Kay Smith-Blum

A few weeks ago we got a visit from our school board representative, Kay Smith-Blum, who won the seat over Mary Bass in the last election. I had the chance to sit in on the Q&A session, which happened at 9 o’clock in the morning. The meeting went as most Nova meetings go: students and staff gave heartfelt speeches about their learning and teaching but left with the feeling that their pleas were not really heard. Director Smith-Blum listened intently to all our questions and testimonies but many of her answers were the same: I am not the one to talk to about this; here is the person you should contact. From what I gathered at the meeting Kay Smith-Blum does approve of the way we do things and understands how much we want to protect it. This is great and we need to keep her approval, because without it we don’t stand a chance if we want to be keep out great program the way it is. She has the power to represent us in any way she wants. Aside from that power I don’t think a lot of us at Nova know what else she can do. It seemed at the meeting that a lot of students and staff were overestimating her ability to do exactly what we wanted her to do. So in order to clear things up I emailed Pamela Oaks, the senior administrative assistant to the school board about what school board members could do. Ms. Oaks promptly emailed me back including answers to specific questions that seemed to come up in our meeting with Director Smith-Blum.

Her reply was as follows:

In a very general sense the Board of Directors has three overarching responsibilities; 1) To make policy, 2) Select a superintendent and 3) Annually adopt a balanced budget. They are not employees of the district and they have no direct jurisdiction over personnel, curriculum, or student assignment. These issues would fall under the authority of the Superintendent and her staff (i.e.: HR Executive, Chief Financial and Operations Officer, Chief Academic Office, etc.)

The Seattle Public School Board of Directors has adopted procedure B061.00 which delineates the division of responsibilities between the Board and the Superintendent: Here is a link for your reference: http://www.seattleschools.org/area/policies/b/B61.00.pdf

Ultimately, the duties of the board of directors is governed by the state legislature. For your reference here is a link to the statute in the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) governing the Board of Directors for Public Schools in Washington: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=28A.150.230

In answer to your specific inquiries:

Q: Can they bring issues to the board?

A: Yes, if the issue falls within the purview of their duties and responsibilities. Otherwise it is more appropriate for the relevant staff person to bring issues to the board.

Q: Can they write of plans or exceptions to rules for schools and bring them to whomever it may concern?

A: Yes, if the plans and exceptions fall within the purview of their duties and responsibilities. More than likely, school rules are under the jurisdiction of the Superintendent and her staff. It would be more appropriate for the relevant staff person to bring a plan or exception to the board – not the other way around.

With these answers in mind I think we can safely say that Director Smith-Blum was giving us the right answers to the questions we asked. What I took away from this was that we need to talk to the people she recommended and reference the places where exceptions have already been made. She can help us get to where we want to be, but not in the way that I think most of us want. We need to write the plan, we need to contact the right people and she needs to represent us well enough to get this exception. Directors may not be able to do a lot, but what they can do for us and against us is very powerful, once we have made our plan to be immune from curriculum alignment, she can vote for it, or against it. She can say no, these people do not deserve to be excluded from alignment, or she can say yes, I’ve seen the amazing things they do in their classrooms, and I am convinced that curricular alignment would devastate  the great learning environment they have worked so hard to build. It is up to us to make sure she see the latter in us, and that should be easy right? We do it every day.

Oh Sonic, how the mighty have fallen. Once the mascot for one of the biggest game companies in the world, Sonic has become the laughing stock of a gaming company that is in some serious financial trouble. And you should hate this fictional character more because of that. What, not a good enough reason for you? Then let me count down the top 5 reasons you should hate Sonic the Hedgehog.

Sonic the Hedgehog is an anthropomorphic blue cartoon hedgehog, or in layman’s terms, a furry. This means that he and his other furry friends are often the subject of porn, ‘cuz furries are sex obsessed and stuff (A quick check at the Sonic the Hedgehog article on encyclopediadramatica would confirm this). Porn involving furries is what is known as “Yiff”, which is only below Jack Thompson in terms of vileness.

If you were to ask somebody what the worst fanbase in the world is, chances are they would mention the Sonic fanbase. Or the Fallout fanbase, but that’s another article. Why? Because the fanbase is notoriously unpleasable, divided, and filled with furries (see above).

So you see, you should hate all fanfiction. And did you know that there’s Sonic fanfiction? I blame the company that made the original characters, because if they hadn’t, there wouldn’t be any fanfiction about the original characters. And by extension, I blame the original character, who in this case is Sonic.

Fact: There hasn’t been a good Sonic game since Sonic & Knuckles, which was released in 1994. Even the supposedly good Sonic games since then suck. Sonic Adventure? It scored nearly 4 points lower on GameSpot when it was lazily ported to the Gamecube -a more powerful console- 4 years after it was originally released, with no significant improvements. For full price. Therefore, the original game sucked, and the 9 out of 10 was just launch goggles. GamesRadar said it, so it must be true!

