The Tony Awards (6/12/2022)

 The Tony Awards are back and during their original June showing. Instead of recapping every piece of the night I will be talking about the night as a whole, and the good, as well as some bad that stuck out to me. Let's start with Ariana Debose, she did amazing, and her opening number will be on repeat on my phone for hours on end. More on her later, but still I had to just begin with how amazing she did. Congratulations to all the winners, but also the nominees there was so much amazing talent tonight. There was no runaway show but rather all the awards were very spread out which was very awesome, at least when it came to musicals and the plays mostly.

Tonight, was also a big night for representation and that is important, to see the stage include so many people from the LGBTQ+ community, and different races. Making the stage brighter by sharing their lives with us, all of the acknowledgment of crew, understudies, and COVID safety workers was also amazing.  All of the shout outs to the understudies, and crew warmed my heart, and some even performed and that was incredible.

The Act One show confused me, I don't understand why the awards are now split in two, let alone the first one has little to no numbers or performances, maybe one or two tops. Angela Lansbury getting a lifetime achievement was a highlight, I still am baffled this isn't part of one show. It makes me feel like some awards are limited to a pre-show which isn't fair because every member of the cast and crew works to bring something to us. 

The performances that stood out to me that will stay with me were too many to count. There were only a couple that fell flat for me. The Stephen Sondheim tribute moved me to tears, and all of the performances were very amazing, except for two. Mr. Saturday Night was fun but dragged on a tad too long, but it still had quality to it. The Music Man on the other hand was the only weak performance of the night, it sounded clumsy and not all the cast was well utilized. 

Arina Debose did incredible, all of her performances were incredible, nothing short of amazing. Every performance was incredible aside from the two mentioned. Every performer brought their all and it led to a mostly unforgettable night. I enjoyed the atmosphere, the speeches were inspiring and great, and it was nice to see multiple shows win. Some of the performances were so powerful and it was wonderful that the Tony Awards might move away from shows sweeping and recognize multiple shows. 

I have seen worse Tony Awards, and this one was very good. Arina Debose should definitely host again, this awards show and the one prior were both incredible and reminders on why I love live theater. Last year and this year's shows were delightful, with only minimal confusion. 

My Favorite Shows That Did Not Win Any Tony Awards

 It's that time of year again, at the time of this post it is almost the night where theater takes the center stage, and as much as I want to make predictions, but I have not seen nor looked into the shows enough to form an honest guess. I am looking forward to seeing the show and the performances and I always enjoy the opening numbers. I instead wanted to cover a different topic, musicals that I really like listening to, that did not win any Tony Awards. These are shows I listen to, have seen a couple of in some form or fashion and really appreciate. All of these shows are worth your time and here they are, shining a light on some stars that deserve it!

Waitress

Well I found yet another reason to talk about this show, and I am sure I will find many reasons more. I adore this show . If you have not listened to it, this musical it is full of heart, charm, and has a very engaging story. The music is beyond upbeat, but also has some incredible and powerful numbers during it's more quiet moments. Infusing relatable feelings into an unforgettable soundtrack. If you ever have the chance to listen to or see this show, take it. It is as sweet as pie!

Seussical 

This is show is a ton of fun, combining a ton of timeless works into a fun and family friendly show. The show has a ton of comedy, a sweet message and is a great time for viewers young and old. The music is super fun and embodies what we love about Dr. Seuss books!

Merrily We Roll Along 

A sometimes-overlooked Sondheim show, that has a unique concept, starting at the end and working backwards. Showing the audience how the story got to where it was and ending on an optimistic yet bittersweet note. The show has some incredibly powerful numbers and a strong message about art, I highly recommend it, especially for Sondheim fans. 

Tick Tick Boom

The Jonathan Larson musical that is relatable, powerful, and nothing short of amazing. This may not have won any Tony Awards in its day but the movie adaptation that came out last year is a most. Preserving this fantastic show about the life of the mind that brought us RENT, full of relatable stories, memorable songs, and really great unforgettable moments, this musical is one you won't want to miss.

Thank you so much for reading, I hope your day is a showstopper! 

Let's Talk About The SIX Opening Night Album

Some shows last so long that we get original cast albums, revival cast albums, and sometimes covers or compilation albums. Sometimes we might get an album of a show when it is in previews and get a new one with updated songs or different instrumentals. But in this case a live performance album, something that is not the most common thing, one of my favorite Broadway albums of all time is a 25th Anniversary live performance of Les Miserables. I talked about SIX recently and it is one of favorite shows from the new season, I hope to see it live someday but until that day comes, I have this album so let's talk about it.

This album was recorded on opening night of SIX, for those who do not know this is the tale of ex-wives of Henry the 8th but through the lens of pop and showing the world that they were more then just their marital status to the monarch. I have praised already and how the musical is relatable, has great moments of humor, historical importance, while also being songs that reflect real feelings in a fantastic way. I love SIX and now we have another album, and it is fantastic. But the only question is, do we need this album as well when we already have the cast recording?

