#help i can’t stop thinking about serena playling maureen

[terrainofheartfelt]

Gossip Girl Playlists: Theatre Kid AU edition!—Serena’s

[Blair's] [Dan’s] [Nate’s] 

I don’t even remember exactly how this started, but it’s @strideofpride’s fault. 

The concept began as: if they were in this world, what would be in the GG mains’ MT books? What would be their go-to song? Their 16 bar cut? And then, I got on spotify, and got wayyyy too carried away (typical me), and it sort of morphed into: what are the NJBC’s (plus Daniel’s) senior musical theatre recital programs? And now I have this: a quartet of playlists of repertoire handpicked by me for these fake people, and I am very proud of them. 

All selections based on my very particular taste, honed from a childhood in community theater, an adolescence in high school musicals, and a 4 year degree from a majority musical theatre school

And, as in the tradition of Glee and all plays within a play, the rep reflects something profoundly personal about the character, because you know I love a theme. 

the meta:

So Serena’s type…it’s the same with Nate, too, in that people try to pigeon-hole her into one, but she’s not really into it. She isn’t one for the leading ladies for multiple reasons: a): her personality does not vibe, because the villains and the old ladies (and the overlap of both) is so much more fun to her, b): she’s kind of shut herself out of wanting to be for Blair’s sake, because she doesn’t want to compete with her for the same stuff, and c): she’s as tall/taller than most male leads in her program. 

Her voice: hmmmmmm she IS a belter, or can be one, but it’s not — it’s not this weak sauce, nasal belting, and it isn’t high, like she’s not up in the stratosphere, yk? It’s a little rough and tumble, deeper, rounder, lower. She can get Up There, but it’s not where she lives. (Like S floated Laura Bell Bundy, but her voice is SO high, and rings in a way that’s so specific to her that I don’t really hear it for Serena. It’s a vibe, idk.) 

Oh, and she’s a ~dancer~ like Natie.

References: Bernadette Peters, Jane Krakowski, Kristin Chenoweth (for the Comedy and for that oldies golden-age country crooner kind of belt), and early Idina Menzel, pre-Elphaba pre-let’s write roles that shouldn’t be physiologically possible, and a girl from my voice studio I’ll call Heather, because she looked a bit like Blake Lively and had the voice I’m casting in this playlist. 

the tracklist:

Don’t Tell Mama — Cabaret

It’s just…so perfect. On so many meta-levels

Sally Bowles does not want you to tell her mother about her career change

A Trip to the Library — She Loves Me

Bc S’s au was so SPOT ON with this casting choice, omg. 

The darling, if a little bit ditzy, Ilona is definitely over her ex now, after a meet cute in the library. 

A Cockeyed Optimist — South Pacific

The only leading lady that both Blair and Serena are perfectly suited for. Imagine a plot where they both go out for it, then are double cast, all that delicious blairena drama…

Nellie talks to the dapper Emil, and reveals her personality, unshaken despite literally living in the middle of a world war 

Sonya & Natasha (duet w/ Blair) — Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812

I really think this works best with the duet and solo ballad playing one right after the other. it’s all that stuff all those web weaving posts are about, girls loving with claw marks and teeth and blood but nobody else will love you as fiercely and as loyally. It’s the best friendship of it all.

Natasha’s cousin-but-good-as-sister Sonya discovers and calls her out on her emotional affair with a RAKE to whom she is not engaged. Absolutely brutal girl-best-friend fight ensues. 

Sonya Alone — Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812

When her cousin shuts her out, Sonya remains determined to save her from herself. 

Through the Mountain — Floyd Collins

A hidden gem in a hidden gem of an esoteric kind of musical. But the song is gorgeous (also composed by Richard Rogers’ grandson Adam Guettel, in a genre I’m calling neoromantic bluegrass)

I picked the Audra performance bc I love her, and for the guitar, because musician!Dan my most beloved

While her brother, Floyd, is trapped in an underground cave, Nellie sings this promise to save him. 

Over the Moon — Rent

Like, ~serena the actress~ not doing Maureen is so implausible I cannot entertain the notion. Also, like, just imagine her in a performance—not even the whole show, just her recital or a cabaret—getting the crowd to moo with her. Only thee SVDW could. 

Take It Like a Man (duet w/ Dan) — Legally Blonde

I stand by what I said earlier re: Laura Bell Bundy, and while Serena is not a “so much better” belter, she could so sell this. And with Dan!!! It’s perfect!

