No One Mourns The Wicked: A Powerful Start To A Powerful Tale

As the film draws closer, as more trailers and teasers drop, I want to continue to explore the mega-musical smash, that has lasted through decades from which this film owes everything to its existence. What can be said about Wicked that hasn't been said, the songs performed, covered, and played still all these years later, the show still plays and tours and is beloved by many. For many this show opened the door to the wonderful world of musicals for them, for me, I have never seen it live, yet. I plan to and hope to see it live someday, it is a musical bucket list item for me. All I have is the album and the movie, so I wanted to dive into some of my favorite songs from Wicked here and there as we prepare for the movie we are all waiting to see if it can defy gravity or if it will crash and burn. 

The show begins at the end before the tale unfolds, the threat is slain and the heroes rejoice, all while using the fallen villain as an example showing the path of evil leads to a lonely, unloved, unfulfilled life. But even as the ensemble sings how the wicked walk a lonely path, seeds are planted, and a sad origin is shown, Glinda already showing us small snippets that this story has more underneath than what people see, showing how there are already twists and turns in this tale from the moment the curtain rises. 

Everything the audience knows about "The Wizzard of Oz" is thrown out the window by the end of this song, which starts in the realm of familiarity is then thrown out the window to show this is not a mere adaptation, but rather so much more. It is not just the text from the page or reenacting the film, it is a show that raises the question before the first song wraps up "Was the villain truly all that bad?" by showing the sad circumstances of the moment she came into this world, and continues to explore that very question through the entire show, to leave the audience to answer the question themselves. 

The score and lyrics are strong, and the use of solos, mixed with the ensemble are woven together to form a song that will send chills down your spine. A mass choir stating what they see and know, celebrating the loss of the vile villain before them, as Glinda musically sets the stage for the true story to unfold. The moments in the album even of spoken dialogue do not break the pace but rather feel like you are listening to the whole scene as it was presented live. 

The sweeping chorus of voices interwoven and building up, taking time for solos, and Glinda interjecting with her pieces fit together and the way they combine with the amazing score leaves the song in the listener's mind long after it finishes. This song is a great opening, it grips the listener with a powerful start as the story begins, and I assume the show is the same. This song starts the show with a question, it begins showing its theme and building its morale from the very start, and it is all wrapped in a fantastic song. A sweeping score, and strong and powerful lyrics, all sung in a way that welcomes you into a world that is familiar yet so different in so many ways. This song is great, no one may mourn the wicked, and this song shows this show has so much more, then what you see even from the moment it starts. 

My Shot: The Hamilton Mixtape Version

 Perhaps it's because we are only a couple weeks away from the release of his next album, or the upcoming movie "Mufasa" in which he made the music, yet surprisingly he did not return for the upcoming "Moana 2", but I have been thinking about Lin Manuel Miranda's work lately. As we prepare for his new concept album that has rumblings of potentially making its way to the stage, I decided to listen to remixes, covers, and of course the original songs from Hamilton, his last show to tread the stage. One place I have been spending my time listening to songs whether when working or relaxing is the Hamilton Mixtape and the Hamildrops, both I have covered in great detail and love just as much as the Broadway show they came from, which I love to the moon and back. Today I decided to look at the first song that greets the listener after the intro, "My Shot".

Lifting only the chorus, everything else around it is set to fit the modern day, modern problems of glass ceilings, ambivalence, giving up, and finding motivation in all ways. Performed by The Roots, Busta Rhymes, Joell Ortiz, and Nate Ruess, this collaboration is a thrill from start to finish. Ever since this mixtape dropped this was one of the songs I have listened to most, not unlike "My Shot" in the original Broadway cast of Hamilton. The song's kinetic energy, causing motivation while speaking on not giving up carries from the original to this remix, full of powerful lyrics, an amazing background track, and using only pieces of the song to make something new. 

The song taking pieces from the original and changing it into a song about expectations, and chasing your dreams in the face of them is just as inspiring as the song this remake came from. The lyrics and melody work together to create a high energy, hyping up the listener and preparing them to face whatever is in front of them. This song is a great workout song, and it really pushes the listener to push beyond their limits. 

The song's message is the same as the one before it about not being limited to your environment, but this is not a simple copy-and-paste job. The song uses references that the audience can relate to such as a Spider-Man lunchbox and deeper issues like glass ceilings, having to hustle to make it, or being labeled simply for being who you are even at a young age. The song shows the wrongs but how to face them, whether having what you need or having to think outside the box, that the essence of not throwing away your shot is in your mindset, using what you have to chase your goals. 

