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Stop 2 on our 100 year trip through the history of the American musical: 1935 and Porgy & Bess.  With music by George Gershwin and lyrics by his brother Ira and original Porgy novelist Debose Heyward, Porgy & Bess was immediately hailed as a masterpiece when it debuted in 1935, though it has been troubled from the start by the question of whether it's too much of an opera to be a musical, and vice versa. As time has passed, the question of whether the piece is inherently racist has also risen and gotten more urgent. But the score remains as one of the great acheivements of the American theater, regardless of genre. In this episode, we discuss the iconic "Summertime" and Porgy & Bess. All clips are from a 1935 recording of Abbie Mitchell, who originally sang "Summertime" in the first prodcution, and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.   Watch a modern operatic performance of "Summertime."   George Gershwin introducing and conducting pieces from Porgy & Bess, including "Summertime."   Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected] Recommended Reading/Viewing: George Gershwin in the New York Times about calling Porgy & Bess a "folk opera" Sondheim's 2011 letter responding to an article about the most recent Broadway revival Ethan Mordden, Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theater (Mordden's other volumes are also excellent resources for more in-depth discussion) Broadway: The American Musical

Welcome to 2026, where we're going to go through the first 100 years of the American Musical from its earliest days until the present to track the changes along the way. As a musical once said, the beginning is a very good place to start, so we're starting with 1927's Showboat -- arguably the beginning of what we'd come to call the American Musical. Written by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II, Showboat brought a seriousness of topic and of purpose to the musical stage while still incorporating elements of what had gone before. It was the smash of its day, running for well over 500 performances -- unheard of at the time for musicals. In this episode, we discuss one of that show's most enduring songs, "Ol' Man River," and how the song and its theme is intimately connected to what made Showboat such a groundbreaking show. All clips are from the 1936 film adaptation of Showboat faeturing Paul Robeson and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.   N.B. This episode discusses matters of race and racism and alludes to racial slurs. Listener discretion is advised. Watch the scene from the film   Listen to the original performer, Jules Bledsoe   See Judy Garland performing the song in 1963   Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected] Recommended Reading/Viewing: Ethan Mordden, Anything Goes: A History of American Musical Theater (Mordden's other volumes are also excellent resources for more in-depth discussion) Broadway: The American Musical    

After another plague of delays, we finally complete our miniseries on aging with the darkest and most brutal depiction of it we've seen. Once again, we return to Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812 by Dave Malloy with "The Private and Intimate Life of the House." This isn't a fun one, so listen with care.   We will be back on January 15, 2026 with something unlike we've ever done -- stay tuned!   All clips are from 2017's Natasha, Pierre, and The Great Comet of 1812: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Gelsey Bell and Nicholas Belton and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners.   N.B. This episode was also plagued by some audio issues. It is entirely listenable, but it's a bit quiet at times. Management regrets the inconvenience. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]  

Another grandmother joins us for this installment in our songs about aging, though Abuela Claudia isn't just anyone's grandmother, she is everyone's grandmother. Her solo "Patiencia Y Fe" is one of the standout moments in the standout score of Lin-Manuel Miranda's breakthrough show In the Heights, and Olga Merediz gives it everything she has.  All clips are from 2008's In the Heights: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Olga Merediz and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

We're back! We had an illness related delay, which was us being thematic, since illness is part of growing older...yeah, let's go with that.  But we are back on track and here to talk about Stephen Schwartz's Pippin. In particular, we're looking at the 2012 revival and Andrea Martin's performance of "No Time at All." Definitely watch the performance for the full effect. You'll be glad you did. All clips are from 2013's Pippin: New Broadway Cast Recording featuring Andrea Martin and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Watch the Performance! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

