Musical {Guest Post}!

Hey guys! I'm Kaleigh and I blog over here!

When Beccah asked if I'd like to do a Musical, I knew exactly what musical I would share. Let's tell a story shall we?

Once upon a time, there was a really dorky little girl named Kaleigh. One might almost call her a dweeb. Kaleigh would come home for elementary school, smelling of crayons and dandelion crowns, get herself a snack and sit down to watch her afternoon movie. And what movie did she choose, you ask? 

Yes, I was obsessed with the musical Gigi. Now if you know anything about this musical, please don't judge my mother too harshly. I had no idea what the actual story line was until I was about 18. 

Gigi is a musical adaptation of the book by the same name, was directed by Vincent Minnelli, and is credited to be the last traditional MGM movie-musical.

Set in 20th century Paris, the story revolves around Gaston and Gilbert, a.k.a Gigi. Gigi is the granddaughter of once popular courtesan Madam Alvarez and is in training to take up the *ahem* family tradition. 

 Gigi, played by Leslie Caron

Gaston is a spoiled, wealthy playboy who is bored with life. Amid rumors of infidelity in his mistress, Gaston decides to leave fashionable Paris. After publicly humiliating his mistress, Gaston agrees to play Gigi at cards for a chance to  take Gigi and Madam Alvarez on a vacation to the seaside. Naturally, Gigi wins.

After spending so much time with Gigi, Gaston quickly falls in love with her. But Gigi is not your typical courtesan, and things don't go the way Gaston plans.

I won't spoil the story for you but believe me, it's worth watching! Some of my all time favorite songs are in Gigi, including "Thank Heaven for Little Girls" sang by Honoré Lachaille (Maurice Chevalier), Gaston's charming uncle. Gaston also sings a cynical love song called "It's a Bore" that will get stuck in your head for days.

But my favorite part about Gigi has to be the costumes. Throughout the musical you slowly start to see Gigi maturing through longer skirts and feminine costumes until finally, she emerges as a graceful and confident woman.

Many people have commented on the resemblence between Gigi and My Fair Lady. In fact, a song Gigi sings called "Say a Prayer for Me" was initially intended for Eliza Doolittle, but was dropped and eventually picked up for Gigi. While the two musicals definitely have some resemblance, Gigi is an endearing story that is well worth watching.

 There's so  much more I could say about Gigi, but I'll let you check it out for yourself. If you do watch, let me know! We can sigh over Gaston together ( totally had a crush on him as a little girl)

Thanks for having me Becs!

Musical {Glee}

So... let's be honest - I forgot today was Monday. How do you forget that? Well, I have summer-break brain going on, which means all my days run together. I am also in the process of packing up my house, so I can move this weekend! Yay! 

However, with everything going on today and this week, I didn't get to watch a musical for this week's post (lame lame lame). BUT, I sure did have Glee playing around the clock, and I think that counts as a musical!

So this week, I will look at Fox's hit series, Glee! Woot Woot! Do I have any fans out there? I know this is completely different then a typical musical, but I think it should at least count as the red-headed step-sister in the musical family. The show is packed full of singing, dancing, and of course all the drama of high school (what's not to love)? 

If you aren't an avid fan, let me break it down for you. The show is centered around McKinley High School's glee club. As the students are dealing with relationships, sexuality, and high school drama, they are also preparing for the next big Show Choir competition. There is a musical number for just about everything in this series, and I love it!

The music included in the show is always a popular hit, new or old. The show's mantra is Journey's "Don't stop Believing," but the hits range from the Beatles to Lady Gaga. The director's have a blast with the music and always builds their episodes around it. 

Let me warn you though, if you aren't a follower and want to check it out, there are some major social issues that get thrown around in the show. I'll just lay them out there for you: sex, homosexuality, some drug references, bullying, race, etc. So, if you don't like shows that address these types of issues, Glee is probably not the show for you. But if you want to have a blast singing along with some very talented singers, check it out! 

