If I could only have this serenade every night...

The song doesn't start until 3:15, just forward to there because Douglas Sills has an inhumanly good voice. mmmmmmm.... yum :)

A good intro to Sondheim's music

There are some shows by Stephen Sondheim that I don't like the music ("Sunday in the Park with George" being one), but overall, I really love that his songs sound like conversations that just happen to be sung. If you want a good introduction to some of his best music performed by an uncomparable cast (Ruthie Henshall, George Hearn, John Barrowman, Bronson Pinchot, and Carol Burnett) then you need to get the DVD of "Putting it Together." It's a musical review with a very flimsy storyline only meant to provide some sort of excuse for the next song. But, they wink at that fact.
The songs are taken out of their original context, obviously, and modernized a bit - I personlly like it!
I seriously cannot say enough good things about it! Here are a few of my most favorites that I could find on YouTube (be aware there is some language and suggestiveness, moderate PG-13 stuff, but just so you're aware):


This first one is Carol and Ruthie killing it on "There's Always a Woman" - comic genius:



And how do you not put the next vid of Bronson Pinchot after that entrance! This is "Buddy's Blue's" - a hilarious look at someone who always wants what they can't have and never wants what they can:



This is possibly the best rendition of "Hello Little Girl," originally from "Into the Woods," where the wolf sings to Little Red Riding Hood. George Hearne plays it like a dirty old man and his voice is pure perfection!



Gah! How do I only choose a few?! Okay only 3 more. I wanted to put in "A country House," which is the perfect example of his songs sounding like a conversation, but whoever had it on YouTube before took it down :(
So, once you get past the fact that Ruthie sings through her teeth sometimes, her control over her voice is inhuman! As evidenced in her rendition of "More" (originally from the motion picture "Dick Tracy," and makes Madonna look like the ametuer singer she really is)And pardon the quality of the picture, it's the only posting of this:



Speaking of inhuman control (and inhumanly good looking!) John Barrowman could sing the telephone book and I think I would still want to listen. Here he's singing "Marry Me a Little" (a completely immature look at marriage)



And lastly, one of the great group numbers. A fast paced one with insane harmony (as befitting Sondheim!):



And there are many many many more gems! I rented it from the library, so you should be able to get it from there. But, I definitely want to own this at some point in the future!

New music

So, I took my christmas music down. And, I'm slightly obsessed with Sondheim lately and Playlist.com has... no selection. Other than Sweeney Todd, which is fine, since I watched the DVD of it like 5 times a couple weeks ago. So, 3 of my faves from that show are now on my playlist. Have any of the 5 of you who read this even heard (of) Sweeney Todd or Sondheim?

Okay, I have to post another song :)

Ruthie and Carol are both priceless in this! If you don't think you'll like it, just seriously wait until Carol starts singing. No explanation needed

"Invocation and Instruction to the Audience"

This is the opening number to a musical review of Sondheim with a stellar (no, STELLAR!) cast (Carol Burnette, Ruthie Henshall, George Hearn, John Barrowman, and Bronson Pinchot - who sings this number). I HIGHLY recommend renting the DVD "Putting it Together", I love almost every minute of it (and highly like the rest).
This always makes me laugh though, especially if you've ever been to a live performance of anything. Basically it's about the etiquette, but extremely funny!

My latest musical obsession

So, I recently discovered the musical "Chess". Be forewarned there is a little bit of language, if that bothers you. I watched the concert version (which is the best considering the storyline is a crazy mess) with Adam Pascal, Idina Menzel (the original Elphaba of "Wicked" fame), Josh Groban, & Kerry Ellis (London Elphanba). The music is in parts haunting, pop-style, energetic, operatic, but all sorts of get-stuck-in-your-head wonderful.

This is a quick 1 minute commercial for it being broadcast on Great Performances



Or, if you'd like to hear a bit more these are some highlights someone put together on Youtube from the first and second acts:

Wicked tickets go on sale

"Wicked" tickets will go on sale DECEMBER 12TH! Here is the link to where you can buy them:

http://www.broadwayacrossamerica.com/BAA.Web/Pages/BAACity+city+Salt-Lake-City+SeriesShowId+6558+showId+807+name+Wicked.html

Make sure to pass the word along to all who might be interested.

"Wicked" Tickets

A friend of mine told me that tickets for "Wicked" will go on sale in November (I don't know the date, but at least the month). Now, I've told some people the premium tickets were at the cheapest $135. My friend already got her ticket through a friend of hers that has a season pass and first dibs on a big musical like this. She said hers was the second cheapest ticket available and was $77.50. Obviously much better, so I'm assuming regular tickets will be more in that price range. As soon as I know more, I'll post :)