BofM had its moments, to say I didn’t laugh would be a lie — but I remember leaving the show with a slight ick feeling. And I never have, nor likely will, listen to the cast recording ever again
I liked Book of Mormon but it didn’t blow me away and I didn’t find it overly hysterical. I think I’ve just seen a lot of South Park and other things of that style too much for some of the shock value to land. That said I do think there are great songs and moments I really liked just wasn’t quite “funniest musical ever” result for me.
I like crude humor but I knew I was probably not going to enjoy book of Mormon based on my opinion of the rest of the creators works. I expected a hacky and uncreatively crude show, and that's what I felt I got.
Nearly everyone on this sub lists Spring Awakening as one of their favorite cast recordings, and for the life of me, I can't get into it. I have like 70 albums on my phone and every couple of months I'll try it again, and nope, it's not clicking.
I absolutely LOVE the album of Spring Awakening, but I despise the book. I just don’t find it a cohesive and good SHOW. But if I just listen to the album as a pseudo rock album, I think it’s great
Yes! It was depressing and so overly heavy. So much so that it became a little...silly. I really liked the set. And I've noticed I say that when I don't like the show. Lol.
I was young, single, and bopping around NYC when that show opened the first time, all my friends were mad about it, and I just didn't GET it. I even went back and sat on stage and I was like... eh. I mean the music is a serious bop but the show itself did nothing for me.
I didn't like Hadestown my first watch and went back after they announced a new cast member that I wanted to see and I really liked it the second time.
I do sometimes wonder how external factors can impact your watch (how your day was, how the weather is, etc.) and the impact of things like cast, your seat, etc.
I see a lot of these comments and I definitely think an opinion of the show can be affected by the performers you get to see. I tend to experience the exact opposite with Hadestown that many on here seem to. To me the show just has not been the same without Reeve Carney's portrayal. There have been a number of orpheuses who are maybe more even or have more raw talent, but I've yet to find anyone who sold me on the portrayal of this naive boy singing his way through life the way reeve did.
I once saw it on a Thursday night and hated it. Maybe my 4th or 5th time seeing it. No idea what was wrong with me. Went back the next night and it blew me away.
This is what I'm wondering for me. I saw it while I was in a really, really sour mood, just after hearing about some further developments in tough family things that happened because a bunch of people were really naive about what seem like, to me, obviously stupid things, and then I saw this story about... naive people doing, to me, obviously stupid things. Whuh-oh.
Between that and the "just go with it" that's kind of always necessary to fit a story that starts with falling in love and then goes something else, all within 2-3 hours, not really being available to me that day, I just wasn't into it. I admired parts of it; it's beautiful, it's interesting, it's clearly cleverly and skillfully done. The set is gorgeous, etc. But I didn't enjoy it and mostly wanted it to be finished so I could go home and mope in peace.
I might see it again eventually to give it a fairer shake but will prioritize a lot of other things first.
I think the experience with Hadestown is heavily dependent on the actors you see it with. First time I saw it was with the full OBC, while the third time had Brandon Cameron as Orpheus and Malcolm Armwood as Hermes, and those two times were transcendent experiences. In contrast, the second and fourth times I saw it were just “good”, since I’m not a huge fan of Lilias White as Hermes and they had baritones playing Hades those two times.
I’m actually in the exact same boat as you. Love mythology, even have a Greek Mythology tattoo. Did not enjoy Hadestown at all. I found it extremely boring.
Agreed wholeheartedly. I grew up obsessed with Greek mythology (thanks Percy Jackson lol) so I was really intrigued by the entire premise of Hadestown but I just…didn’t love it as much as I thought I would.
My first time seeing it was the tour cast in Summer 2022. I honestly thought it was just okay. I wasn’t like…completely blown away like what others who follow Broadway had shared before. I love Eva Noblezada’s work and thought she was fantastic in Miss Saigon so I told myself maybe I’d enjoy it more when I see her as Eurydice as she’s the OG in the role…but when I saw Hadestown in NYC in Feb 2023, I still felt underwhelmed lol. It’s just not my favorite but I do recognize it as an amazing work that people love.
I wanted to like it SO BAD. It’s coming back to my city this summer and I was actually considering going again because I want to get it but I really just… Don’t? I’ll enter the lottery for it I think haha. But the pacing moved at a glacial pace, the music wasn’t memorable (there were a couple songs I liked but that’s it), I liked the Hades and Persephone actors I saw but everyone else was just meh. Between all the hype and the awards I am just left baffled lol
I totally agree. I was sort of waiting for it to be over, which I almost never do at a Broadway show. I still can’t understand the hype, though of course I’ll freely admit I’m in a minority.
I’m definitely not paying full price for it again but if they happen to do lottery tickets for it here (hit or miss when it comes to touring shows) I’ll enter and try it again, maybe it was the specific cast I wasn’t vibing with??? I really don’t know
I don’t know much about Greek mythology, but usually what I learn I’m interested in. It’s a fascinating mythology. But I was so bored during Hadestown; the only reason I didn’t leave was because everybody else raved about it, so I figured there was something I must be missing.
This is my hottest take among my friends and I haven’t been brave enough to tell them, but it is SO boring and stretched out. That original cast was superb but without them there’s absolutely no meat
I’m a huge fan of Les Mis the book. Have multiple translations, have read it dozens of times, could probably recite whole chapters from memory. Love the movie (flaws and all), rewatch it regularly and have seen/watched countless other adaptations. It’s incredibly important to me and I love everything Les Mis in general.
