Showtunes with International Theme?

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Showtunes with International Theme?

Posted: 1/16/08 at 5:56pm

Hey fellow theatre geeks. I'm music directing a fundraiser, the theme of which is "An Evening of International Music and Cuisine." The last time we did this, I got a group together and we did a basic SATB arrangement of "Circle of Life" from The Lion King, which was a lot of fun and went over well.

This year, I'm having trouble coming up w/ another number. I'm considering doing some kind of geography-related showtune medley (I Love Paris in the Springtime, How Are Things in Glocca Mora, Etc.) but I'd really like to come up with a fun internationally-themed group number like "Circle of Life."

I know I can count on you all. Any suggestions?

Eric M. Cole
www.maninchair.com

re: Showtunes with International Theme?

Posted: 1/16/08 at 9:11pm

there's some spanish in some of the songs from in the heights.

<-- Gwen Stewart, SOLoist at the last show of RENT
Cages or wings? Which do you prefer? Ask the birds. Fear or love, baby? Don't say the answer Actions speak louder than words. (Tick, Tick... BOOM!)

re: Showtunes with International Theme?

Posted: 1/16/08 at 9:16pm

"They Love Me" from Mr. President. It was written to be silly, but in the 40-some years since, it's taken on a kind of irony.

re: Showtunes with International Theme?

Posted: 1/16/08 at 9:20pm

How about something from Once on This Island.

Unless I don't understand your question.

"Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around."

re: Showtunes with International Theme?

Posted: 1/16/08 at 9:24pm

Let me look through my library:

The score of Bernarda Alba is beautifully authentic to the rural Spanish culture.

Fiddler on the Roof certainly captures the sounds of the shtetl.

Miss Saigon...Sun and Moon is a good option.

Pacific Overtures is a no-brainer. The revival cast recording in particular sounds authentically Japanese

The Light in the Piazza? There's two songs in Italian for goodness' sake.

You seem to have already gone with The Lion King

Victor/Victoria has a song called Paris By Night which has a beautiful part for an accordion

Hope they help.

Butters, go buy World of Warcraft, install it on your computer, and join the online sensation before we all murder you. --Cartman: South Park ATTENTION FANS: I will be played by James Barbour in the upcoming musical, "BroadwayWorld: The Musical."

re: Showtunes with International Theme?

Posted: 1/16/08 at 9:24pm

yeah, do you mean a kumbaya-everyone loves everyone-multicultural bs song like circle of life, or a song actually about international relations like 3-5-0-0 in Hair?

re: Showtunes with International Theme?

Posted: 1/17/08 at 12:02pm

Thanks for the helpful suggestions, all of you.

jbdc--for the fundraiser, I think we'll keep it more on the everyone-loves-everyone side than the 3-5-0-0 side. Though I appreciate your point, I don't think "ripped open by metal explosion" would go over too well during dinner.

Eric M. Cole
www.maninchair.com

Updated On: 1/17/08 at 12:02 PM

re: Showtunes with International Theme?

Posted: 1/17/08 at 12:20pm

It's not a showtune, but "It's a Small World" might be worth considering. You could do some fun things with a group and make it more interesting than just a simple children's song.

Then follow it up with "Rainbow Tour" from Evita to please the cynics.

re: Showtunes with International Theme?

Posted: 1/17/08 at 12:37pm

How about something from the Stinky Pampersmell, I mean the Scarlet Pimple-hole, I mean the Scarlet Pimpernel??? France...

#10

re: Showtunes with International Theme?

Posted: 1/17/08 at 10:01pm

Yeah, I'm one of the cynics who instantly goes to the dark side.

But on the lighter, love-in side:
Do two songs--start with

"Alone in the Universe" from Seussical. And then follow it up with

"One Person" from Dear World--or "Dear World" or "Tomorrow Morning"--also from Dear World.

or--"Worlds Apart" from Big River

or--"Look Around" and "Never Met a Man I Didn't Like (finale)" from The Will Rogers Follies

and then end with "Xanadu" from Xanadu.

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