Top 50 Musicals: By the Numbers

[Violentvixen]

Hmm, so Idina Menzel is known for Wicked, RENT and Frozen, all three of which are on here. I'm now curious how many recurring original cast/most well known in the role actors will be on this list. There are probably stars from the musicals of the 60s and 70s who I'm not picking up on.

Edit: oh wait the Muppets are on here a ton so that would be multiple counts.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

 

[Baudshaw]

I like Frozen a lot, but it only has one good song. I honestly think Encanto should've been higher than it, that musical's banger after banger. Unsure on where it places next to the Disney Renaissance musicals

 

[Kirin]

I somehow avoided Frozen for the better part of a decade (well, I guess it's not that mysterious, I don't have kids) but finally watched it a few years ago and hey, it's pretty good! I actually even like the sequel pretty well. I keep hearing Eleanor Shelstrop in Anna though.

Meanwhile I had Mary Poppins at #10 on my list, it was one of my favorite movies as a kid and it's not hard to see why. The imagination and wonder just flies off the screen with every song, both the fantasy/animated ones and the London bits.

 

[Issun]

I keep hearing Eleanor Shelstrop in Anna though.

I still think it would be funny to edit the "Fall asleep on my vibrator" monologue over her Frozen character but I don't have the software or the skills to make it happen.

 

[Violentvixen]

Mary Poppins was a family favourite. I think my mom's favourite Disney song might be Feed the Birds.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

I think my mom's favourite Disney song might be Feed the Birds.

I went to my niece and nephew's dance show that had performances of all age ranges (children to middle-aged) and one group did a dance to this song.

 

[Torzelbaum]

Pretty sure I know four of the top 6.

I wonder if we're thinking of the same 4 musicals? (I'm not sure about them appearing but I do feel pretty strongly that they could.)

 

[FelixSH]

I'm extremely sure of one. I'm just wondering if it is place 1.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

6.

180 Points, 8 Lists, Highest Vote: #3 @Violentvixen​

Originators: Henry Selick, Caroline Thompson, Michael McDowell, Tim Burton, Danny Elfman
Time: Many years ago
Place: Halloweentown

Jack Skellington is the king of Halloweentown, a brilliant scare master loved by the community. But he also feels trapped by his own success. Everyone else is happy with the status quo but even more than a challenge, Jack wants something different, something he can’t articulate. At least until he learns of Christmastown. Jack immediately loves Christmas but can’t get his community to understand. Jack soon becomes inspired to kidnap Santa and take his place for the year but it’s very clear Jack’s plan with the help of his well-intentioned and deeply confused fans is going to go off the rails.

The Nightmare Before Christmas is a favourite and it is greatly helped by Danny Elfman’s songs. It doesn’t really sound like the songs of a lot of the big animated musicals and I admit it took me a while to get on with this one but it really is a fantastic looking film with Danny Elfman killing it all over. The world of Halloweentown really is unsetting yet charming, as are the denizens of scary monsters who just want a good time. The story itself seems like a metaphor for Burton wanting to branch out beyond what people perceive him to be. Sadly, he got stuck in a very bad way for quite a while, a sort of self-parody. But at least Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was a flawed but charming return to form.

Showstopper

Next show (based on the title): I think this stars La Kathy Bates

 

[Kirin]

I had Nightmare in the middle of my list. Can't go wrong with Danny Elfman, and his spooky synchopated styles pair perfectly with Henry Selick's incredible stop-motion animation.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

5.

189 Points, 7 Lists, Highest Vote: #1 @FelixSH & @Pombar ​

Originators: Claude-Michel Schönberg, Herbert Kretzmer, Alain Boublil, Jean-Marc Natel
Time: 1815-1832
Place: Paris

Jean Valjean is a former criminal who nearly robs a bishop, only for the bishop to spare him from the law’s wrath by claiming they were gifts. Moved by the bishop’s kindness, he becomes inspired to be a better man and breaks parole to start his life anew. Under a new identity he becomes a local hero and a very wealthy man by bringing industry to the people. He even takes in a young ward, Cosette and raises her as his own. But when Jean learns someone is going to be arrested for his crimes, he proclaims his true name. Though willing to turn himself in, he refuses until he can ensure the safety of Cosette. With the fanatical policeman Javert hot on his trail, Valjean heads to Paris and into the heart of the revolution.

