My favourite musical in all the land, ever, is Assassins, and I didn't even see it when it was in NY! I think that the score is Sondheim's best, and the subject matter is right up my alley. And I want to play the narrator, because he has the best songs and he totally doesn't have to be a guy. Honestly. I'll suck anyone's dick to play that role.

the rest of the top five are, in no order, Falsettos (I wanna play Trina, of course, it's the only woman's role), Sweeney Todd (I always wanted to play Tobey, but I'm too old now, so Mrs. Lovett, a role I really cannot get too old or too fat for), Tommy (I'm too old, but my favourite role is Sally Simpson), Les Miz (Fantine, if I lost enough weight), Man of La Mancha (Aldonza, of course), Carnival (I can't play anyone but Rosalie, but I think I'd have fun in that role), Chess (I'd love to play The American, but that's a role that you can't change sexes on, so The Arbiter, 'cause I love that song), She Loves Me (I'm so wrong for Amalia, but I think I could play Ilona) and, of course, Superstar (no role for me, but the chorus has all the best songs).

What are your top ten? Shows, not productions!

-- Kymm Zuckert (hedgehog@hedgehog.net), August 26, 2000

Answers

Okay, so I haven't exactly seen most of your choices. Just Les Miz, Chess and Superstar. The other ones... sorry, haven't seen 'em. So bearing that in mind... I'm going to say Superstar (of course), Once on this Island, RENT, Guys and Dolls, The Music Man, Camelot (I might as well have a sign over my head that says "nerd" with a big red arrow), Les Miz, Phantom, I guess (wow, running out of them... )

Okay, obviously, I'm going to have to go and see some more musicals. I haven't seen Chicago, Cabaret, Kiss Me Kate....

But what I left out on purpose: Cats, Chess, Ragtime, Grease, Miss Saigon, Evita, and Beauty and the Beast.

-- Monique (mo@mopie.com), August 26, 2000.

Top five and who I would insist on playing (whether I fit the character or not.)

Rent -- Joanne (though if I were a guy I'd want to be Collins)
Cabaret -- one of the Cabaret girls
Company -- Amy (my favorite Sondheim)
Nunsense -- Mother Superior
Hair -- absolutely anybody
I just saw Rent last week. Totally made me fall in-love with theatre all over again.

-- Jackie R. (jackie@jackie.nu), August 26, 2000.

Candide.

You have to be fairly young, and a brilliant coloratura soprano besides, to play Cunegonde. But the old Woman (terrible character name, sorry), originally played on B'way by the fantastic Irra Petina, is a nice part, with one great solo: "I Am So Easily Assimilated." I love that show.

-- john burke (john.burke@mindspring.com), August 26, 2000.

Funny, just last night I was just out last night listening to a vocalist doing Broadway hits, as a matter of fact. I went with a couple of friends I haven't seen in about five years to the local outdoor summer music festival, and that was last night's program. We all realized that we don't recognize any Broadway music past 1975.

So my list is a bit antediluvian. It includes: The Threepenny Opera, Cabaret, Oh, What a Lovely War, The King and I, Fiddler on the Roof, and a lot of Gilbert and Sullivan (of which my favorite, of course, is The Mikado).

-- catri696@purpleturtle.com), August 27, 2000.

If I had to choose one, it would be "Gypsy".

-- Joy Rothke (jrothke@earthlink.net), August 27, 2000.

Dude, finally a question I can answer without hesitating. And I HAVE to do top ten, in particular order:

1. RENT (I'd have to play Maureen) 2. Assasins (Let's Gender Bend John Wilkes Booth) 3. Tommy (The Acid Queen, baby) 4. Cabaret (DUH!! Sally is the one role I want to play above all else) 5. Side Show (Either of the Hilton twins:) 6. Chess (When I did this show I was a Bangkok whore, that was fun, but I'd like to play Svetlana) 7. Hair (I audition for it next week, ANY part would rock!) 8. Sweeney Todd (All about Mrs Lovett) 9. Jesus Christ Superstar (First female Judas- right here) 10. Kiss Me Kate (Bianca/Lois)

Great question Kymm, and happy birthday!

-- Tania (mimim73@yahoo.com), August 28, 2000.

In no particular order: Godspell Hair Jesus Christ Superstar Tommy and I don't have any others.

-- Catherine (catcoicrit@earthlink.net), August 28, 2000.

Here are mine:

Rent
Les Miz
Sweeney Todd
Brigadoon
Pippin
Company
The Fantasticks
Into the Woods
Show Boat
Gypsy
Now I have a song stuck in my head from a musical I wanted to mention, but I can't remember the show. Ack.

-- Laura (windmills@diaryland.com), August 28, 2000.

Kymm, I may love you just for loving Assasins. It's not my favorite musical, but I definitely love it. Then again, I'm in hot heavy love with most of Sondheim's work.

I'm not sure about my top ten, but I can definitely give you my top three:

Sunday in the Park with George - a highly personal show for me, some of the songs helped me get through a deep depression 13 years ago.

Sweeney Todd - introduced me to the brilliance of Sondheim about 15 years ago. I've worked on two productions of Sweeney over the last 7 years and, though I've made a vow not to work crew again, would willingly do so for this show (or any Sondheim musical).

Evita - absolutely incredible music, Rice's and Webber's best. I don't like Webber much, but he outdid himself on this show.

After those three, there is no order, but some of my other faves are My Fair Lady, Rent, Assasins (saw the production here in L.A. with Patrick Cassidy as John Wilkes Booth and enjoyed it), Chess, Jesus Christ Superstar, Merrily We Roll Along, Passion, Man of La Mancha, Candide, Camelot and lots of others. But please, no Rodgers and Hammerstein. With the exception of a few songs here and there, I've never liked them much. And Carousel makes me run screaming from the room.

