Musicals that aren't warhorses

coppertop1

coppertop1

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,294
So, we all know the musicals that are warhorses that are used over and over: Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, etc. What are some musicals that aren't over used?

Some examples I can think of: BatB- the entr'acte on the CD makes a good program. hhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwlZBdhQ8EU, Wicked, Camelot, Jekyll and Hyde. And many others.

Your thoughts?
 
Did someone say "musicals"? :gallopin1
  • "Dance of the Robe" or "Easy as Life" from Aida
  • Chicago -- very jazzy, plenty to choose from / rearrange in different ways (and recognizable) (I'm sure this has been done, but you didn't list it!) "Razzle Dazzle" could be a fun tongue-in-cheek choice alone
  • instrumentals from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat could be interesting
  • ... I would like to see someone try to skate as a Jellicle Cat :D (I'm not sure I can *recommend* it even as an exhibition, but...)
  • Evita
  • Grease
  • Spring Awakening
 
Every musical not produced by Cameron Mackintosh (actually some of his productions are hardly used like Little Shop of Horrors). There are like hundreds if not thousands of musicals skaters never use.

Sometimes a song from a musical is overused but they're usually popular cover versions so I don't count them as the skaters skating to the musical. I mean when someone skates to "Send in the Clowns" I don't think they're interpreting a character from A Little Night Music nor do I think skaters are portraying early 20th century African-Americans when skating to "Summertime".
 
Before lyrics were allowed in competition, I think the most popular musicals for skating tended to be those that had an overture of appropriate length (or long enough to be edited down).

Or else extended instrumental sections within the show itself, or instrumental adaptations/arrangements by others that could easily meet the skating music rules.

Would Carmen have become quite so popular if not for the Shchedrin suite?
 
I would love to see a Sweeney Todd Ice Dance program. My favorite dances are always the dark or funny ones, and Sweeney Todd would combine both. Not to mention it has a waltz. (I would immediately make whoever skated to "A Little Priest" my favorite ice dance couple of all time) Also from Sondheim, I'd like to see Into the Woods because of the interesting rhythms.

It would be fun to see a program to Gypsy. I'd love to see an older skater (Ashley? Leonova?) skating to Rose's Turn.

I'm actually surprised I haven't seen more Wicked programs. Maybe it's considered too young-sounding for a Senior program?

Hamilton isn't a warhorse for now, but I could see it becoming one and I totally wouldn't mind that.
 
For entire soundtracks I'd say Anything Goes would be good, as would Cabaret. Same thing with Jersey Boys. I'm kind of hoping Patrick turns his "December 1963 (Oh What A Night)" exhibition piece from SOI into a short program. Technically it's The Four Seasons and not the Broadway (or movie) version, but it still works.

I've wanted someone to skate to music from Newsies since the original 1992 movie. Someone should totally skate to Christian Bale's warbling about Santa Fe. Though my favourite song from the movie (and Broadway version) is Carrying the Banner.

I'd love for someone to skate to the Book of Mormon soundtrack, but as I mentioned in the thread about music for the season, it would have to be someone who can skate sarcastically (kind of like Ryan Bradley did in 2011) because otherwise the lyrics could offend some, and the closest I can think of the current crop is when Javi did the drunken footwork sequence to Pirates of the Caribbean in 2010.

If we get into movie musicals, instead of Grease, someone should do GREASE 2!!! Or Xanadu!
 
Broadway musicals also have music that can be complex and since they're set to lyrics that are prose or exposition, the melodies aren't quite as serviceable for skating. It's like how not all operas are used in skating. The Andrew Lloyd Weber musicals are sometimes considered Puccini-lite among aficionados (in that he takes melodies from Puccini) so his musicals tend to be more skating-friendly. I can't imagine a lot of Sondheim musicals fitting skating. Musicals today don't seem as melodic either compared to the older musicals. Some of musicals made before "book" musicals became the standard would be more skater-friendly as the songs could be easier adapted to stand alone songs that work out of context, i.e. "My Funny Valentine".
 
Willin said:
@screech Book of Mormon or Avenue Q would be so great but so inappropriate that no one would skate to it.
Click to expand...
I know. It's so disappointing. Maybe Book of Mormon for an exhibition. Two By Two, or You and Me (But Mostly Me) would work for an exhibition since they're not inappropriate, but are a bit too cheesy for a competitive program. If there was an instrumental version of I Believe, that could work for a competitive piece (not a karaoke version, which can be easily found, but one that also has instrumental to match the singing as well.)
 
