New miniseries time! This time, we're taking a slightly different approach, focusing on a set of linked performers instead of a set of linked songs. Specifically, we're looking at some of the women who've played the original Green Girl, Elphaba from Wicked. First up is Stephanie J. Block who arguably was the original Elphaba, just not on Broadway. We look at her career and why it hasn't been quite what it might have been while we talk about "The Writing on the Wall," the finale to The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Rupert Holmes. It's a lot, so buckle in. All clips are from The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012 New Broadway Cast Recording) featuring Stephanie J. Block and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Watch the performance on YouTube! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

Once again, we find ourselves back at Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, the show that we just can't escape, nor would we wish to. This time, we're finishing our miniseries on Second Act Openers with the excellent "Letters," where Dave Malloy crams so much content into only 6 minutes that we're almost left a little speechless. Almost.  All clips are from the 2013 Original Cast Recording of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 featuring Dave Malloy as Pierre, Phillipa Soo as Natasha, Gelsey Bell as Princess Mary, Lucas Steele as Anatole, and Manik Choksi as Dolokhov and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/listen to the performance on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

Newsies! Yes, at long last, we are talking about one of the most beloved musicals ever to starts as a failed Disney movie. With music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Jack Feldman, Newsies could easily have just been a misbegotten offshoot of the Disney Renaissance, but it experienced a rebirth of its own, hitting Broadway in 2012. Join us as we talk about the process and about "King of New York," the song chosen to open the second act. All clips are from the 2012 Newsies Original Broadway Cast Album and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/listen to the performance on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

We're back with another second act opener! This one combines impressive spectacle, plot recap, and a flexible yet catchy tune to ease the audience back into a world of high romance and melodrama. Join us as we discuss "Masquerade" from The Phantom of the Opera and how it does what it does very, very well. All clips are from the 1987 London Cast Album of Phantom of the Opera and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/listen to the performance on Amazon! Watch the performance on YouTube! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]  

As we begin our second hundred episodes, it's only fitting that we turn our attention to second-act openers. These songs often have to return the audience to the world of the show quickly and recast the spell the first act had woven. So, how do you do that? One answer is to give them a song and dance for the ages: this week we talk about "Who's Got the Pain?" from Damn Yankees, written by Adler and Ross, but made famous by Fosse and Verdon. All clips are from the 1958 film version of Damn Yankees featuring Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/listen to the performance on Amazon! Watch the performance on YouTube! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]  

We conclude our 100th episode spectacular with 5 more songs that make us love the American musical. As a reminder, please email or message us with the 5 songs you would choose so we can make a Spotify playlist to share with everyone! STOP READING to avoid getting spoiled for what's on this episode.  All clips are from, in order, Follies: New Broadway Cast Recording, Hamilton: An American Musical Original Broadway Cast Recording, 1776: Original Broadway Cast, Parade: 2023 Broadway Cast Recording, Evita: Original Broadway Cast and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

Yes, there are now 100 episodes of Shannon in New York City and Erik in Prague discussing the American Musical. To celebrate, we decided to each compile a list of 5 songs that, for us, represent what makes the musical the wonderful art form it is. The musical can do things that nothing else -- no other art form -- can do, and we think these songs illustrate that. In this episode, we discuss the first 5 of these songs -- our next episde will cover the other 5. We sincerely hope you enjoy and that you'll email or message us with the 5 songs you would choose. NB: There will be a playlist of just the songs discussed in these two episodes included in the notes of the next episode to avoid spoiling anyone who wants the second half of the list to be a surprise. Also, STOP READING to avoid getting spoiled for what's on this episode. We also hope to make a playlist of your selections, so we can all share. All clips are from, in order, Merrily We Roll Along: New Broadway Cast Recording, Guys & Dolls: Original Broadway Cast Recording, The Music Man: Original Broadway Cast, The Rink: Original Broadway Cast, Rent: Original Cast Album, and Into the Woods: A New Musical and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

We come to the conclusion of our miniseries of anthems, and we've saved one of the best for last. We're talking "I Am What I Am" from La Cage aux Folles, with music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, which became an anthem for LGBTQ Pride almost as soon as it was first sung in 1983. All clips are from 2016's Trailblazer Honors events featuring Ginger Minj and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/listen to Ginger on Amazon! Watch the performance on YouTube! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

From the hard work and determination of show business to the let it all hang out and just be spirirt of the hippie movement, our anthem series continues with "Aquarius" from Hair. Written by James Rado, Gerome Ragni, and Galt MacDermot, "Aquarius" become synonymous with the hippie movement with an assist from The Fifth Dimension. Be prepared for lots of talk of very bad astrology! All clips are from 2009's Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical - The New Broadway Cast Recording and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/listen on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

