Animated Classics vs. Broadway

[Wonderlicious]

Go and see The Book of Mormon or Aladdin. I saw the former in London and it was brilliant. I honestly can't say anything about Aladdin as I ultimately haven't seen it on the stage, but I prefer the original movie to The Lion King so I'd pounce on that due to personal bias.

[Disney Duster]

Speaking of Wicked, I didn't like its story at all, but I'm biased because I read the much better Gregory Maguire book that it's based off. The score, lyrics, and visual design are hit-or-miss too.

I read that book first too, and I love that book but I also LOVE Wicked the musical. I also don't think the score, lyrics, or visual design is hit or miss...except for "Something Bad" and "Wonderful".

[Mooky]

You guys aren't helping much with the decision: four replies and four different suggestions!

Sotiris, haha, definitely! That reassurance might just be working.

Flanger-Hanger, thank you very much for the link, but they don't have any of the four shows I'm interested in listed as having a discount offer. Currently, that is.

Tangled, that was my reasoning as well -- as a Broadway newbie, I feel TLK will be a nice introduction to the whole Broadway scene, and it's been running for so long, so I guess it must be that special. I enjoy South Park on some level; I don't mind low-brow humor, but it's not my preferred form of entertainment.

Wonderlicious, thanks for the recommendations

I'll have to think this through some more or ask for a fifth opinion .

[Tangled]

I read that book first too, and I love that book but I also LOVE Wicked the musical. I also don't think the score, lyrics, or visual design is hit or miss...except for "Something Bad" and "Wonderful".

Well, I think that the meat of the musical's story (Glinda and Elphaba's relationship) is well done. I think that the problem is that its too jumbled and confused about its own direction. The epic stuff in the second act doesn't mesh well at all with the college romantic comedy in the first act. I mean, there are lots of good ideas in the musical that weren't in the original book, but they're all awkwardly melded together and rushed to fit 2 hours. In short, Wicked's just overproduced and clumsy. I feel the same way about many of Disney's musicals too (Tarzan and The Little Mermaid). Things just...happen in Wicked, and the thin threads holding the story together with the Wizard of Oz are easily breakable with the slightest bit of thought.

I still admire how successful Wicked has been though. I would not mind a movie. It has also hooked a lot of fans to the medium of theatre, which is great.

[ChrisLyne]

I'm bias but you should totally see Aladdin! Definitely my favourite of Disney's Broadway shows (Papermill's Hunchback coming a very close second). I love TLK as a spectacle (Circle of Life is gorgeous) but apart from a few standouts (like Endless Night) I don't think it's as strong musically.

Plus it's still got most of it's original cast including the movie's Jonathan Freeman as Jafar (who has fantastic chemistry with Don Darryl Rivera's Iago), James Monroe Iglehart who won a Tony for his portrayal of Genie plus Adam Jacobs and Courtney Reed as Aladdin and Jasmine. If you don't go to NYC a lot then this will likely be your only chance to see the originals live.

And going back to the original topic of songs I'd like to see added;

Beauty and the Beast - If I Can't Love Her
The Lion King - Endless Night
Tarzan - For the First Time or Everything that I Am (edging more towards the later)
The Little Mermaid - If Only
Aladdin - Proud of Your Boy (though this was cut already so I'll go with A Million Miles Away)
Hunchback of Notre Dame - so so many! Made of Stone, Someday, In a Place of Miracles are probably my top 3

[Disney Duster]

Hm. Sounds like you have sound reasoning, Tangled, but I think Wicked the book is great and Wicked the show is great. I don't agree that the musical is a jumbled mess. I think the second act being different from the first act is natural, not bad. Things get darker. That feels fitting. I also don't think it's bad that the story doesn't align completely with The Wizard of Oz. After all, the MGM movie is different from the original book as well.

[Mooky]

So those of you who recommended me Aladdin will be happy to know that's the one I'll be seeing. It wasn't me who made the decision: I let my SO decide and he opted for Aladdin... because it was cheaper than TLK .