I Just Wanna Dance - Alison Jiear in Jerry Springer The Opera

I caught Jerry Springer - The Opera several years back at the Cambridge Theatre in London's West End and while I came out of the theatre repulsively enjoying the musical. Why? Musical theatre isn't normally synomanus with gratuitous vulgarity but in this production, the two mingle flagrantly. During the production I watched, Alison Jiear tore the house down with her number "I Just Wanna Dance" where she sings about her yearning to be a... pole dancer. Please be warned that this song contains vulgarities but it's so rare (and hilarious) that a song so powerful would just interweave a vulgarity. And this is one of the tamer songs too!

Gethsemane - Steve Balsamo (Jesus Christ Superstar)

With the easter period, it's probably appropriate to feature one of the best songs from the musical Jesus Christ Superstar. The song has so many emotional layers to it and Steve Balsamo captures all the changes brilliantly in his concert performance at Ahoy Musicals in Rotterdam, Holland. Watch out for the extremely high notes that he hits too in the song!

Somebody To Love, We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions - We Will Rock You The Musical

With last night's American Idol featuring the music of Queen, it is probably appropriate to showcase some songs from We Will Rock You - The Musical based on the music of Queen. I watched the musical in London some time back and while this genre of music isn't exactly my cup of tea, I was mightily impressed by Hannah Jane Fox and Tony Vincent - The two leads in the musical. Here, they perform Somebody To Love, We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions with the legendary Queen. Ace Young should have caught Vincent's rendition of "We Will Rock You" before he went onstage for his performance. A disappointing week for him, but there's no doubt that he will bounce back in subsequent weeks.

In His Eyes - Jekyll And Hyde

One of my favourite female duets, "In His Eyes" is one of the best songs from the DVD recording of the staged Broadway production of Jekyll and Hyde - Perhaps because David Hasselhoff doesn't make any appearance on the song! Andrea Rivette and Coleen Sexton provide the vocals to this beautiful duet.

You Can't Win -- Michael Jackson in The Wiz

I am currently watching the movie musical - The Wiz. Michael Jackson stars in it as the brainless Scarecrow and surprising, he acts pretty well. His lucid, clear vocals in "You Can't Win" with the crows are also so reminiscent of the Michael Jackson of the old, as is his evanescent verve when he energetically dances with Diana Ross in the song "Ease On Down The Road". Watch him in the number "You Can't Win" below. Also look out for the screen musical review which will be out soon at Musicorld.com

Johanna - Sweeney Todd In Concert

The song "Johanna" from the musical Sweeney Todd has such a ethereal beauty about it that even the several killings taking place during the song does not detract from it. George Hearn (who also played a leading role in Stephen Sondheim's Follies in Concert) reprises the role of Sweeney Todd in this Concert DVD version. Davis Gaines as Anthony doesn't quite capture the innocence that the original Victor Garber (who has since moved on to TV's Alias) had in the Original Cast Recording but there is little doubt his excellent singing voice wraps around the numerous textures in the song. Simply one of my all-time favourite musical theatre songs and Sondheim has set such a high bar with this song that music from new musicals nowadays unfortunately just pale in comparison to this.

Secret Soul - Jane Eyre The Musical

There are many great duets in Jane Eyre The Musical (Most of them featuring the fantastic Marla Schaffel and James Barbour) but my favourite has to be the duet "Secret Soul". It starts off with only Marla Schaffel singing but towards the end, James Barbour joins her. This video clip features them in the recording studio recording the song and shows how emotive Marla Schaffel is when she sings!