Give my Regards to Broadway, Part 2

Without further ado, here are the rest of my picks for best Broadway soundtracks.

6. Gypsy

Sing out, Louise! This iconic musical based on the memoirs of stripper Gypsy Rose Lee has been popularly revived on Broadway many times, turned into a classic film with Natalie Wood and Rosalind Russell, and made into a TV movie starring Bette Midler. Gypsy tells the story of Lee’s rise to fame, no thanks to her Mama Rose, who is the ultimate stage mother. Though the backstage shenanigans are fun, it’s the heart-wrenching relationship between mother and daughter which gives this play its soul.

Check out the 2003 Broadway revival starring Bernadette Peters.

Or the TV version starring Bette Midler.

7. West Side Story

Pay no attention to the ill-conceived 2009 revival of this Shakespearean classic. West Side Story is an old standby, and it’s fantastic the way it was. It’s Romeo and Juliet set in 1950s New York, with rival gangs and ethnic groups instead of families. Though the amount of ballet dancing it contains renders it not realistic, it’s still an awesome musical with a memorable soundtrack.

8. Chicago

Chicago is Kander and Ebb’s classic, iconic musical, and it’s still a delight to listen to. This soundtrack contains classic songs such as “All That Jazz” and “Nowadays,” and just oozes Broadway and Fosse. Bebe Neuwirth and Ann Reinking put new faces and voices on the memorable Velma and Roxie, and their rendition remains my favorite.


9. Cabaret

Cabaret is another well known musical, set in the late 1930s, when Berlin was full of decadence and sex. The play chronicles the lives of the performers at the Kit Kat Klub, who are trying as hard as they can to avoid the fact that the world is falling apart around them. The songs Sally Bowles sings end up as parallels to the rise of the Third Reich and the impending war. The best part of the most recent revival is the addition of “Maybe This Time”, an import from the film version.

10. An honorable mention goes to the Book of Mormon, the newest and hottest ticket on Broadway. I haven’t heard or seen this 2011 Tony winner yet, but if it’s all it’s cracked up to be, it’s bound to be brilliant and hilarious. The music and lyrics are a collaboration between South Park’s Matt Stone and Trey Parker, and Avenue Q’s Robert Lopez, so I don’t see how it could go wrong! If you end up getting your hands on this before I do (I’m pretty far down on the holds list!), let me know what you think.

- GT

Give my regards to Broadway... (part 1)

In honor of a recent trip to New York City where I spent much of my time seeing Broadway musicals, I decided to recommend Broadway soundtracks. Here’s a list of some tried and true favorites, as well as some new ones to check out. These are in no particular order, but read the first 5 here, and stay tuned to read the other 5 next week!

1. Rent

Rent is an update of the opera La Boheme, and chronicles the trials and tribulations of a group of bohemians, anarchists, artists, and friends in New York’s East Village. The score is upbeat and infectious, and it never fails to entertain. I blast this one in the car in traffic jams. If you like the soundtrack, you can check out the revival, currently running Off Broadway. (And if you do go, tell me how it is, because I’m dying for tickets!)


2. Avenue Q

In Avenue Q, Muppets which look an awful lot like those on Sesame Street, teach you valuable lessons. Such as, “the Internet is for porn,” “There is life outside your apartment” and “If you were gay, it’d be OK.” Even Gary Coleman makes an appearance in puppet form. I’m not sure I can really say much more about it – just give it a listen and prepare to laugh. Avenue Q is currently running Off Broadway.


3. In the Heights

Join this group of immigrants as they tell us all about their lives in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. Some have aspirations to leave the barrio which reach as far as California, and some would be happy just to move downtown. Some are trying fervently to save their little community, as the neighborhood cycles through different ethnicities and cultures. Composer Lin-Manuel Miranda borrows from different styles of music, such as rap and salsa, and also takes his influences from his Broadway predecessors like Jonathan Larson and Stephen Sondheim. It’s infectious, joyous and poignant. Definitely my favorite in recent Broadway history.


