Archive for July, 2011

On With the Show Playlist 7/23/2011

Saturday, July 23rd, 2011

Luck Be A Lady – Guys and Dolls

I Dreamed a Dance – Next to Normal

Piano Lesson – The Music Man

Every Story Is a Love Story – Aida

S.O.S. – Mamma Mia!

Guys and Dolls – Guys and Dolls

Heaven on Their Minds – Jesus Christ Superstar

A Part of That – The Last 5 Years

I Believe – The Book of Mormon

Summer Nights – Grease

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Sweet Transvestite Karaoke Track – The Rocky Horror Show

Church Blues Revelation – Passing Strange

Everything’s Alright – Jesus Christ Superstar

Mr. Cladwell – Urinetown

Till There Was You – The Music Man

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Defying Gravity – Wicked

Sugar – tick…tick…BOOM!

Sugar Daddy – Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Light of the World – Godspell

I Miss the Mountains – Next to Normal

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Marry Me a Little – Company

You Gotta Get a Gimmick – Gypsy

Keep It Positive – Legally Blonde

Skid Row (Downtown) – Little Shop of Horrors

Damn It, Janet – The Rocky Horror Show

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Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’ – Oklahoma!

All I Ask of You – The Phantom of the Opera

Science Fictional Double Feature – The Rocky Horror Show

Masquerade – The Phantom of the Opera

On With the Show Playlist 7.16.2011

Saturday, July 16th, 2011

Side by Side By Side – Company

I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here – Annie

Dentist! – Little Shop of Horrors

Alone In the Universe – Seussical the Musical

Mary Me a Little – Company

So Much Better – Legally Blonde

Beggin – Jersey Boys

Johnny Can’t Decide – tick…tick…BOOM!

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Untitled Opening Number – (title of show)

I Just Can’t Wait to Be King – The Lion King

All I Ask of You – Phantom of the Opera

Grease – Grease

I Hate Myself for Loving You/Heat of the Moment – Rock of Ages

I Could Write a Book – Pal Joey

Do You Hear the People Sing? – Les Miserables

Every Story is a Love Story – Aida

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Wig in a Box – Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Old Man River – Showboat

Those Were the Good Old Days – Damn Yankees

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Elegance – Hello, Dolly!

Popular – Wicked

Whispering – Spring Awakening

Somewhere – West Side Story

Come Down Now – Passing Strange

Nobody Needs to Know – The Last 5 Years

Skinnin’ a Cat – Purlie

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Can’t Fight This Feeling – Rock of Ages

Getting Married Today – Company

Secondary Characters – (title of show)

Money, Money, Money – Mamma Mia!

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Can You Feel the Love Tonight – The Lion King

You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile – Annie

Keys (It’s Alright) – Passing Strange

Stuck Together (Strange But True) – Catch Me If You Can

Good Morning Starshine – HAIR

Two By Two – Book of Mormon

I Want the Good Times Back – The Little Mermaid

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There’s a World – Next to Normal

I’ll Cover You – Rent

The Bitch of Living – Spring Awakening

Come To Your Senses – tick…tick…BOOM!

Seasons of Love – Rent

If Momma Was Married – Gypsy

The Rum Tum Tugger – Cats

The Dark I Know Well – Spring Awakening

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Joseph’s Coat – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Whatsername – American Idiot

Save the People – Godspell

Purpose – Avenue Q

In the Heights – In the Heights

Will I? – Rent

Turn It Off – Book of Mormon

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Thank You for the Music – Mamma Mia!

Adelaide’s Lament – Guys and Dolls

The Song of Purple Summer – Spring Awakening

Sixteen Going on Seventeen – The Sound of Music

The Origin of Love – Hedwig and the Angry Inch

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Out Tonight – Rent

Anything Goes – Anything Goes

Science Fiction Double Feature – The Rocky Horror Show

Ease On Down the Road – The Wiz

My Strongest Suit – Aida

Walking In Space – HAIR

On With the Show Playlist 7.9.2011

Saturday, July 9th, 2011

I’m Alive – Next to Normal

30/90 – tick…tick…BOOM!