Out with the new and in with the old! Yes, we're moving from songs about growing up to songs about the act of having grown up, i.e., songs about aging and growing old.  We're starting with a song from a show we have been slightly remiss in having only discussed once way back in the early days of our podcast, despite its tremendous popularity and cultural impact. Join us as we talk about "Sunrise, Sunset" from Bock & Harnick's classic Fiddler on the Roof.  All clips are from 1971's Fiddler on the Roof: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Recording featuring Topol, Norma Crane, and violinist Isaac Stern and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy podcast. After 5 years and 125 episodes, we're finally talking about one of the major smashes of the past decade: Pasek and Paul's Dear Evan Hansen. Winner of 6 Tonys -- including Best Actor for overnight sensation Ben Platt -- the show has had quite the interesting journey over the past couple of years. So join us as we talk about the DEH phenomenon, highlight the anthemic "You Will Be Found," and try to answer what, if anything, Evan learns as we close out this miniseries on bildungsromans. All clips are from 2017's Dear Evan Hansen: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Ben Platt and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

More bildungsroman! More childhood discovery! More tears! This time, it's Fun Home that's making us cry, based on Alison Bechdel's graphic novel of the same name. The musical is by Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Krohn and won the 2015 Tony for Best Musical and features the absolutely wondrous and devastating song "Ring of Keys." Buckle up! All clips are from 2014's Fun Home: Original Cast Album featuring Syndey Lucas and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Watch the performance! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

Who here wants to cry at the innocence and fragility of childhood?! Well, ready or not, here we go, because this episode features "When I Grow Up" from Matilda: The Musical written by Tim Minchin. And it definitely enters then canon of "SMSTS episodes where one or both hosts audibly stifles tears." Enjoy!(?) All clips are from 2011's Roald Dahl's Matilda: The Musical Original London Cast Recording and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Watch the performance! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

Merriam-Webster defines a bildungsroman as "a novel about the moral and psychological growth of the main character." Well, we're not talking novels, but musicals --but otherwise, that definition fits nicely for our next mini-series, featuring songs about young people growing up. First up, "13 (Becoming a Man)" the title song and opening number to Jason Robert Brown's anti-triskaidekaphobic work 13.  All clips are from 2008's 13: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Graham Phillips and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

Shannon and Erik (but mostly Shannon) are here to close out our miniseries on comic duets with "You and Me (But Mostly Me)" from The Book of Mormon, written by Matt Parker, Trey Stone, and Bobby Lopez. Erik, meanwhile, details his theory of comic characters and why, for him, a lot of this song falls flat.  All clips are from 2011's The Book of Mormon: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Andrew Rannells amd Josh God and Queen Latifah and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

What if a brilliant comic duet was also incredibly vulgar? Yes, we're talking "Class" from Kander & Ebb's Chicago, and we get into both why it was almost cut from the original production and why it was cut from the 2002 Oscar-winning film.  All clips are from 2002's Chicago: Music from the Miramax Motion Picture featuring Katherine Zeta-Jones and Queen Latifah and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. CONTENT WEARING: Lots of swears in this one. Blame Velma and Mama. Listener discretion advised.  Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

We're back again, and just in time for Pride Month (Happy Pride!), we're talking about one of the queerest songs ever to appear in a totally "straight" musical: "Bosom Buddies" from 1966's Mame, with music and lyrics by Jerry Herman. Join us as we talk about Broadway, bitchiness, and Bea. All clips are from 1966's Mame: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Angela Lansbury and Bea Arthur and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. N.B. -- This episode appears late due for artistic reasons, not at all because the editor accidentally scheduled it to release in July. Nope, that definitely didn't happen. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Watch Angela and Bea at the Tonys. Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

A few days late, but we hope it's worth the wait: it's new miniseries time! This time, we're looking at comedic duets, and we start with one of the most iconic examples of the genre: "Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better" by Irving Berling from 1946's Annie Get Your Gun. We talk a lot about the show, the song, and why the latter seems destined to outlive the former. All clips are from 1999's Annie Get Your Gun: The New Broadway Cast Recording featuring Bernadette Peters and Tom Wopat and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Watch Reba crushing it. Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]

One final SondheimB-side before we depart. This time, we're looking at a show that's gone by many names, but has failed to make a huge impression under any of them. We're discussing at "Talent" from Road Show, aka Bounce aka Wise Guys. Never heard of it? You're not alone. N.B.: There is a very light swear in the song, at the very end. If you don't want your kids to hear it, just stop when we say goodbye. All clips are from 2009's Road Show: Original Cast Recording featuring Claybourne Elder and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: [email protected]