A new year means a new beginning, so why not look at the opening songs of some of our favorite shows, again. As time has continue to move on i looked back at my top ten opening numbers list and decided to add some more, here are some more songs that are a prefect welcome after the overture
5. Prologue- Into the Woods: A great way to show off the expansive cast and get the plot moving, with an upbeat score and a colorful cast you really feel engrossed in this fairy tale world
4. Live in Living Color- Catch Me if You Can: A fun song that will have you dancing and singing along, very fun way to begin this fun yet true story, based on the film
3. Comedy Tonight- A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Forum- this song is amazing, using the full cast in a song that is removed from the main plot but sets the mood so well
2. Carrying the Banner - Newsies- this song is so full of energy, with amazing choreography, you will be on the edge of your seat by the end of this song, the score is amazing, bringing you into this amazing story
1. There's No Business Like Show Business- Annie Get Your Gun- a great classic song, with such an upbeat and engrossing score that if someone asks why you love theater you point them to this song, it is nothing shot of phenomenal
heres to new beginning, until next time, ave a great day.
Friday, January 12, 2018
Tuesday, January 9, 2018
Broadway on a Budget
Sometimes we love Musicals, we long for the stage but our wallets disagree, yet we want to add some new shows to our playlists. Here are a few ideas how to enjoy some Theater within your means.
. Plan ahead- If you follow your local venues on social media, you may find a show you are interested in coming soon, five months may be far away but saving and planning. even putting away five dollars a week or any sort of financial plan could help you secure a ticket, and if you save far enough in advance, you could even buy a souvenir or better seats even.
. Listen to Soundtracks/ Watch Videos- You may not be able to spend a weekend in New York, but you can listen to the entire soundtrack in a weekend and decide if it will be worth seeing on tour, and watch all the videos you can, interviews, behind the scenes and previews of live performances, it may become a new favorite and make the day you do see it even more special.
. See a Show at Your Local Civic Theater/ Old High school- It may not be a touring cast but it could very well be people you know or a show you enjoy, and you never know who could have put their heart into a performance that will blow you away, I recently saw a production of Annie and it was really good and really fun, if I only wanted to see Broadway level performances I would have really missed out
. Volunteer at a Civic Theater or Try out for a Show- Maybe you would have an amazing time and discover a new favorite show by being in it, meeting new people and creating memories, either in cast or crew you may really enjoy yourself
. Enter A Lotto/Rush Lines- if you live by a major theater you could always enter the lotto and see if you can buy cheaper tickets, or see if there are any last minute tickets that pop up due to someone not being able to attend, or standing room lines. there are a few alternatives in this category.
Look For Live Productions on T.V or DVD- some local channels are doing live productions now, Streaming services and T.V channels services such as Broadway HD, Netflix, and PBS have plays and musicals as well. Your local library, movie store, or book store may also have a selection of live Broadway shows and concerts on DVD to watch such as one of my personal favorites, the Les Miserable 25th anniversary concert, look it up it's amazing and has one of the best Javert performances I have ever seen.
or
Watch the Movie Adaption- this one speaks for itself and depending on the situation may be cheaper or more easy to access
I hope some of my tips helped, and feel free to share yours in the comments, I'm always open to suggestions.
. Plan ahead- If you follow your local venues on social media, you may find a show you are interested in coming soon, five months may be far away but saving and planning. even putting away five dollars a week or any sort of financial plan could help you secure a ticket, and if you save far enough in advance, you could even buy a souvenir or better seats even.
. Listen to Soundtracks/ Watch Videos- You may not be able to spend a weekend in New York, but you can listen to the entire soundtrack in a weekend and decide if it will be worth seeing on tour, and watch all the videos you can, interviews, behind the scenes and previews of live performances, it may become a new favorite and make the day you do see it even more special.
