There are a million different types of love in the world and, further, a million different perspectives on each. If there's one thing that knows how to capture the myriad emotions and opinions tied up in the concept of 'love' it's the musical theatre song. Here, in honor of however you feel about Valentine's Day (and admittedly, it isn't one of my favorites), is a list of some of my favorite songs from the stage that tackle many of love's various forms. I hope you can enjoy them all and maybe even find one that resonates with you. Note 1: For this post, I did not include multiple love songs from the same show, nor did I include songs from jukebox musicals. Note 2: I intended for this post to be 24 songs. It ended up being 40, and it would have been longer if I didn't cut myself off. Maybe I will do a second part next year since there are so, so many that did not make it into this one. "If I Can't Love Her" from Beauty and the Beast This is the song that made me fall in love with live theatre. Despite loving Disney, Beauty and the Beast was never one of my favorite musicals. Then, when my father took me to see the Broadway production in 1995, I was absolutely blown away by "If I Can't Love Her", which is not in the film. Saddled with the knowledge that he must get Belle to love him in order to be saved, the Beast ruminates on whether or not he is capable of loving Belle, or anyone at all, and what that means. It's a forever favorite for me and I hope it is for you, too. (If you've ever watched the tv series Galavant, the theme sounds eerily like a sped up version of this masterpiece, and also the instrumental version has been known to play in the entrance of Be Our Guest restaurant in Walt Disney World.) Listen to Terrence Mann sing it here. "The Next Ten Minutes" from The Last Five Years The Last Five years chronicles the rise and fall of a relationship with one character (Jamie) going through it from start to end while the other (Cathy) begins at their breakup and ends at the optimistic start of it all. In "The Next Ten Minutes" they are, for the only time in the show, both present in the same moment. It is stunning not just for the framing, but also for its beautiful lyrics at the moment of proposal and marriage. My favorite part of their singing together is when they reach the utterly romantic lyrics "For a million summers/'Til the world explodes/'Til there's no one left/Who has ever known us apart." Hear Norbert Leo Butz and Sherie Rene Scott sing it here. "The Streets of Dublin" from A Man of No Importance The ultimate (and I do mean, in my opinion, the ultimate) love letter to a city. In addition to being arguably my favorite male solo number ever, "The Streets of Dublin" is overflowing with love for Dublin, Ireland and the amazing, ordinary people that make it what it is. Hear Steven Pascale sing it here. "Bare" from Bare "Bare" is the title song to this musical for a reason: it is the culmination of everything in the plot and the moment of true love, connection, vulnerability, and tragedy for the main couple, Peter and Jason. Bare is a coming-of-age masterpiece, to me, that follows Peter and Jason as they navigate a high school world where they have different views on what it means for them to be together and have to cope with those in their world who would never approve of their relationship. While it has been revised and changed in some ways since I first saw it in the early 2000s, Michael Arden and John Hill are still who I picture in the roles. However, their production was not fully recorded for release. A few years later, though, we got a great studio album and you should listen to the whole thing through to get the full weight of it...but "Bare" on it's own is stunning enough, so at least listen to that. Listen to Matt Doyle and James Doyle sing it here. "The History of Wrong Guys" from Kinky Boots Have you ever found that your taste in men always ends up being terrible? If yes, then this comedic lament is for you. In it, factory worker Lauren has just realized she has a crush on her very-much-taken employer, Charlie. She knows everything about this is a bad idea, but there she is, anyway, trying to sort it all out. After all, as she says, "Women have been making bad choices since the beginning of time." Listen to Annaleigh Ashford sing it here. "Dividing Day" from The Light in the Piazza As much as The Light in the Piazza is about the budding love between two young people, Clara and Fabrizio, it is also about Clara's mother Margaret confronting many aspects of her own life...including when and why her marriage stopped being one filled with love. This soft, sad song is often overlooked but it is poignant and heartbreaking. Listen to Victoria Clark sing it here. "Fine, Fine Line" from Avenue Q Avenue Q has a special place in my heart (and if you've ever followed me on social media, you probably get that because my username is generally a reference to this show) but as much as it's known for its over-the-top comedy and ingenious use of puppets, it also has a moving, touching center. One of the best moments in the show is when Kate Monster, having just had her sweet romance with Princeton abruptly ended, reflects on how quickly things can go from sky-high love to a depressing waste of time. Listen to Stephanie D'Abruzzo sing it here. "The I Love You Song" from The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Sweet Olive just wants one thing, love from her disconnected parents. In this song the spelling bee fades away as Olive imagines interactions with her mother and father in which, despite their obvious flaws, they tell her how much they love her and she is able to voice how much she loves and needs them. Hear Celia Keenan-Bolger, Lisa Howard, and Derrick Baskin sing it here. "Unworthy of Your Love" from Assassins Definitely the most disturbing song on this list. In it a man and woman sing about their adoration for two people you never see. However, the man is actually John Hinkley, Jr. singing about Jodie Foster (whom he stalked) and the woman is actually "Squeaky" Fromme singing about Charles Manson (who she devoted her life to). Both ultimately attempted to kill presidents in honor of their objects of obsession. Interestingly, this song can--and has been--repurposed. By removing the references to "Jodie" and "Charlie" the song found a second life in the revue Putting it Together, as a much less creepy version of the song. Hear Alexander Gemignani and Mary Catherine Garrison sing the original context version of it here. "Not While I'm Around" from Sweeney Todd When Mrs. Lovett takes in Tobias following the "disappearance" of the man he worked for, the boy develops a fiercely protective attitude toward her. Here he expresses his adoring love while warning her about the nefarious nature of her beloved Sweeney Todd. Listen to Manoel Felciano and Patti LuPone sing it here. "The Proposal/The Night was Alive" from Titanic There are a million things to love about the song but one of them is that it's two men singing about two completely different types of love at the same time. While aboard the Titanic, stoker Barrett visits Bride, who is in charge of wireless communication. Bride allowed Barrett to send a message proposing marriage to his beloved. As Barrett rhapsodizes about his love for her, Bride expresses equally-passionate sentiments for the magic of the communication technology, and both sides are moving and genuine. Listen to Brian D'Arcy James and Martin Moran sing it here. "Sarah, Brown Eyes" from Ragtime There is no happy ending for the romance between Colehouse Walker and Sarah in Ragtime, but still, a soft moment is given to the audience when, late in the show Colehouse is reminded of the sweet time when he first met his love. Given that the audience already knows Sarah's fate by this point, it makes the song have even more impact. Listen to Audra McDonald and Brian Stokes Mitchell sing it here. "Fly, Fly Away" from Catch Me if You Can Based on the book and film of the same name, Catch Me if You Can tells the story of conman Frank Abignale, Jr. Here, as Frank goes on the run, his love interest, Brenda, sings about how she loves him and will never betray him to the police. Over the course of the song she reveals her feelings about who he is really is and how much she appreciates the way he saw the true her. Her plaintive "Maybe it's because you'll fly back home to me one day" is everything. Listen to Kerry Butler sing it here. "Where's the Girl?" from The Scarlet Pimpernel Sultry, moody, and beautiful, "Where's the Girl?" sees Chauvelin, the former lover of actress Marguerite, tries to remind her that while now they are on opposite sides of the French Revolution, they were once in a passionate relationship. It's impossible not to sigh at how seductive it is when Terrence Mann sings it. I have vivid memories of sitting in the theater and this song being so impactful that you could hear a pin drop as it finished, then everyone breathed. Listen to him sing it here. "Love Changes Everything" from Aspects of Love The title of this song really says it all. It's an anthem for anyone who has ever experienced a love that made you see and feel every single thing differently. This song is very much associated with Michael Ball, so you can hear him sing it here. "Funny Honey" from Chicago Ruthie Henshall does my absolute favorite interpretation of this song in which Roxie Hart, who recently murdered her lover, sings the praises of her push-over husband who has her back...until he doesn't. The shift from appreciation to derision in her voice is top notch. Listen to Ruthie Henshall sing it here. "I Will Never Leave You" from Side Show Side Show is inspired by the real story of conjoined twins Violet and Daisy Hilton. In this song, they display their love and support for each other no matter what life throws at them. Hear Erin Davie and Emily Padgett sing it here. "Take a Chance on Me" from Little Women This one is for anyone who takes the chance to make the first big move to begin a relationship, of any kind. Here, Laurie attempts to get Jo March to dance with him in order to get to know her better. In it, he talks about the importance of friendship and his admiration for her, and how great it would be if she, well, took a chance on him. If she does, he promises, they will "be the best of friends." Listen to Danny Gurwin sing it here. "When Did I Fall in Love?" from Fiorello In this number, Fiorello LaGuardia's wife Thea considers her life and the love she has for her husband all the while realizing that it crept up on her instead of crashing on her like a wave. It's one of my favorite traditional soprano love songs. Listen to Ellen Hanley sing it here. "In a Little While" from Once Upon a Mattress Upon learning that Lady Larken is pregnant, she and her lover, Sir Harry, duet about the joys of planning to marry and become a family. This is from a comedy, though, so of course getting married is easier said than done, but the excitement experienced when pondering a future together is adorable in this song. Listen to Allen Case and Anne Jones sing it here. "I'd Give it All for You" from Songs for a New World This magnificent duet captures what it's like to have someone, let them go, realize you need them again, and experience the bliss of getting a second chance. "Nothing about us was perfect or clear/But when paradise calls me I'd rather be here" is just one of the beautiful lyrics that expresses the titanic emotions that come along with realizing who you really want. Listen to Jason Robert Brown and Lauren Kennedy sing it here. "Unexpected Song" from Song and Dance If you've ever found yourself suddenly blown away by how much you care about someone, you must listen to this. Especially when sung by Bernadette Peters, lyrics like "I don't know what's going on/Can't work it out at all/Whatever made you choose me" take you on an emotional ride that makes you feel like you, too, are trying to express the gravity of this new experience and your embracing of it. Watch Bernadette Peters sing it here. "Love's Maze" from By Jeeves I will always stand by the notion that By Jeeves is a comedic delightful and deserves to be far more loved than it is. In this bouncy number, Stiffy Bing sings about the confusing and amusing nature of love, all the while seeking help from Bertie to achieve her goal of being with a clergyman named Harold "Stinker" Pinker. Watch it, if only for the mounting absurdity, and you'll certainly end up smiling. Watch Emily Loesser and John Scherer sing it here. (There is also a gorgeous love song between Stiffy and Stinker that you can watch here.) "As Long as You're Mine" from Wicked The ideal duet for anyone who ever felt like a relationship they wanted could never, ever happen (or maybe they were afraid to want it)...but then it did happen and it was everything. Hear Idina Menzel and Norbert Leo Butz sing it here. "I'm Here" from The Color Purple After a lifetime of abuse, neglect, and her voice being stifled, Celie steps into her light. Finally, she has the love and life she deserves. Celie now recognizes who she is and loves herself, and it radiates from her in this 11 o'clock triumph of a number. Listen to LaChanze sing it here. "In Whatever Time We Have" from Children of Eden Children of Eden is based on the Book of Genesis and has possibly my favorite Stephen Schwartz full score. This duet about a forbidden love match contains lovely lyrics like "I could make it on my own/Let me know that I don't have to." Listen to Darius deHaas and Kelli Rabke sing it here. "All the Wasted Time" from Parade Parade follows the story of Leo Frank, who was convicted for the murder of a young woman named Mary Phagan in the 1910s (I covered the history of it for Footnoting History, here). At the center of the musical is Leo's imperfect relationship with his wife, Lucille. Over the course of events, Lucille becomes Leo's more ardent supporter and champion and he realizes how much he loves her. This powerful duet is all about finally achieving the highest level of connection and admitting all the errors of the past. Hear Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond sing it here. "I Am Who I Am" from La Cage aux Folles Is there a song from the musical theatre canon that more completely embodies the fierceness of defying the world and being boldly true to yourself? Arguably, no. This one is for all the folks who have the courage to be wholly authentic or who need to be cheered on to reach that level of confidence. Listen to Douglas Hodge sing it here. "Marry Me a Little" from Company Company centers on the 35th birthday of its main character Bobby (or, in more recent gender-swapped versions, Bobbie) and his (or her) relationship status. All of Bobby's friends are involved with others while he remains single. Then, over the course of events, Bobby begins to consider what he might want. The result of this, placed at the end of Act I, is a killer. It's about the messiness of love and relationships and realizing maybe you are ready for something, with someone. Many people will choose "Being Alive", from the same show and which has similar themes, but for me, it'll always be "Marry Me a Little". I've shared John Barrowman's version before, from the revue Putting it Together, and I'm sure I'll share it again, but you can watch it here, because it's fabulous. "Asheville" from Bright Star Any time I get the chance to share "Asheville", I take it. It's folksy twang and the innocent longing of the character, Margo, really speaks to me. She supports her friend, who she had romantic interest in, moving to Asheville, but it breaks her heart at the same time. As she reflects on his decision, her worry that her chance at romance is over mixes with her expressions of hope that he won't forget her and might even come back. There's a rawness to it that I adore. Listen to Hannah Elless sing it here. "Breeze Off the River" from The Full Monty The Full Monty is one of my favorite screen-to-stage adaptations. In this song the lead character, Jerry, is having a quiet moment of reflection. He admits that, while he doesn't always feel good or have faith in himself, the one thing he is certain of is he loves and admires his son. It's a beautiful song about the awe that can come with parenthood. Hear Patrick Wilson sing it here. "I Love You Like a Table" from Waitress This true song of nerd love is adorable and more than a little kooky. Hear Christopher Fitzgerald and Kamiko Glenn sing it here. "Near to You" from Damn Yankees In Damn Yankees, an older man named Joe makes a deal with the devil in order to help his beloved baseball team win. As a result, he becomes a different, younger man, who has the ability to save the team's season. Unfortunately, though, this means abandoning his wife, Meg. Although this song is specifically about Joe missing his wife and letting her know (in a coded way) that the real him is still there, I always feel like it is a good song for anyone who is unable to be with someone they love but hopes to feel their presence. Listen to Jarrod Emick, Linda Stephens, and Dennis Kelly sing it here. "Do You Love Me?" from Fiddler on the Roof I think people would have come after me if I didn't include this deservedly iconic number. After being together for 25 years, as the result of an arranged marriage, Tevye and Golde mull over whether everything that they've gone through together amounts to loving each other and realize that yes, it's a nice thing to know you are loved. Hear Alfred Molina and Randy Graff sing it here. "What Do You Know About Love?" from Frozen In this song, which is not in the original Frozen film, Anna and Kristoff have it out because Kristoff begins to questions Anna's alleged love for Hans, someone she doesn't know at all. It turns into a sparring contest as each of them accuses the other of not being in the place to