Music for Motivation

Life has been... a little challenging lately. Stresses at work have made the usual Monday to Friday grind a bit grindier than usual. So, when face with a difficult situation, I have turned, as I'm wont to do, to entertainment for comfort. This time around, though, I've looked to (listened to?) music a bit more, and that's managed to get me through most days.

The musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying has one of the most impractical titles I've ever seen, but the music's nice. When I'me feeling down at work (ESPECIALLY at work), I pull out "I Believe in You," and everything gets a little shinier.

I have the Harry Potter Daniel Radcliffe version on my iPad, but the performance I love the most comes from the movie adaptation with Robert Morse.

I've always been the type to tear up when a movie or TV show teaches a moral that somehow directly applies to my current situation. The first season of The Legend of Korra ends with a doozy: When we hit our lowest point, we are open to the greatest change." The music from the soundtrack at that point helps to drive the message home, and I've played it more than once when things get hard.

Yes, I have the soundtrack to a children's show on my iTunes. Does that even surprise anyone anymore?

Sometimes, you need a little motivation of a different kind. When I'm feeling like I'm so bogged down with trouble that I can't even fantasize about the good life anymore, I remind myself that "With a Little Bit of Luck" it'll all work out.

My Fair Lady goes from being my favorite musical to my most-hated in the last thirty seconds of the show. The ending's that bad. The music's pretty nice throughout, though, and this number in particular is just so infectiously fun that I can't help but smile.

When even the thought of driving to work is horrid, I like a little bit of metal to motivate me. Danish metal does it best, and right now there's no metal Danishier than Volbeat's "A Warrior's Call"... which I'm pretty sure is all about MMA.

I drive angry. I like to drive angry. You know how runners will sometimes listen to rockin' music to get through their exercise routine? My thing's a lazier version of that.

Lastly, there are some days when you just need to motivate yourself into complete idleness. For those days, there's nothing like a little Otis Redding and "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay." If I listen to metal on the way in to work, this is the music that plays during the homeward bound commute. Mmm-boy, can't beat it.

So what are your most motivational songs?

Big Screen Breakdown: Les Miserables

I went with my cousin J.C. to see Les Miserables (also known as Crying: The Musical) on New Year's Eve. Rather than write up a full review, I've opted to just jot down a few thoughts I had while watching the movie and during the hours afterwards. I'll probably do this for most movies I watch from now on. Some of these thoughts may even be insightful, so be sure to read them all!

• Wolverine fights Gladiator in order to save the life of Catwoman's daughter, Little Red Riding Hood. It's, like, the crossover of the century!
• I've never been an Anne Hathaway detractor - in fact, I've always liked her. Yet I'm still surprised that she was as good as she was in this movie. When did Ella Enchanted become one of the best actresses in Hollywood?
• I was pleasantly surprised by Gerard Butler Russell Crowe as Javert. He was still probably the weakest singer in the ensemble, but he exceeded my expectations, and managed to genuinely impress on more than one occasion (see especially "Confrontation" and the scene when Valjean finds him at the barricade).
• Amanda Seyfried has a beautiful voice. Who knew? I wish she had more breath control so we could have heard those nice high notes longer.
• J.C. pointed out that there's no title card in the movie. How the heck were we supposed to know what we were watching?
• Love Hugh Jackman. Love his voice. Sadly, I'm not sure he was the best choice for Valjean. I grew up listening to Colm Wilkinson sing the part, and so in my head, THAT'S what Jean Valjean should sound like. And Hugh Jackman, through no fault of his own, is no Colm Wilkinson.
• Hey, look, Colm Wilkinson is in the movie!
• Poor Fantine has the worst experience of her life. She's in tears, losing her faith in God and humanity... and I'm in the audience eating Raisinets. There's something wrong with that picture.
• "Valjean's Soliloquy" features some peculiar cinematography. Jackman sings directly to the camera while going through his crisis of conscience. It's a bizarre decision, and a risky one on the part of the director, but one that I think ultimately works.
• Geez, they wrote an original song just for the movie. Thankfully, "Suddenly" doesn't suck. It explains most of Valjean's behavior for the rest of the story in a way that nothing in the original production really did. It's not the strongest song I've heard, but it's pretty nice still.
• Actually, they make a lot of changes to the music from the stage production. Broadway fans should be patient, though, as most of the changes make sense and work within the context of the movie. None of your favorite songs have been cut (unless "Dog Eat Dog" was you favorite song, in which case, brother, you and I won't ever understand each other).
• Well, okay, ONE change from the original music really smarts. Marius gets a line in the original production where he wonders who rescued him from the barricade. Without that line, I honestly assumed he knew. The ending gets a little confusing without that.
• No, seriously guys: Anne Hathaway may be the best part of the movie. That's the second time she's done that to me this year!
• Unrelated to the movie - I think New Year's Eve movies may be my new favorite tradition I've only done once.
• Verdict: Recommended

