with anyone but her animals. That's huge!

[jake6970]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 6:56pm

I like the first word of your body. the word of your body reprise is my least favorite part of the whole show, though. Also Blood in the water from legally blonde.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 6:57pm

All I Need is the Girl - Gypsy
Left Behind - Spring Awakening (Mostly cause I just want to get to Totally F*cked.)

[broadwayboy101]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 7:15pm

I completely agree about All I Need Is The Girl. When I saw the revival a few months ago, I was going "Just get to Patti already!!!"

Dear Old Shiz would be one if it wasn't short enough for me to handle it.

[californiasnow]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 7:34pm

When I saw Lion King, I read the Playbill during Shadowlands, because I couldn't understand a word that Nala was singing.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 7:41pm

I guess a lot of it depends on who's performing the role. I absolutely love the song on the soundtrack, and I thought it was even better when I saw it live, but then I saw another performance with a different Nala, and it was excruciating to sit through.

Just like how some Javerts make "Stars" incredibly boring and others make it an edge-of-your-seat, drooling-slightly brilliant musical experience.

[sing_dance_love]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 8:07pm

Wow. I disagree with a lot of these. Hmm.

Anyway, jordangirl, eponine3- Try being in "Rare Songbirds On Display", that number made me want to kill myself. Completely adore Side Show and its score, can't stand that number. Though I can understand why they kept it in, though they could have written a better number to replace it.

[mormonophobic]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 8:16pm

I guess it really is a matter of personal taste. I love so many of the songs listed here, but for me it's No More from Into the Woods. It is the ONLY song from the show that I skip.

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 9/12/08 at 8:32pm

Phantom of the Opera: Prima Donna- the song just bores me oh and the Notes sequences

Rent: Over the Moon and Without You- i just hate sitting through Over the Moon... and I hate hearing the lyrics "without you" repeate over and over and over and over and over

Aida: all the Zoser songs bore me

Les Miserables: Turning... geez that song seems to go on forever and I also agree with schmerg the impaler about STARS

Avenue Q: the two times i saw the show i was bored throughout the Fine Fine Line song and that More you Love Someone song...

Wicked: Something Bad is boring...

The Color Purple: the Act 2 opening number seemed to go on forever. I honestly think it wasn't needed and I was falling asleep

[TheatreFreak05]

Posted: 9/13/08 at 12:21am

Why all the "All I Need is the Girl" hating????
I love that song and Yazbeck does a beautiful job with it.

[BNN]

Posted: 9/13/08 at 12:25am

I really like "All I Need is the Girl", with a second viewing of the LuPone revival, it struck me how much this takes us into a sort of whimsical fantasy and we see Louise and Tulsa happy and enjoying themselves, which completely lures us into the sucker-punch that is the Omaha scene. Unless you know what's coming for you, All I Need is the Girl had completely set you up to be knocked out by the next scene.