Musical {Mamma Mia!}

The boy has done some amazing stuff the past two days. First, he finally caved and watched Mamma Mia with me (more on this in a sec). Second, he got my internet to work today! I have no idea what is going on with my internet/Mac lately. I have been blaming my internet for the past month for my crappy blog posts, which is true, totally not made up. My internet will work for a day and then it won't work for like two. I honestly can't understand what is going on. It could be my router or maybe it is my Mac. I've heard that the last update has made some Mac's act up... BUT, it is working now, so I can finally post this week's Musical!

As mentioned above, the boy finally gave in and watched Mamma Mia with me. When we started our musical challenge, this is the one musical he refused to watch. And to top it off, he had no reason of why this musical was on the "no watch" list. I realize most of you ladies are thinking, "well he's a boy, that's why." Which would make sense if my boy didn't spend a majority of his time singing or acting in music theater. So, mine is the exception - he likes musicals! But not Mamma Mia? How can this be? 

All pics via google.

Oh well, he gave in and watched it anyways! I didn't even have to beg; he just wanted to make me happy :) HOW PRESH!

So, now lets talk about Mamma Mia! FINALLY! It is one of my favorite musicals. And I will be talking about the 2008 film adaptation starring Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan. The film is based off of the Broadway hit of the same name. The show made it's first appearance in 1999 in London, and it wasn't until 2001 that it hit Broadway. The show is based off of the music of ABBA, and two original members of the band composed the score.

Even though the music is based off of the band, the plot is entirely fictional. The film opens with the soon-to-be bride, Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), sending out three very important invitations to her wedding. They are addressed to Sam Carmichael (Brosnan), Harry Bright (Collin Firth), and Bill Anderson (Stellan Skarsgard) - her three potential fathers. After finding her mother's diary, she learns that her dad could be any of these three men, and she wants them to be at her wedding. On a journey to find who she is, Sophie makes a huge mess of things by inviting them without telling her mother (Streep). As old feelings begin to rekindle, all the characters rediscover who they really are. 

Let me just warn you from the get-go, not all of the actors in this film are great singers. To be honest, there are only a handful that are really great. Brosnan usually gets a bad wrap for this film because his singing abilities aren't among the greatest in the cast. He does not have a terrible voice; he just seems to be straining a lot as he sings. He doesn't look comfortable in the film or his voice. But I don't think he is a deal breaker for the film. I actually think he's kinda cute trying to sing his little heart out, but that's just how I am. Another thing to note before watching the film,it is extremely cheesy! That is probably one reason I love it so much! But if cheesy, over acted films get on your nerves, you may not like this one. 

Besides some of the above mentioned warnings, I can't get enough of the film and the music! If you are familiar with any of ABBA's music, then you will recognize many of the major songs: "Honey Honey," "Mamma Mia," "Dancing Queen," "Super Trouper," "The Winner Takes It All," and "Take A Chance on Me," to name a few. There are a total of 23 songs in the film, so plenty of ABBA to go around!

So, if you are a musical lover or an ABBA lover, go check this film out! Even the reluctant boyfriend didn't complain too much after. He wasn't a huge fan, but he did agree that it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be!

Musical {Guest Post - Sweeney Todd}

Well, I’m not Beccah but this is Monday Musical, or at least my iteration of it. Hi, I’m Arthur Gordon from The Round Table Review. Beccah has been running rampant the last couple of weeks, so she asked if I’d like to fill her shoes for the week.

This week we’ll be looking at Sweeney Todd  the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. 

Sweeney Todd marks the sixth collaboration between director Tim Burton (Edward Scissorhands, Big Fish, Alice in Wonderland) and Johnny Depp (Duh). The two began working together in 1992 with Edward Scissorhands and in the last two decades they have made eight films together. I recently wrote an article over at Examiner.com ranking their first seven collaborations in anticipation of Dark Shadows; you can find that article here.

