Come To Your Senses (Tick Tick Boom)

 Even though it was not nominated for best picture at the Oscars "Tick Tick Boom" was without a doubt my favorite movie from last year, and I will definitely be talking more in depth about the film, its themes, as well as its songs. I still have not sat down and watched "West Side Story" but I will say I am beyond overjoyed that the incredibly talented Ariana Debose won. Today I wanted to dive deep into the song "Come To Your Senses" from "Tick Tick Boom" a song that moves me whether watching in the context of the film or on its own. This song is powerful and I want to dive and talk about it. Spoilers are ahead for the movie and if you have not yet seen it, I can not recommend it enough, for fans of theaters, artists, and people who love movies. 

This song is nothing short of an amazing, in the context of the story our lead Jonathan Larson, yes, the mind behind RENT, Jonathon Larson has been struggling with creating the one song he needed to write to complete the show. Through the writer's block he was also dealing with problems arising in real life, in his relationship and more. As his workshop begins and this song is performed, he realizes what or should I say who he is letting go for his art. The song is his art reflecting real life and how he finally can see how his girlfriend has been feeling about him, and the mistakes he is making. 

In the case of the film this song is so well shot, flashing back and forth between the performer singing this song in the workshop, and his girlfriend singing this just to him in the space of his mind. The settings flashing between a crowded room to an intimate rooftop with only two people. It is so well cut, and the settings are so drastic that much like all the songs in this movie, make the songs stand out even more. The songs were already incredibly memorable and stood out, this was going the extra mile in the best way possible and is a fantastic watch or listen. 

The song itself is full of powerful lyrics, whether listened to on its own or paired with the amazing visuals in the film. The song is full of authentic emotion from start to finish. A lover calling for the one they love to open their eyes and see them. That love is sometimes all we need and that sometimes the dreams we are looking for can change. A deep and true call that relates back to the person listening whether they have been the one calling, who the one who is being called to, in my case I have been both in life. Seeing the songs from both perspectives also helps bring the narrative to an emotional head that left me awestruck the first time I listened to. 

The song is a not calling out of a place of desperation but rather hope, hope that the one you love can see all that you two can have together if they just look up. As the beauitful instrumentation pairs with it, the melody sweeps and soars with the song. The film version is so incredibly sung that I have chills still even after repeated listens. With many of the songs focusing on John's art, this one focuses in deeper. This isn't through his eyes, the song is for him, thus still pushing the narrative but giving another performer time to shine. The lyrics are intimate, carrying a heavy weight that will imprint on the heart of the audience.

Sometimes shows have grand, sweeping, love songs that make our hearts soar, this is a song that makes you think. It makes the listener reflect on their priorities while still being wrapped into a beauitful song about love. This is indeed a love song, but far from your traditional confession between the characters, it shows wants, desires, and sacrifices made along the way, embodying some of the many themes in the show or film. 

Give this song a listen, or the movie a watch, not only to see this masterpiece of a song, but the masterpiece as a whole. The song is powerful, full of amazing lyrics, and an unforgettable melody. Great instrumentation make this song something to keep on your mind long after it has finished. 

The SpongeBob Musical Is Awesome

 A long time ago, I reviewed "Spongebob Squarepants The Musical" on this blog. I enjoyed some of the music, but I went back and thought on it, and it is much better then I initially gave it credit for. Is every song my appreciate? No, some things still hold up, but I have come to appreciate it a lot more, listening to the album over the course of my hiatus from blogging. For the longest time I let people in the theater community influence my opinion and think that just because this show is goofy and based on a television show, that it can not be good. My tastes have changed, where a super serious musical is not the only art form I want to take in, and I want to discover as many shows as I can, whether they are based on a film, show, whether they have all the awards or none. With that new point of view I went back to this show, for this post I am still going off of the album, but I know there is a proshot available on a streaming service or two, for purchase, and on DVD. I even own the DVD so I will have to cover it, perhaps sooner then later.

One look at this show and you will see all the talented people who had a hand in bringing the music of this show to life, including David Bowie, Sara Bareilles, Steven Tyler, and more. The plot akin to a really long episode of the show with many plotlines, and time to shine for many fan favorite characters. Even from just listening to the cast album, the songs have a good amount of heart, relatable emotions, as well as a good amount of jokes. Like before not every song made it to my on repeat playlist, but the a good amount did. Also music is subjective so a song that didn't land with me may land with you. Even the songs I did not feel like revisiting are still super fun and great.

