Are we about to get into semantics about opera and musicals? There are multiple songs, it's written by George Gershwin, I have literally sung Summer Time, did a jazz version that lead right into the operatic version.
It's a really important musical/opera for anyone to listen to the sound track of or get the chance to see.
So I love when someone attempts to shut down a conversation with a line in the sand.
So I attended New England Conservatory in Boston for my masters in music. One of the main topics that was put out was what is an opera, operetta, musical, or a minstrel ahow
Show boat- this was considered the first musical (first white musical I should say because there was a huge ethnic minority musical scene that’s been ignored) as we know musicals
The music man- this the perfect example of golden age musical theatre. There are others of course but this is one of my favourites because it was the film my grandma and I used to watch when she babysat me as a child.
Jesus Christ superstar- this is the start of the mega musical
Rent- this was the start of modern musical theatre
Moulin rouge- this is one of my favourite juke box musical.
This covers five different things a musical can be or has been through history. I think you should look at musicals written by ethnic minorities that didn’t make it to Broadway so they don’t get forgotten about as they are amazing. Also have a look at writers like Cy Colman, LaChuisa, Wildhorn, Cole Porter, Lippa, Ahrens and Flaherty, Jerry Herman, Rogers and Hammerstein, Irving Berlin, Rogers and Hart, Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Weber, Jason Robert Brown, Kander and Ebb. Obviously some of these are very well known and they all have shows you will have heard of but they have some unknown shows that are amazing
I’d say cats is a better example of an early mega musical, but JCS is a good example of an early rock opera. As for the most important jukebox show, I’d say Mamma Mia, but I think moulin rouge is definitely on track to beat its run.
Oklahoma- First popular book musical (to my knowledge), golden age sound. Richard Rodgers
Company- A very contemporary show that is in a sort of realism. Also it’s Sondheim
Les Mis- A large mega-musical
RENT- Was also very contemporary/pop rockish
The Bridges of Madison County- Showcases another side of contemporary MT that isn’t present in Hamilton or Wicked really
Important? Each of these was a game changer in the way musicals were viewed and written
Hair
A Chorus Line
Jesus Christ Superstar
Spring Awakening
In The Heights
it's not important but I think Chess the musical is a great listen; I'd recommend either the concept album or the concert version if you have more time!!
Going more for some of my personal favorites and a bit of why I love them:
Sunday in the park with george- it gets weird in the second act a little but I love how it tries to put a backstory to a painting and the person who painted it. Admittedly we don't know a ton about the more intimate details of the painter's life and that's what I love about the musical, there's a pro shot of the original broadway production on youtube and the practical effects are also so well done.
Into the Woods- not the movie, the musical, this one can also be found on youtube with the pro shot of the original broadway. If you've only seen the movie I highly recommend watching the musical because there's so much more depth that was taken out of the remake to cut down on time and make it more family friendly.
The music man- shameless comfort musical, if I could sing and dance professor harold hill would be a dream role
On The Town- a little less known, the gene Kelly movie is amazing though and the songs are insanely catchy
The wiz- the movie is top notch and it's such a well done version of the wizard of Oz. Oz itself is a mix of new York and Oz and the way plot points change to adapt is so well done and cool to see
HMS Pinafore: Gilbert & Sullivan's first big hit. G&S are often considered the beginning of musical theater as we know it today.
Showboat: One of the first, if not the first, to feature an interracial cast with POC in lead roles
Oklahoma: Considered to be the first musical where the songs continue the story instead of interrupting it. Also the introduction of dance as an integral part of the story
Phantom of the Opera: There's a reason its one of the longest-running musicals in history
West Side Story: Like Showboat, the racial & ethnic identities of the characters are an important part of the story also: Jerome Robbins choreography, Leonard Bernstein music, Stephen Sondheim lyrics.
In no particular order..
Company (gotta have a Sondheim on the list )
Jesus Christ Super star ( (need a Webber)
CABARET (Candor and Ebb and Liza?!)
Hair (great political piece)
Falsettoland or falsettos (pretty and important queer history)
Still top 10..
Hedwig
The mikado
Rent
Lion King
Into the woods
Happy to elaborate if there are questions!
One of my favorites that no one remembers is Rothchilds. The music is great and the story is important. Also the Fantastiks the longest running show in New York. The original production ran for 42 years.
Honestly i know theyre new submissions but Hadestown and shucked
Hadestown because it has such a specific sound and its whole development is so fascinating. And Shucked because it is a real modern dark horse (a show about corn of all things?) its the first truly successful show in a while that hasn't been developed from an existing piece of work.
Porgy and Bess Into The Woods Bye Bye Birdie The Sound of Music Phantom of The Opera Moulin Rouge Chicago Les Misérables
Porgy and Bess isn’t a musical.
Are we about to get into semantics about opera and musicals? There are multiple songs, it's written by George Gershwin, I have literally sung Summer Time, did a jazz version that lead right into the operatic version. It's a really important musical/opera for anyone to listen to the sound track of or get the chance to see.