This song is such a good listen, inspiring but also just super entertaining. One night I was over at a friend's house and he was playing some NBA game on his XBOX and this song was even in that. The song is super well made and is just an all-around great listen, whether to hype you up or something good to keep your mind moving as you run your day-to-day errands. Whether to inspire or just for some fun, this remix is one shot, you will not want to throw away.

Broadway Remixes And Covers: First Burn

 Going from Lin Manuel Miranda's first major work to the one that put him on the map, I wanted to talk about one of my favorite Hamilton remixes from the Hamildrops collection. "First Burn" is a take on the song "Burn" performed by other actresses who also stepped into Eliza's shoes and had to sing about her grief. The song is about heartbreak, betrayal, and writing oneself from the narrative is remixed beautifully by four others and turned into a song that is simply unforgettable.

Pieces of the original song are stitched throughout this interwoven with new lyrics and powerful ones at that. "Heaven forbid someone whispers 'He's part of some scheme", Your enemy whispers so you have to scream. I know about whispers, I see how you look at my sister". Lyrics such as that pack an emotional punch that carries the same weight as the contemporary it came from that started on the stage. This remix has so much emotion in it, being great in the context of when it was released as well as on its own. 

This song stands out as its own song and can be listened to by fans of Hamilton and those who only know of the show through pop culture. This song is a great listen, the instrumentation matches the lyrics in a perfect harmony that makes me want to listen to it again and again.

This song packs so much power into it, the slow and somber nature of it shows someone who is truly heartbroken. The four voices harmonize perfectly and balance so well to make every part of this song linger with the listener even after it has wrapped up. The emotion captured never leaving and growing until the song ends in a frustrated cry for someone not to apologize, but to grow, learn, and change. Begging someone to see what is right in front of them, return home, and be with those who love them, for they matter most. Cutting off any counterargument with countless "Don'ts" in the song, leaving no room for excuses, not dwelling in pity or wanting an apology but rather for the offending party to listen. Using some of the original lyrics mixed in for that extra layer of empowerment and relatability. 

Capturing Eliza's heartbreak and rage in a new way, still staying true to where it came from while becoming a new song entirely. I hope more musical-based songs do this, I would love to see new songs, that are inspired, use lyrics and themes, or do both like this. I would love to see songs inspired by the amazing pieces of music from SIX, Come From Away, Waitress, and so many others. Songs that capture the characters feelings and expand them to connect just as much with the listener or even more than the song that came before it on the stage. There are so many outlets to inspire, move, and relate that I do not want it to stop at the Hamildrops from almost ten years back now. Hamilton is still the only show I know of that has released a mixtape and many remixes monthly as a sequel. Meanwhile, plenty of shows come out, and many of them make a solid mark that they are being listened to, covered, and seen by thousands.

Some shows like SIX and Waitress release a second album with cut songs or different performers but I feel like something amazing can come from collaborating with other artists to make new pieces of media to connect with the audience. But until then, I have amazing songs such as this. 

Paciencia y Fe :A Life Story Within A Song (In The Heights)

 So much can be told over the span of a few minutes, so much can be unpacked in a matter of seconds, and when the song "Paciencia y Fe" begins in "In The Heights" a whole life is about to unfold. The matriarch Abuela Claudia has been supporting and helping characters throughout the show so far, and very little is known about her until now. We know she helped raise most of the block, she never had biological children but she has taken care of so many in the cast and more in so many ways, she has a lot of love to give, and she loves to play the lotto. But at this moment in the stage version, and the version I will be discussing today exclusively, the unthinkable has happened.  A winning lottery ticket to the tune of 96,000, as shown by the number that directly preceded it, and as this great victory has come, she begins to look back at her life, and she tells the audience her story.

The fundamentals in "In The Heights" come from legacy, something Lin Manuel Miranda would carry into "Hamilton", but instead of a grand stage of the nation's founding fathers, this is about legacy and dreams in the small starting space known as home. The stories, desires, and legacies of your friends, neighbors, and family both by blood and found. As the narrative of the stage show unravels we see the cast's wants, dreams, where they have come from, and where they want to go. This is Abulea Clauda's moment.