If you’re a hipster, and since you go to Nova I know you are, you simply must hate Sonic the Hedgehog. If you don’t, you can just turn in your hipster badge right now, because liking Sonic is so out of style. That was the nineties, man, get over it!

What does a theater geek do when she’s run out of local shows to review (or time to see said shows)? Well, she digs up old shows, remembering how great each one of them is, and writes about them instead. Now I’m going to give you my suggested Ultimate Showtunes Playlist, or at least, as close to “ultimate” as I can get in 20 songs. (A lot of the best showtunes ever were left off this list, purely for the sake of keeping the length sane.) I’ve compiled this list trying to draw from all the styles and stories that have been on Broadway in the last fifty years or so, and included many of my personal favorites. (Plus I’ve included some samples of each song for you – 30 second clips that I think showcase the music much better than iTunes or Amazon previews.)

So, let’s get right to it, shall we? Here is my Ultimate Showtunes Playlist, listed in order of release.

1. “You Can’t Get a Man With a Gun” from Annie Get Your Gun (1946) – this song is a favorite of mine because it turns the classic heartbreak moment in a romance story into a comedy song. As the at least partially true story goes, Annie Oakley, female sharpshooter, is turned down by Frank Butler, who claims he only wants to marry a feminine woman – “a doll he can carry,” he explains in an even more recognizable song, “The Girl That I Marry.” When Frank Butler exits the stage, one might expect the forlorn Annie to launch into a ballad lamenting her unreturned feelings – and one would be pleasantly surprised with something completely different. Instead, she begins to belt the gutsy and lovable classic, “You Can’t Get a Man With a Gun,” complaining that being the best shot in the country doesn’t really mean squat when you’re trying to find a man. I’m not sure how far back this song and I go, since I first saw this show at age five, but I’ve always loved it. The role of Annie Oakley was created by Ethel Merman (only 20 years after the death of the actual Ms. Oakley), but my personal preference is for the revival recording, featuring Bernadette Peters, who presents the song with her crystal clear voice and adds her signature humor to her delivery of the lyrics.

Clip: You Can’t Get a Man With a Gun – Bernadette Peters

2. “Hello, Young Lovers” from The King and I (1951) – Rodgers and Hammerstein are the heroes of any modern musical fan. Or at least, I’d hope they are. I’ve gotten into arguments with my theater pals, on the topic of Rodgers and Hammerstein vs. Sondheim, but I won’t get into that. This is my editorial, and I say they’re heroes. So there (cue stomping of foot on ground like small child). I love most of their works, but have a definite soft spot for the tender love story in disguise, The King and I. “Hello, Young Lovers” is one of the most memorable songs from The King and I, but in fairness, most of the songs are pretty memorable. However, this has always been one of my favorites. It is the advice of a widowed woman, Anna, to a young couple going through that whole forbidden love plot that audiences find oh-so-sexy. Anna tells the couple to cherish each moment, and not to hold back, while at the same time reminiscing of her late husband and lover, Tom. And the melody is just downright catchy, which is why it was instantly my favorite song from the show when I heard it. The clip is of Julie Andrews as Anna singing this song for a film version of the show, and for the record, there is no one but Julie Andrews who plays Anna perfectly. No one.

Clip: Hello, Young Lovers – Julie Andrews

3. “In My Own Little Corner” from Cinderella (1957) – this song was technically not from a Broadway show (ah, technicalities). In the late 1950s, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II wrote an original score to accompany the classic fairytale, Cinderella. The music was used in a made-for-TV movie starring a young Julie Andrews as Cinderella, rather than a stage musical – it was the only work of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s that was made for anything other than the stage. The score is filled with instant classics (that, in my opinion, far surpass the syrupy songs in the Disney cartoon of the fairytale), such as “A Lovely Night” or the instrumental “Cinderella’s Waltz.” But the public favorite seems to be “In My Own Little Corner,” a song still performed frequently today. It’s just a quiet, slow song that takes place in Cinderella’s “happy place,” her little chair in the little corner by the fireplace. Mostly, she sings about freedom she experiences in this safe spot, where “she can be whatever she wants to be.” It displays a stunning amount of optimism if you ask me, since this woman’s life pretty much sucks, and yet she still sees the positive in this one place that she finds peace. I attached a clip from the 1997 movie version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, produced by Disney (yes, Disney made a live action version of Cinderella – most people overlook it). That remake starred Brandy, with her gorgeously rich yet breathy soprano voice, as Cinderella.