. See a Show at Your Local Civic Theater/ Old High school- It may not be a touring cast but it could very well be people you know or a show you enjoy, and you never know who could have put their heart into a performance that will blow you away, I recently saw a production of Annie and it was really good and really fun, if I only wanted to see Broadway level performances I would have really missed out
. Volunteer at a Civic Theater or Try out for a Show- Maybe you would have an amazing time and discover a new favorite show by being in it, meeting new people and creating memories, either in cast or crew you may really enjoy yourself
. Enter A Lotto/Rush Lines- if you live by a major theater you could always enter the lotto and see if you can buy cheaper tickets, or see if there are any last minute tickets that pop up due to someone not being able to attend, or standing room lines. there are a few alternatives in this category.
Look For Live Productions on T.V or DVD- some local channels are doing live productions now, Streaming services and T.V channels services such as Broadway HD, Netflix, and PBS have plays and musicals as well. Your local library, movie store, or book store may also have a selection of live Broadway shows and concerts on DVD to watch such as one of my personal favorites, the Les Miserable 25th anniversary concert, look it up it's amazing and has one of the best Javert performances I have ever seen.
or
Watch the Movie Adaption- this one speaks for itself and depending on the situation may be cheaper or more easy to access
I hope some of my tips helped, and feel free to share yours in the comments, I'm always open to suggestions.
2018 New Year, New Blog
With my first post of the new year being released I wanted to give an update on the changes going on in this blog.
1. Some Older Posts are being "Redone"- In other words I am deleting a few of my older posts to put more work, research, and different choices for lists or reviews with a more thought out opinion.
2. New Posts/Rebooted Posts.: This means trying new things, I have a few ideas for some really fun posts, as well as refining some of the ideas I had when I started
3. an official twitter account and other cool things
so 2018 is going to be a great year for this blog and I hope you join me.
1. Some Older Posts are being "Redone"- In other words I am deleting a few of my older posts to put more work, research, and different choices for lists or reviews with a more thought out opinion.
2. New Posts/Rebooted Posts.: This means trying new things, I have a few ideas for some really fun posts, as well as refining some of the ideas I had when I started
3. an official twitter account and other cool things
so 2018 is going to be a great year for this blog and I hope you join me.
Monday, January 1, 2018
Judging a Show By Its Cast Album : Spongebob Sqaurepants The Musical
Ever since I was a small child, I loved Spongebob, i spent hours watching and if you mention certain episodes from the first few seasons I could quote them directly, so when I began reading reports of a Spongebob musical hitting Broadway, I was surprised to say the least. Broadway does love putting music to movies and other licenses that were never made for this format, but Spongebob? A cartoon, I wondered how they could pull off the costumes and sets, let alone the music. After seeing it perform in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, I decided to look up behind the scenes, look up some official images, read the synopsis, and listen to the soundtrack. This is my series Judging A Book By It's Album Cover, where even if I can't see a show, I will research it as much as I can, especially listening to the cast recording and reviewing it. Many people are like myself either don't live in New York, can not travel to New York while a show is playing, and rely on either the civic theater, a touring cast, or watch videos and listen to the cast album. So on with the show, is this worth seeing/checking out , or was this best left in a pineapple under the sea.
The plot follows the citizens of Bikini Bottom as they deal with a volcano erupting in two days that will destroy the city and wipe out all life as they know it, as Spongebob, Patrick, and Sandy try to climb the volcano and drop a device that will stop the eruption, the town goes into absolute chaos. And that is simplifying things, this show has about five different plot lines, from an evil plan , to a concert being put on, people clinging on to their old lives until the end, and the main plot with the main characters, the multiple plots remind me of Sesussical yet from reading to synopsis, there are plots that really don't add anything to the main story and are used to just remind the audience that they used characters from the show, where as in Sesussical all the characters are simple due to being from one and done stories in children book, this show has characters doing out of character things, that people who are fans of the show will pick up , there is one plot line that has to do with patchy the pirate , spongebobs number one fan, that is really clever even though it has nothing to do with the main story, but it takes place before the show, right after intermission, and at the end that is really great, not intrusive but pretty funny.
Moving on one thing I can say is very good and I will not be surprised if this show wins a tony award in this category is the design. This must have not been an easy feat but the cast and the sets are great, bright and colorful, from the images and videos I have seen, they have captured the look and feel of the show.