Musicals are Terrible

I've been a little bugged for the last week - ever since I saw Rent at the Midvale Main Street Theater. Something about the show completely unnerved me. It was a very upsetting experience.

Now, the production wasn't BAD - far from it, actually. I'm not going to review it here other than to say you should go see my friend Carolyn blow the roof off the place with her mad vocal skill. My friend Larissa did a full review here, and I agree with her all the way. It wasn't the performance of Rent that bugged me, but the story itself. Rent is basically terrible.

For those not in the know, Rent tells the story of a group of residents who live in an apartment building without paying rent. They all live sparse Bohemian lifestyles made possible by their independently wealthy landlord who turns a blind eye to their squatting on his property. Oh, and they all have AIDS.

I don't really have a problem with the "content" issues in Rent, but I am bothered by what they try to pass off as a "happy ending." After a year of bickering and squabbling, our friends are reunited just as one of their number, a girl named Mimi, dies. Roger, who has just realized that the song he's wanted so desperately to write can be found in his love for Mimi, sings her a song as she passes, only for her to suddenly revive. Everyone then lives happily ever after, except for the drag queen, who died a half hour earlier.

Here's how it breaks down:

• Mark quits his job as a news anchor where he gets paid to do what he loves so that he can say he didn't "sell out."
• Joann and Maureen get back together, despite the fact that they have done nothing but bicker for the last two hours.
• After losing his lover, Tom rigs an ATM to dispense free cash to anyone with the secret code. The play ends before the police track him down and arrest him.
• Roger, who sang an amazing song about writing one great song before he dies, finally writes a song so forgettable that it... um... brings his coke-addled girlfriend back from the dead?

The play glamorizes "La Vie Boheme," despite the fact that this lifestyle is actively destroying everyone who lives it. The only person whose future actually looks promising is Benny, the landlord, who is generous enough to pay for the funeral of the man who killed his cat AND put his ex-girlfriend through rehab.

In short, while the music is fantastic, the play itself is just not very good. It kinda bungles the message it's trying to deliver without realizing it. It's indicative of a prominent problem in musical theater, where storytelling takes a backseat to production values.

Seriously, when you look at the genre as a whole, you find that most musicals are actively terrible from a storytelling viewpoint. Musicals are full of fantastic scenery, beautiful dances and costuming, and, of course, catchy and memorable music. The problem, though, is that these flashy and engaging productions are often tied together by flimsy stories with awful morals.

Don't quite believe me?

• The Music Man teaches us that it's okay to let yourself get taken advantage of.
• Annie, Get Your Gun teaches us that you need to suppress your natural talents to be with the one you love.
• Seven Brides for Seven Brothers glorifies Stockholm syndrome.
• Damn Yankees says one can make a literal deal with the devil and walk away consequence-free.
• The Phantom of the Opera is potentially worse than Twilight, since the creepy romantic stalker it idolizes is a cold-blooded killer.
• Speaking of murderers, Oklahoma! lets a killer go completely unpunished because the deceased was super creepy.
• My Fair Lady shows that even rampaging misogynists can win the hearts of the girls they bully.

It's not a problem I see going away at all, either, possibly because you have plays like The Drowsy Chaperone, which affirms that the purpose of musical theater is only to temporarily distract audiences from their problems, rather than enable them to confront those problems.

