"Celebrate Musicals Week" Tag

     Sorry if that startled anyone!  I never do these things, but I just had to this time.  The pause button is up near the top left-hand corner, when you've recovered.

     Sooo.... both "Celebrate Musicals Week" and "A Tolkien Blog Party of Special Magnificence" have begun (go check em' out!)!  Still working on the lovely Tolkien tag Hamlette put out yesterday, but it should be up soon.  Till then, Miss Amy Dashwood's tag for Celebrate Musicals Week:

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1.  What musical did you pick to "spotlight" this week and why?

     After much debate internal I on The Phantom of the Opera did decide.  I know a lot of others are spotlighting this one as well, so I was a wee bit hesitant at first.  But there's only so much that can be said about "Cats", annnd there's just so much more to look at with "Phantom".  I'm excited. =D

2.  How did you discover the musical you picked (hereinafter referred to as "your musical")?

     Our cousins introduced us to "Phantom" one evening on an aforementioned summer trip to the Outer Banks.  We had to go to bed before the movie finished its run, but what we did see left a very strong impression.  Later, when we had gotten a subscription to a music software, we picked up where we had left off.  The rest is history, I guess.

3.  If you had to pick three favorite songs from your musical, which ones would they be?

     The two duets between Christine and the two "heroes", All I Ask of You and The Phantom of the Opera contrast so much, I think it's really a neat example of the differences between each of their relationships with Christine.  (dysfunction on the port bow, y'all.  Erik on the horizon).... erm... and... the Wandering Child sequence.  My brain always explodes from all the feels during that one. (though "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" really primes the tear ducts for that one)

4.  What's your least favorite song from your musical?

     Does "No One Would Listen" count?  I guess not, since it never actually made it into the musical.  Ick.  I really can't choose a least favorite... but I guess I could say if one had to go from the musical, I'd probably eliminate "Poor Fool, He Makes Me Laugh".  The story could remain intact without that one.

5.  Who are your favorite characters (choose up to three)?

     Hee, that's a loaded question.  Just real quick, Raoul, Carlotta, and.... the monkey.  He's brilliant.

6.  Which versions of your musical have you seen/listened to, and which is your favorite?

     I've listened to the movie soundtrack (of course), the 25th Anniversary Concert, a number of snippets from bootlegs, and a portion of the original soundtrack.... and I have to confess, I'm quite the fan of the movie soundtrack, though the Matt Cammelle/Rachael Barrel(s) version is also a real favorite (look it up, why don't ya?  Yur in fur a treat!).  Annnnd I do like others as well, but that's a whole post in the makings.

7.   Is this your favorite musical of all time?  If not, what is?

     Yes'm.  Though this number does give it a run for its money.... In all seriousness, though, with Phantom, it's not just the (drop-dead absolutely gorgeous) music for me.  The story is simple but it's chock full of all sorts of allegorical and symbolic value that's always kept my family coming back for more.  Hopefully I'll get a chance to post on that later this week.  Stay tuned! 

8.   Which cast album/musical soundtrack in your collection do you listen to the most?

     Probably the movie version *ducks*

9.   What is your favorite costume from your musical?

     I love the Red Death costume from the stage version.  I don't know how that mask works, but it's amazing. Such a shame they didn't use it in the film, but the movie version looked pretty sweet too.

10.  If you could change anything about your musical, what would you change?

     Boy, that's a tricky one.... I guess it's always bothered me a bit that Raoul is so dim-witted sometimes, if he were a little smarter about the whole "final lair" maniac-coming-at-you-with-a-rope situation that would be nice.  Though!  It absolutely bugs me to no end that in the stage version when Erik says "turn your face away from the garish light of day" he pushes her face away from him.  He's not the garish light of day.  If anything, he should be pulling her face towards himself.  He sees himself as the antithesis of "day", so it only makes sense.

11.  Which role(s) would you most like to play in any musical, if you had the opportunity to do so on stage?

     Me!! Indeed, you must excuse me.  I could not act anything if you were to give me the world.  No, indeed, I cannot act.

12.  If you could choose one performer to play any part in your musical, who would you choose and which part would you have them play?

     I've wished I could see Anthony Warlow reprise his role as the Phantom (bootlegs are near impossible to find), but I'd also be vera vera curious to see what Nathan James, from "Superstar" could do with that role.

(Here's a few clips of Nathan, not the best examples of his incredible power and vocal range, but his other performances had some crazy dancers some might not care to see, proceed at your own level of caution. =))

13.  Do you consider yourself a musical theatre fan in general or do you just like a few musicals?

     I really didn't grow up with a great deal of knowledge of musical theater... so if you had asked me say, last year, I would have said "no, not really."  I only had a very tiny collection of favorites.  But, thanks to Anthony Warlow, I've been falling more and more into the bottomless pit that is musical theater, by way of Gilbert and Sullivan, and it's delicious, precious. All that said, I still have just a very small set of musicals I absolutely love.

14.  Are you tired of the word "musical" yet?

     Not as much as I am of the work "twerk," that's for sure.

15.  Turn your music playing device on shuffle (or utilize Pandora if you don't have one) and tell us the names of the first three show tunes that come up-- no cheating!  How do these rank on your favorites/most-listened-to list?

     1. "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" - Phantom of the Opera Deluxe Soundtrack
     2. "After Much Debate Internal" - Patience (D'Oyly Carte Opera Company)
     3. "So Please You, Sir, We Much Regret" - The Mikado (D'Oyle Carte Opera Company)

That's how they came up, and I think it's fair to say that's the right ranking, too! 

(Here, I have a note... good Gilbert and Sullivan can be rather tricky to find on the interweb; if you have a hard time warming up to some of the performances on you tube, don't write them off immediately, since performances vary tremendously.)

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On that note... *ahem* maybe I'll post some of our favorite G&S this week for funsies.  Can't wait to see how this week's parties turn out, vera vera excited!  For CMW, I have a few "Phantom of the Opera" posts in the wing, and a little bit of other stuffs too.  Till then, rock (opera) on!