Obscure Musical Theatre

I started listening to musical theatre singer-songwriters after a friend gave me a ride home once and he was playing a song that I could not get out of my head. I text him about an hour after he dropped me off and got the song information

Two Strangers - Matt Doyle, Morgan Karr, and Jay Armstrong Johnson.

I was immediately excited because I knew of Matt Doyle from the studio cast recording of ‘bare: a pop opera’ and I just loved his voice.

I looked up, and downloaded the album ‘Our First Mistake’ which is the first album from composers Kerrigan and Lowdermilk. I was so smitten with this album, and the idea behind what this was. An album compiled of songs that are loosely related (or from a sort-of show or shows they had maybe written) and sung by pop singers, and musical theater performers alike.

I started really enjoying how this grouping of styles showcased new composer(s) like Pasek & Paul, Drew Gasparini, Joe Iconis, Scott Alan and Ryan Scott Oliver as well as up and coming stars like Michael Arden, Lindsay Mendez, Laura Osnes, Natalie Weiss, and Katie Thompson. I never would have known who any of these people were if it were for albums like Kerrigan-Lowdermilk LIVE, 35mm The Musical, and I Could Use a Drink.

I got to listen as Lindsay Mendez jumped into Dogfight, that had critical acclaim, though not a ton of success off Broadway and then go on to play Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway for the 10 year anniversary, and Katie Thompson end up singing in John LaChiusa’s adaptation of the 1952 Novel (and somewhat of the 1956 film) Giant. I actually got to see Jay Armstrong Johnson in The Last Goodbye at the Old Gobe in San Diego, which was Romeo and Juliet set to a Jeff Buckley score.

I love these small seemingly random and fairly obscure things become something to take notice of. all of the talent in the world is getting documented and you can have a front row seat.

Some more fun facts: Pasek & Paul wrote some of the music for Smash on NBC, and were nominated for a Tony for the score of the musical adaptation of A Christmas Story.

Joe Iconis wrote one of the most famous songs in Smash, “Broadway Here I Come” and rumor has it that this song is actually about suicide.

Lindsay Mendez was in the cast of Grease that was featured on the NBC reality show, “You’re the One That I Want” playing Jan. 

The person who won the role of Sandy was Laura Osnes, who is featured on a lot of the albums I just mentioned. She sings a song by Scott Alan called ‘Now’ that breaks my heart every single time I listen to it. 

Jonathan Groff sings the Male version of it on a different Scott Alan album, and I literally cried the first time I heard it. 

I #fanboy very hard for both Jonathan and Laura. I want to be friends with them.

Are you a fan of some obscure musicals? How about some fringe composers? Where would these singers and composers be today without social media and youtube?