Anthem number two! This time, we're looking at an anthem for this business we call show: "There's No Business Like Show Business," written by Irving Berling for 1946's Annie Get Your Gun. While that's still a popular show, the song has definitely broken free and is now widely recognized as perhaps the definitive song about the ups and downs of a life lived on the stage. For this episode, we'll be discussing both the song, and Ethel Merman, who very much made it one of her signature songs, even though she wasn't the one who sang it in the show.  All clips are from 1972's Merman Sings Merman and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

Time for a new miniseries! This time, we're looking at songs originally from Broadway shows that found a greater life outside of them as anthems. Anthems of movements, times, places, industries -- Broadway has given us many anthems over the years. Arguably one of its earliest is one that everyone knows but may not know that it originated in a Broadway show: "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" by Y.E. Harburgh and Jay Gorney. The song, written for a 1932 revue called Americana appropriately enough, quickly became an anthem of the Great Depression and has maintained its status ever since.  The NPR piece from 2008 mentioned on the episode The Kennedy Center resource for teachers about this song All clips are from 2004's Broadway: The American Musical featuring Bing Crosby and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. (N.B.: Erik adores this documentary and strongly recommends it for anyone who wants to sounds smart about Broadway history.) Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

Well, it's that time again -- time to say goodbye to Sondheim for another year. But we're going out with a wide-ranging and multi-faceted discussion of all things Merrily We Roll Along centered around one of the only purely happy songs in the show: "It's a Hit." All clips are from 1982's Merrily We Roll Along: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Lonny Price as Charley Kringas, Jim Walton as Franklin Shepard, Ann Morrison as Mary Flynn, and Jason Alexander as Joe Josephson and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

For the first time in over 4 years and 90 episodes (!), we return to Merrily We Roll Along, Sondheim's greatest flop and now one of the biggest hits on Broadway. We'll looking at Merrily for our next two episodes, actually, since it has multiple songs that fit this miniseries quite nicely. First up, we have the Act 1 closing number, "Now You Know." All clips are from 2023's Merrily We Roll Along: New Broadway Cast Recording featuring Daniel Radcliffe as Charley Kringas, Jonathan Groff as Franklin Shepard, and Lindsay Mendez as Mary Flynn and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

We're continuing our miniseries on Sondheim's conversation songs. This episode, we ask a very simple question: can a song simulataneously be about absolutely nothing and abosolutely everything? And we answer it with a resounding, "Yes," -- at least it can if the song is question is "Someone in a Tree" from Pacific Overtures. Join us as we try to pick apart the strands of this masterpiece and discuss Sondheim's favorite of his own songs. All clips are from 1976's Pacific Overtures featuring Mako as the Reciter, James Dybas as the Old Man, Gedde Watanabe as the Boy, and Mary Hsu Syers as the Warrior and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Watch the original Broadway production of this song! Watch the Anatomy of a Song special from 1976! Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

From "Waiting for Life" to "Waiting for the Girls Upstairs" -- it's Sondheim time once again. This year, we're focusing on conversation songs, a sub-genre Sondheim may have himself invented. We begin with the aforementioned octet (!) from 1971's Follies and talk about why this song may be the key to understanding the whole show. All clips are from 1985's Follies in Concert are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Note: the DVD does not include all of the songs in full, but is still an fascinating watch. Buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

We wrap up our miniseries on "I Wish" songs with "Waiting for Life" from Once on This Island by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty. Topics include whether being made into a tree is a good thing, The Little Mermaid, and whether Ahrens and Flaherty were the right fit for this source material. DW: This episdoe contains mentions of racism, sexual assault, and self-harm. Listener discretion is advised. All clips are from the 1990 Original Broadway Cast Recording of Once on This Island featuring LaChanze and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

And we're back again with another "I Want" song, but we're still in the 1970s. This time we're tackling The Wiz and it's end-of-show I want song, "Home." Topics include Stephanie Mills, Diana Ross, and why the 80s really, really sucked.  Editor's Note: Yes, this episode sounds different. New computers, new set-ups, etc. We're still ironing out the kinks. Also, the original cast album is cuirrently out of print and not widely available for streaming, so, if you're the rights holder, fix that, please. All clips are from the 1975 Original Broadway Cast Recording of The Wiz featuring Stephanie Mills as Dorothy and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

