Viral Broadway: Seven Videos in the Million-Plus Club
Have you seen these fan-favorite videos that took YouTube by storm?
This edition of StageStreams: Broadway videos with more than a million views
Hi! I’m your new StageStreams editor Sheva Schwartz. This month, we’re taking a look at seven gripping Broadway-related YouTube videos which have skyrocketed past 1 million views. We’ve ordered our list from light to dark—starting with the star-powered and comedic, and ending with the weighty and political.
Our first pick sees an impressive (and sometimes bizarre) array of celebrities decked out in green skin, curly red hair, and more as they sing their way through this side-splitting SNL skit.
It’s never more clear that the public love for Hamilton was aided by its creator’s sparkling personality than in the fulsome comment section of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s fast-paced tour of theatre lingo.
Notable for its unique and engaging editing style, this New York Times video takes viewers straight into the hidden heart of Broadway’s preparatory studios, set stores, and more.
Howard Ho leaves no stone unturned in this stunning analysis of Encanto’s surprise smash hit, going beyond the intricate makeup of the song into the complex family dynamics at play.
Our list takes a historical turn with this intriguing deep-dive into the Julie Andrews–Audrey Hepburn casting controversy, which has the polished feeling of a documentary short.
Learn about the makings of one of Broadway’s most ill-fated productions with Wait in the Wings’ hour-long investigation into Carrie, featuring loads of clips of archival video footage.
Essayist Lindsay Ellis uses the political and economic context of Rent’s setting to craft her (perhaps controversial) argument that the show’s central message falls flat.
How many of these videos have you seen? It’s one way to know if you’re a real Broadway YouTube addict. Confess in the comments!
This issue’s all-new featured videos:
In our first pick, Matt Baume unravels the story of Howard Ashman’s life as a playwright and lyricist, from his surprise theatrical success in Little Shop of Horrors to his posthumous Oscar award for Beauty and the Beast.
Think you know Mean Girls? Our next pick (by our publisher The Broadway Maven) is a fun peek into the show’s math references, which compound with story and theme to form the complex equation of Cady’s identity.
This intelligent discussion of Fiddler on the Roof delves into the fraught cultural balancing act between tradition and modernity, which creates the ripples that propel the plot of this Jewish-American landmark.
In our fourth pick, composer-lyricist Michael Radi explains the benefits of writing software Scrivener for musical theatre, including organizational tools and collaboration capabilities.
Howard Ho packs this 27-minute breakdown of “Heart of Stone” from SIX with his usual abundance of detail, metaphor, theory, and insight; this video is special for its dialogue with Jasmine Forsberg (Broadway’s current Jane Seymour) and engaging visual storytelling.
Channel spotlight:
Matthew Hardy’s self-named channel covers current theatrical productions, from immersive experiences like Life and Trust to classic musical revivals like Merrily We Roll Along, through the review series “Bored and Confused”. Naturally, Hardy uses these two parameters as focal points for his discussion. Hardy’s videos are concise, usually between three and ten minutes, and the channel has posted nine reviews in the past two months. Hardy centralizes the experience of the audience through clear summaries and down-to-earth criticism. His experience as an actor, writer, and composer allows him to give artistically minded explanations for any moments of boredom or confusion.
NOTE: StageStreams will be selecting five all-new videos a month to highlight (in addition to the opening essay). If you'd like to ensure your video is included, please reach out to our publisher at DavidBenkof@gmail.com for promotional and sponsorship opportunities.
StageStreams is edited by Sheva Schwartz, who is entering her third year at the University of Ottawa, Canada, pursuing a double major in cello performance and composition. Sheva recently completed the Student Seminar with The Broadway Maven. StageStreams is published by The Broadway Maven.
Recent videos at The Broadway Maven YouTube channel include “Sondheim Through a Maven’s Lens”; a Piano Talk about “All I Ask of You” from Phantom of the Opera; and a 10-minute version of Pippin.
Upcoming classes at The Broadway Maven include a FREE course on Jewish Broadway, Mondays in September and “Sondheim Academy” Tuesdays in September.
The Broadway Maven also publishes MARQUEE, a must-read substack Broadway appreciation newsletter. Every Thursday, 10,000 subscribers receive essays, reviews, Piano Talks, YouTube gems, quizzes, games, surveys, “Broadway Blasts,” and more.
Weekly subscriptions are FREE, and there’s a Premium version with much more content that costs $5 a month or $36 a year.
David,
I have now seen rehearsal for FORBIDDEN BROADWAY, "back off-Broadway where we belong". Wow! It is terrific. We will shoot a video on September 5. Shall I send it to you, perhaps for this newsletter?
Eric