Musical Sunday!

[next_to_normal]

So, apparently, I'm stealing this idea from snickfic, because lord knows LJ could use an injection of fun and happy lately. And who doesn't love musicals? (Those people are banned from my LJ! :-P) I suspect Snick and I have very different taste in musicals, so there probably won't be much overlap.

Anyway, let's talk about my very, very favoritest musical ever: Into the Woods. I've probably seen it about a thousand times. (That's not hyperbole - how many watches does it take to wear out a video tape?) I've talked about it before, particularly in this post, but it's more fun with videos! It's Stephen Sondheim, which tells you a lot right there - complex melodies, clever lyrics, dark themes, all threaded with brilliant humor. In this case, he takes the fairy tales you think you know and turns them on their heads. It's all about growing up and getting what you want and finding out it's not what you expected. Happily ever after isn't the end of the story; it's just the beginning. And be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.

Apparently, copyright enforcement prevents me from viewing a lot of the good clips on YouTube, but I still had trouble picking my favorite part to show you. I went with "Giants in the Sky," in which Jack muses about his adventures up the beanstalk.

Comments

[gigi-tastic.livejournal.com]

i love into the woods!! my favorite part changes depending on my mood. today my favorite part is when the princes are singing agony . both agony and agony reprise. my favorite character has to be little red riding hood. shes so forceful. i cry every time the witch sings stay with me. because i'm a mamas girl.

[next_to_normal]

I LOVE Agony so hard, but I couldn't find a good vid of it.

[gigi-tastic.livejournal.com]

this is one of the man things that are wrong with the world. there's war famine and no decent agony videos.

[eilowyn.livejournal.com]

I've always wanted a Spike and Dawn header with the phrase "Hello, little girl" on it because of the wolf's song. That feels like a very Spike and Dawn song to me, or at least what Spike would like to imagine his relationship with Dawn is like.

My dad and I are such musical dorks that we can put the soundtrack on during long car rides and sing along to the whole friggen' thing. Of course, no one wants to be around us when we do that, and I have a terrible singing voice (my dad has a truly beautiful tenor - he met my mom while he was doing community theater), but Daddy doesn't mind.

We're even worse with Les Miserables, if that's possible.

[next_to_normal]

I've always wanted a Spike and Dawn header with the phrase "Hello, little girl" on it because of the wolf's song.

YES. That would be perfect!

I sing at the top of my lungs in the car. :) And my mother and I quote ITW all the time. (My dad thinks we're strange.) In fact, I just called her the other day to tell her about how I did a whole little thing by myself in the supermarket because buying beans reminded me of a line from the show. :)

[snickfic]

I am inspirational! (Especially notable since I haven't made a Musical Sunday post myself in quite a while...)

I've been interested to see this musical because you've talked about it so much - was it ever made into a movie? Presumably there's a video recording somewhere, if you wore your video tape out...

[next_to_normal]

There is indeed a filmed version of the original Broadway cast stage production. (It's also available from Blockbuster and Netflix.)

[deborahc.livejournal.com]

I love the show in general and this song in particular. The actor's name escapes me but he's outstanding. I saw the show live twice and also have the VCR tape of the Broadway production. Sadly, I no longer have a VCR since my last one gave up the ghost.

[next_to_normal]

Ben Wright - yeah, he's awesome. The whole cast is, and it's a shame that you never hear about most of them anymore.

I have seen this show... a lot of times, lol. Maybe six or seven times live, last I counted? And after I wore out my first video tape, I now have it on DVD AND VHS, just in case I need back up. :)