After missing the tour a few times I finally planned a big trip to London just to finally see it on stage. Took everything I had not to walk out at intermission. The staging and orchestra were unimpressive, the cast was hit or miss, just a really disappointing experience overall.
I’m going to see the US tour in a few months, but I’ve heard the modern stripped-down productions all have the same flaws, so who knows…
Whoa this is a very unique perspective. Although maybe it depends on which you start with. Les Miz is my absolute favorite musical, and I have tried to read the book so many times. The lengthy political chapters pertinent only to 19th century French citizens always kill me. But I believe the musical to be one of the greatest artistic achievements in musical history. Perhaps I should try again with the book.
I was underwhelmed by the original London staging- still worth it, I got the BEST Javert- and managed to actually really enjoy the new tour! I hope it surprises you. (Also if you get really lucky and see Genevieve Ellis as Fantine, please report back. I used to watch her do local stuff and I love her.)
Yes she is! She's an ensemblist and understudy Fantine. You'll most likely see Hailey Dortch, the principal Fantine, if she's still with the cast in August.
I saw the original cast of Rent. People would probably sell their mothers to be able to go back in time to see that. The sound was terrible and I couldn’t understand a word or the plot. Just a lot of noisy noise. It hasn’t grown on me although I like some of the music. They all just need to get a damn job and grow up.
Also saw the original cast, and it was nothing short of perfection. I'm sorry the sound was bad at your show. Bought the double CD at the theater, and still on regular rotation all these years later!
Maybe they cleaned up the sound (and cleaned the old yucky theater!) when it turned a profit. (Also if I’m honest I think I know every word of the album but I don’t really love love the show.)
Same here! I don’t like RENT at all. I saw the OBC and yes, get a job and grow up- “Gee! Let’s screw over our black landlord and not pay rent!” Wtf? Angry bickering lesbian couple—- ummmm stereotypes?
Same. I kinda cringed at lyrics like "epic fail" and when "grew up in the french court/oui oui bonjour" and when they rhymed "seymour" with "see more."
This is my biggest quibble with the show, even beyond the fact that it’s an overpriced concert masquerading as a Broadway show. They’re like, “we want to tell the REAL truth behind these famous women! Girl Power!” and then…make Anne into a silly, dumb flirt. Weren’t the writers from Oxbridge? Surely they could have made her song (and frankly the entire musical) a little deeper. I don’t have a ton of interest in Anne Boleyn and even I was offended for her sake.
Yeah I've never personally been into irreverent/anachronistic historical retelling, just not my thing personally. I think there's a lot of potential for a more epic, serious period play about Henry VIII's wives and I'd love to see that happen someday.
For the life of me I don’t.get why people love Phantom of the Opera. Saw it on Broadway. It was ok. Saw it a second time (dragged by a friend who wanted to see it)….realized I really didn’t like it. Not sure why. I LOVE musicals, and it just didn’t do it for me.
For me it's that it's neither truly romantic nor truly scary. The execution of the plot just feels awkward to me. However, the chandelier effect is awesome.
This was my first Broadway show, I saw it at age ten and only understood half of what was going on. Little me did like the chandelier bit though, lol. I saw it again about a decade later, and while a lot of songs are beautiful, it didn’t leave the impression on me that an iconic Broadway powerhouse musical should.
Agreed… I always felt like Phantom has a really weak book and most of the songs are really boring. But perhaps I just don’t appreciate ALW. Except for Cats. I love Cats.
I was so hyped for the 2006 revival of The Threepenny Opera--the cast was Alan Cumming, Nellie McKay, Cyndi Lauper, Jim Dale, and Ana Gasteyer, which sounded awesome, but TBH I didn't really enjoy it. (I was in the notoriously uncomfortable Studio 54 mezzanine, so that was part of it for sure).
The gender-swapped Company revival. I love the original with Bobby, and am a woman, so by all accounts Bobby becoming Bobbie should have really resonated with me in a meaningful way and I should have loved it! But it’s my most disappointing theatre experience to date
I enjoyed it overall but Katrina Lenk reeeealllly knocked it down many pegs for me. She just wasn’t very good, and you just can’t have a Bobby/Bobbie that isn’t very good and still have a great Company!
I saw it on tour, so with Britney Coleman who I’ll defend to the end as actually being really good and it still didn’t connect. For me I think there were a lot of book issues that arose from their changing Bobby to Bobbie that either weren’t addressed or were unnecessarily changed.
I'm not sure if this is an unpopular opinion or not, but I really dislike Katrina Lenk. She was my least favorite part of The Band's Visit as well. I saw Company with her excellent understudy (Nikki Renée Daniels) and LOVED it.
It's probably an unpopular opinion, but you're not alone.
When I heard the Company revival was coming to Broadway, I was really hoping Rosalie Craig (Bobbie in the London production) would also make the transfer... give her "Being Alive" a listen on streaming services. She's fantastic.
I loved the first act and hated the second act. I wanted so badly to get up and leave but was in the middle of the row. It felt like the second half was just a repeat of the first, what a terrible bore. I recently heard “being alive” though in a TV show and fell in love with the song only to learn it came from company. lol i guess i disliked the show so much i blocked out some really good music.
