(bucket clanking)
Hi, my name is Alex Newell
and I play Asaka, Mother of the Earth,
in "Once on This Island" at Circle in the Square,
And I'm finna sing three of my dream role songs.
Get ready.
So, "Poor Unfortunate Souls" and Ursula is like, my jam.
I thought Ursula did no wrong in the movie,
and then I saw Sherie Rene Scott do it on Broadway,
and I was just like, I'm very lost as to why she didn't win,
and why she's melting,
because I feel like she made a barter to Ariel,
Ariel took the barter, she didn't win.
That's all it is.
And so, the song itself is so fun
and it sits so low in my larynx,
that my chords are just at their prime.
(piano music)
♪ The men up there don't like a lot of blabber ♪
♪ They think a girl who gossips is a bore ♪
♪ Yes on land it's much preferred ♪
♪ For ladies not to say a word ♪
♪ And after all dear, what is idle babble for? ♪
♪ Come on, they're not all that impressed with conversation ♪
♪ True gentlemen avoid it when they can ♪
♪ But they dote and swoon and fawn ♪
♪ On a lady who's withdrawn ♪
♪ It's she that holds her tongue that gets a man ♪
♪ Come on you poor unfortunate soul ♪
♪ Go ahead ♪
♪ Make your choice ♪
♪ I'm a very busy woman and I haven't got all day ♪
♪ It won't cost much just your voice! ♪
♪ You poor unfortunate soul ♪
♪ It's sad but true ♪
♪ If you want to cross the bridge, my sweet ♪
♪ You've got the pay the toll ♪
♪ Take a gulp and take a breath ♪
♪ Go ahead and sign the scroll ♪
♪ Flotsam, Jetsam, now I got her, boys ♪
♪ The boss is on a roll ♪
♪ You poor unfortunate soul ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
I love Effie because I feel like I relate to Effie.
I have never been the skinniest,
I've never been the prettiest,
I've never been the first one picked
and to be so talented like Effie is,
and to always be tossed over and turned over,
it's something that I always connected with
and to sing this song of I will stop being a diva,
I will stop doing all this,
but see my pain and see my hurt and help me,
because I need your help to survive.
(piano music)
♪ Look at me ♪
♪ I am changing ♪
♪ Trying every way I can ♪
♪ I am changing ♪
♪ I'll be better than I am ♪
♪ I'm trying ♪
♪ To find a way to understand ♪
♪ But I need you ♪
♪ I need you ♪
♪ I need a hand ♪
♪ 'Cause I'm changing ♪
♪ Seeing everything so clear ♪
♪ I am changing ♪
♪ I'm gonna start right now right here ♪
♪ I'm hoping ♪
♪ To work it out ♪
♪ And I know that I can ♪
♪ But I need you ♪
♪ I need a hand ♪
"Drowsy Chaperone."
I heard this song and I instantly fell in love with it
because I relate to it on so many levels
as I don't know how I would survive during a prohibition.
And they said, "Hey, you can't drink."
I'd be like, Um, what?
So, with that, I have left a bar,
and I've seen that morning star,
and I pulled my bootstraps up, and homeward turned,
meaning I got myself together as sober as I was
and I went home.
♪ As we stumble along ♪
♪ 'Cross life's crowded dance floor ♪
♪ As we push and we shove ♪
♪ We live and we learn ♪
♪ And when we finally leave the bar ♪
♪ And we see that morning star ♪
♪ We pull our bootstraps up and homeward turned ♪
♪ Then we stumble away ♪
♪ Through life's blinding sunbeam ♪
♪ Never knowing right from right ♪
♪ Nor left from wrong ♪
♪ And as long as we can see that little blue bird ♪
♪ Still sing his song as we stumble along ♪
♪ As we stumble ♪
♪ Bumble ♪
♪ Fumble ♪
♪ Plumble ♪
♪ As we stumble ♪
♪ along ♪
(rock music)