The answer is a resounding of course we do! This album is incredible and it is awesome for people like me who do not get to see the show to get a peek into what it is like live. Hearing the audience reaction to the parts I laughed at, hearing moments that made me cheer as well made me feel connected to a show that I hope to see someday.  Live albums are not the most common but whenever we do get one it is a real treat, and this is no different. This album was a blast start to finish, making the listener feel as if they were in the theater hearing it themselves. 

This album also has a ton of things the first one didn't, jokes, spoken lines and transitions. This adds so much and does not take away from the other album but rather stands alongside it. I loved this and now having a complete version of SIX has me hoping other shows will follow suit. Such as the Les Miserables album mentioned earlier, that one is essentially the whole show from start to finish in album form. Some of the jokes, improvised bits and more are on here and it makes this experience very much worth going through these amazing songs again.

Hearing the transitions and character introductions are the icing on the cake, adding so much life to the album. This and the first SIX album are not comparable but rather stand side by side, they are both worth the listen for different reasons. This when you want something extra, and the first if you just want the songs without any jokes or audience reactions undisturbed. Both are great for their own reasons and worth at least one listen. But trust me, they each are filled to the brim with bops and are easily to listen to over and over again.

The songs have this great feeling of this historical figures singing about real emotions, heartbreak, betrayal, self-doubt, identity and more bring these queens out of the history books and into our lives today. These songs are easily relatable to anyone who has been hurt by someone they are dating and filled with comedy and empowerment on such an outstanding scale that shows why we love theater. 

Thank you so much for reading, take care and I hope your day is a showstopper!

The Tony Awards 2022 Nominees, And My Predictions

 As of this morning the Nominees for the Tony Awards have dropped, and I am excited, as we approach June 12th where I will be covering the Awards, I will be looking into the cast albums of some of the shows given. It brings me great joy and excitement to see my favorite award show return and in full form, being hosted by the one and only Arina Debose. Seeing her as a host will be nothing short of an amazing treat, and I am counting down the moments to hearing her opening song.

In terms of plays, I will not be able to see any of them, for new and for revivals. That being said I have not been looking into the stage play scene as much as the musical scene. Stage plays are fantastic and are a cornerstone of the world of theater, but I do not have ready access to New York staged productions, I will mostly be going off of the cast albums I have access to, the buzz around each show I have seen, and any reviews.

That being said from what I have been listening to I think "A Strange Loop" is going to sweep, most years one show sweeps the entire time, and this seems to be the one. In terms of best revival, I will be pooling for, and I am predicting that "Company" will be triumphant. I am hoping that "Six" earns at least one award as that show is fantastic and deserves due recognition. 

I am ready for Cast Album releases but until then I am using West End Production recordings or older Recordings for shows like "Mr. Saturday Night". This is a very stacked year in terms of nominees from historical pieces, jukebox musicals, and original shows, I will be looking into many of the shows I can before the awards, and after the night is done. 

I am beyond excited to see not only who wins but the performances, wondering what songs are going to be picked to showcase each show, and it seems unlike last year all the content will be from this current season. I am excited to see the performances as they are peeks into shows that some, including myself might not yet have access to until a proshot or a tour come our way. The Tony awards always brought me excitement, and this one is no different. This time of year is always one of my favorites, new shows to discover, new albums, the awards, and the beginning of Summer. 

Who do you think is going to win? Do you think it will be a sweep or the awards will be spread out? And are there any performances in particular you are looking forward too? Who knows what surprises, jokes, and more will be waiting for us all, but it won't be too long until we find out. Thank you so much for reading and I hope your day is a showstopper.

Musical Memories: Mama Mia

 With Mother's Day coming up this weekend, why not talk about a show I have seen live, via local production, which is the jukebox musical "Mama Mia". Not to mention there is a movie adaptation, and a sequel to the film but not on the stage. The show featuring the work of ABBA but tied to an original story is one of the biggest smashes in terms of jukebox musicals and has also had a long run in term of public productions. When I saw it back in 2018, I remember it being goofy fun, with fun music, so for this post I will be focusing on the stage version, I am sure I will come across the film versions sooner or later. And the first one which I have seen can wait, oh it can wait.

 This show follows Sophie, who is soon to be married and is holding the ceremony at her mother's nice island resort, but there is one problem, Sophie wants her father to walk he down the isle but she doesn't know who her biological father is. So she reads her mom's old journal and invites three of her old boyfriends to the wedding and whacky shenanigans ensue. With the wedding, the mothers friends visiting, past romances, current flings, and tons of flirting, all the while Sophie tries to solve this mystery leads to a zany, light hearted, sometimes touching show. There are so many characters that backstory is minimal as is character growth, leading to a conclusion that left me confused but indifferent. This show focuses on being comedic and as an outlet to play some of ABBA's greatest hits, and in terms of the narrative sometime I laughed, and other times I laughed for the wrong reasons. 

