Pictured above: Marcus Terrell Smith in Serenbe Playhouse's 2019 production of Ragtime. Photo by BreeAnne Clowdus.
We might not be able to go to the theatre in real life, but through the magic of YouTube, we’re bringing Broadway into your living room, basement, or quarantine location of choice. Below, check out our top five favorite Broadway videos, from the feel-good to the inspirational!
1. “Brotherhood of Man” from How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying
Warning: you may find yourself involuntarily and without warning jumping, singing, and dancing, because who can resist a good old-fashioned Frank Loesser modulation? And if Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe can do it, you can too!
2. “Don’t Break the Rules” from Catch me if You Can
There’s nothing like a musical number centered around a character who would have hated musicals, as actor Norbert Leo Butz described it. I’ve heard a rumor that there are ensemble dancers backing up Norbert in this number, but I have yet to lay eyes on anyone besides the Tony and Fred Astaire Award-winner.
3. “Wheels of a Dream” from Ragtime
From the Tony Award-winning 1998 musical about turn-of-the-century New York, featuring historical cameos from historical characters including Harry Houdini and Booker T. Washington, “Wheels of a Dream” sets the tone for a tear-jerker of a musical. Please enjoy this clip featuring original cast members Brian Stokes Mitchell and the queen of Broadway herself, Audra McDonald.
4. “There Is Nothin’ Like A Dame,” “Some Enchanted Evening,” and “(I’m in Love with) a Wonderful Guy” from South Pacific
If all sailors were as Rodgers and Hammerstein depicted, I’d trust them less to defend our country and more to deliver some first-class song and dance. Nevertheless, let’s admire the talents of Tony Award-winner Kelli O’Hara and the cast of the 2008 revival of South Pacific.
5. “Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat” from Guys and Dolls
Because one Loesser song isn’t enough for one playlist, let’s take it back to the OG rousing number. In the songwriter’s classic style, this is the penultimate 11 o’clock number, complete with a male chorus and in-the-rafters female descant (eerily similar to the aforementioned “Brotherhood of Man”).
