Favorite is TOUGH. It's a three-way tie between Rent, Wicked, and Spring Awakening.
Seen:
Rent (twice...once an older tour, and most recently the tour with the original Mark and Roger cast, I almost died)
Wicked (want to go see this again before it leaves SF)
Spring Awakening
Legally Blonde
Les Miserables
Ragtime
Mamma Mia
Lion King
Producers
I'm such a Broadway freak that the curtain goes up and I immediately burst into tears. It's a little ridiculous. I did a lot of musicals in high school, too.
I'm guessing high school productions don't count? lol
Professional/Semi Professional Ones I've seen are
Forever Plaid
Scappini (I think that's what it was called, was part of grade 8 field trip to Toronto)
Jesus Christ Superstar (by University level Theater Students), was amazing, and the best I've seen.
I've seen a TON of shows on Broadway including all the shows listed so far (except never heard of The Fantasticks). All were excellent. In fact, I've never seen a musical I didn't enjoy. Plays on the other hand have been more hit or miss.
Probably for sentimental reasons, my all-time favorite musical experiences were Chicago with Bebe Neuwirth & Marilou Henner and Nine with Antonio Banderas, Mary Stuart Masterson (should have won Tony), & Jane Krakowski.
Since they haven't been mentioned yet, I'll also give a nod to Avenue Q, Putnam Spelling Bee, and La Cage aux Folles for a good laugh.
My favorite is Rent. It was the first thing I actually got to see on Broadway (which was a BIG thing on my bucket list). I love all the music and the entire story. Seeing it on Broadway is a lot more emotional than seeing the movie...I cried almost the entire time. LOL!!! If you like Rent and have the movie, I encourage you to buy the Live version that's out there of the last show on Broadway. It's EXCELLENT!!! I saw it once on Broadway, but I've seen the movie and the Live DVD at least a dozen times.
Smokey Joe's Cafe. Great music!!! Seen it live twice (not on Broadway, though)...first time we both were recuperating from a NASTY case of food poisoning so I always said we'd go see it again when we weren't sick. I also bought the DVD for it Live on Broadway and have watched it once.
Phantom of the Opera...love all the music in here, too. Have yet to see it live but I want to. I've watched the movie, but only once.
Hair...love the music here, too. Seen the movie, but never seen it live...but it's hard to find places that it's performed live anymore.
Les Miserable. Never seen it live, but saw the movie back in middle school.
Spamalot. Saw it live on Broadway (and I don't even LIKE Monty Python) when Clay Aiken was starring in it. Very good and very funny!!!
Victor/Victoria. It was good, but not one of my favorites. Saw it live once (again, not on Broadway).
Cats. Love the music, never seen it live OR on video.
That's all I can think of right now. If I had my way I'd see Broadway plays all day long.
***EDIT*** Just remembered I've also seen the movie versions of Fame and Mamma Mia
***EDIT AGAIN*** And, although I doubt it counts, I really really LOVED the musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer!!!
Last edited by Natasha1534; 07-07-2010 at 05:12 PM.
I've seen:
Legally Blonde (love it!)
Wizard of Oz
Spamalot (love it!)
Avenue Q (love it!)
Grease
Fiddler on the Roof
Hairspray
Cirque Nebbia--Eloize
Cirque du Soleil "O" (love it!)
I can't remember what else. I buy yearly subscriptions to our local theatre.
This year I am going to see:
Spamalot (again)
Blue Man Group
The Color Purple
Les Miserables
Beauty and the Beast
Mamma Mia
I opted out of Spring Awakening but now I'm reconsidering. I want to see Wicked so bad! I can't believe it hasn't come my way. It was in Tulsa a couple of years ago which is only 2 hours from me. I should have gone then.
I looked up The Fantasticks and do remember seeing the playbill cover with its funky script. It's off broadway at the Jerry Orbach theater. Worth a see?
Natasha - Jane was excellent but MSM seriously ripped out my heart with her voice. Good luck to your cousin! I wish I had that kind of talent.