5 on Friday -- Set 227

Spinning Friday tunes since 2010...

For anyone who wants to join in, simply choose five pieces of music and post them for other bloggers to enjoy. Then check out the set posted by the other 5 on Friday blogger -- you can sign in over at Golch Central's Rambling Stuff.

Enjoyed a wonderful concert last Sunday, featuring my friend Michael Downie and three other singers.

Michael is at the far left.

We've been friends since junior high school, becoming close when we both were members of our high school choir, the Prince Andrew Chorus. My mom and I sat with Shelley, also from those magical choir days.

Shelley, me and my mom at the concert

When yet another of our choir friends, John, commented on Facebook that he remembered Michael singing A New Town is a Blue Town from our grade eleven musical The Pajama Game, he gave me the spark for today's set.

Here are five of my favorite songs from the three musicals produced by my high school choir while I was a student there. 

1 - The Brothers Come to Egypt/Grovel, Grovel -- Donny Osmond and the cast of the 1999 filmed version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Our version was performed in the spring of 1980, when I was in grade 10.

I'm including the song that follows this one, because they make more story sense together.

Who's the Thief?

I was lucky enough to work as an usher at the Hummingbird Theatre in Toronto, the summer that Donny Osmond's touring production of Joseph played from May to September. Yes, he really was amazing.

2 - A New Town is a Blue Town -- Harry Connick Jr. -- The Pajama Game

My friend Michael has a baritone voice, so when he was cast as the lead Sid Sorokin, the tenor part had to be transposed to accommodate Michael's voice.

Our version was performed in the spring of 1981, when I was in grade 11.

3 - Hey There -- Harry Connick Jr. -- The Pajama Game

4 - People Will Say We're in Love -- Shirley Jones as Laurie, and Gordon MacRae as Curley

Michael once again played the lead in our graduating production of Oklahoma!

Our version was performed in the spring of 1982, when I was in grade 12.

This is a shot taken by my dad from one of our performances. That's Michael at left center, Heather in the blue and me in the green at right. I played Ado Annie.

We're in the midst of the 14-minute dream ballet sequence, which Heather and I co-choreographed. We didn't let a little thing like 'that's crazy!' stop us from tackling such a monumental challenge. It worked out pretty well.

Here's the entire dream ballet sequence as performed by Josefina Gabrielle and Hugh Jackman from the 1998 filmed version of the London's West End production.

5 - Dream Ballet sequence -- Oklahoma! 1998

5 on Friday - Set 25

Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.

Tonight I'm heading out for a Girls' Night with two of my high school choir friends, since Dawn is in town from Seattle, Washington. For a bit of a trip down memory lane, here are five pieces we performed together when we were in the Prince Andrew Chorus, from 1979 to 1982.

1 - Thank You For the Music - Riverport Chorus of Wisconsin in rehearsal

This was something we did in our end-of-the-year variety show. At the time, there were no arrangements available for choirs for this one or for One Voice, so our friend and even-though-he-was-a-student-himself-he-was-our-musical-director Mark Morash whipped up his own arrangements.

Thank you for the music
The songs I'm singing
Thanks for all the joy they're bringing

Who can live without it?
I ask in all honesty
What would life be

Without a song
Or a dance
What are we?

So I say thank you for the music
For giving it to me

- Andersson / Ulvaeus



2 - One Voice - Cantabile Youth Choir of Warwickshire, England

For our performance of this one, Mark detached himself from the piano bench and entered the stage alone, beginning the song as one voice. As it went along, the entire chorus joined him so that we completed the song as a choir.

Just one voice
Singing in the darkness
All it takes is one voice
Shout it out and let it ring

Just one voice
It takes that one voice
And everyone will sing

- Barry Manilow



3 - Potiphar - Donny Osmond and cast of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, 1999

Joseph was the first musical I was in, and it will have a special place in my heart forever.

Not only did it give me the rush of performing without any of the stress of carrying a featured role, it introduced me to the whole thrill of falling for my first boyfriend, who played Joseph. This was the part I waited for, during every rehearsal and finally during every performance. I was obviously drawn to the men-in-chains scenario early on.

Letting out a mighty roar
Potiphar burst through the door

"Joseph, I'll see you
Rot in jail!
The things you've done
Are beyond the pale"

Poor, poor Joseph
Locked up in a cell
Things aren't going well, hey
Locked up in a cell

- Lloyd Webber / Rice



4 - Hernando's Hideaway - Briana Gantsweg and Mark Peterson, Interlochen Arts Camp production of The Pajama Game

In grade 11 we did The Pajama Game, where I played Mabel, the secretary of the main love interest. This song-and-dance number was my favorite. I was part of the choir for this one and could relax and have fun.

Just knock three times
And whisper low
That you and I
Were sent by Joe

Then strike a match
And you will know
You're in
Hernando's Hideaway! Olé!

- Adler / Ross



5 - Dream Ballet - Josefina Gabrielle and Hugh Jackman, 1999 London West End production of Oklahoma!

For my graduating year, we did Oklahoma! Dawn was off to university by then, but Shelley and I were in this one. I played Ado Annie, the overly-flirtatious girl caught between two beaux.

I also choreographed the musical numbers along with fellow student Heather. Being young and unaware that we shouldn't tackle something as daunting as a 15-minute dream ballet sequence, we worked out the steps and held our own rehearsals. And I'm very proud to say it wasn't half bad. We even included the fight between Curly and Jud - but of course Hugh Jackman wasn't available at the time, so our Curly didn't do any complicated lifts.