Okay I have strong opinions on this but this is actually a perfect, feel-good musical. So many bangers, a genius adaptation of a beloved film, a balance that not many musicals in the same genre strike. (a guy judged me recently for calling it perfect and honestly fuck that guy. anyways).

Elle takes her best law school friend, Emmett, shopping for grownup lawyer clothes for their case. Feelings ensue.

Gorgeous — The Apple Tree: Passionella

Okay so I’ve never seen this show, but this song is basically about a “homely” girl who magically becomes ~sexy~ and she is Living for it — it’s a twist on the Cinderella myth, essentially. It was made famous by KChen in a revival. 

Turn Back, O Man — Godspell

For no other reason than I can imagine Serena having the most fun with it. 

The legendary Stephen Schwartz musical in which the only named characters are Judas and Jesus, it’s a…loose storytelling of the gospel. 

The designated soloist opens Act II with this song, which, for telling people to forswear sin and give up things of this world, it sounds hella sexy. (I chose the revival w/ Morgan James bc she’s one of my fave singers and hoooo. She can wail.)

Hard to Be the Bard — Something Rotten

A gender-bender song because Serena would. And let us never forget Serena, Founder of the Shakespeare Club my beloved. 

Poor ol’ Billy Shakes is struggling with the trappings of fame. 

Changing My Major — Fun Home

Harold. 

College-age Alison wakes up after a night of passion (her very first one) and is adorably and emotionally changed forever. 

The Life of the Party — The Wild Party

It’s Serena (one aspect of her character) wrapped up into one MT song. It’s perfect. 

A musical about a Fitzgerald kind of bacchanal, during which things get truly wild: alcohol, abuse, adultery….murder. Kate, a flapper if there ever was one, opens Act 2 with a salute to the party life. 

If You Ever See Me Talking to a Sailor — The Last Ship

Remember when Sting wrote a musical about some gruff northern english shipbuilders? No? Well, it kind of flopped, BUT I think it’s great. And the music slaps (it’s by Sting, hello) and this song slaps. 

Meg, a badass MILF who’s been hurt one too many times tells everyone in the pub of this seaside town why sailor’s ain’t shit. because her first love ran away on a boat after he (unknowingly) knocked her up? maybe so.

If You Hadn’t But You Did — Two on the Aisle

Written for a 50s Bway revue, KChen revived this into one of her staples on a studio recording. The wronged woman, but make it both deadly AND hilarious. And patter. 

Mamma Mia — Mamma Mia

Because S said it belonged here and she is RIGHT. Like, in a ~serena the Actress~ world, I see her starting off with the Maureens and the comic sexy relief before happily aging into Donna and everything Bernadette Peters ever did. 

Donna, on this, the eve of her daughter’s wedding, discovers that not one, but three of her exes (and all incidentally the possible biological father of said daughter) have been invited. Shenanigans and Abba ensue. 

People — Funny Girl

Idk if I would have her do this whole role, but I think she would love Babs and love this song (and she can absolutely do “Jingle Bells?” as a party trick at holiday gigs). 

Fanny Brice, charismatic comedienne full of ambition sings this number towards the close of act 1, as she begins to fall for Nicky Arnstein. 

Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again (duet with Blair) — as performed by Judy and Barbra

It’s about the BEST FRIENDS. And about that gorgeous, full, round, vibratoed belt. 

A mashup duet made famous from Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand’s performance on the Judy Garland show. Judy sings Harold Arlen’s “Get Happy” which she made famous in the movie Summer Stock, and Babs sings Milton Ager’s pop standard “Happy Days,” one of her most famous singles. 

#gossip girl #serena van der woodsen #*ggmt #playlist #theatre kid!serena is actually something that can be so personal #i think this is my favorite of them all #on today's episode of liz was a music major and she's gonna make it everyone's problem #help i can’t stop thinking about serena playling maureen #source: homeofthenutty #source: senamarais #fun fact one of my best friend's married a man named Joe. so he sings 'changing my major' but makes it 'changing my major to joe' #and it's the sweetest fucking thing #they're Goals tbh #i know I said she wouldn't play elle woods and then put legally blonde on the list #but let me defend that by saying 'take it like a man' and 'so much better' are not in the same vocal universe #so much better does slap though