First of all space is big, really big. We have already found several planets like earth that might sustain life and that’s just near our solar system. That’s not counting the rest of the galaxy, among hundreds of other galaxies in the universe. Also if you take in account that there may be some kinds of life that can live in different environments than we can, then the possibilities are endless.  There are so many possibilities that I find it’s hard to imagine that we are alone in the universe.

While the conditions for a species like humans to exist are fragile, that doesn’t mean the same for all species. For humans we have to be on a planet not to far from the sun and not too close to it either, and the conditions on the planet need to include perfect water. It is possible that s
Some life does not need these conditions. Some might be able to live in harsh planets close to the sun  or on the cold waste lands of icy planets. It’s possible some kinds of life could live in gas giant planets, something we can-not do. What I find interesting is that it’s possible that some species might live in space not on a planet. This kind of species would have to feed off of something strange like gas from a nebula or the energy from a dying star.  With space being as big as it is, it’s more possible the suitable conditions for all kinds of life to pop up. After all it happened for us.

There is an other way that life could exist and this one sounds a little more like science fiction. Parallel universes could have life in them. There could be a universe similar to our own but different. In this universe last night you could have called your best friend Segrath who is an alien living on mars. Or maybe  there’s an intelligent  species from another universe that’s more advanced than ours, and they have found a way to travel from one universe to an other. Now this is all more unlikely but it’s still a possibility. What do you think, are we alone?

For those of you who don’t know, upon arrival to Hogwarts, a mind reading and communicative hat is placed on the first year’s head to tell which of the four houses they are best suited for.

Recently, I’ve heard buzz around Nova about starting a “Sorting Hat Committee”, maybe by another name, but with the same general motive: to find a person’s ideal Coordinator as soon as possible once they get to Nova, if not before.

I’ve thought about this idea a lot, and I don’t think there is an easy or simple solution.

The way Coordinator/Student pairing has been done for the last few years is pretty simple:
1. Arrive at Nova
2. Be assigned a Coordinator
3. Stick with them for at least eight weeks
4. Once you get to know all the teachers at Nova, you may decide to choose a different Coordinator if you so wish.

For the most part, that has worked pretty well.
But is it possible to make this process more direct? That’s exactly the question at hand. In the past, we’ve even had a system where people would float around for a couple days before choosing a coor.

I don’t think that would work because with the current system of bridge week, new students need to meet with their Coordinators pronto in order to choose that semester’s classes.

Beyond that, the following is a list of my other concerns regarding specifically the “Sorting Hat Committee” (SHC) method (largely problems that occur already, but I think they’d escalate):
1. Any way that it’s done, SHC will be incredibly time consuming for many people.
2. What would Coordinator/Student compatibility be based on?
3. What if a Student is “sorted” into a coor that is too full?
4. What if the Teacher/Student compatibility doesn’t go both ways?

While a Nova student’s first few months here are crucial, I don’t believe that there are any teachers currently working at Nova who are capable of irreparably damaging a person’s high school career. The worst that would happen is that someone might just have to suffer through a couple of bad months with a teacher that isn’t their absolute favorite.

What I would like to see: a radical change to our coordination system. I really like having a Coordinator and that works for most people, but I find that the coor attached seems sort of pointless as it is now. Can we open up the discussion of possibilities/what people want from that time?

What if we walked the talk with coor being someone’s first family at Nova? What if we made coor time a study space? What if that was time to meet with a group of Nova students who help each other with classwork, projects, etc, attached or unattached to the Coordinator? What if that group of people was focused on either a subject that students are really interested in or that they need credit in (i.e. history)? What teachers would collaborate with each other to be resources for those spaces?

Not long ago, Nova went through a big change, but it wasn’t our choice. We were forced by external sources to move to a different building, and when that happened, I believe many people felt damaged and powerless. That collective feeling of powerlessness applied itself to much of the work–from accountability to committees to coor.

I say, it’s time for another big change at Nova, except this time, it’s our choice.
It’s time to reclaim the power to make Nova exactly what we need and want it to be.

14. Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist from Avenue Q (2003) — here’s another repeat show from one of my previous lists. I can’t help it; no matter how many new shows I see, some are still my permanent favorites. Avenue Q is one of those favorites. The music also holds a special place in my heart now that I’ve been in the show (this summer at the Seattle Children’s Theater). Now, you may say, “What kind of a song title is that? That sounds horrible!” The message of the song is that yes, we are, in fact, all racist. But for most of us, just a little bit. I think what offends most people about the idea of this song, is that they think the song is perpetuating a standard that says it’s okay to be racist, which is not at all what it’s about. The song, which is presented in a very Sesame Street-like “we’re going to learn something today” style, is meant to point out that no matter how “color-blind” you may think you are, everyone makes judgments on race–and we need to be conscientious of that. So, more than anything, “Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist” is a call for social awareness. The consensus that the residents of Ave Q reach is that, “If we all could just admit that we are racist, a little bit, even though we all know that it’s wrong, maybe it would help us get along.” Trust me, listen to it, and you’ll find yourself humming it even in the most inappropriate contexts soon enough. It’s catchier than you’d expect a song about racism to be. The clip below features the members of the original Broadway cast.

Clip: Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist — Original Broadway Cast

15. I Wish I Could Go Back to College from Avenue Q (2003) — why did I include this song, when I’ve already used another Avenue Q song? Because this song is beautiful, in a very unique way that I’ve never heard in any other showtune. (Although I suppose it’s possible that I just haven’t listened far enough.) One of the big themes in musical theater songs is regret, because nothing builds character better than dwelling on the regrets of your past. In this almost bittersweet number, several of the residents of Avenue Q sing in a split scene about how much they wish they could return to the safe, guided ways of their college days. This song more than any other proves that the composers of Avenue Q have a unique ability to be hilarious and serious at the same time. The themes in this song are so emotional, and yet it still makes you laugh. Not only is it a song of longing for what is past, it is also meant to reflect that maybe those things that seemed impossible then really weren’t all that bad–like when they start reminiscing about being stuck in the computer lab at 4 am, working on a paper due the next day, as if it were a fond memory (because apparently, real life is much worse). Also, I have to say that the harmonies in “I Wish I Could Go Back to College” are the best in the entire show. They’re just perfect.

