What was your fist ever Musical?

Same here Jaxjacky.
Dh is the same too.
Or pantomines come to think about it.

oh didn't know that. My older brother visited us in London in 1971 and really wanted to go- so I went with him. Not my cup of tea, but he is a naturist and loved it.

After that we moved to Staffs and Leics and I had babies, then toddlers, then to full time study and work- and we very rarely go to the centre of London.

I saw Oh, Calcutta, biba which had Tony Booth (Cherie Blair's father) in. It seemed to me that it was jumping on the nudity bandwagon.

Our 3 daughters and I used to have regular trips to the musical a couple of times a year - blessed Covid!

Now you’ve got me delving into the dark recesses of my memory.
Going a bit further back than the 70’s I do remember seeing The White Horse Inn at the Châtelet in Paris in I think 1961 and I am sure I have vague memories of “Rose-Marie” in my childhood. They don’t make them like that any more - fortunately!

If a movie counts it was Guys and Dolls - a birthday celebration for a childhood friend

My first cinema musical was My Fair Lady when I was about eight or nine. My first musical in a theatre wasn't until I was 17. I went to see Grease and was lucky enough to see Richard Gere as Danny. Of course I didn't know at the time what a big star he was going to be, I just remember thinking he was rather hot.

Grannybags

Hair in London for me too. I was told I was not allowed to go because of all the nudity but sneaked out anyway (as usual!) and really enjoyed myself.

I did admit to my Mum years later that I had been to see it and she admitted to me that she knew!

my second one was 'Calcutta'- now there was a LOT of nudity.

I didn't realise we were talking theatre

I think that's how it started out but any chat about musicals is enjoyable. Some musicals I saw in the cinema before i saw the stage version eg South Pacific, West Side Story.
I saw a longish extract from Miss Saigon on stage when we were on a cruise years ago and they had combined film and stage to great effect, making it most memorable.

I was a late musical theatre fan and was in my forties, but it was : “Saturday Night Fever” in the West End.

btw the Royalty closed on 2nd April 1966..one day before my 7th birthday. No one queried me going to the cinema alone in those days. Imagine the ructions these days if an under 7 went to the cinema alone.

I didn't realise we were talking theatre. Sadly my introduction to musicals was via the Royalty cinema. ABC minors on a Saturday morning (3d to get in and 3d to spend) and the grown up feature matinee on a Saturday afternoon (free if I could sneak in as a family group entered or otherwise 6d).

The first musical I saw on stage was another trip with youth club when I was about 15 or 16; it was called How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.
I wonder how many remember that?

Of course, that's without counting all the pantomimes I was taken to when I was a child and I remember going to Birmingham one Christmas to see Chu Chin Chow on Ice when I was about 8.
We weren't that well off but my mother must have saved all year to make sure we had these special treats and memories.

An amateur production of Carousel was the first one I went with my mum and must have been around 10 years old. First professional musical was Hair! In my 20s around 1972

My favourite is West Side Story, always makes me cry at the end.

I did see The Student Prince with Eddy Calvert, I think, at The Chiswick Empire. I was about 10 I think, loved it.

Remember musical films. One of the earliest was Calamity Jane. Then Singing in the Rain, A Star is Born with Judy Garland.
On the stage it was The Boy Friend and then the Sound of Music ( 1964/5 and when I got home saying “that would make a good film!).

I love them....
First time I went was on a trip to London as a child and it was to a child’s showing really can’t remember so hoping someone will know!!! Somewhere in the west end!? There was a theatre that did this.

radiotoday.co.uk/2021/01/bbc-radio-2-presenters-get-in-the-musicals-mood/
I’m not a musicals fan at all - but I gather Radio 2 are having a “musicals weekend” this weekend

Musicals aren’t my thing, I’m more of a live music person, but I have seen a few over the years. We had a Gilbert &Sullivan every year when I was at high school. My first ‘proper’ one was Evita, which I didn’t enjoy, the best were Priscilla of the Desert, or Billy Elliot.

I have only ever seen three musicals. Evita and Chicago bored me but I loved Joseph.

Am I the only person who loathes Les Mis? I didn't like Cats either.

I didn’t grow up with a family who could afford theatre outings it just wasn’t on our radar too busy trying to earn the rent money So although I did lots of films King and I Oklahoma, South Pacific etc etc and liked them in my teen years I never went to any stage shows

I was a very late starter and still haven’t been to many but my absolute favourite is Blood Brothers followed by Les Mis, and Phantom and the Lion King (the only one I ve seen in London)

I loathed Cats and not very keen on Starlight express
I have to say I prefer the dark miserable dramatic ones haven’t any time at all for the feel good factor ones

I only saw it at the cinema but The greatest Showman has to be my all time awful awful one totally loathed it and came close to walking out

My introduction to London theatreland was 'The most happy fella' in 1960. Luckily, my friend's Mum was in the business and introduced us to many shows. Happy days indeed. Can't remember how many musicals IVe seen over the years. Probably my favourite theatre genre because of the escapism and just fun and uplifting in general.

Unfortunately I have never been to a professional stage musical! How sad...

We live very far away from the nearest large city that would host such a show. And it seems when I do go on vacation to a large city, it is not theatre season. I do know someone who flies to Vancouver for a weekend, catches a production and returns, but that is an expensive weekend, and I can't justify the cost!

I have helped backstage, and have watched many local musicals; my first being Jesus Christ Superstar. We have quite a good group locally. Seeing it all come together with the band, the singers and actors, costumes etc is really rewarding.

My first real theatre viewing was a ballet when I was in school. I was enthralled. The live orchestra, the magical set, and of course the beauty of the dancers. I didn't understand all of it then, but I believe it was Swan Lake.

How lucky some of you are that have it readily available! Of course it is expensive, but a worthwhile luxury.

Blood Brothers is my favourite musical too and I've seen it three times now. The best version was when we went to London for DH’s birthday I booked the tickets as a surprise for DH as he was a fan of Barbara Dickson who played Mrs.Johnstone, Carl Wayne was The Narrator. We enjoyed the performance so much we bought the CD.