Broadway is so underrated but I don't think people realize that we are literally singing, dancing and acting, not in a studio but in front of bright lights and a giant audience. Not to mention the fact we sing live so if it sounds bad there aren't any retakes... and one bad show could ruin your entire broadway career.
If you aren't vocally trained, you also don't realize the amount of breath support and stamina needed to sustain a belt or high note. Performing Musical Theatre is not a the faint of heart....or breath! Thank God Broadway is back!
'Broadway is so underrated' yes, it's criminally underrated. It is so underrated that litterally everybody in the world knows what Broadway is, thousands of people try to become Broadway stars, the Tony Awards exist...
@@hannahbanana007x I think they meant for the general public. Like in mainstream and US movies, there’s a stereotype for theater kids and are often looked down upon for being “weird” when a bigger emphasis is placed on sports and stuff. So similarly a lot of those people are also like “ew musicals” because of that negative stereotype
I played Jarvis (The Pink Panther Strikes Again) in high school. Instead of Streisand, I sang Big Spender. The little bit of vocal training I got was brutal; I couldn't imagine doing it full-time. But, that's why they're so great!
I grew up an hour from Broadway and saw my first show, "How To Succeed...", when I was seven. Incredibly lucky!! My parents would see a show then take my sister and me to a matinee. They bought the cast recording of virtually every show from the 50s onward so I had them all memorized, without meaning to, and always sang all the parts. I did a lousy job but boy was it fun! When someone mentions a show, I start singing from it. People say, "Oh! That's amazing! How do you KNOW all of those songs?!" and I tell them there are a boatload of people like me who know all the words too. The only difference is that I write about it; for a biographical encyclopedia. Some people and I know all the words to classic movies as well as all of those musicals. Same thing. I just write about it.
The fact that Barbara Streisand’s“don’t rain on my parade” isn’t on here tells me people equate high notes with skill FAR too much. Emotion and dynamics are much much harder for people than simply hitting high notes. I’m a guy who can hit A5 without a hiccup…. That’s not a brag that’s just my voice. The high notes are EASY for me. High notes are NOT always an indicator of skill
I played Cinderella in Into the Woods a few years ago…Your Fault is an absolute MONSTER to sing. The first time we went through the entire show during rehearsals, I got an asthma attack during “Your Fault”. Absolutely brutal song. The show went really well though!
Haha. I’m more of a band kid who has recently gotten into Broadway musicals and lemme tell you- you CANT do a duet by yourself in band, it was refreshing to find out you can sing a duet by yourself:)
The irony in that Broadway actors have to sing these insanely difficult songs is that Broadway actors make a pittance compared to TV and movie actors. To me, it's like you shouldn't be on a TV show unless you've proved your mettle on Broadway.
“Have you ever tried to do a duet by yourself?” Me, a Les Mis fanatic who tried singing both parts of The Confrontation at least a thousand times: you underestimate my ambition
People say they don't like songs where the singer yells or shouts. But this song is raw emotion. If you can't convey your anger or hurt in this song without yelling and shouting then you aren't trying hard enough. Jennifer Holiday owns this song. She will forever be the standard. Yes Jennifer Hudson won an Oscar and did it justice. But the pain and soul Jennifer Holiday sang with can't be duplicated. You have to go to a dark place to sing this song.
I personally believe Burn from Hamilton deserves something because some of the notes I can't even hold and the amount of emotion Phillipa put into that is insane.
as a vocal major, I don't think Burn is that difficult. guns and ships is hard because of the fact that you have to enunciate your words very fast. burn is not too demanding at all
Defying Gravity is a powerful song that gave me chills when I saw WICKED live in 2018. The final stretch of it has several belts and the ending riff is surprisingly difficult to pull off while staying on-pitch and keeping the tone full. The song was pretty much made for Idina Menzel (the original singer).
Mitch Grassi from Pentatonix did Defying Gravity. It's on his SuperFruit channel. He even went a note or two higher than Idina Menzel. If you look up "Superfruit Defying Gravity" you'll find it. Thought you might enjoy a different version. :)
I love this song, it's a classic case of a show stopper. But Wicked has quite a few of them, all screaming with emotion and passion. ("For Good" always leaves me with tears in my eyes).
"Hey, here's a Sondheim song" "Oh, awesome. Okay" "It's four minutes long" "Not a problem" "With seventeen minutes of lyrics" "Wait, what?" "And the tempo changes every three seconds" "Great."
“And the accompaniment sounds like freeway traffic at rush hour during a blackout.” “So, this is Sondheim’s Ninth Level of Hell?” “Oh, honey, we’d never send you there. It’s a clone of Mandy Potemkin with a piccolo. You’re safe.”
Need to add these to a Playlist so: 20) Climb Every Mountain 19) She Used to be Mine 18) Made of Stone 17) Rainbow High 16) Confrontation 15) Rose's Turn 14) Pitty the Child 13) So Much Better 12) Your Fault 11) I'm Here 10) I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General 9) Memory 8) Guns and Ships 7) Bring Him Home 6) And I am Telling You I'm Not Going 5) I Only Want to Say 4) Defying Gravity 3) Getting Married Today 2)Phantom of the Opera --Dead Girl Walking --Octet --Kiss Me --I am who I am --Let's Raise a Little Hell 1) Glitter and be Gay
13 is “So Much Better”, not “Whipped Into Shape”. “Whipped Into Shape” is just an example they use in comparison for the song. And 9 is called “Memory”, not “Midnight”. 😅 Other than that, you’re spot on! Thanks for the list! 😄
I’m so happy to see Made of Stone on this list. Hunchback is criminally underrated. The music, vocals, and raw emotion are incredible. It’s such a powerful show. It’s a show I think everyone should see if they get the chance.
Stephen Schwartz is a genius. Pair him with Alan Menken and you got a MASTERPIECE. Hunchback of Notre Dame has some of the best pieces of music Disney has ever made.
My daughter who grew up in a family filled with music people (vocalists and instrumentalists) and was practically born singing musicals. She loved watching "Phanton" and mimicked the songs. She especially loved to sing Christine's part on Think of Me, and The Phantom of the Opera and had no idea the E6 was supposedly near impossible to sing. Her middle school teacher heard her hit the E6 with no problem while she was singing for fun in the school bathroom and went in to and asked her why she did not tell her she could sing that high. She said she didn't think it was a big deal. She was recommended to apply to a very prestigious Fine Arts Academy and got in easily. Her class won a Grammy. Graduation year she sang with her class in Carnegie Hall. I sing but not like she can. I thought she might choose a career singing but she decided she is happiest teaching young children. She chose to teach full classes with ESL. I am so proud of her as she is very gentle and patient and maybe she will help some other kids to find their voices!
Forgot to add, a close family member is a Music producer and he told us that Brightman had trouble with the E6 so for the musical, the recorded E6 is dubbed.
@@Umihime I think your family member who told you that is mistaken. Sarah Brightman was married to Andrew Lloyd Webber and he wrote that song for HER to sing and he knew her limitations. She was the first Christine and was fantastic in her role.
@@iamarine I knew she was married to ALW and that she sang the part but she was not always consistent. No One is perfect. The person who told me has worked with them both. I also have a career in music as well as a history of musical theater performance as do several off my other relatives. It is not all that rare to have a note recorded to make sure it is perfect in a live performance.
I attended MANY Broadway shows and I loved them ALL! I had an ex-boyfriend who worked for a Broadway theater, as did his father and uncle in the box office. I'd usually take two friends with me into the city, where we'd shop and dine before the show. I was hooked up with three 5th row center seats for FREE! I was just a kid back then, but I still cherish those memories. Seeing the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, watching the ice skaters and enjoying the holiday decorations were special and something that most Americans NEVER get to see!
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING JEKYLL AND HYDE ON HERE! Some people don't understand how difficult it is to change voices so quickly. Anthony Warlow is a god. It's one of my favorite musical concept albums
Aaah, Anthony Warlow 🥰 when I was in a musical in high school, we (the whole cast) were taken to see him in a one-man show. As exhausted as he must have been, he hung out for a bit with us afterwards.
When I first heard that song it was when Constantine Maroulis played the title role, in which Hyde was portrayed via a projection, so seeing Anthony Warlow's performance of it was a definite surprise to me. (Also in the Constantine Maroulis production they gave the song more of a rock arrangement, which sounds weird but is fitting if you saw him on American Idol).
Seriously Veronica only gets an honorable mention? She leaves the stage for a total of 4 minutes the entire show and the rest of the time she’s on stage belting or screaming.
