So far in Spooktober we have looked at some fearsome monsters, covered some TV and Movie must sees and re-lived Halloween of Years gone by. But, today Day 11 of Spooktober has got a Musical twist to it! So, get ready with some gruesome makeup, live on the dark side of the path and get ready to singalong to Niamh’s top eight musicals to get you in the mood for Halloween!
- Rocky Horror Picture Show
Kicking things off with a golden oldie from 1975, The Rocky Horror Picture Show! Grab your toast and get ready to be brought on an educational journey! The stage production is an experience in itself but, for now I will have to recommend the movie version. The Musical follows Brad and Janet who seek refuge in Frank-N-Furter Castle after their car gets a flat tire! Eccentric characters, fun memorable musical numbers and a story that has a huge cult following. If you haven’t seen this musical yet, make sure it is top of your list!
- A Very Potter Musical
“Back to Witches and Wizards and Magical Beasts…” if you have ever seen the Harry Potter movies you need to see this musical! Made by the most amazing cast out there, A Very Potter Musical started out as a college project and set these actors up for instant fame. So grab your popcorn, sweets and get ready to laugh along to this unforgettable take on a spellbinding story. Draco is my favourite character played by the fabulous Lauren Lopez! There are three installments of these musicals so they are fantastic to marathon, they are all on YouTube.
- Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Another stage production that got turned into a movie. Sweeney Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street the movie stars Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman and Jamie Campbell Bower to name a few. Set in Victorian London, “the worst pies in London” turned into “the best pies in London” thanks to human meat! Simply put it’s a revenge plot, a singing barber and a love story all in one.
- The Addams Family
My favourite musical of modern times (in the past ten years) is The Addams Family. It is a comedy musical with some interesting musical numbers and concepts. The musical follows the Addams’ children Wednesday and Pugsley as they are all grown up! The Addams’ of past and present come together to see if Wednesday “normal” boyfriend Lucas is the right fit for the family! This one is not a movie so, you will have to listen to the soundtrack for now! It is touring around the UK and Ireland again in 2021 and; I cannot wait to go see it again! Carrie Hope Fletcher was my favourite Wednesday and I hope the next Wednesday I see will be just as good.
- The Phantom of the Opera
One of the most legendary musicals in the world, no list is complete without The Phantom of the Opera making an appearance. The best thing about this musical is that it comes under so many different categories. For the benefit of this list, the Phantom haunts the Opera House and wants nothing more than Christine. The music is iconic and the storyline is heart wrenching. From the first few notes of the opening song until the final bow, this one will cause the hairs on your arms to stand up. For a proper feel of the stage production, watch the 2011 25th Anniversary edition.
- Little Shop of Horrors
The musical that I distinctly remember from my childhood that creeped me out the most! Little Shop of Horrors tells the story of a flower shop keeper whose business is failing. He buys a blood thirsty plant in the hopes that it will change his fortunes around! The plant needs human blood to survive and thrive! This musical made me terrified of Venus Fly traps for years! This musical is also a movie so you can watch it at home too. The movie itself came out in 1986, keep this in mind when you are watching it.
- Into the Woods
The first musical on the list for all the family. Into The Woods is the musical for The Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales fans. Throw what you have learned from Disney’s retelling of those fairytales to the side and focus on the actual Brothers Grimm versions. A stellar cast and I, for one, adored seeing Meryl Streep in the evil villain role. Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Cinderella and Jack and the Beanstalk are just a few stories that collectively are happening at the same time during this musical. This one is a movie too so it is easy to track down. Favourite musical number scene is ‘Agony!’
- Descendants
Another enjoyable Halloween themed musical for all the family to enjoy, this one follows Mal (daughter of Maleficent), Evie (daughter of the evil queen), Carlos (son of Cruella de Ville) and Jay (son of Jafar) as they get a chance of joining the royals and good characters at Auradon High. But, things aren’t what they seem! Will the evil teens live up to their evil destiny? Descendants started out as a movie before the Disney Channel made it into a stage production.
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