So Much Stuff to Sing: Recent Episodes
Shannon Dohar and Erik Stadnik
A podcast about the American Musical.
Hosted by Shannon in New York and Erik in Prague; twice monthly.
A new day has begun, indeed. The 1980s brought many changes to Broadway, especially the arrival of the London-import megamusical that would run, well, seemingly forever, and its champion, Andrew Lloyd Webber. Join us we talk about how Broadway was changing, how Cats fed into that, and try to pinpoint what, exactly "Memory" -- with lyrics by Trevor Nunn -- is actually about. Editor's note: This is the second (and hopefully final) episode of the same recording session where Shannon's audio was weird. Our apologies. All clips are from the 1983's Cats: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Betty Buckley and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com
Recommended Reading/Viewing:
Betty Buckley sings "Memory" at 1983's Tonys "Memory" - Barbra Streisand "Memory" - Heather Headley Who Sang the "Memory" Climax Best?
Ethan Mordden, Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theater (Mordden's other volumes are also excellent resources for more in-depth discussion)
Broadway: The American Musical
The end of the 70s and, in some ways, the end of an era. Starting with Cabaret, we have traced the changes happening in theater in the wake of the end of the Golden Age. More mature themes and language, less traditional storytelling, new kinds of music, and simply a broader range of acceptable topics -- all of these changes and more occurred extrmely rapidly. And while it's hard to pinpoint exact when this period ended, Sweeney Todd feels like as good as a place as any. An artistic masterpiece, a Tony triumph, a cultural landmark, but ultimately a commercial failure, and maybe the last big swing that Broadway was willing to tolerate for a while. We talk all this, and more, with "Epiphany." Two editor's notes: Sweeney Tood is not exactly a family friendly show, so listener discretion is advise, though I have removed the swear word from the song itself. Also, Shannon's audio track had some issues and she sounds a bit strange. Our apologies. All clips are from the 1979 original cast album of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street featuring Len Carious and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com
Recommended Reading/Viewing:
Ethan Mordden, Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theater (Mordden's other volumes are also excellent resources for more in-depth discussion)
Broadway: The American Musical
- The Broadway musical is maturing and evolving, and while it's probing deeper than ever before, this new style of musical has yet to produce a record-breaking smash. Enter A Chorus Line. The first show to set any number of performance records, A Chorus Line was an unlikely smash, seeing as it had no famous stars, was written by a group of relatively unknown theatrical creators, and was about dancers at an audition. And yet, director and choreogreapher Michael Bennett saw the potential in the everyday struggles of Broadway dancers, and he turned it into a landmark. In this episode, we talk about the destruction of the fourth wall in "At the Ballet" with music by Marvin Hamlisch and lyrics by Ed Kleban. All clips are from the 2015 40th anniversary celebration remaster of the original cast album of A Chorus Line featuring Kelly Bishop, Nancy Lane, and Kay Cole and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com
Recommended Reading/Viewing:
Ethan Mordden, Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theater (Mordden's other volumes are also excellent resources for more in-depth discussion)
Broadway: The American Musical Record Breaking Performance of A Chorus Line featuring Kelly Bishop and Kay Cole
Audra McDonald, Megan Hilty, and Kelli O'Hara
Seth Rudetsky Deconstructs "At the Ballet"
We enter the 1970s: the era of Sondheim and Prince, of a modern Broadway for modern audiences, and of something new and vital that comes to take the place of a Broadway musical formula that had ceased to please. Everything kicks off with Sondheim's 1970 masterpiece Company: directed by Prince, with a book by George Furth and choreogeraphy by Michael Bennet, the show would usher in a new type of Broadway musical, whether audiences and critics were ready or not. Here, we talk about "Barcelona" as capturing much of what defines this new era on Broadway. All clips are from the 1970 cast album of Company featuring Susan Browning and Dean Jones and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com
Recommended Reading/Viewing:
Ethan Mordden, Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theater (Mordden's other volumes are also excellent resources for more in-depth discussion)
Broadway: The American Musical
The 60s roll on, and we come to the show that, more than any other, defines the 1960s musical: Hair. The ultimate hippie musical that broke barriers and box office records, Hair has become synonymous with the late 60s counterculture, even though its creators weren't truly a part of it. Still, it addresses sex, race, and numerous other taboo topics head-on in a way that is still uncommon to see, as we learn when we talk about the paired songs "Black Boys" and "White Boys." Please note, this episode contains frank discussions of sex, race, and other sensitive topics. Listener discretion is advised.
All clips are from the 1968 cast album of Hair featuring Diane Keaton and Melba Moore and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com
Recommended Reading/Viewing:
Ethan Mordden, Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theater (Mordden's other volumes are also excellent resources for more in-depth discussion)
Broadway: The American Musical
And so, with a seemingly endless wash from the cymbals, we enter the modern era. It's 1966, Hal Prince has taken to directing instead of producing, and John Kander and Fred Ebb are going to give life to his vision of a musical about Weimar-era Berlin that would be unlike anything Broadway had ever seen. Cabaret was the show, and, fittingly enough, we're talking about the first song they wrote for that show: "Willkommen."
All clips are from the 1966 cast album of Cabaret featuring Joel Grey and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com
Recommended Reading/Viewing:
Ethan Mordden, Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theater (Mordden's other volumes are also excellent resources for more in-depth discussion)
Broadway: The American Musical
The 1960s would eventually completely revolutionize huge swaths of the American cultural landcape, including Broadway. But as is often the case, the early part of the decade looks a lot like the decade before: talented young writers, composers, directors, and producers pushing at the boundaries of what Rodgers & Hammerstein had done. It was the Golden Age of the Broadway Musical, and its last masterpiece was Bock and Harnick's Fiddler on the Roof from 1964. Produced by Hal Prince, directed by Jerome Robbins, and starring the indomitable Zero Mostel, the show was an absolute smash, and is one of the last of its kind. Join us as we talk Fiddler, Zero, HUAC, and "If I Were a Rich Man."
All clips are from the 1964 cast album of Fiddler on the Roof featuring Zero Mostel and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com
Recommended Reading/Viewing:
The transcript of Zero Mostel's testimony before HUAC
Ethan Mordden, Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theater (Mordden's other volumes are also excellent resources for more in-depth discussion)
Broadway: The American Musical
As the 1950s came to a close, Broadway continued to push and expand what could be done in a musical and what was expected of a night at the theater. Stars were becoming less powerful and less of a draw, though some stars found ways to maintain their status by proving that they had a place in the new style of show tha cared more about the truth of a character than simply star power. Once such star was Ethel Merman, and her final original stage role was also her greatest: playing Rose in 1959's Gypsy. Composer Jule Styne joined most of the West Side Story Team -- Robbins, Bernstein, and Sondheim -- to tell this story of the ultimate stage mother. It was Robbins and Sondheim, however, who created the show's 11 o'clock number, and one of the greatest star turns in Broadway history: "Rose's Turn." It has challenged Broadway divas ever since.
All clips are from the cast album of the 2024 revival of Gyspy featuring Audra McDonald and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com
Recommended Reading/Viewing:
https://unhummable.wordpress.com/2010/05/31/breaking-down-a-song-roses-turn/
Ethan Mordden, Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theater (Mordden's other volumes are also excellent resources for more in-depth discussion)
Broadway: The American Musical
As the 1950s moved on, new talents were emerging, taking up the challenge laid down by Rodgers and Hammerstein to create integrated musicals featuring real characters dealing with real issues. Among others, Jerome Robbins, Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents, and Stephen Sondheim heard that challenge and rose to meet it, creating something brand new and incredibly challening for 50s Broadway audiences. West Side Story debuted in 1957 (Erik says 1959 a few times in the episode, ignore him), and its 1961 film adaptation cemented its legacy as a classic. So why has it taken this long to get to it? The reasons are complicated. Join us as we discuss them and the 2021 version of "America,"
All clips are from 2021's motion picture soundtrack of West Side Story featuring Ariana DeBose and David Alvarez and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com
Recommended Reading/Viewing:
https://sites.google.com/view/analyzing-vocal-music/posts/leonard-bernstein-america
https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/the-divided-states-of-america-why-rita-moreno-objected-to-west-side-storys-original-lyrics/18671/
Ethan Mordden, Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theater (Mordden's other volumes are also excellent resources for more in-depth discussion)
Broadway: The American Musical
Rodgers & Hammerstein ushered in a new style with Oklahoma! in 1943, and soon, the old styles died away, putting up various degrees of resistance as they did so. Irving Berlin and Cole Porter both adopted a more R&H approach with their late 40s musicals, but it wasn't only existing masters who were influenced by the new approach. 1950 brought Guys & Dolls to Broadway, with Frank Loesser making his debut as a Broadway composer. Is it the best musical comedy ever written? It certainly belongs in the conversation, as we discuss in our episode on "Fugue for Tinhorns."