criticize. Knowing that they become a couple makes this original conflict incredibly sweet. Listen to Patti Murin and Jelani Alladin sing it here. "Ready to Settle" from High Fidelity Sometimes, you just don't have it in you to keep fighting the good fight anymore. This song is an entertainingly serious (yet funny) number about not wanting to be alone but also being cynical, jaded, and prepared to be with someone just for the sake of it. Listen to Emily Swallow and Ann Warren sing it here. "The Origin of Love" from Hedwig and the Angry Inch For the classicist in your life (which might be yourself!) this song from Hedwig and the Angry Inch explains how in Aristophanes' speech in Plato's Symposium, once upon a time, humans were double, not single. Then, after Zeus cut everyone in two (to the form we are now) it caused humans to always be searching for the person who brings them back to completion again. This, Hedwig explains, is the origin of love, and finding your missing piece is the ultimate goal. Listen to Neil Patrick Harris sing it here. "Not That Kind of Thing" from The Wedding Singer Are you a big fan of the friends-to-lovers trope? If yes, this song is for you. In this stage adaptation of the famous Adam Sandler-Drew Barrymore film, "Not That Kind of Thing" is the perfect song for anyone who has ever tried very hard to deny they have feelings for their bestie. Hear Stephen Lynch and Laura Benanti sing it here. "There Once was a Man" from The Pajama Game I've never been the world's biggest fan of The Pajama Game but I find the joy in this over-the-top, fast-paced love-declaring duet to be a whole heck of a lot of fun. Listen to Kelli O'Hara and Harry Connick, Jr. sing it here. "On My Own" from Les Misérables While "On My Own" is sometimes dismissed as simply a song about unrequited love, it's more complex than that, and to me it's that complexity which made it a classic. It's about hoping for that romantic love (and imagining it vividly) in order to cope with the horrors of your life and the dreams you know will likely go unfulfilled. My favorite recorded version of it will always be Lea Salonga's from the 1995 10th Anniversary Concert. By the time she reaches the lyric "A world that's full of happiness that I have never known", my heart breaks. Listen to Lea Salonga sing it here. Honorable Mentions: These two songs were cut from their respective musicals, so you likely will never see them performed in their original context. However, they are two of my absolute favorite songs in the history of the world, so I had to feature them: "I Could Be in Love with Someone Like You" by Jason Robert Brown This song was originally part of The Last Five Years, but was later replaced by "Shiksa Goddess." It's bursting with frenetic energy and quick, witty lyrics that are equal parts passionate and humorous, as the Jewish man declaring his overwhelming adoration for an Irish girl makes continuous references to both of their cultures. If the lyrics "I don't know what I'm doing/But come in and ruin me!" don't speak to your soul then...I don't know what to tell you. I just love it so much. Listen to Jason Robert Brown sing it here. "The Glamorous Life" by Stephen Sondheim Originally written for the musical A Little Night Music, this song is rightfully the stuff of legends. It's about a daughter's adoration for her largely-absent mother whose life is anything but glamorous. The love for (and, arguably, passionate defense of) a mother who doesn't quite deserve it is remarkable. While you'll almost never hear a child tackle it, it sounds brilliant when a powerful soprano takes it on. Listen to Audra McDonald sing it here.

Hello, dear readers! I am so happy to be back writing in my blog. After I completed my 365 Days of Musical Theater series, I admit I took an unplanned blogging break (aside from my surprisingly-popular citation posts). I'm sorry about that! Now, though, and I've decided to begin this new series where I share wonderful things that make me happy in the hopes that they will make you happy, too. First up...White Rock Bear Shelter in Ukraine, near Kyiv. The work they are doing there to help rescued bears gives me hope for humanity. Like many of my fellow Millennials, I spend a lot of time on the internet. One of my favorite viral videos features a white fluffy bear stumbling out of a den and looking like she was just woken up by her work alarm. Often it is accompanied by a caption like "If Monday was a bear" or, when I recently saw it, a joke about accidentally napping for 9 hours. The bear in question, Chada, was even dubbed by The Dodo as a "mascot of the sluggish and sleepy", which must be why I loved her the moment I saw her. As I am always curious about the welfare of wild animals (we all know how I feel about elephants), I needed to know more and sought out information about her home: White Rock Bear Shelter. An initial search showed me that she is a Himalayan bear, born circa 1998, who was rescued from a circus. She is getting older and has eyesight and tooth issues, but is living her best life in retirement. I was immediately obsessed. The next thing I knew I was going down a research hole because I had to know everything about the work being done by White Rock to give bears the good lives they deserve. Some of what I learned was this: The bears have mostly been rescued from circuses or other forced-performance situations and often have continued issues due to their years of horrible neglect and mistreatment. They largely cannot be rewilded. The bears aren't alone! White Rock also tends to wolves (like Dora, who you can see here). Since the outbreak of the war, the Shelter has remained dedicated to protecting the animals in their care--including staging an evacuation when things became particularly precarious. You can see their video about that here. You can visit the shelter to learn about their work, just not during hibernation season for obvious reasons. They use European and US rehabilitation and zoo standards to prep the areas where the bears live. You can see their video about that here. You can donate to 'adopt' a bear (or wolf) and the funds go to benefit everyone. The cost is 1000 UAH. They estimate that to be about $35 but when I did it, due to fluctuations in conversion rates, it only cost me $26.70. You can even tell them which animal you want to be attached to and they will not only post about it, but they will also email you (if you are international) a lovely certificate to commemorate your contribution. You can learn more about that by clicking here or reading an Instagram post like this one. Of course, as I just implied, because I'm me and bears are part of my trinity of favorite animals (the other two are elephants and rabbits), I knew I needed to donate. I'm also a sucker for any form of temporary adoption of an animal. It makes me feel good to donate to the protection of all while being able to associate myself with a specific animal because their story speaks to me. I ended up sponsoring two of the bears: Lyubochka and Synochok. I knew I wanted to adopt a girl (like me!) and Chada got a lot of press, so I immediately was interested in Lyubochka. Then, I saw Synochok's picture on the website and wanted to (virtually!!) hug him, so I knew I had to learn about them both. It turned out that they were rescued together! They both had traumatic lives where they were forced to live in metal cages and perform whenever it was demanded of them--including letting people touch them. The story provided by the Shelter (which you can read here) not only talks about the horrible treatment they received, but also show images of them in performance that will break your heart. While we can at least be glad that they were surrendered to the Shelter voluntarily, it is clear the conditions of their earlier lives had lasting impact. The Shelter reports that both Lyubochka and Synochok had serious fears about going anywhere. Lyubochka would hide as much as possible. Meanwhile, Synochok had developed a heart condition from his time in tiny captivity that requires monitoring and he will still make a hand clapping motion (like he did when performing) to get attention from the staff. Once I read all of this, I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep without donating to help them. Look at the adorable faces below. How can you not want to know they're getting to live happily now? These screenshots are of this post, which heralded my adoption of the two bears. I also received wonderful PDF certificates commemorating the adoptions that I printed out and hung on my fridge, as one does. There is no doubt that I will donate again in the future. [Image descriptions: Two screenshots of the Instagram post done by the White Rock Bear Shelter following my donation. The text on it reads Thank you dear My Name is Purpose for adoption of Lyuba and Synochok! Welcome to bear friends club and may the bear force be with you. The two images are close-up photographs of the bear's faces. They both have brown fur and black noses. Lyuba, on the left, has slightly lighter fur with greater color variation, while Synochok, on the right, has fur that is darker brown.] The social media accounts for the Shelter post daily and I look forward to seeing them. Whether it's a simple clip of bear enjoying a snack or an educational video about the history of the residents, I'm always fascinated by it. It's hard to see their work and not feel a tug on your heart strings. And if you're worried about the language barrier, you can stop now. It's all posted in English, too, usually as the first comment on the post or, in the case of videos, with subtitles. Following them will show you that the bears (and wolves) appear content, well-treated, energetic, curious, and playful. Happy bears make me happy and knowing there are people whose lives are dedicated to the cause makes me thankful. Now, if only we treated wild animals as we should from the start so that rescues weren't needed...well, that would make me ecstatic. I hope you'll be as inspired as I was to follow (and maybe contribute to!) their work or, at the very least, that you enjoyed reading about them here. As they say on the White Rock Bear Shelter social media accounts, good bearnight! Learn More White Rock Bear Shelter Official Website Instagram YouTube Facebook Meet the Bears via their bios "Emergency Transfer of Bears in Ukraine", Four Paws, March 2022. "Drowsy Bear Starting Her Day Becomes A Mascot Of The Sluggish And Sleepy", The Dodo, May 2023. About the White Rock logo from Leo Burnett

Hello! Welcome back to Citations 101, my short series about why and how we cite. In my last post, I talked about why citing your sources is important. In this one, I'm going to introduce the concept of a citation style. Now, it might seem to some of you like the most logical approach to citations would be for everyone to do it the same way. I agree. That would be amazing. I've even shouted about it at my friends and co-workers on occasion. Alas, this is universal methos does not exist and there are multiple methods (known as styles) for citations. This post is going to teach you a little about them. One thing about citation styles that I appreciate is, much like language, they are always evolving. While they all have been teaching people how to cite printed sources from the beginning, over time they have expanded their styles to include methods for citing sources like websites and social media platforms. The teams behind these citation styles are regularly reviewing the changing scholarly landscape and providing updates to better help you share your research and give credit to all whose work you've used. Generally, your editor, publisher, or professor will tell you their preferred citation style for a specific piece. They might even provide you with a guide that outlines exactly how to do it (this is often called a style sheet). However, it's a good idea to be familiar with all of the common citation methods so that when you are told which one to use, it isn't a complete surprise. Learning about them now will save you time later, I promise. The remainder of this post is a brief, very basic introduction to the three citation styles I've encountered the most in my writing life. They each have their own quirks and nuances that I might discuss in later posts, but by the end of this one, you will at least have a feel for what they are, who usually uses them, and where you would place your citations in your writing. As you get to know these styles and write in them, you will absolutely develop opinions about which style is the best and which one(s) you hate. If you do a lot of writing in your life, you may even end up in playful debates about the topic. You'll be surprised to see how passionate people are about their citation style preferences (I admit that my love of Chicago is legendary). APA Official APA style website APA gets its name from the American Psychological Association, which created it. It has been in use for nearly 100 years, particularly by those writing about health and/or science. Citations in APA appear in parentheses in the body of the text, usually immediately near a quote or paraphrase from a source. Its focus is on the author(s), the year of publication, and often, the page number. As such, if you are reading a source by Kristin Smith that was published in 2013, and your quote is from page 35, you would write it as: (Smith, 2013, p.35) APA's decision to include the year in its in-text citations is important because, especially when talking about studies pertaining to health/science, it signals to the reader how long ago a researcher published their findings. In APA, the source list included at the end of an essay is called the References page. Chicago Official Chicago style website Chicago style is practically as old as the University of Chicago itself, and was created in 1891. As with all of these styles, it can be used in any field, but you'll find it has a special place in the hearts of historians. Usually, Chicago citations don't go in the main text of an essay. They are indicated in the main text by a superscript number (which looks like this: ¹) and then that same number appears at the bottom (foot) of the page. The citation information is then placed at the bottom of the page, creating what is called a footnote. The first time a source is listed in a footnote, the footnote can appear rather long. It contains all the information from the source that will also be used in the source list at the end of the essay. However, after the first time, a shortened version is used (often just an author's name and page number), which is quite simple. For example, if you wanted to cite page 23 of the novel Diamond Head by Cecily Wong, you would collect the title, author's name, publication location, publisher, publication year, and page number being used. The first footnote would look like this: 1. Cecily Wong, Diamond Head (New York: HarperCollins, 2015), 23. Footnotes may be a little bit more work than in-text citations at first, but they're actually great. Why? Because they take the citations out of the main text, which means if you don't want to read the references immediately, you don't have to. These citations don't interrupt the flow of your reading. However, if you do want to read the citation information (and you should!), you can see all of the information you need to look up the source yourself without having to flip (or scroll) to the end of a text to find it all. Plus, footnotes are not just for citations. They're also for extra information. If you have anything you want to add, but that doesn't belong in the main body paragraph? You get to write it there! Chicago does have a version which places citations in the body of text, but I've genuinely never seen anyone use it. If someone mentions Chicago to you, there's a 99% chance they want footnotes. In Chicago, the source list included at the end of an essay is called the Bibliography. Note: You will sometimes hear the name Turabian in the same conversation as Chicago, but don't let that confuse you. Turabian is Chicago's relative. It refers to a guide created by Kate L. Turabian, which is geared towards students, while the Chicago Manual of Style is geared toward professionals. Largely, though, the styles are the same and because of this, it would be unlikely that you'd find yourself in trouble if you used the standard Chicago style when someone mentioned using Turabian. You can read more about Turabian style here. MLA Official MLA style website MLA gets its name from the Modern Language Association. It originated in 1931 as the work of the Association's executive director and one of its members. You'll generally see MLA being used by people in the humanities, especially if they are writing about literature, and I have seen it creep into history on occasion. Like APA, MLA places its citations in parentheses within the text, usually immediately next to a quote or paraphrase. Here, the focus is on the author's name and the page where you got your information. Therefore, if you were reading something by April Moundie and using page 70, your citation would be: (Moundie 70) In my experience, it is the most flexible of the citation methods discussed today. To paraphrase what my editor Dr. Emily Hamilton-Honey once commented in an email, when you have an odd source, "MLA trusts you to figure it out." Some people find this pretty liberating. In MLA, the source list included at the end of an essay is called the Works Cited page. Do you already have a citation style that you love? Is there one you are eager to try? Do you prefer a style with a thorough guide or one that gives you more freedom? In-text or footnotes? There are so many options and each style has its own pluses and minuses. I hope the one you like the best is also the one you get to use the most often!

