Desperately need your help!

[pagerbear]

I need help making a decision. I will be going to a gay men's retreat over Labor Day weekend--it's a bunch of men working on growth and recovery and healing. There is a talent show as part of the final evening's festivities, and I, of course, always sing. Therein lies my difficulty--what to sing? Knowing me as you all do, and having heard the sound files on my web site as some of you have, you will, I hope, be kind enough to help me choose from among the following:

• "A wand'ring minstrel, I" from The Mikado


• "Buddy's Blues" from Follies


• A new song given to me by a composer friend--it's sort of Schubertian, and the first line is "There were lesbians in the garden..."

If it helps, following are some of the pieces I have sung in past years:

• The Prima Donna Song ("I want to be a prima donna, donna, donna...")


• Danny Boy


• If Love Were All (lovely Noel Coward song)

Any insights?

[yellerpup]

1. Sing the song you love the most

and the one that shows off your vocal range/interpretive skills, whatever your strong suit is. Break a leg!

[pagerbear]

9. I'd thought about doing a tearjerker

...since I did a comedy song last year. BTW, I should note that Buddies Blues is the only song I have memorized as of today. I have been known to memorize the song I sing in the car on the way up there, with the help of my passenger(s).

[Occulus]

2. get odd

Sing "Room of Angel" from Silent Hill 4:

You lie silent there before me
Your tears they mean nothing to me
The wind howling at the window
The Love you never gave
I give to you

Really don't deserve it
But now there's nothing you can do
So sleep in your only memory of me
My dearest mother

Here's a lullaby to close your eyes goodbye
It was always you that I despised
I don't feel enough for you to cry, oh well
Here's a lullaby to close your eyes goodbye
Goodbye...
Goodbye...

So insignificant sleeping dormant deep inside of me
Are you hiding away lost
Under the sewers, maybe flying high in the clouds
Perhaps you're happy without me

So many seeds have been sown in the field
And who could sprout up so blessedly, If I had died
I would have never felt sad at all
You will not hear me say I'm sorry
Where is the light, I wonder if it's weeping somewhere

Here's a lullaby to close your eyes goodbye
It was always you that I despised
I don't feel enough for you to cry, oh well
Here's a lullaby to close your eyes goodbye

Here's a lullaby to close your eyes goodbye
It was always you that I despised
I don't feel enough for you to cry, oh well
Here's a lullaby to close your eyes goodbye
Goodbye...
Goodbye...

---

Now, there's something totally different....

[Misunderestimator]

3. OMG... Art is Calling to Me...

I'm sorry, I'm just laughing so hard right now... I can just picture it (having sung it myself oh so many years ago).

[pagerbear]

7. "I long to hear them shouting 'Viva to the diva!'

Oh, very lovely that must be!"

[Misunderestimator]

11. Speaking of Flamboyant Songs... How about Zing Zing Zizzy Zizzy Zing Zing?

The Italian Street Song! :D

THAT would be fun!

[pagerbear]

15. Send me a photocopy, babe, and I'll learn it!

[Cheswick2.0]

4. I can't believe you have Dana Rowe on your web site!

How do you know him? I know him from years ago, early 90s when he did the musical direction for a production of Sweeny Todd in Ft Lauderdale. I was in the chorus and sang soprano in the letter quintet.(even though I am now a dramatic mezzo/contralto)

I also noticed you sang with Florida Grand Opera. I sang the one year Ft Lauderdale did it's own season. We did Daughter of the Regiment, Marriage of Fiagaro and my Favorite St of Bleeker St.

Small world!

Now, as to what you should sing. Are the ones you listed the music you are most comfortable with? I am thinking go all out with an aria. Do you still sing opera at all?

[pagerbear]

6. I don't sing enough any more

I did a cabaret workshop last summer that ended with doing three songs as part of a class show. It was great fun. Beyond that, it's pretty much just the church job. Oh, I did do solos with the NJ Gay Men's Chorus becuase the director is a friend and needed a soloist.

[Cheswick2.0]

8. If you lived and worked in Hollywood Ft lauderdale area

I'll bet we know a lot of the same people.

[pagerbear]

12. I did. Went to UM for a while

I was in SoFla 88-91

[Cheswick2.0]

17. We should compare theater resumes some time

I am trying to think of names of people I know who sang with the Miami Opera around that time.

[terrya]

5. I'm partial to "Buddy's Blues"

"Follies" is one of my favorite Sondheim scores. A nice selection, says Terry. :-)

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

10. I will pick Lesbians in the Garden

Always go with the new stuff!

[pagerbear]

14. I'm sort of leaning in that direction.

Partly because it's vocally easier than the aria.

"There are lesbians in the garden"
Mother said to Gwen and me.
"I want you children at your best.
I've invited these ladies to tea."

I looked at Gwen and she looked at me.
We opened up the door
Outside in the garden
Was a sight difficult to ignore.

Forty stout lesbians maidens
All dressed in flowing chiffon
Greeted each other curtly
Wide hats and white gloves on.

They spoke about "The Goddess"
And frowned at the mention of men
And though to me they acted kindly
They seemed overly fond of Gwen.

But it was a classy party
Or so it seemed to Gwen and me
The afternoon the lesbians
Took over the garden for tea.

[liontamer]

16. I like this one!

and it'll be exciting and new

[YellowRubberDuckie]

13. Sing War.

But dress up like Jackie Chan and sing it like him in Rush Hour. LOL
Sorry, I'm not much help. I'm too hyper to be serious right now.
Duckie

[pagerbear]

18. Any suggestions from the evening crowd?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

19. Go for the new song...

It'll be nice for your friend's music to be heard. :)