One of the things that is interesting about this is that they quote Joss saying "Writing a musical is the single most labor intensive form of writing that there is.". When you can actually hear him say "It is the most challenging form of writing there is". I guess it is possible that he repeats himself in a different part of the interview we don't hear.

I didn't realize that the sing along was officially licensed though. Maybe it will come to TO sometime.

Lioness | January 20, 18:08 CET

I hope like crazy one comes to Florida or Georgia. I'd drive many miles to partcipate. The sing-a-long at Slayage was fun last year, with really funny and enthusiastic leaders. However, we didn't have the video on a giant screen. I read the article and watched the video and couldn't agree more with a comment somewhere about enjoying the music with "like-minded people". There's nothing in the world like that feeling. I don't bother trying to explain the Whedonverse to nonfans in my life. I can point them in the direction of great DVDs but it's otherwise sometimes akin to banging one's head furiously against a jagged brick wall.

WhoIsOmega? | January 20, 19:38 CET

That looks like so much fun!! I had four tickets to the Chicago one last weekend, but living two hours away, the freezing rain kept us away. I've been depressed about it all week, now I'm even more depressed, seeing all the singing fans. I hope there is another Chicago one some day.

Harmalicious | January 20, 20:43 CET

Buffy sing-a-longs are so much fun!!!! I have been to three by now and I can't wait till the next one will be set up.
Last time they inserted the math song Dawn and her class sing at school.

urkonn | January 20, 20:59 CET

I just get more and more envious. I REALLY want to go to one of these.

Someone organized and ambitious in the LA area needs to get one going! (The organized and ambitous part eliminates me)

"Last time they inserted the math song Dawn and her class sing at school."
He hee! That's fantastic urkonn.

Xane | January 20, 22:05 CET

I give another vote for a Florida sing-along! It looks like a blast! I hope the people who put this thing on pay attention to whedonesque. heh

SenseiJJ | January 20, 22:09 CET

Interesting that neither the story, nor the show's producer, mentioned the obvious debt to the Rocky Horror Picture Show audience participation/sing-alongs, including such aspects as having real people act out the film as it was shown, and the audience shouting at unpopular characters. Joss mentions it, but we all know Joss is godlike.

barboo | January 20, 23:03 CET

who does a girl have to lipsynch before she can get one of these in LA??!1! :)

you'd think there'd be plenty of (out-of-work) egos around here that'd wanna get up on the stage at the Royal or the Vista! and more of a chance that Whatsisname'd stop by, too! (actually, not a few Whatstheirnames...)

annagranfors | January 21, 00:25 CET

Yes, where is the LA McClung?
I was interested in Joss' comment about not expecting this because the musical is so embedded in the continuity.That's exactly why the musical is so great, because it's at such a pivotal moment in the story--and it doesn't matter that it doesn't stand alone, because we all know the story so well.
I'm trying to imagine what it would be like to see OMWF as your first episode.

jcs | January 21, 01:42 CET

"Hush" was my first episode. Obviously since I'm here, it didn't matter that I had no idea who these people were or what was going on. It was hilarious and wonderful and I spent the next month going through seasons 1-5 so I could start watching S6 on tv.

Trust me, if you get the show then it doesn't matter what you see first.

Kokomo | January 21, 03:19 CET

So I went to the Chicago singalong on the first night. There was definately a sense of excitement in the air. It seemed that everyone knew the words. Good crowd and I was shocked to see the 750 seat theater sold out. Does anyone know if Saturday sold out too? Got my very own Grrr Arrgh finger puppet, a kazoo and a set of fangs. Fun!

Forgot my camera so no pix to post but if anyone lurking has some, please post them to The Library. Thanks!

alexreager | January 21, 22:53 CET

I'm trying to imagine what it would be like to see OMWF as your first episode.

jcs, OMWF was my first episode! Not to mention it was my first Whedon-related anything.

I remember seeing commercials for a musical episode, and I bugged my mom to put it on so I could see what the hubbub was all about. Ended up absolutely loving it even without knowing the background of the characters -- not that much was needed, since it was really easy to follow for a newb to the fandom -- but as the family only had one TV, and everyone else already had favorite shows to watch, I didn't get into Buffy until very recently. (Which is probably why I don't go to the NY sing-a-longs... I'm a scared little nooblet.)