My first experience writing a research paper was in either 7th or 8th grade. Armed with several books from the school library I set forth to write what I am sure was a ground-breaking treatise on the history of Broadway. At this same time, I first learned that you had to make sure you gave a list of every source you consulted. Over the (many) years that followed, my understanding of why we do this expanded and became more nuanced than 'so you don't fail.' This has helped me to see citations (dare I say it?) as something I almost enjoy doing. As an adult, I've spent many years helping people from a wide variety of fields of study and an equally broad range of educational experience with their writing. Although when we talk about citations, people most often think of academic writing, citations exist all over the writing landscape. Whether you're writing a blog post, newspaper article, novel's author's note, or something else, you should always give credit to those whose works you have consulted. So, when citations come up, the same several questions generally arise, the foremost of which is: Why do we cite? It's an important question, especially for new writers. The remainder of this post offers some of the many reasons that citations are not just important but critical to the writing process. 6 Reasons We Cite To give credit where it is due. Did all of your work spring from your mind without influence from anything or anyone else? Probably not. Do you want someone to take your work and use it without giving you credit? I doubt it. At its most basic, citations are where you let everyone know whose ideas influenced you, whose works you've quoted or paraphrased, and any sources you consulted. You do this because stealing someone else's ideas is wrong--and if you don't think that stealing ideas matters now, I promise you will when it happens to you. To show you've done your research. One of the first questions an engaged reader will ask is 'how does this author know what they know?' It's asked for good reason, too. People need to have reason to believe you are a legitimate source. Ideas and theories are all well and good, but if you don't consider work done in the field before you, how can you prove you know what you're talking about? There's no rule saying you need to agree with everything ever written on the topic you're covering, in fact if you did then you probably wouldn't have much to contribute. That said, it's important to show that you are aware of what other work has been done, who has done it, and what has been accepted or argued about up to this point. I think about this a lot when I am listening to podcasts. If I start listening to a history podcast and the host does not either provide a list of sources on their website (Footnoting History does this by including a section labeled Further Reading for each episode) or mention their sources in the episode itself, I wonder how valid their opinions are or if they even got their facts right. How do I know they didn't get their information from Wikipedia or someone who told them something that might or might not be true? You never want to give people a reason to think you didn't do your homework before professing to have any level of expertise on a topic. If you want to be taken seriously, you must show that you took the time to study your topic before you attempt to teach others or make strong points about it. To comment on the work of others. Was someone's work particularly influential on yours? Do you want to make sure people see a specific selection of sources to read about a particular argument? Citing them with commentary is one way to make sure people know that. However, not every citation has to be done in the spirit of positivity. Sometimes you will engage with sources that you find problematic, disagree with, or discover are offensive. When you write, it can often be important to include these sources to explain those important aspects. It is especially common to cite someone's work so you can argue against them. Everything in a work has meaning, and citations are a part of that. When appropriate, don't shy away from citing sources as direct parts of your work, you'll see very quickly how much this can add to your project. Help readers find additional resources. Whenever I read something, if I want to know more about the topic I take a look at what the author read in order to write their work. In academic (or other non-fiction) writing this often means I'll look at the notes or bibliography/works cited/references. In a genre like historical fiction, it often leads me to the author's note at the end of the story. By providing the sources you've found useful (or harmful, as mentioned above), you are helping your readers learn more about the topic by helping them discover those who influenced your writing and/or helped build your field of study. It's a compliment to you when a reader is inspired by your writing enough to want to learn more and trusts your research skills enough to want to read the same sources you did, so you should always want to set those people up for success. To lift up other researchers. Citation is exposure and exposure is something every writer and researcher needs. It's important not only to cite, but to be intentional about who you cite. Many fields have several stalwarts--people who get cited over and over again for any number of reasons. Sometimes these people have contributed a great deal to the field or they've sold a lot of books or maybe it's just because they've been really good at networking. Every citation is an opportunity for someone else's work to be discovered and recognized for its contribution to your piece. To all scholars-- but especially to scholars who are new, undervalued, overlooked, or underappreciated--a citation in your work will not only make them feel good but it will help their work get discovered by your readers. Lifting up others is always a good idea and whenever you have the opportunity to help good work be found by more people, you should absolutely go out of your way to include it. To stay relevant and keep the conversation going No researcher works in a vacuum and no work is the final word on a topic. Every time you write something and engage with research you are adding a link to the chain of that topic's consideration. Who you cite, when and how you cite them, and what you say about them is all part of your contribution to the broader understanding of a topic. Readers will look at the sources you consulted and consider how you used them or commented on them when they seek to build on your work. The more thorough and intentional you are in every aspect of your work, including your citations, the more likely you are to see it used when someone else wants to add their contribution. Citing and giving credit may not be the most exciting task--everyone has had experiences of sighing at the tedious nature of conforming to one of the various citation methods. That said, it is my hope that by pausing and considering why we cite, writers will want to take the time to do it well. Tell me, what reasons did I miss? Why do you think it is important to cite your sources? Let me know in the comments below! Lead image by congerdesign from Pixabay.

Welcome! Congratulations! You made it to the end. I have now completed providing you, dear Reader, with a list of 365 songs from different theatrical productions. Most times it was easy because I was pulling my favorites out of the air, but others caused me to really sit and think about my next choice, because my brain kept wanting to pull other songs I liked from shows I'd already used. Ultimately, though, I think I managed to showcase a wide array of songs (from the popular to the all-but-forgotten) and performers. I hope you have enjoyed this series and the music it featured as much as I did creating it. These songs were originally tweeted between February 3, 2023 and February 22, 2023. 346. 'Donny Novitski' from Bandstand (Corey Cott as Donny) Original Broadway Cast (2017) Set around the conclusion of World War II, Bandstand is a show about veterans attempting to reintegrate into society. In this song, Corey Cott's Donny sets the stage for the rest of the show. He hears an advertisement on the radio for a competition for the best new song written to honor those serving/who have served in the military. Donny sees this as a golden opportunity because not only is he a musician but he is a musician with experience serving. This song serves as his moment of realization that he could possibly win the contest, if all the pieces he needs to help with that fall into place. Watch here. 347. 'All I've Ever Known' from Hadestown (Eva Noblezada as Eurydice, Reeve Carney as Orpheus) Maestra Music (2021) I picked this song because I have so many friends with deep interest in mythology. This musical is based on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, and in 'All I've Ever Known', Eva's Eurydice realizes she's falling in love with Reeve's Orpheus, while Reeve's Orpheus reflects on how lucky he is to be with her, too. Watch here. 348. 'Living in the Shadows' from Victor/Victoria (Julie Andrews as Victoria Grant) Original Broadway Cast (1995-1997) I remember so well walking through midtown in the mid-1990s and seeing ads for this production all over the place. In fact, to this day if someone says 'Julie Andrews' to me, one of the first things that comes to mind is her dressed in the suit from the poster for the show. I picked this song because I wanted to showcase a Julie solo from this musical about the complexity of pretending you're someone you aren't. Listen here. 349. 'I Got You' from Bring it On (Company) Broadway.com (2012) Bring it On may be a classic film about competing cheerleaders, but the entirety of my exposure to it was from the stage production. The show is obviously built on intense conflict but this song is from the end of the show, when everything is finally settled and they get to just, well, celebrate how it all worked out. It's a good one for when you're feeling the need to have a sing along with your friends. Watch here. 350. 'My Body' from The Life (Company) The Rosie O'Donnell Show (1997) The Life takes a look at Times Square before it became a cleaned up, family-friendly place. I never got to see it, but I have clear memories of seeing Lillias White and rest of the company do promotional performances. One of those memories I had, was of this performance of 'My Body' from The Rosie O'Donnell Show. Why do I remember it? I'm not sure. But I was pleased to see it on YouTube so that I could share it. It's a group of woman sex workers responding to the unwanted passing implications of damnation from a religious group by reminding them them that they can do whatever they want with their own bodies if it's going to help them survive. Watch here. 351. 'I am the Starlight'/'Light at the End of the Tunnel' from Starlight Express (Greg Mowry as Rusty, Steve Fowler as Poppa, Company) Tony Awards (1987) Starlight Express was way more popular in the UK than it was in the US, and it is one of the most bizarre and unique musicals out there. Not only does the cast spend a great deal of time careening around the stage on roller skates (even more so than in the later musical, Xanadu, which I featured early on this list) but it's literally about a child's dream of train engines and the replacement of steam power with newer methods. You can't say they didn't think outside the box with this one. Honestly, I didn't have a specific song I wanted to showcase from this show, so I picked the Tony Awards performance because you just need to see the cast in action. Watch here. 352. 'Do the Work' from Prince of Broadway (Company) Original Broadway Cast (2017) The 'prince' in the title Prince of Broadway is Hal Prince, because this musical is an ode to all of the shows that he produced over the course of his career. It's a true revue, so the songs are drawn from somewhere else, except for one called 'Do the Work', which is why I chose it. Written by Jason Robert Brown for the production, this song features the whole company and it's as much about literally doing the work as it is about having the courage to tell the stories you think need to be told. Listen here. 353. 'First Date/Last Night' from Dogfight (Derek Klena a Birdlace, Lindsay Mendez as Rose) Broadway.com (2013) When Dogfight premiered in New York, I remember it being something everyone was talking about. The story is set in the 1960s and it's about a Marine named Birdlace who falls in love with a woman named Rose on the night when he's meant to be having a last hurrah with his friends before deployment...the same night where he subjects Rose to a terrible prank. This song takes place after the prank (which I won't give away because, plot) when Birdlace and Rose agree to put what happened behind them and go on a first date. Watch here. 354. 'How Will I Know?' from Death Takes a Holiday (Jill Paice as Grazia) Original Off-Broadway Cast (2011) If you've ever had something happen to you that you didn't expect, but it made you realize that suddenly life is extremely different, and probably won't ever be the same again, this is the song for you. Listen here. 355. 'The Way it Ought to Be' from A Tale of Two Cities (Natalie Toro as Mme Defarge, Kevin Earley as Ernest Defarge, People of Paris) International Studio Cast (2015) A Tale of Two Cities is based on the famous Dickens' book of the same title about the French Revolution. Early in this musical adaptation this song, the Defarges and the Parisians look at the France they've always known and the bloody fight they're willing to go through to get the country to be the way they want it to be. Shout out to my friend Joe who was absolutely OBSESSED with this musical for years. Listen here. 356. 'At the Fountain' from Sweet Smell of Success (Brian d'Arcy James as Sidney) The Rosie O'Donnell Show (2002) Brian d'Arcy James is one of those performers whose name I'm always happy to see pop up in a show. In 'At the Fountain' Brian's character Sidney, a frustrated press agent, sings about how he finally--finally--feels like he is about to see all his professional dreams come true. Watch here. 357. 'Other People's Stories' from Amour (Melissa Errico as Isabelle) Original Broadway Cast (2003) In Amour, the character of Isabelle isn't allowed to go out and live life herself (courtesy of an abusive husband) so she spends a lot of time living vicariously through others. 'Other People's Stories' shows how her life is confined to following the adventures and wondering about the secrets of the famous and, well, anyone allowed to actually do things. It's got a charming melody and melancholy meaning. Listen here. 358. 'Nowhere Left to Run' from Amazing Grace (Chuck Cooper as Thomas) Original Broadway Cast (2015) Chuck Cooper has such an iconic voice and he shows it off perfectly here. This song is from a musical (loosely) about a man named John Newton, who wrote the famous hymn 'Amazing Grace'. He also went from being a slave trader to an abolitionist. In 'Nowhere Left to Run' Chuck's Thomas, an enslaved man, confronts John, pointing out to him that no matter how much he claims he has no choices, he actually does, and one day his guilt over how he's treating others through his behavior is going to catch up with him. It is a beautifully-sung moment of calling an oppressor on his crimes. It's hard to listen to it without being moved. Listen here. 359. 