The Eclectic Musical Theatre Playlist Episode 5
Another Great Musical Theatre Selection for Your Listening Pleasure!
Thank you for taking the time to read and listen to this episode. My idea with these playlists is to demonstrate the breadth of musical theatre. I would love you to let me know your thoughts and share any ideas for songs for future episodes. It would also be amazing if you decided to subscribe to The Jason Ward Creative Substack for interviews with creatives, reviews of shows and creative insights. Subscription is currently Free of Charge and lets you enjoy over 70 articles, podcasts and playlists! Click here to subscribe and support my work
Here’s the link to this week’s music:
SPOTIFY Eclectic Musical Theatre Playlist Episode 5
APPLE MUSIC Eclectic Musical Theatre Playlist Episode 5
EPISODE FIVE
Heaven On Their Minds -Murray Head FROM Jesus Christ Superstar Original 1970 Studio Cast Recording
The latest production of JCS is heading back out on tour around the UK and Ireland. I saw it at the Barbican and was reminded how challenging this show must have been in 1970 when this concept album was released. Featuring bona fide rock musicians JCS must have felt like a 50,000volt shock up the behind of a musical theatre scene that featured Isabel’s a Jezebel, Tonight at 8 and Oh Calcutta! The version that is going on tour now feels much closer musically to this original sound. Heaven on their Minds is, in my opinion, the best original rock song in a show with one of the greatest guitar riffs ever played repeating and driving the verse forward, allowing space for that top A note on JESUUUS! And then staying steady as the chords ascend into the bridge. If you are a male vocalist then please only try this song with appropriate supervision!
I Love You Like A Table - Christopher Fitzgerald FROM Waitress (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
In any other year Waitress would have walked off with Tonys and Oliviers. This song is a wonderful example of the often overlooked humour in the show. First of all the title - who loves anyone like a table? Well Ogie does! Sara Bareilles may not come from musical theatre but she cleverly used the secondary couple device in Waitress that offered a comedy outlet and alternate viewpoint from the principal characters. Spoiler Alert; she even threw in a late third couple plot twist but you should go and see the show to find out more about that!
Hide -feat. Faoileann Cunningham & The Wife of Michael Cleary Band FROM The Wife Of Michael Cleary by Maz O’ Connor (Live Recording)
The Wife of Micheal Cleary was featured at BEAM 2023 and the show is in the early stages of production and development. The show tells the story of 26 year old Bridget Cleary who was a talented dress maker from Co.Tipperary who was burnt to death by her husband and family in 1895 because they believed that she was a fairly changeling. The music I have heard from this show is beautifully composed and haunting and this performance of Hide by Faoileann Cunningham is a stunning piece of new musical theatre. Listen to this show before the rest of the world catches on!
The North Strand- The Company FROM Once (Original Broadway Cast Recording )
Mood lifting and foot stamping this piece of music is named for an area of Dublin that has been the scene of WW2 bombings, floods and terrorism. The music has spirit and energy together with a feeling of real connection and authenticity to place that is rare in Musical Theatre. Once is a unique and beautiful show that was due to tour the UK in 2020 but was pulled due to the pandemic - could we please get this back on track?
People Will Say We’re In Love - Damon Daunno & Rebecca Naomi Jones FROM Oklahoma! (2019 Broadway Cast Recording)
Sadly closing in London now, this production of Oklahoma! was formative for me. Up until seeing it at the Young Vic I had never liked the show - I thought it was corny, (!) overly traditional and old fashioned. I was so wrong and so glad I went to see this version that Daniel Fish creatively re-imagined because it reaffirmed my belief in creative vision to improve, enhance and above all to reveal that which we might not normally have seen. And yes the production was sexy!
Tax - Tasha Taylor-Johnson & Jack McManus) FROM Cake The Musical (Writers’ Demo)
This hot, funky and sexy show is creatively directed by the incredible Drew McOnie and is heading into London for one week only in September. Go check it out, of you can and you will not be disappointed! I saw one of the first public performances when it opened in Southampton, earlier this year and loved how it uses dance to tell the story and showcases music that feels like it could be on a Spotify Pop Playlist. In its current form the show features two amazing actresses: Renee Lamb and Zizi Strallen - channeling Car Men much more than Mary Poppins! This version of Tax is from the writer’s demo version of the soundtrack.
INSTAGRAM: @cakemusical
The Confrontation Colm Wilkinson and Philip Quast FROM Les Miserables (10th Anniversary Concert Cast of Les Misérables)
Want to hear two men at the peak of their powers? Seriously this is as vicious and violent a piece of musical theatre that you will ever hear. It is macho threat on macho threat with testosterone oozing from every note and instrument - listen to those bass strings on Valjean’s entrance and during his first four lines. And the counterpoint section grows into a big Viking bearded, hairy beast that puts you over its shoulder and carries you away into an ending that merely threatens tenderness.
The American and Florence / Nobody’s Side - Elaine Paige and Murray Head FROM Chess (Original Recording Remastered Version)
Elaine Paige is an incredibly powerful actress. This role shows her winning combination of one of the best female voices in musical theatre and acting prowess. The Tim Rice and Benny / Bjorn musical always seems to get criticised for not being a big enough hit but it ran three years in London. The fact that Broadway didn’t appreciate Chess is a shame but shouldn’t be seen as a judgement on this wonderful show or on the masterful performance given by Elaine Paige - especially in this number.
Went to see the Gypsy - Debbie Kurup FROM The Girl From the North Country (Original London Cast Recording)
There was not a bad song or performance in this show and I could listen to this soundtrack all day long. The musical arrangements transform Bob Dylan’s songs into musical theatre pieces that tell a story BUT it is the story that I found unremittingly downbeat and tragic. I love this performance by Debbie Kurup who is such a talent and has an amazing range of lead roles from Anita to Cher - when will she get that Olivier Award?
Meadowlark - Sharon Lee Hill FROM The Baker’s Wife (Original London Cast Recording)
One of the best female musical theatre songs ever written, Meadowlark, is one of those pieces that has life far beyond its source material and this version by Sharon Lee Hill is a lesson in how to pace and structure a performance. The Baker’s Wife by Stephen Schwartz is a compendium of beautiful music but the show never enjoyed commercial success mainly due to its long running time. You might be thinking that a part of this song inspired part of another famous female song in a show about a certain area of Los Angeles and, although the thought might have occurred to me, I couldn’t possibly comment.
If you think more people need to hear this music then please share this post far and wide!