So Much Stuff to Sing

The 1960s would eventually completely revolutionize huge swaths of the American cultural landcape, including Broadway. But as is often the case, the early part of the decade looks a lot like the decade before: talented young writers, composers, directors, and producers pushing at the boundaries of what Rodgers & Hammerstein had done. It was the Golden Age of the Broadway Musical, and its last masterpiece was Bock and Harnick's Fiddler on the Roof from 1964. Produced by Hal Prince, directed by Jerome Robbins, and starring the indomitable Zero Mostel, the show was an absolute smash, and is one of the last of its kind. Join us as we talk Fiddler, Zero, HUAC, and "If I Were a Rich Man."

All clips are from the 1964 cast album of Fiddler on the Roof featuring Zero Mostel and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

Recommended Reading/Viewing:

The transcript of Zero Mostel's testimony before HUAC

Ethan Mordden, Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theater (Mordden's other volumes are also excellent resources for more in-depth discussion)

Broadway: The American Musical

As the 1950s came to a close, Broadway continued to push and expand what could be done in a musical and what was expected of a night at the theater. Stars were becoming less powerful and less of a draw, though some stars found ways to maintain their status by proving that they had a place in the new style of show tha cared more about the truth of a character than simply star power. Once such star was Ethel Merman, and her final original stage role was also her greatest: playing Rose in 1959's Gypsy. Composer Jule Styne joined most of the West Side Story Team -- Robbins, Bernstein, and Sondheim -- to tell this story of the ultimate stage mother. It was Robbins and Sondheim, however, who created the show's 11 o'clock number, and one of the greatest star turns in Broadway history: "Rose's Turn." It has challenged Broadway divas ever since.

All clips are from the cast album of the 2024 revival of Gyspy featuring Audra McDonald and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

Recommended Reading/Viewing:

https://unhummable.wordpress.com/2010/05/31/breaking-down-a-song-roses-turn/

Ethan Mordden, Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theater (Mordden's other volumes are also excellent resources for more in-depth discussion)

Broadway: The American Musical

As the 1950s moved on, new talents were emerging, taking up the challenge laid down by Rodgers and Hammerstein to create integrated musicals featuring real characters dealing with real issues. Among others, Jerome Robbins, Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents, and Stephen Sondheim heard that challenge and rose to meet it, creating something brand new and incredibly challening for 50s Broadway audiences. West Side Story debuted in 1957 (Erik says 1959 a few times in the episode, ignore him), and its 1961 film adaptation cemented its legacy as a classic. So why has it taken this long to get to it? The reasons are complicated. Join us as we discuss them and the 2021 version of "America,"

All clips are from 2021's motion picture soundtrack of West Side Story featuring Ariana DeBose and David Alvarez and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

Recommended Reading/Viewing:

https://sites.google.com/view/analyzing-vocal-music/posts/leonard-bernstein-america

https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/the-divided-states-of-america-why-rita-moreno-objected-to-west-side-storys-original-lyrics/18671/

Ethan Mordden, Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theater (Mordden's other volumes are also excellent resources for more in-depth discussion)

Broadway: The American Musical

Rodgers & Hammerstein ushered in a new style with Oklahoma! in 1943, and soon, the old styles died away, putting up various degrees of resistance as they did so. Irving Berlin and Cole Porter both adopted a more R&H approach with their late 40s musicals, but it wasn't only existing masters who were influenced by the new approach. 1950 brought Guys & Dolls to Broadway, with Frank Loesser making his debut as a Broadway composer. Is it the best musical comedy ever written? It certainly belongs in the conversation, as we discuss in our episode on "Fugue for Tinhorns."

All clips are from a 1951's cast recording of Guys & Dolls: A Musical Fable of Broadway and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

Recommended Reading/Viewing:

Ethan Mordden, Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theater (Mordden's other volumes are also excellent resources for more in-depth discussion)Broadway: The American Musical

There's something deeply symbolic -- perhaps almost too much so -- about the Golden Era of the American Musical being ushered in by a song called "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'." But sometimes history is not subtle in her imagery, so here we are. The opening number to Rodgers & Hammerstein's 1943 absolute smash hit and epochal achivement, Oklahoma!, "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" is modest and simple. And yet, it -- and the show it's from -- changed everything. Including ushering in the era of cast recordings, incidentally.

