So Much Stuff to Sing

One final SondheimB-side before we depart. This time, we're looking at a show that's gone by many names, but has failed to make a huge impression under any of them. We're discussing at "Talent" from Road Show, aka Bounce aka Wise Guys. Never heard of it? You're not alone. N.B.: There is a very light swear in the song, at the very end. If you don't want your kids to hear it, just stop when we say goodbye. All clips are from 2009's Road Show: Original Cast Recording featuring Claybourne Elder and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com

We're talking The Frogs, perhaps the ultimate curio in the Sondheim canon. Originally staged at Yale as a side project during Sondheim's golden 70s, the show was eventually brought to Broadway in 2004 -- still the most recent Broadway debut for Sondheim -- by Nathan Lane, who expanded the original version and got Steve to write some new songs. Now a more recognizable work -- though still an off-beat one -- another major production is set for the London stage. But where do Shannon and Erik come down on this most peculiar of Sondheim shows? We discuss "It's Only a Play." All clips are from 2004's The Frogs: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Nathan Lane and Peter Bartlett and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com

Moving on with Sondheim B-Sides, we come to his very next show after Forum, namely the complete catastrophe that was Anyone Can Whistle. Co-written with Arthur Laurents, who also directed, the show was a massive flop, but it did give the world Broadway star Angela Lansbury, as well as an incredicle score. In this episode, we look at "With So Little To Be Sure Of," but not how it is in the show, necessarily. Curious? Listen and find out! All clips are from the 2020 online concert event Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration featuring Brandon Uranowitz and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Watch the performance! Watch the entire concert! Donate to ASTEP, the original concert's beneficiary! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com

It is our annual tribuite to the God of Musical Theater, Stephen Sondheim, and for this year's festival we are exploring some songs of his from the shows that people rarely place among their favorites. The unloved, the ignored, the obscure, and the forgotten. Or, in this case, a show that many know, but doesn't tend to get thought of as a "Sondheim" show. It's time for a song from his first produced show writing both music and lyrics: "Comedy Tonight" from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. All clips are from the 1996 revival cast recording of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum featuring Nathan Lane and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com

Okay, don't panic! No, you've probably never heard of this song "The Field" -- or maybe even this show --Octet -- but what if I told you it was Dave Malloy's follow up to The Great Comet? And then what if I told you it was a weird chamber musical about internet addiction? Well, maybe listen to the episode anyway, and join us as we discuss the nature of Art, whether the internet is bad, and the fundamental nature of reality. Y'know, the stuff of musicals. All clips are from the 2019 original cast recording of Octet and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com

Our next ensemble song takes us to 1890s Germany via Broadway in 2006. Spring Awakening, with book and lyrics by Steven Sater and music by rocker Duncan Sheik, is based on an 1891 German play that explores many of the worst things that can occur to a person, especially during adolescence. Winner of 8 Tonys, the show speaks frankly about sexuality, abuse, and mental health, and while "The Song of Purple Summer" -- which we talk about in this episode -- doesn't address those issues directly, the show definitely does, as does our discussion. Listener discretion is very much advised: parents, talk to your kids before this one. All clips are from the 2006 original cast recording of Spring Awakening and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com

What's that I hear? Why, it's another ensemble song...but this one...is angry! Yes, for our next installement in our Ensemble Song miniseries, we're discussing "Do You Hear the People Sing?" from Les Miserables, by Claude-Michel Schoenberg, Alain Bubil, and Herbert Kretzmer. Opening in 1985 under the auspices of the Royal Shakespeare Company, the song has been a global phenomenon for 40 years. But is it any good? And why, exactly, are these men so angry?  All clips are from Les Miserables (Original 1985 London Cast Recording) and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/listen to the performance on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com

Time for another year and another new mini-series! This time, we're turning our spotlight onto the ensemble. From the Greek chorus to the modern Broadway ensemble, the act of a group of people singing together has often been a crucial part of theater. While we're not going to go all the way back to Ancient Greece, we are going to look at 4 examples of choral numbers in shows and the effect they have on their shows and their audiences. First up, we're returning to an old favorite, 1957's The Music Man written by Meredith Wilson. One of the most enduring celebrations of Americana ever seen on the Broadway stage, the show isn't blind to the downsides of small town Iowa life. That is well illustrated by this episode's selection, "Pick-a-Little, Talk-a-Little." All clips are from the 1962 soundtrack to the film The Music Man and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/listen to the performance on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com

For our holiday episode, we're turning our sights to a song written for television for the first time. This fall the internet went mad for a song with ample Broadway cred -- "The Ballad of the Witches' Road" from Agatha All Along. Let's talk about what made it such a hit, about its songwriters -- the formidable Bobby & Kristen Anderson Lopez -- and about Patti Lupone, of course. All clips are from Music from Agatha All Along featuring Kathryn Hahn and the cast of Agatha All Along and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/listen to the performance on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com

After 20 years, there's finally an Elphaba on screen, and we're going to finish our Elphabae miniseries by talking about her. Buckle up as we talk Wicked the movie (Part 1), whther Cynthia Erivo will break "the Curse of the Elphabae," and what is either just a mid or a Top 10 "I want" song (depending on which cohost you are) -- "The Wizard and I."  All clips are from Wicked: The Soundtrack featuring Cynthia Erivo and Michelle Yeoh and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/listen to the performance on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com