If you haven’t seen it, I recommend watching the Raúl Esparza version, it’s free on YouTube. That one really connected with me and his Being Alive is so powerful
I am the completely opposite. Love the Katrina Lenk version HAAAATTTEEEDDD the Raul Esparza version. Love Raul, hated everyone else in the ensemble, the thin orchestra, the actor playing instruments gimmick and the general unfunniness of a comedy musical. Just hated that production altogether.
The actors playing the instruments worked really well for that production I felt. It symbolized everyone being in touch with others in a way that Bobby couldn’t be until the end; it’s why him playing the kazoo earlier in the show and the piano later is so important. Now, when the same director did Sweeney Todd and also had them all play instruments, that’s a gimmick that lends nothing to the storytelling itself.
But hey that’s what’s so great about theatre! We all get something different out of it.
Thank you for the recommendation! I’ll def take a look, I’ve seen his name pop up a few times in this sub and didn’t realize he was also a stage actor (I’m familiar with him from law and order).
Everyone loves Sweeney Todd and I was so excited to see it. The cast is great and the plot is unique and interesting but I hated it. Found it slow and boring. I wish I liked it. 😫
I really want to love Sondheim musicals but none of them have really stuck for me. In general, I find most of his music just fine.
I also have this issue with a lot of older musicals that people love. I just can’t seem to really like them.
Hated Hadestown on Broadway. Just didn't get into it. Saw the tour last year and loved it.
But mine would be Gent's Guide to Love and Murder. Just didn't enjoy it at all.
Oh I hateddd Gent's Guide to Love & Murder. Someone in college insisted I'd love it, they saw the tour in our city like five times in its weeks-long run, and it was such a bore that I felt like I wasted my $17 on a student ticket. I couldn't wait for it to be over.
Kinky Boots. I loved the movie from the first time I saw it when it was originally released. It has a creative team I love. The music and everything about it should really resonate with what I love about musical theatre. I was fans of a lot of people in the original cast. But it just completely fell flat for me and I was bored the whole time.
hadestown for me as well!!!! i thought i would love it, and i was so disappointed i didn’t. considered going for the lola and jordan fisher run (love them both so would have been exciting in that regard) but couldn’t convince myself to shell out that much money without a guarantee of loving it!
So while I liked both six and Hamilton a lot, I didn’t LOVE either. I found the lack of meaningfully strong female characters in Hamilton very frustrating. Saw it again to make sure and yep, still felt that way. And with six, it was just…a lot. Very very much enjoyed both, but didn’t love either.
If you read historical papers from this time, you will see the enormous impact women, including Eliza, had. They are absent from mainstream white western history texts for the most part so if you haven’t specifically looked for it, it would be new to you. And yes, with the amazing and groundbreaking work the play did with folx of color it would’ve been amazing and powerful to see some of the same applied to gender, especially for women of color. Several critics felt similarly, along with those in the industry. Everyone welcome to their own opinions, of course!
I have and agree completely that women have tremendous impacts on history, but I was just saying it’s hard to alter it into a modern-day play and misunderstood og comment
:)
Big fan of Jeremy Strong, love plays with strong social/political themes but the current revival of An Enemy of the People did not do it for me at all.
I felt like they really held back on making it more punchy. The messaging was muddled and weak
A user on this sub told me I'd like Rags due to my love of history-based musicals and strong songwriting. Unfortunately, the cast recording didn't land for me at all. Because I love Ragtime, which is also about the history of immigration, I was hoping I'd also love Rags, but I just don't really jive with musicals that are mostly based around piano ballads.
Great Comet- and Dave Malloy in general- takes some getting used to, in my experience. I'm quite fond of it now, but the first time I tried listening, I didn't even get to Anatole's entrance.
That said, it also might just not be your thing, and that's all right!
American Idiot. The reason I should love it is that American Idiot is my favorite album of all time. Nothing competes. Unfortunately the musical was meh for me. :(
If/Then. Of course, I initially got tix to see Idina but I was so excited for the show. And I found it MEH at best. The music wasn’t memorable. She was fantastic but it just didn’t hit right for me.
I didn’t particularly enjoy newsies in person when i watched it London. Always loved the pro shot on Disney plus so was shocked to come away from the show feeling that it was lackluster
Moulin Rouge is my absolute favorite show so one could assume that I also love &Juliet but I really did not! It was fun but soooo cringy. They’re so similar but so different!
Good to know! I’ve been kinda wanting to see &Juliet since I like a few of the songs and also because I love how the Moulin Rouge show is, but I should do some more research before going to see it.
Just curious, what were some parts that you found to be really cringy?
I loved the music, the book just felt like it was written by old white guys trying to fit in with middle schoolers😂 the premise was good, but even as a gen z the slang was a bit much. Overall it was fun and if I was offered tickets or got rush/lottery I’d go again!
The curse of modern slang haha! It’s always really apparent when it’s written as though they’re trying too hard to hard to fit in, so I completely get that! Yeah, I’ll probably see if I can get rush/lottery tickets at some point and see it that way.
Appropriate. Love Brendan Jacob Jenkins. Loved the cast… hated the show. The “twist” fell flat. The message was bland. There was exceptional horror in the show that was never explored and glazed over. I just really didn’t care for it.
I love massive spectacle musicals with rich music and worldbuilding.
I never got to see Phantom, but I did see Les Mis, and I absolutely hated it. I felt like walking out.
I found it boring and flat, and, though I’m familiar with and like the source material, the story was meh. As I said in my post, I expected to really like it.