@@hollandfray4521 yeah, it’s a good thing when they did the west end version they lowered the notes. However Carrie Hope Fletcher did get tonsillitis during the last few months of her performance I’m pretty sure
Yesss. I have! When my father bought his first band recorder (with two huge spools) and found out that he theoretically could dub tracks, he tried it on me! It worked and I turned out to be having a perfect pitch. For me, that was not surprising, I was just told to do the same song twice. He loved it. A singing career was out of the question, tough.
@@theblaze5530 not really, but it’s basically like four different songs in one (and it also has some backup vocals) 😭 The song changes randomly and is fairly hard to sing. Kudos to those who can
That was from the Seattle cast. The actor who played Quasimodo is Deaf, just as the character in the book is. The actor signed his lines while one of the gargoyles sang them.
Quasimodo is deaf from his life ringing the very loud bells. (Yes, deaf, he can’t hear, not Deaf, culturally and linguistically Deaf. Maybe I should say ‘deafened’...anyway, he can’t hear, but he is lucky enough to live in Paris, relatively near the church-run Deaf school, where the French Sign Language (ancestor of ASL) was ‘born’, so he has access to sign for communication.
When I went through Marine Corps' bootcamp, every Sunday at mass we had a recruit that would sing "Bring him home" every week and it would bring every grown man to a tear in that room to a tear every time. A true and amazing musical for years to come!!!!!
I would say "I'm Not Getting Married Today" from Sondheim's COMPANY is pretty tough. I didn't sing it, but my colleague did and had a short series of emotional break downs during rehearsals because she just couldn't get all of the song's words out. Eventually, she recovered, got the knack of it, and she and the show went on to be a big hit.
Thanks for another brilliant musical theatre list. When I was in high school, we performed "Les Miserables", and our Valjean might have only been 16, yet he had a incredible baritone voice. You can BET that he brought the house down every night with his roaring rendition of "Bring him Home." 👏🏾🎭🎶
I'm blown away every time I see Broadway shows, the incredible choreography, insanely long lyrics, and vocal ranges that seem almost non-human. I agree with another comment below: these actors and actresses have so much to offer their audiences yet get paid so little in comparison. These are people so dedicated to their art and performance. Bravo to them all!
Popular- Wicked Let It Go- Indina Menzel(Frozen) Another Day& La Vi Boheme-Rent Listen- Dream Girls Green Finch & Linnett Bird- Sweeney Todd Never Enough- The Greatest Showman
I agree with never enough. I did a production of it for a musical course in which we had a week to put on a musical and chose the greatest showman. Don’t he me wrong we had some strong singers for the leads but damn it if that song wasn’t up there with the hardest.
Green Finch-the hardest song I've heard sung badly and beautifully in the latest Sweeney Todd version. I was following the send up closely to see if it was included with dread but the young actress sang it so well. No screeching. 😊
Never Enough is hard as hell because that strong high note on "enough" is right on a lot of women's breaks, where the "natural" voice stops and you have to transition into head voice. It's hard to land as powerfully as required when you're fighting against your normal placement
I can't believe On My Own wasn't mentioned. Requires huge range and requires real depth in performance if it's to get the right reaction from the audience
I played Little Red in Into The Woods in high school, and getting those "it was your faults" in was so hard but so fun. Of course I am a Sondheim junkie and love the complicated rhythms and overlapping voices. Such fun. I love learning/practicing/performing patter songs too. Oh Shit BRING HIM HOME.... our Val Jean was a freshman who somehow pulled out all the stops and killed it. Les Mis was so interesting to do. So many set changes.
It is important to note that Colm Wilkinson was the one who chose to sing "Bring Him Home" in a high tenor register. Everyone has since followed his lead. THANK YOU for including "Climb Every Mountain." One of the most beautiful songs from a musical ever written. I used it and plenty of Sarah Brightman and Andrew Lloyd Webber to help me train for operatic singing.
The most difficult song in all of musical comedy is "Trouble" from The Music Man. Nothing from Hamilton can hold a candle to it in difficulty. The acting required is staggering as it sets the premise for the entire show and the enunciation and cadence require the skill of an auctioneer.
Definently,I am playing contasoble locke at my drama shool this year and trouble is so hard YougottroublemyfriendsrighthearIsay,troublerighthearinrivercity Thats what it sounds like
They should have included “Heaven On Their Minds” from Jesus Christ Superstar. That song is more difficult than Gethsemane, but for a different reason. There’s not any insane high notes that up the curve, but insane scales instead. Carl Anderson set the bar high after doing the 1973 movie version and I have yet to hear anyone match it. Anderson’s scales on the big notes were flawless and the passion with which he sang it was unparalleled. I have also seen him do it live on three occasions in the 90s, and he still nailed it every time, even adding in extra scales. RIP Carl Anderson.
@@joehadari7315 …and no one captures all of those emotion better than Carl Anderson did. Especially in the movie where all of the singer/actors had the benefit of being directed by Norman Jewison. Without Norm’s direction, that movie would not be as powerful as it is and I’m an atheist, but I still know art when I see or hear it.
Pretty great list, but I'm kind of disappointed that you mentioned Jennifer Hudson for holding a candle to Jennifer Holliday and not even a nod to Amber Riley who not only killed the song on Glee near the beginning of her career, but played an award-winning Effie in West End to critical acclaim. Not knocking either of the other singers, but Amber Riley often gets overlooked and I think she deserved credit and a mention here too.
@@grease58 I knew better than to subject myself to that which I knew would be a travesty. I only saw the Hasselhoff version because it was given to me on DVD - I haven't been able to stomach that one a 2nd time!
Did you know Adam Pascal's audition notes had the memo: "Closes his eyes when singing" as a concern of the Director of RENT? Jonathan Larsson rejected that concern, and said it was in Adam's favour, given that he wanted people to believe Roger was a singer in a band, not a trained Broadway singer.
@@mirjamleczek1527 apparently you need some help with reading comprehension. Original means the first staging. Touring shows will likely have different staging, i.e. the staging you saw. While some theatres have the flies to be able to pull off the original staging, some do not, and instead you get a different staging. And here’s the best part - it has absolutely no effect on how you see the show. Kthanks. / soapbox
Ms. Chenowith is absolutely brilliant, Both as a Commedienne, and as a Singer!! Her movement between the Two is effortless: and Genius in that scene where she tells Patti LuPone: “My song, You go” Brilliant, Brilliant, Brilliant!! I adore her!!
@Russell Hayman It doesn't build Barbara Cook up at all to tear down Kristin Chenoweth, and the hyperbole ("third-rater"?) is just silly. Barbara Cook was as gracious and generous a performer as there's ever been, and I feel pretty certain that she appreciated Chenoweth for her talent and hard work as well.
Gethsemane is so beautiful every time, it's so incredibly well done and gorgeous. This musical did so much justice to the story it tells, one of my absolute favorites!
I was in a production of “Into The Woods” and “Our Fault” was hard as heck. I was the Baker’s wife so I was dead by then, but DAMN! Watching my classmates manage that was insane.
@@prideandprejudicebyjaneausten thankfully everything went well other than having to delay the show twice due to terrible weather that year. We had to cancel our second musical of the year because of it. We were SUPPOSED to do Guys and Dolls for the spring show. 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
Well, search too for Ms. Lea Salonga (former Ms. Saigon, original singer of Aladdin's "A Whole New World" & Mulan's "Reflection"). She's one of the best broadway singers & theater performers in the world. Try to watch her theater performances. 😊
I love the song but the vocal resilience and range needed isn't that bad compared to all of the songs on here. Plus it doesn't require anywhere near as much physicality as many of the other songs in Newsies (hence why it's the most difficult song to sing in the musical).
@@AldenBunagCDAD Well I see what you are saying, but I believe that this last note and the changing of emotions during the song is really hard. I believe it should have been in the honorable mentions ...!
Reciting "Modern Major General," from memory, at speed, is a challenging exercise undergraduates in the English Department tend to share with the Performance Arts types. It takes a remarkable level of enunciation to keep it from devolving into incoherent gibberish.
Which part/song did he play/sing? I recognised quite a few actors ( who knew Imelda Staunton had such a great singing voice? News to me!), but did not recognise The Hoff at all!
My favorite songs are the ones from the Golden Age of Broadway, most of which are written for legit voices rather than belters. From this list I would choose: "If I Loved You", "I Could Have Danced All Night", and many of the tunes from "West Side Story", just to name a few.
I love those as well. They've stood the test of time for a good reason. They have everything: melody, emotion and a good story - and (most of) the singers could sing.
