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What Stars Stream: Broadway Turns Up the Volume on Cast Recordings, Oldies & More!

By: Apr. 05, 2020
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Staying in is the new going out! What better way to distract you from the craziness of the outside world than with music?

BroadwayWorld has already shared a list of songs to keep you inspired during these trying times, as well as exclusive daily content from some of your favorite Broadway stars. Now, we're bringing you some musical inspiration straight from the stars themselves! What are they listening to to stay sane? Find out below!


Martha Plimpton: To cheer up I went with my go-to album Get Happy by Elvis Costello and the Attractions last night. That always works!

Tom Kitt (Flying Over Sunset, The Visitor): U2 - The music continues to lift me and provide hope and comfort, as well as beauty and propulsion. The songs stir the soul.

Lauren Patten (Jagged Little Pill): Yesterday, I listened to a lot of the cast recording for The Last 5 Years. Wow, I love that music. My boyfriend and I have also been bopping to a lot of early-mid 2000's jams, because they are fun to dance to and are keeping our spirits up during this crazy time.


Marc Kudisch (Girl from the North Country): Not really listening to music right now. Catching up on podcasts I haven't had a chance to listen to instead!

Brendan C. Callahan (Sing Street): I'm listening a lot to my favorite band, Lawrence-they're incredible and some of their upbeat songs can help bring my energy up! I also just made a playlist of some of my current favorite songs that I've been listening to during the day. And of course, this 80s playlist for when I miss Sing Street.

Riley Costello (Wicked): My favorite pop artists... Ina Wroldsen, Ava Max, Betty Who, and also a ton of spa/chill radio. Trying to make this as feel-good/zen as possible.

Celine Song (Endlings): Son Lux and Billie Eilish.

Beth Leavel: Adam [Heller] and I rediscovering songs that mean something to us! Yesterday we listened to Pacific Overtures! One of Adam's absolute favorites that I wanted to learn more about (he saw the show 6 times). Today... it's my choice... still deciding.

Shuler Hensley (The Music Man): Im listening to Mozart, Billie Eilish and everything in between. In times like this, variety keeps me so appreciative for the power of music!

Montego Glover (All the Natalie Portmans): I'm listening to jazz at the moment. It's calming, inspired and rooted, qualities we need now and always.

Bonnie Milligan (Head Over Heels): I'm cycling through cast albums like RAGTIME, WONDERFUL TOWN, INTO THE WOODS and A STRANGE LOOP.


Roman Banks (Dear Evan Hansen): Painted by Lucky Daye.

Ginna Claire Mason (Wicked): Songs I have on repeat:

-SOS by We The Kingdom (obsessed with their whole "Live at the Wheelhouse" album)
-Pitter Patter Goes the Rain by Christy Nockles (and her whole "Be Held" album! I joke - not that it's a JOKING matter, per se- that her songs are my self-prescribed anti-anxiety meds. The album starts, and I just breathe easier. I listen to this and the acoustic version of the album on repeat.)
-Barton Hallow by The Civil Wars (the song and the whole album! Oldie, but a goodie.)
-Sweet Afton by Nickel Creek (Their music soothes my soul.)
-Is He Worthy? by Andrew Peterson (cause we're all needing some TRUTH proclamations ATM

Dana Steingold (Beetlejuice): I'm currently listening to things that make me happy! Right now, that's show tunes on repeat because I miss hearing them nightly, Disney, James Taylor and Taylor Swift.

Rita Moreno (West Side Story): Salsa, of every description

Sammi Cannold (Endlings): I saw the west end production of Prince of Egypt last week before everything went crazy and have been listening to the soundtrack from the movie on loop since -- it's oddly comforting.


Arielle Jacobs (Between the Lines): My best friend LYDIA VIOLET is a Persian folk artist, and has an album called Already Free that is really inspiring and heart-lifting. Her words are so healing and calming during this crazy time. Check her out on iTunes

Lorin Latarro (Mrs. Doubtfire): Listening to lots of children's music... spending LOTS of time with my toddler.