Clip: I Wish I Could Go Back to College — Original Broadway Cast

16. Electricity from Billy Elliot (2008) — I finally saw Billy Elliot last spring when it was in town, and I have to say, it wasn’t nearly as good as I had expected. Not that it was bad, but I had my expectations built up by all the hype, the awards, and the fact that other compositions by Elton John are so freaking awesome. Billy Elliot was good, as Broadway musicals go, and the choreography and dancing were incredible, but I don’t know, it didn’t resonate with me like I had expected it to. The only thing that has really stuck with me since seeing it is the song “Electricity.” Billy Elliot the musical is based off of the 2000 movie, and, as I previously mentioned, the music is done by Elton John. The story is about a little boy who, by random chance, discovers his immense passion for ballet, and goes on a quest to get accepted into the Royal Ballet School in London. The dancing part of the audition doesn’t go quite as well as Billy expects, but he wins the school over with his answer to their final question, “What does it feel like when you dance?” He says that it’s like electricity, sparking inside of him. This is followed by the most spectacular dance break ever. The clip from the original London cast recording features Liam Mowes, who was one of the three young boys who rotated the role of Billy Elliot in the original cast. (Note that his accent prevents him from pronouncing the second ‘t’ in ‘electricity.’ Adorable, isn’t it?)

Clip: Electricity — Liam Mowes

17. The Lamest Place in the World from 13 (2008) — camp alert! Okay, yes, 13 is a pretty ridiculous musical, but at the same time, it’s something wonderful. It is, to date, the only Broadway musical in history to have an entirely teenage cast, and the story is about the fear and anxiety associated with middle school, being the new kid, and coming of age. I have to say, this show is is a concept that might not have worked if the music wasn’t up to scratch, but Jason Robert Brown is a genius, and his music is what holds the show together, with a style that has been described as combining Rent and Glee (which sounds absolutely horrific, I know–but somehow, it works). 13 is also a favorite for middle schools and youth theaters, because it is not only easy to cast, but very relatable for teens. The cast includes all of the common middle school archetypes–the stupid jock, the bitchy cheerleader, and the new kid in town. “The Lamest Place in the World” is the song in which Patrice, local laughing stock of the popular kids, introduces her new neighbor to Appleton, Indiana. She tells him outright that it is “the lamest place in the world,” but that it’s not quite so bad now that he’s there. It’s a very cute song, and carries that signature Jason Robert Brown touch. (His music is just crazy enough that you can always tell it’s his.) The recording below is of Allie Trimm on the original Broadway cast recording.

Clip: The Lamest Place in the World — Allie Trimm

18. Get Out and Stay Out from 9 to 5 (2009) — 9 to 5 is one of the most ridiculous, campy shows I’ve seen in the last season. But something about it was just infectious, because I went to see it a total of three times during its run at the 5th Avenue Theater. The musical is based on the 1980 film of the same name, which starred Dolly Parton (who wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway musical version of the story). It’s a crazy story about three women who work for a “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot,” and then due to a series of bizarre events, end up plotting to give the guy what’s coming to him. It’s a very fantasy-like show, and very feminist-oriented as well. My favorite number from the show was, without a doubt, the belting solo by the character of Judy, “Get Out and Stay Out.” Basically, it represents everything she wants to say to her soon-to-be ex-husband. It’s powerful, emotionally and vocally, and actually pretty well written. (I like Dolly Parton, but I honestly didn’t expect her to produce such a good–if incredibly campy–score to a musical.) The clip below is of the original Broadway cast recording, and let me put a big disclaimer here: I am not, by posting this clip, in any way endorsing the talents of the singer. There are no other sufficient recordings, but it would be an understatement to say that I am not this singer’s biggest fan. To say that her voice very much gets on my nerves would be getting a little closer to the truth. (The girl who was playing this role when the show was in Seattle was fantastic, however. I wish I had a decent recording of her, so that you could actually enjoy this song for what it is.)

Clip: Get Out and Stay Out — Stephanie J. Block

19. The Music of My Soul from Memphis (2009) — I know I’ve included Memphis on my lists before, but that was just based on the Tony performance they gave. After actually seeing the show, I love it so much more. The best way I can describe it is, Memphis tells the same story as Hairspray, except that it’s the “grown up” version of the issue, rather than the teen-centered storyline of Hairspray. Memphis is very loosely based on the life of a white DJ in the late 1950s who brought “race music” (a term that I am uncomfortable with, but that’s how it is described in the context of the show) to the mainstream “white” radio stations in Memphis. Huey, the DJ, is frequently described as a fool, who can’t keep a job and still lives with his mother. He gets fired from his job at a department store for playing race records on the store’s intercom system, and he manages to land a gig as a DJ that shoots him to the status of local celebrity, through a combination of luck and stupidity. He falls in love with a female singer who performs at the local “colored people” bar–where Huey is less than welcome at first, to put it mildly. When asked why he wants to be somewhere that he doesn’t belong, Huey sings “The Music of My Soul,” a song about his relationship to blues music and how it changed his life. Chad Kimball (a Seattle native) as Huey has a great quality of soul in his voice, that comes out more and more as he gets more into what he’s singing. The included clip is from the original Broadway cast recording.

