#and he would come out when it rang....the bit didn't work. total sweetheart tho)

[terrainofheartfelt]

Gossip Girl Playlists: Theatre Kid AU edition!—Dan’s

[Blair’s] [Nate’s] [Serena's]

I don’t even remember exactly how this started, but it’s @strideofpride’s fault. 

The concept began as: if they were in this world, what would be in the GG mains’ MT books? What would be their go-to song? Their 16 bar cut? And then, I got on spotify, and got wayyyy too carried away (typical me), and it sort of morphed into: what are the NJBC’s (plus Daniel’s) senior musical theatre recital programs? And now I have this: a quartet of playlists of repertoire handpicked by me for these fake people, and I am very proud of them. 

All selections based on my very particular taste, honed from a childhood in community theater, an adolescence in high school musicals, and a 4 year degree from a majority musical theatre school

And, as in the tradition of Glee and all plays within a play, the rep reflects something profoundly personal about the character, because you know I love a theme. 

Oh Danny boy, my darling. In MT land, he has…sort of the inverse of Nate’s conundrum. He is Leading Man Material, but he gets kind of shoehorned into character stuff because he’s just good at his job. But – come on, this guy? He’s a romantic, and he SHINES in the ~romance~ 

Like, we should always keep talking about he and blair playing opposite each other in all the shows in all the aus amen. 

Like, we should always keep talking about he and blair playing opposite each other in all the shows in all the aus amen. 

His type: the wide-ranging baritenor. He can go low, and there’s an understated richness to his voice that lends itself to that, but I see Dan having the vocal control to do less “singy” roles as well. I think he ends up leaning more into tenor than Nate, like in classical crossover he’d sit just that much higher, but his voice is bigger, which is how I’m justifying the Street Scene song below. Also, in listening to Badgley sing other stuff, he can do that hook into his falsetto and come back belting and it’s hella tender and hella sexy.  And, by nature of his background plus the training a degree would give him, Dan can navigate a wide range of styles, which is hwy of the playlists, this one is…the most all over the place, but I have a reason for all of it, I swear, which is: I do what I want. 

Also: musician!Dan my beloved. He would play piano and guitar and mayhaps…another instrument?

References: Aaron Tveit (lol I know. Cousin Tripp. That guy); Jeremy Jordan; Steven Pasquale; Zachary Levi; Mandy Patinkin; and another guy I know from college, he came into my voice studio for a masters in opera but when he left he could do anything from a gorgeous lyric tenor to Che in Evita and Angel in Rent (he could sing the shit out of them, but those roles shan’t appear in this playlist, because this guy is latino and Dan is not. You know what I mean)

the tracklist:

Tonight at Eight — She Loves Me

Another instance of “S is always right” seriously go read her theatre kid au. 

After months of exchanging letters with his penpal (unbeknownst to him, his workplace nemesis), Georg anxiously awaits meeting her. Tonight. At eight. 

Something’s Coming — West Side Story

Dan is Leading Man Agenda. 

Tony’s best friend Riff convinces him to come to the Dance at the Gym tonight, and Tony, to quote the prophet billy shakes “dream’d a dream” about it

I Could Be in Love with Someone Like You — The Last Five Years

JRB songs are too long when you’re sitting in studio class, but damn. they fuck. 

And for how cynical I got over this musical in college (because every bitch sings Still Hurting), it is a fantastic and clever piece. It’s the story of a couple, from falling in love to marrying to falling apart, told chronologically from Jamie’s perspective, and reverse-chronologically from Cathy’s perspective. 

It’s also semi-autobiographical. A semi-autobiographical work about a star crossed couple and their breakup GEE SOUND FAMILIAR?!

Anyways, this song was replaced after the workshop with “Shiska Goddess”—which was the correct choice, but I like the character study in this song. 

At the beginning of their relationship, Jamie is starting to fall for Cathy, and her Irish heritage may or may not have something to do with it. 

Wondering — The Bridges of Madison County

Again, I love this musical so much. I am a stan, I will accept no criticism. 

After an “almost kiss” kind of moment with the kind woman he meant in the countryside, Robert ponders the moment and the chemistry he felt. With one of the most unhinged (compliment) bridges (pun not intended) in MT. daircore

Leave — Once

It’s guitar!dan time! You think theatre kid dan wouldn’t be all about Once?

(also it’s one of my favorite musicals and OCRs so it gets a whole set. My house.)

Guy’s first big solo, written and performed coming off being dumped. 

Say It to Me Now — Once

Guy plays an audition for a banker of all people, to get a loan so he can take his demo from Dublin to NYC

Falling Slowly (duet w/ Blair) — Once

Guy’s sworn off music, but when a Girl finds sheet music in his jacket, she cajoles him into playing it with her. 

Up on the Roof — Beautiful: The Carole King Musical

I’ve got a lot of opinions on jukebox musicals, mostly that we have enough of them. If Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson can write originals then no one else has any excuse. But this one is good. Because it’s Carol. 

This is the James Taylor number of the show. So of course Dan has to sing it. 

One Song Glory — Rent

As an Opera Person, I will always harbor a soft spot for 90s rock La Boheme. And it really fits Dan’s son-of-a-90s-rocker schtick doesn’t it?

And like, I think it’s easy to get corny about it, like, we all sang seasons of love at high school graduation, but it really is a masterwork. Andrew Garfield Jonathan Larson was a genius. And, like Boheme, people get swept in the ~romance~ and have to be reminded of how fucking raw it is. 