I remember the 80s being a HUGE time for stage musicals. Miss Saigon, The Phantom of the Opera…. *sigh* Cats, if you must. But this is taking a literal epic novel and turning it into a stage epic. It manages to capture the complexity of the character’s plights and has a great villain in Javert. The story encompasses a lot but to me, these characters are at the heart of it, as it is about heroic and noble “criminals” battling cold, self-important law and order. Valjean would be easy to make TOO perfect but a lot of it is couched in this feeling that giving good makes the world better and is like religious freedom from the spite and presumption of those in power.

Showstopper

Next show (based on the title): This Slyvester Stallone franchise really went off the rails.

 

[Issun]

Nightmare is one of the ones I was thinking of. Les Mis is not, because I generally associate it with the 1998 Liam Neeson film.

 

[FelixSH]

Les Miserables is the one I talked about earlier, wondering if it might be number 1. It's amazing. And I'm very sure that knowing the book just adds to it.

The musical does an amazing job, of condencing a brickwall of a novel into a three hour musical. But they left, obviously, a lot of details out. And some things simply hit so much harder, when you know those details. Like Fantine, one of my favourite characters, who you see in the musical only when she is already a mother. In the book, you get a chapter just about her youth, about her falling in love with a guy who then leaves here, after she becomes pregnant from him. Reading that part gives I Dreamed a Dream so much more power, because you know exactly what she is singing about. Also, the book starts with a chapter about the life of the bishop, which is such a nice introduction. It's a weird part, feeling like an episodic show about the adventures of this weird, lovable dude. It just adds a lot of texture, seeing more of him, instead of only having him show up for the relatively short (but still powerful) bit with Valjean.

There are such great bits. Just from One Day More, where Eponine sings about how much Marius doesn't really see her, while Marius and Cosette sing about losing each other, is so perfect for her situation.

The version that the video from One Day More is from has such an amazing Javert, too. He has an incredible presence. It has a weak Marius, and you hear and see it in the same video, where he simply can't compare in the duet part with Enjolras. But he does sing Empty Chairs at Empty Tables well enough, I think.

I dunno, I could keep on writing for such a long time. I could talk about Les Miserables for hours (and I already did, sometimes I meet someone who likes the musical, and then we can talk forever about it and the book). And I love it all, including the bits in the book about the canalization, life of women in cloisters or Waterloo. It's such a portrait of the time, and of specifically Paris, and just more then the story of Valjean who steals a loaf of bread, and is then forever hunted by Javert. That seems to be the general reductive summary of it, and it's just so much more.

Anyway, watch Les Misearbles. And read the book, if you have a lot of time. Both are worth it.

And don't watch the movie. It doesn't do most of the songs justice.

 

[Kirin]

Yeah LesMis was one of the “surely this will show up” ones. To be honest, I don’t even remember if I’ve ever watched a complete production of it. But the songs, man, the songs. They stick to ya.

 

[Adrenaline]

Most of my votes were based on the movie versions of stage musicals. I don't care much for the film of Les Mis, but it's the one show I've actually seen on Broadway and it was a great experience.

 

[RT-55J]

I remember watching the film version with High Jackman in it and being disappointed that there was no showdown between his character and his clone 24602. I mean, what's even the point of bringing him on if you aren't gonna do that?

 

[FelixSH]

I love how eveey9ne is making this found French. The chef who tried to kill Sebastian would approve.

A bit late, but:

It's Germanys Disneys fault.

 

[Falselogic]

Die Meerjungfrau just sounds so intimidating.

 

[Torzelbaum]

Die Meerjungfrau just sounds so intimidating.

Maybe if it were smaller then it would be less intimidating.

 

[Violentvixen]

Les Mis was my #2 and on another day could have been my #1. I was obsessed with this musical in middle/high school. I agree with everything @FelixSH said, the book adds more to an already dense and wonderful piece of art.

Nightmare was just unlike any stop motion I'd ever seen and so much about it is so good and so well-executed.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

4.