I saw so many of the greats on Broadway in the original. Some of these songs are going for the glitz. But you look back-- my highest was Richard Burton doing the finale of Camelot (tears throughout-- who expected this, a week before opening night?); or how about Julie Andrews pulling off "The Lusty Month of May"; or Newley, "Who Can I Turn To" in Roar of The Greasepaint; Glitter and Be Gay before a tiny personal audience... ... Difficulty of vocal range can be a world away from acting ability; and wordiness, it's still offputting when singer is somewhat offkey (go on, name her). I suspect sometimes vocal range is overcoming the gestalt.
The best rendition of "Gethsemane" I've ever heard is by the one and only Michael Crawford. He sings it with such passion and emotion, he makes me cry. And when he hits that note in the center and holds it forever! He is also my favorite Phantom, and Sarah Brightman my favorite Christine. I wish I had her range.
Have you ever sing a duet with yourself Me singing all song from Hamilton everyday Mostly Alexander and Laurens which have chemistry so I’m basically flirting with myself
You can see his entire show on amazon prime. I saw it on broadway with him.... He was ok when he was by himself but he was WAY out of his league with others.
Didn’t know he sang on broadway either... apparently in Germany we only know him from knight rider, Baywatch and of cause for claiming he brought the Berlin wall down 🤣
@@eldenl1Anthony Warlow was the singer from the cast recording, who they played a clip of-a confusing citation for sure though, it’s not clear that the actor in the visual clip is different from the audio clip.
UHHH NO! I don't THINK SO! Listen to Constantine Maroulis sing any Jekyll & Hyde song and you'll be eating your words. David Hasselhoff ruined that musical but Constantine was THE BEST !
When I heard Solea Pfieffer sing Evita on youtube, I was blown away more than I ever was by any other singer before. There are so many incredible singers on Broadway that it sometimes feels hard to be over-the-top impressed by one particular voice because there are so many amazing ones. But when I heard Solea, I thought, that must be what angels with incredible voice teachers and years of vocal training sound like.
I'm so glad "Rainbow High" was included. And I'm REALLY glad you showed Ms. Pfeiffer and Ms. LuPone. (I listened to the original cast recording on repeat when I was a kid. 😊) Also, when trying to sing along with "Hamilton" (which I really shouldn't do), I often end up singing "Everybody give it up for America's flavored flying French fry!"
I mean, it's the only "I want" song in 2 hours of "I am" songs. The whole show is basically an experiment in the emotional impact of a good "I want" song
You and everybody else. Defying gravity also gets me. If anybody sings those two, and I don't cry, they're a bad singer and should find a different line of work
I grew up a competitive dancer and just the fact that people are dancing and singing anything at the same time is impressive to me. I know how hard that is.
Im so glad and i am telling you was included!! One of my favorite Broadway songs! I always get chills when i hear the Jennifer Holiday version! Especially the live version at the 1982 tonys.
It's incredible, except that she's emoting to the back row while simultaneously being shot in close-up, so it looks like she's telling me she's going to eat my children. Like Alice Ripley in Next To Normal at the Tonys years later.
@@bridgetbarber4221 I sang On My Own for a college concert once. My voice wasn't in the best shape, because I had been recovering from bronchitis or something, but I powered through (the low notes were a bit rough). I was a little disappointed with it, since the first time I sang it was pretty much the most perfect song I've ever performed. However, an audience member came up to me and said I sang it so well, it was like she could feel the character's emotions and like she was listening to a Broadway singer she had seen perform it.
There will never be another Madeline Kahn...such perfection in comedic acting and singing. Phantom was absolutely stunning at Her Majesty's Theater London, my friend had seen it so got us center orchestra seats. He awaited my expressions, when the chandelier flew off the stage to the celiing and savored my reaction when it fell from the ceiling and to the stage with the curtains closing for the intermission. I could feel the adrenaline shot both times, as I almost had a heart attack, to his delight! lol It was life affectingly brilliant!
That performance was the first time I really appreciated her skills as a singer. I’m not really a fan of her type of music, but damn. She’s got some pipes. I loved her acting skills in AHS as well
David Hasselhoff sings Jekyll & Hyde? Now I'm positively surprised, and you give him credit to be a good actor also 😱 I'm German and David Hasselhoff is an icon here in Germany. He was singlehandedly responsible for the fall of the wall with his song "Looking for Freedom" in 1989 😉🤗
I was specifically looking for memory, which is my fav Broadway song of all time cause it was written like 30 minutes before the show went live and the actress had to learn it in lesser time. LOVE IT SO MUCH.
the fact that Chris Colfer did 3 of the hardest of these perfectly is amazing, as well as Amber Riley with I am telling you and Jayma Mays with Getting Married!
This is a bit of an oddball choice but I think the second “I’ll Cover You” from Rent has got to be BRUTAL to sing. The most devastating moment in the show has just happened and Collins has to bring that moment home. When it’s done right, it leaves you emotionally exhausted…so while it’s probably not the most technically demanding song in the world (also not the easiest), that’s always been my benchmark for great broadway singing.
11:54 "When have you ever known Sondheim to make things easy on his actors?" "Send in the Clowns" from "A Little Night Music." Sondheim wrote the song with Glynis Johns' weaknesses as a singer in mind. Easy song to sing.
For a 10 year old, the little girl on the very first America's Got Talent was amazing singing And I am Telling You. I can never get her out of my head when I here that song....Bianca Ryan, I believe.
I loved Ms. Betty Buckley on Eight Is Enough, but I had no idea that she had such a wonderful voice. I always loved Bette Midler, Bernadette Peters, Audra McDonald, Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Holliday, Kristin Chenoweth and Patti Lupone, but Ms. Buckley is amazing. Of course, I thought the musical Cats was phenomenal. Everything about that show is fantastic, from the costumes to the acting to the singing. My mom and I saw Cats twice, and it was fabulous.
I saw guns and ships lived not perform by diggs by another actor and the actor struggled with that song and the fast pace lyrics but was amazing. I praise diggs performance.
I don’t think you have to be a soprano. I’m an alto and I sang Climb Every Mountain, a Capella, for my music exam 45 years ago, winning a distinction and a round of applause from all the other students standing outside the exam room. Thanks for bringing a happy memory back.
I agree, being another alto. It's not the high notes, it's having the range and having the song in your correct key. It is a beautiful and heart felt song. Songs are emotions made audible.
We did Sixteen Going on Seventeen at school way back when The Sound of Music came out, but not Climb Every Mountain. I used to be a soprano in school choir, 2nd sop when in church choir as an adult, and I think I'm now an alto in my kitchen choir singing to the kitchen sink and the dogs. You never get it out of your blood. I've already drawn up the play list for my Final Farewell and am just sorry that I'll be too dead to sing along.
@@pennyk2798 Sadly, I no longer sing in choirs. A chest condition makes breathing difficult and the medication has thickened my vocal chords so I no longer have a decent range. But I enjoy a warble at home 😄
I graduated high school in 1967, and "Climb Every Mountain" is our class song. We sing it at every reunion, the latest being this year, celebrating 55 years.
I heard her on Broadway and don't understand all the heat she took, all the snotty reviews. I think it was more that critics hated Andrew Lloyd Weber and she got a bad rap for it. But Judy Kaye was also amazeballs as Carlotta. I read that the costume dress she wore in the scene with Hannibal and the elephants weight 70 pounds. Hit High Ds in that!!
If I had her range, I could do the title song. Alas, I don't, so I can only admire others who perform it. I have sung "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again".
Indeed. We *saw* the fast portamento part (and boy, just watching her diaphragm *go* made it obvious what part of the song it was), but we didn't get to hear it!
I like to think Dolores got fired and banished from the wizarding world and saw the error of her ways. While trying to adjust to the muggle world she stumbled upon musical theater and loved it. It gave her motivation and hope to try it out. She now spends her days performing and wishing she could apologize to all those she hurt but in a roundabout way grateful they kicked her out because now she is happier than ever.
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Broadway is so underrated but I don't think people realize that we are literally singing, dancing and acting, not in a studio but in front of bright lights and a giant audience. Not to mention the fact we sing live so if it sounds bad there aren't any retakes... and one bad show could ruin your entire broadway career.
Oof!
If you aren't vocally trained, you also don't realize the amount of breath support and stamina needed to sustain a belt or high note. Performing Musical Theatre is not a the faint of heart....or breath! Thank God Broadway is back!
