Ill guess todays young theathregoes has other musicals to long for than you did. Wicked seems to be one off them. (and yes its a very good musical)

I wonder how the average ticket price compared to average income varied from the eighties, to nineties, to the last decade.

None of the shows I've seen had synthesised music. The closest was using a pre-recorded backing for the half dozen live musicians as they couldn't bring a twenty piece to all of the venues.

As for electronic music: It has been a standard warning about this issue for decades and still most off the musicals is played by live musicians, as well as there is a lot off live musician performance on tv shows. And I think this (as well as the fact that there is no or little singback (where the song is pre recorded) come down to the fact that its a special thing with live performad music and singing that makes the audience pay the ticket instead off watching a movie at home, a thing that computer recorded music cant replace fully. But back to subject now.

BROADWAY
Wicked x2
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
The Phantom of the Opera

TOUR
The Lion King
RENT x2
Mamma Mia!
Wicked
Mary Poppins

REGIONAL
A Christmas Carol x6 (somewhere in there)
Bloody Blackbeard x2
The Night of the Iguana
Bell, Book, and Candle
Beautiful Star
Black Pearl Sings!
Ghosts
The Blonde, the Brunette, and the Vengeful Redhead
Tartuffe, or "The Hypocrite"
Picnic
Oleanna
Around the World in 80 Days
Ethel Waters: His Eye is On the Sparrow
Providence Gap
The Glass Menagerie

OUTDOOR
The Sword of Peace
The Lost Colony
Unto These Hills

My list is not nearly as complete as yours, but my main one is almost as detailed; I list show, date, and venue. (I'm thinking about changing it from Word to Excel so I have the room to add more info (city/st, etc.) and that type of thing.)

I saw Cats in 7th grade and then never saw another show for the next 20+ years. I'm very jealous of you for the time that you didn't waste. (And even after I started watching shows, I never lent any credence to the fact that I could see shows that weren't playing on Broadway until VERY recently.) I recently saw Chicago by me and wondered why, in all the times I've stood in the TKTS line, I'd never considered Chicago. While I'm not disappointed in any of my show choices, one less Rock of Ages wouldn't have been horrible. (Especially since I'm seeing it again on tour.) I LOOOOVE that show because it reminds me so much of my younger years, but I wonder what Chicago on BW would have been like or what other wonderful shows I've missed. (I've often thought about taking a gamble on "Fantasticks". I gambled on Toxic Avenger and fell in love with that show.)

I'm wondering in all those years that I didn't attend shows, what I missed. If I had it all to do over again, aside from fixing many mistakes I've made, I would have tried to go to more shows (and maybe get my Mom to take me to regional or touring productions around here; I think she would have been amazed, and loved, if I had shown any interest in musicals/plays back then and shared it with her.).

I understand what you're saying Quique (particularly about Wicked, though I am going to give it another shot next year because a friend is absolutely convinced it is the greatest) and agree, but to someone who totally wasted so much time and, to a degree is trying to make up for it now, it's still completely marvelous to see your list (and many of the other members' lists) and way too easy to be jealous.

I know what you mean Far Off Bway, I to feel like I have waisted at least a decade between when I saw Kristina in the late 90ties and Cats last year. After all there is so many musicals I could have seen in past decade but havent. But I guess I wasnt ready to completely fall in love with everything musical untill I saw Cats, maybe the same goes for you?

Funnily enough, Cats was the first one I saw; maybe that's why I waited 20 years. I kid, I kid. (Seriously, I remember, as almost a 13-year old kid, being pretty blown away by Cats, so that wasn't why.)

Maybe I wasn't just in a place in my life I could enjoy them. (I used to be a pretty big RnR guy; I still love hockey. Just doesn't quite seem to fit in; maybe I had to grow enough to recognize that entertainment can be had in various forms?) I know it wasn't a particular show that got me into things, rather a person. But I see Prof, you may be right. (Because, had she not gotten me into it, I don't know that I would have ever had the impetus to start exploring theatre/musical theatre.)

Anyone else have updated lists so we don't threadjack this one? haha

Update.

Lol, shows I am sad to have missed is swedish Mamma Mia! and Chess primarly, and two swedish productions off Cats. Thank God I had a chance to see the international tour off Mamma Mia! thou and it was wonderfull. Hopefully we havent seen the last swedish Cats production in the overseeable future.

LONDON:
Les Misérables x2
Sunset Boulevard (2008 revival)
Wicked
Chess in Concert
The Lord of the Rings
Love Never Dies

BROADWAY:
Mamma Mia!
The Phantom of the Opera
The Lion King
The Light In the Piazza
Legally Blonde

DENMARK:
Les Misérables (2009)

GERMANY:
Starlight Express (1994)

NORWAY:
The Jungle Book (1998)
Annie (2006)
Hallo - Adjø (2007)
Chess (2006)
Les Misérables (2004 and 2008)
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change! (2010)
Cabaret (2009)
Jesus Christ Superstar (2009)
Sound of Music (2010)
Company (2010)

UP-COMMING:
Next to Normal (2010 - Oslo)
Wicked (2011 - Copenhagen)
Chess (2011 - UK Tour)
25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2011 - Donmar Warehouse)
The Producers (2011 - Oslo)
La Cage Aux Folles (2011 - Bergen)