All clips are from a 1951's cast recording of Guys & Dolls: A Musical Fable of Broadway and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com
Recommended Reading/Viewing:
Ethan Mordden, Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theater (Mordden's other volumes are also excellent resources for more in-depth discussion)Broadway: The American Musical
There's something deeply symbolic -- perhaps almost too much so -- about the Golden Era of the American Musical being ushered in by a song called "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'." But sometimes history is not subtle in her imagery, so here we are. The opening number to Rodgers & Hammerstein's 1943 absolute smash hit and epochal achivement, Oklahoma!, "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" is modest and simple. And yet, it -- and the show it's from -- changed everything. Including ushering in the era of cast recordings, incidentally.
All clips are from a 1943's cast recording of Oklahoma! and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com
Recommended Reading/Viewing:
Ethan Mordden, Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theater (Mordden's other volumes are also excellent resources for more in-depth discussion)Broadway: The American Musical
Time marches on, and so does our exploration of the American musical's first century. In this episode, we say a bittersweet farewell to the musical comedy as it existed in the 20s and 30s, the era of the Great American Songbook, and the partnership of Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart. Join us as we discuss "My Funny Valentine" from 1937's Babes in Arms.
All clips are from a 1953's Chet Baker Sings and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Warning: This episode contains discussions of substance abuse and mental illness. Listener discretion is advised. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com
Recommended Reading/Viewing:
Rodgers & Hart reconsidered Rodgers & Hart's Dysfunctional Partnership Ethan Mordden, Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theater (Mordden's other volumes are also excellent resources for more in-depth discussion)Broadway: The American Musical
Stop 2 on our 100 year trip through the history of the American musical: 1935 and Porgy & Bess. With music by George Gershwin and lyrics by his brother Ira and original Porgy novelist Debose Heyward, Porgy & Bess was immediately hailed as a masterpiece when it debuted in 1935, though it has been troubled from the start by the question of whether it's too much of an opera to be a musical, and vice versa. As time has passed, the question of whether the piece is inherently racist has also risen and gotten more urgent. But the score remains as one of the great acheivements of the American theater, regardless of genre. In this episode, we discuss the iconic "Summertime" and Porgy & Bess.
All clips are from a 1935 recording of Abbie Mitchell, who originally sang "Summertime" in the first prodcution, and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Watch a modern operatic performance of "Summertime." George Gershwin introducing and conducting pieces from Porgy & Bess, including "Summertime." Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing
Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com Recommended Reading/Viewing:
George Gershwin in the New York Times about calling Porgy & Bess a "folk opera"
Sondheim's 2011 letter responding to an article about the most recent Broadway revival
Ethan Mordden, Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theater (Mordden's other volumes are also excellent resources for more in-depth discussion)
Broadway: The American Musical
Welcome to 2026, where we're going to go through the first 100 years of the American Musical from its earliest days until the present to track the changes along the way. As a musical once said, the beginning is a very good place to start, so we're starting with 1927's Showboat -- arguably the beginning of what we'd come to call the American Musical. Written by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II, Showboat brought a seriousness of topic and of purpose to the musical stage while still incorporating elements of what had gone before. It was the smash of its day, running for well over 500 performances -- unheard of at the time for musicals. In this episode, we discuss one of that show's most enduring songs, "Ol' Man River," and how the song and its theme is intimately connected to what made Showboat such a groundbreaking show.
All clips are from the 1936 film adaptation of Showboat faeturing Paul Robeson and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. N.B. This episode discusses matters of race and racism and alludes to racial slurs. Listener discretion is advised. Watch the scene from the film Listen to the original performer, Jules Bledsoe See Judy Garland performing the song in 1963 Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing
Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com Recommended Reading/Viewing: Ethan Mordden, Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theater (Mordden's other volumes are also excellent resources for more in-depth discussion)
Broadway: The American Musical
After another plague of delays, we finally complete our miniseries on aging with the darkest and most brutal depiction of it we've seen. Once again, we return to Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812 by Dave Malloy with "The Private and Intimate Life of the House." This isn't a fun one, so listen with care. We will be back on January 15, 2026 with something unlike we've ever done -- stay tuned! All clips are from 2017's Natasha, Pierre, and The Great Comet of 1812: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Gelsey Bell and Nicholas Belton and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. N.B. This episode was also plagued by some audio issues. It is entirely listenable, but it's a bit quiet at times. Management regrets the inconvenience. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify!
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Another grandmother joins us for this installment in our songs about aging, though Abuela Claudia isn't just anyone's grandmother, she is everyone's grandmother. Her solo "Patiencia Y Fe" is one of the standout moments in the standout score of Lin-Manuel Miranda's breakthrough show In the Heights, and Olga Merediz gives it everything she has. All clips are from 2008's In the Heights: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Olga Merediz and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com
We're back! We had an illness related delay, which was us being thematic, since illness is part of growing older...yeah, let's go with that. But we are back on track and here to talk about Stephen Schwartz's Pippin. In particular, we're looking at the 2012 revival and Andrea Martin's performance of "No Time at All." Definitely watch the performance for the full effect. You'll be glad you did. All clips are from 2013's Pippin: New Broadway Cast Recording featuring Andrea Martin and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Watch the Performance!
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Out with the new and in with the old! Yes, we're moving from songs about growing up to songs about the act of having grown up, i.e., songs about aging and growing old. We're starting with a song from a show we have been slightly remiss in having only discussed once way back in the early days of our podcast, despite its tremendous popularity and cultural impact. Join us as we talk about "Sunrise, Sunset" from Bock & Harnick's classic Fiddler on the Roof. All clips are from 1971's Fiddler on the Roof: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Recording featuring Topol, Norma Crane, and violinist Isaac Stern and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com
Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy podcast. After 5 years and 125 episodes, we're finally talking about one of the major smashes of the past decade: Pasek and Paul's Dear Evan Hansen. Winner of 6 Tonys -- including Best Actor for overnight sensation Ben Platt -- the show has had quite the interesting journey over the past couple of years. So join us as we talk about the DEH phenomenon, highlight the anthemic "You Will Be Found," and try to answer what, if anything, Evan learns as we close out this miniseries on bildungsromans.
All clips are from 2017's Dear Evan Hansen: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Ben Platt and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com
More bildungsroman! More childhood discovery! More tears! This time, it's Fun Home that's making us cry, based on Alison Bechdel's graphic novel of the same name. The musical is by Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Krohn and won the 2015 Tony for Best Musical and features the absolutely wondrous and devastating song "Ring of Keys." Buckle up!
All clips are from 2014's Fun Home: Original Cast Album featuring Syndey Lucas and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Watch the performance!
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Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com
Who here wants to cry at the innocence and fragility of childhood?! Well, ready or not, here we go, because this episode features "When I Grow Up" from Matilda: The Musical written by Tim Minchin. And it definitely enters then canon of "SMSTS episodes where one or both hosts audibly stifles tears." Enjoy!(?)
All clips are from 2011's Roald Dahl's Matilda: The Musical Original London Cast Recording and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Watch the performance!
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Merriam-Webster defines a bildungsroman as "a novel about the moral and psychological growth of the main character." Well, we're not talking novels, but musicals --but otherwise, that definition fits nicely for our next mini-series, featuring songs about young people growing up. First up, "13 (Becoming a Man)" the title song and opening number to Jason Robert Brown's anti-triskaidekaphobic work 13.
All clips are from 2008's 13: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Graham Phillips and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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Shannon and Erik (but mostly Shannon) are here to close out our miniseries on comic duets with "You and Me (But Mostly Me)" from The Book of Mormon, written by Matt Parker, Trey Stone, and Bobby Lopez. Erik, meanwhile, details his theory of comic characters and why, for him, a lot of this song falls flat.
