In my curiosity, I decided to watch some videos on the current revival of How to Succeed which is currently starring everyone's favorite wizard, Daniel Radcliffe. Who knew this man who grew through his awkward years onscreen was also a fantastic singer and dancer?! Apparently the producers of How to Succeed and the producers of his previous Broadway debut in the revival of Equus. Anyway, needless to say I loved it and now wish to get on down to the most famous avenue in America to see it live.
This spawned an idea for a blog that might actually spark interest from the general public who so love my pictoral numbers. Here's a list (with images) of my favorite stars on/from Broadway and why.
Since I already discussed it here, I'll just start with Daniel Radcliffe.
Aside from the previously mentioned incredible voice and talent to dance (which are essential elements in my search for a husband) he is also constantly described as down to earth, remains out of the negative eye of the media for the most part, has the accent necessary to raise children who would have the proper accent to sing The Wall, and, oh yeah, he's beautiful. So really, I love him because I would marry him.
Then there's my favorite, Kristin Chenoweth.
Not only does this tiny little diva have the most beautiful powerhouse voice, but she dazzles in the higher octaves like none other I've heard (and I sat through a Frederica von Stade concert last spring). Even at 42 this powerhouse continues to be phenomenal and I fully intend on watching the upcoming commedy Good Christian Belles simply due to her presence in the show.
Then there's the woman who's gaining in the ranks on my list, Lea Salonga.
She is living proof that Filipinos do everything better. I just stated to the bestie that she turns every show she touches to gold. Apparently she is best known for her work in Miss Saigon; however, I prefer to think of her as the flawless interpretation of not only Ephonine but also Fantine in the anniversary concerts from Les Miserables. Listening to her perform the epic number Memory from the classic, Cats, also sends shivers down my spine. It might interest you to know that she also voiced two Disney princesses in terms of musical performances, Jasmine and Mulan (despite the fact that Mulan was technically not a princess since she was not the daughter of the emperor, but I digress). The more I listen to her voice, the more I challenge Chenoweth's position at the top of my list.
Then there's Matthew Morrison.
Unfortunately, I must admit that my first acknowledgement of his existence came from watching the pilot episode of Glee and determining that he is the next James Marsden in terms of middle-aged obsessions. However, as time wears on, I realize there is no challenging Marsden's presence at the top of that list. This doesn't mean that Morrison isn't an incredible vocalist as well as an impressive dancer. I much enjoy his duets with Chenoweth on Glee when she guest stars (at which point I tend to scream from overexcitement). I mostly include him here due to the fact that this list was lax on males.
The ever beautiful, yet tragically unavailable Jonathan Groff.
Most notably known for his role in the controversial Spring Awakening opposite the ever popular Lea Michelle (whom I will discuss later). Again, tragically my first experience with him as a vocalist came through Glee, but I must admit that I have done my homework on him since my first sighting of his beautiful face. His smoky vocals could drive anyone wild (and apparently they do). Again, mostly he was mentioned to add to the male population of this list in case the only readers are females who want to see some pretty faces.
Then the one that I always overlook for some reason, Sutton Foster.
This woman is the epitome of musical theater. Incredible precision, excellent pronunciation, and a look that screams Broadway. I found her through listening to Thoroughly Modern Millie tunes which I believe to be her most notable work, however I think you'll find others disgaree with that statement. Originally discovered in the chorus of Les Mis, she became the replacement for Ephonine in the national tour. She is currently starring in the revival of Anything Goes (which is on my list of films to see as soon as I can find it somewhere in town).
As for those who I find to be mediocre, I'd like to list Idina Menzel who takes on rolls that I find to be abover her ability seeing as the power behind her precision is lacking in that of those who I have mentioned here. Lea Michelle also falls under this category due to her whine. Initially, I found both of these women to be extraordinary, so please do not think that I mean by any stretch of the imagination that they are undeserving of the roles they have played. I just find that they fall lower on the list than these mentioned above.
To end this novel, I'd like to leave you with three videos of the same song done by three performers mentioned here. I'll let you determine which you think did it best, but you should know that Salonga takes the cake here in my opinion.
On My Own - Les Miserables:
Lea Michelle
Sutton Foster
Lea Salonga
And just for kicks here's a fantastic video splicing two songs from my two very favorite musicals (Billy Elliot and Wicked, respectively) done by Salonga that I ran across recently and found to be a perfect pairing in terms of theme. You may agree or disagree; it makes me no difference.
Witticism of the Day: Like it or not, eventually you become the person who raised you, be it a little or a lot.
No comments:
Post a Comment