Clip: The Music of My Soul — Chad Kimball and Montego Glover

20. Just Another Day from Next to Normal (2009) — Next to Normal became one of my favorite musicals when I saw it February, at the 5th Ave Theater. It is an intensely dramatic show, and for more info you can read my original review of it here. I’ll try not to rehash the things I said about the show in my first review, but basically, Next to Normal is a musical about a family dealing with mental illness, and “Just Another Day,” the opening number, shows just how far from normal this family is functioning. Every member of the family has different challenges to face, and in the opening number, as they all prepare for their day, they all sing about the feeling that going with the same old, completely not normal, thing every day brings. One of the great things about Next to Normal is that it feels like a huge show, even with its tiny cast. “Just Another Day” perfectly encapsulates the ensemble feel of the show. The clip below features the original Broadway cast.

Clip: Just Another Day — Original Broadway Cast

21. I’m Alive from Next to Normal (2009) — another song, because this one is so catchy that it will never leave your head. Also, the character of Gabe is totally the “teenage hunk” character of Next to Normal, but I won’t get into that. “I’m Alive” is a really, really good song, but it’s also kind of touchy for me to talk about it too much, because Next to Normal is one of those shows where if you know too many spoilers, it becomes a lot less interesting. The basic idea of the song is that this character is asserting his presence, because he doesn’t want to be forgotten. This song shows off the pop/rock stylings of composer Tom Kitt, who is known primarily for his raw and edgy scores. “I’m Alive” could be a pop song with a little bit of tweaking. It has the guitar lines, the tenor voice with the awesome riffing, and that upbeat feel to it. I guess the only thing it would lose is the major impact that the dramatic staging makes on the way an audience experiences this song. You can listen to the clip below, featuring Aaron Tveit of the original Broadway cast, but I am issuing a warning that this is one of those songs that will infest your brain like an angry parasite after you hear it once. You’ll never be able to get rid of it.

Clip: I’m Alive — Aaron Tveit

22. In the Arms from The Addams Family (2010) — yes, I did just say The Addams Family. On Broadway. Today, a good percentage of the new musicals that come to Broadway are based on already popular franchises and movies (Legally Blonde, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, and Spiderman are good examples), and a lot of the time, these shows are nothing to write home about at best (Legally Blonde), and an absolute atrocity of musical theater at worst (Spiderman). I actually enjoyed The Addams Family, suprisingly enough, but that may have been because I had such low expectations to begin with. To be honest, I only went because my parents bought me tickets to it on Broadway for my birthday, and because it was starring Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth, two of the greatest legends on Broadway today. The plot of the musical focuses on Wednesday’s new boyfriend bringing his parents over for that big first meeting. While it may seem at first that young Lucas’s parents (played by Terrence Mann and Carolee Carmello) are far more normal than the characters of Morticia and Gomez, it quickly becomes clear over dinner that the normality they display is a kind of forced one, leaving them with a very unhappy marriage and home life. Throughout the course of the only somewhat ridiculous show, Lucas and his parents get stuck at the Addams’ house due to weather, and an interaction with the pet giant squid converts the father back into the squid-loving hippie freak he was pretending not to be. I won’t pretend to pick some deeper meaning out of this, because it’s insane. I just really like showtunes about squids, okay? Clip is the original Broadway cast recording. Terrence Mann rules (as does anyone else who can sing this song with a completely straight face).

Clip: In the Arms — Terrence Mann

23. Mr. Rogers Medley from Everyday Rapture (2010) — I have avoided putting this show on any of my playlists for too long, and I just couldn’t do it anymore. Everyday Rapture is a bit of a compilation show, and all of its music was sampled from other artists (Judy Garland, Coldplay, and Mr. Rogers as a few examples), so it shouldn’t really count for original showtune playlists. But darn it, I love this show, so it’s on here. Everyday Rapture was essentially a solo show for actress Sherie Rene Scott. Although there are three other cast members, the story revolves around Sherie’s life story, including the whole “born in Topeka, Kansas into a Mennonite family and then becoming a Broadway star” thing. The story is told in a humorous way that takes advantage of Scott’s prowess as a comedic actress, and makes you as a viewer feel like you really know her. In the one-act show, many of the monologues focus on Sherie’s musical influences and inspirations in her early life, particularly Judy Garland and Mr. Rogers. One of my favorite numbers is the medley of three of Mr. Rogers’s most famous songs, in a unique, kind of poppy, very Broadway style. It’s cute, it’s fun, and it’s one of my favorite showtunes on my iPod, even if it’s not original. The clip from the original cast recording features Sherie Rene Scott, of course, along with her back-up singers, Betsy Wolfe and Lindsay Mendez–also known as the the Mennon-ettes.

Clip: Mr. Rogers Medley – Sherie Rene Scott, Betsy Wolfe, Lindsay Mendez

24. You and Me (But Mostly Me) from The Book of Mormon (2011) — go see The Book of Mormon. Seriously. Although it’s practically impossible to get tickets to it at this point–I think the Broadway production is actually sold out until the scheduled end of the world in December 2012. The Book of Mormon is written by Matt Stone and Trey Parker (of South Park fame) and Robert Lopez (Avenue Q co-composer), was the winner of nine 2011 Tony Awards, and it is freaking awesome. The musical is about two young Mormon men being sent out on their mission (because when they come of age, Mormon boys are supposed to go on a two-year mission). Kevin Price, promising and arrogant 19-year-old, is paired for his mission with Arnold Cunningham, who is, basically, a dawdling idiot. In this number, Elder Price sings about his great expectations for their mission, and how he plans to achieve glory as “the Mormon who changed all of mankind.” He tells Elder Cunningham that they can do this together, so long as Cunningham simply stays out of his way. It’s so entertaining, because Cunningham is so happy for the attention and companionship, that he’s more than happy to go along with it. (Also, this number is a stylistic parody of “The Wizard and I” from Wicked, so that explains why I like it so much musically speaking.)

