Sunday Confessional: The Musical Matt

Day 15

I love musicals. I absolutely love them. It combines my love of acting with my love of singing. I don't care if they are cheesy (and some of them are) I just find the whole genre captivating.

I discovered musicals while I was serving my LDS mission in New York. My first one that I started to listen to was Phantom of the Opera and I was lucky enough to see this musical while I was living in New York. I was swept away by the music and the lyrics, it was just magical. There is just something about seeing a musical live. I then purchased the Complete Les Miserables and loved it and I was lucky enough to see that musical in New York as well. And that is where I got addicted.

I quickly picked up various other musicals and CD compilations. I love to sing and would sing along all the time. I still like to do this even though I do not listen to them as much anymore. I have seen quite a few musicals.

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA: Like I said, I saw this in New York. I was amazed at what was able to be done on stage. The music was absolutely beautiful and the set and costumes were amazing. So glad that I was able to see this live in New York. One day I would like to see this again. The great Tracy Shayne was Christine when I saw this.

LES MISERABLES: I saw this also in New York and was blown away. A very touching musical that really made me appreciate musical theatre. I saw this a second time in Salt Lake when I took Kristy while we were dating. I would see this again for sure. I have the complete recordings on CD and I have the whole thing memorized. I went on a date with a girl named Brenae and saw Gary Morris (he was Valjean on the Cd’s I had) in concert. After the concert was over, we were heading back to the car and Mr. Morris was outside of the building having a smoke. I wasn't about to go and approach him but Brenae made me do it. We went up and spoke to him. He was a very kind man and she even got him to sign my little libretto of Les Mis. Very cool.



You know what makes me feel old? I saw Lea Michele play the young Cosette. For those that don't know (and shame on you if you don't!) she is Rachel on the fun TV show Glee! Cosette's mother Fantine was played by Paige O'Hara who is most know for being the voice of Belle in Beauty and the Beast. Both were in the New York performance.




RENT: I saw this in New York when I went back with Joel. Great musical, what I liked was that the band was on the stage the whole time as part of the background and set. I have not seen the movie but I want to check it out. Rent was still a new musical when I went and saw it so much of the original cast was still performing it. I am a fan of Adam Pascal who would eventually become Freddie in the recent Chess in Concert.

MUSIC OF THE NIGHT: This was a compilation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Greatest Hits. This was fantastic. It was in Ogden and I went with Kristy and my mom and Shirley Whitman. This was the first time that Kristy had met either of them. We ate at Maddox’s and all I remember is laughing and laughing. Very fun company indeed.



SWEENEY TODD: Jennifer saw this dark macabre musical and I borrowed the CD and LOVED it. Angela Lansbury (the old lady from Murder She Wrote) was on the CD. Basically it is about a man who seeks revenge‚ he kills them in his barber shop and she makes them into pies. Kristy, Jennifer and I went and saw a production of this in Ogden and saw it very recently here at Utah State. One of my favorite musicals. Poor Kristy, Jennifer and I sang the whole time down and back the first time we saw it and that will be a column all unto itself. The movie was great but unfortunately it didn't contain the ending ballad of Sweeney Todd, which is pretty creepy the way they all come back to sing in the end.

CHESS: My all-time favorite musical. I didn’t see this musical but I was extremely lucky that I was able to play in it. I played the main Merchandiser. I will cover this extensively in a separate column altogether.

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLORED DREAMCOAT/THE SECRET GARDEN/FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: I saw all of these productions with Kristy at the StageStop Theatre. This is when I learned that Chess was in production. All of them were fantastic and very enjoyable. I really like local theatre and I am sad that the StageStop Theatre is no more.



STARLIGHT EXPRESS: This musical was FUN! I saw this in Las Vegas when Joel, Justin and Jonathon did our whirlwind temple trip. The fun thing was that all of the singers were on roller-skates. And we were also told to vote for "Greaseball" and cheer for me. I would have anyway, he was the best character in the whole show. One song we were watching and I had this feeling like I was being watched. I turned around and one of the cars with Electra was dancing and looking right at me. What a fun production, I would see this again in a flash.

MAMMA MIA: This was the last musical that I have seen. Kristy and I, mom, Jennifer and Justin went to Salt Lake to see this musical. If you are a fan of ABBA, I would definitely go see this musical. It was funny, had great music and was very enjoyable. After the show, the actors came back on stage in loud 70's costumes and sung more songs and invited the audience to sing along. Not sure if Justin liked it but the rest of us loved it!

There are a ton of other musicals that I have not seen in person that I listen to all the time. From Evita to Little Shop of Horrors to Grease to We Will Rock You; the list just goes on and on and on.

Now most of these shows have had movies made of them too. Most of them are pretty good but I highly recommend you see these shows as they were intended, on stage.