Explaining Musicals, with Lindsay Ellis

If an emotion is too big for talking, you sing. If it's too big for singing, you dance. And if it's too big for dancing, well, you just gotta podcast!Author, podcaster, and video essayist Lindsay Ellis knows a thing or two about outsized Broadway emotions—in addition to her many other pursuits, she's created a whole side endeavor talking about them on her musical theater podcast, Musicalsplaining. Ellis guested on last year's Strong Songs episode about Hadestown, and it seemed only natural to have her back for a longer conversation about musical theater.Back in March, she and Kirk hopped on Zoom and chatted about the first musicals they loved, why musicals resonate with teens, how Hadestown's visual design helps tell a story, and just what the deal is with Andrew Lloyd Webber.CHECK OUT LINDSAY'S WORKLindsay's bestselling debut novel Axiom's End is now available, and her second one is on the way. She's a prolific video essayist, and has made some terrific videos about Lord Andy himself. She's also a co-host on the Musicalsplaining podcast.REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE:“All I Ask of You (Reprise),” and “Point of No Return” from The Phantom of the Opera (Original London Cast) by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Charles Hart, 1987“Cool” by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim from West Side Story, New Broadway Cast Recording, 2009“Dead Mom” by Eddie Perfect performed by Sophia Anne Caruso from the Beetlejuice OCR, 2019"Non-Stop” by Lin-Manuel Miranda from Hamilton, 2015“Heaven on their Minds” by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice from Jesus Christ Superstar, original concept album, 1970“The Club” by Lin-Manuel Mirands from In The Heights, 2008“Any Way the Wind Blows,” “Come Home With Me,” “Chant,” and “Wedding Song” by Anäis Mitchell from Hadestown, 2019An offhand joke about “The Phantom of the Mall” which is an actual 1989 movie“Willkommen” by Kander, Ebb and Masteroff performed by Alan Cumming in the 1998 version of Cabaret"Man of Constant Sorrow,” trad. American Folk first published by Dick Burnett, performed by Dan Tyminski and the Soggy Bottom Boys in O Brother, Where Art Thou, 2000“Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd from After Hours, 2020STRONG MERCHVisit the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comKEEP IT SOCIALYou can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongsAnd you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/NEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON!This bonus episode was made possible by Strong Songs' lovely Patreon backers. For more on how to become a patron and support the show, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsAPRIL 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSDonald MackieLiam KeoghMelissa OsbornePer Morten BarstadChristopher MillerTim ByrneAllison Clift-JenningsPatrick FunstonJamie WhiteAngus McKimmChristopher KupskiChristopher McConnellJoshua JarvisRick KlarasNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornNathaniel BauernfeindBill RosingerAnne BrittDavid ZahmErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonRobert PaulR WatsonViki DunChrister LindqvistSami SamhuriCraig J CovellAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannFraserGlennCALEB ROTACHAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyDan ApczynskiAPRIL 2012 HALF-NOTE PATRONSChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeÅshild Margrete Østtveit OdéenEmma SklarSpencer StanfordBernard KhooAndrew ShpallRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahBen HuntGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderAndy SmithFernando RodriguezTimothy DoughertyJason PrattJohn HargisStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael Bermanstephen matthewsBridget LyonsMelody ValdezOlivia BishopJeremy SchwartzJohn GisselquistElaine MartinThomas KönigKourothBelinda Mcgrath-steerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmShawn McCarthyDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryRich RoskopfMelissa GalloNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonErika L AustinCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffrey C. YarnellDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonChristopher CudnoskiSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandDavid CatlettMichael CasnerMichael YorkBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallDon HutchisonLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SampleWenJack SjogrenAparajit RaghavanBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserAlexander GeddesPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCBrendan JubbClare HolbertonJake TinsleyDiane TurnerTom ColemanJudy ChappleMark PerryMaloryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoBill FullerJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleAlbukittyCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanDave Sharpebrant brantphillipDavid CushmanAlexanderJeremy DawsonGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerChris BrownJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonTom LauerEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellTom ClewerKevin PennyfeatherNicholas SchechterJustin LiewEmily Williams