Smash: The Fringe-VOi

I'm a few weeks behind and I'm skipping the Jennifer Hudson episode. Last week, Ivy realized how horrible Liasons was becoming now that Sean Hayes's egotistical character, Terrence Falls, wanted to turn the heart wrenching drama into a comedy. 

We first see Ivy in an elevator with Karen both on their way to their own rehearsals. Can I say AWKWARD? Making small talk, Ivy tries to make her experience with Liaisons sound more savory than it is. She steps into a mass chaos of pink fluff and people crying. Terrence is explaining all of his changes in his ADHD, unfocused manner while Ivy follows him, a look of disgust stuck on her face. All of the ensemble and to her cast are being forced to act poorly, in order to puff the ego of Mr. Terry even more. Only one problem, Megan Hilty is an amazing actress and singer even when she's trying not to be. I mean, how can you dampen those vocals?

Derek is just waiting outside Ivy's rehearsal, urging her to not listen to her director and stop downplaying herself. He tells her to stand out in a crappy show. This is one of the rare times I've ever agreed with something Mr. Wills said, especially when its being said to Ivy. But, I have to admit, he is right, but why'd it take him for her to realize that?

And it's Press Day. Holy freaking disaster. Between Terry's awful acting, the bubblegum pink furniture, and the full cast crowded behind some bamboo dividers, it's no shock that the press are bored and appalled.

Press Day means Ivy's operatic number Letter From Cecile. Megan actually trained to become an opera singer. Until she went to opera camp at age twelve where she decided the life of opera wasn't for her. The high notes that she has the capacity to sing made for an amazing rendition of the classic song. She sang the song so well, in fact, that Terrry decided that the song needed to be pulled. That's logical, right? 

And on to the allergy attack. I mean the stomach ache. No, the crying, sorry I didn't realize people could cry for a reason. Yea, Terry, I'd cry too if I were stuck in a show with you. Ivy told him how much he sucked, apparently the first honest thing he's heard in twenty years. I know this blog is about Megan Hilty, but may we just take a moment to admire the sheer geniusness that Sean Hayes is to pull off that scene opposite Megan. The man is good, they played off each other so perfectly and the sadness jumped back and forth with comedic quality to make for the best scene thus far in the season.

And here's the recording of Megan's brilliant Letter From Cecile.

It Happens All The Time: Album Review

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've been in a show and then I got sick! But enough about me, because It Happens All The Time was released this week!!! Megan Hilty has talked about delaying making an album because she simply had nothing important to say. She finally has a statement to make, and it's about Loooooove! (I intended for you to say Looove in your head with a Southern Belle Georgia Accent)

As many of her fans know, Megan broke off her six year relationship with actor Steve Kazee early last year. She was able to maintain a strong exterior in public, but six years is a LONG time to be with someone! It must have been devastating. She said she didn't intend for her album to become a collection of breakup anthems, but she related to those songs the most. 

Now, we all know that Megan could belt the heck out of any song, shredding the likes of all that her ex did wrong with powerhouse delivery. But she did just the opposite. She sang softly, but with power and pain behind every note. The result? An accumulation of easy rock ballads that leave listeners begging for more. 

The title song, It Happens All The Time, poses the question, "If people fall in love all the time, why am I still alone?" It is a bluesy pop song that is sung in a toned down Hilty belt. Is it the sound of someone who knows them self, but is in a lonely state. Someone who is justifying the actions of a breakup. Megan's voice takes a break from her typically smooth velvety sound and becomes almost raspy. Some parts are sung forcefully, some nearly in a whisper.

Be A Man, Megan's self proclaimed favorite, starts with drawn out phrases, almost like sighs. Then, it transitions into lines of questions and statements that take pauses, as if waiting for a response. Despite its staunch name, Be A Man is a ballad that helplessly prods the former lover to, "Don't try to dance around it, just be a man about it," leading us to wonder....was this an unfair feeling Megan has experienced?

Walk Away is Megan's most radio ready song, which is probably a result of Carrie Underwood and Ne-Yo being cowriter of it. It is a powerful women's solo about not putting up with the guilt and constant annoyances from the dumpee. 

Next, Megan covers Taylor Swift's made-for-the-movies Hunger Games composition Safe and Sound. Instead of taking the lyrics such as "The war outside our door keeps raging on," in a literal way, as intended, Megan puts them in a romantic context. This added to her clear, forward delivery and sound of tears in her voice amplifies the well-written song to a level that was never reached by its original songstress.

Megan also covers the heartbreaking song, originally by Damien Rice, Blower's Daughter. Another ballad, however the theme isn't becoming tired as it should. Megan expresses the melody and lyrics in a straight forward way that respects the original, but adds another haunting level.

Suddenly, we are dropped into a repetitive pop song that hardly uses any of Megan's talent called Hopin'. It's a fine ditty, but does no justice to the wealth of talent who sings it. She gives it as much as the song allows. Needless to say, it's not my favorite.

After we conclude hearing 'Hopin' repeated what seems like trillions of times, we hear a single piano begin and Hilty's fresh voice begin to deliver Wise Up. It is a scolding song telling her lover who is on the edge how to make a decision about their seemingly one-sided relationship.

Just to show her class, Megan throws in a Don Henley cover of The Heart Of The Matter. She slows down the recognizable melody and dials back the manly power to turn it into a raw, regretful anthem of mistakes that are made when falling in and out of love.

Megan then moves onto to a cover of the Switchfoot song Dare You To Move. I've never heard the original, but Megan sings it with competence and dominance. The beat makes it a shoo-in for a Dance Party Remix to fist pump to on the dance floors of classy New York bars. 

For a final cover, Hilty accesses the Elvis-style artist Bruno Mars as she takes on It Will Rain. She maintains the original beat and lyrics, but they way she sings it makes more sense than the original. By adding male vocals underneath parts of the chorus, she packs more emotion in the song than has ever been achieved on that song previously.