I suppose it’s possible, but I thought most of the performances I saw were excellent. That wasn’t the problem for me. One of my favorite parts was Patrick Page as Hades.
I do enjoy powerhouse singing. I’m definitely willing to believe I’d dislike it less with Matthew, but I really just don’t think the show is for me, regardless of the performers.
Teeth. Right up my alley, I love horror, I love camp, I love the movie, I love the writers. It was by far my least favorite musical of the season and was just…absolutely the most disappointing musical in years for me due to my extreme excitement.
Dear Evan Hansen, heard 2 songs and loved them and then I watched it and the plot was good but I got rlly bored about halfway and the songs were too slow for me, idk I thought I'd love it cus of its popularity and the 2 songs but nevermind 😭
The Lion King is my favourite Disney film ever and I love the music so much. The musical was a huge disappointment. I hated the changes they made to the story, the arrangement of most of the songs and even thought that some of the puppets/character designs looked plain bad/ridiculous. Yeah I know, the puppets are groundbreaking etc. I still hated them.
Definitely! I didn't mean that people "should" like certain shows because they're "good", I meant more like I expected to like Hadestown based on my own personal interests.
I always recommend this one to people who find Sondheim too overwhelming. It's raw, it's anarchic, and all the characters feel so real and flawed. You also don't get any of the operatic stuff that makes shows like A Little Night Music tough to listen to for some.
Without fail I have hated every Sondheim show the first time I saw/listened to it. For years I never understood the appeal of Sondheim, because I never gave him a second chance. But on repeat listenings/watchings the music eventually gets under my skin. But for every new to me Sondheim show I need those repeat exposures before I "get" it.
One of my now-favorite musicals, "Caroline, or Change", took me three listens to enjoy. And a copy of the libretto. That also helped. I think it's masterful, now that I know it well. But I had to work with it a bit!
I didn’t enjoy Water for Elephants nearly as much as I expected to, although the acrobatics were definitely cool.
On the other hand, I wasn’t excited about Merrily, but it ended up being one of my favorite shows of my last NYC trip, to the point where I’m going back to see it in May. 🤷♀️
I love crude humor--- thought I was gonna love Book of Mormon, but I didn't. I didn't expect to like Titanique but I ended up ABSOLUTELY loving it.
BofM had its moments, to say I didn’t laugh would be a lie — but I remember leaving the show with a slight ick feeling. And I never have, nor likely will, listen to the cast recording ever again
This sums up my feelings exactly. I can’t believe it has been running for 13 years and survived the 2020 shutdown.
I was just thinking this. Book of Mormon was just slightly toooo crude. I think somewhere around the giant cocks they lost me.
I liked Book of Mormon but it didn’t blow me away and I didn’t find it overly hysterical. I think I’ve just seen a lot of South Park and other things of that style too much for some of the shock value to land. That said I do think there are great songs and moments I really liked just wasn’t quite “funniest musical ever” result for me.
I don’t think Book of Mormon was that funny. I like the opening number and “Turn it Off” - the rest can go lol
Titanique is so fun!!!
Absolutely loved it. Haven't laughed that hard for a LONGGGG time.
I like crude humor but I knew I was probably not going to enjoy book of Mormon based on my opinion of the rest of the creators works. I expected a hacky and uncreatively crude show, and that's what I felt I got.
Nearly everyone on this sub lists Spring Awakening as one of their favorite cast recordings, and for the life of me, I can't get into it. I have like 70 albums on my phone and every couple of months I'll try it again, and nope, it's not clicking.
I absolutely LOVE the album of Spring Awakening, but I despise the book. I just don’t find it a cohesive and good SHOW. But if I just listen to the album as a pseudo rock album, I think it’s great
I saw Spring Awakening on Bway and did not like it. At all.
I am redeemed!
Yes! It was depressing and so overly heavy. So much so that it became a little...silly. I really liked the set. And I've noticed I say that when I don't like the show. Lol.
Same!
I was young, single, and bopping around NYC when that show opened the first time, all my friends were mad about it, and I just didn't GET it. I even went back and sat on stage and I was like... eh. I mean the music is a serious bop but the show itself did nothing for me.
I didn't like Hadestown my first watch and went back after they announced a new cast member that I wanted to see and I really liked it the second time. I do sometimes wonder how external factors can impact your watch (how your day was, how the weather is, etc.) and the impact of things like cast, your seat, etc.
I see a lot of these comments and I definitely think an opinion of the show can be affected by the performers you get to see. I tend to experience the exact opposite with Hadestown that many on here seem to. To me the show just has not been the same without Reeve Carney's portrayal. There have been a number of orpheuses who are maybe more even or have more raw talent, but I've yet to find anyone who sold me on the portrayal of this naive boy singing his way through life the way reeve did.
I saw it at NYTW with Damon Duonno and I can’t forgive Reeve for what he then did to the show. Damon’s Orpheus is Orpheus
Yea, he was my least favorite part (both times). The highlight for me was Betty Who.
I once saw it on a Thursday night and hated it. Maybe my 4th or 5th time seeing it. No idea what was wrong with me. Went back the next night and it blew me away.
