I believe that "Oklahoma!" was the very first musical i ever saw. I remember my parents taking our family to go see a touring production of "42nd Street" when it came to Tokyo. You always have a soft spot for your first don't you? the innocence, the joy of the romance, and yes - even the title song...they are all reasons that I love the show "Oklahoma!" I was a freshman in High School when I first saw it - and it was being performed by the choir and the members of band were given the chance to play the overture, then sit for the next two hours while the show went on. During those two hours, I heard the music and got to know the guy who was playing Jud. Probably one of my first show-crushes.
So, for closing night of the recent production of "Oklahoma!" at Lakeshore, I decided to follow my instinct and burn a cd for the cast. Every one got one along with a card. It was tough to put together as I love the show, love the cast, and as I've written elsewhere - it was one of the best theatre experiences i've had so far. It was the longest run I've done, and there was something in the chemistry that made it as amazing and meaningfull to me as it was. I think I teared up a couple times during the show - and know I was crying during the curtain call. It didn't help that the director was in the front row crying, leading the standing ovation (my first), and that we the cast were applauding her.
That being written - the cd is a combination of songs that I listened to on the way to rehearsal, during warm-up, and songs/artists that i think need to be shared. Here you go:
1) Beautiful - Cast of Glee
I had just finished watching the episode that this was on (thanks Hulu). I know that there are cast members who are fans of Glee and I thought it would be a good version - on top of the fact that I'm a fan of good cover versions. Now, the real reason I chose this song as an intro (remember bookends?) is this. I do my best on a daily basis to find something beautiful about the people I see. I do firmly believe that we are all beautiful - for some of us that beauty is manifested physically, others it is manifested spiritually or with a beautiful personality. I hope that every day you can wake up, look in the mirror and tell yourself that you are beautiful - because you are. In my viewpoint, you are a creation of God...and while God certainly has a sense of humor, He does NOT create things that do not please Him. And if you are pleasing to God, you are beautiful - right?
2) I Can't Say No - Poe
I recently found a mix-disc that I made years ago and this song was on it. I think it is a fun version, and how could I not include at least one song from the show? Even if it is a dance version ;-)
3) The Pop Singer's Fear of the Pollen Count - The Divine Comedy
The Divine Comedy is a band I discovered years ago and really really love. Neil Hannon - the lead singer - has a great voice and I think his lyrics are just fun and very smart. I try to put a Divine Comedy song on every one of my mix-discs as I think more people should know them. On top of that, we started rehearsal in March (?) and worked all the way through spring, early summer, and there were colds and allergies going around. How could I NOT include a song about Hay Fever?
4) Sing - Pink Martini
This is just a classic song. I love the version by The Carpenters, the version by Kristin Chenoweth, and really - all versions. I think we all grew up singing this song as kids right? (at least i remember singing it in elementary) The cast all had great singing voices and should sing more often - and really, we were doing a musical...
5) Don't Be Afraid - John Starkey
John Starkey is an artist that I used to see perform weekly down at Jitters. This specific song for me has a lot of memories. They used to close their gigs with a very up-tempo version of this song that ended with John and his two back-up singers singing "Everythings gonna be alright." At the end of a show, I think it is a good thing to remember (heck, even at the start of a run, or a performance) "don't be afraid, everything is going to be alright" It is the cock-eyed optimist in me.
6) Gravity - Sonos
Sonos is a band that was on an instore play disc at Barnes & Noble. As I wrote earlier, I like cover versions. On top of that, I also really like vocal accapella music. "Something always brings me back to you" - totally my feelings about me and live theatre. On top of that, singing along to Sonos on the way to rehearsal was a great way to warm up the voice.
7) Beat My Dog - Audra McDonald
There are very few voices or performers that I think can do no wrong. Three Tony Awards by the time she was 28? wow!! And her first Tony award was for her role in "Carousel" so there is a R/H connection. This song is just fun, fun, fun. And of course, the message of no matter what you do - I love you. I also really like the very simple accompaniment. Finally, it is a good intro to the next set of songs...
8) And Then You're Gone - Pink Martini
A very good story song, from a very fun band. Pink Martini is another one of those bands that I first heard at Barnes & Noble. I've heard a couple of their albums and I really like their style. They do a good mix of jazz and international songs all w/ a very nice style. So, ladies first (of course) and next up...
