Whipped Into Shape: @BroadwayGirlNYC's Broadway Workout Mix

Now that the sun is shining in Manhattan again, the idea of going for a run doesn't seem quite as daunting as it did when it involved trudging through 18 inches of snow or wearing a million layers.  So, in honor of the newly agreeable weather, I've decided to share with you my Broadway showtunes workout mix.  I listen to this when I'm jogging around Manhattan -- I particularly love the paths along the Hudson River.  (Plenty of opportunities for Broadway sightings here, BTW; I've seen Cheyenne Jackson several times!)
 
I tweet about this from time to time under the hashtag #BwayWorkout.  Some tweeters are surprised that several of my favorite workout songs aren't particularly fast-paced; a mix of tempos keeps me from burning out too early. I'm always adding and changing the playlist, so I'd love to hear what songs get you going for your workouts!  But in the meantime: here's a run-down of my current hour-long Broadway workout mix. 
 
I like to stretch for a few minutes before I start my run.  As I do so, I need a song that is melodic enough to be soothing but also has an energy to it that will get me pumped up.  My current fave is "It Won't Be Long Now" from In the Heights.  The Latin flavor never fails to make me want to move, and the message of the song is inspiring, which propels me into action. 
 
When it's time to launch, I start with the title track from HAIR.  The opening lines ease me out of my stretching, remind me to breathe, and give me time to tighten my laces.  And then, Berger's "darliiiiing..." is like my "ready, set..." and the two subsequent drumbeats are my starting pistol!  The boys sing "Give me a head with hair," and I'm off.  The rhythm is perfect to start me at a solid pace that neither rushes me or drags me down.  Plus, I love this song, so it gets me pumped up in a big way.  (Sometimes I sing along, which is good for my breathing, but definitely garners a few strange looks from other runners along my route!)
 
The next two songs fall into my guilty-pleasure category: "Honey Honey" from Mamma Mia! and "Greased Lightning" from Grease.  Both serve the same purpose: they are upbeat and singable, distracting me from the exercise itself.
 
"Dance: Ten, Looks: Three" from A Chorus Line comes next.  There is something satisfying in hearing a song about looking good while taking proactive steps to get there!  Plus it's sassy, which always helps me keep moving. 
 
Around this time I hit my stride; the effort stops being so front-of-mind and I just fly. "Another Hundred People" from Company -- perhaps an unlikely choice given its use of dialogue & understated piano -- reminds me of the many strangers around me. I like imagine the lives and trysts of the other runners; the song reminds me that we are all alone together in this giant city.

You know the feeling of endorphins rushing through your system that makes you feel like you could take on the world?  It can come from love, theatre, or exercise.  "Out Tonight" from Rent is the perfect tune to capitalize on the feeling and further that endorphin rush.  And Memphis' "Everybody Wants to be Black on a Saturday Night" continues the sensation!  My running feels like dancing as I continue through Young Frankenstein's version of "Putting on the Ritz".  (The monster's incomprehensible grunts appropriately mirror the huffing and puffing that result from a good, hard run.)
 
Now it's time to remind myself what I'm really doing out here.  The title track of this playlist gets me refocused: "Whipped Into Shape" from Legally Blonde is the quintessential Broadway workout song.  Thank you, Nikki Snelson, for reminding me "what doesn't kill us makes us hotter"!
 
Now I'm starting to hurt. F-ing hurt, in fact!  I indulge in that pain with Spring Awakening's "Totally Fucked".  But will the pain make me stop running? NO!  I'm going to fight the voice that tells me "it's time to stop" with Susan Blackwell's fabulous "Die Vampire Die" ([title of show]). 
 
I'm re-inspired now (the "can't" vampire is dead, for the moment), and I'm going to power through this run like a rockstar.  "I Wanna Rock" from Rock of Ages, though short in length, pumps me back up.  I'm more than halfway through my workout and getting my second wind about now.  This is where "It's Gonna Be Good" from Next to Normal comes in -- a little frantic energy is a good thing!  This song in particular reminds me to keep putting one foot in front of the other.  As long as I do that, I'll get to where I'm going.
 
On that note, the lyrics of "Keep on Dancing" from the concept recording of Wonderland: The Musical (not on Broadway, but in the genre) say it all: "It ain't gonna kill you; you can't be standing still". 
 
Thoroughly Modern Millie's "Forget About the Boy" and "C'mon Maryanne" from Jersey Boys are movers, keeping my energy up as I near the end of my run.  Again, I'm back in my head and singing along -- both songs have steady beats and hummable tunes, crucial for any Broadway workout staple.
 
I'm nearing the end now.  Time to slow it down and breathe in the joy that comes from knowing I'm almost done.  I like "Amsterdam" from Passing Strange here: a celebration of arriving exactly where I'm supposed to be and when (not to mention the 'high' that comes with getting there!).
 
And what's any Broadway playlist without a finale?  I revisit Millie because I love the mostly-instrumental "Final Bows" track.  A quick little 2-minute number that says "I did it!" Why not celebrate the accomplishment of a good hard workout?  I wipe my brow, catch my breath, and take a bow.  Brava!!
 
 
PSSSST (Rumors! Gossip! Scoop!): Is a recently-closed, limited-run play going to reopen on Broadway later this year?  I'm hearing it's possible and that the producers are eying the Cort.