Broadway 2 A Day: 2014 - 2017 (Hamilton, Waitress, Great Comet, DEH, Come From Away)

This blog might just include the best shows of modern musical theatre in one grouping. This is the third blog I've written this week to keep up so let's dive in! 

• Amazing Grace
• Have I heard of it before? Nope
• Did I enjoy it? I really like Josh Young but this show did not really need to exist
• Synopsis: A tale of romance, rebellion and redemption, the show follows one man whose incredible journey ignited a historic wave of change that gave birth to the abolitionist movement. John Newton, a willful and musically talented young Englishman, faces a future as uncertain as the turning tide. Coming of age as Britain sits atop an international empire of slavery, he finds himself torn between following in the footsteps of his father—a slave trader—and embracing the more compassionate views of his childhood sweetheart. (Broadway.com)
• Favorite song: Truly Alive
• Hamilton
• Have I heard of it before? ...
• Did I enjoy it? I really do love this show and will always feel so lucky I got to see it on tour
• Synopsis: At the center of this groundbreaking multi-award-winning new musical is the story of founding father Alexander Hamilton, whose ambition drove him from the position of Caribbean outsider and bastard child to American war hero and George Washington's right-hand man. In the process, Alexander Hamilton powerfully shaped America as we have come to know it -- and gave us all a template for what it means to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and realize the American Dream. (Stage Agent)
• Favorite song: The Room Where It Happens
• On Your Feet!
• Have I heard of it before? Yes
• Did I enjoy it? This is a fun jukebox show
• Synopsis: On Your Feet! follows the lives and music of Gloria and Emilio Estefan, the powerhouse husband-and-wife team that took the pop music world by storm. See how these legendary artists rose to international success through determination and creativity in this high-energy, non-stop show.
• Favorite song: Get On Your Feet
• Allegiance
• Have I heard of it before? Yes but I never listened to the full score
• Did I enjoy it? I did, I think there's a pro-shot somewhere I'd  like to watch it
• Synopsis: Based on the life of George Takei, Allegiance explores one family’s journey during the Japanese internment camps during World War II. Sammy and Kei Kimura are the Japanese-American children of Tatsuo Kimura, a domineering father and first-generation Japanese-American immigrant (or Issei). The family struggles with their opposing views of America when anti-Japanese sentiments begin to sweep across the country after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. While Sammy wants to join the army to prove his American loyalty, Kei protests against the unfair treatment of the Japanese people and demands freedom for her people. As their family is torn apart in the internment camps, Sammy and Kei fight in their own ways for freedom and acceptance for themselves and for their culture. (Stage Agent)
• Favorite song: Higher
• School of Rock
• Have I heard of it before? I loved the movie and think it does make sense as a musical
• Did I enjoy it? It's not bad but it didn't change my life
• Synopsis: School of Rock follows Dewey Finn, a failed wannabe rock star who is down on his luck. After Dewey is kicked out of his band, and threatened with eviction, his fortunes take a turn for the better when he intercepts a phone call meant for his flatmate, Ned Schneebly. He quickly decides to make a bit of cash and pose as Ned to take up a supply teaching post at Horace Green, a prestigious prep school. He is horrified to discover that his straight-laced and straight-A students haven’t a clue about rock and roll, and he makes it his mission to educate them. (Stage Agent)
• Favorite song: Stick It to the Man
• Disaster!
• Have I heard of it before? Nope
• Did I enjoy it? It's a funny jukebox musical and would be a fun night out
• Synopsis: Disaster! pays homage to the 70s, an era of bell-bottoms, platform shoes, boogie dancing and...disaster movies. It's 1979, and New York's best-dressed are queueing up to board The Barracuda, a new floating casino and discotheque. Performing on board the ship is Jackie, a sexy nightclub singer with her eleven-year-old twins Ben and Lisa, who is hoping to find marital bliss with the boat’s crooked owner, Tony Del Vecchio. Into the mix comes Levora (a faded and desperate disco diva), Ted (a determined disaster expert), Shirley and Maury (an older couple celebrating retirement), Chad and Scott (caterers looking for work….and hot women), SIster Mary (a conflicted nun with a gambling addiction), and Marianne (a feminist reporter with a past). However, there is one big problem. The construction of the new pier has drilled directly into a fault line and the ship is in real danger. Disco fever soon turns to disaster as earthquakes, man-eating piranhas, tidal waves, and explosions threaten the lives of those aboard. As time ticks by, it becomes a race against time to survive, rediscover love, and not be eaten by a killer rat. (Stage Agent)
• Favorite song: Hot Stuff
• Bright Star
• Have I heard of it before? Yes I knew Steve Martin wrote the music but I never listened to it
• Did I enjoy it? Yes! I loved it, the intersection of bluegrass and Broadway was perfect
• Synopsis: Bright Star is the story of one woman at two different points in her life: the first, when she is a wild young thing growing up barefoot and carefree in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina; the second, when she is a well-to-do magazine editor in Asheville, 22 years later. Her story is inevitably woven with that of an idealistic young man named Billy, with whom she shares a mysterious connection. As a young teen in Zebulon, NC, Alice Murphy is hopelessly in love with small-town heartthrob Jimmy Ray, the mayor’s son. Although their love was pure, it falls victim to the interference of ambitious parents, and their infant son is whisked away before their happy ending could ever begin. More than two decades later, Alice is the successful editor of The Asheville Southern Journal, and meets a promising young writer named Billy. Eventually they realize that they share a hometown, and when Alice sees the handmade sweater she knitted for her baby twenty years before in his personal belongings, she realizes that he is the son she lost so long ago. Their happiness is compounded at the end of the story with a Shakespeare-esque double wedding. (Stage Agent)