All clips are from 2011's The Book of Mormon: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Andrew Rannells amd Josh God and Queen Latifah and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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What if a brilliant comic duet was also incredibly vulgar? Yes, we're talking "Class" from Kander & Ebb's Chicago, and we get into both why it was almost cut from the original production and why it was cut from the 2002 Oscar-winning film.
All clips are from 2002's Chicago: Music from the Miramax Motion Picture featuring Katherine Zeta-Jones and Queen Latifah and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
CONTENT WEARING: Lots of swears in this one. Blame Velma and Mama. Listener discretion advised.
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We're back again, and just in time for Pride Month (Happy Pride!), we're talking about one of the queerest songs ever to appear in a totally "straight" musical: "Bosom Buddies" from 1966's Mame, with music and lyrics by Jerry Herman. Join us as we talk about Broadway, bitchiness, and Bea.
All clips are from 1966's Mame: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Angela Lansbury and Bea Arthur and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
N.B. -- This episode appears late due for artistic reasons, not at all because the editor accidentally scheduled it to release in July. Nope, that definitely didn't happen.
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Watch Angela and Bea at the Tonys.
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A few days late, but we hope it's worth the wait: it's new miniseries time! This time, we're looking at comedic duets, and we start with one of the most iconic examples of the genre: "Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better" by Irving Berling from 1946's Annie Get Your Gun. We talk a lot about the show, the song, and why the latter seems destined to outlive the former.
All clips are from 1999's Annie Get Your Gun: The New Broadway Cast Recording featuring Bernadette Peters and Tom Wopat and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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Watch Reba crushing it.
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One final SondheimB-side before we depart. This time, we're looking at a show that's gone by many names, but has failed to make a huge impression under any of them. We're discussing at "Talent" from Road Show, aka Bounce aka Wise Guys. Never heard of it? You're not alone. N.B.: There is a very light swear in the song, at the very end. If you don't want your kids to hear it, just stop when we say goodbye.
All clips are from 2009's Road Show: Original Cast Recording featuring Claybourne Elder and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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We're talking The Frogs, perhaps the ultimate curio in the Sondheim canon. Originally staged at Yale as a side project during Sondheim's golden 70s, the show was eventually brought to Broadway in 2004 -- still the most recent Broadway debut for Sondheim -- by Nathan Lane, who expanded the original version and got Steve to write some new songs. Now a more recognizable work -- though still an off-beat one -- another major production is set for the London stage. But where do Shannon and Erik come down on this most peculiar of Sondheim shows? We discuss "It's Only a Play."
All clips are from 2004's The Frogs: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Nathan Lane and Peter Bartlett and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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Moving on with Sondheim B-Sides, we come to his very next show after Forum, namely the complete catastrophe that was Anyone Can Whistle. Co-written with Arthur Laurents, who also directed, the show was a massive flop, but it did give the world Broadway star Angela Lansbury, as well as an incredicle score. In this episode, we look at "With So Little To Be Sure Of," but not how it is in the show, necessarily. Curious? Listen and find out!
All clips are from the 2020 online concert event Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration featuring Brandon Uranowitz and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
Watch the performance!
Watch the entire concert!
Donate to ASTEP, the original concert's beneficiary!
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It is our annual tribuite to the God of Musical Theater, Stephen Sondheim, and for this year's festival we are exploring some songs of his from the shows that people rarely place among their favorites. The unloved, the ignored, the obscure, and the forgotten. Or, in this case, a show that many know, but doesn't tend to get thought of as a "Sondheim" show. It's time for a song from his first produced show writing both music and lyrics: "Comedy Tonight" from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.
All clips are from the 1996 revival cast recording of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum featuring Nathan Lane and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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Okay, don't panic! No, you've probably never heard of this song "The Field" -- or maybe even this show --Octet -- but what if I told you it was Dave Malloy's follow up to The Great Comet? And then what if I told you it was a weird chamber musical about internet addiction? Well, maybe listen to the episode anyway, and join us as we discuss the nature of Art, whether the internet is bad, and the fundamental nature of reality. Y'know, the stuff of musicals.
All clips are from the 2019 original cast recording of Octet and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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Our next ensemble song takes us to 1890s Germany via Broadway in 2006. Spring Awakening, with book and lyrics by Steven Sater and music by rocker Duncan Sheik, is based on an 1891 German play that explores many of the worst things that can occur to a person, especially during adolescence. Winner of 8 Tonys, the show speaks frankly about sexuality, abuse, and mental health, and while "The Song of Purple Summer" -- which we talk about in this episode -- doesn't address those issues directly, the show definitely does, as does our discussion. Listener discretion is very much advised: parents, talk to your kids before this one.
All clips are from the 2006 original cast recording of Spring Awakening and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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What's that I hear? Why, it's another ensemble song...but this one...is angry! Yes, for our next installement in our Ensemble Song miniseries, we're discussing "Do You Hear the People Sing?" from Les Miserables, by Claude-Michel Schoenberg, Alain Bubil, and Herbert Kretzmer. Opening in 1985 under the auspices of the Royal Shakespeare Company, the song has been a global phenomenon for 40 years. But is it any good? And why, exactly, are these men so angry?
All clips are from Les Miserables (Original 1985 London Cast Recording) and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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Time for another year and another new mini-series! This time, we're turning our spotlight onto the ensemble. From the Greek chorus to the modern Broadway ensemble, the act of a group of people singing together has often been a crucial part of theater. While we're not going to go all the way back to Ancient Greece, we are going to look at 4 examples of choral numbers in shows and the effect they have on their shows and their audiences.
First up, we're returning to an old favorite, 1957's The Music Man written by Meredith Wilson. One of the most enduring celebrations of Americana ever seen on the Broadway stage, the show isn't blind to the downsides of small town Iowa life. That is well illustrated by this episode's selection, "Pick-a-Little, Talk-a-Little."
All clips are from the 1962 soundtrack to the film The Music Man and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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For our holiday episode, we're turning our sights to a song written for television for the first time. This fall the internet went mad for a song with ample Broadway cred -- "The Ballad of the Witches' Road" from Agatha All Along. Let's talk about what made it such a hit, about its songwriters -- the formidable Bobby & Kristen Anderson Lopez -- and about Patti Lupone, of course.
All clips are from Music from Agatha All Along featuring Kathryn Hahn and the cast of Agatha All Along and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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After 20 years, there's finally an Elphaba on screen, and we're going to finish our Elphabae miniseries by talking about her. Buckle up as we talk Wicked the movie (Part 1), whther Cynthia Erivo will break "the Curse of the Elphabae," and what is either just a mid or a Top 10 "I want" song (depending on which cohost you are) -- "The Wizard and I."
All clips are from Wicked: The Soundtrack featuring Cynthia Erivo and Michelle Yeoh and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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We're back with another Elphaba, and this time they're singing a role essentially built for them! Except...well...join us as we talk the great Eden Espinosa and the show that maybe doesn't rise to her level: 2024's Lempicka. Written by Matt Gould and Carson Kreitzer, the show underwent a long workshop process before an ultiamtely unsuccessful Broadway run. We explore what went wrong, in our opinions, at least, as we discuss "Woman Is."
All clips are from the Lempica Original Broadway Cast Album featuring Eden Espinosa and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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Another episode, another Elphaba! This time, we're looking at Shoshana Bean, who was an Elphaba early on before leaving Broadway for over a decade and then finally returning to a string of well-received roles, even if she still hasn't found The One. Here she is singing one of the songs that brough her back, "Stars and the Moon" by Jason Robert Brown from his song cycle Songs for a New World. Enjoy!
All clips are from the Songs for a New World 2018 Encores! Off-Center Cast Recording featuring Shoshana Beanm and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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New miniseries time! This time, we're taking a slightly different approach, focusing on a set of linked performers instead of a set of linked songs. Specifically, we're looking at some of the women who've played the original Green Girl, Elphaba from Wicked. First up is Stephanie J. Block who arguably was the original Elphaba, just not on Broadway. We look at her career and why it hasn't been quite what it might have been while we talk about "The Writing on the Wall," the finale to The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Rupert Holmes. It's a lot, so buckle in.
All clips are from The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012 New Broadway Cast Recording) featuring Stephanie J. Block and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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Once again, we find ourselves back at Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, the show that we just can't escape, nor would we wish to. This time, we're finishing our miniseries on Second Act Openers with the excellent "Letters," where Dave Malloy crams so much content into only 6 minutes that we're almost left a little speechless. Almost.