I chose Sweeney Todd because I don’t think Beccah will ever build up the nerve to watch it. While she may be a fan of musicals, she isn’t a fan of horror/slasher films. With that in mind, let us dive into the movie. The film opens and instantly the tone is set as dark music plays over animated credits involving blood and meat grinders. This wonderfully fades into a shot of a ship pulling into port in London as the cheery first notes of “No Place like London” begin playing. We then meet Anthony (Jamie Bower) who sings the first couple of lines, lines of hope and ambition. Enter Sweeney Todd (Depp) who takes the song down a more melancholy route, pushing us even farther down the dark abyss. We discover that Todd was once a barber by the name of Benjamin Barker who had a beautiful wife Lucy and a baby named Johanna. Barker/Todd was arrested and sent away by Judge Turpin; Turpin also loved Lucy and wanted her for himself. Upon Todd’s re-arrival to London we discover he has been away 15 years.

 

Upon leaving the ship Button seeks out answers about his former wife and child and in the process runs into Mrs. Lovett (Carter) a widow with a failing meat pie business. As she whispers sweet nothings into Todd’s ear, the want of revenge takes hold Todd and sends him to a point of no return. Todd reopens his barber shop above Lovett’s pie parlor and the two become partners, striking a horrific deal with the devil.

Apparently Burton saw the original musical, written by Steven Sondheim, while in film school in the seventies. It struck him at an early age as a very cinematic piece. For the last few decades Hollywood had been trying to get a film version going and even enlisted Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Revolutionary Road) to direct and Russell Crowe star at one point. They eventually dropped out and Burton got the call, probably for the best. Mendes is a talented director, but the content of Sweeney Todd is right up Burton’s alley.

This certainly shows throughout the film. Burton is big on Gothic Horror elements and grey color palettes both which heavily set the stage for this production. Depp was cast in the lead and had never really sung in public before. The only other musical he had been in, Crybaby, contained a lip-synched performance by him. Burton’s long time lover Helena Bonham-Carter was cast as Mrs. Lovett, and Alan Rickman got the role of Judge Turpin. None of these actors are known for their singing ability, and their performances add a raw, stripped, emotional feel to their performances.

The movie contains some beautiful, haunting, and even humorous musical numbers. “No Place Like London”, “Worst Pies in London”, “My Friends”, “Pretty Women”, “Johanna”, and “By the Sea” are just a few of the stand out numbers in Sweeney Todd. In fact “By the Sea” may be some of the best direction in the film, as it slips out of ‘reality’ and adds a fantasy element allowing Burton to play around outside of the darkness of the reality he has created.

Final Decree: 7.5 out of 10 – Sweeney Todd had a strong showing, winning two Golden Globes (Best Picture –Musical, Best Actor – Depp) and one Oscar (Art Direction), while receiving numerous other nominations. It’s a solid film and great musical for people who may not normally enjoy musicals. The horror, dark comedy, and suspenseful aspects draw in another crowd all together.

Well there you have it folks, thanks for reading and thanks Beccah for letting me take your spot this week. Hopefully you will be good to go next week. For more movie reviews go over and check out my blog The Round Table Review, you can also ‘like’ my page on Facebook or follow me on Twitter, @RndTblReview.

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Thank you so much Arthur! Not only is Arthur a personal friend; he is also an up-and-coming movie critic in OKC! So I hope you enjoyed my first guest post - woot woot - so go ahead and comment and show Arthur some love!

Musical {Chicago}

Well... it has been about 2 years since my last post, so I know you are dying for my most recent Musical!! What have I been doing the past two weeks? I shall tell you in my next post! It has been insane to say the least. But, I am hopefully getting back into the swing of things. So without further ado... 

This week I am going to be talking about Chicago! 

All Pics via google

I am going to be referencing the 2002 film adaptation directed and choreographed by Rob Marshall. It of course had its stellar cast: Renee Zellweger, Richard Gere, and Catherine Zeta-Jones! In the avenue of musicals, this particular adaptation has received a lot of credit and has been widely viewed. One of those reasons may be that it won "Best Picture" at the 2002 Academy Awards. This was the first musical to win "Best Picture" since Oliver in 1969! So, chances are... a lot of you have seen this one. 