Clip: In My Own Little Corner – Brandy

4. “Don’t Tell Mama” from Cabaret (1966) – for anyone unfamiliar with Kander and Ebb’s Cabaret, the whole show takes place in a cabaret-style German nightclub. One of the main characters is Sally, the headlining singer/dancer at the Kit-Kat Club. “Don’t Tell Mama” is Sally’s introduction song, or, by some definitions, her character song (the first song someone sings, usually giving background and insight into the character). In it, Sally pleads with all watching to keep her profession a secret from her mother (who apparently still believes Sally is touring Europe with her friends). It’s just a funny song, and since it’s from a classic show, I thought I’d include it. The original cast recording, featuring Jill Haworth as Sally Bowles, is below.

Clip: Don’t Tell Mama – Jill Haworth

5. “Music and the Mirror” from A Chorus Line (1975) – if there was ever a diva’s song, this is it. A Chorus Line is the pure definition of an ensemble show, and depending on how you look at it, there are either no main characters, or all seventeen cast members are main characters. And yet the pure diva energy radiating from one character in particular, Cassie, is so strong that attention always tends to be drawn to her. A Chorus Line tells the backstage story of every musical on Broadway, as it depicts seventeen young hopefuls auditioning to be in the chorus of a Broadway musical. Each sings of what got them to where they are, and of the emotional turmoil associated with being a working singer and dancer on Broadway. Cassie is a dancer desperate for work, and when she sings about her dedication to her craft in “Music and the Mirror,” it’s just unbelievable. Donna McKechnie, the original Cassie, was an utter unknown at the time, but as far as I’m concerned, no one has ever come close to matching her vocal performance in this role, and she doesn’t just play Cassie, she is Cassie. So naturally, the sample is of her on the original cast recording.

Clip: Music and the Mirror – Donna McKechnie

6. “Any Dream Will Do (Reprise)” from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1982) – add to the list of composers I can’t possibly leave off this playlist, Andrew Lloyd Webber. Whether you love or hate Webber, his musicals are about as iconic as it gets. Phantom of the Opera and Cats alone defined nearly a decade of musical theater style. And while I haven’t had the chance to watch all the dozen or so musicals he’s composed, my favorite so far is one of his “oldies but goodies” – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Or, as I prefer to call it, Joseph and the Ridiculously Long Show Title – or I just abbreviate it as Joseph. This show, based on the Bible story of Joseph and his dreams was technically my first opera – there is no dialogue in it; the two and a half hour show is all song. (By the end, my parents couldn’t believe me and my 6 to 8 year old siblings had sat through the whole thing.) Because of the nature of the show, most songs do not stand well alone, and therefore the only song that is usually performed outside of the original musical is Joseph’s solo “Any Dream Will Do.” The whole shtick with Joseph is that he can interpret dreams and predict the future from it. I actually laugh when I remember that it’s a Bible story, because to me it sounds more like the stories of some nutcase who believes himself to be psychic. Nevertheless, I do love this song, as he sings about his dreams along with a chorus of adorable children (who sit on the stage as a “audience” during the show, and whose purpose is not quite clear). I use the reprise version here because I think the music is more catchy, since it’s a finale song, and I just find it to be more pleasing to the ear than the first number, which is also very good. And for the record, the criteria I used for picking this clip out of the zillion cast recordings for this show is that this is the CD I have in my basement.

Clip: Any Dream Will Do (Reprise) – 1993 Broadway Revival Cast

7. “Castle on a Cloud” from Les Misérables (1985) – Les Misérables is a landmark show. Since first being performed in French in Paris in 1980, the show has been played in 38 different countries in dozens of major productions, and countless more smaller performances. Instantly recognizable are the soft, opening strains of piano in “I Dreamed a Dream,” or the charcoal sketch of a sad-looking girl in torn rags that is the Les Misérables logo. “Castle on a Cloud” is a song that can get overlooked in such an overwhelming show; with over 30 musical numbers, it’s hard to remember that soft ballad in the middle of act one that runs barely over a minute and a half. And yet I find it to be one of the most beautiful, emotional songs. The song is performed by a young actress, usually 8 or 9 years old, as the child version of the main character Cosette (the little girl in the logo). Cosette speaks of her fantasies, of a castle on a cloud she visits in her dreams, where she no longer has to work as an abused servant, and where she finds a mother figure to replace her real mother, who dies at the beginning of the show. It’s short but incredibly sweet and sung in a beautiful high octave. The clip below is of Donna Vivino (who, incidentally, has grown up into a beautiful vocalist that stunned half of Seattle with her performance in Wicked at the Paramount last September), from the original Broadway cast recording.

