Scene to Song

Scene to Song Episode 76: The Musicals of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman

In this episode, multidisciplinary artist Sandy Sahar Gooen discusses the musicals of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, looking closely at their first musical, Kurt Vonnegut's God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, as the foundation for their later work. We also talk about the song "A Firestorm Consuming Indianapolis" from Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, and Dennis Green's 1979 musical Kurt Vonnegut's God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater.

You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong, on Twitter at @SceneSong, and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” And be sure to sign up for the new monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.

Music played in this episode:
"Cheese Nips" from God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater
"Overture" from God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater
"Dear Ophelia" from God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater
"Since You Came to This Town" from God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater
"The Rosewater Foundation" from God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater
"Somewhere That's Green" from Little Shop of Horrors
"Look Who's Here" from God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater
"Skid Row (Downtown)" from Little Shop of Horrors
"A Firestorm Consuming Indianapolis" from God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater

Scene to Song Episode 75: Marvin Hamlisch, David Zippel, and Neil Simon’s The Goodbye Girl

In this episode, filmmaker, actress, podcaster, and singer Tammy Tuckey discusses Marvin Hamlisch, David Zippel, and Neil Simon's 1993 musical The Goodbye Girl looking at why we love this musical and what may not work about it. We also talk about the song "If He Really Knew Me" from Marvin Hamlisch, Carole Bayer Sager, and Neil Simon's 1978 musical They're Playing Our Song.

You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong, on Twitter at @SceneSong, and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” And be sure to sign up for the new monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.

Music played in this episode:
"No More" from The Goodbye Girl
"Paula (An Improvised Love Song)" from The Goodbye Girl
"My Rules/Elliot Garfield Grant" from The Goodbye Girl
"Who Would've Thought?" from The Goodbye Girl
"How Can I Win?" from The Goodbye Girl
"Don't Follow in My Footsteps" from The Goodbye Girl
"Richard Interred" from The Goodbye Girl
"I Think I Can Play This Part" from The Goodbye Girl
"If He Really Knew Me" from They're Playing Our Song

Scene to Song Episode 74: Black History of British Musical Theater 1900-1950

In this episode, music director Sean Mayes and Reader in Musical Theatre Dr. Sarah K. Whitfield discuss the Black history of British musical theater from 1900 to 1950, highlighting performances and looking at how one studies musical theater history itself. We also talk about the song "Memories of You" by Eubie Blake and Andy Razaf from Blackbirds of 1930 and is often used in subsequent productions of Eubie Blake, Noble Sissle, F.E. Miller, and Aubrey Lyles's 1921 musical Shuffle Along.

You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong, on Twitter at @SceneSong, and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” And be sure to sign up for the new monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.

Music played in this episode:
"Overture" from In Dahomey from "Black Manhattan: Theater and Dance Music of James Reese Europe, Will Marion Cook, and Members of the Legendary Clef Club"
"Weeping Mary" from An Inconvenient Black History of British Musical Theatre 1900-1950 Live at Wigmore Hall
"Memories of You" from An Inconvenient Black History of British Musical Theatre 1900-1950 Live at Wigmore Hall
"Memories of You" from Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
"Memories of You" sung by Alberta Hunter to Eubie Blake

Purchase their book: An Inconvenient Black History of British Musical Theatre by Sean Mayes and Sarah K. Whitfield

 

Scene to Song Episode 73: Evil Characters in Musical Theater

In this episode, pianist and singer Emel Greer discusses evil characters in musical theater. We also talk about the song "I'm the Greatest Star" from Isobel Lennart, Jule Styne, and Bob Merrill's 1964 musical Funny Girl.

You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong, on Twitter at @SceneSong, and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” And be sure to sign up for the new monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.

Music played in this episode:
"One Hallowe'en" from Applause
"Dirty Laundry" from The Witches of Eastwick
"My Name" from Oliver!
"Dentist!" from Little Shop of Horrors
"They Don’t Know" from Thoroughly Modern Millie
"What Comes Next" from Hamilton
"Epiphany" from Sweeney Todd (2005 Revival)
"I’m the Greatest Star" from Funny Girl

Scene to Song Episode 72: Disney Parks Music as Musical Theater

In this episode, composer and writer Eric Matthew Richardson discusses Disney parks music as musical theater and a bit of history as to how they were constructed that way. We also talk about the Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez's song "The Big Blue World (Reprise)" from their 2007 Disney parks musical Finding Nemo: The Musical.

You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong, on Twitter at @SceneSong, and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” And be sure to sign up for the new monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.

