Sadly, we were wrong, and in retrospect, "Music" isn't really that bad (and had the best ratings of the bunch). 'The Sound of Music Live!'īack when NBC kicked off the modern live TV musical trend with this production starring Carrie Underwood, many thought this was as low as the genre could go. More: 'Hairspray' has plenty of luster as NBC's best live musical And the worst. Buoyed by favorable comparisons to the poorly received 2007 feature-film adaptation, "Hairspray" was an effortless good time that utilized the best parts of the Broadway show and the television format. Easily re-watchable and perfect for a sing-a-long, no other live musical has reached its heights yet. The show was a perfect choice for NBC, a popular musical with a heartwarming message and colorful costumes. With a Broadway-worthy cast, fun cameos and a rollicking score to sing and dance to, "Hairspray" was the platonic ideal of the live TV musical. The cast eased on down to a show-stopping production. NBC later learned how a live audience improves the atmosphere of a show, but even with some silent moments between numbers, "Wiz" was so entertaining and bombastic it felt like your living room was transformed into a Broadway theater. Instead of trying to go big with the staging, producers wisely chose to keep it more subdued, which allowed the costumes, sets and vivid performances to stand out.
The only thing lacking in this emotional, colorful and impeccably performed staging of the classically irreverent take on "The Wizard of Oz" was a live audience to give standing ovations to the fantastic performances from Uzo Aduba, Amber Riley, Mary J.
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The production captured the grandeur of both the movie and the stage show, but also felt aptly suited for television. lot in Los Angeles, keeping up an infectious energy and staging huge, impressive dance numbers with a live audience to cheer on the actors. The hopping production bounced all over the Warner Bros. Nobody had a better time than the young, vibrant cast, including Julianne Hough, Aaron Tveit, Vanessa Hudgens, Keke Palmer and Carly Rae Jepsen. What the Fox staging of the 1950s-set musical understood – and so many of the failed attempts at the genre didn't get – was having fun. The production was slightly hampered by an overly enthusiastic audience, whose screams sometimes overpowered the singing, but pulled off an unconventional show with aplomb. With John Legend, Sara Bareilles and Brandon Victor Dixon in the three starring roles, "Superstar" sounded and looked superb. It works for this show, which brings punk rock to the biblical story of Jesus Christ's last few days from the perspective of Jesus, Mary Magdalene and Judas. The best 'Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert'Īndrew Lloyd Weber's religious rock opera proved an excellent choice for an Easter musical, staged like a concert more than a typical Broadway show. In honor of "Annie" coming to NBC, we ranked the best and worst live musicals since "Sound of Music." When they worked, they were stunning.
as Daddy Warbucks.īut pulling off an enjoyable live musical, with all the talent required in front of and behind the camera, is no easy feat, and judging from the past nine years, not one that succeeds very often. From bad acting to bloopers to injuries to not-so-live performances, these recent musicals more often than not have been live train wrecks rather than triumphs.
Henson as the evil Miss Hannigan and Harry Connick Jr. NBC is trying once again to bring the magic of Broadway to the small screen with "Annie Live!" (Thursday, 8 EST/PST), starring Taraji P. Can NBC strike musical gold with its coming production of "Annie Live!"? If history is any guide, it's unlikely.Ĭarrie Underwood presented a problem like Maria in NBC's "The Sound of Music Live!" in 2013, marking a return of the live TV musical as a semiregular event on broadcast TV.