So far it’s been a wild ride (at least for me). I can’t wait to see what results come from Group B of the Nederlander Conference. Let’s see what I think about seven of these musicals.
Here we go!
Anything Goes v. Hello, Dolly!
Anything Goes: I got to see this revival of the show with Sutton Foster and Colin Donnell, both of whom were amazing in the show, as well as THE Kelly Bishop. I unfortunately did not get a chance to see Joel Grey but I don’t think it hurt the show. And I was a bit disappointed that I went to see the show after Laura Osnes left but Erin Mackey shone in the role of Hope Harcourt. Everyone performed Cole Porter’s music well and the show was funny as well as engaging. However, I have forgotten I’ve seen this show and I almost forgot that Kelly Bishop was in it! Yes, I saw it almost a decade ago but that’s still a strike against the show.
Hello, Dolly!: I’ve already discussed Hello, Dolly! Right now, it does have an edge because I saw it more recently so it’s fresher in my mind. So this seems to come down to Kelly Bishop and Sutton Foster vs. Donna Murphy, which is a tough battle.
Winner: Though it’s tough with as many great leading ladies are in this round, I have to give it to Hello, Dolly!
The Music Man v. The Sound of Music
The Music Man: I saw The Music Man for my 8th grade class trip. We first ate at the Hard Rock before heading to the theater. The Music Man is a classic and I’m intrigued to see the upcoming revival with Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster. But given that I saw this 21 (!) years ago, my memories have faded. I really only remember Rebecca Luker as Marian but not much else.
The Sound of Music: This was my very first musical and I got to see Rebecca Luker as Maria, falling in love with her voice. We really did lose a treasure last December. Like The Music Man, my memories of this show are pretty dim but I have a lot more of them than The Music Man. So with that and the sentimental edge, will it take the crown for this match up?
Winner: In this battle of the Rebecca Luker roles, I’m afraid Maria trumps Marian and the winner is The Sound of Music.
Beauty and the Beast v. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Beauty and the Beast: This is the only show I’ve seen three times – Beauty and the Beast is my favorite movie and I felt the Broadway show absolutely did it justice. Disney was smart to reunite most of the team from the movie and Tim Rice’s lyrics easily joined in Howard Ashman’s. I still absolutely love “If I Can’t Love Her” and while I do also like “Evermore,” I wish they had used that song for the live action movie. This show had everything you would want from a Disney production and certainly set the bar high for all the ones that came after it. There’s rumors of a revival and I hope they do. Then I can see it a fourth time!
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee: What starts as a cute and fun premise – you’re witnessing the annual spelling bee and watching these children compete – then hits you with all the feels. If you’re in a particularly angsty mood, listen to Celia Keenan-Bolger sing “The I Love You Song” and you’re going to do a lot of ugly crying. I won’t spoil anything but the final challenge is a real nail biter full of tension and feelings that really pulls you in. It had the right balance of angst and fluff and sometimes, that’s just what we need.
Winner: I’m admittedly biased but this is my bracket challenge and I have no real criteria except for my opinion. So I’m going to give it to Beauty and the Beast!
Les Miserables v. On Your Feet!
Les Miserables: This is the only show I’ve seen in New York and London! It’s a classic that is now the longest running show in the world, it’s story and music resonating throughout the world. After all, during the protests in Hong Kong, the protesters sang “Do You Hear the People Sing?” It took a massively long book (seriously, I read the abridged version and that was nearly a 1000 pages long) and condensed it into a riveting, emotional musical. If your heart doesn’t swell during “One Day More,” you might want to check your pulse. It is well entrenched in pop culture and that is impressive.
On Your Feet!: This musical tells the story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan through her music. It was a compelling one, a story about immigrants finding success in their new country and finding love in each other. And that even when faced with struggles, they managed to rise to the top each time because they had each other. And Gloria Estefan’s music is just amazing, creating the perfect score. It was like a party in a Broadway theater.
Winner: It’s another match up between an ultimately upbeat musical vs probably one of the most depressing shows on the planet. But once again, the depressing show wins and Les Miserables moves on!
Another four musicals – Hello, Dolly!, The Sound of Music, Beauty and the Beast and Les Miserables – advance to the Sweet 16 and we say goodbye to the other four – Anything Goes, The Music Man, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and On Your Feet!
Agree with the winners? Disagree? Let me know in the comments!
Next time: Round 1 comes to a close with the Shubert Conference’s Group B.
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