Clip: You and Me (But Mostly Me) — Andrew Rannells and Josh Gad

25. I Believe from The Book of Mormon (2011) — yes, another song. What can I say? The show is awesome. Now, one of the first things to note about “I Believe” is that it is an incredibly transparent parody of “I Have Confidence” from The Sound of Music. (There are a lot of parodies in The Book of Mormon; the guys who wrote the music are big musical enthusiasts and apparently wanted to satirize a bit.) You don’t have to have heard “I Have Confidence” to appreciate this song, but it’s about ten times funnier if you are familiar with the original. This song comes after the main character, Elder Price, has faced many trials of faith, having been sent to Uganda on his mission and witnessed so many horrible things that he basically runs away from his duty. But in his moment of revelation, he realizes that he needs to trust that his faith will get him through anything–including dealings with a warlord with a penchant for shooting people in the face. In fact, in the middle of the song, he actually runs right into said warlord’s camp and tries to convert him in his sudden burst of faith and happiness. Elder Price sings about all of the more outlandish claims in the Book of Mormon (such as, the Garden of Eden being in Jackson County, MO), and how, as a Mormon, it is his duty to not question, but simply believe. Some people might consider this song offensive to the faith as a whole, but with the knowledge I have of its context in the show, and the people who wrote it, I would say that it’s really not. And apparently, the show has been a big hit among Mormon audiences as well. Listen to the clip below (of Andrew Rannells on the original Broadway cast recording) if you’d like to decide for yourself.

Clip: I Believe — Andrew Rannells

Very often, I look at one of my older showtunes playlsists and think, “Why on earth did I include this song?” or “I didn’t write enough about this song. I have so much more understanding of this character/situation/show now,” or “I should have used a song from (whatever show I last saw)!” I have seen maybe 10-12 musicals, plus a sampling of a whole new Broadway season at the Tony Awards, since I last published a playlist, and many of those shows are represented here. Some of these shows, I included on the list before, but I wanted to delve deeper into the scores now that I’ve seen them. I think this showtunes playlist should be seen as a work in progress. Because even with all the new music I discover, much to my shame as a theater geek, there are dozens upon dozens of classics I cannot say I have seen. I’ve never seen Oklahoma. I bought the movie version of Evita, but I still haven’t watched it. And I don’t even know what Stephen Sondheim’s Follies is about (sorry Grandpa). But here, I present 25 more songs that I feel represent some of the best of musical theater, as I know it as of this writing. Enjoy!

1. Let’s Misbehave from Anything Goes (1934) — so many people don’t realize it, but Cole Porter actually had a tendency to be rather controversial in his music. Many of his songs were not things that would have been considered appropriate for radio broadcast at the time he was writing. A surprising number of Cole Porter standards carry implicit references to sex, and this one is no exception. I did flub with the release year a bit here; Anything Goes first hit Broadway in 1934, in a production starring Ethel Merman, but that version did not include this particular song. In fact, there are several versions of the libretto of Anything Goes, all featuring the same characters and setting, but messing around with the relationships, and the sequence of events. The 1962 off-Broadway revival is the version I am most familiar with, as it’s the only cast recording I currently own. The 1962 version of Anything Goes was the only one to include “Let’s Misbehave,” a song that was originally written by Porter in 1927, and was tried out in a few of his musicals and never quite worked in any of them. I personally like it in this setting, in which the charming Reno Sweeney convinces a very dignified (and engaged) man to partake in sexual innuendo and teasing with her. The clip is, of course, from the 1962 recording, featuring Eileen Rodgers as Reno.

Clip: Let’s Misbehave — Eileen Rodgers

2. Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat from Guys and Dolls (1950) — one classic I saw for the first time since writing my last playlist is Guys and Dolls (thank you, 5th Ave Theater). I was somewhat familiar with the music before, but didn’t want to use the songs on a playlist when I didn’t have a full understanding of their in-show context. Now that I’ve seen it, I picked out one of my favorites to share with you, dear readers. Definitely, one of the catchiest numbers in the entire show is “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat.” The story of Guys and Dolls revolves around a group of men who run an illegal craps game. When one of the gamblers falls in love with the leader of a local mission, in a pathetic attempt to impress her, he offers to recruit some “sinners” for her mission. Long story short, due to a lucky roll of the dice, he wins the souls of his fellow gamblers in a round of craps, and drags them all to the Save-a-Soul Mission for their prayer meeting. As the meeting starts to fizzle, the ringleader encourages “Nicely-Nicely Johnson” to give testimony on his “spiritual journey.” Nicely quickly whips up some bogus story about having a dream that encourages him to leave the path of the sinner. In this dream, Nicely says he found himself on the boat to heaven, with his dice. The good passengers, however, are having none of it–they refuse to partake in his sinful gambling, and tell him to “sit down; you’re rockin’ the boat.” The other gamblers quickly agree and jump in. Of course, these guys are totally lying about their intent to find God and abandon their lives of sin, but that just makes it even funnier. I used the 1992 Broadway revival cast recording for my clip, and it features Walter Bobbie as Nicely-Nicely Johnson.

Clip: Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat — Walter Bobbie

3. Whatever Lola Wants from Damn Yankees (1955) — everybody loves a sexy temptress song, and few play the sexy temptress as well as the legendary Gwen Verdon. Some of Verdon’s most famous roles include Charity in Sweet Charity, Roxie in the original production of Chicago, and, of course, Lola in Damn Yankees. Lola is the woman sent by the devil to Joe, the main character of Damn Yankees, to seduce him. Basically, if Lola succeeds and seduces Joe, his soul is damned for all eternity, which is kind of in the devil’s favor. So Lola goes and lays on the charm, basically going to any measures necessary to get this poor guy to cheat on his wife. This number is very simple musically speaking. The thing that makes it most memorable from the rest of the show, though, is the slight exotic feel that comes from Verdon’s fake accent (I’m not actually sure what she’s going for with the accent, but it sounds good), and the general tone of the music. I can’t describe it in technical terms, but there’s definitely something distinctive about this song. Also, there’s something bizarrely fascinating about a female seductress who has no motivation other than to condemn the souls of the men she manipulates. You can listen to Gwen Verdon in her Tony-winning performance as Lola, on the original cast recording below.

