Song of the Day: Good Thing Going

Here is the great George Hearn singing Good Thing Going from Merrily We Roll Along.  Merrily is one of Sondheim most underrated works and its a shame they really never figured out a way to make the show itself work. It's a heartbreaking work, but also a tough sit because you meet these character when they are already miserable and work backwards to a more optimistic time.  Funny enough as much as I love Merrily, it's not a dream show for me.  I mean I'd do it in a heartbeat, but its one of the few Sondheim works I'm not dying to do.  I have this song in my rep funny enough though.  It's one of my favorites to sing.  Enjoy!!!

Song of the Day: Someone in a Tree

I know I've been absent for a long time.  Things have been crazy.  I just got done with a production of Hello Again at school, which hopefully I will be posting video of very soon.  I'm also going to graduate in about four weeks, so I'm desperately trying to get my life in order.  The good news is I just got a job as a server at a major restaurant and I've been cast in two productions for Light Opera Works here in Chicago.  The first is the small role of Bertrand in A Little Night Music which opens in June at the Cahn Auditorium. Later in the year I will be doing Pirates of Penzance again and it is set to open in December.  Needless to say I am so glad that I have so much work lined up already before graduation.  Things are going well.  Let's hope I continue to have such good fortune.

I saw a production of Pacific Overtures here in Chicago yesterday.  To be honest it was pretty dreadful, but it did remind me of how much I love this often overlooked Sondheim work.  It's one of his most complex and best scores.  Sondheim himself considers Someone in a Tree and A Bowler hat as two of the best songs he has ever written.  The artistry behind Pacific Overtures is staggering.  I wish that it could find an audience that would appreciate it.  And I also wish that when people took on the show that they hired people competent enough to tackle its difficult themes, melodies, and its political and artistic ideas.  I have a feeling I'll be waiting a long time.  Here is Someone in a Tree, the best song in the show.