All clips are from the 2013 Original Cast Recording of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 featuring Dave Malloy as Pierre, Phillipa Soo as Natasha, Gelsey Bell as Princess Mary, Lucas Steele as Anatole, and Manik Choksi as Dolokhov and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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Newsies! Yes, at long last, we are talking about one of the most beloved musicals ever to starts as a failed Disney movie. With music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Jack Feldman, Newsies could easily have just been a misbegotten offshoot of the Disney Renaissance, but it experienced a rebirth of its own, hitting Broadway in 2012. Join us as we talk about the process and about "King of New York," the song chosen to open the second act. All clips are from the 2012 Newsies Original Broadway Cast Album and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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We're back with another second act opener! This one combines impressive spectacle, plot recap, and a flexible yet catchy tune to ease the audience back into a world of high romance and melodrama. Join us as we discuss "Masquerade" from The Phantom of the Opera and how it does what it does very, very well. All clips are from the 1987 London Cast Album of Phantom of the Opera and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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As we begin our second hundred episodes, it's only fitting that we turn our attention to second-act openers. These songs often have to return the audience to the world of the show quickly and recast the spell the first act had woven. So, how do you do that? One answer is to give them a song and dance for the ages: this week we talk about "Who's Got the Pain?" from Damn Yankees, written by Adler and Ross, but made famous by Fosse and Verdon.
All clips are from the 1958 film version of Damn Yankees featuring Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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We conclude our 100th episode spectacular with 5 more songs that make us love the American musical. As a reminder, please email or message us with the 5 songs you would choose so we can make a Spotify playlist to share with everyone!
STOP READING to avoid getting spoiled for what's on this episode.
All clips are from, in order, Follies: New Broadway Cast Recording, Hamilton: An American Musical Original Broadway Cast Recording, 1776: Original Broadway Cast, Parade: 2023 Broadway Cast Recording, Evita: Original Broadway Cast and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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Yes, there are now 100 episodes of Shannon in New York City and Erik in Prague discussing the American Musical. To celebrate, we decided to each compile a list of 5 songs that, for us, represent what makes the musical the wonderful art form it is. The musical can do things that nothing else -- no other art form -- can do, and we think these songs illustrate that. In this episode, we discuss the first 5 of these songs -- our next episde will cover the other 5. We sincerely hope you enjoy and that you'll email or message us with the 5 songs you would choose.
NB: There will be a playlist of just the songs discussed in these two episodes included in the notes of the next episode to avoid spoiling anyone who wants the second half of the list to be a surprise. Also, STOP READING to avoid getting spoiled for what's on this episode. We also hope to make a playlist of your selections, so we can all share.
All clips are from, in order, Merrily We Roll Along: New Broadway Cast Recording, Guys & Dolls: Original Broadway Cast Recording, The Music Man: Original Broadway Cast, The Rink: Original Broadway Cast, Rent: Original Cast Album, and Into the Woods: A New Musical and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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We come to the conclusion of our miniseries of anthems, and we've saved one of the best for last. We're talking "I Am What I Am" from La Cage aux Folles, with music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, which became an anthem for LGBTQ Pride almost as soon as it was first sung in 1983.
All clips are from 2016's Trailblazer Honors events featuring Ginger Minj and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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From the hard work and determination of show business to the let it all hang out and just be spirirt of the hippie movement, our anthem series continues with "Aquarius" from Hair. Written by James Rado, Gerome Ragni, and Galt MacDermot, "Aquarius" become synonymous with the hippie movement with an assist from The Fifth Dimension. Be prepared for lots of talk of very bad astrology!
All clips are from 2009's Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical - The New Broadway Cast Recording and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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Anthem number two! This time, we're looking at an anthem for this business we call show: "There's No Business Like Show Business," written by Irving Berling for 1946's Annie Get Your Gun. While that's still a popular show, the song has definitely broken free and is now widely recognized as perhaps the definitive song about the ups and downs of a life lived on the stage. For this episode, we'll be discussing both the song, and Ethel Merman, who very much made it one of her signature songs, even though she wasn't the one who sang it in the show.
All clips are from 1972's Merman Sings Merman and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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Time for a new miniseries! This time, we're looking at songs originally from Broadway shows that found a greater life outside of them as anthems. Anthems of movements, times, places, industries -- Broadway has given us many anthems over the years. Arguably one of its earliest is one that everyone knows but may not know that it originated in a Broadway show: "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" by Y.E. Harburgh and Jay Gorney. The song, written for a 1932 revue called Americana appropriately enough, quickly became an anthem of the Great Depression and has maintained its status ever since. The NPR piece from 2008 mentioned on the episode The Kennedy Center resource for teachers about this song
All clips are from 2004's Broadway: The American Musical featuring Bing Crosby and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. (N.B.: Erik adores this documentary and strongly recommends it for anyone who wants to sounds smart about Broadway history.) Buy/stream the album on Amazon!
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Well, it's that time again -- time to say goodbye to Sondheim for another year. But we're going out with a wide-ranging and multi-faceted discussion of all things Merrily We Roll Along centered around one of the only purely happy songs in the show: "It's a Hit."
All clips are from 1982's Merrily We Roll Along: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Lonny Price as Charley Kringas, Jim Walton as Franklin Shepard, Ann Morrison as Mary Flynn, and Jason Alexander as Joe Josephson and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/stream the album on Amazon!
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For the first time in over 4 years and 90 episodes (!), we return to Merrily We Roll Along, Sondheim's greatest flop and now one of the biggest hits on Broadway. We'll looking at Merrily for our next two episodes, actually, since it has multiple songs that fit this miniseries quite nicely. First up, we have the Act 1 closing number, "Now You Know."
All clips are from 2023's Merrily We Roll Along: New Broadway Cast Recording featuring Daniel Radcliffe as Charley Kringas, Jonathan Groff as Franklin Shepard, and Lindsay Mendez as Mary Flynn and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/stream the album on Amazon!
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We're continuing our miniseries on Sondheim's conversation songs. This episode, we ask a very simple question: can a song simulataneously be about absolutely nothing and abosolutely everything? And we answer it with a resounding, "Yes," -- at least it can if the song is question is "Someone in a Tree" from Pacific Overtures. Join us as we try to pick apart the strands of this masterpiece and discuss Sondheim's favorite of his own songs.
All clips are from 1976's Pacific Overtures featuring Mako as the Reciter, James Dybas as the Old Man, Gedde Watanabe as the Boy, and Mary Hsu Syers as the Warrior and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Watch the original Broadway production of this song! Watch the Anatomy of a Song special from 1976!
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From "Waiting for Life" to "Waiting for the Girls Upstairs" -- it's Sondheim time once again. This year, we're focusing on conversation songs, a sub-genre Sondheim may have himself invented. We begin with the aforementioned octet (!) from 1971's Follies and talk about why this song may be the key to understanding the whole show. All clips are from 1985's Follies in Concert are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Note: the DVD does not include all of the songs in full, but is still an fascinating watch.
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We wrap up our miniseries on "I Wish" songs with "Waiting for Life" from Once on This Island by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty. Topics include whether being made into a tree is a good thing, The Little Mermaid, and whether Ahrens and Flaherty were the right fit for this source material. DW: This episdoe contains mentions of racism, sexual assault, and self-harm. Listener discretion is advised. All clips are from the 1990 Original Broadway Cast Recording of Once on This Island featuring LaChanze and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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And we're back again with another "I Want" song, but we're still in the 1970s. This time we're tackling The Wiz and it's end-of-show I want song, "Home." Topics include Stephanie Mills, Diana Ross, and why the 80s really, really sucked. Editor's Note: Yes, this episode sounds different. New computers, new set-ups, etc. We're still ironing out the kinks. Also, the original cast album is cuirrently out of print and not widely available for streaming, so, if you're the rights holder, fix that, please.