Music played in this episode:
"Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf" written by Frank Churchill with additional lyrics by Ann Ronell which originally featured in the 1933 Disney cartoon Three Little Pigs
"The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room" by the Sherman Brothers
"There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" by the Sherman Brothers
"It's a Small World" by the Sherman Brothers, sung by Richard Sherman and Alan Menken at the D23 Expo
"Grim, Grinning Ghosts" composed by Buddy Baker, with lyrics written by X Atencio
"The Big Blue World (Reprise)" from Finding Nemo: The Musical

Scene to Song Episode 71: Black Women in Musical Theater History

In this episode, composer/lyricist, playwright, voice teacher, and performance scholar Masi Asare discusses black women in musical theater history, focusing on their vocal performance from the turn of the century to present day. We also talk about the late Micki Grant and her song "Cleanin' Women" from the 1978 musical Working.

You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong, on Twitter at @SceneSong, and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” And be sure to sign up for the new monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.

Music played in this episode:
Ma Rainey singing "Don’t Fish in my Sea"
Ethel Waters singing "St. Louis Blues"
Diahann Carroll singing "A Sleepin' Bee" from House of Flowers
Leslie Uggams singing "Being Good" from Hallelujah Baby 
Pat Suzuki singing "From This Moment On" on The Frank Sinatra Show
"I Hate the Bus" from Caroline, or Change
"Dottie and Caroline" from Caroline, or Change
"Cleanin' Women" from Working

Scene to Song Episode 70: Season Four Finale

In this episode, eight of this season's guests--Janine McGuire (Episode 55: The Musicals of Andrew Lloyd Webber), Deborah Blumenthal (Episode 57: Company), Rob Hartmann (Episode 59: Merrily We Roll Along), Danielle Feder (Episode 60: Parade), Amber Savva (Episode 64: Rock Musicals), Robert Lee (Episode 65: Artist Characters in Musical Theater), BethAnn Cohen (Episode 66: Into the Woods), and Victoria Myers (Episode 67: The Roles of Bernadette Peters)--return to discuss the topics from the season and listener questions and comments. 

This discussion was held live on Sunday, December 19th on Scene to Song’s Facebook page, and was recorded for this podcast almost in its entirety. Scene to Song will be going on a brief hiatus to prepare for Season five and will return in early 2021. In the meantime, you can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow us on Instagram at @ScenetoSong, on Twitter at @SceneSong, and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” The theme music you are hearing is by Julia Meinwald.

And a special announcement for 2022! When Scene to Song returns for season 5, it will have an accompanying monthly e-newsletter! You'll get more info about the episodes and guests, a "this month in musical theater history," shout outs to upcoming musicals in development, and more! Sign up now at scenetosong.substack.com to make sure it's in your inbox when we launch in February 2022!

Scene to Song Episode 69: Fatness in Musical Theater

In this episode, Theatre of the Oppressed NYC operations director and podcast host Harrow Sansom discusses fatness in musical theater and how it's portrayed with various musical theater characters and musicals. We also talk about the song "Another Hundred People" from Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's 1970 musical Company.

You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. The annual season finale episode, which always features multiple guests from the season, will be streamed live on our Facebook page on Sunday, December 19th at 1pm Eastern. Listeners can submit questions in advance or call in directly to the webcast. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong, on Twitter at @SceneSong, and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.

Music played in this episode:
"Impossible" from Bella: An American Tall Tale
"Any Little Thing" from The Color Purple
"Beautiful" from It Shoulda Been You
"Pretty Funny" from Dogfight
"Another Hundred People" from Company

Scene to Song Episode 68: Stephen Sondheim and Rhyme

In this episode, composer/lyricist Daniel Mate discusses composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim and rhyme, looking at various songs of his as we both reflect on our own experiences with Sondheim's work. We also talk about the song "Little Tin Box" from Sheldon Harnick, Jerry Bock, Jerome Weidman, and George Abbott's 1960 musical Fiorello!

You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong, on Twitter at @SceneSong, and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.

Music played in this episode:
"Four Black Dragons" from Pacific Overtures
"Chrysanthemum Tea" from Pacific Overtures
"Not a Day Goes By" from Merrily We Roll Along
"The Story of Lucy and Jessie" from Follies
"Ah, But Underneath" from Follies
"Another National Anthem" from Assassins
"Little Tin Box" from Fiorello!

Scene to Song Episode 67: The Musical Roles of Bernadette Peters

In this episode, writer Victoria Myers discusses the musical roles of Bernadette Peters, looking at her career through her varied musical theater characters. We also talk about the song "Friends" sung by Bette Midler.

You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong, on Twitter at @SceneSong, and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.

Music played in this episode:
"Star Tar" from Dames at Sea
"Time Heals Everything" from Mack and Mabel
"Capped Teeth and Caesar Salad Reprise" from Song and Dance
"Some People" from Gypsy (2003)
"Friends" from Bette Midler's The Divine Miss M