'Broadway is so underrated' yes, it's criminally underrated. It is so underrated that litterally everybody in the world knows what Broadway is, thousands of people try to become Broadway stars, the Tony Awards exist...
@@hannahbanana007x I think they meant for the general public. Like in mainstream and US movies, there’s a stereotype for theater kids and are often looked down upon for being “weird” when a bigger emphasis is placed on sports and stuff. So similarly a lot of those people are also like “ew musicals” because of that negative stereotype
I played Jarvis (The Pink Panther Strikes Again) in high school. Instead of Streisand, I sang Big Spender. The little bit of vocal training I got was brutal; I couldn't imagine doing it full-time. But, that's why they're so great!
“Have you ever tried to do a duet by yourself?”
Me trying to sing all the parts at the same time in the end of “we don’t talk about Bruno”:
No,no,no.
Me singing every single part in Belle, the opening to Beauty and The Beast 😂
Me with one day more
Non-stop in Hamilton too 😏
I grew up an hour from Broadway and saw my first show, "How To Succeed...", when I was seven. Incredibly lucky!! My parents would see a show then take my sister and me to a matinee. They bought the cast recording of virtually every show from the 50s onward so I had them all memorized, without meaning to, and always sang all the parts. I did a lousy job but boy was it fun! When someone mentions a show, I start singing from it. People say, "Oh! That's amazing! How do you KNOW all of those songs?!" and I tell them there are a boatload of people like me who know all the words too. The only difference is that I write about it; for a biographical encyclopedia. Some people and I know all the words to classic movies as well as all of those musicals. Same thing. I just write about it.
The fact that Barbara Streisand’s“don’t rain on my parade” isn’t on here tells me people equate high notes with skill FAR too much. Emotion and dynamics are much much harder for people than simply hitting high notes. I’m a guy who can hit A5 without a hiccup…. That’s not a brag that’s just my voice. The high notes are EASY for me. High notes are NOT always an indicator of skill
This list is focused on Broadway, and even so, I think "My Man" is harder
Glitter and Be Gay? So where is Barbara Cook?
@Hi Ho Funny Girl was a broadway show, thus the song , Dont Rain on my Parade
@Hi Ho She starred in Funny Girl o Broadway. Funny Girl IS a Broadway musical.
PERIOD
I played Cinderella in Into the Woods a few years ago…Your Fault is an absolute MONSTER to sing. The first time we went through the entire show during rehearsals, I got an asthma attack during “Your Fault”. Absolutely brutal song. The show went really well though!
Sondheim's music is brutal.
Just finished a run of ITW in the orchestra on clarinet. Phew! It was tough, but extremely rewarding 😊
I’m 14 so I’m in the junior version. It doesn’t have your fault but most of the songs are in it
Ouch! Asthma attack during a rehearsal. That’s a bit terrifying.
thank god i got cinderellas prince and not baker or jack lmao
“Have you ever tried to do a duet by yourself?”
Me, a theater kid: *_everyday_*
Literally come to the comments to say this. 😂😂
Bold of you to assume I don't attempt to sing in place of whole companies XD
Haha. I’m more of a band kid who has recently gotten into Broadway musicals and lemme tell you- you CANT do a duet by yourself in band, it was refreshing to find out you can sing a duet by yourself:)
Yup
Divorced, beheaded, died..............
“Have you ever tried to do a duet by yourself?” Me singing nonstop from Hamilton: 👁👄👁
that's so me
Or Les Miserables
Gentlemen of the jury, I'm curious, bear with me. Are you aware we're making history?
@@eliasmg9144 This is the first murder trial of our brand new nation
I WAS THINKING THAT EXACT ONE
“Have you ever tried to do a duet by yourself?”
Me trying doing every single part of most songs: 👁👄👁
I have different voices for each character too 😅
@@vedamadem A must!
clark on stage solved that for me 😍
YES!!! No one will sing with me 😔
"how can you do a duet by yourself that's like vocal masturbation or something"
The irony in that Broadway actors have to sing these insanely difficult songs is that Broadway actors make a pittance compared to TV and movie actors. To me, it's like you shouldn't be on a TV show unless you've proved your mettle on Broadway.
also, the fact that they don't just sing it once and done.
Yeah alot of these guys are triple threats (sing, dance, act) for a reason. It's one reason why I'll always prefer Broadway over TV and Cinema.
I hate when people are amazed movie and tv show actors performed musical scenes in “one take.” Lolol broadway actors are cackling
This is why Brit actors are so good. A huge chunk of them started in Theater.
I have always had this opinion as well
“Have you ever tried to do a duet by yourself?”
Me, a Les Mis fanatic who tried singing both parts of The Confrontation at least a thousand times: you underestimate my ambition
I tried singing one day more by myself 😭😭
Or like, literally the whole musical honestly. Is it possible to just sing one part?
Saaame. Like yes, every theatre kid and musical lover has tried to sing two or more parts at once. It's part of the culture
@@viktorbraginski your not wrong
There is power in me yet, my race is not yet run!
"And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" always makes me emotional, is seriously something else if done right.
@ Beatrice NO ONE will equal the raw power passion and honesty of Jennifer Holidays performance of this song!
@@kevinhanson6106 I agree. She is a legend for real
@@kevinhanson6106 I get electric goosebumps everytime I hear her sing it.
People say they don't like songs where the singer yells or shouts. But this song is raw emotion. If you can't convey your anger or hurt in this song without yelling and shouting then you aren't trying hard enough. Jennifer Holiday owns this song. She will forever be the standard. Yes Jennifer Hudson won an Oscar and did it justice. But the pain and soul Jennifer Holiday sang with can't be duplicated. You have to go to a dark place to sing this song.
Omg- done right- it reaches inside your chest and grabs your heart
I personally believe Burn from Hamilton deserves something because some of the notes I can't even hold and the amount of emotion Phillipa put into that is insane.
I agree...I find Burn far more challenging than Guns and Ships.
@@live_unafraid47 yea same i prefer "first burn" tho
@@ellichan5603 First burn would be so incredibly difficult to do by yourself. Most of it is therorectically possibe but those long notes are so hard.
fr!
as a vocal major, I don't think Burn is that difficult. guns and ships is hard because of the fact that you have to enunciate your words very fast. burn is not too demanding at all
Defying Gravity is a powerful song that gave me chills when I saw WICKED live in 2018. The final stretch of it has several belts and the ending riff is surprisingly difficult to pull off while staying on-pitch and keeping the tone full. The song was pretty much made for Idina Menzel (the original singer).
I've seen Wicked 3 times, and every time, the audience stands and applauds Elphaba when singing Defying Gravity! What a song!!
I saw wicked in 2015 when I was 3 it left a permanent mark on my soul im 12 now
Mitch Grassi from Pentatonix did Defying Gravity. It's on his SuperFruit channel. He even went a note or two higher than Idina Menzel. If you look up "Superfruit Defying Gravity" you'll find it. Thought you might enjoy a different version. :)
I love this song, it's a classic case of a show stopper. But Wicked has quite a few of them, all screaming with emotion and passion. ("For Good" always leaves me with tears in my eyes).
@@thevidi0t Can't watch For GOOD in public...tears every time.
I’m a simple Broadway Fan. I see Indina Menzel, I click.
Idina Menzel
@@XJIcequeen Menzel
@@albanmalezieux8878 thank you
@@XJIcequeen Adele Dazim
Same
I literally cried the first time i saw “she used to be mine” performed
First time I heard that song it was from AGT 2019. Lucas absolutely killed it with his performance.
Me too, the lyrics are so poignant, and makes me cry each time I hear them!
I saw a video of Jordan Sparks performing it, and she absolutely made me cry.
@@Aster_Risk i saw Allison luff i swear the whole theater was crying lol 😭
Yup this is my “cry in the shower/car” song 😭🖤🖤🖤 I wept like a baby watching Luke perform it on AGT
I didn’t realize that Dolores Umbridge could singing so amazingly
😂😂😂😂
Ikr
Broadway where the actors actually have to sing and dance and actually have talent with no Auto-Tune
8 shows a week
I mean I could TOTALLY DO IT! ha ha ha
They don't need extreme close ups to prove they are singing live... - Neil Patrick Harris
I'm trying to jump back into it and I do sing and dance.
@@journeysoutloud1990 you can do it! Bravo!
"Hey, here's a Sondheim song"
"Oh, awesome. Okay"
"It's four minutes long"
"Not a problem"
"With seventeen minutes of lyrics"
"Wait, what?"
"And the tempo changes every three seconds"
"Great."