All clips are from the 1975 Original Broadway Cast Recording of The Wiz featuring Stephanie Mills as Dorothy and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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We're just getting started with I Want songs, and we're tackling another classic. This time, from 1972's Pippin, we're talking about "Corner of the Sky." We talk Stephen Schwartz, Bob Fosse, and where cats and children fit. Strap in. All clips are from the 1972 Original Broadway Cast Recording of Pippin featuring John Rubinstein as Pippin and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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We're back! We're starting our 5th year a little late, but as opinionated as ever! We're looking at "I want" songs here in 2024, and we're starting with one of the most famous and beloved examples: "Wouldn't It Be Loverly" from Lerner & Loewe's Golden Age classic My Fair Lady. But is it beloved by your intrepid hosts? Only one way to find out... All clips are from the 1956 Original Broadway Cast Recording of My Fair Lady featuring Julie Andrews as Eliza Doolittle and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
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Oh, it's a jolly holiday season here at So Much Stuff to Sing! This year, we're looking at one of the all-time great film musicals, Walt Disney's Mary Poppins. With songs written by Richard and Robert Sherman, and featuring seminal performances by Dick van Dyke, David Tomlinson, Glynnis Johns, and (in her film debut!) Julie Andrews, the film is both a landmark of cinema and a timeless masterpiece.
But what about its deeply anti-capitalist message? We'll get into that -- and more -- on this bonus-sized end of year episode. Programming note: we'll be on holiday ourselves until the middle of January. Have a very Mary (get it?) Christmas, a Happy New Year, and a wonderful holiday season! All clips are from the 1964 film Mary Poppins and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.
To round out our off-Broadway miniseries, Shannon and Erik take a look at "Beautiful" from the online hit Heathers: The Musical, and don't always like what they see. Are they just the wrong audience, or is this the wrong adaptation?
All clips are from 2014's Heathers: The Musical (World Premiere Cast Recording) featuring Barrett Wilbert Weed are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
PLEASE NOTE: In addition to discussions of sensitive topics such as gun violence, sexual assault, suicide, and eating disorders, this episode also includes clips from the show with language that some may find offensive.
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From one queer, cult, off-Broadway hit to the next, it's time for Stephen Trask and John Cameron Mitchell's Hedwig and the Angry Inch and what is arguably its thesis song: "The Origin of Love" Shannon is escited because of Eddie Izzard, and Erik is excited because of Plato.
All clips are from 1999's Hedwig and the Angry Inch: Original Cast Album featuring John Cameron Mitchell are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Happy Halloween, everyone! By sheer coicidence, our Off-Broadway miniseries timed up with spooky seaon, creating a wonderful synchronicity whereby our episde about "Science Fiction Double Feature" from The Rocky Horror Show is coming out just before Halloween. Wait...did you not know that Rocky Horror was a smash London and L.A. musical before becoming a movie? Well, grab a seat in the back row and listen...
All clips are from 1975's The Rocky Horror Picture Show: The Original Soundtrack featuring Richard O'Brien are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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We're back -- a little late -- but we come bearing a new miniseries! This time, we're heading off-Broadway to explore the wide range of shows and songs that fall under that collective banner. We start with one of the either best -- or least -- well-known musicals of all time, depending on which co-host you ask. Yes, it's 1960's The Fantasticks which ran off-Broadway for over four decades, becoming the longest running musical in the world. What do we think it was able to accomplish that feat, and what do we think of the show's most famous number, "Try to Remember?" Listenn to find out!
All clips are from 1960's The Fantasticks Original Off-Off-Broadway Cast Album featuring Jerry Orbach are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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We finish our miniseries on 11 o'clock numbers with one of the defining shows and numbers of Broadway's current era: "She Used to Be Mine" from Waitress. The discussion gievs us a chance to talk pop versus Broadway, how Sara Bareilles conquered Broadway, and proper theater etiquette. CW for discussions of domestic violence, abuse, and murder. All clips are from the 2019 video "Shoshana Bean Sings 'She Used to Be Mine' from WAITRESS" from Broadway.com's YouTube channel are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Watch the performance on YouTube!
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And now for something truly and genuinely completely different. Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori's Caroline, or Change first premiered on Broadway in 2004, and while the show wasn't a success either at the box office or the Tonys, it made an impact. Another recent Broadway production similarly failed to enflame the ticket-buying public, but it helped cement the show as something of a modern classic. Today, we discuss the musical's 11 o'clock number "Lot's Wife" to try to understand why. All clips are from 2021's Caroline, or Change The New Broadway Cast Recording featuring Sharon D. Clarke as Caroline and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Another 11 o'clock number, please! This time, we're talking 1950's Guys & Dolls, Frank Loesser, and Nicely-Nicely Johnson -- yes, it's time for everyone's favorite gangster revival number, "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat."
All clips are from 1992's Guys and Dolls: The New Broadway Cast Recording featuring Walter Bobbie as Nicely-Nicely Johnson and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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We're back and starting a brand new miniseries. This time, we're looking at the so-called "eleven o'clock number" in a vairety of its permutations. First up, we have an archetypal example of the genre -- "Fifty Percent" from 1978's Ballroom. Trust us, you may now know the show, but you need to know the song.
All clips are from 2022's A Strange Loop: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Jaquel Spivey as Usher and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Our final title song is also our most recent. We're back to Michael R. Jackson's A Strange Loop, which has opened -- and closed -- on Broadway since we last discussed it, but not without winning the Best Musical Tony.
All clips are from 2022's A Strange Loop: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Jaquel Spivey as Usher and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Another title song, and this time it's a title song that opens the show and sets up the rest of the show. We're talking about In the Heights again, exploring how Lin-Manuel Miranda uses its opening number to set up both the main characters and most of the plotlines that we need to know.
All clips are from 2021's In the Heights: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack featuring Anthony Ramos as Usnavi and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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We're continuing with our title songs miniseries, and we're back with Kander and Ebb for the first time in a while. This time, we're talking about "Kiss of the Spider Woman," and Shannon makes a shocking confession about this song.
All clips are from 1993's Kiss of the Spider Woman: The Musical - Original Cast Recording featuring Chita Rivera as Aurora and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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We're back with a new miniseries! We're tackling title songs over the course of the next four episodes, and we're starting with the one that you're probably thinking of already. We're back to Rodgers & Hammerstein, but we're starting with their first show together. It's the beginning of the Golden Age of musicals, and the moment everything changed for the art form: it's time for 1943's Oklahoma!.
All clips are from soundtrack to the 1955 film version of Oklahoma! featuring Gordon MacRae as Curly, Shirley Jones as Laurey, and the ensembles and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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It's the end of our annual Sondheim birthday celebration, and our last murder ballad. This episode, we're back with Assassins looking at "The Ballad of Guiteau." Charles Guiteau is a thorny historical figure, but Erik and Shannon do their best to try to make some sense of him, his song, and this entire show.
All clips are from Assassins: The 2022 Off-Broadway Cast Recording featuring Ethan Slater as The Balladeer and Will Swenson as Charles Guiteau and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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We're continuing our Sondheim birthday miniseries, this time focusing on his murder ballads, and we're moving on to a show that is dominated by murder ballads -- 1991's Assassins. Join us as we look at "The Ballad of Booth"and try to pick apart both this extremely rich song and the show's message.
Audio note: It was raining when we recorded this episode, and you will occasionally hear the rain striking Shannon's air conditioner. We hope it won't distract too much from your enjoyment of the episode. All clips are from the 1991 Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording of Assassins featuring Patrick Cassidy as The Balladeer and Victor Garber as John Wilkes Booth and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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To quote Shannon, "Murder! Murder! Murder!" Yes, we're carrying on with this year's Sondheim theme of murder ballads, and we're carrying on with Sweeney Todd. This episode, we discuss the sort of duet, but not really, "My Friends."
All clips are from the 2002 production of Sweeney Todd in Concert featuring George Hearne as Sweeney Todd and Patti Lupone as Mrs. Lovett and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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It's Sondheim time again -- the most wonderful time of the year here at SMSTS. This year, Shannon got her pick of themes, and she chose Sondheim's murder ballads. So, y'know, buckle up.
We're starting off with the opening of 1979's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street appropriately named "Prelude/The Ballad of Sweeney Todd."
Attend the tale.