Last edited:
I was thinking "It's Quiet Uptown" from Hamilton is such a beautiful melodic piece that could be used for skating. A skater would probably have to use the Kelly Clarkson Mixed Tape version though as the original is also story-heavy.
 
I don't think the music from The Rocky Horror Show (or the movie version The Rocky Horror Picture Show) has been used very often. I love the music though. My personal favourite might be Hot Patootie.
 
Willin said:
It would be fun to see a program to Gypsy. I'd love to see an older skater (Ashley? Leonova?) skating to Rose's Turn.
Click to expand...

Haha. That reminds me of one local coach here who made every one of his female students at one point, skate to the overture.

Whenever one of his skaters hit the ice for competition, I would always sing the iconic four note intro in my head and bam, I was never wrong.
 
Tovill and Dean used Broadway show tunes for their iconic free dances (Mack & Mabel in 1982) and an a non-vocal arrangement of Barnum especially composed for them, in 1983.
 
essence_of_soy said:
Tovill and Dean used Broadway show tunes for their iconic free dances (Mack & Mabel in 1982) and an a non-vocal arrangement of Barnum especially composed for them, in 1983.
Click to expand...

Not Broadway, but they also did Fame for 1981. I also think, from the Ice Dance essentials thread, that their Rock n Roll OSP was the Andrew Lloyd Weber's version Theme of Paganini which was the dance half of the West End/Broadway show Song and Dance. Chris Dean also choreographed West Side Story for the Duchesnays.
 
VIETgrlTerifa said:
Not Broadway, but they also did Fame for 1981. I also think, from the Ice Dance essentials thread, that their Rock n Roll OSP was the Andrew Lloyd Weber's version Theme of Paganini which was the dance half of the West End/Broadway show Song and Dance. Chris Dean also choreographed West Side Story for the Duchesnays.
Click to expand...

Loved their OSP in '83.

For all of Dean's creativity, WWS seemed like such a conservative choice for him.
 
Ragtime (Matt Savoie did skate to music from it)
Wicked (Nancy K. did skate to "Defying Gravity" in exhibition)
Camelot ("If Ever I Would Leave You" is not the only song from this gorgeous musical!) Only problem is, I don't know how "skateable" the musical is. Maybe someone could skate to "The Lusty Month of May!"
Brigadoon
Spamalot (Todd E. skated to "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" in SOI & Keegan Messing skated to it as a competitive short program.)
Gigi (I'd love for someone/dance team) to skate to "The Night They Invented Champagne.")
 
Last edited:
Once More With Feeling - the Buffy musical episode :D If only so that someone will skate to "They Got the Mustard Out".

I suspect Hamilton may become popular, but maybe someone could give Lin-Manuel Miranda's In The Heights a shot?

Hairspray could be fun. And there should be a parallel thread for operas and ballets.
 
^ I also remember Liz skating to "Jellicle Ball" from "Cats" in a pro competition/exhibition(?) back in the 1990's. :cheer2:
 
Jeschke said:
Leonova skating to 'And I am telling you I'm not going' would be ****ing awesome :encore:
Click to expand...

Oh how epic that would be. Think of the facial expressions! She needs to give us some fantastic LP music this year after making us :yawn: through Vivaldi baby drama last season.

jamesy said:
The only thing missing from this post is you did not tag @alchemy void so he would see it.
Click to expand...

Thank you! :rofl:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)

Similar threads

SkateGuard
Skating To The Tina Turner Songbook
Replies
2
Views
1K
briancoogaert
B
TAHbKA
Samokhvalov's interview with Buyanova
Replies
8
Views
4K
rfisher
rfisher
TAHbKA
Ermolina/Flade's interview with Zhulin
Replies
0
Views
3K
TAHbKA
TAHbKA
TAHbKA
Tuktamysheva's interview
Replies
1
Views
2K
soogar
S
VGThuy
2019-2020 Broadway/Musical/Operetta Rhythm Dance Suggestions
6 7 8
Replies
223
Views
45K
personwhoishere
personwhoishere
Back
Top
Do Not Sell My Personal Information