Clip: Castle on a Cloud – Donna Vivino

8. “I Know Him So Well” from Chess (1986) – obviously, I couldn’t include a song from Mamma Mia! on this list. (Face it, no matter how good the show is, “Dancing Queen” isn’t a showtune by any definition.) But fortunately, I managed to still use music composed by the very talented team of Andersson and Ulvaeus on my list, by picking a song from the West End flop musical, Chess. Chess as a show was an overall failure, because the story doesn’t stand up well, and by the second act, things start to fall apart. Well, wait, that’s a lie. I don’t know that for sure. I couldn’t bear to watch any more than the first ten minutes of act two, and after that, I was bashing my head against a wall – so hopefully you get what I mean about the show. However, the show is a favorite for concert-style engagements (when the show is performed usually just once or twice, with minimal staging and sets), because despite the weak plot, the music is very memorable and can almost compensate.”I Know Him So Well” is a great female duet, and has a lot of musical subtleties that remind a lot of ABBA’s music, so it’s a good example of how distinctive the composers can be. The song also has a great setup – two women are singing about the man they both love, one his wife, and one his mistress. It’s almost tragically funny how at the same point in this song, they both decide that giving up and letting the other woman have him is best for everyone. The clip is from a concert version of Chess that was performed in the West End in 2008 (it was only a two-show engagement, but the show was taped and broadcast on PBS), featuring Kerry Ellis and Idina Menzel, two very talented women whose voices I adore.

Clip: I Know Him So Well – Idina Menzel and Kerry Ellis

9. “Children Will Listen” from Into the Woods (1987) – truth be told, I don’t like Stephen Sondheim. And now I’ll pause and wait for you all to stop throwing tomatoes at me. We done? Okay, good. My opinions aside, I knew I simply could not compile a sampling of contemporary musical theater without including Sondheim. So here it is, my favorite song from the only Sondheim show I really like, Into the Woods. This song is the show’s finale song and was originally performed by Bernadette Peters. The song is now a classic and standard soprano ballad. As the lyrics state, “Careful the things you say, children will listen. Careful the things you do, children will see.” Bernadette Peters has a gorgeous, lilting soprano voice that I can’t possibly describe, and the lyrics are too deep for me to sit here and try to pick through. Listen to the sample. Seriously.

Clip: Children Will Listen – Bernadette Peters and Cast

10. “If I Can’t Love Her” from Beauty and the Beast (1994) – I tried to stray away from the adapted Disney movie musicals, since a lot of the songs from the movies are so mainstream by now, that I wouldn’t quite consider them “showtunes,” and Beauty and the Beast is a perfect case in point. But some of the songs that were written for the Broadway versions of the Disney stories are too amazing to overlook. And this act one closer is just so powerful, and heartbreaking, that I couldn’t leave it off. In a play that revolves around a romance, a dramatic break up or rejection song at the end of act one is pretty common, although I think the situation in Beauty and the Beast, and especially this song, is plenty unusual. I love this song because it’s one of the first times the Beast shows true emotion, and it is delivered in such a raw form. I’m sure that as high school students, most of you are far too mature for cartoons and have not watched Beauty and the Beast in years…right? *coughs* Uhm, yeah, so anyway – “If I Can’t Love Her” is sung right after Belle flees from the Beast’s castle. Despite his somewhat animalistic behavior, an audience gets the sense that Beast is trying desperately to fall in love with Belle – and more importantly, get her to see him in a different light, and love him in return, since this is the only way he’ll ever be a human again. And I do believe that when the maiden you’re trying to romance runs away from you, that’s a pretty strong sign that things aren’t going well. And all I have to say about the attached clip is, if you’ve never heard Terrence Mann sing, you have no idea how much you’re missing in life.

Clip: If I Can’t Love Her – Terrence Mann

11. “Seasons of Love” from Rent (1996) – Rent is one of the few shows whose scores I love so much that they’re on this list twice. And I tried to make myself cut this from the list, but I couldn’t. “Seasons of Love” is a practically universal song. Children sing it at events to make people feel warm and fuzzy, Girl Scouts sing it at summer camp around the fire, and it’s safe to say that most people of my generation have at least heard the song, even if they don’t know it’s from a Broadway show. All one needs to hear to recognize this gospel-style number are the simple but perfectly arranged piano chords that open the song, and the phrase, “525,600 minutes.” As I said before, it really is just a warm and fuzzy, feelgood song. The message is cliched, but important. Rent was, in a way, composer Jonathon Larson’s final message to the world, but I feel that this song in particular is Jonathon’s last gift to us.

Clip: Seasons of Love – Original Broadway cast

12. “Take Me or Leave Me” from Rent (1996) – this song is a beautiful example of the quirky style of rock music that makes up Rent. I felt I had to include an angry song if I put “Seasons of Love” on the list, because Rent is one of those works of art that is driven mainly by frustration, and much of the music carries that heavy, rock theme. I am a self-professed “Renthead” (yes, that is what us Rent geeks call ourselves), and would be hard-pressed to pick a favorite song from this music-packed operetta, but according to my iTunes top 25, my favorite is “Take Me or Leave Me.” There are many couples in Rent, most of them at least slightly dysfunctional, and the on-and-off relationship of characters Maureen and Joanne is perhaps the worst of all. During the course of the show, they break up about four times. (Possibly more. Truth be told, I’ve lost count.) This is probably because Maureen possesses several, shall we say, undesirable traits. (And yet she’s my favorite character…hmm.) During one of their arguments, Maureen presents an ultimatum to her angry girlfriend – take her as she is, or leave her. When Joanne tells Maureen the exact same thing, it turns into a powerful, frustrated song that is made of pure awesome. I chose to use the movie version of the song for the clip, because I think the music was better produced and sounds fuller than on the Broadway cast recording. It features Idina Menzel, the original Maureen, and Tracie Thoms as Joanne.