“And the accompaniment sounds like freeway traffic at rush hour during a blackout.”
“So, this is Sondheim’s Ninth Level of Hell?”
“Oh, honey, we’d never send you there. It’s a clone of Mandy Potemkin with a piccolo. You’re safe.”
@@a.kenneth3521 I can't stop laughing, this is SO ACCURATE.
😅😅😆
Mmmhmmm!! There is very little, if any, room to breathe in a Sondheim song, lol!
Every three seconds? You obviously aren't singing it up to tempo yet.
Need to add these to a Playlist so:
20) Climb Every Mountain
19) She Used to be Mine
18) Made of Stone
17) Rainbow High
16) Confrontation
15) Rose's Turn
14) Pitty the Child
13) So Much Better
12) Your Fault
11) I'm Here
10) I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General
9) Memory
8) Guns and Ships
7) Bring Him Home
6) And I am Telling You I'm Not Going
5) I Only Want to Say
4) Defying Gravity
3) Getting Married Today
2)Phantom of the Opera
--Dead Girl Walking
--Octet
--Kiss Me
--I am who I am
--Let's Raise a Little Hell
1) Glitter and be Gay
You are amazing, I was looking for a comment like this for my own playlist
13 is actually so much better
Defying gravity was a song I wanted to sing
13 is “So Much Better”, not “Whipped Into Shape”. “Whipped Into Shape” is just an example they use in comparison for the song. And 9 is called “Memory”, not “Midnight”. 😅 Other than that, you’re spot on! Thanks for the list! 😄
@@RandomWriter9110 😅 the process of typing it on my cell while I listened without being able to pause without deleting the comment was... Not easy 😂
I’m so happy to see Made of Stone on this list. Hunchback is criminally underrated. The music, vocals, and raw emotion are incredible. It’s such a powerful show. It’s a show I think everyone should see if they get the chance.
Stephen Schwartz is a genius. Pair him with Alan Menken and you got a MASTERPIECE. Hunchback of Notre Dame has some of the best pieces of music Disney has ever made.
yes and this is one of my favorite shows of all time! It is so good!
HoND is a criminally underrated musical and has always been a criminally underrated animated movie.
My daughter who grew up in a family filled with music people (vocalists and instrumentalists) and was practically born singing musicals. She loved watching "Phanton" and mimicked the songs. She especially loved to sing Christine's part on Think of Me, and The Phantom of the Opera and had no idea the E6 was supposedly near impossible to sing. Her middle school teacher heard her hit the E6 with no problem while she was singing for fun in the school bathroom and went in to and asked her why she did not tell her she could sing that high. She said she didn't think it was a big deal. She was recommended to apply to a very prestigious Fine Arts Academy and got in easily. Her class won a Grammy. Graduation year she sang with her class in Carnegie Hall. I sing but not like she can. I thought she might choose a career singing but she decided she is happiest teaching young children. She chose to teach full classes with ESL. I am so proud of her as she is very gentle and patient and maybe she will help some other kids to find their voices!
Forgot to add, a close family member is a Music producer and he told us that Brightman had trouble with the E6 so for the musical, the recorded E6 is dubbed.
@@Umihime I think your family member who told you that is mistaken. Sarah Brightman was married to Andrew Lloyd Webber and he wrote that song for HER to sing and he knew her limitations. She was the first Christine and was fantastic in her role.
@@iamarine I knew she was married to ALW and that she sang the part but she was not always consistent. No One is perfect. The person who told me has worked with them both. I also have a career in music as well as a history of musical theater performance as do several off my other relatives. It is not all that rare to have a note recorded to make sure it is perfect in a live performance.
I knew my stuff but went to find a source you might actually believe. It is done ALL THE TIME in musical theater. NO ONE is perfect.
@@iamarine BTW, the family I am referencing knows them both and has worked with both of them.
I attended MANY Broadway shows and I loved them ALL! I had an ex-boyfriend who worked for a Broadway theater, as did his father and uncle in the box office. I'd usually take two friends with me into the city, where we'd shop and dine before the show. I was hooked up with three 5th row center seats for FREE! I was just a kid back then, but I still cherish those memories. Seeing the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, watching the ice skaters and enjoying the holiday decorations were special and something that most Americans NEVER get to see!
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING JEKYLL AND HYDE ON HERE! Some people don't understand how difficult it is to change voices so quickly. Anthony Warlow is a god. It's one of my favorite musical concept albums
Aaah, Anthony Warlow 🥰 when I was in a musical in high school, we (the whole cast) were taken to see him in a one-man show. As exhausted as he must have been, he hung out for a bit with us afterwards.
Crazy Fact: My mom actually played the main character in a great feminine role in a elementary school. I’d call this a Crazy Musical Fact for Myself
That concept album is absolutely incredible
When I first heard that song it was when Constantine Maroulis played the title role, in which Hyde was portrayed via a projection, so seeing Anthony Warlow's performance of it was a definite surprise to me. (Also in the Constantine Maroulis production they gave the song more of a rock arrangement, which sounds weird but is fitting if you saw him on American Idol).
I didn't even know Hasslehoth sang, wow.
Seriously Veronica only gets an honorable mention? She leaves the stage for a total of 4 minutes the entire show and the rest of the time she’s on stage belting or screaming.
I guess this isn’t about roles tho it’s about songs - tbf tho she has diiificult songs lol!
or laughing
@@BffKLAM not to mention just about every actress who played her suffered some degree of vocal damage from the the role.
Just imagine screaming dead girl walking every night, I'd lose my head(6) performing that.
@@hollandfray4521 yeah, it’s a good thing when they did the west end version they lowered the notes. However Carrie Hope Fletcher did get tonsillitis during the last few months of her performance I’m pretty sure
“Have you ever tried to do a duet by yourself?”
Bohemian Rhapsody has entered the chat
Yesss. I have! When my father bought his first band recorder (with two huge spools) and found out that he theoretically could dub tracks, he tried it on me! It worked and I turned out to be having a perfect pitch. For me, that was not surprising, I was just told to do the same song twice. He loved it. A singing career was out of the question, tough.
Wait bohemian rhapsody is a duet?
@@theblaze5530 not really, but it’s basically like four different songs in one (and it also has some backup vocals) 😭 The song changes randomly and is fairly hard to sing. Kudos to those who can
I didn't know Broadways Hunchback of Notre Dame had sign language in it! That is so cool!!
That was from the Seattle cast. The actor who played Quasimodo is Deaf, just as the character in the book is. The actor signed his lines while one of the gargoyles sang them.
But Ms Mojo is putting all the focus on singing while acting in the physical form of the hunchback & it’s not him, it’s the gargoyle singing.
Awesome
Quasimodo is deaf from his life ringing the very loud bells. (Yes, deaf, he can’t hear, not Deaf, culturally and linguistically Deaf. Maybe I should say ‘deafened’...anyway, he can’t hear, but he is lucky enough to live in Paris, relatively near the church-run Deaf school, where the French Sign Language (ancestor of ASL) was ‘born’, so he has access to sign for communication.
Awesome
When I went through Marine Corps' bootcamp, every Sunday at mass we had a recruit that would sing "Bring him home" every week and it would bring every grown man to a tear in that room to a tear every time. A true and amazing musical for years to come!!!!!
I would say "I'm Not Getting Married Today" from Sondheim's COMPANY is pretty tough. I didn't sing it, but my colleague did and had a short series of emotional break downs during rehearsals because she just couldn't get all of the song's words out. Eventually, she recovered, got the knack of it, and she and the show went on to be a big hit.
I'm SO glad Betty Buckley's climax of "Memory" was in this, her "Tony"-performance is my favourite version of that song.
0
Gives me chills every. Single. Time.
She is an amazing singer. Best of all. I’ve heard her in person. Unbelievable voice. Gives me chills
Barbara Streisand did the best Memory rendition tho, just in case u were implying that Betty Buckley was the "definitive".
Check out Delta Goodrem's Version of "Memory"
Thanks for another brilliant musical theatre list. When I was in high school, we performed "Les Miserables", and our Valjean might have only been 16, yet he had a incredible baritone voice. You can BET that he brought the house down every night with his roaring rendition of "Bring him Home." 👏🏾🎭🎶
I cry over that song no matter who sings it 😂😂😭😭
I cry throughout that play! Especially during the finale when Valjean and Fantine have their interlude!
What fun it must have been to perform this great musical in high school. Great memories you will always remember!
I love the Valjean/Javert duets.
Betty Buckley knocks Memory right out of the park...Fantastic!
my favorite of all time!!!!