We're just getting started with I Want songs, and we're tackling another classic. This time, from 1972's Pippin, we're talking about "Corner of the Sky." We talk Stephen Schwartz, Bob Fosse, and where cats and children fit. Strap in. All clips are from the 1972 Original Broadway Cast Recording of Pippin featuring John Rubinstein as Pippin and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

We're back! We're starting our 5th year a little late, but as opinionated as ever! We're looking at "I want" songs here in 2024, and we're starting with one of the most famous and beloved examples: "Wouldn't It Be Loverly" from Lerner & Loewe's Golden Age classic My Fair Lady. But is it beloved by your intrepid hosts? Only one way to find out...   All clips are from the 1956 Original Broadway Cast Recording of My Fair Lady featuring Julie Andrews as Eliza Doolittle and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

Oh, it's a jolly holiday season here at So Much Stuff to Sing! This year, we're looking at one of the all-time great film musicals, Walt Disney's Mary Poppins. With songs written by Richard and Robert Sherman, and featuring seminal performances by Dick van Dyke, David Tomlinson, Glynnis Johns, and (in her film debut!) Julie Andrews, the film is both a landmark of cinema and a timeless masterpiece. But what about its deeply anti-capitalist message? We'll get into that -- and more -- on this bonus-sized end of year episode. Programming note: we'll be on holiday ourselves until the middle of January. Have a very Mary (get it?) Christmas, a Happy New Year, and a wonderful holiday season! All clips are from the 1964 film Mary Poppins and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.

To round out our off-Broadway miniseries, Shannon and Erik take a look at "Beautiful" from the online hit Heathers: The Musical, and don't always like what they see. Are they just the wrong audience, or is this the wrong adaptation? All clips are from 2014's Heathers: The Musical (World Premiere Cast Recording) featuring Barrett Wilbert Weed are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. PLEASE NOTE: In addition to discussions of sensitive topics such as gun violence, sexual assault, suicide, and eating disorders, this episode also includes clips from the show with language that some may find offensive.   Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

From one queer, cult, off-Broadway hit to the next, it's time for Stephen Trask and John Cameron Mitchell's Hedwig and the Angry Inch and what is arguably its thesis song: "The Origin of Love" Shannon is escited because of Eddie Izzard, and Erik is excited because of Plato. All clips are from 1999's Hedwig and the Angry Inch: Original Cast Album featuring John Cameron Mitchell are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

Happy Halloween, everyone! By sheer coicidence, our Off-Broadway miniseries timed up with spooky seaon, creating a wonderful synchronicity whereby our episde about "Science Fiction Double Feature" from The Rocky Horror Show is coming out just before Halloween. Wait...did you not know that Rocky Horror was a smash London and L.A. musical before becoming a movie? Well, grab a seat in the back row and listen... All clips are from 1975's The Rocky Horror Picture Show: The Original Soundtrack featuring Richard O'Brien are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

We're back -- a little late -- but we come bearing a new miniseries! This time, we're heading off-Broadway to explore the wide range of shows and songs that fall under that collective banner. We start with one of the either best -- or least -- well-known musicals of all time, depending on which co-host you ask. Yes, it's 1960's The Fantasticks which ran off-Broadway for over four decades, becoming the longest running musical in the world. What do we think it was able to accomplish that feat, and what do we think of the show's most famous number, "Try to Remember?" Listenn to find out! All clips are from 1960's The Fantasticks Original Off-Off-Broadway Cast Album featuring Jerry Orbach are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

We finish our miniseries on 11 o'clock numbers with one of the defining shows and numbers of Broadway's current era: "She Used to Be Mine" from Waitress. The discussion gievs us a chance to talk pop versus Broadway, how Sara Bareilles conquered Broadway, and proper theater etiquette. CW for discussions of domestic violence, abuse, and murder. All clips are from the 2019 video "Shoshana Bean Sings 'She Used to Be Mine' from WAITRESS" from Broadway.com's YouTube channel are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Watch the performance on YouTube! Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

And now for something truly and genuinely completely different. Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori's Caroline, or Change first premiered on Broadway in 2004, and while the show wasn't a success either at the box office or the Tonys, it made an impact. Another recent Broadway production similarly failed to enflame the ticket-buying public, but it helped cement the show as something of a modern classic. Today, we discuss the musical's 11 o'clock number "Lot's Wife" to try to understand why. All clips are from 2021's Caroline, or Change The New Broadway Cast Recording featuring Sharon D. Clarke as Caroline and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