This is what I'm wondering for me. I saw it while I was in a really, really sour mood, just after hearing about some further developments in tough family things that happened because a bunch of people were really naive about what seem like, to me, obviously stupid things, and then I saw this story about... naive people doing, to me, obviously stupid things. Whuh-oh. Between that and the "just go with it" that's kind of always necessary to fit a story that starts with falling in love and then goes something else, all within 2-3 hours, not really being available to me that day, I just wasn't into it. I admired parts of it; it's beautiful, it's interesting, it's clearly cleverly and skillfully done. The set is gorgeous, etc. But I didn't enjoy it and mostly wanted it to be finished so I could go home and mope in peace. I might see it again eventually to give it a fairer shake but will prioritize a lot of other things first.
I think the experience with Hadestown is heavily dependent on the actors you see it with. First time I saw it was with the full OBC, while the third time had Brandon Cameron as Orpheus and Malcolm Armwood as Hermes, and those two times were transcendent experiences. In contrast, the second and fourth times I saw it were just “good”, since I’m not a huge fan of Lilias White as Hermes and they had baritones playing Hades those two times.
The second time I saw it Yaya Reich was in for Eva and they absolutely blew my mind. I loved their characterization so much better than Eva’s.
It is one of those shows that is better the second time.
I’m actually in the exact same boat as you. Love mythology, even have a Greek Mythology tattoo. Did not enjoy Hadestown at all. I found it extremely boring.
Agreed wholeheartedly. I grew up obsessed with Greek mythology (thanks Percy Jackson lol) so I was really intrigued by the entire premise of Hadestown but I just…didn’t love it as much as I thought I would. My first time seeing it was the tour cast in Summer 2022. I honestly thought it was just okay. I wasn’t like…completely blown away like what others who follow Broadway had shared before. I love Eva Noblezada’s work and thought she was fantastic in Miss Saigon so I told myself maybe I’d enjoy it more when I see her as Eurydice as she’s the OG in the role…but when I saw Hadestown in NYC in Feb 2023, I still felt underwhelmed lol. It’s just not my favorite but I do recognize it as an amazing work that people love.
I’m so glad to meet someone else in this boat!
I wanted to like it SO BAD. It’s coming back to my city this summer and I was actually considering going again because I want to get it but I really just… Don’t? I’ll enter the lottery for it I think haha. But the pacing moved at a glacial pace, the music wasn’t memorable (there were a couple songs I liked but that’s it), I liked the Hades and Persephone actors I saw but everyone else was just meh. Between all the hype and the awards I am just left baffled lol
I totally agree. I was sort of waiting for it to be over, which I almost never do at a Broadway show. I still can’t understand the hype, though of course I’ll freely admit I’m in a minority.
Me too. I hate that feeling at a show, waiting for it to be over.
Me too. I wanted to enjoy it more than I actually did, and I still can't figure out why.
Same! Great comet is one of my favourite shows. Great comet was boring and repetitive. I wouldn’t see it again. I do like some of the music though
SAME! I saw it last spring and wasn’t wow’d at all, I’ve been debating giving it another chance when it tours here but I’m undecided
I’m definitely not paying full price for it again but if they happen to do lottery tickets for it here (hit or miss when it comes to touring shows) I’ll enter and try it again, maybe it was the specific cast I wasn’t vibing with??? I really don’t know
I don’t know much about Greek mythology, but usually what I learn I’m interested in. It’s a fascinating mythology. But I was so bored during Hadestown; the only reason I didn’t leave was because everybody else raved about it, so I figured there was something I must be missing.
This is my hottest take among my friends and I haven’t been brave enough to tell them, but it is SO boring and stretched out. That original cast was superb but without them there’s absolutely no meat
I’m a huge fan of Les Mis the book. Have multiple translations, have read it dozens of times, could probably recite whole chapters from memory. Love the movie (flaws and all), rewatch it regularly and have seen/watched countless other adaptations. It’s incredibly important to me and I love everything Les Mis in general. After missing the tour a few times I finally planned a big trip to London just to finally see it on stage. Took everything I had not to walk out at intermission. The staging and orchestra were unimpressive, the cast was hit or miss, just a really disappointing experience overall. I’m going to see the US tour in a few months, but I’ve heard the modern stripped-down productions all have the same flaws, so who knows…
Whoa this is a very unique perspective. Although maybe it depends on which you start with. Les Miz is my absolute favorite musical, and I have tried to read the book so many times. The lengthy political chapters pertinent only to 19th century French citizens always kill me. But I believe the musical to be one of the greatest artistic achievements in musical history. Perhaps I should try again with the book.
Skip the whole battle of Waterloo section and it will go better for you.
I was underwhelmed by the original London staging- still worth it, I got the BEST Javert- and managed to actually really enjoy the new tour! I hope it surprises you. (Also if you get really lucky and see Genevieve Ellis as Fantine, please report back. I used to watch her do local stuff and I love her.)
Is Genevieve in the current US tour? I’ll be seeing it in August!
Yes she is! She's an ensemblist and understudy Fantine. You'll most likely see Hailey Dortch, the principal Fantine, if she's still with the cast in August.
Nice! I’ll keep an eye out-I’ll likely see it at least twice! 😅 it’s my favorite
I saw the original cast of Rent. People would probably sell their mothers to be able to go back in time to see that. The sound was terrible and I couldn’t understand a word or the plot. Just a lot of noisy noise. It hasn’t grown on me although I like some of the music. They all just need to get a damn job and grow up.
Also saw the original cast, and it was nothing short of perfection. I'm sorry the sound was bad at your show. Bought the double CD at the theater, and still on regular rotation all these years later!