'Gold' from Camille Claudel (Linda Eder) Linda Eder Official YouTube Channel (2013) The real Camille Claudel was an artist (sculptor) whose life spanned from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century. The musical about her life focuses on her relationship (toxic as it was at times) with fellow artist Auguste Rodin. Here, near the end of the show, Camille gets a stunning solo number performed by one of my all-time favorite singers, Linda Eder, reflecting on her life and career. Really though, it could be about anything and Linda would make it tremendous, it's what she does. Listen here. 360. 'Someone Woke Up' from Do I Hear a Waltz? (Betsy Wolfe) If It Only Even Runs a Minute IX (2012) I'm always in a Sondheim mood, so I started to think about which musicals he was involved in that I hadn't shared yet. Do I Hear a Waltz? isn't one of his most popular shows, but of course it contains some gems, like this one. If I ever get to Venice, you can bet I'll spend a few minutes singing this bouncy ode to falling in love with the city as soon as you arrive in it to myself. Watch here. 361. 'I'd Rather Be Sailing' from A New Brain (Jonathan Groff) Barnes and Noble (2015) I spent many years listening to John Barrowman sing this song on one of his solo albums and thinking I'd never love anyone else's version, then Jonathan Groff came along and earned a spot matching my appreciation for the Barrowman rendition. This song is smooth and thoughtful and all about a man dealing with a terrible medical condition who would much rather be out on the sea sailing with his beloved boyfriend. Watch here. 362. 'I've Got Things to Say' from Waiting for the Moon (Jarrod Emick as F. Scott Fitzgerald) YouTube (2000s) Waiting for the Moon has had several titles over the years (including Zelda), but when I first saw it down in North Carolina a lifetime ago, this was the name. I absolutely, 100%, fell in love with this Wildhorn musical about F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. Instead of telling the story from one of Fitzgerald's books, it takes a look at their relationship. To my continued heartbreak, there has never been a professional recording of the score. I spent so much time this year hoping to find a great version of it because I didn't want to have to share something that was probably not on the up and up. That said, my adoration of the score means I ultimately decided (as time was running out) that I had to share it, no matter what. Here, Jarrod Emick's Fitzgerald dreams of being a successful writer in a song with a pacing, melody, and rhythm I find absolutely beautiful. I only wish I could share the entire score. Listen here. 363. 'Come to Your Senses' from tick, tick...BOOM! (Raúl Esparza) MCC Miscast (2022) On the original cast recording of tick, tick...BOOM! this song was performed by Amy Spanger, while Raúl Esparza played a different role--the lead one that represented the composer, Jonathan Larson. 'Come to Your Senses' is a gorgeous number and it was extremely popular when I was coming up, to the point where people were told they probably shouldn't sing it unless they wanted to be just like everyone else. In context, it's a song from a show within a show, but it stands alone superbly as a call for the singer's partner to not let their relationship completely fall apart. It's a song I always planned to feature and when Raúl decided to perform it for Miscast some 20 years after the show's original debut, I knew I'd use his version, because it's so darn good. Watch here. 364. 'Take Her to the Mardi Gras' from Thou Shalt Not (Harry Connick, Jr.) Harry on Broadway (2006) I was absolutely hellbent on including a song from Thou Shalt Not on this list, only it took me forever to accept that I would not be able to include the song I wanted. Thou Shalt Not was an utter flop, based on the novel Thérèse Raquin, which was set in New Orleans, involved an awkwardly-staged sex scene, and Norbert Leo Butz as a ghost tormenting the the lovers who killed him. The song I wanted to share is called 'Tug Boat' and it was eerie and set up the death scene of Norbert's character, Camille. However, it's not readily available in a legitimate version anywhere. After searching for nearly a whole year, I gave up, but I still wanted to feature this jazzy, dark show because despite the years, I still remember seeing it like it was yesterday. So, I turned to the recording done by Harry Connick, Jr., who composed Thou Shalt Not, and picked my favorite of the songs he chose to feature, 'Take Her to the Mardi Gras', which is decidedly less depressing than 'Tug Boat' and was a perfect choice for the start of Mardi Gras, when I was originally tweeting these selections. Listen here. 365. 'Move On' from Sunday in the Park with George (Jenna Russell as Dot, Daniel Evans as George) Tony Awards (2008) I knew 'Move On' was going to be my final song for this list pretty early on in making it. It just seemed all too appropriate. Sunday in the Park with George is a classic, looking at the intersection of life and the creation of art (centering on artist Georges Seurat as he works on his famous pointillism piece, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte). It's about continuing to move forward and discovering what the world has to offer and what you have to offer the world, and so much more. Watch here. Thank you, yes you, for following along with me all this time. I hope I've introduced you to new music and that you now have a playlist bursting with all of your favorites!

The end of our musical theater adventure is quickly approaching! It's hard to believe that we are in the penultimate entry (also, I recently saw Bad Cinderella and, since this list is already frozen, I can't add a song from it, but I do want to say you need to hear the title number, it is SO catchy and I am obsessed). At this point in my list I had to really sit down and think about what songs I wanted to use. I'd already included so many of my favorite musicals, while others were being saved for the final stretch. As a result, I started to think back even more and pull out songs that I liked from shows you may not hear about that often. So, for while there are some beloved classics here (like Nine or Ain't Misbehavin'), there are also many selections from shows you might never have heard of because they didn't truly infiltrate the zeitgeist...but honestly, that can make them even more fun to hear. I hope you love these. Thank you for being with me for 345 songs, and please come back soon to see how this all ends! These songs were originally tweeted between January 19, 2023 and February 2, 2023. 331. 'Unusual Way' from Nine (Laura Benanti as Claudia) Broadway Revival (2003) Although Laura Benanti was in a revival of Nine, her version of this song was the first one I ever heard and is the one I think of whenever it is mentioned. In it, the character of Claudia expresses her feelings for a man who can never return her love, at least not the love she wants from him. I've never been a huge fan of Nine in general, but 'Unusual Way' is a moving and vulnerable moment that I definitely appreciate. Listen here. 332. 'I Wanna Be a Rockette' from Kicks (Karen Ziemba) My Favorite Broadway: The Leading Ladies (1998) 'I Wanna Be a Rockette' is about exactly what the title says, and for years, I wondered when this musical would show up somewhere. Years later, there were articles about how Kicks might finally be getting its moment in the sun. To the best of my knowledge, that day still hasn't come (and it certainly, at least, hasn't come on Broadway). In any case, we still have this Broadway-worthy number from the show that's perfect for someone dreaming big. Watch here. 333. 'Like a Rolling Stone' from The Times They Are A-Changin' (Michael Arden as Coyote) The View (2006) I've never been a big fan of Bob Dylan music but I've been a Michael Arden fan forever, which is why I wanted to go see The Times They Are A-Changin' back in the day. Unfortunately, the day I went was the day he was out. The show was messy and strange and involved clowns and I still don't know what I think of it, but I wanted to feature it because no one ever does. Luckily, we have Arden's performance from The View to watch which is the closest I ever got to seeing him in the show. Watch here. 334. 'We are the Champions' from We Will Rock You (Tony Vincent as Galileo, Company) London Cast Recording (2002) My friend who lived in the UK absolutely loved We Will Rock You when it first was staged there. I was interested in it at the time because of my love for Tony Vincent from when he played Judas in the Broadway revival of Jesus Christ Superstar. He was so phenomenal that I am still sad the 2000 Broadway version wasn't given a cast recording. When my friend sent me the We Will Rock You cast recording, I was eager to listen to it. Although the show itself seemed a little strange (it was extremely futuristic) I once again was moved by the power of Tony Vincent's vocals. It's hard to do Freddie Mercury's music and succeed at it, but he was vocally beyond what I could have hoped. 'We are the Champions' has always been my favorite Queen song, so that's why you get it. Listen here. 335. 'License to Chill' from Escape to Margaritaville (Paul Alexander Nolan as Tully, Company) NBC Nightly News (2018) If you're a Jimmy Buffett fan, this beach-world set jukebox musical is for you. It's an ode to all things partying and living that Margaritaville life. This song, 'License to Chill', comes early in the show and gives you an idea of its setting and tone. I picked it for two reasons. First, because I love Paul Alexander Nolan's voice and, second, because I love these 360 videos where you can play with it and feel like you are embedded in the stage. No matter what you think of Buffett music, if you enjoy theater, you'll want to check out the way this was filmed, it's a good time. Watch here. 336. 'Intermission Song' from A Strange Loop (Company) The Tonight Show (2022) A perfect show for Pride Month, A Strange Loop has an exciting premise that is very meta. It's about a queer man who is working as a theater usher when his thoughts (the chorus, played by a group of fabulous singers) start poking him about how he should be writing a musical about his life experience. More than just a Tony winner, this show also won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and, honestly, the adoration of every single person I know who saw it--which almost never happens. Watch here. 337. 'Be a Man' from Zanna, Don't! (Jai Rodriguez as Zanna, Ensemble) World Premiere Recording (2003) Also perfect for Pride month, Zanna, Don't! is a musical about a world where being heterosexual is the exception to the rule and being homosexual is the norm. I particularly love this song, not least of all because it's a celebration of the world's famous gay men from history. It's clever and entertaining and such a smart way to show how a person's lens (in this case, sexuality) influences their view of everything about the world. Listen here. 338. 'It's About Magic' from Merlin (George Lee Andrews as Old Merlin, Company) Tony Awards (1983) Merlin wasn't a massive success, but it has such a phenomenal 1980s vibe that I can't help but be charmed by the footage I've seen of it. Plus, if you want to really feel old, check out the original Playbill. The cast included Nathan Lane, Christian Slater, and Chita Rivera. Here, though, you'll get a great introduction to the show in all of its magical 1980s glory. The song might even stick in your head a little bit, too. Watch here. 339. 'Mean to Me' from Ain't Misbehavin' (Nell Carter) My Favorite Broadway: The Leading Ladies (1998) Ain't Misbehavin' is a revue, and my first encounter with it was through Nell Carter's performance of 'Mean to Me' in this concert. It particularly is an ode to the music of places like the Cotton Club and Harlem's amazing music scene featuring Fats Waller. As a child, though, I didn't know all of this background. All I knew was that Nell Carter was a force to be reckoned with and even just watching her sing this on television felt like an honor. She leaves nothing on the table in this performance. Watch here. 340. 'Airport Song' from Honeymoon in Vegas (Ticket Agents and Ensemble) Original Broadway Cast (2014-2015) This number is stupid and silly and extraordinarily funny. The premise? There is a desperate need to get a flight to Las Vegas but every single one detours through Atlanta. If you live in the US and know that Atlanta is an absolutely massive connection hub, this song hits particularly hard in the amusing department. Listen here. 341. 'The Woman's Dead' from Curtains (Company) Original Broadway Cast (2007-2008) Curtains is an amusing musical about a murder mystery set in the mid-20th century. 'The Woman's Dead' is a great song to get a feel for its sense of humor. Yes, a woman really is dead, but, well, no one is upset about it because she was kind of terrible. Enjoy. Listen here. 342. 'Deep Beneath the City' from In Transit (Company) Playbill (2016) An entirely a cappella musical about New York City is the sort of thing I find delightful. This song is about the characters' love/hate relationship with the MTA. Listen to enjoy the harmonies, the super-relatable theme, or both. Watch here. 343. 'Joy of the Lord' from Hands on a Hardbody (Keala Settle as Norma, Company) Ghostlight Records (2013) Hands on a Hardbody has the unique (based on a documentary) concept of being about a group of people competing in a contest where you win by being the last person with their hand remaining on the car. It forces the characters into constant contact until they withdraw their hand-either on purpose or by accident-and this format gave time for each character to get their moment in the sun. My favorite, when I saw it, was when Keala Settle let loose in 'Joy of the Lord.' The song comes at a point where her character, Norma, is at her wit's end. She can't stop laughing to the point of alarm, and then truly brings it with this fabulous number. Watch here. 344. 'Selling Out' from American Psycho (Benjamin Walker as Patrick Bateman) American Psycho YouTube Channel (2016) American Psycho started as a novel before becoming a famous film starring Christian Bale and then taking on life as a stage musical. The US version featured Benjamin Walker as Patrick Bateman, a business man who also happens to be a serial killer. The show was dark and twisted and, well, not for me. I decided to share it, though, because my friend Allison loved it beyond all measure. This song come early in the show, helping to establish the world, which is why I picked it. Watch here. 345. 'If I Had My Time Again' from Groundhog Day (Barrett Doss as Rita, Andy Karl as Phil) Masterworks (2017) The only appropriate song to tweet on Groundhog Day was one from the musical based on the film of that name. In it, Barrett Doss' Rita, having learned that Andy Karl's Phil has been reliving the same day over and over again, sings about how silly it is when people say they would do things exactly the same because if she had the ability to relive times in her life, there are many things she would change. Watch here.