This show is fun and has a ton of heart, and that is what theater as well as the world needs right now, in my opinion. Drama that makes us think is also important but now more then ever light stories, with comedy and heart. The real world is full of uncertainty and sometimes current events can weigh us down and even scare us, much like some of the characters in this show. The messages of facing your fears, finding your gifts, and friendship are not new, but well done. This show is good clean fun, and theater is so amazing that there is room for all types of shows, and this show much like the Disney Broadway adaptations would be a good first musical to introduce family members to musicals. 

The show embodies themes of finding your own voice in times of crisis, and that rings true. Not knowing your gifts but wanting to help is also very real and rings true to many in these times. The show at face value looks like a cash in based on a television show so many of us know, but when you listen to it there was so much effort put into it. After looking at some screen shots and watching trailers for the production video, the show fits the look of the show it is based off. The songs are full of lighthearted fun, while still being catchy and having a good amount of heart. 

The world needs lighthearted shows now more then ever, though there will always be a place for heavy pieces that explore humanity, we need shows like SpongeBob. Fun escapes, fun music, and just to sit back, laugh, and smile. Real life can be stressful and when it got stressful I realized how important shows like this are. This show, "Legally Blonde", "Something Rotten". "Aladdin", some are more family friendly then others but these shows are escapes. They make you laugh while still being relatable, having compelling characters, real situations in different environments, and amazing music. 

Never let someone tell you theater should be one way, because if you think that way you will end up missing something that might end up becoming a new favorite. I recommend this show if you want something that is pure fun, there are so many fun moments even just within the songs.

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have an amazing day, soon enough I am going to have to look at the taped production of this show to see how the music fits into the story. But until then, I hope your day is a showstopper. 

Musical Memories: Seeing Waitress

 This week was Pi Day and there is no musical that embodies pie better than "Waitress" so much so that I ate pie when seeing it. So today I wanted to talk about my memory of seeing this show in 2019. From memories to newer performances, I plan on covering more live performances, admits the albums, proshoots, and movies. I even have some fun surprises planned for later this year. But for now, it is time to take a trip down memory land to a show I never ever ever wanna get rid of, let alone forget.

I saw this show in the spring and saw it a month before the first time I ever saw "Hamilton" live. I went because some content creators i follow, and a couple friends recommended it to me, and I am so glad they did. I knew of a couple songs, but neither the plot nor the fact that it was based on a film. Also, much to my surprise was discovering that Sara Barellis penned the music and oversaw this show being brought to life, and that for a small fee I could buy a jar of pie to eat during the show. This was an amazing experience and I had not even taken my set yet.

I sat in the balcony for a matinee performance, and every performer knocked it right out of the park. The music was great, and I was engrossed from start to finish. The story, the heart, the characters, the comedy. The show was a perfect balance of lighthearted while still having serious moments, conveying real and relatable emotions, with three dimensional characters. So many of the songs had me wanting to dance along, some had me laughing, and some moved me. The lyrics went hand in hand with the music so well, and the instrumentation was amazing.

Sometimes even a small band would play on stage, adding a cool touch to the atmosphere. As the song "Bad Idea" closed out act one, it easily became the song I would listen to again and again after seeing the show, among many other songs, and many times the album. The songs had such range that it gripped me and never let go, I loved many of these characters, I felt like I knew them by the end with how well written they were and how relatable their stories and emotions could be. 

The set design was full of charm, and the choreography was great as well, the times that the show included it. The slow moments were powerful, and the upbeat songs full of life. The song "You Matter To Me" in the way it is integrated into the plot, and how powerful it is, always moves me. It is so quiet, so beautiful, and incredibly strong.

I knew nothing about this show going in, but coming out I loved it, and would see it again easily, and have wanted a proshoot for the longest time. The music, the story, it all wrapped together into a very sweet and great time. If given the chance I would see this show a time or two again, it is that good. I highly recommend listening to the album and if the opportunity ever arises to see it, see it

Loving this show, is as easy as pie. With great messages about love, life, change, and finding your inner strength, this amazing show is a perfect combination akin to sugar, butter, and flour. I still even have the pie jar from that day, and am so glad that I saw it.