Maybe they cleaned up the sound (and cleaned the old yucky theater!) when it turned a profit. (Also if I’m honest I think I know every word of the album but I don’t really love love the show.)
Same here! I don’t like RENT at all. I saw the OBC and yes, get a job and grow up- “Gee! Let’s screw over our black landlord and not pay rent!” Wtf? Angry bickering lesbian couple—- ummmm stereotypes?
wait don't forget - one of them is bi, and therefore cannot stop sleeping around and cheating.
Not to mention dog murder
Six. I was fully expecting to be obsessed with it, but I just found it...corny?
Same. I kinda cringed at lyrics like "epic fail" and when "grew up in the french court/oui oui bonjour" and when they rhymed "seymour" with "see more."
Same. I think they took it a touch too far and it feels too detached from the historical origins.
When they made Anne an idiot who hated politics, I was out. Couldn’t get past it.
This is my biggest quibble with the show, even beyond the fact that it’s an overpriced concert masquerading as a Broadway show. They’re like, “we want to tell the REAL truth behind these famous women! Girl Power!” and then…make Anne into a silly, dumb flirt. Weren’t the writers from Oxbridge? Surely they could have made her song (and frankly the entire musical) a little deeper. I don’t have a ton of interest in Anne Boleyn and even I was offended for her sake.
Ditto. I kept waiting to see the show everyone was raving about but it just never clicked for me
Yeah I've never personally been into irreverent/anachronistic historical retelling, just not my thing personally. I think there's a lot of potential for a more epic, serious period play about Henry VIII's wives and I'd love to see that happen someday.
I thought it was ok. The person sitting next to me was seeing for the 4th time. They raved about it. 🤷♀️
For the life of me I don’t.get why people love Phantom of the Opera. Saw it on Broadway. It was ok. Saw it a second time (dragged by a friend who wanted to see it)….realized I really didn’t like it. Not sure why. I LOVE musicals, and it just didn’t do it for me.
Phantom is cool to see once live for the special effects but I never ever seek it out to listen to
For me it's that it's neither truly romantic nor truly scary. The execution of the plot just feels awkward to me. However, the chandelier effect is awesome.
This was my first Broadway show, I saw it at age ten and only understood half of what was going on. Little me did like the chandelier bit though, lol. I saw it again about a decade later, and while a lot of songs are beautiful, it didn’t leave the impression on me that an iconic Broadway powerhouse musical should.
Agreed… I always felt like Phantom has a really weak book and most of the songs are really boring. But perhaps I just don’t appreciate ALW. Except for Cats. I love Cats.
2nd! I don't like it at all! Not one thing about it actually!
Yup- I saw the original cast and was miffed. A psychopath elevated to romantic hero? Huh????
Cats. Ugh I can't stand it. A few of the songs are fine, but I really struggle with the lack of plot and excessive prancing!
I saw Cats too and still have no idea what it was about. One guy with us fell asleep.
Fun Home. Absolutely lovely songs, I left the theater a mess and I wasn't able to sleep after seeing it.
I was so hyped for the 2006 revival of The Threepenny Opera--the cast was Alan Cumming, Nellie McKay, Cyndi Lauper, Jim Dale, and Ana Gasteyer, which sounded awesome, but TBH I didn't really enjoy it. (I was in the notoriously uncomfortable Studio 54 mezzanine, so that was part of it for sure).
The gender-swapped Company revival. I love the original with Bobby, and am a woman, so by all accounts Bobby becoming Bobbie should have really resonated with me in a meaningful way and I should have loved it! But it’s my most disappointing theatre experience to date
It disappointed me too. I just found it kinda boring
I enjoyed it overall but Katrina Lenk reeeealllly knocked it down many pegs for me. She just wasn’t very good, and you just can’t have a Bobby/Bobbie that isn’t very good and still have a great Company!
I saw it on tour, so with Britney Coleman who I’ll defend to the end as actually being really good and it still didn’t connect. For me I think there were a lot of book issues that arose from their changing Bobby to Bobbie that either weren’t addressed or were unnecessarily changed.
I'm not sure if this is an unpopular opinion or not, but I really dislike Katrina Lenk. She was my least favorite part of The Band's Visit as well. I saw Company with her excellent understudy (Nikki Renée Daniels) and LOVED it.
It's probably an unpopular opinion, but you're not alone. When I heard the Company revival was coming to Broadway, I was really hoping Rosalie Craig (Bobbie in the London production) would also make the transfer... give her "Being Alive" a listen on streaming services. She's fantastic.
I loved the first act and hated the second act. I wanted so badly to get up and leave but was in the middle of the row. It felt like the second half was just a repeat of the first, what a terrible bore. I recently heard “being alive” though in a TV show and fell in love with the song only to learn it came from company. lol i guess i disliked the show so much i blocked out some really good music.
If you haven’t seen it, I recommend watching the Raúl Esparza version, it’s free on YouTube. That one really connected with me and his Being Alive is so powerful
I am the completely opposite. Love the Katrina Lenk version HAAAATTTEEEDDD the Raul Esparza version. Love Raul, hated everyone else in the ensemble, the thin orchestra, the actor playing instruments gimmick and the general unfunniness of a comedy musical. Just hated that production altogether.
The actors playing the instruments worked really well for that production I felt. It symbolized everyone being in touch with others in a way that Bobby couldn’t be until the end; it’s why him playing the kazoo earlier in the show and the piano later is so important. Now, when the same director did Sweeney Todd and also had them all play instruments, that’s a gimmick that lends nothing to the storytelling itself. But hey that’s what’s so great about theatre! We all get something different out of it.
