Broadway 2 A Day: 2012 - 2014 (Kinky Boots, Bridges of Madison County, Matilda and more)

Would you believe me if I told you I had listened to 415 Broadway cast recordings so far this year? I truly cannot believe how far we've come... There are just a few more years left until we reach the 2020 shows and the end of this challenge - but don't worry I will do a "best-of" style wrap-up. Let's dive in.

• Scandalous: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson
• Have I heard of it before? No
• Did I enjoy it? It had some fun numbers but was forgettable overall
• Synopsis: The musical relates events in the life of early 20th century evangelist and pop culture icon Aimee Semple McPherson. It follows her life and career from her childhood to her controversial death in 1944, focusing on her mysterious kidnapping and the ensuing trial. Other highlights include her becoming the first woman to obtain a radio broadcast license in the United States, her cross-country drive unaccompanied by a man, her multimedia empire that included several newspapers, and her interactions with such contemporaries as Charles Chaplin and William Randolph Hearst. (Wikipedia)
• Favorite song: Why Can't I? (great female audition song!)
• A Christmas Story: The Musical
• Have I heard of it before? I of course love the movie so I've avoided the musical version for years
• Did I enjoy it? Not really but I understand the appeal for a novelty show around the holidays/peak NYC tourist season
• Synopsis: It's a Christmas Story y'all. Ralphie, the BB gun - all that.
• Favorite song: Counting Down to Christmas
• Hands on a Hardbody
• Have I heard of it before? I remember seeing the cast perform on the Tonys, but beyond that I knew nothing
• Did I enjoy it? Not really, the songs were a little painful at times in my opinion
• Synopsis: For ten Texans who are down on their luck, the chance at a new life is only fifty-some hours and a hardbody truck away. Based on the real-life “Hands on a Hard Body Contest,” chronicled in the 1997 documentary Hands on a Hardbody, this all-American musical tells the story of a small-town Texas endurance contest, where the contestant who keeps their hands on a truck the longest, gets to keep the truck. With tuneful country-rock melodies and soulful lyrics by Phish’s Amanda Green and Trey Anastasio, Hands on a Hardbody explores a diverse cross-section of a small-town Texas community and the trials they’ll endure for a chance to win a Nissan hardbody truck. (Stage Agent)
• Favorite song: Joy of the Lord
• Kinky Boots
• Have I heard of it before? Of course I have, what kind of queer would I be if I hadn't?
• Did I enjoy it? I did. Cyndi Lauper deserved her Tony for these songs.
• Synopsis: After trying to escape his father’s low-key, family ambitions for him, Charlie Price has suddenly inherited his father's shoe factory, which is on the verge of bankruptcy. Charlie must now face the decision of whether to pursue a new life in London with his fiancee Nicola, or return to the town in which he grew up and save his father’s dreams. Ultimately, Charlie decides to try to live up to his father's legacy and rescue his family business, and, in doing so, he finds unlikely inspiration in the form of Lola. A fabulous drag queen in need of some sturdy stiletto boots, Lola turns out to be the one person who can help Charlie become the man he's meant to be. As they work to turn the factory around, this unlikely pair find that they have more in common than they ever dreamed possible. (Stage Agent)
• Favorite song: Not My Father's Son
• Matilda
• Have I heard of it before? Yes, but the movie traumatized me as a child so I never listened to this full score
• Did I enjoy it? There are some good songs and the kids in the cast are impressive
• Synopsis: Matilda is the story of an extraordinary little girl with extraordinary powers. The daughter of abusive parents, Matilda finds refuge in library books, which she reads quickly and in creating her own stories. Things are no better at school, where Matilda also must face a tyrannical and cruel headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, who believes in Crunchem Hall’s motto: “Bambinatum est Magitum,” or “Children are Maggots.” She finds companionship in her teacher, Miss Honey, though well-intentioned, is shy and fragile. Brave little Matilda knows she has to stand up against the adults in her world, and in doing so, discovers her own remarkable powers. (Stage Agent)
• Favorite song: When I Grow Up
• Motown: The Musical
• Have I heard of it before? Yes
• Did I enjoy it? I did but I think this is one you need to see live
• Synopsis: Motown: The Musical is based on Berry Gordy's autobiography To Be Loved: The Music, the Magic, the Memories of Motown (1994), and on the history of his founding and running of the Motown record label, and his personal and professional relationships with Motown artists such as Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, and Michael Jackson. (Wikipedia)
• Favorite song: Get Ready / Dancing in the Street
• Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella
• Have I heard of it before? Yes, I love this version of Cinderella (especially the Disney version with Brandy and Whitney Houston) and can't believe it wasn't produced on Broadway until 2013 when it was written in the late 1950s!