Renee Zellweger as Roxie Hart!

There are a lot of elements in this musical that are appealing to audiences. To start it off, the musical is set in the 1920's. The 1920's still fascinate people over 90 years later. I mean, what girl out there hasn't been a flapper for Halloween? It is such a fun decade and continues to be the setting for many Hollywood blockbusters.

Richard Gere as Billy Flynn and Catherine Zeta-Jones as Velma Kelly.

So our breakdown of the plot is nothing new to our 1920's lovers. It is about two murderesses, Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly. This is the time period when criminals turned into celebrity headlines overnight! We have Roxie Hart who is a housewife who lands herself in jail, and Velma Kelly who is a nightclub sensation who also landed herself in jail. They both find themselves fighting for the spotlight on Chicago's famous Murderess Row. Lucky for them, they also share the same lawyer, Billy Flynn. He is infamous for turning notorious criminals into local stars, which of course is what will keep them from the gallows. The only problem is, Chicago only needs one star!

Velma or Hart?

I of course can't get enough of this musical because of the singing and dancing! Zellweger and Zeta-Jones do a great job carrying the music, but they get a little help from Queen Latifah who does a fantastic job as Matron "Mama" Morton. Some of the smash songs are: "When You're Good to Mama," "Cell Block Tango," "I Can't do it Alone,"Mister Cellophane," and "All that Jazz." There are so many other great songs!

My favorite song from the show is "Cell Block Tango!" This song is so much more than just singing though. The dancing is absolutely incredible. There is also a stinkin' cool tap-dance scene with Richard Gere in the film! I have included the "Cell Block Tango" video for you to check out! 

If you guys haven't checked this film out, please do! You won't be disappointed. It is full of scandal, deceit, and murder! And all portrayed through song and dance - yeah, awesome! 

Until next week musical lovers, 

Musical {Easter Parade}

This week's musical was a new one for me, Easter Parade! I have owned it for awhile now, but for some reason, I had yet to watch it. Now however, I can add it to the "must see" list I am making for all of you musical lovers. 

Pics via google

Since watching the film, my boyfriend has been going around singing "Easter Parade," which of course is the most famous songs from the show. You may recognize the lyrics, "In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it, You'll be the grandest lady in the Easter parade." If not, I can get my boyfriend to sing it to you :)  

Garland and Astaire

The main thing you need to know about this musical is that it stars Fred Astaire and Judy Garland. There is the obvious reason why it is an instant classic. Their singing and dancing is absolutely wonderful. Astaire steals the show with his dancing, and Garland steals the show with her singing... it's a win win!

"Drum Crazy"

The film was released in 1948 and featured music by Irving Berlin, which if you have watched a few classic musicals, you should know Irving Berlin is a musical genius. He actually wrote the song, "Easter Parade, " years before this musical was written. One performance to mention is Bing Crosby's in Holiday Inn in 1942. With the song's success, this musical was written around it. And as a result, the film did rather well. Financially, it was both Astaire and Garland's most successful film. It was the highest grossing musical the year it released, and it won an Academy Award for "Best Original Music Score."

Ann Miller as Nadine Hale

The film begins with Don Hewes, a 1912 Broadway star, in New York City buying his "sweetheart" and dancing partner, Nadine Hale, an Easter hat and presents for the Easter Parade. When arriving with his gifts, he finds out that Nadine has taken a solo act, and he is left with no partner and upcoming gigs. Out to prove to Nadine that he doesn't need her (and hoping to get her back), he grabs the first women he sees and is determined to prove that he can make anybody a star. Enter Hannah Brown (Garland). He does succeed in making her a star, but he never expects that he will have to sort out feelings that he has for both Hannah and Nadine. The musical ends in New York City at the Easter Parade, where he shows up with the girl he truly loves.

