Broadway - The Top Ten Unsung Heroes of Musicals

Broadway - The Top Ten Unsung Heroes of Musicals

Mark Robinson
Music That Makes Me Dance, Top Ten

We all have a deep affection for the underdogs of Broadway musicals, the characters who are truly the good people who make sacrifices for others, often in spite of their own interests or personal sanity. How many of us have cheered for Eponine in Les Miserables, torn by her choices to help Marius, in spite of her own love for the clueless boy? How about Kim in Miss Saigon who takes her own life to ensure that her son must return to the United States with his American father, in order to give the child a better life? We gravitate to these characters and their acts of utter selflessness. Over the years, however, I have noticed that there are certain characters who are the unsung heroes of musicals who do not get their due. This week's top-ten list is dedicated to those who haven't had their moment in the spotlight. 

"Come Down from the Tree" - Surely This Was a Mistake?

"Come Down from the Tree" - Surely This Was a Mistake?

Mark Robinson
Music That Makes Me Dance

Ocassionally, I hear a wonderful musical theatre song that hypnotizes me, only to find out that it was cut from the show it was written for. Maybe it wasn't the right fit, or maybe another song replaced the moment in the show. For whatever reason, my heart breaks over the fact that it was excised and I try to imagine how it may have figured into the show. Then I start thinking that maybe they could interpolate it into a revival of the show. Among these bewitching misfit songs, there is one that stands out in my mind that the show would be improved by the addition. That song is "Come Down from the Tree," cut from the magical Once on this Island.

"This Is the Moment" - Guilty Pleasure Thursday visits Friday

"This Is the Moment" - Guilty Pleasure Thursday visits Friday

Mark Robinson
Music That Makes Me Dance, Guilty Pleasure

Don't hate me in advance. I have never been an enormous fan of the musicals  of Frank Wildhorn. I found the original Broadway production of Jekyll and Hyde to be sometimes tedious, stodgily staged, and mostly laughable. I said "don't hate me." There were, however, two bright spots in that production: the glorious voice of Linda Eder (especially singing "Someone Like You), and Robert Cucciolli's soaring rendition of "This Is the Moment," my guilty pleasure for this week.

"Someone in a Tree" - When It's All About Perspective

"Someone in a Tree" - When It's All About Perspective

Mark Robinson
Music That Makes Me Dance

Okay - today was supposed to be "Guilty Pleasure Thursday" but a reader put this song in my mind earier this week and I haven't been able to shake it. I hope my readers don't mind if I put "Guilty Pleasures" off until Friday. Truthfully, the holiday weekend threw me off and I had already written this for what I thought was Wednesday. I suppose I shall have to break down and buy a calendar. Please be so kind as to humor me.

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