Friday 11 September 2015

5 Fandom Friday - Broadway Roles I'd Love to Play.

So many. So so so many. I love musicals. I was brought up on them. My mum and dad took my sister and I to the theatre from a young age. Dad often recalls the story of how I sat enchanted for the whole of of the show while other children wriggled and talked. I have never lost my love of theatre and love going I think it's just magical. If I had one wish that was purely selfish just for me I'd wish to be able to sing! I love to stand on a stage and belt out a song. However that's not to be. My true passion and luckily for me my job is dancing! I started young. This is me making my stage debut as a duckling! 
My Fandom 5 is going to focus on musicals with some brilliant dances in. 

1. West Side Story
My favourite musical. Ever. I cry at the start because they are so happy and and I know it's sad later. I just adore it. The super cool Jets versus the flamboyant, colourful Sharks, the costumes, the music, the style. In this I'd love to play Anita. She's sassy, passionate and doesn't take any of Bernardo's crap. Oh and she gets the BEST dance routines. Here she is singing her signature song 'America'. Love her. 

2. Singing in the rain
Two words Gene Kelly. I'm not ashamed to say I have a massive crush on him. I think he is fantastic. So many wonderful dances in this 'Make 'em Laugh' is a brilliant number but my favourite will always be 'Good Mornin'. 

However I love Debbie Reynolds as Kathy Seldon but my favourite character in this is the hilarious Lina Lamont. I love her and her accent. My favourite scene.....

3. Cats
This is one of the first musicals I remember going to see. We went to Blackpool to watch it with my Nanna and Grandad. Brian Blessed was Old Deuteronomy and you could go on stage at the interval and get his autograph. One of the most magical moments was at the start of the second half the Cats came through the audience during the overture. One cat took my hat off me and put it on. Another did a handstand on the rail of the orchestra pit. I can close my eyes and still see it clearly. My favourite cat is Skimbleshanks The Railway Cat.

4. Phantom of the Opera
Ok so we have moved away from dance slightly to indulge the dream of me being able to sing! And if I could I'd sure as heck love to sing like Christine Daae. This is the musical most performed in my shower to my audience of shampoo and conditioner. They are my biggest fans! 

5. Les Miserables
Now I'm not talking about the film. I mean the stage musical. I love this musical whole heartedly and unashamedly. I am currently listening to the soundtrack and crying. It's just brilliant. Now I know what your thinking. You think I want to be Eponine or Fantine. You'd be wrong. Don't get me wrong they have amazing songs and stories to play out. However my favourite character is Gavroche. "Little People" is a brilliant song and young me would annoy my parents playing it on repeat and working out dances to it. 

Honourable Mention - Bob Fosse
I couldn't talk about musicals with out mentioning Bob Fosse. I love all his choreography. It's witty and wonderful. The stylisation of the movements are just brilliant. So I would be any dancer in any musical by Bob Fosse. Here is my favourite piece of his choreography for you to enjoy. It's Rich Mans Frug from Sweet Charity. 

I really enjoyed this weeks 5 thanks to Nicole at How To Fangirl for Adults for the brilliant suggestion. And as always thanks to The Nerdy Girlie and Super Space Chick for starting all the fun! I'm off to sing and dance about my house! 

Much love
Charlie x

22 comments:

  1. Great way to end the week on a musical note, Charlie! I saw Les Miz on Broadway in 1990, and Grease in London's West End in the mid-90s. There's nothing like a little sing-a-long to put a bounce in your step! x

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    1. There really isn't! I do love a sing song!!

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  2. I love this post! I agree, musicals and theatre in all its guises is a marvellous way to spend a few hours. Especially when other people are just as like minded as you and you can share the experience :)

    My favourite would have to be The Lion King. It was awesome!

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    1. Yes nothing better than a couple of hours spent in a theatre with friends!! Lion king is a great choice!!

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  3. You're last two made my list too! They're classics! I wish my parents took me to musicals as a child. They did take me to see Grease around late middle school at a local theater. Otherwise, I've gone to musicals on my own.

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    1. They are classics!! I'm so excited to see everyone's picks!! I am lucky to have theatre loving parents!

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  4. I looooove Singin' in the Rain! It's my go-to movie whenever I need to be cheered up!

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    1. Yes me too. It's like being with old friends!

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  5. Great picks! I'd love to see Singing In The Rain on stage - it'd be a spectacular show.

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    1. Thank you. Me too. It's supposed to be wonderful!

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  6. Phantom of the Opera. That is one of my favorite plays/stories of all time. I have loved it since I was little. I recently saw it and was blown away by the whole play. My parents are not big travelers so my husband took me as a surprise when the play come thru our area. He fell asleep. (boo!) But I was in love from the first note played.

    Love the ducky costume btw. Who didn't have that costume in dance class?

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    1. It just magical isn't it. I love it. That is so thoughtful of your husband to take you! Bless him falling asleep.
      Thanks! It's definitely a dance school staple!

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  7. Such a great list! I really need to start seeing more shows or figuring out how to see the older, classic ones I've never seen :)

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    1. I need to go to more shows! I go once a week of money allowed! I love the old ones I was brought up on them!!

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  8. Great choices! I LOVE Gavroche. I played in the orchestra pit for my high school's Les Miserables and 'Little People' was one of my absolute favorite songs<3

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    1. Thank you Ashlee! His character is so good. I've been singing 'little people' all day!! I bet it was fun to play too.

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  9. Wow super nice list! The Phantom of the Opera is one of my favorites ;) ('Coz of a friend who lent me a CD with the whole soundtrack)

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  10. Omg! I love musicals! <3 I LOVE PotO and I actually CAN sing like Christine as I was trained to sing that way! Lol! Haha. And Eponine was the first musical solo I ever sang and I was told by my music teacher that I was BORN to play that role on stage someday, so we shall see if that shall ever come to pass... Lol! Haha. ;) I hope it does! I would love that! I love the role of Eponine! I can relate to her on so many levels! And Cats was the first musical I ever saw EVER (on VHS, no less!), and I've loved it ever since then, which was elementary school, and when I was able to see it in person when it came to my town when I was older, it was absolutely amazing! <3 I've also seen Les Mis in person as well, also Miss Saigon, and saw The Lion King on Broadway, which was incredible! <3 <3 <3 Yah musicals! <3

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    1. Wow you must have quite the voice to sing like Christine. You've seen all my favourites too! Nothing like live theatre!! xx

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  11. Les miserables is such an amazing musical (I didn't like the film though). Also YEA for Bob Fosse, what a genius

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    1. Les Miserables is so good. The film could have been so much better! Bob Fosse is a total genius. LOVE him.

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