things in musicals you like that irk you to no end

Not one musical in particular, but one thing about musicals (typically older ones) that annoys me to high hell is when a choral number starts, the stage is empty, and then 30 chorus members enter the stage to sing.

It's the stupidest thing. "The Wells Fargo Wagon" scene of THE MUSIC MAN comes to mind, though the revival had Gracie Shinn start the song with people filtering on - as opposed to the typical way to do it.

Not a favorite of mine by any means, but it's like in MARY POPPINS (during either "Let's Go Fly a Kite" or "Jolly Holiday" - I can't remember they all just meshed into one mess of a song -) when the entire ensemble just dashes out of no where to begin singing.

AWFUL.

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I feel the same way about it, Munk. It particularly bothers me in Jerry Herman musicals--though I think it's done in a different way though it still irks me to no end.
MACK & MABEL is one of my favorite shows but I can't stand it when Herman uses his formulaic 30-people-ensemble numbers like "When Mabel Comes in the Room." Same thing with "Mame," I like the score but hate that one number--and yes, I know it's a classic and whatnot.
This also happens in SHOW BOAT during "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man of Mine" after Julie does her beautiful rendition and Queenie and Joe do theirs, the whole ensemble starts singing and it just irritates me.

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I don't think I've ever seen this on broadway, but ever other amateur theatre production I've seen has some big musical number that ends really big with high energy and then whomever is singing reaches the song's end/climax and falls on the floor from supposed exhaustion. It's so annoying to watch.

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The critics.

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I only saw the Hal Prince Show Boat in the 90s but I thought the blacks coming in to sing Lovin' Dat Man actually made a lot of dramatic sense. but I (annoyingly) never bought the cast album from that version and can't remember how it worked.

For me on that comes to mind--I honestly really love Miss Saigon. but I *detest* nearly everything about Bui Doi--except it's intention of course

Not one musical in particular, but one thing about musicals (typically older ones) that annoys me to high hell is when a choral number starts, the stage is empty, and then 30 chorus members enter the stage to sing.
yes.

I have to think of more, but there's nothing worse than hearing a musical number approaching and getting that "oh no, its another song" feeling. I'm not going to lie, this happened a lot to me during 1776

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I don't like the show, but the something that pisses me off to no end is on the Fame on 42nd Street recording during "Hard Work," when, in the middle of a very long dance break, the entire cast yells, "EVERYBODY DANCE!"
That always makes me want to punch something.

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That "Oh What a Night" isn't Tommy DeVito's song, and that "C'mon Marianne" wasn't written by Bob Gaudio. Tricksy!

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