girlofgrace_37
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Les Mis or Beauty and the Beast?I'll be a senior in high school next year and I am trying to decide if I would rather do Les Mis as our school musical or Beauty and the Beast. I will most likely get the lead role in which ever is chosen. Which is the best choice for a female lead and in a high school that is semi-limited in funding but has good talent?
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Pounce
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Re: Les Mis or Beauty and the Beast? | girlofgrace_37 wrote: | | I'll be a senior in high school next year and I am trying to decide if I would rather do Les Mis as our school musical or Beauty and the Beast. I will most likely get the lead role in which ever is chosen. Which is the best choice for a female lead and in a high school that is semi-limited in funding but has good talent? |
BatB has probably the stronger female lead in Belle. But I think BatB is heavily reliant on sets, effects, and special costumes to work.
I think Les Miz might be less demanding in terms of a set, no real effects other than the usual, costumes just have to fit the 1800s.
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Aimee
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Nothing beats Les Mis. Nothing. If its directed well, with truth and emotion you will remember it forever.
B&TB is nice and if you do get Belle you'd have fun but Les Mis will change you. [For the better].
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Starsweeper
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This is a tough one.
I've been in both shows and both shows are amazing. I played Fantine in Les Mis a few years ago and I'm currently rehearsing in the part of Belle in BATB. Les Miserables is probably my favorite show, but Beauty and the Beast is fanastic as well. If you really think you're going to get any part you go for, then I'd go with BATB even though I love Les Mis. Belle is an amazing role, and it's a much, much larger role than any of the female roles in Les Miserables which is kind of a male dominated show. Be warned though that BATB is a show that needs at least decent sets and costumes whereas Les Mis can get away with less than spectacular costumes and sets. Also with Les Mis, know that vocally and acting wise it is a very demanding show. Either way I think your going have a experience you'll never forget. Good Luck, I hope it all goes well for you.
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Kragey
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Actually, I'd consider the size of your theater department/prospective cast. Les Miserables has an ensemble with a good bit of work to do, but at least 50% of Beauty and the Beast depends just on the two main characters.
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B3TA07
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| Kragey wrote: | | at least 50% of Beauty and the Beast depends just on the two main characters. |
And the sets.
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Dom-On My Own
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Statistics show Les Mis is the most popular musical ever so if you're looking for audiences then that's your show.
I did Les Mis in March 2005 and it changed my life. (Probably the people more than anything but still :p)
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Mademoiselle Lanoire
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By what means was that determined? Number of productions? amount of translations? total income from the show globally? I'm just curious.
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girlofgrace_37
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Thank you so much for all your replys!!! All of your advice is so very helpful. It's great to have words of wisdom from those who are actually playing the roles I might possibly play and just know more than I do! I'm getting a lot of differing opinions and here is where I stand as of now.
Right now I think I am in love with the part of Belle. It would be a dream come true, and from what you've told me, this isn't in vain. However, then I hear you all say that Les Mis changed you so much and you loved it so much and it makes me wonder if I'd be missing a good opportunity. I don't know if we have strong enough guy talent for that. I'm also afraid our school cannot pull of the sets and costumes for BatB. We don't usually have much. Just what is in our prop room for costumes and for our set, just re-used plank wood. I think if we found the money to rent costumes it would be great. So for set and costumes, Les Mis would be best. But I love the part of Belle so much and I can just imagine who would play the other lead roles, they all fit so perfectly.
Any advice for convincing my director to pick BatB over Les Mis (and the other two choices of Annie Get Your Gun and State Fair)? Or do you still think that Les Mis is my best choice?
Keep the advice coming! Thanks![/code][/quote]
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Aimee
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I actually think if your director isn't passionate about doing Les Mis then perhaps B&tB would be better. To get the life changing experience we are talking about yu have to really go through the whole 'Les Mis process'. Only those who have been through it properly will know what I mean.
If your director is a mizzie and if he/she is pssionate about it then do Les Mis. There are dozens of shows where you can play 'pretty young things' in your life but not many chances to do Les Mis. I'd do Les Mis over ANY show in the world given half the chance.
