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.