Clip: Take Me or Leave Me – Idina Menzel and Tracie Thoms

13. “My Strongest Suit” from Aida (2000) – I mentioned this song in my theater column once before, in my review of the rock opera Aida. And now I’m mentioning it again, because it is without a doubt, my favorite song from this show. The first time I heard it, I freaked out and immediately bought the entire cast album on iTunes. It’s long but absolutely worth listening to the whole thing. Full of high notes, riffs, and rock-style vocals, the song is amazing and incredibly hard to sing. “My Strongest Suit” has some of the most impressive belting I’ve ever heard, simply because it is in a high range that is nearly impossible to truly belt. (Trust me on this – I’ve tried. And it hurts to try to sing like Sherie does on the soundtrack.) It’s upbeat, catchy, and makes one want to dance and sing at the same time. It also stands alone well, since it’s more character than plot based. I’ve always thought it would make a great pop song. Take a listen to Sherie Rene Scott, Broadway semi-star, belt the heck out of this musical masterpiece. And listen to the lyrics, because they still make me laugh, as the character Amneris is supposed to be such an unabashedly spoiled princess that it’s kind of lovable. “Forget the inner me, observe the outer – I am what I wear, and how I dress.”

Clip: My Strongest Suit – Sherie Rene Scott

14. “Life of the Party” from Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party (2000) – okay, technically, The Wild Party was never a Broadway show. At least not this version. Two musicals by this title, based on the same poem, were staged within a few months of each other in New York, completely coincidentally. Andrew Lippa’s off-Broadway version was the less successful of the two, though neither ran more than a few weeks. Personally, I prefer the Lippa version, but I’m a general fan of his scores, so I may be considered biased. To give an idea of the style of the music, since I’m sure most of my readers aren’t familiar with this show, it has been often compared to Kander and Ebb’s Chicago, since they both cary the same sort of vaudeville theme, and the shows are set in the same era. The show is full of great solos for each main character, and I agonized over choosing between this and the character Queenie’s saucy “Raise the Roof,” but I picked this, simply because I prefer the smoother succession of the music. I love the slight raspiness and overall roughness to these vocals and it’s definitely a musical highlight. “Life of the Party” is the only solo by this character, but it says all that needs to be said about her. The whole show is rather raunchy, and actually, this song could be considered mild compared to all the others. It’s simply a statement of the character’s way of life – lots of parties, lots of alcohol, and no work, all play.

Clip: Life of the Party – Idina Menzel

15. “Defying Gravity” from Wicked (2003) – most people, and certainly all theater fans, have heard of the musical Wicked, and “Defying Gravity” is the signature showstopper number from that record-breaking hit. It’s been modified into pop songs, sung on the musical TV sensation Glee, and is the most modern of the showtunes that are considered iconic and unforgettable. I know there are plenty of theater lovers who hate Wicked, but I can’t fathom hearing the final note in this song, watching the witch “fly” above the stage, and not getting goosebumps of thrill. The best belting ever, the most empowering music, and the craziest vocal performances are all packed into this song. To “defy gravity” may be a cliche – just search iTunes, and you’ll find a dozen songs with the same title – and all that’s usually meant by it is to rebel, defy all that is supposedly set in stone. But it becomes not-so-cliche when Elphaba actually does defy gravity. (This is an awesome special effect and a testament to the production values of Wicked.) I love this song. That’s all I can possibly say, because there is no other way to articulate my feelings for it. Every single time I listen to “Defying Gravity” – especially the powerhouse vocals, with the incredible belted high F, that take place in the last minute of the song – I love it more and more. And while anyone who can successfully pull this off is a brilliant singer, there was no option but to use a clip of the sensational original Elphaba, Idina Menzel. And before you hit play, turn your speakers down, because this woman’s voice is intense enough to blow them up if you’re not careful.

Clip: Defying Gravity – Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth

16. “What is This Feeling?” from Wicked (2003) – this song must go on the list not because it illustrates a standard style used in theater songs, but rather, because it is the complete opposite of many of those standards. The title implies a song about a new found crush, and “love at first sight” songs, though usually unrealistic, are quite popular in musical theater. However, love at first sight is not quite the case with the main characters in Wicked. In actuality, the song is a hate at first sight song. Comically enough, I have actually heard this referred to as “the best lesbian love song in the history of theater,” because it really sounds like that’s what it will turn out to be if you just listen to the first verse of lyrics. “What is this feeling, so sudden and new? I felt the moment, I laid eyes on you….” Could it be lust? No, it is in fact, “loathing! unadulterated loathing!” I love this song just because of the pure comedy of these two girls who barely know each other pronouncing their hatred for each other, and the fact that they’re singing it. It twists what is the standard, which is what any fantastic song from a musical must do. And if I ever find myself thrown into a situation where I know the minute I meet someone that I hate them, I would rather sing to them than yell at them. Seems like a much nicer thing to do, don’t you think? So, here’s the clip, once again of the original witches of Wicked, Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth.

