Tag: Man of La Mancha

The Impossible Dream

Another favorite musical is yet another you may not be expecting. I had to study Don Quixote as a Spanish project at Gardner Webb. That is when I found out about the musical, Man of La Mancha. That’s right: Man of La Mancha is one of my favorite musicals.

One of my favorite things about the songs is how they have this hispanic-sound, which transport you to the setting of Don Quixote. Something might be confusing at first, which does fascinate me: it is no comedy or tragedy: it is a tragicomedy: the character is tragicomic and even today still do not understand the term.

In terms of characters, there are three I love. The tragicomic knight errant Don Quixote, his squire Sancho Panza, and Aldonza (to Don Quixote, she is Dulcinea).

About the plot- it has this story within a story concept, which I find fascinating. Don Quixote’s story is being played out within another story. Miguel De Cervantes is acting as Don Quixote, etc- understand what I mean. It is kind of confusing at first. So technically, we have two beginnings and two endings due to the story within a story nature. For those who have seen Man of La Mancha probably know what I am talking about or those who have seen other story within a story shows before.

I think this has been the hardest one yet to describe WHY I love it. I still have done the best I can.

Favorite Song: The Impossible Dream

Updated Favorite Musical Theatre Characters

This list has shown up multiple times on my blog. The only reason why this tends to repeat is when I add on a favorite character. So, where I a list of characters I love.

  1. Annie
  2. Aladdin
  3. Aldonza
  4. Angel
  5. Anna (Frozen)
  6. Babkak
  7. Belle
  8. Beast
  9. Crutchie
  10. Cosette
  11. Christine
  12. Chip
  13. Chris
  14. Cogsworth
  15. Davey
  16. Don Quixote
  17. Eponine
  18. Elphaba
  19. Enjolras
  20. Elsa
  21. Fantine
  22. Fiyero
  23. Friends of the ABC
  24. Gavroche
  25. Glinda
  26. Grizabella
  27. Harold Hill
  28. Jack Kelly
  29. Jasmine
  30. Jean Valjean
  31. Kassim
  32. Katherine Plumber
  33. Kim (Miss Saigon)
  34. Lumiere
  35. Maria (Sound of Music)
  36. Marius
  37. Mimi
  38. Mrs. Potts
  39. Mufasa
  40. Nala
  41. Newsies
  42. Omar
  43. Oliver
  44. Pippin
  45. Pumba
  46. Raoul
  47. Roger
  48. Sancho Panza
  49. Simba
  50. Timon
  51. Von Trapp Children
  52. Winthrop
  53. Young Cosette
  54. Zazu

A lot of my favorite characters in the musical theatre world are survivors while many do lose their lives as well: I actually believe most are survivors. It is interesting how varied these characters all- their lives are so different: that is based off of where they live, their age, their family, etc. Some are not human. You will notice I love a lot of characters- most of them are young: I do have an all-time favorite: Elphaba is my favorite musical theatre character.

Favorite Male Musical Theatre Songs

While yesterday’s post talked about some of my favorite female songs, today I decided to write a list of some of my favorite male musical theatre songs. Like before- I will only include duets if it is a male/male duet.

  1. Empty Chairs at Empty Tables
  2. Red and Black
  3. Who Am I
  4. Bring Him Home
  5. What Have I Done
  6. Santa Fe
  7. Santa Fe (Prologue)
  8. Carrying the Banner
  9. The World Will Know
  10. Seize the Day
  11. Letter from the Refuge
  12. Music of the Night
  13. If I Can’t Love Her
  14. This Nearly Was Mine
  15. Some Enchanted Evening
  16. Endless Night
  17. What You Own
  18. One Song Glory
  19. I’ll Cover You
  20. Why God Why
  21. The Impossible Dream

What exactly Makes me Love a Song in a Musical?

For any musical, the first step to loving it belongs to the songs. What exactly do I mean by that? The songs do not necessarily need to be singable. They need to be memorable. The songs do need to sound like they all belong in the same musical. It is very very very very very very difficult to explain what makes me love a song period. You do need to remember a song leaving the theatre- yes, but not necessarily singable. I used to think there ALWAYS needed to be a showtune song- a song like “Seize the Day” or “Do Re Mi”- but I learned that is not always the case. The song has to be a song you know you will keep on going back to- as in a song you want to listen to again and again and again without getting sick and tired of it- that is what I mean by memorable. Not all of the musical theatre songs I love are singable.

Examples of songs I love:

  1. Seize the Day
  2. On My Own
  3. Beauty and the Beast
  4. Phantom of the Opera
  5. Seventy Six Trombones
  6. Corner of the Sky
  7. Some Enchanted Evening
  8. Tomorrow
  9. Endless Night
  10. The Impossible Dream
  11. Seasons of Love
  12. Edelweiss
  13. Somewhere
  14. Popular

As you can tell, this is a wide variety of songs. From the exciting songs to the heartbreaking songs to the love songs. Not all of these songs are showtunes. I picked one song from different musicals I either like or love or happen to be musicals that are in between like and love. You can just tell whether or not you love a musical song. In order to love a musical, you have to love the songs- then there is no way to get into the characters and plot that well.

Favorite Musicals and Favorite Songs

All musical theatre fans have their favorite musicals. In each musical, there is usually a song that becomes their favorite. I decided to write a list of some of my favorite musicals and what my favorite song is.

  1. Wicked- Popular
  2. Les Mis- (Do I have to say more); this is an exception where I can’t pick
  3. Sound of Music- Edelweiss
  4. Phantom of the Opera- either Music of the Night or All I Ask of You
  5. Annie- Tomorrow
  6. Newsies- Seize the Day
  7. Beauty and the Beast- Beauty and the Beast
  8. Lion King- Can You Feel the Love Tonight
  9. Rent- Seasons of Love
  10. Music Man- Seventy Six Trombones
  11. South Pacific- Some Enchanted Evening
  12. Pippin- Corner of the Sky
  13. Mamma Mia- Dancing Queen
  14. Man of La Mancha- Impossible Dream
  15. Godspell- We Beseech Thee