#NetflixKids Celebrates Musicals

To merely say I am a fan of musicals would be a massive understatement. I have a framed picture in my kitchen that demonstrates just how hardcore I am.

I think the first musical I ever saw was a production of “Bubbling Brown Sugar” in Chicago. As a hotel manager, my dad used to get tickets to shows all the time and it was quite a special evening when my sister and I got to tag along with our parents for some culture. “Fiddler on the Roof” was another early live stage show treat for us.

My very favorite live musical of all time in every single way is “Wicked”, which I just saw for the (I think) sixth time last week when I was visiting Liz, but I’ll tell you more about that in another post. (I do have to quickly add that if Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth don’t star in the eventual movie version—and as time marches on that seems less and less likely—this girl right here will be one unhappy camper.)

Movie musical-wise, I’ve seen tons, and loved them all except for “Mamma Mia!” (blech). “Grease” has always been a favorite, and it was also my first Rated-PG movie. (For the record, another musical was my first Rated-R movie: “Flashdance”!)

Two other musicals at the very tippy top of my list are “Footloose” and “Dirty Dancing” (The originals. None of this “remake” junk). Due to my mad, school-girl crushes on Kevin Bacon and Patrick Swayze, I not only paid cash money to watch these movies from my perch in a front row seat of the theater multiple times, but also memorized each film and still quote them today, more than twenty-five years after their initial release.

Having sons, I can’t say I’ve been able to pass my love for those two particular movies on because, well, those movies are skewed to chicks. That said, my boys are well aware that “Nobody puts Baby in the corner” and that there is ALWAYS “a time to dance.”

They also know that when we’re at Texas Roadhouse and the “Footloose” theme song comes on, it’s only a matter of time before I exclaim that somebody is probably going to have to jump up and stop me from doing the “Everybody cut” part from the final dance scene. Fast-forward to 3:45 if you have no idea what I’m talking about, and yes, I have this move perfected:

I should also mention that every time I watch that dance scene I expect Lori Singer’s character, Ariel, to spontaneously combust from her screaming and general over-the-top level of excitement, even after more than a hundred views of the movie, which is a conservative estimate.

Obviously “Footloose” and “Dirty Dancing” are mainstays in my Netflix queue, and they can be in yours, too. You can also stream great ones like “Grease”, “Rent”, and OMG THE ONE I JUST FOUND THAT MAKES ME SO HAPPY I HAVE TO TYPE IN ALL CAPS, THE 1980 MUSICAL “CAN’T STOP THE MUSIC”, STARRING THE VILLAGE PEOPLE, STEVE GUTTENBERG, VALERIE PERRINE, AND A PRE-PRE-PRE-KRIS-KARDASHIAN BRUCE JENNER. My sister and I jammed out to the soundtrack on a daily basis. Put it in your queue, especially if you like the Village People and extra cheese.

I suddenly feel the need to go watch something musical on Netflix streaming. So talk to me. Musicals. Like ’em? Love ’em? Hate ’em? Leave your recommendations in the comments!

More Stream Team fun next month!