I was in the mood for a theme when I was putting this batch of songs together and the theme that spoke to me was all songs performed by women. Liza Minnelli, Chita Rivera, Kristin Chenoweth, Anna Uzele, Donna Murphy, Hailey Kilgore, Capathia Jenkins and more really bring it here. I hope you'll give these songs a listen and think about the wide variety of magic created by these fabulously talented women. These songs were originally tweeted between January 4, 2023 and January 18, 2023. 316. 'Waiting for Life' from Once on This Island (Hailey Kilgore as Ti Moune) Broadway Revival Cast (2018) 'Waiting for Life' is a gorgeous and vibrant 'I Want' song. In it, Ti Moune (played by the mega-voiced Hailey Kilgore) pleads with the gods to show her the meaning of her life, to give her her purpose, and to help her move from waiting for her life to begin to actually living it. Watch here. 317. 'Where am I Now?" from Lysistrata Jones (Patti Murin) The Songs of Lewis Flynn (2017) Lysistrata Jones was such a strange (but entertaining) show and honestly, probably great for introducing people to a classic story. It takes Lysistrata, an ancient Greek play by Aristophanes, and drops it into a modern college. In the original, the women of a region attempt to stop a war by withholding sex from the men until they agree to end a war by negotiating peace. In the musical, college girls withhold sex from the athletes there, in order to get them to finally win a basketball game. This song is Lysistrata Jones' big Act I finale number where she looks at what she's started and wonders how everything got quite so messy. Watch here. 318. 'Just a Housewife' from Working (Susan Bigelow as Kate) Original Broadway Cast (1978) When I spent my summer at CAP21, my friend Samantha was assigned this song. It was the first time I ever heard it and a beautiful exercise in controlled emotion and understanding nuance. This slow song is a magnificent depiction of the frustration of being a woman who runs the home without an outside job, who knows what she does is essential and important but has been made to feel less-than in a time when out-of-the-home employment is being lauded for mothers. The lyrics 'What I do is out of fashion/What I feel is out of date" show just how much societal changes can weigh on someone's self-esteem. It's beautiful and a bit heartbreaking and there are many ways to interpret it in performance. Listen here. 319. 'I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City' from Everyday Rapture (Sherie Rene Scott) Original Broadway Cast (2010) In 2010, Sherie Rene Scott brought her semi-autobiographical show to the Broadway stage. I remember wondering how it would be, as I'd spent years listening to her on the recordings of shows like The Last Five Years, but I didn't know anything, really, about her real life. I loved it, and this song in particular. It's her journey song, taking her from a childhood in Kansas to the bustling, shining lights of New York City. If you aren't already there, it'll make you want to come to New York City, too. Listen here. 320. 'I Sure Like the Boys' from A...My Name is Alice (Randy Graff) If It Only Even Runs a Minute VII (2011) A...My Name is Alice is a musical revue from the 1980s that was performed entirely by women and featured all songs about life as a woman. One of the women in it back then was the super-talented theater mainstay Randy Graff. Here, she revisits a song from it, called 'I Sure Like the Boys' which is about exactly what you think it is about--liking boys and how they make her feel. Watch here. 321. 'Kiss of the Spider Woman' from Kiss of the Spider Woman (Donna Murphy) Kennedy Center Honors for Chita Rivera (2002) Donna Murphy can sing absolutely anything. A true chameleon, there is nothing she can't do. In this tribute to Chita Rivera, she took on one of Chita's iconic performances and sang the title song from Kiss of the Spider Woman. Seeing this on television was the first time I ever engaged with this musical and I remember thinking, "I have no idea what this is about, but I am now obsessed with the idea of seeing Donna Murphy in it." Turned out, it's about the fantasies of an imprisoned man, which include a Spider Woman whose kiss literally kills you, but even without that knowledge, this performance is thrilling. Watch here. 322. 'This Place is Mine' from Phantom (Meg Bussert as Carlotta) American Premiere Recording (1993) This Phantom is, yes, the same story as in the long-running musical The Phantom of the Opera, but it has a different composter: Maury Yeston instead of Andrew Lloyd Webber. The result of this is a show that feels unique despite the shared plot. This song, 'This Place is Mine' is my favorite one in it. It features the opera diva Carlotta showing her extreme vocal power and personality (she is a force of nature!) as she flies through the lyrics with speed and passion, reminding everyone that everything about the opera house revolves around her and her stardom. It's fun to listen to and fun to sing. Listen here. 323. 'How Glory Goes' from Floyd Collins (Kelli O'Hara) Always (2011) I've lost count of the amount of men I know who think 'How Glory Goes' is the ultimate man's solo. It was this fact that made me choose the song and just this week (well after this song was initially tweeted) my friend Eric commented about his love of the song to me, so I know this is still a popular opinion. Ironically, he said to me as we were waiting to see Kelli O'Hara in Days of Wine and Roses. I told him that I'd known full well it was a favorite song among men, which is exactly why I picked this version, I like to shake things up. I think it's beautiful no matter who sings it. The show tells the story of a real man named Floyd Collins who, in 1925, lost his life after a cave exploration went wrong. 'How Glory Goes' sees him consider his fate and wonders about what comes next. Listen here. 324. 'A Big Black Lady Stops the Show' from Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me (Capathia Jenkins, Company) Original Broadway Cast (2006-2007) Fame Becomes Me was a weird catch-all sort of show that was basically just a showcase for Martin Short's comedy. However, he was surrounded by an extraordinarily talented ensemble that included Capathia Jenkins. Despite Martin being the headliner and center of it all, it was Capathia's show-stopping number that is my biggest memory from it. 'A Big Black Lady Stops the Show' is a marvelous send up of the popular musical theatre trope of having a Black woman bring down the house in the final portion of a show. Listen here. 325. 'Screw Loose' from Cry-Baby (Alli Mauzey as Lenora) Original Broadway Cast (2015) When Cry-Baby was on Broadway, I went to see it because my friend Jess was a huge fan of the film version, which was also a musical. Unfortunately, the stage production did not capture the vibe of the cult classic film the way many people hoped. It's a classic bad boy/good girl story but with a John Waters-style twist, yet somehow most of the music on stage wasn't memorable. A key standout, though, was 'Screw Loose,' in which a supporting character named Lenora (played perfectly by Alli Mauzey) leans into the commentary that she is of the off-kilter variety while also making it a love song. It's her total commitment to the absurdity that really sells it. Listen here. 326. 'Love and Love Alone' from The Visit (Chita Rivera as Claire) Original Broadway Cast (2015) The Visit is a very, very strange and dark little show about Claire, a wealthy woman who wants her former lover killed. There are two things about it that stuck the most in my mind: first, that it was sadly Roger Rees' last Broadway appearance, and second, that Chita Rivera's stage presence is always as top notch as people say it is. Here, the legendary Chita depicts Claire in a moment of introspection. It's about the pain and long-lasting damage love with the wrong person can cause, and it's moving. Listen here. 327. 'A Quiet Thing' from Flora the Red Menace (Liza Minnelli as Flora) Original Broadway Cast (1965) Liza Minnelli made her Broadway debut as Flora in this show and it made her a Tony winner. In the early 2000s when my voice teacher assigned me 'A Quiet Thing,' I never really gelled with it. It's about how when your dreams come true or good things happen, there aren't alarms and cheers and applause and fireworks to signal it. No, it happens quietly and intimately and you have to notice it without fanfare. Young me never really loved it or did well with it, but young Liza? She hit it out of the park and it's a great listen for those who want to hear what she sounded like before she went fully bombastic in later years. Listen here. 328. 'West End Avenue' from The Magic Show (Joan Ryan) Joan Ryan (1997) The Magic Show was on Broadway well before I was born so I didn't learn about it until 'West End Avenue' appeared in a song anthology I used for voice lessons and my teacher suggested it. The show is literally about a magician and, while it's not one that you see performed all that often, songs like 'West End Avenue' appear every now and then. There's good reason for this one to keep popping out, too: it's great. It's about what happens when you're sure you're better than where you're from...and when you realize you are going to go back there, because it's home. Listen here. 329. 'I Don't Need Your Love' from Six (Anna Uzele as Catherine Parr) Original Broadway Cast (2020/2021- ) Six is a modern musical styled like a rock concert that features the six (thus, the title) wives of King Henry VIII. Each Queen gets her own song, in a unique style. I decided to feature the song performed by Anna Uzele as Catherine Parr here because she is my favorite of his wives. This song isn't about how great Henry is, no, it's about what she had to give up when it became clear she had to marry him and what she's accomplished--and how little of it had to do with her royal husband. Listen here. 330. 'My New Philosophy' from You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Kristin Chenoweth as Sally, Stanley Wayne Mathis as Schroeder) Tony Awards (1999) If I was aware of Kristin Chenoweth before this Tony Awards performance, I don't remember it now. This is the oldest thing that pops into my brain when she is mentioned. I chose it entirely because I feel like we can all use a bit of cheerful nonsense sometimes and that's exactly what this is, Kristin embodying Sally from the Peanuts comics and brining boundless youthful exuberance, much to the chagrin of Stanley Wayne Mathis' Schroeder. Watch here.

The first half of this installment is for people like me, who love winter and the weather and holidays that come with it. For these songs, most of which were originally shared in December, I embraced the winter theme wholeheartedly. However, if that isn't your thing, just skip down to number 307, where I go back to my regular assortment of random songs chosen based on my mood at the time. Down there you'll find songs from shows like Seussical, Saturday Night, Bridges of Madison County, and Is There Life After High School? These songs were originally tweeted between December 20, 2022 and January 3, 2023. 301. 'Always Together' from Soul Doctor (Eric Anderson as Shlomo and Amber Iman as Nina) NYT In Performance (2013) This musical is based on the life of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach (who passed away in the 1990s) and uses music he wrote as part of the story. In life, he was a controversial person, but in the musical his positive attributes were the focus. One of the most interesting aspects of it, though, was that it highlights his real-life friendship with famed singer Nina Simone. Here, I feature one of the songs that Eric Anderson's Shlomo and Amber Iman's Nina Simone sing together in the show. Watch here. 302. 'A Christmas Song' from Elf (Sebastian Arcelus as Buddy, Amy Spanger as Jovie, Company) Original Broadway Cast (2010-2011) I have friends who love Elf, the Will Ferrell film, an extreme amount. I admit that I could never reach their level of fandom for it, but I do enjoy it and I think Sebastian Arcelus really captured Buddy's essence. In this song, Buddy is trying to convince Jovie that (as established in the film) the best way to spread Christmas cheer is 'by singing loud for all to hear.' It's good, pure fun. Listen here. 303. 'Welcome Christmas' from Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (Citizens of Whoville) World Premiere Cast Recording (2013) In the film version of Grinch that I grew up with (the animated one, which is the definitive version in my world) when the citizens of Whoville sing 'Welcome Christmas' it really makes me feel festive and joyous. When they adapted the story for the stage, I was glad to see that classic remained and with the same wonderful enthusiasm from its performers. Listen here. 304. 'Counting Down to Christmas' from A Christmas Story (Tom Wopat as Jean Shepherd, Clarke Hallum as Ralphie, The Parkers) World Premiere Recording (2012) I wasn't sure how I felt about the beloved film A Christmas Story becoming a musical. I didn't think the vibe could truly be captured with songs, and I usually think everything can be musicalized. Still, I was driving through North Carolina when it played there pre-Broadway and decided to see it. I was pleasantly surprised. It may have been a little brighter than the film (that my family watches every single year without fail) but it retained some of the quirky appeal. The show has had various versions of certain songs, so don't be surprised if you see it and this one isn't performed or is different than this recorded version. Nevertheless, if you like this song, you'll probably like the show in any form. Listen here. 305. 'White Christmas' from Holiday Inn (Bryce Pinkham as Jim, Lora Lee Gayer as Linda) Broadway HD (2017) I cheated a little bit with this one. Holiday Inn is not the same as White Christmas but it shares some key elements, like the song 'White Christmas'! As someone who absolutely loves that song (and the film of the same title) I decided to use the Holiday Inn version of it so that I could free myself up to feature another song that I love from White Christmas for number 306 on this list. Winter is my favorite season and I spend all year hoping that we will have a snow-covered Christmas, so this song is always up my alley. Watch here. 306. 'Snow' from White Christmas (Stephen Bogardus as Bob, Jeffery Denman as Phil, Kerry O'Malley as Betty, Meredith Patterson as Judy) Original Broadway Cast (2008-2009) As mentioned above, I cheated a bit in order to get this song included. White Christmas is one of my favorite holiday films and the song 'Snow' always makes me laugh, as the foursome at the story's core sing about the delight that occurs when it snows. I also love the title song, and choosing between the two was hard, so I just didn't do it. I remember when the film was first adapted for the stage, I thought, "If they don't keep 'Snow' in the show, I'm going to riot." They did and I was very happy about it. Listen here. 307. 'First Impressions' from First Date (Zachary Levi as Aaron, Krysta Rodriguez as Casey) Broadway.com (2013) One of my closest friends is a huge Krysta Rodriguez fan, and we were talking about her fandom at this point in the year, so it caused me to look for a way to incorporate her into this list in as a front-and-center singer. The first show that came to my mind was First Date, which follows (in detail) the first date of Krysta's Casey and Zachary Levi's Aaron. This song, which appropriately comes early in the story, is literally about the first time you meet someone who could be your next romantic partner. Watch here. 308. 