Maybe I'm being a little unfair. After all, musical theater is hardly alone in presenting stories with suspect lessons. And besides, most musicals fall into the "comedic" category, where morals and lessons are often used for parodic purposes. However, if I had to make a list of musicals that give equal weight to the story as the music, the list would be really short (Les Miserables, Chicago, The Fantasticks...).

I think musical theater should just try a little harder to not be utterly miserable, that's all.

Braddy's Dream Roles

The Les Mis buzz I posted about yesterday got me thinking about my life on the stage, as it were. Actually, I've been to see a lot of plays and performances recently, so theatre's been on my mind quite a bit. You know what? I kinda miss it.

It's been over a year since the last time I was on stage in a professional production. I've been doing improv with the Jesters Royale regularly since then, and it's been a blast, but it's not quite the same as spending hours in rehearsal, sweating over lines, and getting into arguments with the costumer.

Hm. Not exactly a pretty picture, is it? Trust me - it's better than it sounds.

I won't be able to do a show of any kind for several months at least - maybe longer. Still, I'm already dreaming of the limelight again. And, while I'm dreaming, I might as well fantasize about some roles I'd LOVE to play - even though I'm PROBABLY not the best choice for any of them.


Benedick, Much Ado About Nothing

If there's one role I'm TOTALLY suited for, it's this one. I'm not exactly the strongest Shakespearean actor, but I love the Bard and MOST of his works (I'm of the opinion that Hamlet is overrated - see below). Much Ado About Nothing is far and away my favorite Shakespeare play. I sympathize quite a bit with Benedick, the belligerently single soldier who secretly longs for someone to understand him...

That was... a bit more revealing than I'd intended. Let's move on.


Jamie Wellerstein, The Last 5 Years

I first heard "The Schmuel Song" nearly ten years ago without any idea of where it came from. When my friend Carolyn sat me down and played The Last Five Years for me, I about punched holes in the ceiling, I was so excited.

This is a true "dream" role - I don't quite have the range to hit Jamie's highest notes. Also, I'm not Jewish. But the story of a struggling author who hits it big (and subsequently lets his life go to crap) touches me, and I'd love a chance to tell his story on stage.


Rosencrantz, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead

Truthfully, I'd take just about any role in this production. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead is one of the finest plays ever written. It's funny without ever getting too silly and thought-provoking without ever getting too heavy. Tom Stoppard single-handedly justified the existence of Hamlet, as far as I'm concerned.

Now, I'd probably do a better job of portraying the more straight-laced, analytical Guildenstern, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't prefer the goofier Rosencrantz rants. And by "lying," I mean "lying in a box with a lid on it."



Javert, Les Miserables
Chauvelin, The Scarlet Pimpernel

There's just something about playing an uptight police officer during the French Revolution that appeals to me...

No question - Javert is one of the finest roles in all of musical theater. His dogged persecution of the criminal Jean Valjean never falters, drawing strength from his unshakable conviction that he is right. The instant it appears he may be incorrect, his world shatters - making his a truly tragic tale. His music's pretty good, too.

Chauvelin's pretty similar to Javert. What he lacks in moral complexity, he more than makes up for in just darn good music. "Falcon in the Dive" is probably one of my favorite Broadway numbers - it's dramatic and over-the-top in all the right ways.

(poster by Manelle Oliphant Miller, who is awesome)

Mortimer Brewster, Arsenic and Old Lace

Maybe I'm cheating a little bit here. I have, after all, already done this role at the Empress Theater. The thing is, Arsenic and Old Lace is the best producion I've ever been involved in and Mortimer Brewster my favorite role I've ever played. I would LOVE to do it all again.

Especially after a couple more years of improv comedy training. My ability to do physical comedy has increased quite a bit since the summer of 2009. I'm still no Carey Grant, but I think I could actually do the part justice now.

So that's my list. Theater folks, what are YOUR favorite/dream roles?

The Les Mis Cast Raises Some Concerns...

Hey, there's a big-screen adaptation of the Les Miserables musical coming soon. That's cool. I love that show. I wonder who's in it...

Hugh Jackman... Okay, I can get behind that. He's a talented singer and a big enough name to attract some attention all on his lonesome. Who else... Russell Crowe... Anne Hathaway...

Wait, WHO'S THAT?


