Wickedly Wicked

You might not know this, and I hesitate to tell you if you do not know, but I am a bit of a Broadway nerd. I love musicals. I am lucky that I am female for even with the stigma that goes along it, it would be far worst if my gender were otherwise.

For many years now, I have been a season ticket holder for Broadway in Austin. Every year I get to see three to five Broadway shows. Some are just as breath taking as they are in my mind like the year Les Miserables came. Others time the voices are amazing but the over the top sets that made them famous a more compact travling size, like Miss Siagon and the conspicously missing helicopter. Others are forgetable at best, like, well if I could remember it would not fit in this category.

In one week I will be enjoying Broadway in Austin's rendition of Wicked. I am daring to hope that the musical will be ever bit the challenging vocal performance that Elphaba's role requires, completly intacted cables to make one wicked witch fly, and dazzling tornados that rock the foundation of Oz.

In preperation for upcoming show, I have been listening to the Orignal Broadway Cast recording with Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth. Understanding that the two Broadway giants will leave huge shoes to fill, I am excited none the less. The song, "Defying Gravity" is one of my favorite Broadway songs of all times. It got me thinking about other favorites of mine. So for all you Broadway newbies or seasoned veterens, in no particular order, are in my humble opinion, the top ten Broadway songs.

1. "Seasons of Love" from Rent

2. "Defying Gravity" from Wicked

3. "Voulez-Vous" from Mamma Mia!

4. "Stars" from Les Miserables

5. "Murder, Murder" from Jekyll & Hyde

6. "Buenos Aires" from Evita

7. "We Both Reached For The Gun" from Chicago

8. "The Movie In My Mind" from Miss Saigon

9. "Fortune Favors The Brave" from Aida

10. "The Phantom Of The Opera" from The Phantom of The Opera

Please feel free to disagree or to suggest others glaring omissions from my list. Otherwise, enjoy the above links to the songs. Not all renditions are the best, but I did my best. Enjoy!