I know it's one of my favourites as well. I am organising a trip to London (from the Netherlands)for school just to go see it. But the tickets are getting more and more expensive so I think I might end up choosing to go see wicked with school because since it has been playing for a very long time, the tickets go less fast. They are both my favourites tbh so I don't really mind as long as I get to see the book of Mormon some day too
I was recently in a production of Sweeney Todd and it was so amazing. I love the story, the music, everything and in our production we used the ensemble to interact with the audience and take them into the show especially in numbers such as City on Fire and all of the Ballads. Bottom line: I love sweeney todd
7:03-7:14-This is EVERYTHING going through my head when I’m at a show and someone w/o performance ettiquite starts talking during a song I’ve waited to hear. Applause and cheering during a music theater is the ultimate fingernails on a chalkboard. Thank you for expressing for me what I want to say during such moments, but can’t in public!
My favourite musical is Natasha, Pierre, and The Great Comet of 1812. At the same level, there's Les Miserables. Can't say I have a favourite between the two.
I saw 5 shows professionally- Phantom of the Opera- AMAZING. It’s basically what got me started in wanting to do theatre professionally. Wicked- Swankified. Need I say more? School of Rock- Freaking hilarious and it had great music. Chicago- the acting singing and dancing was good. I just don’t like the stage production. Aladdin- Fabulous.
I mean I personally found the music to be annoying and none of the characters to be likable. I think I liked one song only half heartedly because the one production I saw live had a great actress playing the part.
The whole point of Into The Woods is that it doesn't end happily, and with the Jr. version, it's just like every other show if you take out the second act. It just misses the point of it.
I get this weird prophetic feel like maybe one day Kevin's gonna end up writing a musical one day. And like a really really good one. Idk if you're really even considering it but if you're ever bored and want a challenge, I really think you have this deep understanding of what makes a great musical.
Kevin, how do you feel about RENT? It seemed to me from the first time i heard it to be written from a point of honesty and personal experience, but I also know people who think it is a bit contrived.
That's why I'm such a lover of the old musicals like Hello Dolly, West Side Story, Funny Girl (I'm such a big Barbra fan lol) because it is all so original and amazing to me
I'm so young (a smol teenage bean) so all I've seen is wicked twice. I've also seen some shitty plays in elementary school, like in fourth grade they took us to see James and the giant peach and it was the dumbest and most confusing play and everyone hated it.
I have a recommendation for a TV show. It is called Better Things. It is on FX and it is brutally honest and about a single mother raising her three daughters. The dialogue is truthful and so noncommercial. It just wrapped up its second season and has 10 episodes a season instead of twenty two shitty commercial episodes. If you dont want to watch the whole show, watch the episode "Eulogy." It is a brilliant piece of art that I think you will love
That binder is goals!! It really sucks that I don't live in New York. Here in the Philippines, when musicals go on tour, they don't give out playbills. If you want one, you have to buy it and it's expensive 😑😑😪😪
I'm so glad you posted this. I dated somebody not too long ago, and her favorite shows are Dear Evan Hansen and Finding Neverland. I couldn't find it in me to tell her that her favorite musicals are, well, shit. Thank you for this.
Jake Yorgason ah Finding Neverland and Dear Evan Hansen. Kevin's "Every Musical Theatre Song Ever" video made me think of Finding Neverland immediately. Then, in the comments, I found lots of people relating it to Dear Evan Hansen instead. Here are my thoughts on these two musicals. Dear Evan Hansen had a purpose for sounding modern and boppy. I won't go too far into it, but in the playbill there's an interview with creators and they explain how they decided on the sound of their musical. One big reason was they wanted to make the show feel as current and relatable as possible, and that makes sense. The show takes place in present day and there's a heavy emphasis on the digital age in the show. When it comes to Finding Neverland, however, that's where the contemporary sound becomes stale. It's a musical that takes place in the early/mid 1900's. There's no reason for the music to sound the way it does. They just wrote a cheap contemporary score because they could. I think these two musicals demonstrate the line between having a contemporary score with purpose and having a contemporary score because the creators are lazy.
I’ve never been a fan of shows targeted towards young people . (DEH, Heathers, hamilton, BMC... etc.) to me they try way too hard to reach to teens and try really hard to be “unique” or “risky”. I’ve never understood the appeal like a lot of other people do. I’ve been called a hater and that I don’t like them because everyone else does and I hate that it happens a lot more than it should.
It's okay I like Hamilton I used to like the other shows but it not an hater for not liking other shows I prefer old musicals like cats and others but the new musicals sometimes get annoying when u listen to it over and over if anybody calls u a hater just say "I'm expressing my opinion on this it's not a crime" or something like that but your just expressing your opinion and it's not a crime
Brandon Erickson how? i love a lot of musicals, and that's because every musical is different. not trying to 'hate' or whatever, just pointing out a fact. and it also sounds like you're being pretty ignorant towards other musicals without even trying them. i'm not saying you have to, but you should definitely widen your horizons and actually get into some new musicals. i would firstly recommend Falsettos (heartbreaking show), The Book of Mormon (hilarious show), and Wicked.