All clips are from the 1979 Original Broadway Cast Recording of Sweeney Todd featuring Len Cariou as Sweeney Todd and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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We conclude our look at inspirational songs with "I Know Where I've Been" from Hairspray, the 2002 Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman musical based on the John Waters film of the same name. It's been a few years since we talked about the show's propulsive and endlessly optimistic closing number, so how does this song -- coming just before the final sequence and featuring a darker, if still optimistic tone -- sit within the show? And what's Erik's Grand Unified Theory of songs of inspiration? All clips are from the 2002 Original Broadway Cast Recording of Hairspray featuring Mary Bond Davis and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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We return to Annie, a show we last talked about a few years back with Miss Hanigan's delicious villain song. This time, however, we're taking a look at the show's signature tune --and one of the most recognizable musical theater songs of all time -- "Tomorrow." Is it inspirational or an example of what's wrong with America? Buckle up. All clips are from 1977's Annie - Original Braodway Cast Recording featuring Andrea McArdle and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Some great shows have a few mediocre songs, and some great songs come from otherwise mediocre shows. Such is the case with this episode's selection -- or is it? Join us as we continue our journey of inspiration with "The Impossible Dream (The Quest)" from Man of La Mancha. All clips are from 2002's Man of La Mancha: The New Broadway Cast Recording featuring Brian Stokes Mitchell and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Welcome to 2023! As we enter a new year, we could all do with some inspiration, so we're starting the year off with a miniseries of inspirational songs. First up, we look at The Sound of Music for the first time, with "Climb Ev'ry Mountain." The last Rodgers & Hammerstein collaboration, this 1959 musical is one of the best known and best loved of all Broadway -- and film -- musicals. All clips are from 2103's The Sound of Music: Music from the NBC Television Event and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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It's the most wonderful time of the year! For our third annual holiday special, we're being the rules a bit and looking at a festive movie musical -- namely, 1992's The Muppet Christmas Carol starring Michael Caine and the Muppets. We talk about the meloncholy air surrounding the making of the movie, the performances, and, of course, all of the songs written for the film by the great Paul Williams. Happy Holidays! See you in 2023! All clips are from 1992's The Muppet Christmas Carol: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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The second and final part of our look at songs that escaped the shows they were written for brings us to arguably one of the greatest songs never to be performed on Broadway -- "Meadowlark" from the ill-fated Stephen Schwartz musical The Baker's Wife. The show may be forgettable, but the song certainly is not.
All clips are from Lindsay Mendez's 2017 performance of "Meadowlark" at Feinstein's/54 Below and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
Watch Lindsay Mendez perform "Meadowlark" at 54 Below.
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And now for something completely different. We're embarking on a mini-mini-series: a 2-part look at songs that managed to have a life even if they shows they came from didn't. First up, it's "You've Got Possibilities" from the almost totally forgotten 1966 musical "It'sa Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman". A score by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams -- and production and direction by Hal Prince -- didn't save this show from being the biggest flop in Broadway history at the time, but somehow this song managed to find a place for itself. We discuss why.
All clips are from the 1966 Orignal Broadway Cast Recording of "It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman" featuring Linda Lavin and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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We conclude our tour of musical theater blindspots with Jason Robert Brown's 2014Â The Bridges of Madison County and the sweeping love duet "One Second and a Million Miles." Will Shannon persuade Erik that this score deserves to be known far and wide, or will his cold, stony heart be unmoved?
All clips are from the 2014 Orignal Broadway Cast Recording of The Bridges of Madison County featuring Steven Pasquale and Kelli O'Hara and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
We're trying to take care of musical theater blindspots, and this time it's Shannon's turn to introduce Erik to something new. So, how will he respond to "I Believe" from 2011's The Book of Mormon? Will he be converted, or will he slam the door in her face?
All clips are from the 2011 Original Broadway Cast Recording of The Book of Mormon featuring Andrew Rannells and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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We just couldn't stay away from the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Time Rice songbook as we cover our musical theater blind spots. This time, it's Evita with Patti Lupone singing "Don't Cry for Me Argentina." What will Shannon make of this truly strange show that she'd never experienced before?
All clips are from the 1978 Original Broadway Cast Recording of Evita featuring Patti Lupone and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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We're back after our brief end of summer hiatus, and we've got a new miniseries in store. We all have our blind spots -- shows that we feel as if we should know, but don't. In this miniseries, we're trying to clear up some of those blind spots -- 2 from each host -- and we're starting with a biggie. Join us as we talk about one of the greates roles in musical theater: yes, it's time for 1959's Gypsy and "Everything's Coming up Roses."
All clips are from the 2015 London Cast Recording of Gypsy featuring Imelda Staunton and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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We're back after our brief end of summer hiatus, and we've got a new miniseries in store. We all have our blind spots -- shows that we feel as if we should know, but don't. In this miniseries, we're trying to clear up some of those blind spots -- 2 from each host -- and we're starting with a biggie. Join us as we talk about one of the greates roles in musical theater: yes, it's time for 1959's Gypsy and "Everything's Coming up Roses."
All clips are from the 2015 London Cast Recording of Gypsy featuring Imelda Staunton and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Watch Imelda Staunton perform the song.
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To close out our look at the Broadway megamusical, we turn our attention to one of the most popular -- and controversial -- entries in the subgenre: Miss Saigon. Join us as we dicuss "I Still Believe" and the enduring debate about this show's depiction of its Vietnamese characters.
All clips are from the 1989 Original London Cast Recording of Miss Saigon featuring Lea Salonga and Claire Moore and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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For further reading:
"I Am Miss Saigon, and I Hate It" by Diep Tran
"The Battle of Miss Saigon: Yellowface, Art, and Opportunity" from the New York Times
Not all megamusicals were big hits -- not on Broadway, at least. This episode, we look at one of the most infamous and enduring of the failed London to Broadway transfers: Chess. The score, by Time Rice, Benny Andersson, and Bjorn Ulvaeus, has endured, however, powered by such pop hits as "Nobody's Side."
All clips are from the 1988 Original Broadway Cast Recording of Chess featuring Judy Kuhn and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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The undisputed king of the megamusical, Andrew Lloyd Webber, is back with his biggest hit, and one of the biggest hits in musical theater history: The Phantom of the Opera.
This episode we discuss the title song, our history with the show in general, and the sequel that never really caught on.
All clips are from the 1986 Original London Cast Recording of The Phantom of the Opera featuring Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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MAKE IT BIGGER! That was the refrain in the 80s on the West End and Broadway, and we're looking at some of the highlights of the megamusical era in our new miniseries.
We begin with the show that arguably started it all -- Andrew Lloyd's Webber's 1981 phenomenon, Cats. Join us, won't you, as we discuss "Prologue: Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats."
All clips are from the 1981 Original London Cast Recording of Cats and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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We conclude our series on seduction songs with a trip down to 2019's Hadestown --written by Anaïs Mitchell and developed and directed by Rachel Chavkin -- to discuss "Hey, Little Songbird."
All clips are from the 2019 Original Broadway Cast Recording of Hadestown featuring Patrick Page as Hades and Eva Noblezada as Eurydice are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Our seduction song cycle moves to Moscow as we revisit a perennial favorite, Dave Malloy's Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 and one of that show's standout moments -- "Charming."
All clips are from the 2017 original Broadway cast recording of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 featuring Amber Gray as Helene and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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We continue our run of seduction songs with a return to one of the first shows we ever covered: Chicago. This time, we're looking at Billy Flynn's "Razzle Dazzle," a song that's both darker and slower than you may remember.
All clips are from the 1975 original Broadway cast recording of Chicago featuring Jerry Orbach as Billy Flynn and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Hey, big spender! Spend a little time with Erik & Shannon as they begin a new miniseries, featuring songs of seduction. We begin with one of the most blatant come-ons ever staged for Broadway, "Big Spender" from 1966's Sweet Charity.
All clips are from the 1966 original Broadway cast recording of Sweet Charity and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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We conclude our journey through Into the Woods with The Baker's Wife's moving and profound exploration of the meaning of life, "Moments in the Woods."
All clips are from the 1987 original cast recording of Into the Woods featuring Joanna Gleason as the Baker's Wife and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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After a brief break, we are back with our annual Sondheim series featuring the "I know now" songs from Into the Woods.
This time, we look at one of the most challenging and daunting songs from the show, Cinderella's big moment "On the Steps of the Palace."
All clips are from the 1987 original cast recording of Into the Woods featuring Kim Crosby as Cinderalla and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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We continue our annual Stephen Sondheim celebration with a discussion of "Giants in the Sky," as we go deeper Into the Woods and look at what our chracters are learning.
All clips are from the 1987 original cast recording of Into the Woods featuring Ben Wright and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon!