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LisaKitty
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I posted this over in the BATB forum, but I'll repeat it here.
Les Mis is NOT an inexpensive show to produce. It requires a huge ensemble cast with each member wearing multiple costumes, as well as many set changes. You can probably get away with not building a dual turntable stage (as we did), but it still isn't a slap-together thing. It's going to cost lots of money, and lots of time to build (unless you are able to rent it from another local group).
Also, if you don't have the male talent, then it isn't a good show to try. Without two incredibly talented men in the roles of Valjean and Javert, you really have no show.
I'd use these as the two main arguments for BATB for your director.
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Timmy_Wishes he was Quast
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However you will find the power of the music in Les Mis often over comes the poorly designed/executed sets. Remrakably it IS possible to produce a show on limited budget. With students providing their own costumes (beggin borrowing etc...) costs are kept low there. I will admit the barricade is tirky but a good ligthing designer can make a pile of old crates and barrels look amazing. (he he).In My opinion BATB is relaint on fantastic and complicated costumes, for the "character" parts suahc as the Mrs Potts and Cogsworth. Plus the huge diversity in settting and location would mean a highly populated set. I have seen an attempt at a "minimal" BATB, at which i wept! There is NO doubt that both shows will be expensive, but in my opinion the Les Mis outlay of cost reaps much better rewards, you you personally and those around you.
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Aimee
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So all in all, its still up to you girlofgrace_37. hehehe. 
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DaddyDiesel
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I posted somthing like this in the B&TB forum. I absoulutly love Both Shows. And If I had a choice to do Les Mis or B&TB; I would choose Les Mis. IF I HAD the supporting cast. You need an amazing amount of talent and mature voices for Les Mis. And in Highschool the guys are goiing to have a rough time with alot of this. You can usually find One or two decent guys but there is so many strong voices needed. IN B&TB you only need One or two decent guy voices the rest is pretty m ch charactor sung. Otehr than that Im sure youwill do great Have fun setting up for your senior year.
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Bex
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...but if your not head over heels in love with les mis...and wouldnt do it whole heartedly then do not do it! it's heartbreaking to see such a brilliant show done without 100% commitment. BATB would be nice...but people will sit there and compare you to the disney film...and unless you have the budget to meet those expectation then dont do that ether.
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girlofgrace_37
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Thanks again for all of your help. This forum has helped me so much, it's so nice of all you to post advice for me.
Anyway...I have new information.
I just found out yesterday that Beauty and the Beast and Les Mis are out. They are no longer options. My director said BATB is good for a high school that has just 2 really talented performers (belle and the beast) but we have much more talent to accomodate and it isn't the right show. Her reasoning to can Les Mis was because it was too dark as well as it just isn't right with our guy talent.
So it's down to State Fair and Annie Get Your Gun.
I flat out gave my case against State Fair: in short, it's boring, it's old, it's boring, did I mention it's boring? It's just not right. And she aggreed with me for the most part. So that means...
Annie Get Your Gun
any thoughts, comments, advice?
I have red hair so I fit Annie really well, I don't really have the voice like hers (mine is more of a ingenue one) but I could work on it. I pulled off Nancy in Oliver just this year so I think I could do it. The problem is there is another girl, a year younger than me with curly red hair that was Oliver. People are already wondering if she's going to beat me out, but I think if I work hard, I can get it.
Again...any thoughts, comments, or advice would be greatly appreciated. You guys are great!
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Fantine
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It's better to ask this in that specific forum, not here.
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girlofgrace_37
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| Fantine wrote: | | It's better to ask this in that specific forum, not here. |
I completely understand. The only problem is that there is no Annie Get Your Gun Forum. I was, however, going to post it in the Other Shows forum as well. Just thought I might get a little feedback here.
Sorry if it is an inconvenience to you.
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Fantine
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I didn't say that for my sake, but for yours. Since this is a Les Mis forum, people who come here know stuff about Les Mis. Perhaps it's better to ask this in the misc. forum (aka. M.net social club).
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