This show is a musical romantic comedy, so this is not some deep think piece, it's more akin to a Hallmark Christmas movie with a much larger budget and set during the summer.  When I saw it live, I found myself enjoying the music, sometimes laughing at how ridiculous things got on stage, and other times laughing because some of the punchlines were actually funny. The song choice is really good, and the performance that I saw was well acted. The slower moments were a tad hit and miss because there are so many characters that I found it hard to grow attached to them, but sometimes I found them sweet and a tad touching.

This show is mostly high energy, the temptation to stand up and dance along was indeed there, but the slower songs were a nice change of pace and gave a little bit of character development. This show is packed to the brim with songs, with very little time before the next one begins. That being said if you are an ABBA fan then this show is great, a goofy plot with fun music numbers. For example there is a scene both on stage and in the film where a group of scuba divers form a chorus line, I just had to accept it and laugh because I could not fathom why we needed it, but it was still hilarious. It just appeared out of nowhere and was done and that was it, as are many aspects of this show. From the romances, to even the backstories, everything in the plot just comes and goes.

The music is beyond fun, there are many high energy picks, with a few slower songs to stand out. They pull many songs from ABBA, so I ended up finding a couple songs I did not know about and enjoyed. The songs many of us know such as "Take A Chance On Me" and "Dancing Queen" are present and they lead to fun group numbers and choreography. The music fits into the plot and works well with it, and the way the production I saw used the title song "Mama Mia" was very well staged and a pure delight.

This show is still enjoyable, as long as you are fine with ABBA music, because if not then unfortunately that is basically seventy-five percent of the show. Tied together with a plot we have seen many times before, but it is so goofy and at times beyond random that is harmless. It can make for a lighthearted and very fun night at the theater. I did not regret going as it left with tunes to hum along too, a story that had me laughing, and stories to tell. It was not boring which is the worst experience one can have in the theater, and I have been bored before. This show is filled to the brim and if your civic theater is playing this show, it is an enjoyable time. The music is light and fun with a plot to match, a good time.

Something Rotten

 A couple days ago was the birthday of one William Shakespeare, last time we covered ta show that featured him and his wife, as the two of them reworked on of his most famous pieces in "& Juliet". Today I am going to cover the album of a show that I hope to see someday, a comedic love letter to theater fans alike where the bard is in fact standing in the way of the leads and their dreams. Let's see how many musical references, Shakespeare references, and egg puns we can find as I cover "Something Rotten".

The show "Something Rotten" follows the Bottom brothers, Nick and Nigel, both aspiring playwrights, the only problem is that the only plays that are catching the publics eyes are that of Shakespeare, as this show is set in the height of his career. With help from a new, unlikely friend, Nick peaks into the future to see that musicals are what rule the stage, and tries to finally dethrone the beloved, rockstar playwright. This musical is packed with references to Shakespeare's many works, tons of musicals, and is packed with some fun comedic elements. Aside from the references that characterization is infused with tons of modern forms of writing that make them stand out, yet all of the characters are aware of the time period they are in. From Shakespeare being like a rockstar, yet secretly struggles with his job, Nick's wife who longs to be more than just a housewife, and Nigel falling in love with someone whose family is quick to disapprove. They infuse the classic setting with fun and relatable stories, packed with comedy to make a lighthearted time. I would say the comedy is not only historically accurate but would be in the vein of a PG-13 movie, this show is for older audiences.

Going off of online plot summaries, and the album, this much like "& Juliet" are shows I would both want to view after listening to album, or at least get pro shot of. The comedy seeps into the music, with plenty of lyrics that had me laughing and singing along. The music for me was mostly great, I did not press repeat on all of the songs, but a good number of them. The lyrics and instrumentation lead to a fun, comedic, and even at times touching story about wanting to make room for yourself in the world of art, making your art, following trends, and falling in love. 

Unlike the last show covered, Shakespeare is ever present and less of a side character, being more of an obstacle to the leads, yet he is so charming and funny you end up cheering for him. Both shows offering different yet highly entertaining versions of the historical figure, and both worth viewing. This one enjoys being famous yet has a showstopping song in act two of the trials of being a playwright. This incredible song has him comedically lamenting on how it is "Hard To Be The Bard" in a relatable way to fellow writers, while showing he is not perfect. Much like the entire cast, Christian Borle makes Shakespeare stand out in the best way, every one has stellar performance in the album.

