Broadway Musicals with the Most Compelling Structures (Part One)

There is always an ongoing discussion about what musicals have the best book, even if the book writers are often given short-shrift for their contributions. A few weeks ago, I reposted a piece that I had written a few years back with my picks in this area. Some of my choices were mutually agreed-upon with my readers (as much as we can agree on anything subjective) while other choices were hotly debated. It was perhaps a few of my omissions that stirred the ire of many of my readers, but I’ll address those I left out in another article down the road (for my public lambasting, no doubt). You know what they say about opinions…

Jessica Vosk: Wild and Free – Album Review

Mark my words, Jessica Vosk has transcended from Broadway star to Broadway superstar, launching herself across the precipice between the two with her debut album Wild and Free. The current Elphaba of Broadway’s Wicked has been tiptoeing up to the edge of greatness, teasing us with her promises, but with this new album (produced by Michael Croiter and Robbie Rozelle and released by Broadway Records), Ms. Vosk makes good with a refreshing plunge into artistry that surpasses our greatest expectations. 

Zoosical: Showtunes About Animals

Animal lovers that are Broadway lovers (and vice-versa), here is a collection that was designed just for you. I was on a long drive and a showtune came on that was about an animal. I started thinking about how many Musical Theatre songs that I could find were about animals (These are things I think about on car trips and during nights of insomnia). By the end of the car trip, I had come up with these. Please share with me any others you might think of. I hope you enjoy my corny need to catalogue such things in list form. 

Larger Than Life: Showtunes About The Movies

Broadway musical fans tend to be fans of film (particularly those made in Hollywood’s heyday of the 1930s and 40s), or at least that is the impression I get. We like things bigger, grander, and larger than life, with an elegance and style that is seldom found in contemporary film. There is just something about those old film and the allure of Hollywood itself that speaks to many of us. That got me thinking: how about looking at some showtunes that celebrate the world of film? Here is a fun list that I cobbled together for you to enjoy movie classics through the lens of Broadway showtunes. I hope you enjoy.