Broadway Baby (from Follies) (arr. Mac Huff): SSA Choral Octavo

Mac Huff's SSA arrangement preserves the character's vulnerability while opening this Sondheim gem to singers who might not have access to the original. The arrangement respects the song's clever lyrical content and conversational melody, making it accessible for high school and community choirs without sacrificing the sophistication that makes Sondheim worth singing.

Wry and self-aware. The song has a cabaret quality: intimate, a little jaded, with moments of genuine longing underneath the performance. Singers inhabit a character sharing a secret with the audience.

SSA and SSAA choirs looking for repertoire that teaches musical theater songwriting at a sophisticated level. This works equally well for groups wanting a Broadway number with real substance or for singers developing comfort with Sondheim's distinctive compositional voice.

• Treat the text like monologue first, music second. The humor lands when the character's voice feels natural and confessional rather than 'sung.'
• Balance the harmony parts so the SSA voicing creates warmth without drowning the character's story. The melody should always feel present.
• Pay attention to Sondheim's rhythmic specificity. Syncopation and unexpected accents are intentional; they shape the character's personality.

Program this as a contrast piece in a concert featuring classic Broadway material, or use it in a showcase exploring character-driven musical theater songs. It pairs well with contemporary choral settings of Stephen Sondheim and works beautifully as a closer that leaves audiences thinking about what they just heard.

• Interpreting Sondheim's rhythmic and lyrical complexity
• Balancing character voice with choral blend
• Executing precise diction in conversational musical theater style
• Understanding how harmony supports character rather than overwhelms it