'So Many People' from Saturday Night (Lauren Ward as Helen, David Campbell as Gene) Original New York Cast (2000) I was hooked on this slow, beautiful ballad from the my moment I heard the lyric, "I said the man for me/Must have a castle." It continues to talk about how the singer is shocked to find the man she loves more than she ever thought possible has none of the trappings she once thought were non-negotiable. She reflects that the person is more important than what they have and ultimately the song is a wholehearted declaration of the feeling of utter luck that comes with being in love. I am a fan of every moment of it. Listen here. 309. 'Almost Real' from The Bridges of Madison County (Kelli O'Hara as Francesca) Broadway.com (2014) Kelli O'Hara has been featured a lot recently on this list and I'm not sorry about it. I feel like I've been seeing her on stage forever, in a great way. This one is very different from the last time I talked about her, when she was in The Pajama Game with Harry Connick, Jr. That song was playful and fun while this one was more aligned with her time in (my favorite Kelli show) The Light in the Piazza. Here, she stars as an Italian woman who grows incredibly unhappy in her marriage and life in middle-of-nowhere USA. I picked this song not only because there was a lovely video where you could Kelli sing it, but also because it's where she explains her character's backstory and I love a good backstory. Watch here. 310. 'What You'd Call a Dream' from Diamonds (Philip Quast) Live at the Donmar (2002) Philip Quast has one of my favorite voices, and it isn't heard in the USA enough (for real, his 'Stars' from Les Mis is the definitive version to me). Something else that isn't heard in the USA enough is the musical Diamonds, which has nothing to do with gems and everything to do with diamonds of the baseball variety. Given that baseball is my favorite sport and I've already stated my bias in favor of Philip Quast's sound, of course I had to share it. It's a song about wanting to be the hero of the game, and it's awesome. Listen here. 311. 'Nothing Really Happened' from Is There Life After High School? (Lisa Brescia) If It Only Even Runs a Minute (2010) Of all the songs I've mentioned in this list recently, this one hit me in the heart the most. It's almost never heard, which makes me sad, and it was hard to find a good recording of it, but I found this one by the wonderfully-voiced Lisa Brescia. It isn't a loud song or a flashy one, but it is incredibly introspective and the subject matter is significant for me, so I'm hoping it is for someone else out there. It's about a woman remembering when she was younger and spent a night with a boy where 'nothing really happened' but the potential for what could have and how she felt remains a core memory. She wonders if she should reach out to him and, if she did, would he even remember it? Every time I think about it, my mind goes into nostalgic, emotional overdrive for hours after. I knew from the day I decided to create this list that it would be included. It's time has finally come. Watch here. 312. 'Love Changes Everything' from Aspects of Love (Michael Ball) Andrew Lloyd Webber's Royal Albert Hall Celebration (1998) The first time I ever heard 'Love Changes Everything' was when Audra McDonald slayed it as part of the Andrew Lloyd Webber love trio in the My Favorite Broadway: The Leading Ladies concert. That gorgeous version will forever be my favorite, but because it is entwined with other songs there, I felt I should pick a version where the lyrics get to shine on their own. If you ever wanted an anthem about the way love can alter the whole world for you, now you've got a true classic. Watch here. 313. 'Whistle Down the Wind' from Whistle Down the Wind (John Barrowman) Aspects of Andrew Lloyd Webber (1998) Despite having heard 'Whistle Down the Wind' approximately a billion times in my life, I somehow have never seen the actual show (probably because it's not exceedingly popular...) Of all the versions I've heard, John Barrowman's is my favorite. His notoriously smooth voice glides over the notes in a way that elevate the song from sweet to powerful without being overbearing. It's a song that promises protection and solidarity and calls for bravery in the face of darkness, and its melody is both soothing and encouraging. Listen here. 314. 'Struttin' from Shuffle Along...(Joshua Henry as Noble Sissle, Brandon Victor Dixon as Eubie Blake, Brian Stokes Mitchell as F.E. Miller and Billy Porter as Aubrey Lyles) Tonys Sampler (2016) I started to write a whole big description for this show, but then I realized the important thing is this: Joshua Henry, Brandon Victor Dixon, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Billy Porter all exist on this track together. If that combination of talent isn't enough to get you to listen, nothing will be. Listen here. 315. 'The One Feather Tail of Miss Gertrude McFuzz" from Seussical (Janine LaManna as Gertrude McFuzz) Original Broadway Cast (2000-2001) One of my funnier memories from my teen years is that I was upset when Seussical opened because, in my mind, it was going to be a stupid show and it was responsible for my beloved Footloose closing so it could take the theatre. My teenage feelings were real, and not entirely logical. Anyway, the show is beloved by many friends of mine, but I didn't listen to it until well after the Broadway run. This quirky little number is about Gertrude McFuzz and her self-consciousness about her tail, which she thinks isn't good enough to make her catch the attention of her crush, Horton the elephant. Listen here.

Hitting song number 300 is a huge deal! It means we have come a very long way in this adventure and that we don't have my longer to go to reach our conclusion. Here, as in the occasional past entry, I focus on classics. These are songs from the older musical theater world, though many of them are performed by more contemporary artists. I love knowing that older music is having new life. It makes my heart happy. I hope you enjoy this music too. These songs were originally tweeted between December 5, 2022 and December 19, 2022. 286. 'Will He Like Me?' from She Loves Me (Laura Benanti as Amalia) Broadway HD (2015) There are two songs from this musical that my voice teacher wanted me to sing when I was in high school. One was 'Vanilla Ice Cream,' but I never liked it. The other was 'Will He Like Me?'--and I liked that much better. It's the sort of song people should listen to when they are worried about going on a blind date or meeting someone they've only ever spoken to through technology. It's about depicting nervous energy and tentative hopefulness, while also displaying an extremely relatable self-consciousness. Watch here. 287. 'Shuffle Off to Buffalo' from 42nd Street (Jonathan Freeman as Bert, Mary Testa as Maggie, Mylinda Hull as Annie, and Girls) Broadway Revival Cast (2001-2005) 'Shuffle Off to Buffalo' is a song I love to hate. It's a harmless classic with a bouncy rhythm about going to Buffalo and Niagara on the honeymoon. It has always gotten stuck in my head, which drives me a little crazy, but I know a lot of people who love it. Listen here. 288. 'There Once Was a Man' from The Pajama Game (Harry Connick, Jr. as Sid and Kelli O'Hara as Babe) Harry on Broadway (2006) This is a classic song that raises the roof as a love anthem. It isn't a cheesy ballad, it's an over-the-top excited declaration of mutual attraction. It's the sort of song you sing when you want to jump on a table and shout how excited you are to realize you both feel the same way and you don't care who else hears you. It's hard to listen to this song and resist getting hyped. Listen here. 289. 'Marian the Librarian' from The Music Man (Robert Preston as Harold Hill) Original Broadway Cast When I was a young soprano my voice teacher assigned Marian's ballad 'My White Knight' to me, and I hated it. It matched my voice well, but not my personality at all, and it made me think I'd dislike The Music Man as a whole. However, I had a very different reaction when I eventually heard 'Marian the Librarian' for the first time. As Harold Hill attempts to win over Marian he sings this wonderful song that plays with pacing and rhythm and, when done by a capable actor, can ooze charm and attractiveness. I never came around to 'My White Knight', but I'm all about 'Marian the Librarian,' and I hope you are, too. Listen here 290. 'So Much You Loved Me' from Rex (Penny Fuller) If It Only Even Runs a Minute (2018) Before there was Six, there was Rex, a much less successful musical (it closed on Broadway after only a few dozen performances) about the life of King Henry VIII. This song is performed by Penny Fuller, who played both Anne Boleyn and Princess Elizabeth in the original Broadway production in 1976. It isn't always in the show when it is produced, but when it is, it is sung by Anne Boleyn, so imagine her as that character. It's a very different musical vibe than the modern, concert-y Six, but I love using this opportunity to share a lesser-known royal musical. Watch here 291. 'Johnny One-Note' from Babes in Arms (Melissa Rain Anderson New York Cast (1999) When I was in high school, I had a friend who was absolutely obsessed with this song. She was a belter while I was mostly singing traditional soprano music at this point. I knew other music from this show, but I didn't know this one until she sang it for me. It's a delightful number that is supposed to be part of a show (within the show) and it is literally about a man who can only sing one note--but that one note allows the performer to really express themself when they sing it. I don't know if it's still popular now, but if not, it should come back, because it is a good time. Listen here 292. 'Star Tar' from Dames at Sea (Bernadette Peters as Ruby) Off-Broadway Cast (1969) 'Star Tar' is a song all about, yes, being a star/celebrity/the best and it doesn't take itself too seriously. I chose this song entirely for the purpose of showing off a young Bernadette Peters. The woman has always been a force of nature (I'll never, ever forget sitting up close for her turn as Rose in Gypsy) and it's really fun to hear how she sounded early in her career. Listen here 293. 'All Through the Night' from Anything Goes (Howard McGillan as Billy, Kathleen Mahony-Bennett as Hope) New Broadway Cast (1987-1989) When I was younger and had to sing 'All Through the Night,' I initially didn't realize it even included two singers, I thought it was a solo. It isn't as boisterous or fun as 'There Once Was a Man' up at number 288, but 'All Through the Night' is a passionate love song about how the couple, even when they're apart, cannot stop thinking about each other. Listen here 294. 'The Dream' from Fiddler on the Roof (Zero Mostel as Tevye, Maria Karnilova as Golde, Sue Babel as Grandma Tzeitel, Carol Sawyer as Fruma-Sarah and Villagers) Original Broadway Cast (1964-1972) In Fiddler on the Roof, Tevye promises his daughter that she can marry the man she loves even though he knows his wife will hate the idea. To get her to agree with it, he concocts the story of a dream where an ancestor (Grand Tzeitel) tells him the match is a good idea. It is a brilliant piece of storytelling, comedic and heavy-handed, but intentionally so, and importantly, it does the trick. I love pretty much everything about Fiddler, but this complex scene depicting Tveye's dream is iconic to the extreme and the highlight of any production (any the film). Listen here 295. 'He was Too Good to Me' from Simple Simon (Barbara Cook) Barbara Cook Sings from the Heart (1959) The first time I heard this song was in 2010 when I was attending Cap21's summer intensive and it was assigned to one of my classmates. I've never heard it performed since in a musical theater capacity, though it has been sung by many a famous performer from Carly Simon to Nina Simone. I'm always partial to the theater style, which is why I chose this lovely Barbara Cook version. The song is a different kind of love lament. It isn't every day that a love song that is so blatantly about missing someone who treated you so well that now you are completely lost without them. I appreciate the explicit nature of its point, that someone who treats you like a queen simply cannot be easily replaced. Listen here 296. 'Love, Look Away' from Flower Drum Song (Lea Salonga as Mei-Li) New Broadway Cast (2002-2003) I very much wanted to see Lea Salonga in Flower Drum Song but for reasons I don't recall, I was never able to make it to the theater. However, I loved her version of 'Love, Look Away.' It's a plea to avoid the pain of unrequited love by never feeling the emotion again. The sentiment is something that many can appreciate, even if it isn't a positive one. Listen here 297. 'Begin the Beguine' from Jubilee (Ron Raines) So in Love with Broadway (2004) Much like 'He Was Too Good to Me', 'Begin the Beguine' has been sung by many, many people outside of its original context. Although the Beguine here is actually a dance, the reason I chose the song was because my dear friend and Footnoting History colleague Lucy once did an episode about a group of women, called beguines, who lived religious lives. Every time I see that episode in our archive, I think of this song. Listen here 298. 'I'll Follow My Secret Heart' from Conversation Piece (Julie Andrews) A Little Bit of Broadway (1988) My voice teacher has always absolutely loved this song, which made me happy to sing it. Originally performed in the 1930s, Conversation Piece is set a century prior. This song is both an assurance that the singer will not ruin the plans of another and, more importantly, a vow to always hold one's dreams in a place of high priority with a conviction that at least one of them will come true. Listen here 299. 'It Wonders Me' from Plain and Fancy (Gloria Marlowe as Katie) Original Broadway Cast (1955-1956) I've always thought the phrase 'it wonders me' was so beautifully odd. It isn't something I've ever heard in conversation on Long Island, though I've learned it is common among the Amish of Pennsylvania, who are the focus of this musical. This sweet song is about all the things in the world that can amaze someone and I've always appreciated its simple melody and appealing turn of phrase. Listen here 300. 'We Need a Little Christmas' from Mame (Angela Lansbury as Mame, Company) Original Broadway Cast (1966-1970) I tweeted this song as we were entering the run up to Christmas and I intended to keep the holiday theme for several days in a row. As soon as I decided on that, 'We Need a Little Christmas' popped into my head because I remembered singing it as part of my giant high school choir back in the day. It's a cheerful tribute to the joys of the traditions of the holiday season and great for any time when you are either decorating the tree or wishing it was that time already. I often find myself listening to it in the summer, when I dream of escaping the heat and getting ready for Christmas. Listen here