• Favorite song: Bright Star

• American Psycho 
• Have I heard of it before? Yes I've been meaning to watch this movie forever but I'm too chicken
• Did I enjoy it? It was cool but I won't be listening again
• Synopsis: It is 1989. Wall Street greed is at its peak, and investment banker Patrick Bateman is determined to achieve the highest echelon of status in his image-driven, yuppie world. Restaurant reservations and swanky business cards are identifiers of success in his crowd, and Patrick meets his nemesis in Paul Owen, a rival banker who seems to have it all. But as Patrick enjoys the luxuries of consumerist greed, he feels increasingly disconnected from his world until his homicidal impulses can no longer be controlled. On his 27th birthday, Patrick commits his first murder--and takes off on a psychotic killing spree, taking out Paul, prostitutes, and anyone who even mildly annoys him. (Stage Agent)
• Favorite song: Opening (Morning Routine)
• Waitress
• Have I heard of it before? I was lucky enough to see this on Broadway and on tour
• Did I enjoy it? This is one of my favorite shows of ALL-TIME
• Synopsis: Waitress, based on the 2007 movie of the same title, follows the story of Jenna, a woman who is pregnant without any desire to be, trapped in an abusive relationship in a small town with no hope for a future outside of fear and false positivity. She escapes from her trauma through the baking of pies, creations of her own that she names after their uniquely combined themed ingredients and the events that inspired them, and recipes of her mother’s that once instructed her own baking. What begins as a story of a romantic love that helps to free Jenna from all the things chaining her to a miserable life becomes a story of love in so many other contexts. Jenna finds her happiness by accepting the kinds of love she truly deserves, especially the love that will be there for her the longest, and rejecting those who compromise her potential to feel powerful in her own life. (Stage Agent)
• Favorite song: What Baking Can Do
• Tuck Everlasting
• Have I heard of it before? Yes
• Did I enjoy it? I think this is one where visuals play a bigger role and I'd like to see it live
• Synopsis: Tuck Everlasting is based on the novel of the same name by Natalie Babbitt. It tells the story of a family who drink water from a magical spring and become immortal. When they encounter a young girl who lives in their rural New England town, she becomes friends with one of the sons, who soon offers her the secret to everlasting life. She then has to decide if she wants to join her new friends in immortality, or if she will live out her normal life. (Stage Agent)
• Favorite song: Good Girl Winnie Foster
• Shuffle Along
• Have I heard of it before? No
• Did I enjoy it? Not really, it's hard to just listen to such a dance-focused show
• Synopsis: Shuffle Along centers around the upcoming mayoral election in Jimtown. Sam Peck and Steve Jenkins, partners in the local grocery store, both decide to run for mayor and make a corrupt pact. If either of them wins, they will appoint the other as Chief of Police. Supported by Tom Sharper, a dishonest campaign manager, Steve wins the election and makes good his promise to Sam. However, their arrangement clearly will not last, as their constant bickering gets the better of them and they come to blows in a comical ballet-fight. All is not lost however, as their virtuous opponent, Harry Walton, has a mysterious ally. Detective Jack Penrose is a stranger in town, but he decides that Steve and Sam’s corrupt jurisdiction must come to an end. Exposing their cheating ways, he removes them from office and installs Harry as the rightful mayor of Jimtown. (Stage Agent)
• Favorite song: Love Will Find a Way
• Holiday Inn
• Have I heard of it before? Yes, I love a Christmas classic
• Did I enjoy it? Yeah it's fun and like I said, a classic
• Synopsis: Based on the 1942 award-winning movie, Holiday Inn, The New Irving Berlin Musical, is a fresh take on an old classic. When singer-songwriter Jim Hardy tires of showbiz, he shocks his best friend Ted and fiancee Lila by leaving the bright lights of Broadway behind and for a calm life in a farmhouse in Connecticut. At first, he greets his new life with enthusiasm, but, just as he starts to think farm life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, he meets Linda Mason, a spunky school teacher harboring immense talent and big dreams. (Stage Agent)
• Favorite song: Holiday Inn / Happy Holiday
• Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
• Have I heard of it before? Yes but I only knew a couple songs
• Did I enjoy it? This is one of the best (and most creative) shows I've heard in quite some time and is my current obsession
• Synopsis: In Europe, the Napoleonic Wars are raging, but in Moscow, the opulent, glittering world of Russia’s elite parties under the magical glow of the Great Comet. The innocent, romantic Natasha arrives in Moscow, longing for the return of her fiancé, Andrey. When she meets the dashing, seductive Anatole, she quickly falls head over heels for the charming rogue. But when Natasha throws off her engagement and attempts to elope with Anatole, it is up to Pierre—the melancholy, lost Pierre (Josh Groban), desperate to feel alive once more—to save Natasha and her family from ruin. (Stage Agent)
• Favorite song: Sonya Alone
• A Bronx Tale
• Have I heard of it before? Nope
• Did I enjoy it? It was well done but not memorable for me
• Synopsis: A Bronx Tale is a streetwise musical that takes you to the stoops of the Bronx in the 1960s—where a young man is caught between the father he loves and the mob boss he’d love to be. Featuring a doo-wop score, A Bronx Tale is a story about respect, loyalty, love, and above all else: family. (Broadway.com)
• Favorite song: Out of Your Head
• Dear Evan Hansen
• Have I heard of it before? Oh yes
• Did I enjoy it? This is a divisive show - I think many of the songs are emotional and moving - but I hate the plot. I have yet to see the movie.