I'm blown away every time I see Broadway shows, the incredible choreography, insanely long lyrics, and vocal ranges that seem almost non-human. I agree with another comment below: these actors and actresses have so much to offer their audiences yet get paid so little in comparison. These are people so dedicated to their art and performance. Bravo to them all!
Popular- Wicked
Let It Go- Indina Menzel(Frozen)
Another Day& La Vi Boheme-Rent
Listen- Dream Girls
Green Finch & Linnett Bird- Sweeney Todd
Never Enough- The Greatest Showman
I agree with never enough. I did a production of it for a musical course in which we had a week to put on a musical and chose the greatest showman. Don’t he me wrong we had some strong singers for the leads but damn it if that song wasn’t up there with the hardest.
Green Finch-the hardest song I've heard sung badly and beautifully in the latest Sweeney Todd version. I was following the send up closely to see if it was included with dread but the young actress sang it so well. No screeching. 😊
I can do all but Green Finch & Linnett Bird(not for lack of trying though)
Never Enough is hard as hell because that strong high note on "enough" is right on a lot of women's breaks, where the "natural" voice stops and you have to transition into head voice. It's hard to land as powerfully as required when you're fighting against your normal placement
and also world burn - mean girls
"Have you ever tried to do a duet by yourself?" *Me singing every part I possibly can during Hamilton...*
So true
Anthony Head nailed it in "thankless job" from Repo, I enjoy singing that one for the change in character. Fun like Jekyll and Hyde 😅❤
I am surprised 'I Dreamed a Dream' was not on here. That song requires strong emotion and voice.
True, but I would choose Bring Him Home from Les Miserable since it has a lot of emotion and more voice control compared to I dreamed a dream
I agree with both and was amazed when Tom Ellis sang it on Lucifer
@@marallenrondez2606 yeah, holding a constant falsetto is hard enough for most male singers as it is.
@@RobbieL1977 he sang it great
I can't believe On My Own wasn't mentioned. Requires huge range and requires real depth in performance if it's to get the right reaction from the audience
When it comes to Defying Gravity, no one can ever top the Spirit Lord of Derpendelle herself, Idina Menzel x3
Jessica Vosk
@@calebjfreed I agree 1000000%
Absolutely. I prefer the song no good deed but the pair definitely made the bar so high, it’s never the same unless they sing it.
I can do it
Oh they absolutely can.
I played Little Red in Into The Woods in high school, and getting those "it was your faults" in was so hard but so fun. Of course I am a Sondheim junkie and love the complicated rhythms and overlapping voices. Such fun. I love learning/practicing/performing patter songs too.
Oh Shit BRING HIM HOME.... our Val Jean was a freshman who somehow pulled out all the stops and killed it. Les Mis was so interesting to do. So many set changes.
Our high school Baker's Wife accidentally sang "The cow as red as blood". 😹
It is important to note that Colm Wilkinson was the one who chose to sing "Bring Him Home" in a high tenor register. Everyone has since followed his lead. THANK YOU for including "Climb Every Mountain." One of the most beautiful songs from a musical ever written. I used it and plenty of Sarah Brightman and Andrew Lloyd Webber to help me train for operatic singing.
Colm Wilkinson was also the best Jean Val Jean ever!
I'm a simple man, I see "Broadway" in the title so I click
Omg yes So Much Better made the list I'm so proud
Me too. Me too.
Yep. Same
Same same
Yes
The most difficult song in all of musical comedy is "Trouble" from The Music Man. Nothing from Hamilton can hold a candle to it in difficulty. The acting required is staggering as it sets the premise for the entire show and the enunciation and cadence require the skill of an auctioneer.
my community theatre did the music man and our harold hill was SOOOO charismatic and the only person i know who could pull it off
Definently,I am playing contasoble locke at my drama shool this year and trouble is so hard
YougottroublemyfriendsrighthearIsay,troublerighthearinrivercity
Thats what it sounds like
So, is Sondheim aware that oxygen is necessary for people to, you know, sing? Or live?
He he he he he
Sondheim cares not.
Sondheim just likes to punish his singers.
"By the Sea" from Sweeney Todd is literally a physical torture for the actress playing Mrs. Lovett.
@@danpage6907 Just ask Angela Lansbury.
They should have included “Heaven On Their Minds” from Jesus Christ Superstar. That song is more difficult than Gethsemane, but for a different reason. There’s not any insane high notes that up the curve, but insane scales instead.
Carl Anderson set the bar high after doing the 1973 movie version and I have yet to hear anyone match it. Anderson’s scales on the big notes were flawless and the passion with which he sang it was unparalleled. I have also seen him do it live on three occasions in the 90s, and he still nailed it every time, even adding in extra scales. RIP Carl Anderson.
10000% AGREED seen it 3 times live and no one matches his version
Heaven on Their Minds also has to convey Judas' mixture of admiration, frustration, anger and fear.
@@joehadari7315 …and no one captures all of those emotion better than Carl Anderson did. Especially in the movie where all of the singer/actors had the benefit of being directed by Norman Jewison. Without Norm’s direction, that movie would not be as powerful as it is and I’m an atheist, but I still know art when I see or hear it.
"Vocally the song is all over the place."
Me trying to reach those high notes but failing spectacularly that my neighbors notice: "OMG SAME!!!"
Pretty great list, but I'm kind of disappointed that you mentioned Jennifer Hudson for holding a candle to Jennifer Holliday and not even a nod to Amber Riley who not only killed the song on Glee near the beginning of her career, but played an award-winning Effie in West End to critical acclaim. Not knocking either of the other singers, but Amber Riley often gets overlooked and I think she deserved credit and a mention here too.
Yupppp
No, she doesn't. She didn't perform the song on stage. Duh
@@veronicaruston8224 She did. She literally won awards for playing Effie on West End. (which the original commenter had already mentioned)
*Casually songs a long, even though I sound like a dying cat*
same 😅
Me with Gethsemane:
God (pun intended), I hate being a baritone.
I am sure that isn’t true unless it is but that’s just self doubt
At least that’s the point for Memory
So . . . as Grizabella lol
How many words should we put in the lyrics?
Soundheim: Yes!
How many key changes should we include?
Sondheim: Yes!
How much oxygen should the actors have?
Sondheim: No!
Guns and ships is perfect noone can top the original version
That's so true
Yeah but i can rap it now- what really helped is that its to the same rhythm as Alexander Hamilton which was the first song i learnt
You haven't seen any of the London cast members performing it. They're fucking amazing
Not me rapping it in the bathroom (no im not in the bathroom)
“It takes a really talented actor to pull off this musical number”
*immediately cuts away from David Hastlehoff* 😂
Bahahaha I was hoping they would've cut sooner.
As I read your comment, that scene played out. 😂😂😂😂
Yes, he almost destroyed that show for me. Luckily I had seen it live with truly talented actors, so the bad taste in my mouth was short-lived!
@@michelledrayson4027 Obviously you never saw Sebastian Bach destroy Jeckyll/Hyde. THAT was a travesty.....
@@grease58 I knew better than to subject myself to that which I knew would be a travesty. I only saw the Hasselhoff version because it was given to me on DVD - I haven't been able to stomach that one a 2nd time!
"The Lonely Goatherd" from "The Sound of Music" is another difficult and impressive song for anyone to master. 😊♥
Did you know Adam Pascal's audition notes had the memo: "Closes his eyes when singing" as a concern of the Director of RENT? Jonathan Larsson rejected that concern, and said it was in Adam's favour, given that he wanted people to believe Roger was a singer in a band, not a trained Broadway singer.
I find in order to feel the song the most, my eyes are always closed.
She's not suspended while singing "Defying Gravity". She's standing on a lift that is hidden behind giant sheets of black fabric.
She did say the original staging.
not in all stagings. The one I watched was really "flying" ;)
@@mirjamleczek1527 apparently you need some help with reading comprehension. Original means the first staging. Touring shows will likely have different staging, i.e. the staging you saw. While some theatres have the flies to be able to pull off the original staging, some do not, and instead you get a different staging.
And here’s the best part - it has absolutely no effect on how you see the show.
Kthanks.
/ soapbox
@@jkrissyla I was replying to Cameron, just saying that I had a flying one!
And she’s also screaming, not singing.
Ms. Chenowith is absolutely brilliant, Both as a Commedienne, and as a Singer!! Her movement between the Two is effortless: and Genius in that scene where she tells Patti LuPone: “My song, You go” Brilliant, Brilliant, Brilliant!! I adore her!!