And finally what we mostly have to judge the show on without seeing it, the soundtrack. It has high points and low points, as stated earlier there are times you wish the main trio had one or two more songs instead of the side characters that add nothing to the over arcing story. There are some tunes that are great when they land, others are pretty forgettable. The show could have more then one plot and be fun, but some characters only get one song, and that makes you wonder if they really needed that one song to begin with. There is a song right before act 1 ends that comes right out of nowhere for the excuse of having a big group number, that not only leads to an out of character moment but leads to another song to resolve the unnecessary conflict that is also not as good. But that being said, not every is like that, the opening is great, the song right before intermission, is big, grand , and uses the large cast well, and some of the songs are pretty fun. Here are a few songs I can recommend for those interest into looking into the soundtrack.
. Bikini Bottom Day
.Just a Simple Sponge
. Hero is my Middle Name
. Tomorrow is
. Best Day Ever
.Just A Simple Sponge
This show if you are interested is great for children even as a first show, the bright colors, fun songs, and inventive sets will grab their attention. there is no language or dirty jokes for those with really young children, this may be a way to see if they will like musicals.
Overall this show is somewhere in the middle for me, there are parts I enjoy and parts I could not care about, but I do feel that the good outweighs the bad surprisingly, if i were to rate it I would say a 3 and a half out of 5 and I personally want to see it. But form your own opinion, maybe give the soundtrack a listen. But until next time, Have a Great Day.
Sources for this Review
Play Bill.com Coverage and Videos
Wikipedia - plot synopsis
Spongebob Squarepants the Musical Soundtrack
Official Cast Release Photos
Sunday, December 31, 2017
My Favorite Broadway Songs of 2017
Happy New Year, as we approach 2018 plenty of surprises await us, including shows and songs, so before we ring in the new year I'm going to count down my top 10 favorite Broadway songs that released this year that I had on repeat, the only rule is two songs per show, so two shows don't dominate the list, and revivals count as long as they were this year. Now lets see the songs I could not stop singing along to.
10. Hero is My Middle Name- Spongebob Squarepants The Musical:
Despite my mixed opinions on this show, this is a really fun song, a nice beat and is great, fun song if you only have three singers
9. Everything Changes - Waitress : I will admit this was a show i glanced over, there is a tricky balance to shows from the past worth digging up and the current season, I plan on looking more into it for a future review, but from the songs I heard this is my favorite, a slower song but very beautiful with a true message behind it, a very good song that uses the full cast well.
8. Once Upon A December- Anastasia : As someone who grew up loving the movie, the Broadway version excited me, and this version of once upon a December knocks it out of the park, simply amazing
7. Put on Your Sunday Clothes- Revival of Hello Dolly: What an uplifting fun song, if you are feeling down this song is a must listen, a fun score with catchy lyrics in that classic style from days past will leave you smiling.
6. Finale- Come From Away: This was a a hard pick for me, Come from Away is probably one of if not my favorite show from this season, It's themes on hospitality, love and healing in the face of great tragedy left me listening to this show many times among my favorites, this song sums up the true story in such a beautiful way you will want to start it over again, a finale so beautiful it left me tears of joy.
5. Before the Parade Passes By- Revival of Hello Dolly: A Showstopping Number to close us out before intermission, Bette Middler encourages the audience to leave the past behind and move on before the parade of life passes them by, showing you are never to old to enjoy life and try love or anything new, this song is a gem that should not be looked over
4. Dust And Ashes - Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812: What a powerful song from a show gone way to soon, Josh Groban delivers a powerful performance, questioning his place, what he has done with his life, and if he has time to change it, a truly beautiful song
3. You Will Be Found- Dear Evan Hansen: This song was powerful, a powerful message to one of the best shows this season, this song will encourage you and have you singing along, it's amazing that being said...
2. Waving Through a Window- Dear Evan Hansen: This is my favorite song from Dear Evan Hansen a great show but it is so rare to have a show stopping number as the second number in the show, it is a real down to earth song, with an amazing score and fantastic lyrics, this song is nothing short of incredible, give it a listen if you have not yet.