Clip: Whatever Lola Wants — Gwen Verdon

4. Wouldn’t it Be Loverly from My Fair Lady (1956) — because you can never have enough Julie Andrews. What can I say about this song? It’s from My Fair Lady, written by Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner, about a young Cockney woman who is taken in for schooling to rid herself of her “unseemly” accent, by two men who have made a bet on whether or not this woman can be “reformed.” It sounds like a silly concept, but it’s one of the most treasured musicals of all time, possibly because of the whimsical nature of the story (and a score by Loewe and Lerner never hurts a show). The cutest song (in my opinion) is the one in which Eliza Doolittle sings about everything she wishes she had in her life, from “a room somewhere far away from the cold night air” to “someone’s head resting on my knee, warm and tender as he can be.” But with her endearing Cockney accent, when she says how lovely these things would be, it comes out sounding more like “lover-ly.” It’s quite adorable, actually–especially in the way that Julie Andrews, the original Eliza, did it, with the preciseness of her voice and her fake accent. I honestly think no one will ever top the way Julie Andrews played this role, but of course, I feel that way about many of her performances. The clip is, of course, of Ms. Andrews singing this fantastic song, which is a standard of musical theater by now, 55 years after hitting Broadway.

Clip: Wouldn’t it Be Loverly — Julie Andrews

5. L’Chaim (To Life) from Fiddler on the Roof (1964) — for starters, let me just say that nowhere can I find a confirmation of whether the title of this song is officially “L’Chaim” or “To Life.” They both mean the same thing, actually, but one is in Yiddish, and the other is an English translation. However, different copies of cast recordings, the script, the score, and Playbills for Fiddler on the Roof all seem to be in disagreement about which is the correct song title. Personally, I’d put my money on “L’Chaim” being the winner. This song got a place on the list because while I was listening to Fiddler, it occurred to me that I’ve had very few, if any, celebratory songs on my previous playlists. It’s mostly been depressing or lovestruck, sappy stuff, which doesn’t seem all that representative of musical theater as a whole. I also have very few songs on my playlists that involve drunken Jewish men yelling in Yiddish, so that’s a plus on the originality scale. “To Life” is one of my favorite numbers from Fiddler, because it’s basically the only happy song in the whole show. Fiddler on the Roof is just not meant to be a happy show. Pretty much the only celebration is when Tevye agrees to marry his eldest daughter to Lazar Wolf, the richest man in the village, and Lazar buys drinks for everyone in the tavern. It’s a very twisted optimistic view on life as well, as all the men toast to good fortune, with the stipulation, “If our good fortune never comes, here’s to whatever comes.” Clip is of Zero Mostel, who is the Tevye, on the original Broadway cast recording.

Clip: L’Chaim (To Life) — Zero Mostel

6. Summer Nights from Grease (1972) — in retrospect, how did I manage to avoid using songs from Grease until now? It’s one of the more popular musicals with kids these days, probably due to the timelessness of the film version (you know, the one with Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta). I have to say, this show has never really interested me. In all honesty, the story is horrible–it’s about a good girl who changes who she is to get a bad boy to fall in love with her. Probably not the best message. But the music is great. It’s a mixture of 50s-style doo-wop and rock and roll. And I spent all summer watching little kids at theater camp singing “Summer Nights,” so this one in particular has grown on me. Grease’s story starts at the beginning of the school year, and in the song “Summer Nights,” the characters Danny and Sandy both brag to their respective friends about what transpired during their summer love affair. Danny tells his boys that he “went all the way” with the good girl Sandy, while Sandy harps on to her female friends about how sensitive and emotional their relationship was. They are, of course, both lying; or at least exaggerating a little. But as high schoolers, both groups of friends eat it up, and it is a very cute song. Now, Grease is one of the very, very few musicals that I strongly prefer in the film version, as opposed to the stage one, so the clip I included is of Olivia Newton-John as Sandy and John Travolta as Danny.

Clip: Summer Nights — Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta

7. Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina from Evita (1979) — this is one of those huge shows that it’s hard to believe I went so long without including. I’ve never included it because, as stated in my intro, I’ve never seen it. Even though I probably should have. (Is it really my fault if the last time a tour of Evita rolled around to where I was living, I was 8 years old?) But it is a big show, and “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” is without question the most famous song from it. In case you didn’t know, Evita is the musical based on the life of Eva Perón, the first lady of Argentina who was possibly even more famous than her husband, President Juan Perón. Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration. However, due to the popularity of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, Eva Perón is probably a more recognizable name to non-Argentinians today than her husband. In this epic number, Perón addresses her supporters from a balcony and informs them that although maybe her original motives were not pure, she plans to represent the people of Argentina, and basically assures them that they can trust her. I used the original Broadway cast recording, which Patti LuPone as Eva. I thought she did great, but according to numerous reports, she hated playing that role (and with good reason–it pretty much wrecked her voice permanently). But I don’t have any other versions of this song. You can listen to the clip and decide for yourself whether she was capable of handling the role or not.

