Exciting music from a show that looks exciting. I just might have to get this CD before I get to New York next year.
If you haven't heard "96,000" from In the Heights, check this out from Broadway.com.
the Broadway Mouth
May 31, 2008
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Kerry Butler Interview (Link To)
Here is an interesting interview with Kerry Butler I recently read. When I first saw the track listing of her new Disney-themed album, I thought it was odd that there were some song titles I hadn’t heard before. The interview explains where they came from.
the Broadway Mouth
May 31, 2008
the Broadway Mouth
May 31, 2008
Friday, May 30, 2008
Mom, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein Aren’t Playing Fair!
I guess it’s not really breaking the rules when you made them in the first place. Still, buying the 1994 revival cast recording of Carousel recently made for a fascinating listen. Yes, Sally Murphy, Audra McDonald, and Shirley Verrett are all in top voice singing some of Broadway’s most beautiful melodies, but it’s also interesting to experience the story solely through the music.
It’s intriguing to see how the songs are divided among the characters. Main character Billy Bigelow gets two songs (“If I Loved You” and “Soliloquy”), an intro, and a reprise. That’s it. Julie Jordan gets heard in a few more, but most of the songs go to Carrie, Mr. Snow, and Nettie Fowler, with the chorus helping out. If they were taking a class on writing musical theatre, I think it’s fair to say Rodgers and Hammerstein would not have gotten 10/10 for structure.
Because of this, it’s really hard to tell what’s going on in the show from the recording. I saw the movie a number of years ago, so it’s not like I’m confused, but it is intriguing that on recording, Billy and Julie are footnotes in their own story.
And let’s take a look at those lyrics. If Stephen Schwartz had had the nerve to rhyme bigger with figure (figger) or stickler with particular (partic’lar), there are those who would be ranting about Carousel as an abomination of musical theatre. There’s actually quite a bit of that in Carousel, and while one could argue that these are only examples of Hammerstein’s Northeastern dialect, the truth is that it’s a dialect that comes and goes throughout the show.
Now I, for one, am not attacking Rodgers and Hammerstein. But I do think we can take a step back and learn from the Masters.
As I’ve written elsewhere, we can’t allow ourselves (or critics) to get too caught up in the mathematics of art. Carousel was a smash when it first opened and is still a beloved show despite who sang the songs. It’s a great show, and above all, that is what counts.
Secondly, we can’t over-glamorize the past. It’s easy to attack the current talents of Broadway for not being the greats of the past, but the truth is that many people hold the talents of today to greater standards. No one is ever going to top how great Ethel Merman is in the collective conscious of the Broadway mind, but perhaps there will be someone with more nuance and warmth.
I would suggest everyone to recalibrate themselves with Carousel from time to time. Yes indeed, you can learn many things from the Masters.
the Broadway Mouth
May 30, 2008
It’s intriguing to see how the songs are divided among the characters. Main character Billy Bigelow gets two songs (“If I Loved You” and “Soliloquy”), an intro, and a reprise. That’s it. Julie Jordan gets heard in a few more, but most of the songs go to Carrie, Mr. Snow, and Nettie Fowler, with the chorus helping out. If they were taking a class on writing musical theatre, I think it’s fair to say Rodgers and Hammerstein would not have gotten 10/10 for structure.
Because of this, it’s really hard to tell what’s going on in the show from the recording. I saw the movie a number of years ago, so it’s not like I’m confused, but it is intriguing that on recording, Billy and Julie are footnotes in their own story.
And let’s take a look at those lyrics. If Stephen Schwartz had had the nerve to rhyme bigger with figure (figger) or stickler with particular (partic’lar), there are those who would be ranting about Carousel as an abomination of musical theatre. There’s actually quite a bit of that in Carousel, and while one could argue that these are only examples of Hammerstein’s Northeastern dialect, the truth is that it’s a dialect that comes and goes throughout the show.
Now I, for one, am not attacking Rodgers and Hammerstein. But I do think we can take a step back and learn from the Masters.
As I’ve written elsewhere, we can’t allow ourselves (or critics) to get too caught up in the mathematics of art. Carousel was a smash when it first opened and is still a beloved show despite who sang the songs. It’s a great show, and above all, that is what counts.
Secondly, we can’t over-glamorize the past. It’s easy to attack the current talents of Broadway for not being the greats of the past, but the truth is that many people hold the talents of today to greater standards. No one is ever going to top how great Ethel Merman is in the collective conscious of the Broadway mind, but perhaps there will be someone with more nuance and warmth.