Another 11 o'clock number, please! This time, we're talking 1950's Guys & Dolls, Frank Loesser, and Nicely-Nicely Johnson -- yes, it's time for everyone's favorite gangster revival number, "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat."  All clips are from 1992's Guys and Dolls: The New Broadway Cast Recording featuring Walter Bobbie as Nicely-Nicely Johnson and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

We're back and starting a brand new miniseries. This time, we're looking at the so-called "eleven o'clock number" in a vairety of its permutations. First up, we have an archetypal example of the genre -- "Fifty Percent" from 1978's Ballroom. Trust us, you may now know the show, but you need to know the song. All clips are from 1999's My Favorite Broadway: The Leading Ladies featuring Dorothy Loudon and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Watch the clip on YouTube! Buy the DVD on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

Our final title song is also our most recent. We're back to Michael R. Jackson's A Strange Loop, which has opened -- and closed -- on Broadway since we last discussed it, but not without winning the Best Musical Tony.  All clips are from 2022's A Strange Loop: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Jaquel Spivey as Usher and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

Another title song, and this time it's a title song that opens the show and sets up the rest of the show. We're talking about In the Heights again, exploring how Lin-Manuel Miranda uses its opening number to set up both the main characters and most of the plotlines that we need to know. All clips are from 2021's  In the Heights: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack featuring Anthony Ramos as Usnavi and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

We're continuing with our title songs miniseries, and we're back with Kander and Ebb for the first time in a while. This time, we're talking about "Kiss of the Spider Woman," and Shannon makes a shocking confession about this song.  All clips are from 1993's Kiss of the Spider Woman: The Musical - Original Cast Recording featuring Chita Rivera as Aurora and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

We're back with a new miniseries! We're tackling title songs over the course of the next four episodes, and we're starting with the one that you're probably thinking of already. We're back to Rodgers & Hammerstein, but we're starting with their first show together. It's the beginning of the Golden Age of musicals, and the moment everything changed for the art form: it's time for 1943's Oklahoma!. All clips are from soundtrack to the 1955 film version of Oklahoma! featuring Gordon MacRae as Curly, Shirley Jones as Laurey, and the ensembles and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/listen to the musical on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

It's the end of our annual Sondheim birthday celebration, and our last murder ballad. This episode, we're back with Assassins looking at "The Ballad of Guiteau." Charles Guiteau is a thorny historical figure, but Erik and Shannon do their best to try to make some sense of him, his song, and this entire show. All clips are from Assassins: The 2022 Off-Broadway Cast Recording featuring Ethan Slater as The Balladeer and Will Swenson as Charles Guiteau and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/listen to the musical on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

We're continuing our Sondheim birthday miniseries, this time focusing on his murder ballads, and we're moving on to a show that is dominated by murder ballads -- 1991's Assassins. Join us as we look at "The Ballad of Booth"and try to pick apart both this extremely rich song and the show's message.  Audio note: It was raining when we recorded this episode, and you will occasionally hear the rain striking Shannon's air conditioner. We hope it won't distract too much from your enjoyment of the episode. All clips are from the 1991 Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording of Assassins featuring Patrick Cassidy as The Balladeer and Victor Garber as John Wilkes Booth and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/listen to the musical on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

To quote Shannon, "Murder! Murder! Murder!"  Yes, we're carrying on with this year's Sondheim theme of murder ballads, and we're carrying on with Sweeney Todd. This episode, we discuss the sort of duet, but not really, "My Friends."  All clips are from the 2002 production of Sweeney Todd in Concert featuring George Hearne as Sweeney Todd and Patti Lupone as Mrs. Lovett and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy the DVD on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

It's Sondheim time again -- the most wonderful time of the year here at SMSTS. This year, Shannon got her pick of themes, and she chose Sondheim's murder ballads. So, y'know, buckle up. We're starting off with the opening of 1979's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street appropriately named "Prelude/The Ballad of Sweeney Todd." Attend the tale. All clips are from the 1979 Original Broadway Cast Recording of Sweeney Todd featuring Len Cariou as Sweeney Todd and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

We conclude our look at inspirational songs with "I Know Where I've Been" from Hairspray, the 2002 Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman musical based on the John Waters film of the same name. It's been a few years since we talked about the show's propulsive and endlessly optimistic closing number, so how does this song -- coming just before the final sequence and featuring a darker, if still optimistic tone -- sit within the show? And what's Erik's Grand Unified Theory of songs of inspiration?  All clips are from the 2002 Original Broadway Cast Recording of Hairspray featuring Mary Bond Davis and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