-- Carol (webgal@ordinarygoddess.com), August 28, 2000.

Does "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" count as a musical? If yes, it's my absolute favorite. If not, then the Who's "Tommy" is. Another questionable one, I guess ...

-- Julie Smith (juschmi@hotmail.com), August 29, 2000.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood

My Fair Lady

Les Miserables

Fiddler on the Roof

-- Beth K. (owl@littleowl.com), September 01, 2000.

Wow, there are so many musicals I'd want to be in. Top ten in no particular order:

1.Superstar (they did this show here one year before I was old enough to try out...and they had a female Judas...she's awesome) 2.Merrily We Roll Along ("Not a Day Goes By" eats my guts and spits 'em out...) 3.Sweeny Todd...even if does scare young children 4.Assasins (personal fav. song is the duet w/ the Jody Foster guy and the Charles Manson chick...can't remember names, but ooo...it's so creepy and beautiful) 5.Les Miz...duh. 6.Kiss Me Kate...even if I absolutly can't sing "I Hate Men"...I'm try to right now, but it's not working. 7.Pippin...don't ask, I have a Pippin fixation right now. 8.Godspell...so so good... 9.Rent 10.Your a Good Man Charlie Brown.

Once again, I must lament the fact that my opinions on these musicals change everyday...so these defenitly aren't set in stone, lol.

-- Nikki (WhnE1@aol.com), June 23, 2001.

right off the top of my head, i'd say

1. RENT-Maureen 2. Into the Woods-Red riding hood 3. Parade-Lucille Frank 4. Porgy and Bess-Bess (no question) 5. Lucky stiff-the one who sings the dog song, if forget her name 6. Merilly we roll along-Mary 7. West side story-anita 8. Songs for a New World-its a revue, so... 9. Side by Side By Sondheim-again, a revue 10.The Full Monty-the woman whose husband was rich and now he's poor, again the name escapes me.

-- tracy (tracyfish03@yahoo.com), October 28, 2001.

1. A Chorus Line 2. A Chorus Line 3. Oh! A Chorus Line

-- Grant Leis (thelastgoony@hotmail.com), January 15, 2002.

Hmm......this is a difficult question.

I'd have to say my number 1 is Show Boat - it has some of the most beautiful music ever written for the stage and Ravenal is a role I would love to tackle. 2. Carnival just has a magnificent score (and looks to be revived soon). 3. Kiss Me Kate - one of the funniest musicals I have ever seen. 4. On the Twentieth Century - this has one of my favorite scores - the music is a brilliant throwback to the 1930s. 5. Candide - Bernstein's best. 6. Wonderful Town - Bernstein's second best... 7. A Little Night Music - what I consider to be Sondheim's greatest show and score is charming, sophisticated and melodic. 8. The Music Man - everytime I've seen this show, its always been an incredibly fun time. Enjoyable musical comedy. 9. Gypsy - the epitome of the 1950s musical - style with one of the greatest star vehicles (with the greatest overture and best 11:00 number ever, Rose's Turn - no one does it like Merman) 10. She Loves Me - one of the most charming shows ever created. Excellent example of the integrated score. Highlight: "Ice Cream" (no one does it like Barbara Cook).

-- Kevin Daly (DungeonMaster201@aol.com), February 14, 2002.

I'm probably the ultimate musical theatre geek! I love anything that Sondheim rights! If it weren't for him we wouldn't have a lot of musicals,Rent for example. My favorite shows have to be(in no particular order): Sweeney Todd( I'd love to play Toby,Antony, and of course Sweeney Todd, If I was a woman I'd play Mrs.Lovett), Into the Woods(Baker,Jack, or The witch,lol), Company(Bobby), Rent(Mark, Angel,or Roger), Assasins(anyone), Little Shop of Horrors(seymour), and last but not least Rockky horror show(brad)!Well, that about does it! Those are just the top ones, it doesn't mean I love any other musical less. But Musical Theatre is my passion and I plan to do it for the rest of my life! So write me if you have questions or comments!- Jamison!

-- Jamison ....... (Broadwaykids87@hotmail.com), July 27, 2003.

Well, this is a fun question ^__^

1-Candid (Cunegonde is one of the few coloratura roles in musical theatre so OF COURSE that's who I would want to play...I've already sang "Glitter and be Gay" in my voice class and it fits my voice so well) 2-The Pirates of Penzance (Mabel is one of the other few coloratura- esqu roles and "Pour Wandring One" is such a fun song to sing *also did that in voice class*) 3-Into the Woods (I have fond memories of this musical. The casts I worked with and the directors...they were all great. The first time I did this show I was "Little Red" and the second time I was "Cinderella" and "Cinderella's Mother" *I know it's impossible to play them both in the same show...it is a LONG story*) 4-Les Mis (I haven't been in this show, but I would love to play Fantine or Cosette) 5-A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum (When I did this I was double cast as Philia...on the night's I wasn't philia I was tintinabula...both parts were lots of fun!) 6-Jesus Christ Superstar (Man I with Jesus could be a girl LOL...I love the song at getsemene!) 7-Phantom (Christine-of course) 8-Rent (I have no idea who I would play in this show, but it blongs on this list!) 9-Once on This Island (I just like the show) 10-HAIRSPRAY (Just because the music actually has the glotals *weird voice croaks basically* WRITEN IN THE MUSIC lol)

-- Summer Latimer (only_sailor_x@yahoo.com), January 06, 2004.

CABARET!!!

i hope that someday i meet liza, sally bowles rocks my world. Yes i am obsessed but have only watched it twice this week.

-- Charlie (birds_are_pretty@yahoo.co.uk), February 25, 2004.