Among the many tragedies of this Coronavirus pandemic, last month we lost beloved Fountains of Wayne rock star turned composer, Adam Schlesinger.
Schlesinger won countless awards for his stage and screen work and was in the process of writing a musical based on The Nanny before the virus struck. He also served as executive music producer on the musical sitcom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
Over the course of four seasons and more than 100 songs, the songwriting team of Schlesinger, Jack Dolgen and show-creator/star Rachel Bloom parodied everyone from Nicki Minaj to Frank Sinatra. However, given the trio were huge Broadway fans, rarely were their homages as hilarious as when they mocked the musicals. Here are ten of their best homages, in the order in which they aired:
1) Settle for Me (Top Hat)
This pastiche of classic Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dance numbers really gets to the heart of what non-movie romance is all about. And yes, that handsome man with the charming smile and smooth dance moves is last year’s Best Actor in a Musical Tony-winner, Santino Fontana. As if anybody would call that “settling”…
2) Cold Showers Lead to Crack (The Music Man)
OK, so it’s basically the same joke as Robert Preston convincing the townspeople of River City that a new pool table would drive their children to moral bankruptcy, but when taken to these extremes it gains a whole extra level of hilarity.
3) Dream Ghost (Dreamgirls)
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s blend of musical theatre and subversive comedy attracted some of Broadway’s biggest stars to appear in guest roles. And who better to sing a Dreamgirls parody – alongside Ragtime’s Michael Hyatt – than Amber Riley, who would go on to win an Olivier Award for starring in that show in the West End. The third of the trio is Ricki Lake, who originated Tracey Turnblad in the musical of Hairspray: a character for whom singing with The Dreamettes would surely be a lifetime’s ambition realised.
4) After Everything I’ve Done for You (Gypsy)
If you’re writing a musical-based show with the word ‘crazy’ in the title, of course you would pull out a ‘Rose’s Turn’ homage at one point. Donna Lynne Champlin has some of the best pipes on the show and she neither pulls any punches nor withholds any belts in her take on musical theatre’s quintessential mental breakdown song.
5) The Math of Love Triangles (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes)
Taking the trope of the ditzy ingenue to its terrifying logical conclusion, Rachel Bloom clearly had a lot of fun with this mash-up of classic Technicolor production numbers and maths puns. A somewhat niche combination, sure, but as a physicist who spends their spare time writing about musicals, I feel oh-so-seen in the middle of that Venn diagram.
6) We Tapped That Ass (Singin’ in the Rain)
The genius of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend casting Broadway veterans is that when the time came to pay tribute to Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor’s iconic ‘Moses Supposes’ dance number, the actors already had their own tap shoes. Listen out for the shades of South Pacific’s ‘I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair’ in the melody: ironic given the song is about being haunted by regretted love affairs. Still, a more joyous – and dirty – haunting there never has been.
7) The Buzzing from the Bathroom (Les Misérables)
As successful as it is, there’s no denying that Les Misérables takes itself a bit seriously at times. Such earnestness is perfect material for parody, so here’s a man singing an ‘Empty Chairs at Empty Tables’-esque ballad about his inability to satisfy his wife. The song is made all the funnier by Michael McMillian’s genuinely powerhouse performance.
8) What’s Your Story? (Chicago)
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is always at its best when the musical delusions of protagonist Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom) collide with mundane reality. Actual prison isn’t as sexy, splashy, or Fosse as ‘Chicago’s Cell Block Tango’ made it seem, sometimes, it’s just sad.
9) The Group Mind Has Decided You’re in Love (Oklahoma!)
This one looks like it was a lot of fun for the cast to shoot. The exuberant music and dance routines are infectious, and the writers even manage to sneak in some shots at Rodgers and Hammerstein’s penchant for a dream ballet. The song borrows heavily from ‘The Farmer and the Cowman’, with some nods to that other great Western musical: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Horse!
10) Antidepressants Are So Not A Big Deal (La La Land)
As silly as it could be, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend always took its portrayal of mental health issues seriously. This wonderful pastiche of ‘Another Day of Sun’ won two Emmy Awards for its songcraft and choreography but became a fan favourite for its joyous de-stigmatising of psychiatric medication.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg. If you’re a musicals fan who fancies a new comedy show to binge during the lockdown, consider giving it a watch. All four seasons are available on Netflix.
Ian Bowkett
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