Deck the halls, trim the tree, and spin the dreidel. BroadwayWorld is continuing our tradition of celebrating the holiday season with a special countdown. This year we've invited Director of Programming at Feinstein's/54 Below and author of The Untold Stories of Broadway Volume 1 and Volume 2, Jennifer Ashley Tepper to share her favorites holiday performances. Check back daily to get in the holiday spirit in time for December 25 and to find out what else made her list!
I was very obsessed with the Carols for a Cure recordings when I was growing up - I would ask for them every Hanukkah! (http://broadwaycares.stores.yahoo.net/caforcucds.html) This track was one of my favorites, from the collection of recordings that benefited BC/EFA and brought the Broadway community together to perform classic and original holiday songs. The cast of Hairspray recorded this take-off on the Hanukkah tune "Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel" with original lyrics and a killer comedic counterpoint. Featuring Marc Shaiman, Trey Parker, Shoshana Bean, Harvey Fierstein, Peter Matthew Smith, Jackie Hoffman, Dick Latessa, Chester Gregory II, and more, the song still makes me laugh every time I listen to it. From Shoshana Bean's crazy belting to Dick Latessa's distractions to Harvey Fierstein's "Here's a little dreidel/ It's small and made of clay/ But I'm not gonna play with it/ 'Cause I'm too rich and gay!"... I can't get enough. Hope you had a great Hanukkah, fellow Jews!
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