4. Wicked

This soundtrack boasts instant classic Broadway tunes such as “Defying Gravity,” “I’m Not that Girl,” and “For Good.” Tony winners Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth play the lead roles, and their renditions of these songs quickly became iconic. Give this a listen if you haven’t already.


5. Anything Goes

The revival of this Cole Porter classic, which stars Sutton Foster as Reno Sweeney, the evangelist turned nightclub singer, is one of the hottest tickets on Broadway right now, and for good reason. The upbeat soundtrack contains classic songs like the title track, “Blow Gabriel Blow,” and “I Get a Kick Out of You.” Until the current revival is available on CD (release date September 20, 2011), check out this 1987 version starring Broadway legend Patti Lupone.

Read these celebrity memoirs, not those other ones

As you may have noticed lately, celebrity memoirs are the newest rage in the publishing world. It seems as though everyone from Bill Clinton to Kanye West has published a memoir lately, which makes it hard to want to read any of them at all. I myself had a hard time believing that any of the newly minted “authors” would be able to turn out a good read. However, being a former dancer, film student and production assistant, as well as a current theater geek, I found that all I need for a good celebrity memoir is lots of backstage shenanigans, some Hollywood gossip, and a well spoken comedienne. These three were my recent favorites from the crop.

Bossypants by Tina Fey

I had heard about Bossypants through all of the various media channels, but dismissed it as just another celebrity memoir. I finally picked it up in an airport, waiting for my four hour flight delay. I read almost the entire book while waiting for my flight, and then finished it on the plane. Knowing that Fey is indeed a writer and has come up with some of the most creative stuff on recent television, I should not have been surprised at how much I enjoyed her book, yet I was. Through mock-instruction, silly diagrams, and just the right amount of comedic hyperbole, Fey tells us about her childhood, how she got her start in showbiz, her rise to writing fame, and her relationship with her husband and daughter.

Backstage shenanigans from SNL and 30 Rock abound, and fans of hers will be thrilled to learn about all of the famed SNL sketches she wrote, many of them springing from her time as a Second City cast member. One of my favorite stories involves Fey’s first job as a receptionist at the Y in Chicago, where she also met Amy Poehler. Another details Fey’s theory on why male writers are different from female writers, and the reason is hilarious (and true). She also talks a lot about being a working mom, balancing her work life and home life, and how she manages to do that while still working 16 hour days with the mostly male writing staff on 30 Rock.

I read the old fashioned paper version, but fair warning about the audio book: Fey herself reads it, which is entertaining, but if you’re listening in the car, for instance, you are not privy to the illustrations, photos and diagrams which enhance the content.

Official Book Club Selection by Kathy Griffin

Catapulting off the success of her wildly popular reality show My Life on the D List, Kathy Griffin writes about her childhood, how she got her start in Hollywood, where she learned how to save all that money, where she learned how to make fun of celebrities, and other juicy tidbits from her life. As her comedy suggests, she writes with a witty and sardonic sense of humor, but also captures the not so nice parts of life with a wisdom and wit that endears her to readers.

Comedic highlights include tales of her early days with the Groundlings comedy troupe, where she met the likes of Andy Dick and Lisa Kudrow, one of whom stayed her friend and other who found fame on a popular TV show; Backstage shenanigans involving Brooke Shields, from her time on Suddenly Susan; and bloopers from filming her reality show.

Griffin also gets serious at some points, recounting her experiences with her now deceased brother, her husband who stole large amounts of money from her, and her botched liposuction procedure. These serious moments serve to enrich the narrative, and by the end of the book, I wanted Kathy Griffin to be my best friend. She had interesting stories to tell, and you could tell there were a lot more where those came from. Unfortunately, her stand up specials on Bravo and the occasional live show I can afford will have to do, especially since she has decided to end her reality show, probably due to exhaustion – the woman never stops working, which is another thing we learn about her in the book.

A Little Bit Wicked by Kristin Chenoweth

In Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth’s memoir, readers learn that before she was the fabulous Cheno, she was Kristie, multiple times runner up at the Miss Oklahoma pageant. Although at first it seems like just another celebrity memoir, and one that includes God to boot, Chenoweth has some interesting and funny things to say about the depths of Broadway and Hollywood. Among other things, she describes her relationship with faith – she often wonders how a faith which has helped her so much in life can create such cruel people, and she also wonders how she sometimes gets lumped in with the extremists. Her story about her experience as a guest on the 700 Club is priceless, as she recounts how she disappointed thousands of her gay fans by appearing on a very right-wing Christian television show, unbeknownst to her.

