My Top 5 Showtunes: Sam Mackay
© Dan Wooller for WhatsOnStage
Sam Mackay's theatre credits include Wonder.land (Manchester International Festival); 5,6,7,8 (Royal Court); Flashdance (Shaftesbury Theatre); Mamma Mia! (Prince of Wales Theatre) and Our House (UK Tour).
He is currently starring as Usnavi in Lin Manuel Miranda's In The Heights at the King's Cross Theatre.
We caught up with Sam and asked him: "If you were stranded on a desert island which five showtunes could you not live without?"
Where do you begin trying narrow it to just five?! There are a number of classics on parity with these but here goes! Here are some songs that make me feel some stuff…
1. "Being Alive" from Company
I see this has been picked previously and with good reason. There is something so simple and yet deeply connected about this song. It’s one that so many can empathise with and when performed right has the ability to leave you weeping or beaming or both depending on where you are at in life!
For me it typifies what musical theatre is all about, that visceral connection and ability to reflect a feeling or anxiety that so many carry and put it in the most beautiful way. A true classic. For me, this version by Dean Jones from the original Broadway cast of Company is a timeless performance.
2. "Juggernaut" from The Wild Party (Andrew Lippa)
Just an epically sexy number! That brass, those opening exchanges, that dance break! (On a side note I can’t tell you how much I want Drew McOnie to choreograph a version of this). Upbeat, dirty and pulsating.
This one also has a real sense of nostalgia for me as it was one of the popular go to singalongs between my friends during our college years at ArtsEd. For that reason alone there are a number of songs on that original cast recording which I could pick but this one just nicks it. I’m off to take a cold shower.
3. "Bui Doi" from Miss Saigon
An incredibly powerful piece with a profound message. In a world where we are still fighting, it is always important to be reminded of, and to show compassion towards, the innocent victims of war.
4. "What the Heck I Gotta Do" from 21 Chump Street
There are so many great songs I could pick from Hamilton or In The Heights that it becomes tough to pull out a stand out track as they all brilliantly contribute to the piece as a whole. But for me this track from Lin Manuel typifies everything about what he’s done for modern musical theatre.
As a kid growing up this is the type of theatre I would have killed to see, it’s vibey, it’s funny, it’s an absolute tune and it captures a generation and group that until now didn’t have a voice in Musical Theatre. I can’t wait to see more writers coming through and making more material like this. Sure, perhaps it’s not what you’d classically pick outright in a top five of all time, but it encapsulates the spirit of Lin’s work brilliantly. Also, a huge mention to the effortless and spot on work of Anthony Ramos – cool as a cool thing.
5. "See I’m Smiling" from The Last Five Years
This is one that hits home a little hard. I think the whole of The Last Five Years can serve as a warning to any actor or creative looking to maintain a relationship in ‘the business’. The show itself does a great job of depicting the struggles on both sides of the coin and there is something so devastatingly honest in the writing and interaction that makes this song in particular one of those tragically brilliant pieces that’s a real gift for the performer. Particularly the shift in mood half way through that hits you right in the chest. On a personal level it’s a song that keeps me grounded whenever I hear it.
So there it is, as I say there are plenty of fantastic tunes missing from that list. Special mention to "And I Am Telling You" from Dreamgirls – no explanation needed there!