That's... That's really strange.

Okay, some people might think I dislike Taylor Swift (although I have NO idea where they'd get that idea). Truth is, she's really good at what she does... which is pop country. Pop. Country. Not Broadway showtunes. Popcountry.

I'm not even saying she'll do a bad job. She'll probably be fine. I mean, she has a pretty voice, and Eponine's songs rely on a bit more tragic sweetness than full-force belting. Taylor swift's voice may even be a good match for this role.

Still, it's obvious that most of these roles are being filled by people with name recognition over those with perhaps more suitable talent. On the other side of the pop star casting, you get Helena Bonham Carter, who didn't exactly impress with her singing in Sweeney Todd. Again, she'll probably do fine in the role she's playing - Madame Thenardier is a GREAT character role, and Helena Bonham Carter is a GREAT character actress. Outside of the music, the casting is ideal.

I don't understand this desire in Hollywood to take big names and stuff them into roles that they'll be mediocre at. You wind up with excellent talent like Gerard Butler and Pierce Brosnan, and they sound EMBARASSING. You COULD staff your musical with more players like Taylor Swift, but then you run the risk of embarassing yourself in other ways. Hope Miss Swift remembers her drama club lessons... did she even GO to high school?

Imagine if the folks behind Les Mis had let themselves get carried away with this trend - casting popular musicians in roles JUST for a fancier marquee.

"Who are we casting now? Jean Valjean? What's this guy's story? High singing voice? Okay, here's who you get."


"Who's next... Thenardier? What's he, a comic relief guy, right? We need someone a little goofy... Got it!"


"All right, we're on a roll. Last one... Gavroche? A kid? Oh, this is easy."


Okay, cynicism aside, this looks like it could be a good movie. Most of the casting choices MAKE SENSE, once you get past the initial eyebrow raise. And, personally, I'm really excited to see Sasha Baron Cohen in another musical role. Guy's impressed me, and that's something I never thought I'd say about Borat.

If the World Were a Musical...

Last night I gave a friend of mine a quick recap on a show I saw last week. Afterwards, we started imagining how the world would be different if it operated by the same rules of musical theater – people breaking out into song and dance, etc. We compiled a small list of possibilities – one which has grown considerably since.

IF THE WORLD WERE A MUSICAL…

• Babies would learn to crawl, then walk, and then soft shoe.
• Two young men ballet dancing in the street would be cause to call the police.
• Sixteen-year-old girls would all look twenty-five.
• The physically uncoordinated would be sent to “special class” in school.
• Roger Ebert would call High School Musical a “startlingly realistic depiction of adolescent heartache.”
• Piano skills could be listed on a resume as a second language.
• No wars would ever be fought; however, large crowds of soldiers would inexplicably flock to bars.
• Tone deaf people would have NO friends.
• The tax system would collapse, as all accountants would quit their jobs to pursue more artistic careers.
• Ugly people would ALWAYS be evil. Period.
• Generational disputes would be accompanied by country guitar, keyboard synthesizers, and a turntable.
• The Salvation Army bellmen would release an album… and it would go platinum.
• All women you ask out on dates will say “no” first, until you have a duet with them. Then they’ll shoot you.
• Matthew Broderick would be voted “World’s Sexiest Man” for YEARS until Neil Patrick Harris rose to fame.
• People would only kiss after hitting the highest note in their register.
• Basses will never get kissed.
• Nobody would sit outside on the balcony to be alone but to sing ensemble pieces with the neighbors.
• Every city in the world would have its own theme song, which immigrants would be required to sing upon entering the borders or be deported.
• All Americans would speak with New York accents.
• Talking to one’s-self wouldn’t be considered strange – it’d be expected.
• People could walk down the street in their underwear and attract no attention.
• The government would quarantine an entire city if one case of a cold is reported.
• The center of the filmmaking world would be in India, not California.
• Pirate would still be a viable career option.
• All politicians would be tenors.
• All landlords would be basses.
• The Gettysburg Address would begin, “Four score and seven bars ago…”
• No one would actually NEED to wear glasses, but everyone would wear them until they became sexually available.
• Andrew Lloyd Weber would be a famous biographer… and he’d still suck.