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In honor of the upcoming anniversary of his birthday, we are beginning our third annual Stephen Sondheim miniseries. This time, we are focusing on four of the songs from Into the Woods, perhaps his most accessible and most popular show.
In our first episode, we discuss Little Red's song "I Know Things Now" and talk about how it connects with the many themes running through the show.
All clips are from the 1987 original cast recording of Into the Woods featuring Danielle Ferland and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon!
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We've come to the end of our quick tour through breakout performances, but we've saved one of the best for last. This episode, we're discussing Cynthia Erivo's truly breathtaking arrival on the scene, with "I'm Here" from the 2015 revival of The Color Purple.
All clips are from the 2016's The Color Purple New Broadway Cast Recording featuring Cynthia Erivo and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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After a brief detour, we've returned to our miniseries on star-making performances. This time, we're talking about Sutton Foster's breakout role in 2002's Thoroughly Modern Millie, and her signature number "Gimme Gimme."
All clips are from the 2002's Thoroughly Modern Millie Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Sutton Foster and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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And now for something competely different! Join us as we discuss the Documentary Now episode "Original Cast Album: Co-op" and talk about the songs, the jokes, and how it compares to Original Cast Album: Company.
We also talk about the recent loss of Stephen Sondheim.
All clips are from the Original Cast Album Co-op TV Soundtrack and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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It's time...for Barbra. Before she was an icon and a legend, she was a featured performer in 1962's I Can Get It For You Wholesale, stealing the show singing "Miss Marmelstein." We talk about what makes Barbra such an icon, and she almost wasn't cast in the show.
All clips are from the 1962 I Can Get It for You Wholesale: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Barbra Streisand and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Join us as we begin our next miniseries, this time talking about unknowns who were turned into megastars, practically overnight, and the songs that made it happen. Our first shooting star is one of the grandest of Broadway grand dames, the utterly unique Ethel Merman, and her first Broadway showstopper, "I Got Rhythm" by George and Ira Gershwin, from 1930's Girl Crazy.
Since 1930 was before the age of the cast album, all clips are from the 1949 album Ehtel Merman: Songs She Has Made Famous featuring Ethel Merman are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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It's time to alza la bandera as we conclude our dance number miniseries with "Carnaval del Barrio" from In the Heights written, of course, by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Full of of humor, love, and life, this song charms even Erik's cold, cold heart. Plus, we have another grand unifying theory!
All clips are from the 2008 Original Broadway Cast album with Andréa Burns as Daniela and Lin-Manuel Miranda as Usnavi and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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We're dancing for our jobs and our lives as we enter The Chorus Line and it's powerful finale "One." Another Pulitzer Prize winner, A Chorus Line is one of Broadway's most famous and greatest success stories, and "One" is arguably its most iconic song.
All clips are from the 1975 Original Broadway Cast album and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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We're dancing as if our jobs depended on it as we continue our jaunt through some iconic production numbers. This time we're talking about Frank Loesser's Pulitzer Prize winner How to Succeed in Business... and "Brotherhood of Man." But make way, boys -- Lillias White is coming to steal the show.
All clips are from the 1995 Broadway Revival Cast album with Matthew Broderick as Finch and Lillias White as Miss Jones and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Everybody on stage for the big dance number! Yes, for our next miniseries, we are looking at some of Broadway's most iconic production numbers, starting with 1964's "Hello Dolly!" from...yes, you guessed it, Hello Dolly! We talk about the alchemy that this show captured and how it's the quintessence of a certain kind of Broadway show.
All clips are from the 1964 Original Broadway Cast album with Carol Channing as Dolly Levi and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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We conclude our series on vocal damage with the most iconic song of Broadway's past 20 years: "Defying Gravity" from Wicked. We talk about its reception, its influence, and whether it does more harm than good.
All clips are from the 2003 Original Broadway Cast album with Idina Menzel as Elpheba and Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Wlecome to the 80s megamusical and its child, the power ballad! This episode, we discuss "I Dreamed a Dream" from one of the biggest hits of all time, Les Miserables by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg. In addition to talking about our feelings about the show generally (spoiler: it's complicated), this is also our first chance to talk about the legend herself, Patti Lupone.
All clips are from the 1985 Original London Cast Recording with Patti Lupone as Fantine and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Enter the Belters. As we continue look at vocal showpieces, we move into the 1980s to look at Dreamgirls and Jennifer Holliday's extraordinary performance of "And I Am Telling You (I'm Not Going." 40 years after it debuted on Broadway, this song is still synonymous both with Holliday and with singers who want to show they can be big and soulful. Even if they can't.
All clips are from the 1982 Original Broadway Cast Album with Jennifer Holliday as Effie White and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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We start off what we are affectionately calling our "Vocal Damage" miniseries with one of the greatest soprano showpieces every written for the Broadway stage: "Glitter and Be Gay" from Leonard Bernstein's 1956 comic operetta Candide. The piece is (in)famous for being hard in just about every way a song can be hard, and is most commonly performed today by opera singers.
All clips are from the 1956 Original Broadway Cast Recording with Barbara Cook as Cunegonde and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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We conclude our miniseries on soliloquy songs with one of Shannon's favorites: "How Can I Call This Home?" from Jason Robert Brown's 1998 show Parade. Parade is about an especially dark event in 20th century history; listener discretion is advised.
All clips are from the 1999 Original Broadway Cast Recording with Brent Carver as Leo Frank and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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After 33 episodes, we finally come to the second of the twin pillars of modern musical theater: Andrew Lloyd Webber. Specifcially, we talk about "Gethsemane," Jesus's anguished scream of a song from Jesus Christ Superstar. Do we have strong opinions? Oh, you bet we do!
All clips are from the 1973 soundtrack of the film version with Ted Neeley as Jesus and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Willlkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome! We continue our exploration of songs that reveal character with the title song from 1966's Kander & Ebb classic Cabaret. Who is Sally Bowles, what does she want, and how are we meant to feel about her? All this, plus the Kennedy Center Honors!
All clips are from the 1966 Original Broadway Cast recording with Jill Haworth as Sally Bowles and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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We begin a new miniseries, focusing on character songs -- those moments when the spotlight falls on a single character and we get a chance to look inside their heart and soul. Fittingly enough, we're beginning with "Soliloquy," the centerpiece aria from Rodgers & Hammerstein's classic Carousel.
All clips are from the 2018 revival recording featuring Joshua Henry as Billy Bigelow and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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We complete our second annual Sondheim miniseries by looking at "Unworthy of Your Love," the troubling pastiche of 70s love duets from Assassins, one of the most unsettling musicals ever produced. It's more fun than it sounds like!
All clips are from the 2004 Broadway Cast Recording featuring Alexander Gemignani and Mary Catherine Garrison and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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"Please Hello" is from the neglected Sondheim masterpiece Pacific Overtures and is one of the wildest, funniest, and most complicated songs we've ever covered--and maybe one of the best?
Learn more about the Asian American Arts Alliance.
All clips are from the 1976 Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Yuki Shimoda, James Dybas, Ernest Harada, Alvin Ing, Patrick Kinser-Lau, Mark Hsu Syers, and Mako and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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As we continue our annual Sondheim-a-palooza, this time focusing on his pastiche numbers, we come to "Losing My Mind" from Follies. This challening and deeply beautiful show is celebrating its 50th anniversary and seems as powerful as ever. Join Erik and Shannon as they try to figure out why this beatiful, simple song is such a gut punch.
All clips are from the (sadly truncated) 1971 Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Dorothy Collins and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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It's the most Sondheim-ful time of the year! In honor of The Great One's birthday, it's time for another Sondheim mini-series. This time, we'll be tackling a few of our favorite pastiche songs from his shows, starting with "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" from Company. We talk about the hidden rage of The Andrews Sisters, the correct pronunciation of "bubbe," and those lyrics.
All clips are from the1970 Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Donna McKechnie, Susan Browning, and Pamela Myers and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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For the first time, we are revisiting a show! Yes, to finish off our mini-series of love duets, we are talking about "Pierre & Natasha" from Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, which we last talked about over a year ago, when the world was a different place. Be prepared: this is essentially us doling out rapturous praise for about 40 minutes.