There are also lots of backstage shenanigans in Chenoweth’s book, including her time as master’s student in Opera at the University of Oklahoma; her stint as a performer at the now defunct theme park Opryland; Her turn as Galinda in Wicked, opposite Idina Menzel, a relationship which was tabloid fodder; her role on the critically acclaimed but cancelled Pushing Daisies, and her on again-off again relationship with Aaron Sorkin, which inspired an entire character on one of his TV shows.

My only warning to readers is that it’s written by a (credited) ghost writer, and you can sometimes tell that the stories are not exclusively in Kristin’s voice. I listened to the audiobook version, and while it was entertaining to listen to Kristin read it in her own voice, I could tell that she herself hadn’t written it, as words were mispronounced and she often sounded as though she were reading fiction.

Easy A is surprisingly good!

At the beginning of Easy A, Olive Penderghast tells us that she would like her life to be like an 80’s movie. She wishes John Hughes directed her life, so she could ride off on a lawnmower with Patrick Dempsey or find John Cusack holding a boom box outside her window. It turns out that Olive’s life is similar to a John Hughes movie (and in a smart move by the writers, 80’s movie references abound in the dialogue). Her story starts when her English class is reading The Scarlet Letter, and in a feeble attempt to be noticed by her hilarious but self-absorbed best friend Rhee, Olive sarcastically tells her that she lost her virginity to a college guy. Rhee believes it, and soon Olive has a reputation she didn’t create, but might as well embrace, as it comes with a new found notoriety. Wackiness ensues when Olive decides she can make money off the deal and help her gay, unpopular, or unattractive friends by charging them money to tell people they slept with her.

The rest of the plot purposely resembles The Scarlet Letter, and slyly references its predecessors in the teen rom-com genre. I know you’re thinking that it sounds just like every other teen movie ever. But what sets Easy A apart from its counterparts is the witty dialogue, smart acting, and a sharp sense of humor. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, nor does the writer assume that the audience is made up of idiots. Teens will love the self referential humor, as well as the shrewd observations about life in high school. Adults will love the witty banter and the charming cast. Emma Stone is delightful as Olive, and Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci are hilarious as Olive’s hippie parents.

I was delighted that Easy A was so smart and funny, since I knew it would be an inevitable addition to my collection, which is already bursting at the seams with teen angst and romantic comedy. I can’t resist watching it every time it’s on TV, or even every time I see it on my DVD shelf.

Sisterhood Everlasting

In Sisterhood Everlasting, Ann Brashares returns to finish off the story of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. For die-hard fans, Sisterhood Everlasting is a slightly shocking, but ultimately satisfying end to the series. For newcomers, the novel will serve as a stand-alone tear jerker.

When we last left the sisterhood, the girls were just finishing up their first year of college – Bridget spent some time on an archeological dig in Turkey, where she connected with the idea of finding your roots; Tibby had come off of a dramatic, on again, off again year with Brian; Lena reveled in new love while still hankering feelings for Kostos; and Carmen found her niche at a summer drama workshop. Now it’s ten years later, and the girls are just turning 30, all of them on the cusp of something they’re not sure of. As a long time fan of the series, it was riveting from the moment I opened it, just to find out what the girls are up to as adults.

The rest of the book, however, follows the untimely demise of a beloved character, so unlike the rest of the Sisterhood novels, this is not for the fainthearted. It gets into some pretty heavy stuff, but the story soon turns into a mystery of sorts, which turns out to be pretty entertaining to try to solve. Fans of the original series may be shocked and disappointed with some of the author’s choices, and though the novel is not as strong as its predecessors, the characters we know and love do show up from time to time in the new book. Sisterhood Everlasting was, if nothing else, an entertaining beach read, and an interesting way to say goodbye to the Sisterhood.