1. Me and the Sky- Come From Away : This song changed me, telling the whole life story of Beverly Bass the first American Female Flight Captain in history is inspiring, packed with so many emotions, hope, joy, and even some sadness as the song ends and reality sets in, This song will encourage any who listen to it as the true story of the obstacles one woman faced and the hurdles she jumped over will inspire you to chase your dreams as well.
Honorable Mention ; Audition song ( heres to the fools who dream)- LALA LAND-
Even though this was not a Broadway Show this musical movie was great, one of my favorites of the year, and this song will inspire you and fill you with hope, Emma Stone puts her all into this performance and it shows, an amazing song from a great movie
Happy new year, here's to more coming in 2017 in theater and for this blog, I hope your 2018 is a real show stopper, thanks for reading
10. Hero is My Middle Name- Spongebob Squarepants The Musical:
Despite my mixed opinions on this show, this is a really fun song, a nice beat and is great, fun song if you only have three singers
9. Everything Changes - Waitress : I will admit this was a show i glanced over, there is a tricky balance to shows from the past worth digging up and the current season, I plan on looking more into it for a future review, but from the songs I heard this is my favorite, a slower song but very beautiful with a true message behind it, a very good song that uses the full cast well.
8. Once Upon A December- Anastasia : As someone who grew up loving the movie, the Broadway version excited me, and this version of once upon a December knocks it out of the park, simply amazing
7. Put on Your Sunday Clothes- Revival of Hello Dolly: What an uplifting fun song, if you are feeling down this song is a must listen, a fun score with catchy lyrics in that classic style from days past will leave you smiling.
6. Finale- Come From Away: This was a a hard pick for me, Come from Away is probably one of if not my favorite show from this season, It's themes on hospitality, love and healing in the face of great tragedy left me listening to this show many times among my favorites, this song sums up the true story in such a beautiful way you will want to start it over again, a finale so beautiful it left me tears of joy.
5. Before the Parade Passes By- Revival of Hello Dolly: A Showstopping Number to close us out before intermission, Bette Middler encourages the audience to leave the past behind and move on before the parade of life passes them by, showing you are never to old to enjoy life and try love or anything new, this song is a gem that should not be looked over
4. Dust And Ashes - Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812: What a powerful song from a show gone way to soon, Josh Groban delivers a powerful performance, questioning his place, what he has done with his life, and if he has time to change it, a truly beautiful song
3. You Will Be Found- Dear Evan Hansen: This song was powerful, a powerful message to one of the best shows this season, this song will encourage you and have you singing along, it's amazing that being said...
2. Waving Through a Window- Dear Evan Hansen: This is my favorite song from Dear Evan Hansen a great show but it is so rare to have a show stopping number as the second number in the show, it is a real down to earth song, with an amazing score and fantastic lyrics, this song is nothing short of incredible, give it a listen if you have not yet.
1. Me and the Sky- Come From Away : This song changed me, telling the whole life story of Beverly Bass the first American Female Flight Captain in history is inspiring, packed with so many emotions, hope, joy, and even some sadness as the song ends and reality sets in, This song will encourage any who listen to it as the true story of the obstacles one woman faced and the hurdles she jumped over will inspire you to chase your dreams as well.
Honorable Mention ; Audition song ( heres to the fools who dream)- LALA LAND-
Even though this was not a Broadway Show this musical movie was great, one of my favorites of the year, and this song will inspire you and fill you with hope, Emma Stone puts her all into this performance and it shows, an amazing song from a great movie
Happy new year, here's to more coming in 2017 in theater and for this blog, I hope your 2018 is a real show stopper, thanks for reading
Thursday, December 21, 2017
Holiday Show tunes
It's that time of the year, shopping, Christmas movies, and songs that you have been hearing since thanksgiving, but where does Broadway fit into this? There are a few Holiday themed musicals, whether they are classic movies, or adaptations of the films we find ourselves watching. Here are some holiday themed Broadway tunes. that will make the season bright. For this list i decided to organize by show.
