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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2016 9:30:02 GMT
So a youtube clip was posted on the Miss Saigon thread of Jeremy Jordan singing Celine Dion's All Coming Back To Me. Had never heard of the guy but he has one of the best voices I've ever heard! Anyway, did a search of what he'd been in, and found Bonnie and Clyde, Last 5 Years and Newsies.
As Newsies was one of the few Menken CDs I didn't have, bought that from Amazon.
Anyway, have to say I absolutely love it! I like Menken's stuff but often find it slightly vanilla and forgettable. There's some really great tracks on this though, and Seize The Day I think is one of his best ever melodies. Perhaps because the story is more interesting than the usual Disney stuff which helps.
Anyway, I just wondered what others think of Menken? He's written a lot of stuff but really is not a household name like ALW. Wonder why this is. I think partly as he always seems to be hired help. Is always "Disney's XXX" rather than "Alan Menken's XXX." And people don't get excited about a new Menken musical, they get excited about a new Disney one.
I also wondered if anyone knows of any plans to bring Newsies to the UK?
And coming full circle to where this started, Jeremy Jordan HAS to be Chris in Miss Saigon!
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Post by HereForTheatre on Jun 3, 2016 9:40:09 GMT
The boat has sailed with Newsies. It did seem as if it looked at coming over but nothing materialised and I think it's safe to say that the ship has sailed now. A Shame as the music is brilliant and it's amazing to hear all those strong male vocal harmonies.
As for Jeremy....if anyone didn't notice I'm a fan....I Indeed one of the best voices around. In that same Miss Saigon thread there is a recording of him singing Why God Why if you haven't heard that.
News came out a couple of days ago he's planning a concert in London sometime soon as well if you're interested.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jun 3, 2016 9:42:58 GMT
Michael will be along shortly no doubt!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2016 9:43:22 GMT
Definitely interested. Such a voice, can't believe I'd never heard of him. Though he seems to do more TV than stage stuff which could be why.
Anyway, shame about Newsies, great tunes and real heart.
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Post by ali973 on Jun 3, 2016 11:10:03 GMT
I doubt Newsies would come to the UK, especially now that both the Broadway and US tour are done and over with (actually not so sure about the latter, but it certainly lost momentum).
The film with Christian Bale always had a cult following in the US amongst 80s and 90s kids who predominantly were the die-hard fans of the stage version on Broadway. Many people in the States would actually remember and have an identification with the film. Not so much in the US. I think Disney would very much rather put their money into a slam dunk recognizable brand such as Aladdin or Wicked than risk it with Newsies, which I suppose was successful in the US, but not even quite the smash hit as the animated movies turned into stage musicals.
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Post by mallardo on Jun 3, 2016 11:57:49 GMT
If you're a Jeremy Jordan fan his best work ever was in Bonnie and Clyde - IMO.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Jun 3, 2016 12:05:12 GMT
I've been searching YouTube to find his Finding Neverland stuff. Can I find it? No. Especially I've wanted to hear his 'Neverland'. What a carry on he got shafted for Mr Schu.
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Post by Jon on Jun 3, 2016 12:28:26 GMT
I quite like Newsies when I saw it but unlike Aladdin, it's simply not a known title in the UK, it was a cult classic in the US and the Broadway production came about as they wanted to license it but it became popular then they moved to Broadway for a limited run which ended up running for two years.
Alan Menken is a great composer, his work with Howard Ashman like Little Shop of Horrors, Litle Mermaid, Beauty, Aladdin etc are his best works but he has done great stuff with other lyricists, I really hope The Hunchback of Notre Dame comes over here one day as that has a glorious score.