We're back with another Elphaba, and this time they're singing a role essentially built for them! Except...well...join us as we talk the great Eden Espinosa and the show that maybe doesn't rise to her level: 2024's Lempicka. Written by Matt Gould and Carson Kreitzer, the show underwent a long workshop process before an ultiamtely unsuccessful Broadway run. We explore what went wrong, in our opinions, at least, as we discuss "Woman Is." All clips are from the Lempica Original Broadway Cast Album featuring Eden Espinosa and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/listen to the performance on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com

Another episode, another Elphaba! This time, we're looking at Shoshana Bean, who was an Elphaba early on before leaving Broadway for over a decade and then finally returning to a string of well-received roles, even if she still hasn't found The One. Here she is singing one of the songs that brough her back, "Stars and the Moon" by Jason Robert Brown from his song cycle Songs for a New World. Enjoy! All clips are from the Songs for a New World 2018 Encores! Off-Center Cast Recording featuring Shoshana Beanm and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/listen to the performance on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com

New miniseries time! This time, we're taking a slightly different approach, focusing on a set of linked performers instead of a set of linked songs. Specifically, we're looking at some of the women who've played the original Green Girl, Elphaba from Wicked. First up is Stephanie J. Block who arguably was the original Elphaba, just not on Broadway. We look at her career and why it hasn't been quite what it might have been while we talk about "The Writing on the Wall," the finale to The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Rupert Holmes. It's a lot, so buckle in. All clips are from The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012 New Broadway Cast Recording) featuring Stephanie J. Block and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Watch the performance on YouTube! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com

Once again, we find ourselves back at Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, the show that we just can't escape, nor would we wish to. This time, we're finishing our miniseries on Second Act Openers with the excellent "Letters," where Dave Malloy crams so much content into only 6 minutes that we're almost left a little speechless. Almost.  All clips are from the 2013 Original Cast Recording of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 featuring Dave Malloy as Pierre, Phillipa Soo as Natasha, Gelsey Bell as Princess Mary, Lucas Steele as Anatole, and Manik Choksi as Dolokhov and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/listen to the performance on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com

Newsies! Yes, at long last, we are talking about one of the most beloved musicals ever to starts as a failed Disney movie. With music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Jack Feldman, Newsies could easily have just been a misbegotten offshoot of the Disney Renaissance, but it experienced a rebirth of its own, hitting Broadway in 2012. Join us as we talk about the process and about "King of New York," the song chosen to open the second act. All clips are from the 2012 Newsies Original Broadway Cast Album and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/listen to the performance on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com

We're back with another second act opener! This one combines impressive spectacle, plot recap, and a flexible yet catchy tune to ease the audience back into a world of high romance and melodrama. Join us as we discuss "Masquerade" from The Phantom of the Opera and how it does what it does very, very well. All clips are from the 1987 London Cast Album of Phantom of the Opera and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/listen to the performance on Amazon! Watch the performance on YouTube! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com  

As we begin our second hundred episodes, it's only fitting that we turn our attention to second-act openers. These songs often have to return the audience to the world of the show quickly and recast the spell the first act had woven. So, how do you do that? One answer is to give them a song and dance for the ages: this week we talk about "Who's Got the Pain?" from Damn Yankees, written by Adler and Ross, but made famous by Fosse and Verdon. All clips are from the 1958 film version of Damn Yankees featuring Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/listen to the performance on Amazon! Watch the performance on YouTube! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com  

We conclude our 100th episode spectacular with 5 more songs that make us love the American musical. As a reminder, please email or message us with the 5 songs you would choose so we can make a Spotify playlist to share with everyone! STOP READING to avoid getting spoiled for what's on this episode.  All clips are from, in order, Follies: New Broadway Cast Recording, Hamilton: An American Musical Original Broadway Cast Recording, 1776: Original Broadway Cast, Parade: 2023 Broadway Cast Recording, Evita: Original Broadway Cast and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com

Yes, there are now 100 episodes of Shannon in New York City and Erik in Prague discussing the American Musical. To celebrate, we decided to each compile a list of 5 songs that, for us, represent what makes the musical the wonderful art form it is. The musical can do things that nothing else -- no other art form -- can do, and we think these songs illustrate that. In this episode, we discuss the first 5 of these songs -- our next episde will cover the other 5. We sincerely hope you enjoy and that you'll email or message us with the 5 songs you would choose. NB: There will be a playlist of just the songs discussed in these two episodes included in the notes of the next episode to avoid spoiling anyone who wants the second half of the list to be a surprise. Also, STOP READING to avoid getting spoiled for what's on this episode. We also hope to make a playlist of your selections, so we can all share. All clips are from, in order, Merrily We Roll Along: New Broadway Cast Recording, Guys & Dolls: Original Broadway Cast Recording, The Music Man: Original Broadway Cast, The Rink: Original Broadway Cast, Rent: Original Cast Album, and Into the Woods: A New Musical and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com

We come to the conclusion of our miniseries of anthems, and we've saved one of the best for last. We're talking "I Am What I Am" from La Cage aux Folles, with music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, which became an anthem for LGBTQ Pride almost as soon as it was first sung in 1983. All clips are from 2016's Trailblazer Honors events featuring Ginger Minj and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/listen to Ginger on Amazon! Watch the performance on YouTube! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com