LiLi | January 22, 00:23 CET

We are indeed planning shows for L.A. and for Florida, and several other cities around the country this summer. We will post news about those on the buffysings.com website soon. I don't think we'll have a cast at all these shows, just hosts, but as this builds more and more I'm hoping there can be more monthly shows like we have in NYC and that casts can build around the country. Oh, and Chicago was fantastic and full on both nights. We'll definitely be returning.

As for the Rocky influence, I try to avoid comparing this show to Rocky Horror, except to mention that this could become just as legendary and long-lasting. The Buffy Sing-a-Long was inspired more by the Sound of Music sing-a-longs that toured the country a few years ago (and had a very successful run at the Coolidge). Only in NYC has the whole live cast thing started evolving (and by sheer amazing coincidence, the IFC Theatre is on the site of the former Waverly Theatre, which is where the Rocky Horror fan thing got it's start way back in 1977). There are also some major differences between Buffy and Rocky. OMWF is darn good. There's way less nakedness involved. It's generally family friendly (a few scandalous moments, but 11 year-olds still really enjoy it). Call-backs are generally discouraged. And rather than mock the show and the characters, we are worshiping them (don't be insulted if you're a hard-core Rocky fan, which I am from way way back, as I am just talking in the general).

As Henri down at the Alamo Drafthouse says, "Rocky Horror is fun, but Buffy...this is CHURCH." Amen.

[ edited by Buffy SingALong on 2007-01-21 22:56 ]

Buffy SingALong | January 22, 00:56 CET

alexreager, yes... the Saturday show was sold out. I'm in the NYC cast and Clinton showed us pictures of the Chicago crowd. It was absolutely AMAZING to see that many people in one room to watch this show.

xanderharris | January 22, 00:57 CET

>>We are indeed planning shows for L.A.

...and I am practicing the dance steps in anticip--------well, you know. :)

annagranfors | January 22, 01:18 CET

I was so glad to hear that the NYC shows were continuing. As I have said before, I am dying to get to one in NYC. I am actually a little worried that they are going to get too slick by the time I can get my friend to watch the rest of S4 and S5 so I can get a group together to go to this.

I agree that it would be enjoyable as a first episode, but at this point my friend has not even met Tara or Dawn. If she did a marathon like she said she was going to do this weekend she has only just found out Oz is leaving, that Spike is going to be a regular on the show with a chip in his head, that Riley one of the commando guys who are part of a government agency called the Initiative that sits under UC Sunnydale and that Buffy's Psch teacher is their leader. (For some reason my friend has asked me repeatedly if Buffy is going to pass Pschology.) She might have even have had confirmation that Riley is going to be Buffy's next boyfriend. That is soooooo far from the situation in OMWF that I *have* to wait so as not to spoil the next 44 or so episodes for her.

So on one hand, yeah it's great without any previous knowledge, on the other hand it is spoilerific and people like my brother said that OMWF made a whole lot more sense once they had seen what came before it.

So all Joss has to do is write the Buffy Musical that is independent of the series and have it produced in NYC. Then make the Buffy Musical Picture Show that can be shown around the country. Then maybe we can use OMWF as a warm-up act. That shouldn't be long coming, right?

Or...Joss could just do a prequel to the musical to explain everything...Or someone could try to write one of those BtVS in 5 minutes or less that comedy troupes sometimes do with Shakespeare...Or...

newcj | January 22, 03:44 CET

OMWF works on many levels. So sure It's probably great fun to see even if you never saw BtVS before, but if you see everything before than you can really understand why Buffy is so gloomy, why Tara doesn't remember fighting with Willow, how come Spike loves Buffy and a lot more. So don't let your friend see it before she gets there (and let her see it a few times on DVD before the sing-along so she can sing along).

Oh, I saw a "BtVS 5 minutes" show. Very funny but in Hebrew, so it won't help you.

urkonn | January 22, 04:10 CET

OMWF was my first Buffy (I was dubbing it for a friend who wanted copies for her friends), and I haveta admit, I was lost. although, when I look back on it now, after having seen the series over and over and over again, it's amusing to contrast my first takes on the characters with what I eventually came to think. all in all, though, I wish I'd seen it in context first.

annagranfors | January 22, 04:27 CET