BWW Blog: Spring Cleaning: A Few Musicals to Freshen Up the Season

Jess here. Spring is all about the creation of new life and expanding your horizons, so what better way to celebrate the season than to grow your playlist with some amazing musicals! Here is a list of four of my favorite cast recordings (in no particular order) you may enjoy giving a listen to.

COME FROM AWAY by Irene Sankoff and David Hein - Thriving after it's recent Broadway debut, Come From Away is an incredible musical with what I can only describe as a Scandinavian, folkish score. It takes place in Gander, a town in Newfoundland, immediately following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Thousands of people are diverted to the small town after the closing of US airspace. The show is based on a true story, and its commentary on current political issues must be admired. One has to always remember that "Since we come from everywhere, we all come from away."

SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE by Stephen Sondheim - This is undeniably my favorite Sondheim musical of all time. The music is revolutionary and helps to define the often-misunderstood George Seurat, a pointillist painter known for his masterpiece "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte." The story discusses the issue that many artists face: the separation of love for your work vs. love for your relationships. Songs like "Finishing the Hat" and "We Do Not Belong Together" were responsible for the development of a new wave in Musical Theatre. The show is, and always will be a classic, as it is currently being revived on Broadway by Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford.

VIOLET by Jeanine Tesori and Brian Crawley - Violet is one of my favorite works ever written. The music always makes me cry (as corny as that may sound), with its heart-wrenching lyrics and melodies delivering a powerful message. Violet is a girl suffering from little to no self-confidence due to a disfiguring scar on her face from an accident in her childhood. Throughout the course of the story, she deals with social, religious, and internal conflict, but in the end is able to find peace, and her true self. The music stems from a country influence, while mixing in the interpretive lyrics of Musical Theatre. My favorite songs from the show include "Let it Sing" and "On My Way." Still popular today, Violet recently received a revival with Sutton Foster and Joshua Henry.

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS by George and Ira Gershwin - I recently saw a production of this Golden Age film-to-stage classic, and I was blown away. I've always been a lover of the music of the 20th Century, and this show perfectly sums up why. The incredible music, lyrics, and choreography keeps the audience in constant awe. Based on the movie starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron, the cast recording does a perfect job of intertwining both American and French cultures. The music gives dancers the opportunity to really shine, and you'll be able to hear why.

These four musicals hold a special place in my heart, and I hope that you all can see the beauty in them that I do. May the coming of the new season bring fresh and wonderful experiences for you. Happy Spring!

"Honey, mustn't be blue. It's not so much do what you like, as it is that you like what you do." -Stephen Sondheim

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