Danny Rutigliano (Beetlejuice): My wife and I have been listening to a lot of classical and jazz music while we clean out closets, reorganize the house and do some spring cleaning.

Shoba Narayan (Wicked): The past couple of days I've been enjoying Stephen Sondheim radio on Spotify.

Jakeim Hart (Sing Street): Lately it's been a lot of artists radio on Spotify: Prince, Thelonious Monk, Duke, Vulfpeck, to name a few. Gian just posted an article from the LA times about the "Lost Art of Deep Listening". So I think I'm gonna give that a go. My only regret is I never invested in a record player.

Sharon Wheatley (Come From Away): I upped my SIRUS XM subscription so I can stream Seth and everyone on the Broadway Channel from any device. I find hearing Broadway music and chat comforting....it reminds me that we are still here and Broadway will come back. Sometimes I do a pretend interview with Seth, just because, well....what else do I have to do?

Martyna Majok (Sanctuary City): The sound of me clicking article after article on the NYTimes. Though a few musical theatre artists have been sharing their new music with me. One very sweet musician, Ben Scheuer, even wrote me a song to get my spirits up. I love our community.

Alyssa May Gold (How I Learned to Drive): I run a company called Pocket Universe dedicated to reimagining classic stories to bring women to the front and I was so excited to see Marianne Elliot's Company and Six because both do exactly that, so I'm listening to their London cast recordings to tide me over until Broadway reopens. Also Hadestown because it brings me hope.

What Stars Stream: Broadway Turns Up the Volume on Cast Recordings, Oldies & More!  Image
Pictured: Luba Mason

Luba Mason (Girl from the North Country): Catching up on what I've missed for so many years...this one is deep and honest. I need another listen...

Gian Perez (Sing Street): I've been listening to a lot of albums from top to bottom! Most recently, Cold Fact - Rodriguez, Jaco Pastorius - Jaco Pastorius, Maggot Brain - Funkadelic, Take Me to Your Leader - King Geedorah, and the astounding new release, A Written Testimony - Jay Electronica.

Des McAnuff (Ain't Too Proud): Asaf Avidan, Aldous Harding for music.

De'lon Grant (Come From Away): I'm currently listening to a Spotify playlist I made featuring artists like Miguel, Jorja Smith, Kali Uchis and Mac Miller.

Brad Oscar (Mrs. Duobtfire): The new Metropolitan Opera live Porgy and Bess recording. And some chill jazz, much needed!

Bess Wohl (Grand Horizons): I would like to give a shout out to all of the working parents who have suddenly become stay-at-home parents (and often homeschoolers) and find themselves listening to "Old McDonald" over and over. I've thought more than I care to admit poor old Mr. McDonald this past week, with his impossibly loud animals mooing and quacking all over the place. (Ella Fitzgerald does an amazing version.)

Mare Winningham (Girl from the North Country): We are cooking to Italian 1950's popular music and it is joyful and uplifting. We are in an Italian phase, in loving tribute to that country during these times.

Carrie St. Louis (Between the Lines): Bridges of Madison County from beginning to end! Kelli O' Hara and Stephen Pasquale's voices together are the perfect antidote for anxiety! Also a lot of Maggie Rogers!


Kelvin Moon Loh (Beetlejuice): My partner and I have been listening to a lot of opera and Sondheim with scores in hand. But also, I've been grooving to Dua Lipa and Harry Styles.

Kimber Elayne Sprawl (Girl from the North Country): I'm listening to the Rent cast album and 90's R&B.

Jill Abramovitz (Beetlejuice): We're sort of in a Coldplay moment right now - It's kind of background and kind of foreground. Definitely moody and intense - very fitting of this moment. Also - the other day we randomly had a Phillip Glass listening party which led us down a path that ended at the theme to "Shine" by David Helfgott. I highly recommend it if you haven't heard it or maybe have and you need a good cry. Going forward, listening to Signed Sealed Delivered on a loop is probably the best and happiest plan for most humans.




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