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Post by ali973 on Jun 3, 2016 12:41:28 GMT
JJ will perform at the Hippodrome in June. I'd be very surprised if he doesn't sing Santa Fe. That might be the closest thing you get to Newsies in the UK  So there you go.. |
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Post by Michael on Jun 3, 2016 13:55:04 GMT
Michael will be along shortly no doubt! He would have much earlier if he wasn't on vacation in San Diego right now - and to see the Newsies US Tour three last times. I originally wanted to buy tickets to five performances, but the theatre has limited it to up to three per patron, so tonight will most likely be my third-last ever time seeing Newsies, as the tour is on its last lap finishing in four months. For those wondering: It's currently 6.55am (partly because of jet lag, and partly because I'm a lark), foggy and 16°C. I thought it was always sunny in Philadelphia California. Hope my ten following days in San Francisco will be better. That said: I love Newsies, it's my all-time favourite show. Only saw it once on Broadway towards the end of its (way too short) run (with Corey Cott and Liana Hunt) and then (including this week) 13 times on tour (Washington, St. Louis and San Diego). The score is Alan Menken's best work and rightly won him the Best Score Tony (love the harmonies in Once and for All), and the dance routines are breathtaking, especially in (but not limited to) Seize the Day. Despite having seen the show a few times, I still sit there in awe and can't believe what I've just seen. I still hope it'll eventually transfer to London (Mormonism isn't that well known in Europe, either, so, despite the movie not being known in Europe, I think it could run successfully), but if that really happened, I do fear for my bank account. And get Rebecca Trehearn for Katherine. But it's not only Newsies. I don't think it's a big secret that I'm a huge Alan Menken fan. He's a genius, and if I made a top 10 list of my favourite musical/film songs, the (vast) majority would be Alan Menken songs: Proud of your boy, If I can't love her, Colors of the Wind, I See the Light, Beauty and the Beast, Out there, Go the distance, Suddenly Seymour My love for Alan Menken's work even goes to such lengths that, being on a conference in San Francisco in 2014, I hopped on a plane down to San Diego, took a taxi to La Jolla to see the American premiere of Hunchback of Notre Dame at the La Jolla Playhouse and returned to San Francisco early next morning. Totally crazy? Likely, but I'd do it again. Already booked Aladdin in London quite a few times, and I think it'll become my new guilty pleasure (I've so far seen it only three times on Broadway). Still, another three weeks till I'm back in London. Anyone on here actually seen Galavant? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galavant |
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Post by 49thand8th on Jun 3, 2016 14:11:45 GMT
I saw Newsies once (I think most of the OBC was still there, but Jordan had moved on), and it was fun in the moment, but I had no desire to go back again. Menken's stuff all sounds very generic. Pleasing and fun, but generic. I feel the same way with Galavant. Michael, have you been to San Francisco before? It has maybe 10 days of sun the entire year.  |
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Post by Michael on Jun 3, 2016 14:21:44 GMT
Michael, have you been to San Francisco before? It has maybe 10 days of sun the entire year. Fingers crossed those ten days will be starting next Monday It'll actually be my third time in San Francisco, the two times before were both business trips in November (2013 and 2014 IIRC), and I think the weather was quite pleasant. |
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Post by noboiscout on Jun 3, 2016 14:38:26 GMT
Being easily tempted, I've just blown a large chunk of my credit card balance on a trip to Salt Lake City in August, with one (the primary?) reason being to see Newsies. Plus you have the added benefit of being surrounded by REAL Mormon boys....
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jun 3, 2016 14:44:47 GMT
Michael, have you been to San Francisco before? It has maybe 10 days of sun the entire year. Fingers crossed those ten days will be starting next Monday It'll actually be my third time in San Francisco, the two times before were both business trips in November (2013 and 2014 IIRC), and I think the weather was quite pleasant. All those fabulous restaurants in SF and my favourite was California Pizza Kitchen. I'm so low rent Gorgeous city though, been 3 times. Matter of time before it pulls me back. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2016 14:47:24 GMT
Menken's stuff all sounds very generic. Pleasing and fun, but generic. I think this sort of hits the nail on the head. Although Newsies for the first time I felt different about his music and loved it! |
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Post by Michael on Jun 3, 2016 14:56:40 GMT
Fingers crossed those ten days will be starting next Monday It'll actually be my third time in San Francisco, the two times before were both business trips in November (2013 and 2014 IIRC), and I think the weather was quite pleasant. All those fabulous restaurants in SF and my favourite was California Pizza Kitchen. I'm so low rent Gorgeous city though, been 3 times. Matter of time before it pulls me back. My favourite in south-west America is In-n-Out Burger, especially the 4-by-4 from their secret menu. And I love Super Duper Burger. Menken's stuff all sounds very generic. Pleasing and fun, but generic. I think this sort of hits the nail on the head. Although Newsies for the first time I felt different about his music and loved it! That's two christmas cards less to write then  |
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Post by mallardo on Jun 3, 2016 15:18:37 GMT
No, I agree with Michael. Menken's not generic, it's just that his sound has been copied so often and by so many other composers that it almost seems ubiquitous. But he's the original.
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Post by Jon on Jun 3, 2016 15:30:08 GMT
Menken's best scores are Hunchback and King David, I do wish King David had a fully staged production but I imagine it doesn't have commercial appeal
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2016 20:56:25 GMT
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Post by HereForTheatre on Jul 27, 2016 21:01:33 GMT
Oooooh! I hope it's made available to us over here somehow.
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Post by talkstageytome on Jul 27, 2016 21:02:34 GMT
Amazing! How exciting. I love Jeremy Jordon.
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Post by Michael on Jul 27, 2016 21:05:12 GMT
I'd pay a fortune to get my hands on this.
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Post by firefingers on Jul 27, 2016 21:10:13 GMT
Loved this on Broadway so will see it, however they release it. I'm guessing a DVD is guaranteed, but they may do cinema broadcast as well.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Jul 27, 2016 21:24:12 GMT
Though it has to be said that Jeremy would make a rather mature looking newspaper boy now....
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Post by anthony40 on Jul 27, 2016 21:31:59 GMT
I'd pay a fortune to get my hands on this. I'd pay a fortune to get a copy of this as well, and The Light in the Piazza. And American Pycho |
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