9) But Now I'm Back - Pink Martini
The guy's response. My favorite part is the background singers. The swing sound - old sound but new at the same time.
10) See What I Want To See - Audra McDonald
From a musical version of "Rashomon" by Michael John LaChiusa. The original cast recording of this song was sung by Idina Menzel. Stylistically similar to the past two songs - and lyrically...perfect. I see what I want to see, I know what I want to know. In my book, this is looking for the beauty in people, looking for the good, knowing the good and remembering the good times. (I hope I don't sound like a pollyanna - I do see the truth, and have been hurt - but why focus on the bad?)
11) You'll Never Walk Alone - Robin S.
Yes, one of my all time favorite R/H songs. But I'm sure you've never heard it like this before. Nothing like a good big dance beat in the middle of a mix-disc. And again there is that sense of hope. Hold your head up high, Don't be afraid, Walk on and you'll never walk alone. And part of the reason you can hold your head up high and not be afraid is because you are beautiful and wonderful.
12) I want you back - Sono
Another great vocal warm-up track. It is also a really good song to come after a dance track. It is soulfull, fun, and vocally interesting.
13) Someone To Fall Back On - Jason Robert Brown
I love JRB. I think the shows he writes are great musically and story wise. I also think that the songs he writes outside of shows are also very very good. This is one of those songs. I think this song also applies to my life - or has at times, like it probably has to a lot of us. Times when you really like someone, but realize that they will never return the feeling or the affection. In times like this you realize that while you may not be able to be THAT person, you are willing to be there as a back-up. Not really a back-up I guess, or maybe not only a back-up - maybe as support. His songs make me think obviously - and there is something about his music that I can relate to. My final words on this are these: I understand and realize that i do not have those leading man looks. I've always been the cute one - all the time growing up I was cute. I was never hot (and this isn't about looks necessarily). I never got leading roles - even when I was in almost every show in High School I always got the character role. All the way through college I had one leading role...in a one act. But I will always be there for those I love and care for. And sometimes after writing all of that out I think..
14) My Stupid Mouth - Audra McDonald
yeah, it is another cover song...but it say so much. We've all been there (sometimes in dressing rooms) where things come out of our mouth and we have no idea why we said it. And it is Audra McDonald so you can't go wrong. And this is the start of a bit of a Broadway Diva section.
15) The Beauty Is - Kelli O'Hara
Kelli is another singer who can really do no wrong. This is from "Light in the Piazza" by Adam Guettel. Adam is another composer who I feel attached to his music somehow. There is usually a sense of want or desire to his music - but it is a desire for something unkown. Think of "Something's Coming" from West Side Story - a lot of his songs have that feel to them. I picked this song because I like the opening line, I love the show - and the message again is perfect for what I'm trying to say. "I'm as far away from home as I can be, and the beauty is that I still meet people I know" No matter what show you do, or what theatre you work at, or what job you work at - you will always meet people you know....in the bigger sense. You'll make friends, you have similarities with those you associate with. I think this applies more so in theatre because as actors/singers/dancers we all share a common knowledge, a common bond. It is easy to walk into a space, your first rehearsal, an audition - and you know what you are doing and everyone else knows the same thing. (does that make sense?) In the bigger picture you could see the thought being that we are all people - yeah, we may look a bit different, speak a different language, have different ways of decorating ourselves - but inside we are all the same. We are beautiful and wonderful.
16) Somewhere - Audra McDonald
17) How Glory Goes - Audra McDonald
I love how these two songs fit so well together musicallly and lyrically. In the bigger picture they fit together as well. "Somewhere" was written by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Sondheim learned his trade and was mentored by Oscar Hammerstein. Hammerstein and Rodgers wrote together...Richard Rodgers was the grandfather of Adam Guettel who wrote a little show called "Floyd Collins." The song "How Glory Goes" is from that show. It is the story of a man who gets caught in a cave, trapped under a fallen ceiling of sand and he can't move. His brother knows he is there and can see him, but they can do nothing to save him. This is his final song from the show - he is wondering what heaven is like. I think the song is amazing and beautiful - and Audra does right by it. I don't really have much to say about "Somewhere" except that it is a song of hope...