Starting from humble beginnings to immigrating, to now, to the big reveal of her winning the lottery, but she goes about her day as if it never happened and all that is left are her mother's words that she has lived by and passed on to others "Paciencia y Fe", patience and faith. The song has a sweeping score, uses the ensemble, and shows every moment with perfect pacing and beautiful lyrics, showing a story that is all too true. A story of a struggling Latino family who worked and worked their way, living by words that seem simple from the outside but hold so much power. Patience and faith to overcome the struggles of poverty or in the case of the second half of the song, trying to find a new home and being greeted by standards to change and conform. "You better clean this mess, You better learn English, you better not be late, you better pull your weight.." the ensemble shouts as Abluea keeps singing the words her mother gave to her to combat them. The two of them doing everything they could in their new home, "Polishing with pride, scrubbing the whole of the upper easter side, the days into weeks, the weeks into years and here I stay", a woman on the other side of it all. 

Now she is left with the winning ticket, a golden moment she never expected, giving my favorite lyric "Aye Mama what do you do when your dream comes true? I've spent my life inheriting dreams from you..". In this musical about dreams big and small, finding your place, or finding where home is, the plot moves along and shows what the cast dreams of, for Benny it's to prove himself and win Nina's heart, for Nina she feels like her dream is all but lost, and Usnavi can't find his dream until he goes back home, he and Vanessa feel their current environment can't give them what they want. Abulea is the first in the show to have a dream come true, and how does she greet it by buying a loaf of bread to feed the birds, and continues with her day. She wonders what her mom would say and the song ends on a powerful chord as she sings one last time "Paciencia y Fe", even though the dream has come true she will not let go of what she learned. The very words that have carried her this far still ring in her ears and she intends to still live by them. These words are reflected in the character from the moment she says them in the opening song, to every appearance she makes in the show.

Words that carry weight throughout someone's life, and a song that shows a perfect reading of someone's story. When she walked into the song, the audience is then given her story and worldview in a matter of minute, and then the story continues. The masterful use of the ensemble, the beautiful lyrics, the message behind them all, and the sweeping score make this song unforgettable. The movie version tells the story in its own way, and I will discuss that one someday, but this version whether seen on stage or listened to, is an adventure. It shows of life of patience and faith and how the best things handed down to us are not physical, but the lessons we learned and can pass on to others. 

When Your'e Home: The In The Heights Movie

 The year was 2021, and movies were still getting back on their feet. Some companies decided to skip the wait for theaters and just drop them on streaming services, some decided to charge prices for a limited time for this, and others just released movies on both platforms and for no fee. One such film in this dual-release format was the long awaited musical movie adaptation of "In The Heights" having only one trailer before everything shut down in early 2020. This movie was not controversy-free, a film claiming to represent all aspects of Hispanic culture, but leaving out several ethnicities and Afro-Latinos from the cast. The movie might have performed well on streaming but when it came to the big screens it bombed financially, receiving mixed to positive reviews. 

When this film first dropped on HBO MAX back when it was called that and not just MAX, I loved it. I watched it about four or five times, and it was only available for about a month until it was added much later for a longer stretch. The story had some changes and kept some things the same, so I was left seeing this not so much as a full-on adaptation, but rather keeping some of the music, and doing its own thing. As time passed and a rewatch or two after some time away, I found myself liking some parts of the movie, loving some parts, and being confused by others. Some aspects I found way better from the stage version, and other decisions where I felt like something was attempted to be fixed that was not broken to begin with. 

For example, songs are removed which makes sense to help the movie fit a run time, but even with that this movie runs at over two hours, and some storylines are cut down or removed, but this involves things not making sense or characters being killed off for no reason. Some of the story changes work incredibly well, and some of them are being kept work but some don't. They change the song order as well, sometimes working and sometimes not. For example, the lottery ticket plot from the original flows naturally and becomes an interesting plot point, but isn't even addressed, changing the order and meaning of my favorite song "Paciencia y Fe" into this look back at Abuela's death right before she dies, but then why have the lottery ticket in the movie at all? Killing off Nina's mother leads nowhere, and then there's Benny.

Much like the stage show, so much is going on, there are so many plots, and some of them are never resolved, mainly Benny's, you never know his outcome, and he is a character you spend over half the movie with. The plot can be heartwarming, and touching, as well as have real moments, but then also be baffling at the same time. They add Sonny's father for one scene and all it does is pad out the run time, some of the emotions hit a strong chord, but then some don't like Usnavi's fight with Vanessa during the blackout. For every good change or good performance, there is one in the writing and plot that leaves me beyond confused. Some lyric changes also baffled me and did not fit as they reference songs the characters did not sing, or songs that were cut. 

The instrumentation is also a mixed bag, sometimes it fits perfectly and other times it is way too soft, and tries to be different. But what do I like about this?