209 Points, 9 Lists, Highest Vote: #4 @Kirin ​

Originators: Richard O'Brien
Time: the 1950s, probably
Place: The old Frankenstein Place

Fiancés Brad and Janet find their car break down, they end up looking for help from the nearby foreboding castle. Inside they are shocked by a strange party hosted by the mad scientist Dr. Frank N. Furter. It turns out Furter has created a creature; a hunky muscle man named Rocky. As Brad and Janet spend the night, they are both seduced by the mad doctor but it turns out Furter is dangerously possessive and dangerous and soon Brad and Janet’s sexual awakenings come hand-in-hand with horror.

The Rocky Horror Show must have been a big deal when it first came out in a lot of ways. It certainly isn’t the first entertainment to cheekily taunt sexual mores but it feels like the way it hit in the greater popular conscience FEELS like it is important, even if it mostly being cheeky. Interesting, the crossdressing and sexuality was not originally going to be in the foreground when Richard O’Brien conceived it (mostly him wanting to make a loving camp tribute to b-movies) but I think it’s what makes it memorable. That and the fantastic performance of Tim Curry. BTW, everyone who voted specifically said “Picture” show, which is the film version. The original show is simply the Rocky Horror Show. Pretty telling how most people found this one.

“Might not be my thing personally but boy is the subculture around this powerful. Random side story: my friends in high school got into Rocky Horror and that came up when they were over at my house. My mom overheard and was absolutely baffled. Her response was "what? Rocky Horror? That's still going? That was only fun 20 years ago when I did it in New York, how is it still going?". This of course made "that was only fun 20 years ago when I did it in New York" a permanent in-joke in my friend group.”

- @Violentvixen

Showstopper

Next show (based on the title): …The Piggly Wiggly?

 

[Violentvixen]

Heh, I just brought up the 20 years ago thing with friends last week.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

3.

245 Points, 10 Lists, Highest Vote: #1 @Adrenaline ​

Originators: Alan Menken, Howard Ashman
Time: the 1950s, probably, again
Place: Skid Row

Seymour Krelborn is an awkward nerd working in a flower shop but he has one thing he hopes will get him noticed (particularly by co-worker Audrey). It’s an unusual plant that they can’t identify. Seymour has trouble making it grow until he discovers that the plant feeds on blood. It grows to an amazing size in a short time but Seymour soon learns that pricking his finger to nurse it isn’t enough… it wants human blood. In fact it tells him so. It sings him so. And while Seymour is horrified, he considers that it might be a way to deal with Audrey’s sadistic and abusive boyfriend. Soon Seymour finds himself more successful than ever but the cost might be too much.

Little Shop of Horrors started as a relatively modest off-off-Broadway production, the fourth work by Menken and the third for Ashman, that managed to get great success and even a film musical. The musical actually cleans things up with a happier ending (famously a darker ending was film, even more apocalyptic than the musical, but audiences weren’t into it) and some new songs. The musical is a reimagining of one of Roger Corman’s b-movie comedies he made in the early 60s (the other big one being Bucket of Blood) and frankly that film, while having charm, is far inferior to this version. And full disclosure, the tragic ending is better but I still have a soft spot for the happy ending. Also the film version has Mean Green Mother from Outer Space, which is a great song.

"Alan Menkin and Howard Ashman's treatment of a B horror movie is what got them noticed by Disney, and their music and musical theatre conventions were largely responsible for the Disney renaissance."-

@Bulgakov

Showstopper

Next show (based on the title): Oh, the Cowardly one?

 

[Adrenaline]

This vote was based on the movie, which in addition to being a very fun musical, has in my mind two of the greatest practical special effects ever put to film.

 

[FelixSH]

Huh, I had thought this was a straight-to-movie one, instead of having a stage version first.

I watched this before making the list, and liked it way more then the first time I watched it, in 2010 or so. Caught the bad ending, which is really amazing. Great puppetry, Audrey II looks awesome. And the songs are a delight.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

It was a stage musical based on a b-horror comedy. Originally from Roger Corman, king of the cheapo b-pictures. It was full of Yiddish accent humor and Seymour's mom is a character, a henpecking hypochondriac obsessed with quack cure. Also, in an early film role...