Clip: What is This Feeling? – Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth

17. “For Good” from Wicked (2003) – yes, another song from Wicked. I can’t help it – the show is so packed with different emotions and styles and heartstopping vocal performances that I feel I can’t represent it all with one or even two songs. “For Good” is possibly the most beautiful song I’ve ever heard, and I can’t even tell you how hard I cried the first time I saw this show. It’s what would be called the “eleven o’clock” number in the standard musical formula – the last song in the show, before the “finale” number, almost always soaring and powerful. (The name comes from the fact that the second to last song in a show was usually performed around 11 pm – there’s your random bit of theater trivia for the day.) Wicked is, in essence, a love story – but a different kind of love story. Totally platonic, which is why the kiddies love it. The whole show is about the relationship between Glinda and Elphaba (the Good and Wicked witches of Oz, respectively), and “For Good” is the sad conclusion and overall summary of the relationship. At this point in the show, Elphaba and Glinda know they will never see each other again, and they have this one moment – one song, as it works in musicals – to express everything that the other has meant to them, and say their final goodbyes. (Oh, there I go. I’m tearing up just writing this.) The song is led into by one last joke before the tears start, as the social outcast Elphaba tells Glinda, “You’re the only friend I’ve ever had.” To which little miss popular replies, “And I’ve had so many friends!” The tender moment is saved, as she continues, “But only one…that mattered.” And then they sing, and the whole audience reaches for the Kleenex.

Clip: For Good – Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth

18. “My Junk” from Spring Awakening (2006) – Spring Awakening is a show that is amazing beyond belief, and I suggest that you listen to the entire soundtrack, because it’s that good. (However, it is R-rated, so maybe wait until the kid you’re babysitting goes to bed.) But I chose this song, “My Junk,” for my list, because it’s a great ensemble piece. Although the show takes place in the late 19th century, the high school students at the center of it are portrayed as being more modern, as reflected in this song. All of the young girls are explaining their feelings for the boys they each like, referring to their hangups on said boys similarly to addiction, hence the title. I also love this song just because I like the cast, since Spring Awakening was cast with very talented but mostly smaller names, young adults who hadn’t made a name for themselves in the theater yet. (The recording below also includes Lea Michele, the original female lead of Spring Awakening, and beloved star of that one TV show that nobody can stop talking about.)

Clip: My Junk – Original Broadway Cast

19. “Listen to Your Heart” from Young Frankenstein (2007) – the original draft of this list included a song from The Producers, but I had to cut it because the list was getting WAY too long. But I did include another great Mel Brooks musical, the Broadway adaptation of the movie Young Frankenstein. “Listen to Your Heart” is meant to be a flirty love song, but as is usually the case in a Mel Brooks show, the lyrics are so far from what you’d expect, it makes for great comedy. As Dr. Frankenstein’s flirty lab assistant tries to persuade him to go on his emotions rather than rationality, she also tries to explain to him that for the best romance, it’s a good idea to give up on any thinking. To quote the lyrics, her exact suggestion to him is, “Let’s be stupid together!” It’s very romantic, really. In the clip, Sutton Foster is playing Inga the lab assistant. And Sutton Foster is, as a friend of mine might say, utterly fabulous.

Clip: Listen To Your Heart – Sutton Foster

20. “I Want the Good Times Back” from The Little Mermaid (2008) – consensus among all my theater geek friends is that this is probably the funniest villain song ever. Written by original Little Mermaid composer Alan Menken and newer Disney-employed lyricist Glenn Slater, it is probably the best of the songs added to the Broadway version. Ursula the Sea Witch didn’t have enough of a part in the movie in my opinion, considering that she’s the main antagonist in the plot. I also wasn’t a fan of the way the original voice actress portrayed the character, and find the revamp from cranky old hag to sarcastic comic villainness to be quite refreshing. Sherie Rene Scott managed to make Ursula all her own, and practically created a new role. Part of the new character is a quality of shamelessness – almost pride – at her utterly evil intentions. “I Want the Good Times Back” is also a perfect example of an “I want” song, a song that states a main character’s goal at the beginning of the show (usually the second or third song), and in this one, Ursula and her two eel henchmen long for the days when they wreaked havoc on all inhabitants of the ocean, and the lyrics are just hilarious. She sings of wanting back the feelings of causing destruction, crushing spirits, and being on top of the world – er, sea. And sure, “it’s sheer abuse of power,” but “ain’t that what power’s for?!”

