Female duets/trios

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Female duets/trios

Posted: 9/11/03 at 12:13pm

I'm putting together a cabaret for 3 women and I'm having trouble finding really good trios and to a lesser extent, duets. We want more bluesy, elegant, cry your eyes out, nightclub type songs, preferrably from the Broadway genre. Suggestions? I know we've only scratched the surface, but here's what we've got so far:

I Know Him So Well
In His Eyes
Class
It's Never That Easy/I've been Here Before

Solos:
Heaven Help My Heart
Stranger Here myself
Stars and the Moon
Tell Me on a Sunday
If I should Lose My Way
Sooner or Later

Oh, and if anyone knows where I can get a copy of the Webber Love Trio that was performed at "The Leading Ladies" concert, I would give my left eye for it.

re: Female duets/trios

Posted: 9/11/03 at 12:20pm

Don't forget all those crappy duets from 'Side Show' that everyone seems to love.

Updated On: 9/11/03 at 12:20 PM

re: re: Female duets/trios

Posted: 9/11/03 at 12:33pm

just wondering...is that why you think they're "crappy"? because everyone else loves them?

It's probably not jazzy enough, but i like that female duet from SHENANDOAH, something about the "ivy and the oak" or some such. There's got to be stuff in THE RINK as well. And how about the new song written for CHICAGO THE MOVIE?

Will: They don't give out awards for helping people be gay... unless you count the Tonys. "I guarantee that we'll have tough times. I guarantee that at some point one or both of us will want to get out. But I also guarantee that if I don't ask you to be mine, I'll regret it for the rest of my life..."

re: re: re: Female duets/trios

Posted: 9/11/03 at 12:37pm

There's a terrific musical scene from 'A...My Name is Alice' that takes place in a male strip joing.

As for somewhat well-known ones...there's:

You Could Drive A Person Crazy
Sing for your Supper
I Want it All

You can also use traditionally male numbers like Fugue for Tinhorns

"I'm so looking forward to a time when all the Reagan Democrats are dead."

re: re: re: Female duets/trios

Posted: 9/11/03 at 12:45pm

You Could Drive a Person Crazy- though it is more upbeat, at least it's a trio
What You Don't Know About Women (City of Angels)
Three Friends (from Closer Than Ever) is again very upbeat

There's no reason I Don't Remember You/Sometimes a Day Goes By couldn't be done with women.

I once heard a beautiful arrangement that started with Barbra Striesand's medley of We Kiss in a Shadow/Something Wonderful/I Have Dreamed with one person on each song. As written, it goes into a solo, so they continued to blend the other songs in. You might try playing with that.

In that vein, you could experiment with your own combination of songs.

I also love the tea party scene in Dear World, which might take some tinkering to work in a cabaret setting, but could be worth it. Though I think there are 4 parts. Perhaps your pianist could take one of them...

re: Female duets/trios

Posted: 9/11/03 at 1:17pm

Ok, so the jazz/standards I don't really know but musical theatre tunes I have some. (True, there are very few female duets and trios)

Witches of Eastwick
A Class Act (Under Separate Cover)
Wonderful Town (Ohio)
A Chorus Line (At the Ballet)
Das Barbecu (Barbeque for Two)
Bat Boy
Carrie (Unsuspecting Hearts)
Chess (I Know Him So Well)
Titanic (Lady's Maid)
Jekyll and Hyde (In His Eyes)
Dreamgirls
Little Night Music (Everyday a Little Death)
Full Monty (You Rule My World-Reprise)
Marie Christine
Thoroughly Modern Millie (Like the Other Half)
Hairspray (Big Girl Now)
Miss Saigon (I Still Believe)
Gypsy (You Gotta Get a Gimmick)
Im Getting My Act Together... (Old Friend)

Hope this helps some!! Have fun!

re: re: re: re: Female duets/trios

Posted: 9/11/03 at 1:22pm

"A Lady Needs a Rest" from LET'S FACE IT.

"That Ring on the Finger" from DESTRY could be re-jigged for a trio.

"Christ, Bette Davis?!?!"

re: re: re: re: re: Female duets/trios

Posted: 9/11/03 at 1:53pm

I knew I'd get some good stuff. :)

Ok, here's my next problem. I live in Nebraska -- not exactly the hotbed of finding "slightly obscure" songs from musicals, either in a recording or on sheet music.

re: Female duets/trios

Posted: 9/11/03 at 11:12pm

"We Make A Beautiful Pair" from Shenandoah

Listen to the entire cd of "I'm Getting My Act Together And Taking It On the Road". It's all bluesey/nightclub/women power music.

"I Do Miracles" from Kiss of the Spider Woman

If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

Updated On: 9/11/03 at 11:12 PM

#10

re: re: Female duets/trios

Posted: 9/11/03 at 11:24pm

Unsuspecting Hearts is a wonderful duet.

I also love THE LAST DUET from the SIDE SHOW girls duet album.. but most of all the songs are very good.

#11

re: Female duets/trios

Posted: 9/11/03 at 11:30pm

You might consider:

"Let's Be Buddies"
"Bosom Buddies"
"Friendship"
"By The Mississinewah"

Cole Porter and Jerry Herman have a talent for engaging an audience.

Yours for a better Broadway!

Updated On: 9/11/03 at 11:30 PM

#12

re: re: re: Female duets/trios

Posted: 9/11/03 at 11:41pm

Um...yeah, please don't forget those CRAPPY duets.