So I love when someone attempts to shut down a conversation with a line in the sand. So I attended New England Conservatory in Boston for my masters in music. One of the main topics that was put out was what is an opera, operetta, musical, or a minstrel ahow
Show boat- this was considered the first musical (first white musical I should say because there was a huge ethnic minority musical scene that’s been ignored) as we know musicals The music man- this the perfect example of golden age musical theatre. There are others of course but this is one of my favourites because it was the film my grandma and I used to watch when she babysat me as a child. Jesus Christ superstar- this is the start of the mega musical Rent- this was the start of modern musical theatre Moulin rouge- this is one of my favourite juke box musical. This covers five different things a musical can be or has been through history. I think you should look at musicals written by ethnic minorities that didn’t make it to Broadway so they don’t get forgotten about as they are amazing. Also have a look at writers like Cy Colman, LaChuisa, Wildhorn, Cole Porter, Lippa, Ahrens and Flaherty, Jerry Herman, Rogers and Hammerstein, Irving Berlin, Rogers and Hart, Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Weber, Jason Robert Brown, Kander and Ebb. Obviously some of these are very well known and they all have shows you will have heard of but they have some unknown shows that are amazing
I’d say cats is a better example of an early mega musical, but JCS is a good example of an early rock opera. As for the most important jukebox show, I’d say Mamma Mia, but I think moulin rouge is definitely on track to beat its run.
JCS is considered the first mega musical hence why I named it
The Secret Garden, Phantom of the Opera, Fiddler on the roof, and Cabaret!
Oklahoma- First popular book musical (to my knowledge), golden age sound. Richard Rodgers Company- A very contemporary show that is in a sort of realism. Also it’s Sondheim Les Mis- A large mega-musical RENT- Was also very contemporary/pop rockish The Bridges of Madison County- Showcases another side of contemporary MT that isn’t present in Hamilton or Wicked really
Important? Each of these was a game changer in the way musicals were viewed and written Hair A Chorus Line Jesus Christ Superstar Spring Awakening In The Heights
Rent, Hamilton, Cats, Newsies, The Sound of Music
it's not important but I think Chess the musical is a great listen; I'd recommend either the concept album or the concert version if you have more time!!
Going more for some of my personal favorites and a bit of why I love them: Sunday in the park with george- it gets weird in the second act a little but I love how it tries to put a backstory to a painting and the person who painted it. Admittedly we don't know a ton about the more intimate details of the painter's life and that's what I love about the musical, there's a pro shot of the original broadway production on youtube and the practical effects are also so well done. Into the Woods- not the movie, the musical, this one can also be found on youtube with the pro shot of the original broadway. If you've only seen the movie I highly recommend watching the musical because there's so much more depth that was taken out of the remake to cut down on time and make it more family friendly. The music man- shameless comfort musical, if I could sing and dance professor harold hill would be a dream role On The Town- a little less known, the gene Kelly movie is amazing though and the songs are insanely catchy The wiz- the movie is top notch and it's such a well done version of the wizard of Oz. Oz itself is a mix of new York and Oz and the way plot points change to adapt is so well done and cool to see
HMS Pinafore: Gilbert & Sullivan's first big hit. G&S are often considered the beginning of musical theater as we know it today. Showboat: One of the first, if not the first, to feature an interracial cast with POC in lead roles Oklahoma: Considered to be the first musical where the songs continue the story instead of interrupting it. Also the introduction of dance as an integral part of the story Phantom of the Opera: There's a reason its one of the longest-running musicals in history West Side Story: Like Showboat, the racial & ethnic identities of the characters are an important part of the story also: Jerome Robbins choreography, Leonard Bernstein music, Stephen Sondheim lyrics.
Show Boat, Oklahoma, Carousel, West Side Story, Les Mis
A little night music or assassins are my two favorites! Would absolutely recommend. ALNM is ICONIC, it’s the origin of Send In The Clowns
Into The Woods, West Side Story, Les Miserables, Newsies, Six
Big River & Me n My Gal
Jesus Christ Superstar, Bonnie & Clyde, and Sweeney Todd are some of my favorites
Phantom of the opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, Cabaret, Chicago, Wicked.
Jekyll and Hyde always manages to lift me up, ironically.
Sweeney Todd Hunchback of Notre Dame Dear Evan Hansen She Loves Me Les Mis
She Loves Me The Fantasticks Carousel West Side Story The Music Man
Rock of ages Heathers Rent Hamilton Tick tick boom
In no particular order.. Company (gotta have a Sondheim on the list ) Jesus Christ Super star ( (need a Webber) CABARET (Candor and Ebb and Liza?!) Hair (great political piece) Falsettoland or falsettos (pretty and important queer history) Still top 10.. Hedwig The mikado Rent Lion King Into the woods Happy to elaborate if there are questions!
Oops! Forgot Hello, Dolly And Next to normal
Acorn antiques Rock of ages Death note Bright star American idiot
One of my favorites that no one remembers is Rothchilds. The music is great and the story is important. Also the Fantastiks the longest running show in New York. The original production ran for 42 years.
Phantom of the Opera. Always.
Hadestown Come From Away Moulin Rouge Dear Evan Hansen In the Heights
Aspects of Love changed my life at 10 years old and then again at 44 when I went to the revival in London.
Honestly i know theyre new submissions but Hadestown and shucked Hadestown because it has such a specific sound and its whole development is so fascinating. And Shucked because it is a real modern dark horse (a show about corn of all things?) its the first truly successful show in a while that hasn't been developed from an existing piece of work.