In the 80s movie, the voice of the plant is Levi Stubbs. Stubbs also voiced Mother Brain in the 80s Nintendo mash up cartoon Captain N.

 

[nataeryn]

Catching up
Frozen was in the bottom part of my list. I like a lot about it. I think all the songs are at least good. I like that the character has a bit of a unique structure. Elsa is sort of the bad guy for the middle part of the movie. The real bad guy gets to do the love song duet with Anna. All of the main characters have a story arc. If I have any complaint its that there's a lot to try to fit in so its all a little rushed.

Mary Poppins was also on my list. I didn't like it so much as a kid other than the chalk drawing part. As an adult, we re-watched it when the new Mary Poppins movie came out and found that it had grown on me a lot.

TNBC was at the very bottom of my list. I recognize that there are many people that absolutely love it. I just like it. The animation and creativity is what sets it apart the most to me and it deserved a spot on the list.

Rocky Horror was a favorite of my drama friends in high school. There was a place in Raleigh that would screen the movie, but I never went. My parents wouldn't let me and I didn't really mind. Of course my dad had about the same reaction as VV's mom. He probably would have let me go, but my mom would have been... upset to put it mildly.

Little Shop was on my list. My dad was a big fan of the movie. Wait so Mean Green Mother isn't in the stage show? Its indeed a good song.

 

[Kirin]

Two Horrors in a row, and I voted for both of 'em!

I actually never saw Rocky when I was very young, until I was in grad school and a bunch of undergrads I new were playing in local productions of it, so I eventually got dragged along as a "virgin". Later a more intimate live rendition became a Halloween tradition at my home town pub. Regardless of the creators' original intentions it's clear that the main draw these days is the big loud campy queerness of all kinds.

nataeryn, if you ever did make it to a screening with live performers in the Triangle area, it's possible you would've run into people I knew, lol. Don't know if any of them are still doing it these days though.


As for Little Shop, in addition to the movie being real fun, I have a closer connection to it because we did the stage version as dinner theater at my high school. We actually staged it in the cafeteria instead of the big music hall, and had a small like 8-piece band instead of an orchestra. I played piano for it and by the end of each performance my left hand was about to fall off from all the 50's rock straight-eighth chords going through most of the songs. We had a blast, though. I remember helping coach the guys playing Seymour and Mushnik how to get through the crazy-fast synchopated back-and-forth they have to do in Mushnik & Son. We also had big kid doing Audrey II who had a fantastic voice for it.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

2.

265 Points, 10 Lists, Highest Vote: #4 @Baudshaw & @Violentvixen ​

Originators: Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff, Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, Linda Woolverton, Barry Johnson, Andy Gaskill, Kevin Harkey, Tom Sito, Rick Maki, Burny Mattinson, Lorna Cook, Gary Trousdale, Jorgen Klubien, Larry Leker, Ed Gombert, Mark Kausler, Thom Enriquez, Jim Capobianco, Chris Sanders, Joe Ranft, Francis Glebas, Elton John, Tim Rice
Time: Unknown
Place: The Savannah

Simba is a young lion prince, the son of the beloved and just king Musafa. A young cub, Simba is haughty and can’t wait to be the king while his father tries to explain to him the weight of it. Meanwhile, Simba’s uncle Scar is looking to usurp his father and rid himself of the prince. He pulls of a plan where Simba is convinced he is responsible for his father’s death and puts himself into exile. While there, he spends his years with his new friends Timon and Pumba until destiny comes calling and Simba is asked to return and save his kingdom.

The Lion King is a successful musical three times over. The film itself was a box office smash, as was the live action remake (for some reason. Good cast but drab-looking and uninspired). Then there was the stage show, by auteur and Spider-Man-injurer Julie Taymor who created one of the most visually engaging and unique stage adaptations that was also a mega hit. The animation is glorious and colourful and the numbers are just banger after banger thanks to musical vet Tim Rice and all around good songwriter and performer Elton John.

My favourite Disney movie. A triumph of animation and so many songs and images that persist.

- @Violentvixen

This show was a great Disney movie in its own right, but also underwent an amazing transformation on stage, and helped prove the value of live theater to an entire generation.

- @Bulgakov

Showstopper

Next show (based on the title): Finally, Linda’s story is told.