Like I didn’t really understand this song until I saw the show in undergrad, and sung by a guy who was just — born for it. He and Aaron Tveit. They get what it means. 

Roger is a musician living with HIV and depression (and his documentarian roommate and bff Mark), and is convinced that he won’t be alive very much longer, and all he wants is to write just one song that he can be remembered for. 

Lonely House — Street Scene

Street Scene is a show that plays jump rope with the line between opera and musical theatre, and it really just depends on the singer. Dan would, have big enough classical chops to sing this, but give it a more mt bent, which I wouldn’t hate. 

As someone who leans more on the side of classical in my preferences, sometimes I think operatic tenors overdo it on this song. Honestly if companies didn’t make up the stupid ass rule that every voice type has to have a contemporary aria in their package, operatic tenors wouldn’t sing this as much as they do. But that’s a rant for another time. 

And I remember a colleague singing this to close out a recital program, and we were in this church that had one (1) door, and after he sung, during the outro, he walked right out the door. And it ROCKED. So I think it’s a good act closer. 

Sam lives in an apartment block packed with people, but doesn’t really have anyone.

She Loves Me — She Loves Me

Recital act two opener let’s goooooo

Georg finds out who his penpal is. And he has Feelings about it. 

So in Love — Kiss Me, Kate

Another enemies to lovers plot! or well, lovers to enemies to lovers again. 

This is the reprisal to the song Lilli sings at the beginning of the show, now sung by her ex husband, Fred. His italicized oh moment. 

And the music & lyrics are….sexc

Hero and Leander — Myths and Hymns

Another Adam Guettel offering! Do I have an agenda? Only to be an evil dictator of taste.

Speaking of, this song cycle/revue is such a rare gem that a decent recording of a decent singer is so hard to find, that I had to settle for the mashup Tveit did in his 54 below show. So, when you get to this track, if you want to skip the first…minute and 30 seconds, then you’ll get straight to this song. 

(the first one is from Next to Normal, and is beautifully sung of course, it’s just irrelevant in terms of this playlist

— bc while Tveit could sing Gabe in his 20s, I don’t think Dan Humphrey could.) 

It’s got that falsetto hook that I just know Dan would be good at. 

This show doesn’t have a plot, it’s a revue, so each song is like its own contained story. This one is about the myth of Hero and Leander. 

Leander would swim across the sea every night to meet with his lover Hero, until the gods sent a storm, and on one of his nightly swims, he drowns. Those greek myths amirite. 

When We Dance (trio w/ Blair & Nate) — The Last Ship

Another selection from Sting’s opus that deserves more love!

I think if you’re looking at this meta-wise, Dan’s character is more in line with the other male lead—steady, supportive, romantic, the “right” choice, but hey, they’re Acting, and musically, the main guy’s part is better. And this trio is just sooooo pretty. 

And it can be ot3-esque if you want it to be (I know I do).

After running away from his tiny shipbuilding hometown, Gideon returns fifteen years later to make his move on the girl he left behind, Meg. she’s having none of it, she has a new man (Arthur), and a kid that’s fifteen years old give or take nine months. Her new man also pleads his case. 

One Second and a Million Miles (duet w/ Blair)  — The Bridges of Madison County

Thee big duet of the show. Facing the end of their time alone together, Robert proposes that Francesca come with him when he leaves town. It’s just—promise me you’ll listen to it. There’s nothing like it. “If I Loved You” MAYBE. But nothing else like it. 

Later — A Little Night Music

My guy would absolutely have a sondheim set in his recital I just know it in my heart.

(I’ve seen guys sing this song and play the cello part live themselves, so, why not Dan?)

It’s a complicated domestic drama about a privileged family and all their internal troubles (sound familiar?)

Henrik, a lawyer’s son & lutheran seminary student, is an over-serious over-thinker, and now he’s got to fucking deal with his dad marrying a woman who’s younger than him—and yikes I just realized how close this hits god fucking help me. 

ANYWAYS this is staged with Henrik either actually playing the cello or just miming it, and I find that. very attractive.

Losing My Mind — Follies

Originally written for Dorothy Collins for a women's role, Jeremy Jordan gave a cabaret performance that still blows me away every time I listen. 

And it is BIG Daniel Humphrey Professional Yearner energy

Sally, a former star of the Ziegfield Follies, sings this ballad about Ben, the one that got away. (dairfair vibes, if you will?)

Move On (duet w/ Serena) — Sunday in the Park with George

Probably one of thee best songs in the MT zeitgeist.

It gets me every.single.time

George Seurat (french pointillist) and his lover Dot have a great grandson also named George, who is also an artist struggling to just fucking make something. 

Dot appears to him in a vision, speaks to him like he’s her George (I mean they’re both Mandy Patinkin, so), and they exchange the most poignant lyrics about art and creativity that have ever been written. Oh, Stephen <3

Being Alive — Company

You might say that this one is overdone, but when it’s done well, it always Hits.

and you KNOW Dan would do it right. 

The always single Bobby, in the midst of his paired off friends, rails at the futility of romantic relationships until he finally admits what he really wants: that. 

Don’t Stop — Fleetwood Mac

Because he has to sing an encore with Jenny. Come on, him at the piano, Jen sitting next to him, I can see it :)