All road trip check lists must include: clothes, toiletries, food, and the most important thing: music. Driving on the open road, or sometimes in traffic, has to be filled with some awesome tunes to pass the time. As I am a musical theatre nerd, I am obsessed with listening to cast albums, as they provide a story aspect to the trip and can help spur creative thoughts along the way.
Whether you prefer to wear pink, review some history, get your latin hips movin', hear some Shakespeare fan fiction, or even prefer some off-broadway musicals: I have a great list of shows that will keep you groovin' as your drivin'. #MusicalTheatreRoadTrip
Here are the top five MT recordings that I jam out to on long drives:
Legally Blonde
Omigod you guys! This pink and peppy Broadway musical has a great album to keep you 'whipped into shape' while driving long distance. Elle's energy is infectious and persistence to show her ex-boyfriend, Warner, that she she is indeed serious will keep you entertained. Not to mention that fierce electric guitar and pep band in "What You Want."
Dogfight
"Pasek and Paul." That's basically all I need to say before another BFA gay boy gasps and shouts "Oh my god I LOVE Dogfight!" The 2012 off-broadway musical adaption of the 1991 film has a cult following. With stunning songs like "Pretty Fun" and "Nothing Short of Wonderful" I am often baffled at both the musical intracity and emotional value crafted onto one disc. You'll have 'some kinda time' jammin out to these tunes on the open road.
West Side Story
From classics like "Tonight" to "Maria" there is a great sense of nostalgia and history surrounding this beautiful show. The music is so well known that the lyrics tend to flow freely from your tongue, allowing to make the driving experience a whole lot easier, and or passionate (if you're me.) "How many bullets are left, Chino? Enough for you? OR YOU?!"
In The Heights
Sometimes you just need the reminder to "breathe" and review "everything you (I) know" while on a long drive. Lin Manuel Miranda's first musical to hit a Broadway stage was the first show I ever saw in New York City. It remains one of the most fun theatrical experiences I've ever had. This is a solid two disc cast recording, allowing you to rap and salsa for a large portion of the car ride!
Hamilton
So recently I discovered this really underground musical called "Hamilton". You've probably never heard of it, cause like who has, ya know? But as this show is mostly sung through I find that it's comparable to a musical audiobook; being able to hear and experience the whole story on the recording. I promise you will be 'satisfied' when you hear hip hop music all about 'Alexander Hamilton.' But then again, this is probably something that you never even knew existed, so I recommend checking it out.
These five cast recordings will definitely keep you engaged and amused on a long distance drive. #MusicalTheatreRoadTrip