"It Only Happens When I Dance With You"

With Berlin's musical genius behind the wheel, the entire musical is full of wonderful songs. Some of my favorites: "Happy Easter," "Drum Crazy," "It Only Happens When I Dance With You," "A Fella With an Umbrella," Steppin' Out With My Baby," "A Couple of Swells," and of course "Easter Parade." One song to especially pay attention to is "A Couple of Swells." It is considered one of the most famous musical numbers in the show, and it is one of Astaire and Garland's most famous songs. 

"A Couple of Swells"

I included a video for you guys because I wanted you to see Astaire's performance in "Steppin' Out With My Baby." About five minutes into the video (you better watch, or skip, to the five minute mark), the film-makers include a slow-motion effect to show off Astaire's dancing. It is brilliant. Everything surrounding him is moving in real-time, but he is projected in slow motion. At first while watching the film, I kinda giggled because "slow motion" has come so far since 1948. But, then I watched as Astaire blew me away with how easy and flawless his moves were. It is seriously incredible. I actually looked it up in the American Film Institute Catalog and found out that it was the "first-ever slow motion synchronization with sound." How awesome is that! 

 I honestly didn't know that this film was going to be so good. I knew that it would be good, but I wasn't expecting it to be "new Easter tradition good." Don't wait until next Easter though, go watch it now!

Musical {Opera Edition}

Ok, ok... I know there is a major difference between a musical and a opera, but I really wanted to share with you the opera that has taken over my life! This entire semester, I have been helping out with a local opera as stage manager (more headache then I was expecting)! That is why I have been almost nonexistent the past two week, and because I was trying not to get blown away by a tornado - thank you Oklahoma.

I got tied up in this opera for a few different reasons: the school I graduated from is the host, the man I take voice lessons from is the music director, and my lovely boyfriend is in the cast. I was obviously destined to commit three days a week to this show for the entire semester. But as exhausted as I am, I have had a lot of fun. I never thought I would enjoy an opera, but this particular one is quite humorous. So, if you ever really want to check out an opera, I suggest The Barber of Seville!

This is our particular poster for the show, obviously!

If you have ever heard the famous lines "Figaro... Figaro... Figaro... Figaro... Figaro... Figaro... Figaro... Figaro... Figaro... Figaro!!!," then you have heard something from The Barber of Seville. The opera is by Gioachino Rossini and it originally premeried in 1816. It is one of the earliest Italian operas to be performed in American, and after 200 years it's popularity is still evident on the modern stage. It is considered one of the greatest masterpieces of comedy within music (I stole most of this info - yeah from wikipedia, don't judge).  

The opera was originally done in Italian, but since then, many versions have surfaced - English being one of them. Our particular production is done in English, which is good because an opera is already hard enough to follow! The show follows the attempts of Count Almaviva trying to win the heart of the beautiful, Rosina (who is also the love interest of Dr. Bartolo, her guardian). With the help of Figaro, the local barber, the Count takes on multiple disguises in order to be around Rosina, but risking to be caught by Dr. Bartolo at the same time. Rosina despises Dr. Bartolo and wishes to marry the Count, but no love story could be that easy! So, the opera humorously captures the efforts of Figero and the Count as they try to trick Bartolo and steal Rosina's affection.

That is just a brief break down of the show, but of course, it is so much more then I could say in one short paragraph. I didn't even mention my boyfriend's role in the show. He plays a slimy, greedy "creep" (as we like to call him)! His character is Basilio, which is a friend of Dr. Bartolo. He is going to hate me, but look at this wig he has to wear - bahahaha! Sorry, sweetheart :) I have been calling him Gaston for a couple week now! 

How embarrassing is this picture?! I may get broke up with!

There are way to many songs to break down for you (since it is an opera), which if you don't know, an opera is straight music all the way through. Our production has roughly thirty-eight songs, but we had to cut some of the music. However, my personal favorites are "Largo al Factotum" or "I am the Barber of Seville", which is Figaro's opening aria (this is where "figaro, figaro.... comes from); "Let Me Teach You the Art of Slander" sung by Basilio; "Hey, You People" sung by the Count disguised as a drunken soldier; "Rigid and Motionless" sung by entire cast; and "Heaven Bless You, Now and Ever" sung by the Count, disguised as a music teacher, and Dr. Bartolo. There are different titles and versions of all these songs, so if you've heard it called something else, we are probably both right!

