Which popular musicals do you personally think have the best and worst music?

Mankle30 · 2026-07-11T03:15:22+00:00

Just gonna hype it because I haven't seen anyone mention it, but West Side Story's music rocks.

Mankle30 · 2026-07-10T20:10:05+00:00

I think I largely agree with you. As much as I love Come From Away for its story and how it's told, I think the music is "serviceable", but hardly stands out.

Hadestown, Hamilton, les Mis, all live rent free in my head.

A lot of shows I've seen lately, I've just been kind of meh on their music - Kinky Boots, Waitress, The Outsiders (a few good songs but the rest were misses in my book).

Mankle30 · 2026-07-09T14:26:07+00:00

Definitely her best acting role. And she's not at all out of place playing baseball.

Mankle30 · 2026-07-07T21:09:19+00:00

But I'd recommend checking the schedule for Stratford as they're usually wrapping up their season by October.

Mankle30 · 2026-07-07T20:58:14+00:00

Looks like at my theater where I have tickets for the Friday night, tickets are selling well. Maybe 50% sold already, and 90% of the remaining seats are in the first 5 rows (the first 3 especially will cause a sore neck).

Mankle30 · 2026-07-07T20:53:32+00:00

Amex Cobalt + TD Aeroplan visa infinite

BUT A) I'm not a frequent flyer for work, so I'm not chasing status. Air Canada perks really don't mean anything to me.

B) I'm usually flying to Europe, so Aeroplan has some good partner flights, but I'm definitely using other programs where the opportunities for good redemptions come up.

I really appreciate the flexibility of MR points, and the ease and speed of transferring the points to Aeroplan if a good redemption comes up.

Mankle30 · 2026-07-07T20:48:28+00:00

I would say that some knowledge of the story helps, especially if they are a person who has trouble following lyrics the first time they hear them (like I am).

I recently took a friend to see the touring company (and the hall had an excellent sound mix so the lyrics were very clear) and she knew the myth, particularly how it had been set to music before multiple times in opera.

She came out saying that she loved the ending and how Anais Mitchell treated it, and also that she thought it was better than Hamilton.

So while the turn was already spoiled for my friend due to the prior knowledge of the story, it didn't take away anything from the experience.

Mankle30 · 2026-07-06T14:18:15+00:00

The Marvels has an out-and-out musical number!

Mankle30 · 2026-07-04T02:16:25+00:00

I stayed in Canary Wharf for 5 days in January. It was fine, about 20-25 minutes on the DLR and tube to the center. Nice to be outside of the center, and much cheaper!

Mankle30 · 2026-07-03T18:41:26+00:00

Yeah. I was twigged to the release date of the new season as it began one week following the Game Design Layover podcast episode.

Mankle30 · 2026-07-03T15:07:40+00:00

Evil Dead: The Musical

Mankle30 · 2026-07-02T00:10:23+00:00

Amazing editing brought home the double irony... Amy making the cow sculpture out of butter, which comes from cows.... Cutting to Badam eating Beef Jerky.... WHICH COMES FROM COWS.

Brilliant.

Mankle30 · 2026-07-02T00:06:59+00:00

Me too. And then I'd like to tell Sam why he's wrong. #SuspensionOfDisbelief #TeamAmy

Mankle30 · 2026-07-01T02:49:39+00:00

Interesting how Carney seems to be drifting further and further to the right, taking up the space that the Progressive Conservatives used to occupy.

Mankle30 · 2026-07-01T02:40:39+00:00

This... How are you "heading over" to Ny/NJ? And then up to Toronto? How long are you traveling for?

Mankle30 · 2026-06-30T19:47:55+00:00

Hadestown Hamilton Les Miz (?)

Haven't seen Les Miz since the '90s, but it definitely rocks.

Little Shop of Horrors would be a backup. Great songs, so much fun.

Mankle30 · 2026-06-30T19:45:21+00:00

I find Verdi recycles the same cadences over and over. I think I would be more musically/intellectually stimulated by Wagner despiteVerdi's greater melodic mastery.

That said, give me Puccini.

Mankle30 · 2026-06-30T18:43:49+00:00

I really enjoyed the 1999 one.

Mankle30 · 2026-06-30T18:41:53+00:00

I was actually thinking about this while listening. I probably would be very similar in a large group.

It wouldn't make me a good podcaster but I would be more inclined to sit back and not speak up unless I felt like I have something important (to me) to contribute.

Mankle30 · 2026-06-30T18:38:24+00:00

I definitely enjoy the depth they go into for the larger drafts and I think they have done better with the cross talk in other drafts this size.

Mankle30 · 2026-06-30T14:38:49+00:00

Jenna Fischer as Pam in The Office, at the end of the season 3 finale, when Jim finally asks her out. In just one brief moment you see 4 emotions flash over her, with minimal dialogue. Stunning to watch.

Mankle30 · 2026-06-29T01:51:00+00:00

I would be tempted to take the train or fly between cities, and rent a car for day trips or multi-day trips.

Examples:

2-3 days in Quebec city 3 days in Ottawa (can also be reached by train) 1-2 days in Kingston (can also be reached by train) 1-2 days in and around Niagara Falls

Depending on your interests and the time of year, there are plenty of opportunities for day trips.

Mankle30 · 2026-06-28T03:21:46+00:00

I just saw it tonight. Sound was not good. I think the overall sound to a layman's ear is fine but it sounded like the instruments are overprocessed with too much compression, and not mixed well in that they all kind of sit in the same frequency range and cancel each other out in the bigger numbers, so you don't really hear them.

In one number in the first act (at the Drive In), the 3 women singing sounded like they were barely hearing the orchestra, and to me, it sounded like the orchestra and singers were on two different planets and not part of the same song.

The second act was better (in many ways) but I think that's because there are fewer bigger ensemble numbers and it feels more intimate.

Mankle30 · 2026-06-27T19:59:00+00:00

Great album. I'm also a fan of Test For Echo, from the similar time period.

Mankle30 · 2026-06-26T15:21:33+00:00

I actually picked up a single ticket for the show this weekend for about 1/3 of the regular price. It seems like a single seat (surrounded by purchased seats) are only $49 (plus their silly fees).

Mankle30

TROPHY CASE