Clip: I Want the Good Times Back – Sherie Rene Scott

I apologize to any theater geek whose favorites were left out. I’m a bit biased. That’s why this is in the opinion/editorial section. Comment with your favorite showtunes below if you’d like, because I’d love to hear from you!

If you’ve ever been on a mainstream gaming website before, there’s a good chance that you’ve seen ads on the site for their respective podcast. What’s a podcast, you may ask? Well, the answer varies from podcast to podcast. Some may have tutorials on specific things, others may be in a straight-up news show format, while others still may be more like a talk-radio show. You can usually find podcasts for almost any subject, interest, or hobby on iTunes. Gaming podcasts, the subject of this article, usually fit into the talk-radio category.

Podcasts aren’t for everyone, some may find them boring, or too long. Plus, gaming podcasts will obviously only appeal to a certain demographic, gamers. And, as the name would suggest, Podcasts are best listened to on an iPod or similar mp3 player. So if you have a short attention span, are not a gamer, or do not own an mp3 player, you probably wouldn’t like them. But if you have plenty of spare time, are a gamer, own an mp3 player, and like to listen to people talk, you might enjoy gaming podcasts.

Okay, ready? Let’s begin.

Profanity: Yes

User E-Mails: The community segments of the show is The Joystiq Podcast’s strongest aspect, with very funny “Tip of the Week”, “Professional Voice Actor Bob Ball Reads Your E-Mails”, and “Let’s Get Visceral” segments.

iTunes Pandering: Lots. They routinely remind viewers that their boss would love to shut down their little operation, and the only way to prevent that is to tell your friends about the show and leave (positive) reviews so that they get more viewers.

Come to Nova’s art show at the Vera Project’s Ver(a)rt Gallery! See student work, everything from graffiti to sculpture. Support your community, school, and friends- opening is on June 8th from 6 to 8 PM, the show goes through June 26th.

Ver(a)rt Gallery Hours

Tuesday to Friday 2 – 6 PM

Saturday 12 – 5 PM

Seattle Center West

Warren Ave N & Republican St.

Hurry up and get yourself to the Paramount, because no theater fan wants to miss their current show! Seattle has welcomed Harvey Fierstein and the rest of the touring cast of Fiddler on the Roof, and the show is running through this Sunday!

Fiddler is a classic musical and a favorite of many theater fans, and although I’m a modern musical girl, I knew I could not miss this. I attended the opening night performance on Tuesday, and although I was completely exhausted, I did like the show. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a favorite (my tastes more fit the most recent generation of musicals, from the last 30 years or so), but it was definitely a well-written show and since I already knew a lot of the music, I did have fun. (I was not happy about missing this week’s Glee episode while I was at the Paramount, but you can’t have everything, right?)

A quick recap for anyone who has never heard of Fiddler on the Roof (although I think that’s kind of like never hearing of The Sound of Music, but what do I know?): it is a musical, written by Joseph Stein, set in the very early 20th century, in a small town called Anatevka. Popular songs from the show include “If I Were a Rich Man,” and “Matchmaker, Matchmaker.” It is basically the story of Tevye, a hard-working Jewish family man, who is trying to live his life true to his faith, in a world where many Orthodox customs are being challenged. Throughout the course of the show, the three eldest of Tevye’s five daughters get married (all picking their own groom, which served as enough of a shock to the parents), each one straying just a little bit further out of the norm of Orthodox Jewish traditons and customs. The final scenes show the beginning of things getting very bad for the Jews in Russia, when the Jewish population of Anatevka are served with an order to sell their homes and leave the village. The story is concluded there, but please don’t let my weak synopsis stop you from seeing the show. I promise, it is much more interesting than I’m making it out to be. There just are too many small plotlines for me to elaborate on right now. The show accomplished incredible things, from being the first show ever to run past 3,000 performances on Broadway, to winning nine of the ten Tony awards the original production was nominated for. The most recent revival of Fiddler has closed on Broadway, and this is the “farewell tour,” so this is probably your last chance to see the show for quite a while.

And since I can’t not talk about him, if you haven’t seen the billboards all over Seattle, gay icon Harvey Fierstein (an original star of Hairspray, and librettist of the Tony-nominated show La Cage aux Folles) is playing the lead character of Tevye, a role he played for several years on Broadway as well. Personally, I found him to be very funny (since the character is supposed to be a bit crazy), although he was hard to understand. Harvey Fierstein made an unusual choice and chose to effect an Eastern European accent for the character, since the story is set in Russia, and on top of that, he has a very raspy speaking voice naturally, so it can be a bit hard to discern what he’s saying. If you can, I’d suggest you either bring a huge fan of the show who can translate for you, or go to the evening performance this Sunday, which has closed captioning provided for hard-of-hearing audience members. It will definitely enhance the experience!