This one might be of special interest for film fans! Many of the songs below come from shows that originated as films. In some cases, they are songs that were also in the screen version but done in a new way (like Kelli O'Hara's 'Pure Imagination' from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) while others are brand new songs from films that were not musicals (like 'I Can't Go Back' from Pretty Women). Of course, there are other great songs here as well. One worth noting in particular is 'The Beautiful Game' from the show of the same titles. There aren't as many sport-centric musicals out there as one might imagine, but this one sets football (soccer, to Americans) against a very specific historical backdrop. If you don't know it, check it out down at number 284. These songs were originally tweeted between November 20, 2022 and December 4, 2022. 271. 'Pure Imagination' from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Kelli O'Hara) MCC Miscast (2017) In the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka entered people's hearts as the mysterious candy man who sings 'Pure Imagination,' an ode to the freedom and joy one gets when they live in a place their own mind has created. While Christian Borle took on the role on Broadway, and was lovely as always, I decided to showcase this version by Kelli O'Hara, because I love a good Miscast moment, and the way Kelli's beautiful soprano voice completely elevates the song to a new level. Watch here. 272. 'Disneyland' from Smile (Jodi Benson as Doria) Unsung Musicals (1994) 'Disneyland' is a song that I always saw show up in song anthologies and eventually decided to look up. There's something especially fun about the singing voice of Ariel from The Little Mermaid performing an ode to Disneyland. It may not be a particularly popular song but for Disney lovers, like me, it hits you nicely in the feels. Listen here. 273. 'Stick it to the Man' from School of Rock (Alex Brightman as Dewey, Company) Broadway.com Preview (2015) I have never seen the film School of Rock, but I did find the stage production charming, even if I'm not someone who generally has a stick-it-to-the-man attitude. It's hard to hold back a smile when you watch these children get coaxed into figuring out who they are, regardless of who they have been told to be. Watch here. 274. 'I Can't Go Back' from Pretty Woman (Samantha Barks as Vivian) Today Show (2018) In the stage production of Pretty Woman, Samantha Barks takes on the role made famous on screen by Julia Roberts. Here, in song, she has a moment of realizing that she has the ability to make her life what she dreams it could be. It's a song of empowerment and determination. Watch here. 275. 'Sixteen Going on Seventeen' from The Sound of Music (Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Jay Armstrong Johnson) Broadway Backwards (2017) If you're like me, you grew up with The Sound of Music and singing this song while bouncing around happily. Over the years I feel like I've seen this song performed more times than I can count, always by a man and woman. In 2017 that changed, when Andrew Keenan-Bolger and Jay Armstrong Johnson did a delightful same-sex version of the song for Broadway Backwards. It is adorable in every way and I smile through it every time I see it. Watch here. 276. 'Make Someone Happy' from Do Re Mi (Audra McDonald) The Kennedy Center (2019) Audra McDonald's voice glides effortlessly over this sweet song about how the most important thing in life isn't fame or fortune, but connecting with someone and loving them. Watch here. 277. 'Partner in Crime' from Tuck Everlasting (Andrew Keenan-Bolger as Jesse Tuck, Sarah Charles Lewis as Winnie) Original Broadway Cast (2016) Tuck Everlasting is a book that has been made into a film twice and then had a very (less than 50 performances) short run as a musical on Broadway. I'm not familiar the source material, but I found the musical enjoyable. It's about a young girl named Winnie who meets the Tuck family, who never age and appear as if they will live forever. In this song, Jesse Tuck and Winnie dream about adventures they can have together. It may not have been a hit with the critics, but I liked it and I think if I was a kid, I would have absolutely fallen in love with it. Listen here. 278. 'Shall We Dance?' from An American in Paris (Jill Paice as Milo) Original Broadway Cast (2015-2016) An American in Paris is based on a film of the same name, but with music from the Gershwins inserted. 'Shall We Dance?' is one of those fun numbers that always makes me tap my feet, so of course that's why I picked it. Put it on and see if you don't start dancing around your living room. Listen here. 279. 'Out of Your Head' from A Bronx Tale (Ariana DeBose as Jane, Bobby Conte Thornton as Calogero) Ghostlight Records (2017) Ever since she won the Oscar for West Side Story, Ariana DeBose's star has been on the rise (really, she's everywhere!) It got me thinking about the time I saw her on stage in A Bronx Tale, based on the work by Chazz Palminteri. She played Jane, opposite Bobby Conte Thornton's Calogero, and the two depicted how fraught it was to be in an interracial relationship in the 1960s. This song is a love song that plays with both attraction and the awareness of how difficult making something of it would be. Listen here. 280. 'I Found a New Baby' from Bullets Over Broadway (Betsy Wolfe as Ellen, Zach Braff as David) Today Show (2014) Bullets Over Broadway takes a lot of pre-existing music and shoehorns it into the plot of a show based on a 1990s film of the same name. To me, the highlight of it was seeing Betsy Wolfe and Zach Braff face off as a sparring couple in 'I Found a New Baby.' Watch it to see them bring down the house and throw all their energy at each other. Watch here. 281. 'If I Sing' from Closer Than Ever (Dalton Harris) Broadway HD (2021) Closer Than Ever is a musical revue, which means it's filled with songs that can stand on their own. Here, Dalton Harris does a wonderful job with 'If I Sing,' which is a beautiful tribute to fatherhood, passing generations, and the power of music. Watch here. 282. 'Another Winter in a Summer Town' from Grey Gardens (Christine Ebersole as "Little" Edie) Original Broadway Cast (2006-2007) Grey Gardens is, without a doubt, the most depressing musical I have ever seen, and I have seen many depressing musicals. Based on a documentary about a mother and daughter ("Big" Edie and "Little" Edie) who, in the 1970s, were living in a decrepit home in the Hamptons called Grey Gardens. The show contains a time jump, the first act showing all the potential of "Little" Edie's life, and the second act showing what actually happened to her. In this song, she talks about the darkness of winter in a place where everyone only comes to vacation in the warmer weather, and her loneliness and depression is palpable. Listen here. 283. 'Once Upon a December' from Anastasia (Christy Altomare as Anya, Ensemble) NBC Nightly News (2017) I absolutely love the animated film Anastasia, so I was very excited for the stage production. While I do have some gripes about how it was adapted (I may never forgive them for cutting 'In the Dark of the Night', which I consider to be one of the world's best villain songs) there's no doubt that 'Once Upon a December' remains as hauntingly beautiful as always. We are lucky to have the opportunity to watch it, still. Watch here. 284. 'The Beautiful Game' from The Beautiful Game (Company) Original Cast (2000) When this recording was released, my friend who lived in the UK sent it my way. I've still never had the opportunity to see it on stage, but there's something about it that sweeps me away to another time and place. 'The Beautiful Game' refers to football (soccer, to Americans) which is sadly much more revered as a sport across the Atlantic than it is here, and this musical places football at the center of the action while also dealing with a very tumultuous, dangerous time in Northern Ireland: the Troubles. Before political turmoil kicks off in the show, this number sets the stage, showing everyday life--and everyday love of football. It really draws you in and makes you feel like you're in Northern Ireland in the later 1900s. Listen here. 285. 'Fly into the Future' from Vanities (Lauren Kennedy as Mary) Original Cast (2009) Vanities is not based on a film, but it is based on a book of the same name. It is a small show that follows the lives of a trio of friends from high school through adulthood. As a long-term Lauren Kennedy fan (her album of Jason Robert Brown music is awesome!) I knew I had to see the 2009 production, and of course I chose one of her songs to feature here. It's a number about declaring who you don't want to be, as much as who you do want to be, and racing toward whatever the future holds. I'm often surprised I don't hear it performed out of context more often. Listen here.

Like every section of this adventure, there are a variety of awesome songs listed below. However, if you only choose one to watch or listen to, I highly suggest you choose 'Eyes on the Prize' from Choir Boy (No. 269) or 'With Cat-Like Tread' from The Pirates of Penzance (No. 270). They are from different time periods, contain different styles, and are in very different productions, but they are both truly phenomenal. Either one should make you feel awe for the performers that lasts a long time. These songs were originally tweeted between November 5, 2022 and November 19, 2022. 256. 'It's a Shame' from Benny & Joon (Hannah Elless as Joon, Bryce Pinkham as Sam) The Old Globe (2017) I love Bryce Pinkham (see A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder and Ghost to find out why!) and Hannah Elless (her 'Asheville' in Bright Star was everything) and the idea of them teaming up was exciting for me. I wish I'd gotten the chance to see them in this musicalized adaptation of a film I remember seeing regularly on Blockbuster shelves in the early 1990s. The official website describes it as "Sweetly romantic and genuinely touching, it tells the story of Joon, an eccentric young woman, her protective older brother, and the charming and whimsical Sam, whose exuberant love for Joon changes them forever." If the song 'It's a Shame' (which I love) is a proper example, and I think it is, then the show is as quirky as one could hope. Watch here. 257. 'On the Sunny Side of the Street' from After Midnight (Fantasia Barrino) Original Broadway Cast (2013-2014) To see After Midnight was to feel like you were watching a show at the historically-famous Cotton Club. It was a true ode to music by epic folks like Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, and Dorothy Fields. I chose this song not only because Fantasia sounds great singing it, but also so you could get the proper feeling of transportation to a bygone era that this show provided. Watch here. 258. 'I Won't Grow Up' from Peter Pan (Cathy Rigby as Peter Pan, Boys) The Rosie O'Donnell Show (1998) My mother is a huge fan of Peter Pan as an entity in all of its various forms and interpretations and I have such a strong memory of seeing this production with her back in the day. When it came time to share a song on her birthday, I was thrilled to find a video (however grainy) of Cathy Rigby's turn as Peter Pan from this era, plus 'I Won't Grow Up' is definitely a feeling we embrace in my family. It is nostalgic for me and I hoped many of you would enjoy seeing this true blast from the past. Watch here. 259. 'You Can't Stop the Beat' from Hairspray (Marissa Jaret Winokur as Tracy, Matthew Morrison as Link, Company) The Today Show (2002) Hairspray, with its 60s vibe and over-the-top pop score was not my favorite thing. Sometimes, just seeing the cast perform while looking so happy would make me feel tired on their behalf. Still, 'You Can't Stop the Beat', the show's celebratory closing number, was everywhere--really, you couldn't escape it--and it got stuck in my head on a regular basis. It may not be one of my favorite shows (or songs) but I know so many people who felt tremendous joy watching it, so I had to include this super popular number. Watch here. 260. 'Memory' from Cats (Betty Buckley as Grizabella, feat. Cynthia Onrubia as Victoria) Tony Awards (1983) Cats is one of those shows that, whether you love it or hate it, you probably know it if you have even a passing interest in theatre. I'm one of those people who loves it (in fact, I own a dog costume and a fish skeleton set piece from the original Broadway run) and think the score is enchanting, playful, and touching. 'Memory' is perhaps its most well-known number (with 'Mr. Mistoffelees' coming in a close second) and it has been done by so many phenomenal performers that you could spend hours doing a deep dive into them all. However, when it came to showcasing Cats here, the Tony Awards performance that showcased Betty Buckley was the obvious choice. This is for all the children who, like me, spent ages singing "Touch me/It's so easy to leave me/All alone with my memory/Of my days in the sun" along with the cast recordings and filmed production far before they were old enough for it to truly resonate with them. Watch here. 261. 'Generation Apathy' from Glory Days (Adam Halpin as Skip) Original Broadway Cast (2008) Glory Days was one of those shows that had a blink-and-you-miss-it run. It did 17 preview performances and then closed on opening night. I am very proud to say I am one of the people who saw a preview performance, but it was a depressing one to attend. Just a day or two before opening night, I sat there in the theater and I was able to quickly count the total number of audience members. It was a long time ago, but I'm very certain it was 50 or below. I remember texting my family about it, because I was so shocked. Nevertheless, the cast was passionate, giving their all to tell the story of four high school buddies who were reuniting on a football field. I remember a lot of the action being going up and down bleachers. While the majority of Glory Days' reputation revolves around the shortness of its run, that doesn't necessarily mean the show as a hot mess. I remember thinking that it would be great for a black box theater and enjoying the song 'Generation Apathy.' What at the time felt almost like a musical theater attempt at a pop-punk song about the changing of society and a generation that doesn't care now feels like a nostalgic period piece about a time when any generation could afford to not care. It's a good song from a show few people actually got to see. Listen here. 262. 'Mad About You' from Head Over Heels (Andrew Durand as Musidorus, Male Ensemble) Original Broadway Cast (2018-2019) My father is a big fan of the music of The Go-Gos so before I saw this completely bizarre jukebox musical I was well aware of the band's history of catchy numbers. Head Over Heels perpetually leans into the bizarre, using the poptastic radio hits to tell a story set in the 1500s. My favorite part, surprising no one, was whenever we got to hear male voices on these well-known female songs so, when Andrew Durand took the lead on 'Mad About You' I enjoyed every minute of it. Listen here. 263. 