Week 15

These are the songs I picked between 3 October and 9 October 2014. I’ll talk about them next time.

Girl of the Moment * – Maria Friedman, Adrian Dunbar …  I listened to this song for weeks, trying to figure out who this girl of the moment was, and why she was so captivating.

Folies Bergeres ** – Catherine Russell, Ginette Garcin

Let Me Be Your Star – Katharine McPhee, Megan Hilty

Let’s Be Bad – Megan Hilty … I have been a video editor for over 20 years; if you asked me what editing is to me, I’d tell you that editing is nothing more than problem-solving.

My Friend – Pamela Isaacs, Lillias White

Little Me – Faith Prince

Closer And Closer And Closer – Gene Wilder, Steven Warner … I had a professor who would describe the Fox as controlling, needy and high maintenance. Although, I didn’t agree with him at the time, I can appreciate now what he meant by it.

* Top 10 Contender

** Top 10 Fast Tracked

Week 14

These are the songs I picked between 26 September and 2 October 2014. I’ll talk about them next time.

Miss Marmelstein – Barbra Streisand … In the booklet, Streisand talks about doing the number seated on a desk chair and sliding around the stage, which naturally I tried to recreate at my new job whenever nobody was watching.

A Quiet Thing / There Won’t Be Trumpets – Barbra Streisand

The Skin Of Our Teeth – Brent Barrett … As we waited for Bruce, John Kander came in the house with Eric Schaeffer. I was going to ask Kander to autograph the poster I had bought, but he and Schafer were having what it seems a serious conversation.

Tom, Dick Or Harry – Ann Miller, Tommy Rall, Bobby Van, Bob Fosse

Dressing Them Up – Brent Carver … Having the character sing this song elevates Molina from a sad middle aged lonely gay man with an active imagination to a man who can be passionate and committed to a cause, or someone he loves.

The Day After That – Brian Mitchell

Manhattan – Ella Fitzgerald

Week 13

These are the songs I picked between 19 September and 25 September 2014. I’ll talk about them next time.

No One Is Alone – Kim Crosby, Danielle Ferland, Ben Wright, Chip Zien

What Kind of Fool Am I – Jason Danieley … It was only recently that I played close attention to the lyrics and noticed the Catch-22 nature of the song.

Loving You – Kym Hoy

I Won’t Send Roses – Rita Moreno

Medley (Almost Like Being In Love-This Can’t Be Love) * – Judy Garland … For younger readers, before iPods and CD burnings, people used to have “tape recording” parties, someone would bring a record and whoever was interested could make a copy of it on a cassette.

There’s No Business Like Show Business – Judy Garland, Ethel Merman, Barbra Streisand

Here’s To Us (outtake) – Judy Garland … It is such an extraordinary moment of self-determination and resilience, that you just want to snap your fingers twice and say: You go girl!

* Top 10 Contender