We return to Annie, a show we last talked about a few years back with Miss Hanigan's delicious villain song. This time, however, we're taking a look at the show's signature tune --and one of the most recognizable musical theater songs of all time -- "Tomorrow." Is it inspirational or an example of what's wrong with America? Buckle up. All clips are from 1977's Annie - Original Braodway Cast Recording featuring Andrea McArdle and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

Some great shows have a few mediocre songs, and some great songs come from otherwise mediocre shows. Such is the case with this episode's selection -- or is it? Join us as we continue our journey of inspiration with "The Impossible Dream (The Quest)" from Man of La Mancha.  All clips are from 2002's Man of La Mancha: The New Broadway Cast Recording featuring Brian Stokes Mitchell and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

Welcome to 2023! As we enter a new year, we could all do with some inspiration, so we're starting the year off with a miniseries of inspirational songs. First up, we look at The Sound of Music for the first time, with "Climb Ev'ry Mountain." The last Rodgers & Hammerstein collaboration, this 1959 musical is one of the best known and best loved of all Broadway -- and film -- musicals.  All clips are from 2103's The Sound of Music: Music from the NBC Television Event and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

It's the most wonderful time of the year! For our third annual holiday special, we're being the rules a bit and looking at a festive movie musical -- namely, 1992's The Muppet Christmas Carol starring Michael Caine and the Muppets. We talk about the meloncholy air surrounding the making of the movie, the performances, and, of course, all of the songs written for the film by the great Paul Williams. Happy Holidays! See you in 2023! All clips are from 1992's The Muppet Christmas Carol: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

The second and final part of our look at songs that escaped the shows they were written for brings us to arguably one of the greatest songs never to be performed on Broadway -- "Meadowlark" from the ill-fated Stephen Schwartz musical The Baker's Wife. The show may be forgettable, but the song certainly is not. All clips are from Lindsay Mendez's 2017 performance of "Meadowlark" at Feinstein's/54 Below and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Watch Lindsay Mendez perform "Meadowlark" at 54 Below. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

And now for something completely different. We're embarking on a mini-mini-series: a 2-part look at songs that managed to have a life even if they shows they came from didn't. First up, it's "You've Got Possibilities" from the almost totally forgotten 1966 musical "It'sa Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman". A score by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams -- and production and direction by Hal Prince -- didn't save this show from being the biggest flop in Broadway history at the time, but somehow this song managed to find a place for itself. We discuss why.  All clips are from the 1966 Orignal Broadway Cast Recording of "It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman" featuring Linda Lavin and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

We conclude our tour of musical theater blindspots with Jason Robert Brown's 2014 The Bridges of Madison County and the sweeping love duet "One Second and a Million Miles." Will Shannon persuade Erik that this score deserves to be known far and wide, or will his cold, stony heart be unmoved? All clips are from the 2014 Orignal Broadway Cast Recording of The Bridges of Madison County featuring Steven Pasquale and Kelli O'Hara and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

We're trying to take care of musical theater blindspots, and this time it's Shannon's turn to introduce Erik to something new. So, how will he respond to "I Believe" from 2011's The Book of Mormon? Will he be converted, or will he slam the door in her face? All clips are from the 2011 Original Broadway Cast Recording of The Book of Mormon featuring Andrew Rannells and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

We just couldn't stay away from the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Time Rice songbook as we cover our musical theater blind spots. This time, it's Evita with Patti Lupone singing "Don't Cry for Me Argentina." What will Shannon make of this truly strange show that she'd never experienced before? All clips are from the 1978 Original Broadway Cast Recording of Evita featuring Patti Lupone and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

We're back after our brief end of summer hiatus, and we've got a new miniseries in store. We all have our blind spots -- shows that we feel as if we should know, but don't. In this miniseries, we're trying to clear up some of those blind spots -- 2 from each host -- and we're starting with a biggie. Join us as we talk about one of the greates roles in musical theater: yes, it's time for 1959's Gypsy and "Everything's Coming up Roses." All clips are from the 2015 London Cast Recording of Gypsy featuring Imelda Staunton and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Watch Imelda Staunton perform the song. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

To close out our look at the Broadway megamusical, we turn our attention to one of the most popular -- and controversial -- entries in the subgenre: Miss Saigon. Join us as we dicuss "I Still Believe" and the enduring debate about this show's depiction of its Vietnamese characters.  All clips are from the 1989 Original London Cast Recording of Miss Saigon featuring Lea Salonga and Claire Moore and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected] For further reading: "I Am Miss Saigon, and I Hate It" by Diep Tran  "The Battle of Miss Saigon: Yellowface, Art, and Opportunity" from the New York Times