Iconic characters/songs/scenes from broadway...
 

While I was watching Les Miserables yesterday I got to thinking about iconic characters on broadway. then I got to thinking about iconic songs and scenes from broadway.

I thought it would be interesting to read what other people feel are iconic to them, as it truly is a matter of perspective.

Here are some that I can think of off the top of my head, but I also am basing this off the musicals/plays that I have actually seen.

Iconic Characters:
1. The Phantom
2. Jean Valjean
3. Javert
4. Elphaba

Iconic Songs:
1. I Dreamed a Dream
2. On My Own
3. The Phantom of the Opera
4. Memory

Iconic Scenes:
1. All I Ask of You reprise
When I saw Phantom the first time I was shocked when the Phantom came down and began singing. I cried like a big old baby and to this day, his reprise always clutches at my heart (probably because I'm not a Rauol fan by ANY stretch of the imagination).

2. The ending of Wicked
Totally didn't see it coming with Fiyero knocking on the stage and Elphaba coming up having "faked" her death.

Wow! I hope that whoever reads the last part about Elphaba has already seen Wicked!:D

what about Evita and "Don't Cry for Me Argentina"

And any of the Rogers and Hammerstein musicals...

Rodgers and Hammerstein iconic songs-
1. My Boy Bill - Carousel
2. June is Busting Out All Over- Carousel
3. Oklahoma- Oklahoma
4. Oh What a Beautiful Morning- Oklahoma
4. I'm Gonna Wash that Man Tight out of My Hair- South Pacific
5. Shall we Dance?- The King and I
6. I Whistle a Happy Tune- The King and I
7. Getting to Know You- The King and I
8. EVERY song from The Sound of Music

I'm really partial to a lot of the older musicals, probably because I grew up hearing them-
Sunrise, Sunset- Fiddler on the Roof
Maria- West Side Story
Tonight- West Side Story
I Could Have Danced All Night- My Fair Lady
A Bushel and a Peck- Guys and Dolls
Luck, Be a Lady- Guys and Dolls
Everything from Grease :)
Tomorrow- Annie
Hard Knock Life- Annie
Food, Glorious Food- Oliver
Consider Yourself- Oliver

Oklahoma is a great song! I also love the song Hard Knock Life from Annie.

My favorite song from My Fair Lady is actually The Rain in Spain.

"Cabaret" from Cabaret. I know many leads have done it, but Liza Minnelli as Sally Bowles singing "Cabaret" is amazing. The "Money" song done by Minnelli and Joel Grey also epitomizes that show.

All that jazz from Chicago
Cell block tango from Chicago
I know the truth from Aida

I would love to see Cabaret!

I'm afraid I can't go so far as "any" R&H musical, because that would include State Fair, Allegro and Flower Drum Song. But if you stick to their Big Five (Six if you count Cinderella, which I would), then I wouldn't argue.

For me, the hands-down winner for iconic character would have to be Mama Rose from Gypsy.

After that, for characters (or couples), I'd list:

• Tevye (Fiddler on the Roof)
• Billy Bigelow (Carousel)
• Dolly Gallagher Levi (Hello Dolly!)
• Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle (My Fair Lady)
• Alfred P. Doolittle (My Fair Lady)
• Harold Hill (The Music Man)
• Tony and Maria (West Side Story)
• Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett (Sweeney Todd)

For songs, once again I'd have to go with Gypsy, with "Everything's Coming Up Roses" and "Rose's Turn."

After that:

• "Soliloquy" (Carousel)
• "If I Were a Rich Man" (Fiddler on the Roof)
• "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" (Evita)
• "Defying Gravity" (Wicked)
• "Helly Dolly!" (Hello Dolly!)
• "Ya Got Traouble" (The Music Man)
• "76 Trombines/Goodnight My Someone" (The Music Man)

As for scenes, the only one that I can think of that I'd really call iconic is the Bench Scene from Carousel.

One of my favorite characters from all of musical theatre is Bloody Mary from South Pacific. What's interesting about that show is that many, many of the songs from it were recorded, outside the confines of the show, as 'standards'. I was raised on the Ezio Pinza/Mary Martin version, and it's still incredible. I saw Robert Goulet chew his way through the scenery once in Atlanta. Still pretty great.

That said, I'm addicted to Avenue Q. I saw it on Broadway - the book and score are both terrific. Hard to say if it'll stand the test of time, but remember, it beat Wicked for the Tony. Particular standouts for me are "It Sucks To Be Me", "The More You Ruv Someone" and "For Now".

Wicked is beautifully staged, and I love both "Popular" and "What Is This Feeling?". I'm so tired of hearing "For Good" and "Defying Gravity". Like every song from Phantom and Les Miserable, they've been ruined for me by being played to death. I actually didn't love Phantom. More specifically, I hated it. There, I said it!

I loved Drowsy Chaperone - saw that the same weekend as Avenue Q. The music is sweet and fun - and Beth Leavel in the title role was spot on. Danny Burstein as Aldolpho was great - and during that time, Man in Chair was played by Jonathan Crombie (Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables).

Now, the first show I ever saw on Broadway wasn't a musical. It was Lily Tomlin's one woman - The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe. I was 12. She was amazing. I got her autograph afterwards.

I've gotten to see some incredible theatre. I grew up in Atlanta, saw Driving Miss Daisy as a play (long before it went on Broadway), and as much as I loved the movie... that play was mindblowingly good.

Don't worry; you are not the only one. I hate Cats, too. :o

You know, perhaps for iconic songs I should add "The Song That Goes Like This" from Spamalot. It's such a great send-up of ALW-style love ballads. And if I add that, I also need to add "The Diva's Lament," also from Spamalot.

My Fair Lady is on TCM right now!

From Spamalot, the one that never leaves my head is "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life"

"Seasons of Love" from RENT

Several years ago, I saw "Master Class" starring Patti Lupone.

You know how theatres have a policy that late arrivals shall be seated at the discretion of the management? At one point (relatively early in the play) Patti Lupone's character states something along the lines of, "There are certain people I can't abide. For instance, LATECOMERS." At that point, the play was paused while the ushers seated all the latecomers!

Her character also couldn't stand tenors, because they are so full of themselves. I had to LMAO at that line, as my husband is a tenor. He was not amused.

My husband is a huge musical theater fan...I'm more like meh. I did love Avenue Q and a short lived musical called Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson. My favorite from Avenue Q is "Everyone's a little bit racist." My husband loves Phantom, Camelot, Man of La Mancha, Sweeney Todd...I could go on. I'd slit my wrists if I had to sit through any of them.



Everyone hates Cats. I know the dancer who played one of the cats for YEARS on Broadway. HE hates Cats. ;)