• Synopsis: Dear Evan Hansen tells the story of a young man with a social anxiety disorder who so yearns to make a connection with his peers that he fabricates a relationship with a deceased student to become closer to the boy’s family. When a classmate commits suicide, shy Evan Hansen finds himself at the center of the tragedy and turmoil. In a misguided attempt to comfort the boy’s grieving family, Evan pretends that he was actually good friends with their son. He invents a fabricated email account to “prove” their friendship, and when a fake suicide note makes its way online, Evan finds himself the unintended face of a viral video about loneliness and friendship. (Stage Agent)
• Favorite song: Words Fail
• Come From Away
• Have I heard of it before? Yes but I held off listening because I knew it would wreck me emotionally
• Did I enjoy it? Yes, but it did indeed wreck me emotionally. I need to watch the pro-shot on Apple TV.
• Synopsis: Come From Away chronicles the real-life experiences of the people of Gander, Newfoundland, and the almost 7000 airline passengers who were forced to land there when US air space was closed on September 11, 2001. Twelve actors tell the story of both the Islanders and the Plane People, revealing the fear and uncertainty that came with the terrorist attacks – as well as the profound generosity and compassion of strangers. While some characters and stories are an amalgamation of several people and experiences, others are grounded in true people, such as Captain Beverly Bass, the first female captain for American Airlines; Kevin Tuerff and Kevin Jung, the couple from LA; and Nick and Diane, the couple who met in Gander. (Stage Agent)
• Favorite song: Me And The Sky
• Amelie 
• Have I heard of it before? Yes but I never listened to the show or watched the movie it was based on
• Did I enjoy it? This was pretty boring overall
• Synopsis: While times may be hard for dreamers, dreaming is all Amélie Poulain does. After surviving a tragic and isolated childhood, Amélie heads out on her own, joyfully finding her way through Paris and making friends from all walks of life: Suzanne, a trapeze artist-turned-cafe owner; Georgette, a hypochondriac tobacconist; Julian Dufayel, an artist with brittle bone disease; and many more. Through a chance discovery, Amélie finds a child’s box of treasures in the floor of her apartment, and sets out to return it. After her success, and the joy it brings to Bretodeau, the owner, Amélie resolves to anonymously do good for those around her. Most importantly, Amélie finds love in the form of Nino, a mysterious young man, and his photo album. Living in her imaginary world of make-believe and whimsy has been safe, but Amélie knows it is time to step out of her dreams and find joy for herself. (Stage Agent)
• Favorite song: Times Are Hard for Dreamers
• War Paint
• Have I heard of it before? Only because it starred Patti LuPone
• Did I enjoy it? Sorry Patti - I really couldn't get into the music
• Synopsis: War Paint tells the remarkable story of cosmetics titans Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden, who defined beauty standards for the first half of the 20th Century. Brilliant innovators with humble roots, both women were masters of self-invention who sacrificed everything to become the country’s first major female entrepreneurs. They were also fierce competitors, whose 50-year tug-of-war would give birth to an industry that would forever change the face of America. (Broadway.com)
• Favorite song: Face to Face
• Groundhog Day
• Have I heard of it before? I love the movie 
• Did I enjoy it? I was afraid a musical version would be so much worse than the movie but there were some fun songs - pretty forgettable overall though 
• Synopsis: Groundhog Day follows TV weatherman Phil, who reluctantly goes to cover the story of Punxsutawney Phil for the third year in a row. Making no effort to hide his frustration, he covers the story and moves on, expecting his job to be finished. However, he awakes the "following" day and discovers that it's Groundhog Day again, and the fun happens again and again and again. He soon realizes he must take advantage of it in order to secure the love of a coworker. (Broadway.com)
• Favorite song: One Day