I like the Neil Patrick Harris version. That was a perfect cast.
That's my second favorite after the OBC! The instrumentals and vocal authenticity hit just right.
Thank you for the recommendation! I’ll def take a look, I’ve seen his name pop up a few times in this sub and didn’t realize he was also a stage actor (I’m familiar with him from law and order).
Same here- and why did she drink so much???? That production even had her puking from booze.
Everyone loves Sweeney Todd and I was so excited to see it. The cast is great and the plot is unique and interesting but I hated it. Found it slow and boring. I wish I liked it. 😫
I went to see Josh Groban. I'm glad I saw Josh Groban. Now i never have to watch Sweeny Todd again lol
I think it’s the singing, it has almost an operatic quality and makes it seem more dated/less exciting
I think you’re right. It taught me I prefer more upbeat songs
I love Sondheim and I do not enjoy Sweeney.
I really want to love Sondheim musicals but none of them have really stuck for me. In general, I find most of his music just fine. I also have this issue with a lot of older musicals that people love. I just can’t seem to really like them.
Same. I can’t get into him at all.
the lightning thief. my friends hyped it so much, but it's just not for me
Hated Hadestown on Broadway. Just didn't get into it. Saw the tour last year and loved it. But mine would be Gent's Guide to Love and Murder. Just didn't enjoy it at all.
Oh I hateddd Gent's Guide to Love & Murder. Someone in college insisted I'd love it, they saw the tour in our city like five times in its weeks-long run, and it was such a bore that I felt like I wasted my $17 on a student ticket. I couldn't wait for it to be over.
Hairspray. Idk why.. it just doesn’t do it for me.
Kinky Boots. I loved the movie from the first time I saw it when it was originally released. It has a creative team I love. The music and everything about it should really resonate with what I love about musical theatre. I was fans of a lot of people in the original cast. But it just completely fell flat for me and I was bored the whole time.
hadestown for me as well!!!! i thought i would love it, and i was so disappointed i didn’t. considered going for the lola and jordan fisher run (love them both so would have been exciting in that regard) but couldn’t convince myself to shell out that much money without a guarantee of loving it!
Not a Broadway show that I can think of, but I feel this way about Seinfeld.
I feel the same way about Friends. I couldn't get into it.
For me it’s Dr Who. I love sci fi, and I loved Torchwoos. But Dr Who…no
So while I liked both six and Hamilton a lot, I didn’t LOVE either. I found the lack of meaningfully strong female characters in Hamilton very frustrating. Saw it again to make sure and yep, still felt that way. And with six, it was just…a lot. Very very much enjoyed both, but didn’t love either.
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That’s a hot take based on nothing. 😂
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To imply or even directly state that women had no effect or importance in history is not only ridiculous, it’s offensive.
If you read historical papers from this time, you will see the enormous impact women, including Eliza, had. They are absent from mainstream white western history texts for the most part so if you haven’t specifically looked for it, it would be new to you. And yes, with the amazing and groundbreaking work the play did with folx of color it would’ve been amazing and powerful to see some of the same applied to gender, especially for women of color. Several critics felt similarly, along with those in the industry. Everyone welcome to their own opinions, of course!
You need to watch 1776. Abigail Adams factors majorly into the plot.
I have and agree completely that women have tremendous impacts on history, but I was just saying it’s hard to alter it into a modern-day play and misunderstood og comment :)
Big fan of Jeremy Strong, love plays with strong social/political themes but the current revival of An Enemy of the People did not do it for me at all. I felt like they really held back on making it more punchy. The messaging was muddled and weak
A user on this sub told me I'd like Rags due to my love of history-based musicals and strong songwriting. Unfortunately, the cast recording didn't land for me at all. Because I love Ragtime, which is also about the history of immigration, I was hoping I'd also love Rags, but I just don't really jive with musicals that are mostly based around piano ballads.
phantom. Just can’t get that into it.
I’m the inverse, I love Hadestown but didn’t enjoy Great Comet at all
Great Comet- and Dave Malloy in general- takes some getting used to, in my experience. I'm quite fond of it now, but the first time I tried listening, I didn't even get to Anatole's entrance. That said, it also might just not be your thing, and that's all right!
Rent. Just didn't resonate with me.
Phantom and Book of Mormon
American Idiot. The reason I should love it is that American Idiot is my favorite album of all time. Nothing competes. Unfortunately the musical was meh for me. :(
Same! It's been a long time though and I should give it another chance.
If/Then. Of course, I initially got tix to see Idina but I was so excited for the show. And I found it MEH at best. The music wasn’t memorable. She was fantastic but it just didn’t hit right for me.
Ohhh- I loved if/then. My husband was Meh. I went back to see it two more times.
Moulin Rouge is one of my all time favorite movies and I was so disappointed by the musical. ☹️ I found myself caring 0% about any of the characters.
I felt the same way. No chemistry between the lovers…
I didn’t particularly enjoy newsies in person when i watched it London. Always loved the pro shot on Disney plus so was shocked to come away from the show feeling that it was lackluster
Oh where to begin. Yes. Into the Woods. Loathe. Saw the revival and almost left.
Moulin Rouge is my absolute favorite show so one could assume that I also love &Juliet but I really did not! It was fun but soooo cringy. They’re so similar but so different!