I know this is a little different then what I usually do, but I wanted to introduce you to my life the past few months! I doubt this will be a big "must see" among my readers, but if you have ever wanted to try an opera, I would suggest this one!  Make sure you go see it in English, unless you just happen to know Italian :) If you are in the Oklahoma City area and want to check our production out, email me and I will get you details! 

Oh, and I found this cute little clip on youtube, I thought some of you might like. Woody is singing the original version in Italian, hehe! 

Final synopsis: musical lovers, give opera a chance :) I wasn't disappointed! 

I'm back and Monday Musical!

Hello long lost friends! I have been away for over a week, eek! Please let me explain why I have been nonexistent. My sweet boyfriend is participating in an up coming Opera, Barber of Seville. Well every year around this time, I never get to see him because of his strenuous practice schedule. This year I had an idea so I could still spend time with him while he prepared for his yearly musical - volunteer to be stage manager for the show! Oh how excited I was, but now all I am is exhausted. 

I have been working all day everyday trying to make this show a success. Even when I am not at practice, I am preparing for it in some way. And starting last week, more practices have been scheduled (hence my absence). The show is the next two weekends, and then I will really be back for good. But, I have been neglecting my dear little blog and my Musicals, so I will try to keep up these next two weeks even though it is crunch time! So, here it is... 

I actually managed to watch one this week, so I would stop slacking on my blog promises! And I am glad I did. It was a much needed break and such a fun show - Gentlemen Prefer Blonds! Not only was this my first time to see the show, but it was also my first Marilyn Monroe film (how it has taken me so long, I have no idea). And I've always known it, but man was she gorgeous.

The film adaptation was released in 1953 (the musical releasing in 1949), and it's two stars were, Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell. Russell was a wonderful assets to the movie, but of course, it is Monroe's performance that has stuck with people for ages. The musical is actually rather short; it is only an hour and a half, which for musicals is nothing. But in that little time, Monroe beautifully captured the essence of the gold-digging Lorelei Lee!

The basics of the film are rather humorous. Monroe and Russell play two young showgirls - Monroe desperate for a man with money and Russell desperate for true love. After Monroe gets engaged to a millionaire, her and Russell sail to France to wait for her fiancé. However, the boat ride to France proves more eventful then expected! 

Marilyn's performance is reason enough to watch this musical. Of course, she plays a ditzy blond who can weasel her way out of anything, but you can't help but love her. 

I wasn't too familiar with the music in the show, but I was happy to finally see Marilyn's rendition of "Diamond's are a Girl's Best Friend!" Which was all I hoped it would be! But even without the music, the dresses and costumes were to die for! And I have to admit, I may have fell a little in love with Marilyn after watching the show. 

Monroe's "Diamond's are a Girl's Best Friend" - look at that gorgeous dress!

So musical lovers, go check out Gentlemen Prefer Blonds! I will definitely be adding some more Marilyn to my musical list! What is your favorite Marilyn movie?

Musical {Grease!}

The musical that is up for today is... Grease! I have been holding off on this fabtabulous (I've used this word twice today, so that means it's a real word now right?) musical until a warm, sunny Spring day! And that is exactly what today is! Don't you just love Spring?

All pics via google

If you were a teenage girl at some point, I am pretty sure you have seen this musical. It is kinda like Titanic; every teenage girl was obsessed with it and are still in love with John Travolta (he still looks like this in my head) as a result. Every time I watch a John Travolta movie, I think of Grease. If you haven't seen it, I am ashamed... Ok, not really, but you have to go watch it asap.

Some funny casting trivia for ya... Maria Osmond was first casted for Sandy's role, but turned the part down because she didn't like that Sandy had to turn "bad" to get the guy. Oh well, we got Olivia Newton-John instead. Henry Winkler (the Fonz on Happy Days) was originally cast to play Danny, but he turned it down because he didn't want to be stereotyped as a leather-wearing bad boy. Oh well, we got John Travolta instead. 