Theatre squad 2003 I totally understand your opinion but saying Hamilton "tries too much" and "isn't unique" isn't.....the most correct thing to say. Just saying but it's based of real life, so you can't do anything about it. I personally think Hamilton is BY FAR the best musical ever written. But I guess we all have our opinions.
Kevin, I think we all know your feelings towards Dear Evan Hansen, but I'm wondering if I can change your perspective at all. In this video you mentioned that you greatly prefer that a show's creator write from experience. DEH is actually loosely based on one of the creator's experiences in high school. Another thing you mentioned is that it shouldn't target any particular audience, rather it should have a relatable message for everyone. Having seen the show, I can say I don't personally believe it's catered to any demographic. It simply has a lot of messages, themes and commentaries that people can relate to, such as learning to be comfortable with yourself, or the power of social media. And I know the music isn't the most original, but I think this is very forgivable for two reasons: the first is that the show is meant to feel incredible modern. This isn't a show like Finding Neverland, which takes place in the 1900s yet has a contemporary, lazy score. This is a show that is crafted visually AND musically to emphasize it's place in modern day. There's a whole interview with the creators where they discuss this, but I'll let you go find that if you wish. The second reason is because the show relies on another art form which is a dying breed in theatre and film, and that is visual storytelling. While some songs are more narratively written, there are many songs in the musical which serve as more of a backbone to a powerful moment being portrayed onstage. The Act 1 finale "You Will Be Found" is an especially prudent example, as it is a fairly simple song lyrically, but it still holds an important message while fueling almost 5 minutes of pure visual storytelling on the stage. If you're still not a fan of the musical, I respect that. But I hope that this at least changed the way you see it.
Just a question... but wasn’t Dear Evan Hansen based off of a book by the same (similar???) title? Like the songs sound nice (honestly I still listen to them) but they do have a familiar feel to it and it can be a turn off. Personally I just can’t get behind the story (or understand it really so if you feel like it maybe explain it from the point of view of someone who likes the show?) and that’s why I wasn’t able to enjoy the show.
"Mostly 'cause it has to do with sex, and I like sex" I just started flashing back to the first time I heard bitch of living and the obsession started. Also Great Sex from the workshop track.
Who says you don't like Musicals?? You basically one of the people who understands Music and the way how they work. Just because you find the flaws that some Musicals have and you are not Fangirling arround everything like some peole, dosent mean you hate Musicals... Love your Videos!
You seem quite young, but that DEEP voice of yours fascinates me. You also remind me of the guy in Fred, the movie. Heeze hilarious, and so are you, youn* man....
Ah, Kevin, you're so young! The first 'live' musical I saw was GODSPELL in Chicago, first run. I believe it was the same year I saw the stage production (again, in Chicago) of ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST well before the film version went into production.
I saw Dear Evan Hansen, the Book of Mormon, Wicked, School of Rock, Matilda, the Lion King, Anastasia, Tina, the Little Mermaid and Billy Elliott in London or the Netherlands. I loved them all!
I'm afraid to ask, but what is your opinion on Meredith Wilson's 'The Music Man'? It's personally my favorite musical next to 'On the Town'. The movie version of both of these plays are great.
Howdy - I would be interested in seeing your opinion on shows by Adam Guettel or Michael John LaChiusa... I really agree with a lot of your comments in regards to the staleness and paint-by-numbers musical creation... but thought both of those composers had an interesting approach.
My favorite show is actually one that I was in a while ago that the musical director brought you in to work with us. Doubt you remember it since it was forever ago but it was Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George. So stoked to find you online after all these years and currently binging your videos #noshame
for the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime, it's based off a novel which is amazing, so good that for some schools(including my own) it's a summer reading book(summer reading books are almost always good)
You would be the best Shakespeare in Something Rotten!!!! Tyler Lee, Christopher Wakin in the Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time, is an alumni at my High School. My director talks about Tyler and some other famous Opera singer that I can’t remember his name right now all the freaking time.
Also ive read the book for Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime (or whatever the fuck its called) and would recommend you read that if you liked the play bc the book was great also. A very easy read but enjoyable
I honestly loved seeing finding neverland and thought it was a great show. But honestly everyone has their own opinion and I’m gonna state mine. I hated Matilda when I saw it
I’m curious as to what you thought about On the Town? The high school theatre department that I’m in just did On the Town for our spring musical and I was interested of what you thought of the music in the show.
Man that jacket in the back really distracted me at the end lol Anyways I totally get what you mean and I think that's why I'm super picky about musicals too. Like Legally Blonde i should have liked because I loved the movie but the music didn't catch me the same way.
Interested in your thoughts on Seussical?? I'm in a production of it right now and even to me the plot is just bizarre, but there is some real fun music
My advice to anybody wanting to write a musical: the only thing it requires is non-diagetic singing (music sung that is not seen as sung in the show, but is sung to us) and being a theatrical work. Once that's done, you can do whatever. Make it an avant-garde atonal opera of a show for all I care. As long as you're okay with the final product, it can be considered a win.
oo I love mary ploppins seen it loads score is amazing though story is eh but the music is my favourite though but everyone has different opinions I so pose. Great video btw intressting to see what you've watched