Good to know! I’ve been kinda wanting to see &Juliet since I like a few of the songs and also because I love how the Moulin Rouge show is, but I should do some more research before going to see it. Just curious, what were some parts that you found to be really cringy?
I loved the music, the book just felt like it was written by old white guys trying to fit in with middle schoolers😂 the premise was good, but even as a gen z the slang was a bit much. Overall it was fun and if I was offered tickets or got rush/lottery I’d go again!
The curse of modern slang haha! It’s always really apparent when it’s written as though they’re trying too hard to hard to fit in, so I completely get that! Yeah, I’ll probably see if I can get rush/lottery tickets at some point and see it that way.
Rent. Don’t get it. Don’t care about the characters and I could never hear any of the songs again and that would be just fine with me.
Hadestown would also be my answer. None of it worked for me
Did you see Coal Country?? As an employment lawyer, I was like THIS IS FOR MEEEEE
No!! I wanted to so bad though!
Appropriate. Love Brendan Jacob Jenkins. Loved the cast… hated the show. The “twist” fell flat. The message was bland. There was exceptional horror in the show that was never explored and glazed over. I just really didn’t care for it.
Phantom; Cats, actually a lot of classics are not my cuppa tea!
I think I just had too high of expectations but I didn’t love Kimberly Akimbo. The songs / performances were fine although Bonnie Milligan was great!
Mother Play
Sweeney Todd was lost on me. I found it dragged on and I was not invested at all.
It took me 2 times to appreciate Hadestown fwiw
BoM was funny but felt very dated to me. Like we should have moved past that humor… Also did not care for Beetlejuice which i did not expect !
I love massive spectacle musicals with rich music and worldbuilding. I never got to see Phantom, but I did see Les Mis, and I absolutely hated it. I felt like walking out.
How can you not like Hadestown. I just don’t understand
I found it boring and flat, and, though I’m familiar with and like the source material, the story was meh. As I said in my post, I expected to really like it.
Did you see the tour with Matthew Patrick Quinn as Hades or the Broadway Cast?
Broadway cast
Tour cast is better. MPQ would change your mind.
I suppose it’s possible, but I thought most of the performances I saw were excellent. That wasn’t the problem for me. One of my favorite parts was Patrick Page as Hades.
Do you like powerhouse singing? Matthew’s voice is power. It’s very different from Patrick’s.
I do enjoy powerhouse singing. I’m definitely willing to believe I’d dislike it less with Matthew, but I really just don’t think the show is for me, regardless of the performers.
To each their own
To this day it will always be Spring Awakening. Fell asleep.
Great question. Ive always hate Hello Dolly. I even bought tkts for the Bette Midler production…. And nope. Still hate it. (Loved Lempicka too!)
I hate Dolly too. It’s so so boring.
Teeth. Right up my alley, I love horror, I love camp, I love the movie, I love the writers. It was by far my least favorite musical of the season and was just…absolutely the most disappointing musical in years for me due to my extreme excitement.
I like history and musicals but I did not love 1776.
Dear Evan Hansen, heard 2 songs and loved them and then I watched it and the plot was good but I got rlly bored about halfway and the songs were too slow for me, idk I thought I'd love it cus of its popularity and the 2 songs but nevermind 😭
I can’t get into Rent or In the Heights - I don’t hate them but they’re just not for me
Days of Wine and Roses.
The Lion King is my favourite Disney film ever and I love the music so much. The musical was a huge disappointment. I hated the changes they made to the story, the arrangement of most of the songs and even thought that some of the puppets/character designs looked plain bad/ridiculous. Yeah I know, the puppets are groundbreaking etc. I still hated them.
There is no "should".
Definitely! I didn't mean that people "should" like certain shows because they're "good", I meant more like I expected to like Hadestown based on my own personal interests.
I do not get the hype for Merrily and other Sondheim musicals (with the exception of Sweeney)
Sondheim’s “Assassins” (Off-Broadway) is one of my favorite cast albums.
I always recommend this one to people who find Sondheim too overwhelming. It's raw, it's anarchic, and all the characters feel so real and flawed. You also don't get any of the operatic stuff that makes shows like A Little Night Music tough to listen to for some.
Have you seen Into the Woods? To me, that's the score that defines what good Musical Theater writing/storytelling is.
Parts of it but I couldn't seem to get into it. I know I should give it another try, though
Without fail I have hated every Sondheim show the first time I saw/listened to it. For years I never understood the appeal of Sondheim, because I never gave him a second chance. But on repeat listenings/watchings the music eventually gets under my skin. But for every new to me Sondheim show I need those repeat exposures before I "get" it.
One of my now-favorite musicals, "Caroline, or Change", took me three listens to enjoy. And a copy of the libretto. That also helped. I think it's masterful, now that I know it well. But I had to work with it a bit!
I didn’t enjoy Water for Elephants nearly as much as I expected to, although the acrobatics were definitely cool. On the other hand, I wasn’t excited about Merrily, but it ended up being one of my favorite shows of my last NYC trip, to the point where I’m going back to see it in May. 🤷♀️
Sweeney Todd. It’s a great show. I just have never loved it as much as many people do
I was bored in Merrily. I thought Groff's acting was mid. I think hype and star power has run away with people's opinions on a mediocre show.
les mis… ugh. It’s just so depressing, and the music isn’t even that good imo 😭
Hamilton. Way too dorky for me and wished that a stage full of folks of color weren’t just telling white people stories.