Though Beauty and the Beast opened in 1994, it wasn’t until 1998 when Toni Braxton took on the role of Belle that the Alan Menken/Tim Rice tune “A Change in Me” debuted and was on the fast-track to sixteen-bar celebrity as every ingénue’s audition piece.
Okay, to even suggest the song was needed is suspect. In fact, when the second national tour came around bearing “A Change in Me,” its inclusion dragged the second act wheras it had been satisfying before. It felt superfluous within one line of its lyrics being belted. Yet, it’s still one of the best songs to come out of Broadway in the past decade because of its melody and lyrics.
“A Change in Me” fits beautifully in the grand tradition of Disney songs, a tradition which now extends to Broadway. Rice’s lyrics for the song are some of the best in the whole show, his lyrics flowing from one idea to the next without obvious dependence on rhyme. It bears a simple concept, one perfectly fitting Belle’s experience—the idea that her experience has changed her where it counts. She no longer has a problem with her “poor, provincial town” because she is no longer dependant on it for her satisfaction. She has found the value of her life within herself.
Best of all, those simple, memorable lyrics are perfectly suited with Alan Menken’s catchy melody. I can’t be the only who finds himself hearing this song pleasantly running through his brain.
If you’re a fan of the song, you must get Susan Egan’s solo album So Far, in which she recorded “A Change in Me.” Egan was the original Belle on Broadway—the Belle preserved on recording—and it’s only fitting that her rendition is saved and in every fan’s collection.
the Broadway Mouth
August 6, 2008
Showing posts with label Beauty and the Beast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beauty and the Beast. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Friday, July 13, 2007
Amazing Broadway Performer: Susan Egan
I have such a big crush on Susan Egan, and I’ve never even seen her in person. I always liked her in the OBC recording of Beauty and the Beast, but I think I was first fully awaken to her charms when I saw her doing promotion for the Disney film Hercules. Her interviews with Leonard Maltin were so funny, and she was perfect in the role of Meg. Not only was she sassy and funny, but she got to sing that wonderful Alan Menken/David Zippel song “I Won’t Say (I’m in Love).”
The Triumph of Love CD was one of the first Broadway CDs I bought without seeing the show, and it was because I saw that Susan Egan was on it in a spot on CNN. I love that CD. Yes, it had an embarrassment of rich performances, but I love imagining Susan Egan’s performance as she attempts to come up with quick lies and stories to explain her ever-changing existence.
People often mention her unique voice, and I think that is one of the great appeals to her talent. She’s not the traditional soprano, which gives her not only depth but character. It sets her apart in a positive way. In hearing her voice, you can already see her vivid interpretation of characters like Miss Adelaide, Babe Williams, or Charity Hope Valentine.
I consider it a great travesty that I missed her performance in Thoroughly Modern Millie, though I did make up for it by seeing 13 Going on 30. Yes, I saw that dumb movie solely for her, even though I knew she didn’t have a speaking role. I always thought Susan Egan would make a great lead for a romantic comedy, so that was the closest I’ve gotten to that vision.
I love her album So Far, which is one of those great theatre albums where the star sings each song as if they were cast in the show. If you are a Beauty and the Beast fan, you must have it because it has her rendition of “A Change in Me,” even though she never actually sang the song on stage. After you’ve gotten the CD for that song, you can enjoy many other great performances on it. She has a second album which includes a song cut from Hercules, which I can’t wait to get the next time I’m in New York.
Website: http://www.susanegan.net/
Broadway Mouth
July 13, 2007
The Triumph of Love CD was one of the first Broadway CDs I bought without seeing the show, and it was because I saw that Susan Egan was on it in a spot on CNN. I love that CD. Yes, it had an embarrassment of rich performances, but I love imagining Susan Egan’s performance as she attempts to come up with quick lies and stories to explain her ever-changing existence.
People often mention her unique voice, and I think that is one of the great appeals to her talent. She’s not the traditional soprano, which gives her not only depth but character. It sets her apart in a positive way. In hearing her voice, you can already see her vivid interpretation of characters like Miss Adelaide, Babe Williams, or Charity Hope Valentine.
I consider it a great travesty that I missed her performance in Thoroughly Modern Millie, though I did make up for it by seeing 13 Going on 30. Yes, I saw that dumb movie solely for her, even though I knew she didn’t have a speaking role. I always thought Susan Egan would make a great lead for a romantic comedy, so that was the closest I’ve gotten to that vision.
I love her album So Far, which is one of those great theatre albums where the star sings each song as if they were cast in the show. If you are a Beauty and the Beast fan, you must have it because it has her rendition of “A Change in Me,” even though she never actually sang the song on stage. After you’ve gotten the CD for that song, you can enjoy many other great performances on it. She has a second album which includes a song cut from Hercules, which I can’t wait to get the next time I’m in New York.
Website: http://www.susanegan.net/
Broadway Mouth
July 13, 2007
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