All clips are from the 2013 off-Broadway cast album featuring Dave Malloy and Phillipa Soo and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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We tackle the importance of re-interpretation this episode as we discuss the 2019 Pasadena Playhouse production of Little Shop of Horrors and that show's best known song, "Suddenly Seymour." What do George Salazar and Mj Rodriguez do to make the song their own, and how fo Erik and Shannon feel about it? Listen now and find out!
All clips are from the pair's 2019 appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
Unfortunately, there's no cast album for this production. Womp.
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This episode, we talk about "Wheels of a Dream" from 1997's Ragtime as we continue our miniseries on love duets. Audra McDonald and Brian Stokes Mitchell made this song iconic, and the pair discuss both their performances and the song's role in the show overall. But be warned: Erik drops a bombshell in this one.
All clips are from the 1991 Original Broadway Cast Recording are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Welcome to 2021 and a new miniseries! We're looking at love duets, and we're beginning with "Yours, Yours, Yours" from 1776, the musical about the American Revolution that isn't Hamilton. This show is one of Erik's beloved favorites, and Shannon was completely unfamiliar--did he convince her to love it the way John and Abigail Adams love each other? Or did she declare her aesthetic independence?
All clips are from the 1972 recording of the film score and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Join us as we take a tour through 4--yes 4--holiday classics that have been in Broadway shows! We get super sappy! Happy Holidays!!!
All clips are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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No new episode today, but we'll be back with a holiday extravaganza on December 15th!
Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify.
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We conclude our mini-arc of classic comic turns with "Popular" from Stephen Schwartz's 2003 mega-blockbuster Wicked. Shannon defends her theatre-going choices, Erik creates a new rule, and the pair discuss the patriarchy. Because of course.
All clips are from the 2003 Original Broadway Cast album and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Some shows become classics. Some vanish without a trace. Some, however, fade with the exception of one stand-out song. Such is the case of "Everybody's Girl" from Kander & Ebb's 1997 show Steel Pier. Join Erik and Shannon as they discuss this song that defines fun, sassy, and bawdy.
All clips are from the 1997 Original Broadway Cast album and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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No, we're not talking about that song, but we ARE talking about 1977's Annie--specifically Miss Hannigan's great comic solo "Little Girls." Learn the source of Shannon's complicated relationship with the show and hear Erik explain grammar.
All clips are from the 1977 New Broadway Cast Recording and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Everything sucks, and the world is on fire, so let's at least have some fun with our show tunes! That's Erik and Shannon's approach, at least, as they begin a miniseries of classic comic turns, beginning with "Adelaide's Lament" from Frank Loesser's 1950 classic Guys and Dolls.
All clips are from the 1992 New Broadway Cast Recording and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Shannon and Erik conclude their trek through Pulizer Prince winning musicals with a song from the most recent entrant to that club: "Inner White Girl" from Michael R. Jackson's A Strange Loop. If you're anything like Erik, you may not know this 2019 show at all, some come along and discover something special.
Please note: there was all sorts of audio weirdness with this one, so the quality may be a little annoying at times to audiophiles. Management regrets the error and will do better next time.
All clips are from the 2019 Original Cast Recording and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Shannon and Erik continue their miniseries on selected Pulitzer Prize-winning musicals with a song called "Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)" from something called...Hamilton? Maybe you've heard of it? Erik says things that will make the internet hate him, and Shannon shares her experience of waiting to see the show because it was going to be "cheaper on Broadway."
All clips are from the 2015 Original Broadway Cast Recording and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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After a technologically induced hiatus, Shannon and Erik are back talking Pulitzer winners. In this case, the mega-smash Rent and its joyous Act I closer, "La Vie Boheme." Does Benny get a bad rap? Is Shannon a Roger or a Mark? And what, exactly, was gay.com?
The main clip is from the 1996 Original Broadway Cast Recording. All clips are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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New miniseries time! This time, we're covering a quartet of songs from Pulitzer Prize-winning musicals, starting with one of the few Broadway songs of the 1940s about racism: "You've Got to Be Carefully" taught from 1949's South Pacific. All that, plus it's the first song by Rodgers & Hammerstein covered on the show, so there's plenty to discuss!
The main clip is from the 1949 Original Broadway Cast Recording. All clips are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Erik and Shannon complete their exploration of Sondheim's Act One finales by going...yes...Into the Woods and talking about "Ever After." They occasionally wander from the path, though, because that's where the prettiest flowers are. Apologies for Erik's voice in these past few episodes: he'd apparently swallowed a frog on recording day.
All clips are from the 1988 Original Broadway Cast Recording and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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After an opening statement about #BlackLivesMatter and some items we encourage you to read, Erik and Shannon move on to discussing "Sunday" from Sunday in the Park with George, the first of Sondheim's works with James Lapine. While holding back tears, they argue whether lyrics are poetry, ponder the big questions about art, and try to get at what makes this song transcendent.
All clips are from the 1984 Original Broadway Cast Recording and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
We See You, White American Theater
What I Think About When I Hear That Broadway is Racist
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As we continue our journey through Sondheim's Act 1 closers, we come to "A Little Priest," from the Sondheim of Shannon's heart, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. But does Erik feel the same way, or will he be thrown into the grinder?
All clips are from the 2005 Broadway Revival Cast and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Get ready for some conflict over, of all things, "A Weekend in the Country" from Stephen Sondheim and Hal Prince's A Little Night Music as we begin out next arc, focusing on Act 1 finales from Sondheim shows. It's gonna be quite a ride!
All clips are from the 1973 Original Broadway Cast Recording and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Shannon and Erik conclude their first foray into closing numbers with the final song from Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years "Goodbye Until Tomorrow / I Could Never Rescue You." They talk about beginnings in endings, endings in beginnings, and being young and stupid.
All clips are from the 2015 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (take it up with Shannon!) and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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In this episode we move from the imagined, candy-colored early 60s to the real, tumultuous, "hairy" late 60s.
Shannon and Erik continue their mini-series on closing numbers with "The Flesh Failures (Let the Sunshine In)" from the landmark 1968 musical Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical. Yes, that is its full title.
All clips are from the 1968 Broadway Cast Recording and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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But, what if I want to stop the beat? Turns out, it can't be done! Join Shannon and Erik as they continue their mini-series on closing number and ride the rocket ship that is "You Can't Stop the Beat" from 2002's Hairspray. Along the way, they talk about integration, staggered breathing, and smashing the patriarchy--all while dancing crazy! (Not really.)
All clips are from the 2002 Broadway Cast Recording and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Wait...so, are you saying that anything goes? Erik and Shannon find themselves on an ocean liner in the 1930s as they begin their cycle of closing numbers with Cole Porter's "Anything Goes" from the show of the same name. As they try not to sound condescending about a show that is just FUN, they discuss Sutton Foster's vowels, Erik talks about how he stopped worrying and learned to love tap, and Shannon throws serious shade.
All clips are from the 2011 Broadway Cast Recording and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Next stop, River City, Iowa! Erik and Shannon head to the American Midwest in the the early part of the 20th Century to discuss "Rock Island," the bizarre and wonderful opening number from Meredith Wilson's perennial favorite The Music Man. Station stops include Erik's origin story, Shannon's love of trains, and a lot of talk of cracker barrels.
All clips are from the Original Broadway Cast Recording and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Welcome, welcome to Moscow! Erik and Shannon visit Russia during the Napoleonic Wars for Dave Malloy's Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 and its sly, sarcastic opening number, "Prologue." Along the way, they discuss complicated Russian novels, classical sculpture, and "the opera."
All clips are from the Original Cast Recording and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Erik and Shannon voyage to Anatevka to discuss the opening number to end all opening numbers: "Tradition" from Fiddler on the Roof by Bock & Harnick. There is much love for sad dancing, Zero Mostel, and, well, tradition.
All clips are from the Original Broadway Cast Recording and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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Shannon and Erik begin their exploration of opening numbers with a shocking, sexy, and seedy cry of liberation: "All That Jazz," from the Kander & Ebb classic Chicago, touching on Fosse, Verdon, and Chita...always Chita.
All clips are from the Original Broadway Cast Recording, and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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(Apologies for Erik's audio. He has since been rescued from the bottom of the well he recorded from.)
Join Erik and Shannon as they embark on a new podcast about the American musical. In their first episode, they discuss "Our Time" from the Stephen Sondheim classic/flop Merrily We Roll Along.
All clips are from the Original Broadway Cast Recording, and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.
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