It’s no surprise, BroadwayBox is a big fan of the off-Broadway musical Disenchanted!. The adult parody of the Disney princess has a total Bridesmaids meets good SNL feel to it, and the highlight of the musical comes late in the one-act when Soara-Joye Ross steps center stage as the Princess Who Kissed the Frog and blows the roof off the Westside Theatre with “Finally,” a big song about an African American princess finally getting her moment too.
The number is one of the greatest showstoppers you’re bound to find off-Broadway right now, and Soara-Joye shines like a true musical theatre diva. So, since it takes one to know one, BroadwayBox asked the other Ms. Ross to count down with us her 10 ultimate musical theatre showstoppers.
10. LA VIE BOHEME (Rent)
Ahhh... Jonathan Larson! That man was a game changer and I love that this is the song they chose a lot of the times to represent the show at The Tony's and other events. The song has soo much chutzpah and got me extremely excited the first time I saw it on Broadway! It affirmed that I was awesome just the way I was; queer and all! Cheers to "anything taboo"!
9.THE CIRCLE OF LIFE (The Lion King)
If you haven't seen The Lion King yet, please put it on your list of things to do this year! I had the honor to work at The New Amsterdam Theater, where the show opened, during the first year. I even got to celebrate with the entire company the night they won The Tony Award for Best Musical back in 1998! (Whoowee, I was an itty bitty thing. Lol!) Anyhoo, this is the opening number of the show and it is absolutely breathtaking! Cheetahs, elephants and rhinos, oh my! You will get teary-eyed. Total must-see in person! Shout-out to the original cast! I saw that show almost every night for about a year.
8. AMERICA (West Side Story)
Debbie Allen absolutely KILLED this! I remember the first time I watched this performance. I had NO idea how incredibly talented she was. Talk about triple threat! She is truly a legend and I can't wait to work with her! Ay, ay, ay!!
7. GLITTER AND BE GAY (Candide)
Kristin Chenowith is absolute perfection! Her voice, her dress, her comic timing... and it all seems effortless and like soo much fun! Love this performance!
6. BROTHERHOOD OF MAN (How to Succeed)
Matthew Broderick and the company's humor and quirkiness are brilliant! And then there's Lillias White, ya'll! Yep, she said, "sister" aka "sistah", Lol! I think it should have been cast this way all along, don't you? This is such a feel good number and these Tony winners totally deliver!
5. BEING ALIVE (Company)
Heart wrenching and everything I love about musical theater!
4. GIMME GIMME (Thoroughly Modern Millie)
Ugh! I admit I just recently came across this song/performance! Don't judge me, just be happy that I am now "in the know." :) Wow! This performance is the equivalent to eating a bowl of your favorite ice cream with whipped cream and cherries on top!
3. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO MY PART (Spamalot)
Dame Ramirez garnered a Tony for her performance in this show and boy was she fantastic! She is absolutely hysterical, looks fabulous in that red robe and loooooong sassy lashes and the diva is singing her face off! Two snaps and a fierce riff, gurl!
2. DON'T RAIN ON MY PARADE (Funny Girl)
Helllooo, gorgeous! This is my all time favorite! I feel like this song is on loop in my head at least a few times a week. Not kidding. Lol. I fell in love with this performance in high school and never turned back! Fanny Brice's drive, commitment to what she feels and wants and her passion for life and love remind me of myself oh so much! This song is my anthem!
1. AND I AM TELLING YOU (Dreamgirls)
There's no, no, no, no way this wouldn't be on the list! It's a given. This is the ultimate showstopper! Thank you and goodnight!
These videos were just the appetizer. For the main course, head over to the Westside Theatre to see Soara-Joye Ross tear it the hell up in ‘Disenchanted!’