Bend and Snap – Legally Blonde

Day By Day – Godspell

Slap That Bass – Crazy for You

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Live Before We Die – The Addams Family

Baptist Fashion Show – Passing Strange

The Pinstripes Are All That They See – Catch Me If You Can

Sixteen Going on Seventeen – The Sound of Music

I Am Africa – Book of Mormon

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You Won’t Succeed on Broadway – Spamalot

Someone Else’s Skin – Catch Me If You Can

Suddenly Seymour – Little Shop of Horrors

The Next Ten Minutes – The Last 5 Years

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Tradition – Fiddler on the Roof

If You Were Gay – Avenue Q

Unworthy of Your Love – Assassins

On the Right Track – Pippin

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I Know the Truth – Aida

Prayer of the Comfort Counselor – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

21 Guns – American Idiot

You and Me (But Mostly Me) – Book of Mormon

There’s No Business Like Show Business – Annie Get Your Gun

Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered – Pal Joey

The Song That Goes Like This – Spamalot

Part Of Your World – The Little Mermaid

They Live In You – The Lion King

One Step Closer – The Little Mermaid

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Goodbye – Catch Me If You Can

A Light in the Dark – Next to Normal

Someone to Watch Over Me – Crazy for You

Too Much Exposition – Urinetown

Urinetown – Urinetown

Hopelessly Devoted To You – Grease

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Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat – Guys and Dolls

Harden My Heart/Shadows of the Night – Rock of Ages

Being Alive – Company

Wicked Little Town (Reprise) – Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Must Have Been High – Passing Strange

Don’t Break the Rules – Catch Me If You Can

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Go Go Joseph – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

If I Didn’t Believe In You – The Last 5 Years

Comfort and Joy – Bat Boy

Mamma Who Bore Me & Reprise – Spring Awakening

Rock of Ages at The Fox

Thursday, July 7th, 2011

Filled with sex, drugs, rock, and a lot of self-effacement, Rock of Ages possesses what most other jukebox musicals don’t: it knows exactly what it is.

rock of ages atlanta

Considering ROA? Expect to see a musical chock-full of ’80s hair band hits, from Whitesnake to Journey to Poison, but also expect not to roll your eyes too much at the ridiculous jokes, canned plot, and ’80s references. Rock of Ages has a charm about it like no Jersey Boys or Mamma Mia! could hope to attain, because it recognizes its enormous cheese factor and appreciates that its audience is mostly middle-aged women who, at one point, wanted to sleep with Jani Lane. It enjoys its own lameness and is all the more fun for it. And that’s why this show is going to be pulled off (carefully) in movie form later this year.

The plot: Drew works The Bourbon Room in LA, cleaning toilets and dreaming of being a rock star. Sherrie’s a small-town girl with big-town dreams of being an actress. Naturally, the couple weaves its way through awkward interactions and missed opportunities, one culminating with warming wine coolers and another with Sherrie on the lap of a hair metal god in the Bourbon Room’s bathroom. As their lives part ways, they learn about themselves, about dreams, and–in the end–about (sigh) love. It’s predictable, ridiculous, and silly, but every person on the stage knows it.

The hilarious narrator (i.e. Bourbon Room sound guy) pops in periodically to express the absurdity of the situation and read notes on what’s supposed to come next in a typical musical. He bemoans that instead of being in a true theatrical production, he lost the Broadway lottery and wound up “making poop jokes and singing Whitesnake songs.” The real band participates in scenes and reacts to the action onstage. The subplot characters break into full-on ’80s gymnastics gear mid-song. “I Can’t Fight This Feeling” becomes an ode to gay pride.

The appeal of Rock of Ages is indeed its recognizable score, but it’s also in its heart. The show understands what it is and you love the whole experience more for it.

Check out the ever-present Constantine Maroulis (he’s been in the damn thing since it was off-Broadway 3 years ago) at the Fox through this Sunday. The talent is undeniable, the songs are terrifyingly catchy, and there are few other moments where a plastic lighter will ever be as welcomed. Slip on your leather pants, spray up your hair, and let loose at Rock of Ages.