I don't think anyone can sing glitter and be gay as good as Glinda.... I mean Kristin Chenoweth
I don't know...Barbara Cook (the OG) was pretty good too.
@@xxkewldudexx Agreed; very few singers can pull off that song well, and Cook and Chenoweth are among the very few.
@Russell Hayman It doesn't build Barbara Cook up at all to tear down Kristin Chenoweth, and the hyperbole ("third-rater"?) is just silly. Barbara Cook was as gracious and generous a performer as there's ever been, and I feel pretty certain that she appreciated Chenoweth for her talent and hard work as well.
Agreed... and her comedic timing it perfect
Idina played in two different productions with two Ladies with similiar names Kristen and Kristin
Defying Gravity is always hailed as being a hellish song to sing on Wicked, but No Good Deed is also *extremely* hard.
Gethsemane is so beautiful every time, it's so incredibly well done and gorgeous. This musical did so much justice to the story it tells, one of my absolute favorites!
not me trying to sing these songs 🙄✋
I was the sale lol
yep i feel u
My biggest flex is that I can sing the last note on So Much Better 😛
Same
MEEEEE LMAO
I was in a production of “Into The Woods” and “Our Fault” was hard as heck. I was the Baker’s wife so I was dead by then, but DAMN! Watching my classmates manage that was insane.
I can sing it and keep up, though I don't sound good.
(Not related but) the baker’s wife is one of my dream roles! Hope everything went well in the production 😄
@@prideandprejudicebyjaneausten thankfully everything went well other than having to delay the show twice due to terrible weather that year. We had to cancel our second musical of the year because of it. We were SUPPOSED to do Guys and Dolls for the spring show. 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
@@Loveboylove1989 That sucks. At least Into the woods went well.
It's "Your Fault."
Well, search too for Ms. Lea Salonga (former Ms. Saigon, original singer of Aladdin's "A Whole New World" & Mulan's "Reflection"). She's one of the best broadway singers & theater performers in the world. Try to watch her theater performances. 😊
omg i love her sm!! #1 erzulie from once on this island as well
YES!!!
Santa Fe isn’t even an honorable mention?! That song is incredibly difficult.
Or Watch What Happens. That song is really fast. I love Newsies
Yeah. I was surprised. I mean, there are some guys who have to perform high notes in the chorus. I think that is an honorable mention itself.
I love the song but the vocal resilience and range needed isn't that bad compared to all of the songs on here. Plus it doesn't require anywhere near as much physicality as many of the other songs in Newsies (hence why it's the most difficult song to sing in the musical).
@@AldenBunagCDAD Well I see what you are saying, but I believe that this last note and the changing of emotions during the song is really hard. I believe it should have been in the honorable mentions ...!
The one from Newsies or Rent?
Reciting "Modern Major General," from memory, at speed, is a challenging exercise undergraduates in the English Department tend to share with the Performance Arts types. It takes a remarkable level of enunciation to keep it from devolving into incoherent gibberish.
And why did I read this comment in the same rhythm as the song? 🙄🤣🤣
Can we all appreciate David Hasselhoff for doing a really great job despite not having done theatre like that before.
I will certainly appreciate his acting and singing… but you should give the concept album (with Anthony Warlow) a listen. Especially #16 Alive
Right?? He’s way better than I ever thought he could be
Which part/song did he play/sing? I recognised quite a few actors ( who knew Imelda Staunton had such a great singing voice? News to me!), but did not recognise The Hoff at all!
@@louisacoote2337 Hoff played the roll of Jekyll (and by proxy Hyde)
@@louisacoote2337 he was Jekyll and Hyde
My favorite songs are the ones from the Golden Age of Broadway, most of which are written for legit voices rather than belters. From this list I would choose: "If I Loved You", "I Could Have Danced All Night", and many of the tunes from "West Side Story", just to name a few.
I love those as well. They've stood the test of time for a good reason. They have everything: melody, emotion and a good story - and (most of) the singers could sing.
I saw so many of the greats on Broadway in the original. Some of these songs are going for the glitz. But you look back-- my highest was Richard Burton doing the finale of Camelot (tears throughout-- who expected this, a week before opening night?); or how about Julie Andrews pulling off "The Lusty Month of May"; or Newley, "Who Can I Turn To" in Roar of The Greasepaint; Glitter and Be Gay before a tiny personal audience... ... Difficulty of vocal range can be a world away from acting ability; and wordiness, it's still offputting when singer is somewhat offkey (go on, name her). I suspect sometimes vocal range is overcoming the gestalt.
David Hasselhoff in Jekyll and Hyde really surprised me.
I am not a fan of his singing.
@@1049berkeley I don't know if I'm a fan. I just didn't know he could carry a tune.
@@cynthiamaldonado8051 he’s immensely popular in Europe, has released a lot of albums there.
@@daledonaldson4122 I did not know that. Thanks. I'll have to listen to some of his music.
A fantastic musical!
The best rendition of "Gethsemane" I've ever heard is by the one and only Michael Crawford. He sings it with such passion and emotion, he makes me cry. And when he hits that note in the center and holds it forever! He is also my favorite Phantom, and Sarah Brightman my favorite Christine. I wish I had her range.
Have you ever sing a duet with yourself
Me singing all song from Hamilton everyday
Mostly Alexander and Laurens which have chemistry so I’m basically flirting with myself
Me singing as Washington and Hamilton in “One Last Time” 😭
I literally sing every part except for Lafayettes in Guns and Ships
@@mmsarahs I mean, I still TRY to sing Lafayettes part in Guns and Ships. TRY being the operative word XD
And singing both Washington, the ensemble and Layffette! Oo
Room where it happens is my favorite
I didn't know that David Hasselhoff could sing parts so demanding as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde!!! A really amazing surprise!
He did a good job, but he SUPER rushed Confrontation in that recording, sadly.
You can see his entire show on amazon prime.
I saw it on broadway with him.... He was ok when he was by himself but he was WAY out of his league with others.
It was quite unexpected
Didn’t know he sang on broadway either... apparently in Germany we only know him from knight rider, Baywatch and of cause for claiming he brought the Berlin wall down 🤣
Omg yes, it's epic. I cried so much watching it. It's a masterpiece.
"Confrontation" from Jekyll and Hyde really makes you see how good a singer David Hasselhoff really is!
I noticed they gave credit to Anthony Warlow but David Hasselhoff was the actor in that clip.
LIVE LAUGH LOVE DAVID HASSELHOFF@@eldenl1
@@eldenl1Anthony Warlow was the singer from the cast recording, who they played a clip of-a confusing citation for sure though, it’s not clear that the actor in the visual clip is different from the audio clip.
Fantastic!!
UHHH NO! I don't THINK SO! Listen to Constantine Maroulis sing any Jekyll & Hyde song and you'll be eating your words. David Hasselhoff ruined that musical but Constantine was THE BEST !
When I heard Solea Pfieffer sing Evita on youtube, I was blown away more than I ever was by any other singer before. There are so many incredible singers on Broadway that it sometimes feels hard to be over-the-top impressed by one particular voice because there are so many amazing ones. But when I heard Solea, I thought, that must be what angels with incredible voice teachers and years of vocal training sound like.
Love the inclusion of the performance aspect. Musicals aren't just about hitting the high note but conveying the emotions and story.
I'm so glad "Rainbow High" was included. And I'm REALLY glad you showed Ms. Pfeiffer and Ms. LuPone. (I listened to the original cast recording on repeat when I was a kid. 😊)
Also, when trying to sing along with "Hamilton" (which I really shouldn't do), I often end up singing "Everybody give it up for America's flavored flying French fry!"
THE HAMILTON ONE AHAHAHAHAHA PLEASE
Defying Gravity by Idina, gives me chills!!!!! Love you, Idina-thanks for sharing your incredible gift!!!!!
Memory is my favourite song from Cats. I don’t know why, but it makes me cry.
Elaine Paige definitely nailed it.
Its the best song from the show, no cap
I mean, it's the only "I want" song in 2 hours of "I am" songs. The whole show is basically an experiment in the emotional impact of a good "I want" song
My mom laughs at me cause I literally do every single time without fail
You and everybody else.
Defying gravity also gets me.
If anybody sings those two, and I don't cry, they're a bad singer and should find a different line of work
“Have you ever tried to do a duet by yourself?”
Just everyone who's tried to sing Bohemian Rhapsody.
Rose’s turn sung by Imelda Staunton and Patti Lupone is a blessing from the gods themselves
What about Bette Midler?
@@victorhernandez8723 Bette Midler is an og, of course she not just sung but played rose amazingly.
