Price and Son Theme: Piano/Vocal/Chords

Lauper's songs cut straight to character and feeling without sacrificing singability or theatrical impact. The arrangements by Stephen Oremus preserve the accessibility of the melodies while giving pianists and singers room to perform with real personality, making this collection equally rewarding in a full theater production or an intimate recital setting.

These songs land somewhere between pop sensibility and theatrical storytelling. You'll find infectious hooks and singable melodies paired with intimate character moments and genuine emotional stakes. The orchestrations support both vulnerability and celebration, giving performers access to music that feels modern and deeply human.

This book serves singers preparing solos from a contemporary Broadway show, pianists building their musical theater repertoire, and teachers seeking material that connects students to current theatrical music. Guitar players who read chord charts will find valuable performance material alongside the traditional piano/vocal format.

• Balance the vocal line so lyrics stay clear even when the accompaniment is full; these arrangements often layer rich harmonic textures that can swallow a quieter singer.
• Approach the character songs with specificity. Each number has a distinct emotional core—study the context from the show to ground your interpretation in the story.
• Use the color photos throughout the book as a rehearsal reference; they show staging, blocking, and emotional beats that will inform your phrasing and dynamics.
• Lock the tempo and rhythmic feel with your accompanist early, especially in the uptempo numbers like 'Everybody Say Yeah' and 'Sex Is in the Heel,' where groove matters as much as precision.

Program individual songs from this collection for concert showcases, musical theater revue nights, or audition prep classes. The variety of tempos and character types makes it ideal for creating a curated program that demonstrates stylistic range. The inclusion of full orchestrations also makes it useful reference material for students learning how contemporary Broadway arranging balances vocal clarity with instrumental color.

• Singing contemporary melodic lines with clear diction and emotional intention
• Reading and playing piano/vocal arrangements with independent voice leading
• Interpreting character-driven songs through lyrical subtext and phrasing
• Coordinating with accompanists to maintain rhythmic accuracy in contemporary pop-influenced musical theater styles
• Understanding chord charts and harmonic substitutions common in modern Broadway writing