SIX: Giving History A Royal Glow Up

 Today is International Women's Day, and even though I have some future content involving some of my favorite female led musicals such as Waitress, Legally Blonde, and a few more, I decided to talk about one that I have not yet covered yet. Why talk about one female lead, when I can cover six of them! I have been listening to the album of this show since 2020 and I hope to see it performed someday. This show follows the tales of the lives of the wives of Henry The 8th, some divorced, one survived, and a few who met a tragic end. But this is not your typical narrative structure, each wife has their own song and covers a different style of pop. On top of that are some fantastic group numbers, and as each of the women takes over for a solo, the others provide great back up vocals. 

The cast album is a must, it is the closet thing for people who can not see the whole show, and get the whole story. I love almost every song in this show, and even the ones that I do not listen to on repeat that often is still really well made. Each of our queens brings a different type of pop music in the mix that will stay in your head over and over. Each one of these songs is worth at least one listen, but trust me these are worth way more and are very easy to keep on repeat.

Each character in this cast of six stands out, their songs defining so much of their personalities and lives over the course of these songs. Staged as an informative concert that teaches, entertains, and inspires the audience. From break up songs, to life stories, each one real and full of heart as well as being incredibly catchy and at times moving. The story line follows the wives the history shows but gives us their stories and shows how they were so much more and who they were and shows us what could have been if the self centered monarch they were wed too wasn't in the picture. Dropping facts and dropping beats, the lyrics are deep and these songs are absolute jams. There are a few slower songs that definitely change the pace up and bit but most of this soundtrack is high energy and I find myself dancing to these songs often. 

Each one done in a style that stands out, my favorite being the very self-love filled song "Get Down" done by Anne of Cleaves in the second half of the show. The show is filled with great music and tons of heart as well as some group numbers that wrap things up in a nice bow. Every singer may help each other with their solo pieces, but when their voices unite for the opening number and finale it is nothing short of amazing. The music of this show is incredible and I hope to see it live someday whether it be in a proshot or on tour, after listening to the album many times over, this show is a must. It has good history, great writing, great music, empowering songs, and a fantastic use of a small group to make an experience I will not soon forget. 

Give the album a try or go and see it if you can, and you may find yourself listening to songs on loop and seeing why this show is worth all the hype it gets. SIX is full of stories worth telling infused with relatable feelings and lyrics that apply to today. 

We Don't Talk About Bruno (Song Talk)

 There is a good chance you know this song lyric by lyric. One of the amazing songs from Encanto that people cannot stop singing, because every single song in this film knocked it out of the park. And even though it has been a couple months since the movie came out, people are still singing the songs, doing covers, making memes, and so much more of the film and soundtrack, this film is a bonafide future classic.  But there is one song that I feel like has come up the most in conversation, one that many say pops into their heads multiple times a day including myself. It's about time we talk about "We Don't Talk About Bruno".

As her aunt, cousins, uncle, sister and even the town itself rallies around the lead to explain their reason of wanting to forget Bruno, the audience is brought into a grand mix of comedy and music. From great deliveries of lines to building to a finale that is fantastic. Combing almost every previous part into a grand medley and then coming together for the final notes, each part of this song builds into making it so great.  The lyrics and score combining into something that gives you information while being incredibly entertaining, making you wonder the truth about Bruno who has only been mentioned once or twice before the song. 

This song appears in the middle of the film and adds not only exposition, and character building but use of characters that have not had a song in the film yet. The song is a great use of side characters and the ensemble, adding comedic layers and fun lighthearted moments while building a character up for an eventual reveal. All of this, combined with a catchy melody, lyrics that will remain in your head rent free for hours and you have a song that is worth talking about.

Some exposition songs fall flat, where they just end up breaking the pace or not being a good standalone song out of the context of the production. This is not one of those songs. This song is great whether watching it in the movie with the great animation or listening to it on its own. The lyrics and use of the ensemble and side characters established them, a character who has not yet appeared in the film. When viewing this, the animation much like the rest of this movie lends to the song being unforgettable. When listened to on its own the lyrics and melodies come together to make the song just as unforgettable.

This song is going to be played for years to come, from the fact that it moves the plot in an entertaining way to the great lyrics and animation. This song setting the stage does it in such an unforgettable fashion that it will be worth talking about, time and time again.