I would suggest everyone to recalibrate themselves with Carousel from time to time. Yes indeed, you can learn many things from the Masters.
the Broadway Mouth
May 30, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
20 Great Broadway Songs of the Past 10 Years: “Forget About the Boy”
I honestly haven’t heard enough of Jeanine Tesori’s music to get a feel for her style. Because there’s nothing like hearing a score for the first time on stage, I keep waiting to catch a production of Caroline, or Change before buying the CD. Since a production close to me won’t be mounted for almost another year, I’ll focus on a gem from Thoroughly Modern Millie with lyrics by Dick Scanlan.
“Forget About the Boy” really is about as great, old fashioned as you can get without recycling a song from another show. It has an irresistible melody with fun, catchy lyrics that express character.
Another gem from the show, “Gimme, Gimme” is particularly remarkable because it caps off a wild and wacky night of fun with heartfelt, passionate emotion. A typical ballad would have been the wrong moment, so Tesori finds a balance in a high-energy song that perfectly complements Scanlan’s clever lyrics (“Here I am, St. Valentine / My bags are packed; I’m first in line! / Aphrodite, don’t forget me / Romeo and Juliet me”). Thoroughly Modern Millie required the use of songs from a variety of sources, but from hearing “Forget About the Boy” and “Gimme, Gimme” alone, it would be exciting to see Tesori and Scanlan tackle an entirely original score.
the Broadway Mouth
May 29, 2008
“Forget About the Boy” really is about as great, old fashioned as you can get without recycling a song from another show. It has an irresistible melody with fun, catchy lyrics that express character.
Another gem from the show, “Gimme, Gimme” is particularly remarkable because it caps off a wild and wacky night of fun with heartfelt, passionate emotion. A typical ballad would have been the wrong moment, so Tesori finds a balance in a high-energy song that perfectly complements Scanlan’s clever lyrics (“Here I am, St. Valentine / My bags are packed; I’m first in line! / Aphrodite, don’t forget me / Romeo and Juliet me”). Thoroughly Modern Millie required the use of songs from a variety of sources, but from hearing “Forget About the Boy” and “Gimme, Gimme” alone, it would be exciting to see Tesori and Scanlan tackle an entirely original score.
the Broadway Mouth
May 29, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Congrats on a Broadway Debut!
I’m always excited when I read about performers making their debut on Broadway, and I was naturally thrilled when reading about Carrie Manolakos making hers as Sophie in Mamma Mia! on June 4.
In the days of long-running shows, the replacement casts tend to get ignored or forgotten. Everyone remembers Colm Wilkinson as Jean Valjean, but they forgot the many names who kept that show in tip-top shape after he left. It takes a load of talent to replace a cast member, and the audition process is as brutal and tough for long-running shows (and tours) as it is for a new show. I’ve heard good things about Carrie Manolakos, but the fact that she’s making her Broadway debut says enough. Congrats!
the Broadway Mouth
May 28, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
20 Great Broadway Songs of the Past 10 Years: “Written in the Stars”
“Written in the Stars” is a song that harkens back to the old days of Broadway. It’s a song uniquely fitting the situation at hand within the show while conveying a universal emotion that allows it to live outside of the show. Not all that unlike Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, or Dinah Shore recording a Broadway hit in the 1950s, “Written in the Stars” was recorded by Elton John as a duet with Leann Rimes, which received radio play and warranted a video some time before Aida premiered on Broadway.
The songwriter’s version, however strong, cannot top Adam Pascal and Heather Headley’s passionate version which was preserved on the Original Broadway Cast Recording. The song perfectly encapsulates the concept of Aida—a doomed love between soul-mates. The tragic concept in the song is strengthened by Tim Rice’s use of the idea of the gods wreaking havoc in the lives of men and women, that paradise has been found, only to be torn away by the whim of the stars.
Like the rest of the show, “Written in the Stars” is an exercise in style over nuance, heart over head. Lyrically, it’s not a dense song, containing a few simple ideas, but the music carries each verse and chorus to new emotional heights. No, it wouldn’t work in a Sondheim show or in a Finn show, but it works beautifully within the show that Aida is, and because of that, it’s extraordinarily effective.
Aida is filled with a ton of great songs—“My Strongest Suit,” “Dance of the Robe,” and “Elaborate Lives” are just a few. I never saw Elton John’s Lestat, but perhaps John’s pop background works best with heavily stylistic shows like Aida, rather than pieces that require strongly nuanced character pieces. I know many people delight in trouncing on big names with big flops, but I, for one, would like to see more of John’s work simply because his work in Aida is outstanding. Perhaps he should give Tim Rice a call . . .
the Broadway Mouth
May 27, 2008
The songwriter’s version, however strong, cannot top Adam Pascal and Heather Headley’s passionate version which was preserved on the Original Broadway Cast Recording. The song perfectly encapsulates the concept of Aida—a doomed love between soul-mates. The tragic concept in the song is strengthened by Tim Rice’s use of the idea of the gods wreaking havoc in the lives of men and women, that paradise has been found, only to be torn away by the whim of the stars.
