This is where we began…
Before we dive in, I want to share a heartfelt thank you to this devoted “Beta” crew here for the launch of S. S. Showtune. There are ever so many more than the zero I was expecting. Thank you for being here, and I hope you enjoy the ride! —dpb
What to Expect from 100Showtunes
The goal of this project is to guide you through 100 essential showtunes and to use these tunes as an opportunity to introduce pivotal moments and key players in Broadway musical history. Mostly, I hope to give you jumping-off points for your own further exploration. If you encounter a song that isn’t really your thing, we’ll move past it quickly enough. If you hear something that is entirely your jam, then there are thousands of rabbit holes you can go down.
Staying On Task
Because there are so many potential digressions that I could pursue, in the interest of keeping on topic I am prohibiting myself from discussing the following:
Opening/closing dates, number of performances, and theaters
Complete cast/production credits
Tony Awards
Patti LuPone’s disparaging comments about Joanna Gleason’s Tony Award for Into the Woods.
I encourage you to get lost on Wikipedia, IBDb.com, CastAlbums.org, and Ovrtur.com where all of these stats easy to find. (I pretty much always have at least 2 of them open at any time.) But if I allow myself to go down these paths, we’ll never get past the first song.
Playlist Ground Rules
The 100 songs we’re going to look at are broken out into themed playlists.
Within each playlist, the songs will be presented chronologically.
We won’t repeat shows - each of the 100 songs will be from a different musical.
The “playlists” are, for the time being, more an idea than a thing I can send you a link to. I encourage you to build your own versions on your platform of choice! All of the recordings I suggest are in print or readily legally available for purchase, though they might not all appear on all streaming platforms. There is value is buying albums!
What You’ll Get Each Week
Each Wednesday, you will get a profile of a new song. Each profile will include:
A synopsis of the show up until the song appears
An explanation of why the song is essential and/or fits the playlist theme
A recommended recording + a few alternatives (my goal is to keep it to three alternate reccomenations or fewer.
Whether the song has been covered by The Rat Pack, Audra McDonald, or the cast of Glee. A majority of songs will fit one if not all of these criteria. (Especially with the lengths I am willing to go to force a connection if necessary!)
In the Wings
Next week I will announce the theme for the first playlist, and the first song profile will hit your inbox the following Wednesday!