18) Fire And Rain - Kelli O'Hara
I figured if I put Audra on here doing a cover song, I should put Kelli on here doing a cover song as well. On top of that, it is one of my all time favorite songs. If you've seen the movie "Running on Empty" you'll know part of why I love this song so much. It also reminds me of those people I love who left suddenly, or were taken away suddenly. I think that we all have situations that this song could apply to - but I don't want to get sad or morose. I just want to hear a good song, think about my dear friends, and hope/know that I will see them again.
19) Hero and Leander - Adam Guettel
Again, if I'm going to put JRB on here singing his own song, I'm going to let Adam Guettel sing one of his as well. This is from a really interesting concert piece that he wrote called "Saturn Returns." Guettel found a very old hymnal and re-worked some of the hymns. He then put them together with original songs based on various myths. The story of Hero and Leander is interesting. "I need you, I need the rise and fall of your voice" - I hope we've all been in that situation. Passion for someone - not necessarily a physical passion, but being passionate about getting to know someone, working with someone. Toward the end of a run of a show, I did need and love the cast. Having a show to do gave me a 'love to rejoice' and have the show gave me a need, and fulfilled a need. I needed to do those steps, I needed to sing those songs, to interact with those beautiful, wonderful amazing actors i shared the stage with.
20) I Double Dare You - Audra McDonald
I posted this song at least once on facebook. At the time I wrote that I was double daring the audience to come see the show and NOT fall in love with it, or with us. At the same time I posted it for some very specific reasons - personal reasons. I think we should all be in a good place where we know that we are amazing people and we should double dare someone to fall in love with us. On top of that, I think this song is to all genders for all genders from all genders. Love is love - it doesn't have to be anything beyond that. I firmly believe that if we were all more affectionate with each other (regardless of gender) life would be so much better. There is absolutely nothing wrong with me standing next to someone and having my arm around them - especially if we are friends. This is something I thought about for a long time and it was really brought to the forefront of my thought when I spent a month in Uganda. There and in a lot of other Middle Eastern countries, men will walk down the road holding hands. Women will do the same. (of course, it is rare to see a man and a woman hold hands but that is the culture there). There is something important about touch that I think we have really lost here in the US. When I was in Uganda, I stayed and got to know a family. They taught me that there, it isn't about the strength of the handshake, it is about the touch. When last I saw Alex, he was here in the States touring with a show he had written. He and I stood and talked for about five minutes all the while holding hands - it showed the friendship we had, and the relationship and the affection we had for each other. So - I double dare you to come over here, and to sit close, to be my friend, to take my hand - and to let me take yours.
21) Home - Glee cast w/ Kristin Chenowith
This is one bookend. I started with the Glee cast and am closing (sort of) with the Glee cast. This song is amazing! It is a song from the show "The Wiz." Stephanie Mills originally played Dorothy on Broadway, and Diana Ross played her in the movie. If you haven't seen the movie you need to - Nipsy Russell, Diana Ross, and the late Richard Pryor, Lena Horne, and Michael Jackson. Doing a show makes a theatre a home - and Lakeshore is a home for me. I've done two shows there already and it is comfortable. I feel like I know the house well, I know the stage really well, and it is a place filled with love and affection. To some extent, all theatres are a home don't you think? Most of us who perform will tell you that walking onto a stage for the first time is like coming home - as well as being introduced to a new home. It is an odd feeling but one that I really like! (by the way, Kristin Chenowith is another one of those performers who can do no wrong)
22) Wonderful - Gary Go
I also posted this on facebook a while back. There are times that we know we are beautiful. We can look at ourselves in the mirror and say - yes, i am beautiful, no matter what anyone else says about me. Then there are times when it is a bit more difficult to say that. In those times, I find that if I can't say I'm beautiful, I can always say "I'm Wonderful." Because I am. I can think of myself as being a creation of God and know that I'm individual and loved and made for a purpose. OR... I can think of myself as this amazing miracle, wrapped up in chemicals, I am incredible and I don't take it for granted. If you think about the evolutionary process it is a miracle that we are here. You are a miracle, you are incredible, you are wonderful and you are beautiful.
peace -
krl
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