Tickets range from $30.50-73.50, not including fees, which is on the pricey side. However, if you can afford it, it’s a great price to pay to watch a legend like Harvey Fierstein live. Regular tickets are sold at the STG website here. A better option would be to try for student/educator rush tickets, which are last minute tickets given at a discount to anyone with a valid school ID. Rush tickets, if they are available, are sold at the Paramount Theater box office on one hour prior to the curtain time (at every showing of Fiddler except those on Saturday, May 29th), and cost $25 each. You are limited to one ticket per ID, so if you bring friends, make sure they have a school ID too. And enjoy the show, fellow theater geeks!

Almost everyone around knows Popeye. I mean, he’s Popeye, the sailor man. He’s tough to the finish, ’cause he eats his spinach. This cartoon has entertained thousands upon potential millions for decades. Being an active classic cartoon viewer, I happened upon an episode of this show where Popeye’s children were watching their father, Olive Oyl, and Bluto acting within a desert-based movie set. Seeing this, and thinking back on other episodes, I realized that Popeye is not a good father. There are some reasons for this that are obvious, but there are a couple that take the right mentality to see properly. I will list them here in order from the most obvious, to the hardest reasons to spot.

First off, countless studies, and even science, have proven that smoking is not only unhealthy to the smoker, but the people around the smoker. Popeye’s a very heavy smoker, so it’s highly possible that his offspring could catch a few of the effects of secondhand smoke. Simple as that, it’s downright unhealthy.

Secondly, the sailor tattoos are another thing that must be looked at. I mean, it’s not harmful that Popeye has them, but his sons all have tattoos as well! It’s ridiculous. Why they have ‘em is completely beyond me.

Third, the violence that Popeye gets involved in all of the time. You’d think that violence would make Popeye’s kids idolize him all the more. Even if that were to be the case, having Popeye as a role model isn’t the best thing for their well-being. They may also experience trauma from watching their father beat up all who stand in his way. I mean, that would scare them into not making the oft-beloved sailor man angry.

Lastly, the way our villain-pummeling person uses spinach in order to beat up Bluto and all of the others that stand in his way may reflect on his children. In one of the numerous episodes, Olive Oyl even sees this coming in a dream, in which the children quaff some spinach and beat her up as means for revenge for their punishment. Because of this, the house’s spinach should truly be stored in the same place as a family would lock a gun for the purpose of self-defense. It’s quite scary when superpower-giving spinach is not used for the greater good.

And thus, those are the four reasons that Popeye doesn’t make the best father. It’s as simple as that, really. Some of these aren’t seen by the untrained eye. Well, maybe none of them are. Regardless, these are them. There’s a clear life lesson here, and I’ll end on that note; do as Popeye encourages, not as he does. (Seriously, that spinach is deadly in the right hands).

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Not enough choices? Tell us what your “something else” is in the comments.

Those of you who have read my theater column from its inception at the start of the semester probably know that I reviewed the Broadway musical Beauty and the Beast awhile back, naming it as one of the top 7 musicals of the decade. And for me, Beauty and the Beast always will be a hit. But in that article, I said that regional productions of the show weren’t as good as the Disney produced one that played on Broadway for over a decade (5,461 performances, to be exact), and I need to take that back now.

For over three months now, I’ve been working with Broadway Bound Children’s Theater as an ensemble member in their spring show, which is–you guessed it–Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. And I don’t mean to brag, but our production kicks Disney’s butt. It is going to be absolutely fabulous, and the more Nova students who get to witness it, the better! Broadway Bound and its amazing musical productions have been an important part of the Seattle arts community for many years now. The shows are well produced, well directed, and are made up of casts of ridiculously talented children.

As I said, Beauty and the Beast is going to be marvelous. I’ve been watching everything come together since February, from the music to the choreography to the sets and costumes, and it’s all beyond belief. Trust me, if you’ve never seen Beauty and the Beast onstage before, you want to see Broadway Bound’s production. If you have seen it onstage, you will want to relive the experience at the end of this month when the show opens.

Tickets for Beauty and the Beast are available here via brownpapertickets.com. The show will be running at Broadway Performance Hall at Central Seattle Community College from May 21 to May 30. The performances rotate to feature three different casts, and while I personally would strongly encourage you to buy tickets for a cast 2 performance (we’re the best, I promise!), all the casts are great. Tickets are $17.50 each for a regular performance, or $7.50 for the student matinees (10 am each day from May 25-27). The student matinees are a great deal, especially for any Nova student who has to be at Central on a weekday anyway!

After Beauty and the Beast runs, Broadway Bound’s production for younger kids (grades K-5), Cinderella, will also be running at the Broadway Performance Hall. The version of Cinderella being performed is the version with music supplied by Rodgers and Hammerstein, and is a personal favorite of mine, so check that out too! More information on Cinderella is at broadwaybound.org.