Write Around The Corner // Beth Turnbull

Legendary composer Stephen Sondheim passed away yesterday at the age of 91. He was a creative giant in the Broadway community and inspired so many artists throughout the years with his unique concepts and intricate songwriting.  Sondheim's most notable work included the music and lyrics for Company, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Into the Woods, A Little Night Music, Merrily We Roll Along, Passion, Sunday in the Park with George, Sweeney Todd, and the lyrics for West Side Story and Gypsy. He worked on 20+ shows throughout his career and never really wrote about the same topic twice. I have loved Sondheim's work for as long as I can remember loving musical theatre in the way I do now. The first role I ever played (granted, I played her pretty poorly) was The Baker's Wife in Into the Woods Jr. I feel more in love with his finesse for songwriting and just how witty and emotional his shows could be. In honor of his legacy, I would like to share just some (I cou...

Hello all and happy belated Thanksgiving - I'm a bit behind on this challenge (shocking) but am determined to finish no later than January.  In recent news, theatrical genius Stephen Sondheim passed away yesterday at the age of 91 - leaving behind a powerful legacy. I plan to post a compilation of some of my favorite lyrics of his soon so stay tuned.  In the meantime let's check in on these 2010s shows. Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark Have I heard of it before? Yes, this show made a lot of headlines for cast member injuries and going over budget Did I enjoy it? Not really Synopsis: The musical follows the story of teenager Peter Parker, whose unremarkable life is turned upside-down—literally—when he’s bitten by a genetically altered spider and wakes up the next morning clinging to his bedroom ceiling. This bullied science-geek—suddenly endowed with astonishing powers—soon learns, however, that with great power comes great responsibility as villains test not only his physical str...

Howdy howdy - we are in the second to last month of this challenge and I truly cannot believe it. I am listening to shows from 2011 and I started this with shows from 1950. Strange the passage of time. There's a lot of great shows ahead and we're heading into the holiday season so spirits are high. Let's dive in.  The Story of my Life Have I heard of it before? Nope Did I enjoy it? Absolutely not, this was truly awful Synopsis: The Story of My Life is a musical with music and lyrics by Neil Bartram, and a book by Brian Hill. The show follows two childhood friends from age six to 35 and has only two characters. (Wikipedia) Favorite song: The Butterfly The Addams Family Have I heard of it before? Yes Did I enjoy it? Yes this is a fun show Synopsis: The Addamses have lived by their unique values for hundreds of years and Gomez and Morticia, the patriarch and matriarch of the clan, would be only too happy to continue living that way. Their dark, macabre, beloved daughter Wedn...

Happy November! I can't believe how simultaneously slow and fast this year has been. I hope everyone had a fun and festive Halloween and is excited for the coziness of Thanksgiving and Christmas, the best days of the year in my opinion.  We are squarely in the mid to late-2000s of this challenge and so it is my time to shine. So many of these shows hold a special place in my heart and I'm excited to continue to share them with you. Let's get started.  The Little Mermaid Have I heard of it before? Of course Did I enjoy it? I did, Disney does a great musical Synopsis: Beautiful mermaid Ariel should be a happy girl -- she lives in an enchanted undersea country, her father is a King, and she has the most beautiful singing voice. But she is a passionate, headstrong teenager, and wants what she cannot have -- to live on land. When she falls in love with a handsome human prince, Ariel is more determined than ever to gain a pair of legs. But her only option is to defy her furious...