• Did I enjoy it? See above :)
• Synopsis: Based upon the classic fairy tale, and particularly the French version Cendrillon ou la Petite Pantoufle de Verre, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s adaptation brings new life to the story of a young woman forced into servitude who dreams of – and achieves – a better life. Cinderella features some of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s most beloved songs, including “In My Own Little Corner,” “Impossible,” and “Ten Minutes Ago.”
• Favorite song: Impossible
• First Date
• Have I heard of it before? I used to be obsessed with this show when it first came out.  If you were a fan of shows like Smash and the music on there - you will love this.
• Did I enjoy it? I always enjoy listening to Krysta Rodriguez and Zachary Levi sing
• Synopsis: What does a person expect out of a blind date? The 2012 musical First Date takes the audience through the first meeting of Casey and Aaron, two 30-ish New York City singles set up by friends and family. The two have nothing in common: Aaron is a conservative banker, Jewish, and looking for a meaningful relationship, while Casey is an artist, a shiksa, and a little too funky for Wall Street. With the influences of their friends and family (played out in their imaginations) as well as the effects of social media (Google, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube personified), this first date seems to be doomed. But with the help of a meddling but well-meaning waiter, Casey and Aaron might make a connection after all. (Stage Agent)
• Favorite song: Safer
• Big Fish
• Have I heard of it before? I like a few songs from the show but still have yet to see the original movie!
• Did I enjoy it? Yes! I could listen to Norbert Leo Butz sing all day long.
• Synopsis: Edward Bloom has lived a full and fantastical life, populated by witches, giants, and mermaids, marked by true love that stops time in its tracks, and framed by heroics that push the limits of believability. His adult son, Will, is no longer amused by his father’s fantastical tales, insisting on a rational rather than a fantastical account of one’s life. When Edward’s health declines, and Will learns that he and his wife, Josephine, will have a son of their own, Will decides to find out his father’s “true” life story, once and for all. (Stage Agent)
• Favorite song: Fight the Dragons (always makes me emotional)
• A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder
• Have I heard of it before? I remember this one from the Tony Awards too, but didn't know much except that it won Best Musical in 2014
• Did I enjoy it? This is funny and has decent songs but it's not going into my regular rotation
• Synopsis: On the night of his mother’s funeral, middle-class Englishman Monty Navarro learns an incredible secret: he is the “son of the daughter of the grandson of nephew of the second Earl of Highhurst.” In other words, Monty Navarro is an aristocrat -- if he can only find a way to prevent the eight earls preceding him from inheriting the earldom first. Buoyed along by love for two different women, the stunning and self-centered Sibella and the pious and witty Phoebe, Monty takes on his mission. As for the D’Ysquith family? One actor plays each ill-fated member, from the flamboyant country squire to the terrible actress to the aging war hero. In the witt, and ceaselessly entertaining A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, the audience is treated to Edwardian style, classic farce, and stunning operatic singing. (Stage Agent)
• Favorite song: I've Decided to Marry You
• Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
• Have I heard of it before? I love Carole King so was happy to see her life get the musical treatment
• Did I enjoy it? I did but to be honest, I think I'll continue to just listen to Carole sing her own songs as much as I love Jessie Mueller
• Synopsis: Beautiful tells the true story of Carole King’s meteoric rise to fame as one of the twentieth century’s foremost singer-songwriters. We are introduced to Carole when she is 16 and pitching her first song (“It Might As Well Rain Until September”) to New York music producer Don Kirshner. Soon after, she meets her future husband and creative collaborator, Gerry Goffin. In a musical whirlwind, the couple are married, King gives birth to their first child and the duo make a name for themselves in the music business, knocking out hit after hit. However, while their careers are on the rise, Carole’s personal life falls apart when Gerry announces that he wants an affair. As Carole tries to negotiate marriage, adultery and personal happiness, she is supported by friends and playful rivals, Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann. Although they all compete for number one hits on the pop chart, Carole relies on their support to change her life and find her own voice. (Stage Agent)
• Favorite song: Beautiful 
• The Bridges of Madison County
• Have I heard of it before? I am obsessed with this show. The music. The romance-novelness of it all. Obsessed.
• Did I enjoy it? I have listened to this score often in the years since it came out and I never get tired of it.
• Synopsis: Francesca is a dedicated, Iowan housewife, living a simple, yet dispassionate, life. Everything changes when her family goes on a trip to the State Fair in Indianapolis, leaving Francesca behind to take care of the house. Francesca is taken aback by a handsome National Geographic photographer named Robert, who asks for directions to the covered bridges of Madison County. The two connect, starting an emotional four-day love affair that has repercussions long after it’s over. (Stage Agent)
• Favorite song: Almost Real