All clips are from a 1943's cast recording of Oklahoma! and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

Recommended Reading/Viewing:

Ethan Mordden, Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theater (Mordden's other volumes are also excellent resources for more in-depth discussion)Broadway: The American Musical

Time marches on, and so does our exploration of the American musical's first century. In this episode, we say a bittersweet farewell to the musical comedy as it existed in the 20s and 30s, the era of the Great American Songbook, and the partnership of Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart. Join us as we discuss "My Funny Valentine" from 1937's Babes in Arms.

All clips are from a 1953's Chet Baker Sings and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Warning: This episode contains discussions of substance abuse and mental illness. Listener discretion is advised. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

Recommended Reading/Viewing:

Rodgers & Hart reconsidered Rodgers & Hart's Dysfunctional Partnership Ethan Mordden, Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theater (Mordden's other volumes are also excellent resources for more in-depth discussion)Broadway: The American Musical

Stop 2 on our 100 year trip through the history of the American musical: 1935 and Porgy & Bess. With music by George Gershwin and lyrics by his brother Ira and original Porgy novelist Debose Heyward, Porgy & Bess was immediately hailed as a masterpiece when it debuted in 1935, though it has been troubled from the start by the question of whether it's too much of an opera to be a musical, and vice versa. As time has passed, the question of whether the piece is inherently racist has also risen and gotten more urgent. But the score remains as one of the great acheivements of the American theater, regardless of genre. In this episode, we discuss the iconic "Summertime" and Porgy & Bess.

All clips are from a 1935 recording of Abbie Mitchell, who originally sang "Summertime" in the first prodcution, and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Watch a modern operatic performance of "Summertime." George Gershwin introducing and conducting pieces from Porgy & Bess, including "Summertime." Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify

Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing

Email the show: [email protected] Recommended Reading/Viewing:

George Gershwin in the New York Times about calling Porgy & Bess a "folk opera"

Sondheim's 2011 letter responding to an article about the most recent Broadway revival

Ethan Mordden, Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theater (Mordden's other volumes are also excellent resources for more in-depth discussion)

Broadway: The American Musical

Welcome to 2026, where we're going to go through the first 100 years of the American Musical from its earliest days until the present to track the changes along the way. As a musical once said, the beginning is a very good place to start, so we're starting with 1927's Showboat -- arguably the beginning of what we'd come to call the American Musical. Written by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II, Showboat brought a seriousness of topic and of purpose to the musical stage while still incorporating elements of what had gone before. It was the smash of its day, running for well over 500 performances -- unheard of at the time for musicals. In this episode, we discuss one of that show's most enduring songs, "Ol' Man River," and how the song and its theme is intimately connected to what made Showboat such a groundbreaking show.

All clips are from the 1936 film adaptation of Showboat faeturing Paul Robeson and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. N.B. This episode discusses matters of race and racism and alludes to racial slurs. Listener discretion is advised. Watch the scene from the film Listen to the original performer, Jules Bledsoe See Judy Garland performing the song in 1963 Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify

Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing

Email the show: [email protected] Recommended Reading/Viewing: Ethan Mordden, Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theater (Mordden's other volumes are also excellent resources for more in-depth discussion)

Broadway: The American Musical

After another plague of delays, we finally complete our miniseries on aging with the darkest and most brutal depiction of it we've seen. Once again, we return to Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812 by Dave Malloy with "The Private and Intimate Life of the House." This isn't a fun one, so listen with care. We will be back on January 15, 2026 with something unlike we've ever done -- stay tuned! All clips are from 2017's Natasha, Pierre, and The Great Comet of 1812: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Gelsey Bell and Nicholas Belton and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. N.B. This episode was also plagued by some audio issues. It is entirely listenable, but it's a bit quiet at times. Management regrets the inconvenience.

Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify!

Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing

Email the show: [email protected]

Another grandmother joins us for this installment in our songs about aging, though Abuela Claudia isn't just anyone's grandmother, she is everyone's grandmother. Her solo "Patiencia Y Fe" is one of the standout moments in the standout score of Lin-Manuel Miranda's breakthrough show In the Heights, and Olga Merediz gives it everything she has. All clips are from 2008's In the Heights: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Olga Merediz and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.

Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify!

Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing

Email the show: [email protected]