Clip: Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina — Patti LuPone

8. Unexpected Song from Song and Dance (1985) — apparently this playlist is the Andrew Lloyd Webber feature. I suppose I haven’t included quite enough of his musicals in my previous lists. I’ve never actually seen Song and Dance, and I don’t even know what it’s about. (And if you want to know, do a Google search and leave me out of it.) But ever since learning “Unexpected Song” for an audition, I’ve been in love with it. It’s smooth, flowing, and perfectly timed. It’s also sort of hideously cliched in the way of love songs, but aren’t most Webber love songs? (For my points of reference, I direct you to “All I Ask of You” and “I Don’t Know How to Love Him.”) The song itself is a metaphor for the feeling of isolation from the rest of world you feel when you suddenly fall in love–the singer states that it is all around her, like “an unexpected song, that only we are hearing.” I warned you that it was cheesy. The main (and I believe only) character in Song and Dance was originally played by Sarah Brightman, but when the show was on Broadway (for about five minutes), Brightman was replaced with the eternally talented Bernadette Peters, who did it much better. As far as I can tell, the critical reception of the show itself wasn’t overwhelming, but Bernadette Peters in this role was a big deal. It was her first Tony-award winning role, and the released cast recording is actually called Bernadette Peters in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Song and Dance, with the former name in larger print than the latter on the cover. So, here is a clip of “Unexpected Song” from Bernadette Peters in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Song and Dance.

Clip: Unexpected Song — Bernadette Peters

9. I Dreamed a Dream from Les Misérables (1987) — one of the things that has happened since I last published a playlist is that I have gone nuts for Les Mis. It is a great classic of musical theater, but I didn’t see it for the first time until a 25th Anniversary Concert was filmed for showing in movie theaters, and then a brand new tour of the anniversary production arrived in Seattle this summer. It takes a few viewings (and possibly a reading of Victor Hugo’s novel) to grow on you, because it’s about three hours long and completely sung through, so it takes quite a while to digest everything presented. More than one of my friends have said they find the show boring, but I love it. “I Dreamed a Dream” is possibly the most famous showtune of all time (thanks a lot, Susan Boyle), not to mention the fact that Les Misérables is one of the most famous musicals in the world. I don’t even know where to begin when describing why the song is awesome. From a musical standpoint, it is a soaring ballad, incredibly hard to sing, and has beautiful orchestration. Character-wise, the song is Fantine’s reflection on her life, which has not gone all that well, to say the least. The song is about the optimistic view of the world that the young Fantine held, but as the song progresses, all the pain and loss of faith that has come from all the trials Fantine has faced become clear. Now, a lot of women have played Fantine, and most of them are excellent, but I saw no choice but to use the 25th Anniversary Concert recording for my clip, because it features Lea Salonga as Fantine, and Lea Salonga goes beyond excellent. While I try to avoid calling an actor “the best” in any given role, in this case, it’s just true. Her vocals are crystal clear, powerful, and technically perfect; on top of that, she’s a simply amazing actress. I hope you enjoy the clip as much as I do.

Clip: I Dreamed a Dream — Lea Salonga

10. Master of the House from Les Misérables (1987) — you didn’t really think that after I raved about Les Mis like that, I was going to only include one (over-used) song from it, did you? No, I am, in fact, using three songs from Les Mis on this playlist, meaning that on the musical diversity and addictiveness scale, it ranks up there with Wicked in my book. (The only drawback is, this show has no attractive green women who can fly.) “Master of the House” is another one of my favorites from this show, because it is the only upbeat song the whole show. Much like in Fiddler on the Roof (see above), there is very little to be happy about in Les Misérables (hence the name, The Miserable Ones). Everybody’s poor, everybody’s dying, and the main love story is horribly contrived. It would seem that the only people who are happy in this story, are the villains. M. and Mme. Thénardier are scummy, low-life people that you couldn’t imagine liking, but you have to because they’re so bare-faced about what jerks they are. When Thénardier sings an incredibly catchy song about how he’s the con man who rips travelers off by running the local inn, with a big smile on his face…you have to love it. You just have to. The thing about Thénardier is, he’s a thief, a corpse-looter, a business criminal, and the kind of guy you would never want to invite into your home, but it makes him happy. And that’s what makes him and Mme Thénardier the comic relief as well as the villains of the show. The recording I used is also from the 25th Anniversary Concert, not because I don’t like the original cast recordings of Les Mis, but because Matt Lucas, who played Thénardier in the filmed concert, was completely and utterly brilliant.

Clip: Master of the House — Matt Lucas and 25th Anniversary Concert Cast

11. Do You Hear the People Sing? from Les Misérables (1987) — last Les Mis song, I promise. But I think it would be some kind of mutiny to leave “Do You Hear The People Sing?” out of any comprehensive sampling of Les Misérables. While anyone who is well-informed will tell you that the musical is not necessarily about revolution (and in fact, it isn’t–it’s about redemption), the French revolution is the setting in which much of the story takes place. Well, one of the French revolutions. There was apparently more than one significant French revolution, which I was not aware of until I saw Les Mis and got incredibly confused by the timeline. The one we’re talking about here is the June Rebellion, and you can Google it if you’re curious. But I’m not here to teach you about history. “Do You Hear the People Sing?” is the theme for an uprising of the people. As previously mentioned, the majority of the characters in Les Misérables are lower-class citizens of Paris, and everyone is suffering economically. When they finally decide that they’ve had just about enough, the students build a barricade (also known as one kick-ass full stage set piece) in the streets of Paris and make their stand. Enjolras, the leader of the group, sings “Do You Hear the People Sing?” as they prepare for the revolution. As far as I’m concerned, it’s practically the anthem for Les Misérables, and it’s a great song. Its message is still applicable today. The recording is once again the O2 Concert Cast, because the 25th Anniversary Concert featured a huge ensemble of former Les Mis stars, and the recording is of over 200 people singing this. Freaking amazing.

