27 of my favorite things...............................(which are musicals) PART 6

This week, the list is a tad shorter (you'll see why) BUT I WILL talk about Disney and Marijuana...which some people would say is a match made in musical heaven.

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The Princess and the Frog

Candy Heart Message: CHARM ME

No musical list is complete without Disney showing up somewhere. I think that Princess and the Frog is one of the unsung heroes of Disney musicals. It has been touted as "the princess movie for people who don't like princess movies". It is one of Disney's last hand drawn musicals and it goes back to the traditional Broadway-style movie pre-Pixar. It's based off the Grimm fairytale The Frog Prince. Princess and the Frog is set in 1920's New Orleans and presents Disney's first African American princess. It's such a sweet traditional story about learning that it's important to follow your dreams and be responsible, but to appreciate your life, who you are, and who's around you. Randy Newman of Toy Story fame composed the songs and score. It is such a wonderful representation of New Orleans as America's most magical city through its instrumentation and voice talent (with the likes of Dr. John, Anika Noni Rose and Keith David). Newman gets the feel of jazz, zydeco, and gospel through songs like Almost There, Friends on the Other Side, Gonna Take You There, and Dig a Little Deeper.

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Well since there are only about 2 musicals that start with Q...none make the list. Probably should have saved Avenue Q for this one...drats!!!

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Reefer Madness

Candy Heart Message: MAD 4 U

Man do I love a campy musical! I double love a campy zombie thriller musical! I triple love a musical that had it's world premiere on the very stage my theatre company produces its shows, the Hudson Theatres in Los Angeles. Reefer Madness The Musical is based off of the 1936 propaganda movie with the same title. It begins as a story within a story as The Lecturer meets with a group of concerned parents frightened by the thought of marijuana addiction talking their children. The lecturer presents a movie on the consequences of marijuana use which shows kids literally turning into flesh eating zombies and rotting in hell. Hilarious huh? Well, the show is pure satire as everything is over the top and nothing is without double meaning. Plus, Jesus...can't hate a musical with Jesus in it right? Songs like Romeo and Juliet, Listen to Jesus Jimmy, Little Mary Sunshine, Reefer Madness, and Murder are pure camp gold. This is the perfect musical for those who like dark humor or musicals such as Rock Horror and Evil Dead. There is also a movie, as seen above with heavy hitters such as Alan Cummings (The Lecturer), Ana Gasteyer (Mae), and Kristen Bell (Mary Lane). It essential Halloween viewing for any musical theatre lover!