Do you have Musicalsphobia?

Ok, I admit it.  I am a sucker for musicals!  I know some of you might be yawning or some might have had traumatizing experiences that gave you musicalsphobia (a word I made up b/c there is no real phobia for musicals - only for music in general).  However, as a vocalist, I have to give some credit to musicals for helping feed my love of singing/music.

My first favorite of course is The Sound of Music.  It used to come on tv every year (when I was a little girl) and we - the whole family - would all cluster together, pile up and around the tv with lots of husband/arm pillows for this annual musical showcase!  One of the coolest early memories I have was getting to see my Aunt Nancy perform as Liesl when her HS put on The Sound of Music.  My top 3 favorite songs from this musical are Do Re Mi, followed by My Favorite Things and The Lonely Goatherd.   Do Re Mi taught me music theory without even knowing it at the time.

It's hard to pick a second favorite, so I'll just run down a list of a few that affected me in different ways over the years.

Mary Poppins - I know that this was a Disney movie, but there are SO many good songs in it!  Who doesn't remember Spoonfull of Sugar?  Or how about Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?  And my favorite that still makes me laugh to this day - I Love to Laugh!  Ha Ha Ha Haahhh!

Singin' In The Rain - This is a classic musical!  My sister Bonnie and I used to sing two songs from it quite a bit - especially when it rained on a camping trip:  Singin' in the Rain and Good Mornin' - I actually think this musical is one of my sister's favorites as well!

White Christmas - A 1954 American musical classic that I love to watch every year around the holidays!  I know that most people were drawn to Bing Crosby and his voice, but I really love when the songs were sung with everyone.  My two favorite songs from this musical are Sisters and White Christmas (finale version).  I also really loved seeing all that incredible dancing with Danny Kaye and Vera-Ellen!  (That woman's waist was so tiny!)  They looked like they were just floating around the stage.

The first time I was introduced to West Side Story, was when my friend's high school's drama club was putting it on as a performance/production.  This Romeo/Juliet type musical was packed full of adventure, dancing and singing.  My two favorite songs are America and Tonight (quintet/chorus version).

I can't remember when I first saw My Fair Lady, but it is now one of my all time favorites!  I think it must have been during high school sometime, because I remember trying out for a part in the play and I didn't know the correct  English accent - which totally x'd me from the potential cast.  It was one of my first times stepping out to try something bold (I was very shy in HS) and received full out immediate rejection.  (Something we all have to face at some point in our lives.)  Anyhow, I absolutely loved the cast from the 1938 film version with Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison!  (Short note if you didn't know this:  Audrey didn't sing in that film!  Her voice was considered inadequate and Marni Nixon's voice was dubbed into the movie.  See - even Audrey had some rejection with this musical!)  I really like all of the songs - so it is hard to chose favorites.  I guess I would say I could've Danced All Night, The Rain In Spain and I've Grown Accustomed to her Face.   (FYI - I think Michael's favorite song in this musical is A Hymn to Him - Why can't a woman be more like a Man.)

I think every girl growing up in my generation saw Annie at least once if not a hundred times.  Aileen Quinn and Albert Finney were the perfect Annie and Daddy Warbucks - and Carol Burnett was off the charts amazing in her role as Miss Hannigan!  So many good songs in this musical as well.  I think my three favs are: Tomorrow, Your're Never Fully Dressed without a Smile and I Don't Need Anything But You.

Last but not least, one musical that I knew the music before seeing it was Fiddler on the Roof.  One of the four years I was in the Arlington High School Marching Band, we had our music all based on Fiddler on the Roof.  We had an amazing choreographer for the color guard that just made visual for the music over the top good!  There is nothing more amazing than when music comes together with visuals.  It can be so powerful.  I think that is why I not only like musicals, but I also can't get enough of music scores for movies.  (More about that some other blog post!)  If you can believe it, I still have my AHS marching band field charts and music for Fiddler.  I think my fav songs are Tradition, To Life and the Wedding Celebration/Bottle dance.

Wow...There are so many great musicals out there that I didn't even get to mention!  Well, I hope you enjoyed a brief look into all the many many musicals that touched my life/impacted my love for singing/music!

until next blog post,
~Joyce