Jim & Lady D's Favorite Musicals

The Phantom of the Opera
It was worth going to Toronto if only we had seen this production. The music and the acting were flawless. If you are a romantic, enjoy love songs and a good (if tragic) love story, this will capture your heart and the music will linger in your mind.
Rent: We enjoyed this show at Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh. Unlike Phantom, we did not hear a single note of the music before the show. We were pleasantly surprised at how inspired the music actually was! We both are sometimes slow to warm up to musicals so it is all the more remarkable that we enjoyed it so much on hearing it the first time. Perhaps more importantly, the story (about love and loss) is relevant to our times and is both humorous, when appropriate, and compelling. Be sure to read the synopsis before going though as keeping the settings and characters in line can be confusing.
Showboat: We saw this at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. The story and music are timeless. The acting, props and set were unbeatable. This is a show that you could even take the kids to. Also, there is probably less singing in this show than the above two. The dialogue is so engaging that we didn't mind (even if we are music lovers).
Not so honorable mention: Les Miserables: The story is as good as it gets but the show is overlong and the music (sometimes sounds like chanting) grows tiring. Some will disagree, but the songs do not stick in the mind and are not memorable.

COMING SOON=> Synopses

Last updated on 17Mar00