The performances and acting are phenomenal, and most of the music is incredible. The songs are well shot, well performed, and have amazing choreography. The way they are filmed, using a solo, duet, or ensemble is incredible, most of the songs hit it right out of the park. Even with my qualms with this version of "Paciencia y Fe" in terms of the changes made and where it is placed into the plot, I love the way it looks, it is shot wonderfully and is gorgeous, made into a visually striking scene. And that goes for so many of the songs, the actors knock them all out of the park, "In The Heights", "Benny's Dispatch", "Breath", "It Won't Be Long Now", "96,000", "When You're Home", "The Club", "Blackout" and "Finale" all stand out. There are a couple numbers I am simply okay with but most of them, are unforgettable. 

The acting is incredible as well, emotion-packed, whether comedic or serious, the acting is amazing. I just wish the material was better, there are more than seven plot lines going on in this movie, two romances, lots of dreams, and multiple emotional conflicts, to the point where as mentioned earlier they are not all resolved. But there is still plenty of good in the movie, great acting, great music, and it is visually a marvel in scenes both big and small, well acted too. The editing is also fantastic, the visuals re amazing, in shots both long and short of all kinds. 

I would say watch the movie at least once and perhaps listen to the soundtrack alongside the Broadway version. Funny enough the Broadway version also has too many plot points, but much like that the music is incredible, and it is fun to see where Lin Manuel Miranda started. This movie has enough good music, some good acting, a couple of the plots are well done, and is charming enough for a watch, at least one, I think I can find myself watching this every once in a while, sometimes all the way through, and sometimes just for the musical performances. 

In The Heights: (The Orignal Cast Album And Seeing It Live)

 Before there was a musical movie adaptation, there was a musical for the movie to make that adaptation of, there was just a musical. A musical about a bodega owner, a man who worked at a taxi dispatch, a woman just wanting to move on, some salon owners, a woman who has dropped out of college, her parents, one of them who may or may not be a tad racist, and an elderly grandmother who watches over the entire neighborhood and loves to play the lotto. A musical about dreams, friends, family, and what it means to be home. A show packed with lessons sometimes big and obvious, sometimes, simple and small being tucked away within the span of a couple lines or a short song. I listened to this original Broadway cast recording all the way through many times, and sometimes just picked my favorite songs, and even saw a live performance of it in 2019.  So before we hit the big screen, I am going to dive into the original that started it all. 

The music in this show has incredible range on all fronts, whether it is the big and grand opening, the emotion-packed solo songs, or super energetic group numbers. Some songs are quiet and soft, many of them super energetic whether using one singer, a couple, the whole ensemble, or a little bit of all of the above, starting small and growing to a big energetic spectacle, the variety songs might not always bring a winner but when it does, it really does. 

Having seen this show live in 2019, listened to the album countless times, and watched the movie more than once, I am very familiar with the narrative and the music. 

My favorite songs are "In The Heights", "Breath", "Benny's Dispatch", "It Won't Be Long Now", "96,000", "Paciencia Y Fe", "When You're Home", "Blackout", "Sunrise", "Hundreds Of Stories", "Carnival de Barrio", "What You Know", "Champagne", "When The Sun Goes Down", and "Finale". There is so much range in the songs, whether it is the tempo or style, ranging from solos to duets, to a mix that begins as a solo and grows to having the whole ensemble making a big and grand group number. I love the music of this show so much, there is so much emotion in the music, whether it's comedic or heartfelt, a love song, or a song about chasing your dreams, the emotional range is also amazing in this show.

This show just captures the feeling of the season of Summer, aside from lyrics that point out the time of year such as "We start July..." (thus why I am spending the end of June and most of July covering this musical and such), there is so much about the heat and weather, being home, seeing family, and even seasonal favorites like frozen treats and fireworks. The show has such a good feeling through its music of being home, it really knocks it out of the park with many of the songs that hit close to home with their relatable emotions and characters, each member of the cast feeling like someone you know or even see yourself in. 

Unfortunately as amazing as this show is, there are some low lows to accompany these high highs.  One massive problem is the amount of things going on in this show, there are two love stories, family drama, a huge cast each with their own dreams, a motherly figure who watches over them all, wanting to leave, and more. Even as the story pushes into act two, more plot points and storylines are added as the narrative keeps going, never stopping, and leaving some things paper thin or even worse, unresolved. There are a couple stories that take time, and get the audience invested in them, but then just have no ending, and it feels like time wasted. This also spans into some of the music, giving each character a minimum of one song, leading to some songs feeling unearned and just there to fill the space, not giving them much purpose, the world and environment are almost too fleshed out. What I mean is one of the strongest points of this show also ironically leads to one of its weakest. The world feels so alive to the point that the characters, storylines, and environments feel real, and they should since Washington Heights is a real place, putting a fictional story with real themes in a real location, but it sometimes feels bloated and has so much going on that you can only be so invested because ones attention is being pulled in so many directions, sometimes even multiple storylines are addressed in one scene. 