Clip: Do You Hear the People Sing? — 25th Anniversary Concert Cast

12. The Phantom of the Opera from The Phantom of the Opera (1988) — you gotta love a Broadway musical that sounds like a combination of opera and Pink Floyd. Thank you, 1980s and Andrew Lloyd Webber. I really don’t know of any shows besides Phantom that are seemingly based entirely on rock synths. No, in all honesty, I do like the music from The Phantom of the Opera. I had to see it multiple times to really enjoy it, but it is a good show. (Not exactly the rave review you’d expect for the biggest Broadway show of the last 50 years, I suppose, but there it is.) The title song is arguably the most memorable from the show, although I’m sure there are people who would argue with me that it is “Music of the Night.” But “The Phantom of the Opera” is just a masterpiece; its sound is haunting and yet entrancing, with the ever-subtle echoing chorus part. As Christine is being kidnapped by the infamous opera ghost, she and he duet about the discovery of just what this entity is. And then she sings this ridiculously high note for a ridiculously long time, pretty much just because she can. It’s eccentric, certainly, but it fits perfectly for this show, and it’s undeniably a classic at this point. The original London cast (also the original Broadway cast) is in the clip below, which has Michael Crawford as the Phantom and Sarah Brightman as Christine.

Clip: The Phantom of the Opera — Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman

13. I’d Give My Life for You from Miss Saigon (1991) — “I’d Give My Life for You” is a song of undying maternal love, and although in Miss Saigon it takes place under very unusual circumstances, I think that doesn’t make it any less beautiful. (About those unusual circumstances: I’ll give you the condensed version–Kim, or “Miss Saigon,” is singing this song to her young son, who was fathered by an American soldier she fell in love with during the Vietnam war, but was soon after abandoned by.) Kim’s love as a mother, as she sings about it in this song, is an easily relatable emotion, even to a non-parent, and relativity is what makes a great character. Miss Saigon is a modern reinterpretation of Madame Butterfly (or, as a lesson on analogies I once read said, Madame Butterfly : Miss Saigon as La Bohéme : Rent), written by the composers of Les Misérables. When Lea Salonga sings this number on the original London cast recording (she was 18 at the time of the recording), her voice is so beautifully haunting that it adds a whole other dimension to the words she’s singing. (Okay, I admit it–I’m in love with Lea Salonga. Actually, we’re getting married; she’s just not aware of it yet.)

Clip: I’d Give My Life for You — Lea Salonga

Check back in for part B of The Showtunes Playlist 3, to be posted soon!

While passing by the planet Mercury, the Crew discovers Icarus I dead in space. While investigating the ghost ship everything goes wrong: the astronauts are faced with life or death situations. Many die and the ship takes damage, and it’s obvious that someone is sabotaging the mission. It all gets pretty intense.

This film was directed by Danny Boyle who also has done other amazing films like 28 Days Later. Staring in both of these films is Cillian Murphy who is one of my favorite actors. Also staring in Sunshine are actors Chris Evans and Rose Bryne. The acting in this movie was overall great, and as I said before Cillian Murphy is one of my favorite actors. I’ve seen several movies with Cillian and I’ve like almost all of them. He’s played in the Dark Knight and Bat Man Begins as scarecrow and recently played in Inception. Although the acting in Sunshine was for the most part good, there were some times when the acting in this movie seemed a little cheesy or forced. When Mace (played by Chris Evans) is apologizing to the crew after a fight between other members, he sounds like reality TV.

I have many favorite things about Sunshine considering I’m a huge sci-fi fan, but one thing for sure, the sound track was really amazing! It was written by John Murphy and a band called Underworld. The music was ambient and spacey. Some songs like “Adaigo in D minor” has been used in many other films, commercials and trailers. The song is pretty dramatic and fits well with the movie.

Personally I really like Sunshine and I think it was a great movie. It’s very realistic and puts the actors in survival situations. It’s suspenseful, dark, intense and the music is awesome. I recommend watching it.

Meet Weetzie Bat: She’s not your average teen.
With a “slinkster-cool” dress she made from mickey-mouse sheets,  a Warbonnet stolen from another culture (“I’m really into Indians– they were here first, and we treated them like shit.”), and cowboy boots, it seems within the first chapter that she’s Urban Outfitter’s fashion inspiration.
She’s stuck in a high school full of wretched girls who just don’t “get” her, and has no friends. Until Dirk. He’s a gay punk who quickly becomes her best friend.
In no time, they are cruising the streets of Hollywood for ducks in his red convertible named Jerry; or duck  hunting (“suitable mate” in Weetzie-speak).

One day, Dirk’s grandma Fifi gives Weetzie a gold box-like thing. While polishing it, a Genie emerges, and grants her 3 wishes. She asks for:
1. A Duck for Dirk
2. A My-Secret-Agent-Lover-Man for herself
3. A cozy cottage for them to all live in

Her wishes come true and they live more-more-less happily for a couple of years… until Weetzie wants a baby.
This results in broken hearts, an affair with a mysterious enchantress, awkward sexual experiences, a love pentagon, and two bundles of daughter-y joy: Cherokee Bat (100% not from the Cherokee nation) and Witch Baby.

The book really doesn’t end in a cliffhanger. However, in case you want more, there are five additional                                                                                             books about the same characters: Witch Baby, Cherokee Bat and the Goat Guys, Missing Angel Juan, Baby-Be-Bop, and Necklace of Kisses. Most of them are about the girls’ teenage years, and the last one follows Weetzie through her mid-life crisis.

While I’m now indifferently frustrated with Francesca’s Lia Blocks constant “appreciation” of more “magical” cultures, I used to be in love with these books.

They saved my life while I was stuck in Eastern Washington during middle school– providing me with inspiration and helping me make friends with similar perspectives.
My copy has been read by at least seven of my friends, traveling across the continent to Toronto and New York. The pages are falling out and memories are bound in their place; loveletters and doodles are written in the margins.