Elf The Musical
. Christmas Town
. Sparklejollytwinklejingely
. Story Of Buddy The Elf
. I Believe in you/ There is a Santa Claus
Christmas Story the Musical
. Counting Down to Christmas / Counting Down to Christmas Reprise
. Up on Santa's Lap
. Red Ryder Carbine Action BB Gun/ Ralphie to the Rescue
. A Christmas Story
White Christmas the Musical
. Snow
. I Got my Love to Keep Me Warm
.The Best Things Happen While Your'e Dancing
. White Christmas
Annie ( takes place during Christmas so i say it counts)
.Tomorrow/ Tomorrow Reprise
.N.Y.C ( L)
. Getting a New Deal For Christmas
Random Shows That have Christmas scenes/songs
. Need a little Christmas ( Mame)
. Christmas Is My Favorite Time of Year ( Catch Me If You Can)
. Somethings There ( Beauty and The Beast)
Elf The Musical
. Christmas Town
. Sparklejollytwinklejingely
. Story Of Buddy The Elf
. I Believe in you/ There is a Santa Claus
Christmas Story the Musical
. Counting Down to Christmas / Counting Down to Christmas Reprise
. Up on Santa's Lap
. Red Ryder Carbine Action BB Gun/ Ralphie to the Rescue
. A Christmas Story
White Christmas the Musical
. Snow
. I Got my Love to Keep Me Warm
.The Best Things Happen While Your'e Dancing
. White Christmas
Annie ( takes place during Christmas so i say it counts)
.Tomorrow/ Tomorrow Reprise
.N.Y.C ( L)
. Getting a New Deal For Christmas
Random Shows That have Christmas scenes/songs
. Need a little Christmas ( Mame)
. Christmas Is My Favorite Time of Year ( Catch Me If You Can)
. Somethings There ( Beauty and The Beast)
So Here are my recommendations to add some musicals to you're usual holiday playlist, enjoy the holiday season, i have a couple more lists for the end of the year, as well as a review, until then, HAPPY HOLIDAYS
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
Broadway Songs For The Work Day
The nine to five can be a grind sometimes, and we need a little change here and there can help freshen up a monotonous work week, whether you are going to work, on break, or done for the day, these Broadway songs will have you humming through it all.
.Waitress "Opening Up" (L) - this song definitely captures the feeling of working the morning shift and starting the day, working hard but how we do our best
.Newsies: " Carrying the Banner" and " Seize The Day" (L)- the first song is very similar to " Opening Up" where as you begin your shift, it's another day at work so let's face it with some optimism, the second song talks about living everyday and standing up for yourself, yes "Seize the Day" is all about going on strike, but it could also mean not giving up and inspiring those around you to keep going.
.Come From Away " Me and the Sky" - Everyone has their dream jobs, but we never start on the top, this true story will continue you to press on and continue to follow your dreams, the ending will hit you like a ton of bricks and bring you down to reality.
. All of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (L) - though this may seem like a cop out putting an entire show on the list, this show captures the essence of working, whether it's being in the same position for what feels like eternity, finding love where you work, coffee breaks, having business rivals, and many more but with a dash of creativity and outlandish situations but also plenty of realism, you will find yourself enjoying and relating to this classic show, and there are many versions so you can pick your favorite
.Waitress "Opening Up" (L) - this song definitely captures the feeling of working the morning shift and starting the day, working hard but how we do our best
.Newsies: " Carrying the Banner" and " Seize The Day" (L)- the first song is very similar to " Opening Up" where as you begin your shift, it's another day at work so let's face it with some optimism, the second song talks about living everyday and standing up for yourself, yes "Seize the Day" is all about going on strike, but it could also mean not giving up and inspiring those around you to keep going.
.Come From Away " Me and the Sky" - Everyone has their dream jobs, but we never start on the top, this true story will continue you to press on and continue to follow your dreams, the ending will hit you like a ton of bricks and bring you down to reality.
. All of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (L) - though this may seem like a cop out putting an entire show on the list, this show captures the essence of working, whether it's being in the same position for what feels like eternity, finding love where you work, coffee breaks, having business rivals, and many more but with a dash of creativity and outlandish situations but also plenty of realism, you will find yourself enjoying and relating to this classic show, and there are many versions so you can pick your favorite
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