I got bit by the Hamilton bug and now I need more top tier musicals in my life. What’s some stuff I should watch safely from my computer? I will take stage or screen productions.
if you’ve never seen jesus christ superstar it’s definitely worth being acquainted with that particular piece of kitsch
singin’ in the rain is legit great
I only like musicals where the music is diegetical. I can recommend:
- Hedwig and the Angry Inch (nsfgorblax?)
- Cabaret
- O Brother Where Art Thou
I also liked a production of a newish musical called Fly By Night in Dallas, but I do not think there are complete videos online yet.
A lot of older musicals are on YouTube, too. You might start with Stormy Weather, ignore the comments, and let it roll onto the next.
Phantom of the Paradise is still my shit
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I’ve only listened to the recording for Hamilton, but be forewarned that it is it’s own beast. I can’t think of many musicals that are particularly similar to it in style, pacing, attention to detail, and sheer amount of content (I read it has like 3x as many words per minute compared to other musicals).
Steven Sondheim’s work is probably the closest “ancestor” to Lin-Manuel Miranda. Most staged musicals are way too kitschy and self-aware (for me). Sondheim plays take their dialogue and plot seriously, there is very little irony. The Tim Burton movie version of Sweeney Todd isn’t half bad as a starting point for Sondheim, though you can easily watch a filmed version of the stage production too (which is better, but may be initially off-putting if you are unfamiliar with staged performances).
In the Heights also makes sense for you since it was written by the same guy who wrote Hamilton, though I don’t know if there are any filmed recordings of that yet.
Rent is also somewhat similar in style. Haven’t seen the movie version, but there must be some filmed staged version out there.
To be honest, though, it’s 10x better seeing musicals in person than watching a filmed version. If you’re near a city they must have traveling productions come by a few times per year.
Also, the South Park movie is a legitimately great musical and movie.
I don’t know much about musicals but I really enjoy Little Shop of Horrors and The Sound of Music.
watch PURPLE RAIN.
do it for Prince.