While there is no denying some of the racism in Weetzie Bat, I think it creates an important talking point and example of fetishizing and appropriating other cultures. I feel that in our American “youth culture,” this happens and gets ignored–even at Nova. I think the time for that discussion to start is now.

I suppose it’s no secret that something about the fairy tale of Cinderella is special. After all, it’s one of those stories that pretty much everybody knows by the time they’re in grade school. I can’t even count how many times the story has been adapted into stage shows, movies, and the like, but for years, my favorite has been the musical adaptation by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. (If you read my theater column regularly, this is not news, or at all surprising to you, and you are probably well aware that I am a Rodgers and Hammerstein fangirl.) Even the Rodgers and Hammerstein version of Cinderella exists in many different incarnations, from a 1957 made-for-TV movie, to a drastically redone 1997 Disney movie starring the pop star Brandy, to a recent international tour that adapted the films for a stage musical. The version that the 5th Avenue is doing seems to be based on a combination of the Disney movie and the 2008 tour, but it doesn’t really mirror any of the previous versions I’ve seen–which is good. That means it is awesome entirely in its own right.

So, with that background info out of the way, here’s a few things I loved about the 5th’s production, and what made it better than all the other Cinderella shows I’ve seen, and all the other 5th Avenue Theatre productions. Firstly, I do think it has blended the best aspects of every Cinderella production I’ve seen, by including some Rodgers and Hammerstein songs that were originally written for other things, but have been included as part of Cinderella in the past. They also modified some of the characters for a more relatable, comic story. For instance, the royal steward is one of my favorite characters, simply for the comic relief he provides as the typical “bumbling servant” character, and he is all too often left out entirely. And then there’s the Fairy Godmother, who seems, somewhere along the line, to have developed a refreshingly sassy “I’m not helping you until you help yourself” attitude. Also, one of the wicked stepsisters is in drag. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Secondly would be the technical aspects of the show. Cinderella has production values and a stylistic design that make a theater techie drool. The sets are gorgeous and very artistically unique, somewhat mimicking the outlandish-ness of the set designs in the 1997 Disney movie. The magic effects are accompanied by pyrotechnics and stage “magic” (which, believe me, is just as hard as real magic to pull off). And, as the final cherry on top, the costumes are sparkly. Yay, sparkly costumes!

The last thing is, of course, the cast. It’s probably obvious how much of a theater geek I am, because I can never review a show–any show–without commenting on the cast. But in Cinderella, it really is necessary. I have never before seen a production, of anything, that was perfectly cast. And then I saw Cinderella. Really, every single casting decision and direction I saw onstage, I completely agreed with. Cinderella was director Brandon Ivie’s first time directing at the 5th Avenue, and he is definitely somebody to keep an eye on. Whatever it is he’s directing next, I’m going to see it. Everything, and everybody was brilliant–so brilliant, in fact, that they all managed to win me over without being compared to all the other actors I’ve seen in these roles. The star is of course, Cinderella, who is being played by Jennifer Paz, a tiny woman with one hell of a voice and an adorable character for Cinderella. She was fantastic, and you can also add her to the list of people whose future projects I will be stalking (in a completely non-creepy, fan of the arts kind of way). But really, there were more actors than I can list that impressed me. Brandon O’Neill, who I’ve seen in multiple 5th Ave productions, gave his best performance yet as the dreamy and down-to-earth Prince Christopher; Greg McCormick Allen was totally hilarious as Lionel, the royal steward; Nick Garrison and Sarah Rudinoff work perfectly together as a pair of wicked stepsisters; and Kendra Kassebaum, who is essentially cuteness concentrated, was so indescribably enchanting that she had everybody wishing she was their Fairy Godmother.

So, there you have it. Are you getting ready to go see Cinderella yet? If so, I suppose I’ve done my job. Cinderella runs at the 5th Avenue Theatre downtown through December 31, 2011, so you have plenty of time, including your winter break. I’d absolutely recommend this show over The Nutcracker, A Christmas Carol, or any of the other holiday season shows running in town. Take your visiting family, or your younger siblings to see it. Totally kid-friendly–I lost track of how many little girls I spotted at the theater, all glammed up in their Cinderella costumes and tiaras. It’s an amazing experience, and a lovely way to spend an evening (or afternoon). And in case you’ve forgotten, the 5th Ave offers discounted day-of-show tickets to theater goers under 25 years old. All you need is proof of age and $20, and you can go see the best holiday show in town. For information about show times and ticketing, visit the 5th Avenue’s website here.

Photo credit: The 5th Ave Theatre.

3. Nova should get rid of, or at least modify, the credit system to make sure students are learning in the best ways possible. Learning is the most important thing for a school to be able to provide and I think Nova should make learning more of a priority than getting credit. I want to be able to pick a class and not worry about the requirements for getting credit but I rather about what the requirements are for learning that subject in the most efficient way possible. I want to be immersed in knowledge.

4. Nova students should always have a voice, but I feel like teachers should also be able to share their opinions because the teachers are a part of Nova too and should have a say in how the school is run as well. It shouldn’t just be student run. Students and teachers need to work together to create Nova to be a space to provide a loving learning environment. Nova teachers have some really great ideas for Nova that I feel would help us move forward.

5. Nova should have a few days within the year where the whole school does fun community oriented activities together so that everyone can get to know one another. My idea on how to do that with the whole school is to have people separate into different groups and have each group play a different game. Then after each activity the groups would break up and everyone would get into new groups and play a different game.

6. Nova needs to have a little more parent involvement and the parents should be able to talk directly to the student’s teacher without having to go through the coordinator.  To me, going through the coordinator to talk to your students’ math teacher seems very passive and my mom has talked with me about this a lot and she is frustrated with how it is. I would assume that other parents feel similarly.