Like the rest of the show, “Written in the Stars” is an exercise in style over nuance, heart over head. Lyrically, it’s not a dense song, containing a few simple ideas, but the music carries each verse and chorus to new emotional heights. No, it wouldn’t work in a Sondheim show or in a Finn show, but it works beautifully within the show that Aida is, and because of that, it’s extraordinarily effective.
Aida is filled with a ton of great songs—“My Strongest Suit,” “Dance of the Robe,” and “Elaborate Lives” are just a few. I never saw Elton John’s Lestat, but perhaps John’s pop background works best with heavily stylistic shows like Aida, rather than pieces that require strongly nuanced character pieces. I know many people delight in trouncing on big names with big flops, but I, for one, would like to see more of John’s work simply because his work in Aida is outstanding. Perhaps he should give Tim Rice a call . . .
the Broadway Mouth
May 27, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
20 Great Broadway Songs of the Past 10 Years: “Wheels of a Dream
It’s astonishing to realize that Ragtime opened just ten years ago—January 1998. Its lush, emotional score with stunning to-the-rafters ballads and stirring group numbers feels so distant from the current trends on Broadway that it sounds like something from ages past.
Honestly, the score is so rich and expansive, it is quite difficult to pick only one great song from the spectacular Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens score. How does one choose among that stunning opening number, the beautiful harmony of “Journey On,” the fun of “The Crime of the Century,” Audra McDonald’s moving “Your Daddy’s Son,” the rousing “The Night that Goldman Spoke at Union Square,” and . . . well, you get the idea (and that’s not even finishing the music from the first act!).
In listening to “Wheels of a Dream,” it’s easy to miss the grand scores of the ‘80s and ‘90s. Indeed, there’s something to be said of the delicate, character-specific nuances of a song like Adam Guettel’s “Dividing Day,” but there’s also something to be said for the stirring, character-specific grandness of the songs in Ragtime. In “Wheels of a Dream,” we have two characters facing the journey of family life, the open road of their life together represented by the metaphor of a car. As anyone who has seen the show knows, however, their grand moment of dreaming will actually be only dreams, for the country that will let a man like Coalhouse “own a car, raise a child, build a life with you” will destroy his car, gun down his love, and leave his child in the arms of another man.
The melody is of the stirring anthem type, the grand emotional push that, while lacking the nuance that has unjustly wrought criticism on a number of other moving scores of this ilk, is pinpoint perfect for the hopes and dreams that Coalhouse holds for his family. Having had moments of great hope in my own life, they require larger-than-life musical colors to accurately portray. The fact that his hopes—expressed through the grandness of the melody—will never arrive in tact is even more affecting when remembering the depth of his hope in “Wheels of a Dream.”
If you are a younger musical theatre fan, and you are not familiar with the score to Ragtime, I couldn’t urge you more to check it out. It really is something extra special.
the Broadway Mouth
May 23, 2008
Honestly, the score is so rich and expansive, it is quite difficult to pick only one great song from the spectacular Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens score. How does one choose among that stunning opening number, the beautiful harmony of “Journey On,” the fun of “The Crime of the Century,” Audra McDonald’s moving “Your Daddy’s Son,” the rousing “The Night that Goldman Spoke at Union Square,” and . . . well, you get the idea (and that’s not even finishing the music from the first act!).
In listening to “Wheels of a Dream,” it’s easy to miss the grand scores of the ‘80s and ‘90s. Indeed, there’s something to be said of the delicate, character-specific nuances of a song like Adam Guettel’s “Dividing Day,” but there’s also something to be said for the stirring, character-specific grandness of the songs in Ragtime. In “Wheels of a Dream,” we have two characters facing the journey of family life, the open road of their life together represented by the metaphor of a car. As anyone who has seen the show knows, however, their grand moment of dreaming will actually be only dreams, for the country that will let a man like Coalhouse “own a car, raise a child, build a life with you” will destroy his car, gun down his love, and leave his child in the arms of another man.
The melody is of the stirring anthem type, the grand emotional push that, while lacking the nuance that has unjustly wrought criticism on a number of other moving scores of this ilk, is pinpoint perfect for the hopes and dreams that Coalhouse holds for his family. Having had moments of great hope in my own life, they require larger-than-life musical colors to accurately portray. The fact that his hopes—expressed through the grandness of the melody—will never arrive in tact is even more affecting when remembering the depth of his hope in “Wheels of a Dream.”
If you are a younger musical theatre fan, and you are not familiar with the score to Ragtime, I couldn’t urge you more to check it out. It really is something extra special.
the Broadway Mouth
May 23, 2008
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