Because THEY are the ONLY two female duets in Side Show...a musical about FEMALE twins who are ATTACHED to each other. (Really, when you're attached to another human being, it's quite rare you do ANYTHING alone, let alone sing by yourself.)

I don't think anything in Side Show is jazz-y enough for you...but some are campy and fun.

I can assure you one thing though -- you can certainly "cry your eyes out" with "Who Will Love Me As I Am?" and "I Will Never Leave You." Alice surely did! (Hi, mascara stains on her costume much?)

You should get your hands on a copy of Emily and Alice's Duets album (yes, it's called DUETS) and Unsuspecting Hearts. I'm pretty sure they've covered the majority of female duet showtunes in the past five years. *sigh* Sad for them, really.

"Celebrate" is actually a really fun song (from Bill Russells Elegies).

Oooo... "Old Friend" is great (from I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It On the Road).

I second "Unsuspecting Hearts." Great song.

"You! You are the worst thing to happen to musical theatre since Andrew Lloyd Webber! And you, well, I just plain don't like you."
~Stewart Gilligan Griffin

#13

Female duets/trios

Posted: 9/12/03 at 12:15am

First time I ever heard WHO WILL LOVE ME AS I AM. I had just broken up with my parter (we had a ceremony and everything.....) and I just bawled. I love that show. It is an amazing show for those of us who are still 'freaks' in this world. If it is gay, handicapped, black, little, fat....it is about just fitting in. And realizing that thru it all some people (Even if technically they are siamese twins) will never leave your life.

Okay...now you can pic that apart.

#14

re: Female duets/trios

Posted: 9/12/03 at 12:57am

I don't think you neccessarily have to be in any "minority" to relate to that song.

I feel like a complete freak and anyone who looks at me on the surface would wonder why. I'm a total WASP, I'm straight, I'm not fat (I'm not thin, but I'm not FAT), etc.

I think it can really hit an emotional barrier for just about anyone, depending on where they are in their life. I have an abandonment issue, so I think "I Will Never Leave You" hits a little closer to home for me (though, I easily relate to both). I, personally, at that point in the show, can actually relate more to Violet. She's truly scared that she'll end up all alone, completely overlooking the one person who has been and will always be there (despite the cliche...DUH, they're attached at the ass... think OUTSIDE the box, people). I've been plenty guilty of coveting the acceptance or affections of those whom I know will ultimately crush me in the end, and somewhere in the midsts of it all, I manage to bypass those who do care and as a result, end up losing them, too. It's a viscious cycle -- lucky Violet for having one up on me and sharing flesh with Daisy.

LOL.

Seriously, those songs can so easily be related to for just about anyone. They're very universal, which is why I believe they came to be "those crappy duets that everyone seems to love," albeit some extremely trite lyrics.

"You! You are the worst thing to happen to musical theatre since Andrew Lloyd Webber! And you, well, I just plain don't like you."
~Stewart Gilligan Griffin

Updated On: 9/12/03 at 12:57 AM

#15

re: Female duets/trios

Posted: 9/12/03 at 8:10pm

Two duets I love are

Baby Dream Your Dream (sweet charity)

My Own Best Friend (Chicago)

My Own Best Friend can also be sung as a solo.

#16

re: Female duets/trios

Posted: 9/12/03 at 11:55pm

Lots of good ideas above. I agree the Ripley/Skinner duets album is full of ideas. For a fun number try "Solid Silver Platform Shoes". I got the sheet music from Stephen Schwartz's office via email.

#17

re: re: Female duets/trios

Posted: 9/13/03 at 1:34pm

A LADY NEEDS A REST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't believe that someone else on this board remembers that!!!!

That song, re-written of course by Cole Porter himself, was the hit of the gay clubs during the 1940s!!!!

Other songs:

Why Can't I from SPRING IS HERE
You Can Have Him from MISS LIBERTY
One boy from BYE BYE BIRDIE

Miriam

Every movement has a meaning--but what the hell does it mean!

#18

re: re: re: Female duets/trios

Posted: 9/13/03 at 6:15pm

How about the "Girl from 14G"

#19

re: re: re: re: Female duets/trios

Posted: 9/13/03 at 7:59pm

"I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" is a great solo.
Than, there's "Down With Love" from The Leading Ladies concert which is perfect. It is jazzy and pretty incredible if the singer could pull it off. Audra Macdonald's rendition was mind boggling.

#20

re: re: re: re: re: Female duets/trios

Posted: 9/13/03 at 8:13pm

there are a number of delightful songs you might want to consider in Over Here!

"MAY YOUR LIFE BE AS BRIGHT AS BROADWAY AT NIGHT"

#21

re: re: re: re: re: re: Female duets/trios

Posted: 9/13/03 at 8:19pm

Sondheim:
Not Getting Married Today
There's always a woman

Bill Finn:
Passover

#22

re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Female duets/trios

Posted: 9/13/03 at 8:27pm

In Trousers has "Set Those Sails" and a few other trios for women.

If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

#23

re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Female duets/trios

Posted: 9/14/03 at 8:28pm

14G is fun! I'm a big fan of "If"!

"You! You are the worst thing to happen to musical theatre since Andrew Lloyd Webber! And you, well, I just plain don't like you."
~Stewart Gilligan Griffin

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