'All Fall Down' from Romance in Hard Times (Ann Harada) If It Only Even Runs a Minute, 7 (2011) Romance in Hard Times is one of composer William Finn's lesser-known musicals. Originally produced in the 1980s, it's set decades prior during the Depression, as a pregnant woman looks at how bad things have gotten for people and doesn't want to have her child until she can feel better about the state of the world it will be born into. Ann Harada not only elevates everything she sings, but is also a major fan of Finn's work, so when I was poking around for ways to showcase her voice and this video of her performing a song from it at a 2011 concert popped up, I knew I had to share it. Watch here. 264. 'Outside Your Window' from Knoxville (Jason Danieley as Author/James Agee, Paul Alexander Nolan as Jay Follet, Company) World Premiere Recording (2022) Ahrens and Flaherty have written some of my favorite scores (think Ragtime and A Man of No Importance, for example) so I was really excited to hear that they wrote a new show, Knoxville, and then sad that I wouldn't be able to go down to Florida to see it. That disappointment was slightly lessened when they decided to release a cast recording. The story focuses on James Agee (played by Jason Danieley) both as an adult author having difficulty with his newest project and as the child he used to be. I hope that it comes to New York soon, because I'm dying to do more than just listen to it. Listen here. 265. 'Soon as I Get Home' from The Wiz (Myles Frost) Miscast (2022) 'Soon as I Get Home' is traditionally sung by the character of Dorothy in The Wiz. We all know how much I love when someone who wouldn't usually sing a song tries their hand at it. Here, Myles Frost--best known, perhaps, for his Tony-winning turn as Michael Jackson in MJ the Musical--put his special spin on it, and it is vibrant and fresh and just as impactful as when it is performed in context, by a woman. Watch here. 266. 'I am a Child of the Philippines' from Here Lies Love (Conrad Ricamora as Ninoy Aquino, Ruthie Ann Miles as Imelda Marcos, Ensemble) Good Day New York (2014) I remember when Here Lies Love, which looks at the life of Filipino political powerhouse Imelda Marcos, was a hot ticket. I never got the chance to see even though I wanted to (and now it is coming to Broadway, so I will get the chance!) I try not to listen too much to shows I think I will soon be able to see live, but I knew I wanted to share something from this due to my high interest in the topic. So, I turned to the internet and finally listened to it, then was super happy to find this performance from Good Day New York. If you want to get a look at a show that is coming to Broadway in the near future, this is for you. It involves a disco-y vibe, music from Fatboy Slim, which is bound to be interesting. Watch here. 267. 'With Cat-Like Tread' from The Pirates of Penzance (Kevin Kline as The Pirate King, Rex Smith as Frederic, Company) Delacorte Theatre (1980) To celebrate my father's birthday, I had to share this song from The Pirates of Penzance. It's the first show I remember knowing he loved. We watched the film together all the time when I was younger and he and my mother went to see it on Broadway multiple times together, well before I was born. 'With Cat-Like Tread' is special because it shows off the tremendous talent and comedic timing of the majority of the cast. It's a bombastic number about how quiet the pirates can be and, in my mind, it is perfectly hilarious. Watch here. 268. 'Glitter and Be Gay' from Candide (Barbara Cook as Cunegonde) Original Broadway Cast (1956-1957) It is nearly impossible to be a coloratura (read: super high-voiced) soprano and not learn 'Glitter and Be Gay' at some point. It is a fun one to sing, and I used to do it often. It's from a scene where Cunegonde is simultaneously lamenting her fate/life experience while also singing about enjoying the finer things in life. Done well, it can really steal a show, it is awesome. Listen here. 269. 'Keep Your Eyes on the Prize' from Choir Boy (Jeremy Pope as Pharus, Company) Manhattan Theatre Club (2018) The only other time I broke my self-imposed rule and featured a play instead of a musical here was all the way back on day 60. Then, I shared the performance of 'Bye, Bye Blackbird' that was a part The History Boys. Like that song, this one is also in a play about a group of boys in school together. However, the focus of Choir Boy is different. It follows the story of a gay student named Pharus (Jeremy Pope) who is extraordinarily talented in music but whose school life isn't entirely filled with acceptance and ease. The production featured multiple musical numbers, thanks to the school's choir (and Pharus' role in it) being essential to its plot. One of my regrets is that I only got to see the production once, but one of my joys is that officially-filmed clips were released so I could share one with you. The tight vocals and choreography manages to not only show each character but to let you into their world and imagine what the audiences watching the school's choir would see. It's phenomenal. Watch here. 270. 'Out There' from The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Michael Arden as Quasimodo) Disney on Broadway/Studio Cast Recording (2016) As much as Michael Arden is a phenomenal director, I'll always take every opportunity possible to talk about his beautiful voice. I was never a fan of the Disney animated film The Hunchback of Notre Dame, but when the stage production and the cast recording featured Michael Arden singing Quasimodo's famous "Out There", his song expressing a dream of being like ordinary people walking around Paris, I realized maybe I could enjoy it. Michael Arden's vocal color could probably make me like anything, as that's been its effect for roughly two decades. Watch here.

It may not be fall now, but this section of my 365 days has a lot to do with what my friends call 'Spooky Season.' Since this section overlapped with Halloween, many of the songs in the middle of this batch of 15 are ones that felt appropriate for the season. They aren't necessarily scary in and of themselves, but they embrace traditional Halloween motifs like vampires, the horror genre, a cult classic, and a literal Halloween vigil held by a Peanuts character. Don't worry though, you don't have to love Halloween to enjoy these songs. I can say that with complete confidence because, honestly, I don't like Halloween, but I love all of the music I chose to share for that time of the year. These songs were originally tweeted between October 21, 2022 and November 3, 2022. 241. 'Pinball Wizard' from The Who's Tommy (Shoshana Bean ft. Allen René Louis & Anastasia Talley) MCC Miscast (2022) The Who's Tommy has a long-known score full of songs that make you want to rock out, but when Shoshana Bean, Allen René Louis, and Anastasia Talley tackled 'Pinball Wizard' for Miscast in 2022, it was like the song had been written for them all along. Watch here. 242. 'Raise Your Voice' from Sister Act (Patina Miller as Deloris Van Cartier, Nuns) Tony Awards (2011) I admit that as someone who grew up watching the Sister Act film regularly, I didn't love a lot of the changes made for the stage production. That said, 'Raise Your Voice' is a song where you get to watch the nuns find their confidence and bring down the (figurative) roof. It's a great time and you'll want to cheer at the end for sure. Watch here. 243. 'I Believe' from Altar Boyz (Company) Off-Broadway Cast (2005) Altar Boyz is a funny musical about a religious boy band with members named Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan, and Abraham. Despite all the laugh-causing jokes in the show, it has a pretty sweet streak to it. No songs embody that more than 'I Believe' where the Altar Boyz join together to sing about how they know they came to know each other for a reason. It tugs at the heart strings for sure. Listen here. 244. 'Middle of a Moment' from James and the Giant Peach (Skylar Astin) Cast Recording (2015) The world needs Skylar Astin having solos on more cast recordings. Consider this my petition for it. I was glad, however, when I found him singing a track on the James and the Giant Peach recording. It covers the classic theatre theme of moving forward, leaving badness behind, and being brave enough to go toward the new and unknown, and it sounds great (elevated for sure) on his smooth voice despite being written for a child character. I wouldn't be shocked if we see more adults sing it just because they can. Watch here. 245. 'Puttin' on the Ritz' from Young Frankenstein (Roger Bart as Dr. Frankenstein, Shuler Hensley as The Monster, Company) Original Broadway Cast (2007-2009) I grew up watching the original film of Young Frankenstein and howling with laughter. I have vivid memories of watching it for the first time with my dad and then imitating the way it was performed on screen with my fellow choir members during rehearsals for a concert where we definitely were supposed to be being serious. The stage production isn't as embedded in my heart as the film, but Roger Bart and Shuler Hensley really captured the spirit of this absurd number, so I had to feature it. After all, who doesn't like watching (or heading) Dr. Frankenstein and his creation, the Monster, sing a classic song while dressed to the nines? Listen here. 246. 'Wicked Little Town' from Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Euan Morton) Kimmel Center (2017) When it was on Broadway, I saw Hedwig and the Angry Inch with Neil Patrick Harris in the lead role. It was a great production, but later when I learned Euan Morton was going to play Hedwig on tour, I wished I could see him because his voice is one of my favorites. I'd have liked to have shared him singing my actual favorite song from the show, 'Wig in a Box', but the best performance I could find of him was 'Wicked Little Town.' In context, it is a song that Hedwig, who wants to be a star, wrote about someone she knows with and has feelings for. Watch here. 247. 'Life After Life' from Dracula (Tom Hewitt as Dracula, Kelli O'Hara as Lucy) Broadway on Broadway (2004) I am 99% certain that I was at this Broadway on Broadway performance, which is why I chose it to showcase Dracula. Dracula is, as you would think, an adaptation of the famous novel. 'Life After Life' is the intense finale of Act One where Kelli O'Hara's Lucy has just become a vampire and is poised to begin tracking down her first victims. Also, they sing the phrase 'life after life' many times, and it might get stuck in your head. Watch here. 248. 'Larger Than Life' from & Juliet (Stark Sands as Shakespeare) Original Broadway Cast (2022 - ) This song appears here not because it is part of my Halloween-ish group, but because I was celebrating attending the first Broadway preview of & Juliet. The show is an absolute delight and a masterclass in creating something fun and funky that is jukebox in nature. It centers on the notion of Shakespeare (Stark Sands) and his wife, Anne Hathaway (Betsy Wolfe), rewriting the end of Romeo and Juliet so that Juliet doesn't die. I love every minute of it and there are so many wonderful performances on it (you simply MUST listen to Philippe Arroyo and Justin David Sullivan sing 'Whataya Want from Me?') but any chance I have to feature Stark Sands singing a Backstreet Boys song, I am going to take. Enjoy it. It is a pure delight. Listen here. 249. 'And Eve was Weak' from Carrie (Marin Mazzie as Margaret, Molly Ranson as Carrie) Premiere Cast Recording (2012) The musical adaptation of the classic Stephen King horror story spent ages as a quiet cult classic. It's original Broadway run in the late 1980s was a colossal flop and there was no cast recording, so most people learned its music through the dissemination of grainy bootlegs. Then, in 2012, there was a production that got a cast recording--and much rejoicing. Here, Carrie (Molly Ranson) has experienced her first period, but her mother (Marin Mazzie) twists it into something altogether evil...and requiring of a religious purification. Listen here. 250. ‘Once in a While' from The Rocky Horror Show (Jarrod Emick as Brad) New Broadway Cast (2000-2002) I grew up watching the film The Rocky Horror Picture Show with my parents, so it was a big deal when the show came to Broadway and I got to go. I remember thinking about how wonderful it was to see such a wide array of people in the audience. I sat there, 16 years old, between my father and a man I didn't know who wore a black leather jacket and pink feather boa. We were three very different people but we had two things in common: we all knew the famous call back lines the audience shouts at the actors and we were beyond happy to be there. 'Once in a While' isn't a song that made it into the film version, so the first time I saw the show on Broadway was the first time I heard this song about Brad dealing with being upset that Janet's primary interest is no longer himself. I love it. I wish it was in the film, but even if it was, I think I'd love Jarrod Emick's version better anyway. His voice is fabulous and as soon as I saw him perform it, I knew I had a new favorite song from Rocky Horror. Listen here. 251. 'The Vigil' from Snoopy! (Mark Hadfield as Linus) Original London Cast (1983) Back in 2004 I attended a fabulous benefit concert version of Snoopy! but there was no recording of it, so I turned to the Original London Cast for this selection. The song is perfect for Halloween. It's Linus, sitting about, waiting for the arrival of the Great Pumpkin, who...well...doesn't seem to be coming. Listen here. 252. 'Life Is' from Zorba (Marin Mazzie as The Leader) Broadway.com for Encores! (2015) I know I've referenced my voice teacher a lot over the course of these entries, but it's because of how influential she's been on my musical theatre life. Here's another example: 'Life Is', which centers on the notion that life is everything that happens while you're waiting to pass away, is one of her favorites. Watch here. 253. 'Little Girls' from Annie (Dorothy Loudon as Miss Hannigan) Original Broadway Cast (1977-1983) When I was in grade school I had a classmate who was absolutely obsessed with the film version of Annie where Carol Burnett (an American treasure!) played the grouchy, nasty Miss Hannigan. She watched it--and forced me, too, as well--all the time, until I really couldn't stand the musical at all. It took years before I could listen to it (and sometimes the memory still makes me cringe). That said, despite all the baggage I bring to it, 'Little Girls', Miss Hannigan's number about hating little girls despite having once been one, was always the high point. Here, I share Dorothy Loudon's version to stay focused on the stage, but Carol Burnett's is always the one I hear in my head. Listen here. 254. 'The Man I Used to Be' from Pipe Dream (Will Chase) Barnes & Noble release of PIPE DREAM Encore's Cast Recording (2012) I knew almost nothing about Pipe Dream before this production released a cast album. With Will Chase on it, of course I needed to listen, and this song was a bouncy, lovely time. I suggest it for anyone who wants to smile while thinking about all the changes a person goes through in life and how you can end up a completely different person--often in a good way. Watch here. 255. 'My Own Morning' from Hallelujah, Baby (Taylor Iman Jones) If It Only Even Runs a Minute, 17 (2018) Who among us doesn't dream of a morning where they can do whatever they want, whenever they want, however they want? This song is all about that, so it should be a sentiment we all understand. Watch here.