To prove to dad that I'm not a fool
I'm feeling literary/dramatic
What is the best play in the history of theater? (musicals count)
Yesterday's: I love both trivia and pool, I don't know if trivia counts as a "traditional" bar game but why not, it's definitely my favorite, and plus those were the only two real answers so I give it to Nick and Martina. Bonus points to Martina for the Paul Newman reference
Nick:
Trivia. Mainly because I'm the fuckin balls when it comes to trivia. I've been on such a good run of trivia, that I haven't been on a team that finishes outside the money in well over a month, and this is going, on average, twice a week.
Trivia provides you the chance to actually win some prizes while your drinking, whether it's money (Ts) gift certificates (Our House, White Horse) or water guns and slushie makers (also Our House).
And like I said, I like games I'm good at, and as Nicole can attest, for some reason, my general state of retardation clears up whenever someone's asking me to risk points on answering random questions at a drinking establishment.
Martina:
While trivia is very fun, especially when your drinking, my vote is for pool. Not so much because I enjoy playing it, but because one of my favorite movies is "The Hustler" and Paul Newman is my favorite person of all time.
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8 comments:
I just saw a production of Neil LaBute's "The Shape of Things," which was absolutely fantastic. I'm assuming for the purpose of this question, it's more about the writing and literary merits of the play and not just the acting in a play we've seen. And this play has the chops, trust me. It's wise and witty, yet done so in a style so close to real-life human conversations, you'd think the characters were generating the words themselves rather than having them be provided. I think this is the mark of a good play: to write dialogue that when learned and spoken, seems organic and not staged (woo pun!). So often, it's easy to read, watch, listen to a play with the wall up that says "this dialogue is theater dialogue." It stands outside of the parameters of normal interactions. That is not the case here. SO that gets my vote for what I'm loving NOW.
The question though, was all-time. And at the risk of sounding predictable and trite, I must say "RENT." Because of this: for the early 90s, this musical tapped into a lifestyle never before put on stage, and applied universal ideas (seizing the moment, living for today, etc) into a powerful, haunting musical. Some hate it these days because it seems like everyone has jumped on the bandwagon, but let's not be elitists and say something isn't good just because everyone else likes it. The writing in this play is incredible, the music fantastic, the message large and important. Which is why "RENT" gets my vote for the all-time best play/musical.
Hmmm. I'm going to say Spamalot, because I'm in a Monty Python sort of mood.
"Help I'm being repressed."
Cats.
I mean, it was around forever for a reason, right?
(By the way, Cats is the Journey of Broadway. Terrible and stupid with no redeeming qualities, but people love it because people are stupid.)
Phantom of the Opera. WAY better than Cats and has been around for a long time, too. The music in it is unbelievable and no show I've been to has impressed me more than Phantom has. There's something awesome about having the lights go down and the organ theme blasting throughout the opera house. Simply amazing.
I'd like to give a runner-up nod to Tchiakovsky's Nut Cracker. You talk about something being critically acclaimed and being around for a while . . . great theater with some amazing athletes (I don't care what anyone says, ballet performers are absolutely athletes and could probably beat the crap out of a lot of baseball players. Think about it, they toss people around . . . unreal).
I move that Nick be DQ'd for once again ripping on Journey and people who like Journey. The wheel in the sky keeps on turnin' . . .
Damn Yankees.
It's baseball on Broadway. Seriously, it's least-fay production anyone has mentioned.
Honorable Mention:
-- Glengarry Glen Ross
-- High Fidelity (yeah, I went there Ray. But it's Hornby, so I've gotta win, right?)
This is an incredibly tough question. For some reason, Streetcar Named Desire got me in high school. It's a classic and made me cry... I know, strange. I just felt so badly for Blanche's character - she's just so sad.
As far as musicals go, Les Miserables (back when it first opened...when it was GOOD) is definitely up there. When I saw it at age 10, I fell in love. It was so powerful and so beautiful and moved me to tears at only 10 years old.
Then I saw it again in middle school and it was awful. Why it left and then came back to Broadway is beyond me.
Finally, I think I also have to vote for Avenue Q. I saw the original cast and it was AWESOME! Finally an ORIGINAL idea on Broadway (well a spoof on sesame street sorta, but original enough) with every song hysterical. Not only that, it ends on such an uplifting note and one that applies to all. I think I might have to say Avenue Q is the best.
That's all I can say right now. Totally lacking any ability to be articulate and intelligent. I wouldn't be surprised if this entry is filled with typos and awkward sentences.... "I'm so aaaawwwkward!!!"
Death of a Salesman. Such a well written and sincere character studay.
Regarding musicals, it's a tie betweem Les Miserables and Phantom.
If dance counts, then I will also have to mention Romeo and Juliet. It would make sense to say the play by Shakespeare, but the ballet is actually a lot better oddly enough. Sorry, I'm kind of a ballet whore.
OH my god I LOVE that ballet too. My favorite part is when Romeo drapes Juliet over his shoulder, so she's face-up. If done correctly, she just looks like she's melting... SWOON.
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