The show is filled to the brim with references so I would say this best enjoyed by theater fans, musical fans, and Shakespeare fans. Not knowing does not take away from the fun plot or great music, but there is some missing out to be had as the show uses these from start to finish and does not lighten up. There are plenty of jokes in the song's lyrics, and plenty of non-reference based zingers but there are so many that I felt that I had to acknowledge them, as they are also in the music. These songs are great even without knowing, yet there is an added bonus for those who know. 

Some of the songs that stand out to me are "Welcome To The Rennaissance", "Right Hand Man", "Will Power", "It's Hard To Be The Bard", "We See The Light" and "To Thine Own Self", just to name a few. With "Hard To Be The Bard" being my favorite, whether the listener is writing a paper for class or for their own art, this song hits close to home in the best way possible. The ensemble comes together for great background vocals in many songs, and each lead gets some great moments to stand out. After the bard himself, Nigel is my other favorite character, his side story, optimism, and the moral he delivers all are super well done. I can not talk about this show without talking about "A Musical", an over seven minute showstopper, filled to the brim with musical references and jokes. The song is super fun and it is real treat to look for all the references in it.

Overall, this show is a fun, comedic romp, where not all of the jokes or songs land, a good portion do. It is comedic, and has the right level of self-awareness to work, and plenty of the songs are toe tapping, good times. The instrumentation, lyrics, and vocals hit a bullseye when they land, infused with comedy and tons of charm, wrapped up in good music. This is a piece that makes for good writing inspiration with its themes of love, art, and finding your own artistic identity. Set in the past with some fun modern easter eggs, this is a show that may be called "Something Rotten" but is mostly fresh. 

& Juliet (Cast Album)

 

(Image Source: Amazon dot com)

(Plot Source: Wikipedia)

Every once in a while, I peek into what is going on in The West End, to those who do not know it is London's biggest theater output and sometimes a musical may premiere there before coming here. One show that is getting a ton of positive press over at The West End that many wish will come to Broadway stages and tour is a show called "& Juliet". A tale of the Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare's wife, retooling the classic narrative of the star-crossed lovers to which Juliet survives and finds a new life, and maybe new love. I went to Wikipedia and got the plot synopsis as this show is not available over here in the states and I only had the album to go off of. So how does this change the bard's famous love story, let's have a listen.

This show takes us to alternate timeline where Shakespeare and his wife, but mostly his wife pen a new tale for Juliet. The plot has romance, and many twists and turns while having overlaying themes about love for both the characters of the classic play and those writing it. The plot has many wonderful modern ideas infused into this classic tale while keeping things light and fun. The tone is heartfelt with plenty of room for inspirational self-discovery, comedy, and romance. Reading the plot had me interested, but what of the music that followed with it?

This is a jukebox musical with pop songs from the late 1990's and early 2000's, with some songs from a more recent time. Hits like "Larger Than Life", "I Want It That Way", "Oops I Did It Again" and even "Teenage Dream" and "Love Me Like You Do" are sprinkled throughout this show. Combining a time long gone with music we can still hear on the radio or in grocery stores to this day. These are all well performed by the cast and had me listening time and time again. Each performer brings their all and is completely invested into bringing these songs in a new way to the stage. 

Some of these songs have never seen the stage but they fit because the instrumentation and performers sync well into combining them. Songs about love, break ups, self-discovery, and more fill this album to make it more than just a glorified mix tape. It makes me beyond curious and interested to see how they fit into the plot and are used. A sign of a good cast album is making the listener want to see the show, and after listening I would enjoy seeing this show make it stateside. This show stands out with jukebox powerhouses like "Moulin Rouge" and the countless biographical musicals summarizing a musician's career. I do love when a jukebox musical uses an original plot and this one combine familiar and new in a way that just works.

The album has sold me on the show, I may know these songs, but a good jukebox musical reminds you why these songs are so great. The styles, performances, and the mashups used work so well, and are so well performance. The different pacing and tempos can add a new flavor to a song that brings it a breath of fresh air. Combining it with the fun plot seems like a great night at the theater, and I hope it comes our way or at least is given a proshot. 

This is the first time I ever have covered a show from the West End, but certainly won't be the last. My eyes have been opened to see what some shows entail, such as the "Back To The Future Musical" and others that either premiere there first or never make it to the states. Different styles of cast recordings in some cases with shows like "Mary Poppins", show how many possibilities await, and I can not wait to find more. All the songs of this album may be familiar but are so well performed with such great instrumentation that they are a pure delight.

I had so much fun with "& Juliet" and there are plenty of songs to listen to, a good amount all standing out. Using the works of multiple artists work in this shows favor, making the song a showcase of the artists, and in this case the more the merrier. There are some fun twists and turns in this show that lead to many fun moments, and many sweet ones as well. A tale of love, what matters, growing as a person, with plenty of great representation in it. The bards work glows and is given such a great plot and fun soundtrack that make this an absolute blast. I hope to see this someday, and until next time, I hope your day is a showstopper.