Bartley Stratton is a musical theatre journalist and blogger based in California.
Bartley was a writer for the Star Tribune during the Minnesota Fringe Festival and was a regular contributor for Minnesota Playlist. She is a a member of the Independent Bloggers Association and also writes for BroadwayAudience.com
Read Bartley’s reviews and interviews with people in the theatre community at theplaybillcollector.com or follow her on Twitter – @playbillcollect
A song from the first musical you saw/heard
I first saw Show Boat in Minneapolis and “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man” stuck with me.
A song from your latest musical obsession
Anything Jessie Mueller sings in Beautiful. If I had to pick one, “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”.
A song demonstrating how underrated you think a musical is
This is totally left field but “Comfort and Joy” from Bat Boy. That show totally surprised me in a good way.
A song which can make you cry
“Losing My Mind” from Follies
A song which makes you laugh
“To Excess” by Kooman and Dimond
The musical you’d kill to be in
This is the hardest one for me to answer! Ideally something that has a big tap number in it! I mean, who doesn’t like that?
A song sung by your favourite female character in a musical
Patina Miller “Simple Joys” in Pippin
A song sung by your favourite male character in a musical
Aaron Tveit singing “I’m Alive” from Next to Normal
A song from the musical you know all – or nearly all – the lines to
“Elaborate Lives” from AIDA
Your guilty pleasure musical
Big River
The musical which made the most impact on you
Oliver because it was the first show my siblings (younger brother and younger sister) and I did together. We grew up doing community theater together.
The song “I’d Do Anything” still rings true for my family.
A song you could listen to all day.
Caissie Levy singing “I’m Yours” by Jonathan Reid Gealt
In fact, I have been lately! 
A song by your favourite musical composer
Jason Robert Brown “All The Wasted Time” from Parade
The character you’d kill to play
Call me crazy but I’ve always wanted to be the Narrator in Joseph
“Pharoah Story” is a belter’s slice of heaven; in my humble opinion.
The character you’d kill to play – if you were the opposite sex
Jack Kelly in Newsies.
That is, if I could have the power to become a good dancer too!
A song which inspires you
“Corner of the Sky” from Pippin
The musical you’ve seen over and over
Rent and Into the Woods
The character in a musical you can most relate to
I’m laughing while typing this but probably Sandy in Grease
I do have a dream of wearing that killer outfit of her’s during “You’re The One That I Want”.
A song from your favourite musical
The Last Five Years “I Can Do Better” by Jason Robert Brown
Your favourite song NOT from a musical
I’m a huge Hall and Oates fan. Do It For Love is at the top… for today!
Big thanks to Bartley for taking the Actor Hub Musical Theatre Challenge.
If you want to take the Actor Hub Musical Theatre Challenge please get in touch