ABSOLUTELY!!!
I don’t know this counts but suddenly Seymour in the parts when Audrey belts it out is just insane (specifically when it’s Ellen Greene)
suddenly seymour took me so long too he able too hit
luckily i have a wide range and operatic voice but it took a while
I grew up a competitive dancer and just the fact that people are dancing and singing anything at the same time is impressive to me. I know how hard that is.
Im so glad and i am telling you was included!! One of my favorite Broadway songs! I always get chills when i hear the Jennifer Holiday version! Especially the live version at the 1982 tonys.
It's incredible, except that she's emoting to the back row while simultaneously being shot in close-up, so it looks like she's telling me she's going to eat my children. Like Alice Ripley in Next To Normal at the Tonys years later.
I think almost every song in les mis is crazy hard... I dreamed a dream anyone
"On my own" was always my favourite and one of my audition songs when I used to audition for pantos, etc.
I really thought that was gonna be on this list
Stars is really fun
I raise you all Javerts Sililoque
@@bridgetbarber4221 I sang On My Own for a college concert once. My voice wasn't in the best shape, because I had been recovering from bronchitis or something, but I powered through (the low notes were a bit rough). I was a little disappointed with it, since the first time I sang it was pretty much the most perfect song I've ever performed. However, an audience member came up to me and said I sang it so well, it was like she could feel the character's emotions and like she was listening to a Broadway singer she had seen perform it.
There will never be another Madeline Kahn...such perfection in comedic acting and singing.
Phantom was absolutely stunning at Her Majesty's Theater London, my friend had seen it so got us center orchestra seats. He awaited my expressions, when the chandelier flew off the stage to the celiing and savored my reaction when it fell from the ceiling and to the stage with the curtains closing for the intermission. I could feel the adrenaline shot both times, as I almost had a heart attack, to his delight! lol It was life affectingly brilliant!
When Gaga sang "climb every mountain" at the oscars in 2015, I was speechless. That was amazing.
That performance was the first time I really appreciated her skills as a singer. I’m not really a fan of her type of music, but damn. She’s got some pipes. I loved her acting skills in AHS as well
David Hasselhoff sings Jekyll & Hyde? Now I'm positively surprised, and you give him credit to be a good actor also 😱
I'm German and David Hasselhoff is an icon here in Germany. He was singlehandedly responsible for the fall of the wall with his song "Looking for Freedom" in 1989 😉🤗
I was specifically looking for memory, which is my fav Broadway song of all time cause it was written like 30 minutes before the show went live and the actress had to learn it in lesser time. LOVE IT SO MUCH.
“Hey Little Songbird” from Hadestown is a hard one. Hades sings some very low notes
Patrick Page’s voice is so low but it’s great!🤣
the fact that Chris Colfer did 3 of the hardest of these perfectly is amazing, as well as Amber Riley with I am telling you and Jayma Mays with Getting Married!
I was scrolling for Glee comments!
GLEEK FOR LIFE!
Amber Riley is the most underrated singer/actress on that show.
In fact Chris did four of these list: Rose's Turn, Memory, Bring Him Home and Defying Gravity
@@Moonuska93 oh yeah! what a god
This is a bit of an oddball choice but I think the second “I’ll Cover You” from Rent has got to be BRUTAL to sing. The most devastating moment in the show has just happened and Collins has to bring that moment home. When it’s done right, it leaves you emotionally exhausted…so while it’s probably not the most technically demanding song in the world (also not the easiest), that’s always been my benchmark for great broadway singing.
💯
11:54 "When have you ever known Sondheim to make things easy on his actors?"
"Send in the Clowns" from "A Little Night Music." Sondheim wrote the song with Glynis Johns' weaknesses as a singer in mind. Easy song to sing.
Send in the clowns isn't about vocal ability....it's all about the emotion.
Amber Riley’s version of And I am Telling You is another that’s really good.
And Defying Gravity by Lea Michele and Chris Colfer is pretty amazing too!
Bit, the best version is by sarah akumu
@@annpaq8342 I listen to Chris Colfer version all the time
For a 10 year old, the little girl on the very first America's Got Talent was amazing singing And I am Telling You. I can never get her out of my head when I here that song....Bianca Ryan, I believe.
Amber Riley can clear her throat and im listening- the women is sheer genuis and talent
“Have you ever tried to do a duet by yourself”
Me casually singing ALL of Hamilton at the drop of a hat with no mistake: 👁👄👁
"Stars" from Les Miserables never fails to take my breath away.
i think the song "Burn" from Hamilton should've been in this video as well. the sustained belting notes in that song are so challenging
I loved Ms. Betty Buckley on Eight Is Enough, but I had no idea that she had such a wonderful voice. I always loved Bette Midler, Bernadette Peters, Audra McDonald, Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Holliday, Kristin Chenoweth and Patti Lupone, but Ms. Buckley is amazing. Of course, I thought the musical Cats was phenomenal. Everything about that show is fantastic, from the costumes to the acting to the singing. My mom and I saw Cats twice, and it was fabulous.
I saw guns and ships lived not perform by diggs by another actor and the actor struggled with that song and the fast pace lyrics but was amazing. I praise diggs performance.
Defying gravity is my all time favorite song from any musical.
You should give Mitch Grassi from Pentatonix a listen. He and band mate Scott Hoying did a spoof on it but Mitch nails it.
I was in Pirates as a kid.... so Modern Major General is stuck in my head on a daily.... and I love it.
"Climb Every Mountain" was sung gorgeously by male tenor Jordan Smith on The Voice in 2015. He made it look easy.
I don’t think you have to be a soprano. I’m an alto and I sang Climb Every Mountain, a Capella, for my music exam 45 years ago, winning a distinction and a round of applause from all the other students standing outside the exam room. Thanks for bringing a happy memory back.
@@marchelapocopio8636 Yeh. I’m an oldie 🤣
I agree, being another alto. It's not the high notes, it's having the range and having the song in your correct key. It is a beautiful and heart felt song. Songs are emotions made audible.
Whoo hoo fellow Altos! Alto 2 here. Heather on the Hill was my "Climb Every Mountain"
We did Sixteen Going on Seventeen at school way back when The Sound of Music came out, but not Climb Every Mountain. I used to be a soprano in school choir, 2nd sop when in church choir as an adult, and I think I'm now an alto in my kitchen choir singing to the kitchen sink and the dogs. You never get it out of your blood.
I've already drawn up the play list for my Final Farewell and am just sorry that I'll be too dead to sing along.
@@pennyk2798 Sadly, I no longer sing in choirs. A chest condition makes breathing difficult and the medication has thickened my vocal chords so I no longer have a decent range. But I enjoy a warble at home 😄
I graduated high school in 1967, and "Climb Every Mountain" is our class song. We sing it at every reunion, the latest being this year, celebrating 55 years.
Hearing Sarah Brightman (the original Christine from Phantom of the Opera) live is a treat!
I agree because she hits that last note, I think the movie version uses a synthesizer
I heard her on Broadway and don't understand all the heat she took, all the snotty reviews. I think it was more that critics hated Andrew Lloyd Weber and she got a bad rap for it. But Judy Kaye was also amazeballs as Carlotta. I read that the costume dress she wore in the scene with Hannibal and the elephants weight 70 pounds. Hit High Ds in that!!
She’s one of my favourite female vocalists of all time!
If I had her range, I could do the title song. Alas, I don't, so I can only admire others who perform it. I have sung "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again".
I wish they would have shown more of Chenoweth's Glitter and Be Gay. She nails it voice-wise and comedy-wise.
Indeed. We *saw* the fast portamento part (and boy, just watching her diaphragm *go* made it obvious what part of the song it was), but we didn't get to hear it!
Chenoweth is incredible in pretty much everything.
Music of the Night from Phantom of the Opera. The range that song requires is insane.
Everyone panic, Dolores Umbridge has come to Broadway!
I like to think Dolores got fired and banished from the wizarding world and saw the error of her ways. While trying to adjust to the muggle world she stumbled upon musical theater and loved it. It gave her motivation and hope to try it out. She now spends her days performing and wishing she could apologize to all those she hurt but in a roundabout way grateful they kicked her out because now she is happier than ever.
Yeah, and she was killin’ it‼️😂
Imelda Staunton is a fucking amazing musical actress. I'm grateful to have seen her perform live
@@saorise28 she deserves MUCH worse; you’re perverse
Lol, my reaction exactly. "Oh!!! Dolores Umbridge is singing Rose's Turn!!"