For the few out there who haven't seen this musical, the plot line is too cute. In the summer of 1958, Danny and Sandy meet while on vacation and fall in love. However, when the summer ends, they have to go back to reality - miles apart. Unbeknownst to either of them, Sandy's family moves and they end up at the same high school, Rydell High. But the Danny that Sandy runs into is not the guy she met on the beach. The struggle of them trying to make their love work is what makes this film so great. It also captures the 1950's perfectly (that is really what high school was like, right?)!

If you haven't seen the film, you have at least heard some of the music, right? I know I say this all the time, but Grease has some of my favorite songs! - "Summer Nights,""Hopelessly Devoted to You,""Greased Lightning,""You're the One that I Want,""Beauty School Dropout,""Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee,"and "We go Together!" - Did I just name almost every song in the show? I promise, it's good stuff people!

Look at that hunk!

Do I have any fellow Grease lovers out there? What's your favorite song? I would have to go with, "Summer Nights!"

I will be posting a Spring Break breakdown for you tomorrow! See you then!

Musical {The Phantom of the Opera}

The Phantom of the Opera was probably what really got me started watching musicals again. And for this post, I am referring to the 2004 movie adaptation. There are other versions of The Phantom of the Opera out there, but this is the only musical version. One interesting thing to note, Andrew Lloyd Weeber is who produced the movie, but he is also who wrote the musical (that's pretty cool!). 

All pics via google

I actually have a lot of friends who don't like The Phantom of the Opera and I can see why, but I still think they are crazy! I love it SO much! I catch myself singing songs from the musical all the time. I also catch the boy singing them, which makes me swoon (have I mentioned he can sing?)! So needless to say, it is one of my favorite musicals. It is definitely creepy and kinda weird, but oh so wonderful!

A few interesting tidbits for you: Originally Hugh Jackman was asked to play the phantom, but he had to decline because he was working on Van Helsing. However, the director was impressed with Gerard Butler's performance in Dracula, so he was given the role. Butler had no vocal training before this role, and had only four vocal lessons before he sang "Music of the Night" for Weeber. And yes, you read that right, GERARD BUTLER! A lot of people don't realize that is him under the mask, but it is :)

Yes ladies, that is Gerard Butler! 

The role of Christine Daae' also went through a couple cast changes. Katie Holmes was the front-runner for the role until she was replaced with Anne Hathaway, who is a classically trained soprano by the way. But like Jackman, Hathway dropped out because she was working on another film. That led to Emmy Rossum taking on the role of Christine. Now, I knew a lot of this, but I am not that much of an expert. That being said, I found a lot of this info from the web! So, let me know if you know something else interesting that I may have missed!  

The story begins at the Paris Opera House, in 1919, where an auction is being held. The attention is then drawn to Lot 666, a chandelier that is in pieces. This begins the story of the Phantom, which is told in flashback form. The Phantom, a disfigured musical genius, haunts the opera house. He is in love with the young Christine Daae', and he secretly tutors her with hopes that she will become the next opera star. She believes he is the "angel of music" sent by her deceased father. When the Phantom's love is threatened by Christine's childhood friend Raoul, the Phantom does whatever it takes to insure that he gets Christine. His efforts culminate in a climatic scene in the bowels of the opera house.

One of my favorite scenes!

The music was also written by Andrew Llyod Weeber. This musical contains some of my favorite songs: "Music of the Night," "All I ask of You," "Wishing You were Somehow Here Again," "Think of Me," "Masquerade," and of course "The Phantom of the Opera." I actually had to trim down that list because I wanted to list all of them! I get goose bumps just listening to some of these songs. Two of my dear friends were in a show together and they sang "All I Ask of You" as a duet, and after that performance they started dating and eventually got married. They give all the credit to signing this song to each other! How sweet is that? If for nothing else, the music is enough reason to watch it. 

Go check it out musical lovers! Then come back and tell me what your favorite songs is or what you thought of the movie as a whole!