Jan. 18: Show Biz

Jan 18 No Business Like Show Business

There's an old adage, "Write what you know." If there's anything composers know, it's show business. The list of shows about backstage life goes on and on, and several more songs within shows tackle the subject. In honor of 42nd Street, opening soon at the Opera House, and Kiss Me Kate in late February at Lake City Playhouse, Matinee presents a collection of songs about the stage. (There are lots more that go with movies and television, I'll save those for another time)

Parade: Jerry Herman's first professional production. "Show Tune," the catchy 2/4 number, later resurfaced in Mame as "It's Today." Paige O'Hara (best known as Belle's voice) sang it on her Jerry Herman tribute album.

Applause: by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams. Lauren Bacall made her musical debut as Margo Channing, a Broadway diva eclipsed by conniving rising star Eve Harrington (Penny Fuller). With shows like this and 42nd street, I would think the actresses playing the "has been" diva must have a great sense of humor about themselves to get into the role. Anyway, the lively title song is a tribute to the power of applause, what keeps actresses like me craving to get back on the stage.

Annie Get Your Gun: The setting of the old Wild West Show gave Irving Berlin the opportunity to wax poetically about show business.

42nd Street: Another great Jerry Orbach show of show biz tunes

The Wild Party (Lippa version): the songwriting team Gold and Goldberg figuring out the recipie for success.

Ragtime: I love this interaction between Harry Houdini and "The Girl on the Swing" Evelyn Nesbitt, from the "Songs from Ragtime" CD. The show still runs very long, so they trimmed this non-essential song.

Gypsy, Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim's masterpiece about Mama Rose and her stripper daughter.

A Chorus Line: I live this every single audition.

A Class Act: This musical tells the life story of Edward Kleban, best known for his lyrics to A Chorus Line. All the songs, including the Braodway Boogie Woogie, are written by Kleban.

The Producers: Break a Leg!

Kiss Me Kate: Cole Porter's great backstage dramady.

The Frogs: Sondheim's college writing wasn't about theater per se, but the Greek setting gave him the inspiration to play with the theatrical conventions, and I do like Nathan Lane's Instructions to the Audience.

Merrily We Roll Along: Sondheim's songwriter characters get "A Hit. It's a hit! I think this is it..."

George M: Joel Gray as one of the biggest Broadway showmen ever

Something I'll have to save for another show... Amanda McBroom is reportedly a stunning cabaret singer, although I've never had the privledge to see her. I do love many of the songs she's written, including The Rose (yes, the Bette Midler song) and The Portrait. Alan Chapman wrote a hysterical send-up of the Sondheim imitators out there, which McBroom sings from the heart.