These flaws are very glaring, but the amazing music, and the good charecter moments do outshine the bad. There are plenty of strong character-driven moments, especially with Nina, Benny, Usnavi, and Abuela Claudia. Their songs carry emotional weight, whether light-hearted or emotion-packed to great lengths to make this show memorable. One could even say, great heights. Not all of the music shines but the ones that do stand head and shoulders, making great listens in the context of the show or on their own. The show has a set identity and sticks with it, standing strong in many areas narratively, with some amazing music to carry those moments. Soft and quiet, or big and grand, using the whole ensemble in many skilled ways. This show is at least worth a listen, and you will see this a great listen during the summer, or all year round. This show captrures the perfect summer feeling with so many great high energy numbers, and has so many moments that make this a good time still overall. I recommend seeing it live at least once or giving it a listen once, definitely before the movie, starting with the Broadway cast album. Turn the lights up on this tale of Washington Heights, and you just might see why this musical feels right at home, especially during the summer season. 

The 77th Annual Tony Awards

 It's that time of year again, the time when I talk about the Tony Awards, my favorite performances, and the show as a whole. Hosted once again by Arianna Debose after she absolutely crushed it last year this year.. has a lot to talk about so let's dive in shall we? I will not recap it beat for beat but rather what stood out to me, both good and bad. But first congrats to all the winners and "The Outsiders" for winning best musical. 

The funny part is the amount of obstacles I had to overcome just to watch this year. First I paid for a month of Paramount Plus like I usually do, but this year the version that held the Tony Awards was not both versions but rather the more expensive AD-free package. Secondly that I missed some of the performances and awards presented due to a severe storm warning and alert in my state so I missed an award, a speech or two, and basically all of Suffs. But from what I did see, this was an okay show this year, very middle of the road. 

In terms of hosting Ariana Debose did a good job, the opening number had a good message but also was a bit of a mixed bag. She did well with the hosting duties but the set this year was super odd. The set was super minimalistic and barren aside from two giant Tony Awards on display, which helped some performances but made some of them a tad head-scratching. For example "Water For Elephants" just had all these steel beams and "Suffs" just walked in place on a barren patch of stage while "Hell's Kitchen" and "The Outsiders" took advantage of the said environment and added a couple backdrops and really set the scene. 

Some of the performances were amazing, while some were just okay, the speeches were very inspiring and it was great to see awards going to all sorts of shows instead of a clean sweep. After watching the awards and performances the shows I find myself wanting to see and hoping for a tour are, Merrily We Roll Along which I already love among many other great Sondheim works, Hell's Kitchen, and The Outsiders. The show did it's job because I wanted to listen to many of the albums from these shows and find new favorite songs and stuff to add to my playlists, and maybe even want to see some more than just the ones listed. 

Of the speeches, I loved Jonathon Groff's and was so happy he won. Kecia Lewis, Shania Taub, and Daniel Radcliff just to name a few, all of the speeches were great, and it was nice to see the wins passed around multiple shows instead of a clean sweep. The only show that semi-swept was Merrily Which cleaned up in all but one of its nominations, but seeing a Sondheim show win especially one that was once so universally despised is nothing short of amazing and earns no complaints. Of the performances my liberties were "Hell's Kitchen", "Merry We Roll Along", "The Outsiders" and "Tommy" but I will never turn down a giant epic performance of pinball wizard. If it was any other song I would have been just fine with it, but Pinball Wizard sealed it for me. 

There were a couple of baffling moments as well, whole groups of winners filmed out in the lobby, some performances taking place in the lobby like Jay Z, Brooke Sheilds wearing crocs, the lack of set, and talk of the insiders tipping the winner of the night to "The Outsiders" due to its large number of producers. With all that aside it was just an okay night, with some enjoyable performances, and I want to see "Hell's Kitchen", "Merrily We Roll Along" and "The Outsiders" as soon as possible, one great aspect of the Tonys is showing people shows they can go and see. I have the albums to all three of these shows as well as "Illonoise" and "Suffs" saved to my library now, for future reviews, and to find new favorite songs to listen to on repeat and add to my playlists. I found some new stuff to listen to, saw some great performances, saw some shows I want to see live now, and saw some great speeches. An all-around fine night.