#runawaywithme

Waiting and hoping to find anyone with my mindset and they say “fuck it let’s just run away” no plans just adventure and a good time. Then I realise if they have the same mindset as me, they are waiting for someone to say the same.

https://moonberries02.tumblr.com/sorter

moonberries02.tumblr.com/sorter

Because I was writing about RUN AWAY WITH ME anyway, I thought I’d compile some of my favorite videos. 

There’s Jeremy Jordan. This was his 2nd attempt at the song. We’d done it at another concert and he’d sung it BEAUTIFULLY but screwed up a few lyrics. The lyrics are, by all accounts (including my own), a BITCH to learn. TEXAS, ALABAMA, MISSISSIPPI, CALIFORNIA. I don’t have any pneumonic devices for you. The way I remember is that I only ever screw up Alabama and Mississippi and those two are in alphabetical order, but that’s really not that helpful, is it? Anyway, this video is the end of Jeremy’s first attempt at a second concert and mostly Jeremy’s second take because he psyched himself out before he’d even gotten started. We thought it was so charming the way he started over, we kept the footage. He’s so present and in the moment that you would have felt like you missed the joke if you didn’t have the previous take as he started again. I really love this rendition. 

Michael Arden was the first person to sing this song in a reading. We wrote it for him. We write a lot of things for Michael and then he grows out of them because he’s the kind of person who constantly grows. Michael is one of my favorite collaborators - first as an actor and now as a director. I love the way he handles text. I love his reserve, the slight anxiety that comes through, and the deep longing under the surface. It always feels like he has more to say that he can’t let out. 

I remember the first time I heard Ben Fankhauser singing this song. I felt like I was riding a roller coaster. Few singers have the easy riff that Ben has. It feels emotional rather than pyrotechnic even though it is pyrotechnic. Ben didn’t get to perform the role off-Broadway due to vocal health issues but his recording of this song remains a highlight for me. 

I think Josh Henry’s rendition of “Run Away with Me” is WAY underrated. He’s an insanely talented actor and vocalist. I haven’t seen his Billy Bigalow yet but I can only imagine how stirring his “Soliloquy” will be. 

This shitty video of Aaron Tveit singing “Run Away with Me” has over 1 million views on YouTube. No kidding. It is NOT because of the cinematography. It is not because of the head that blocks your view for a significant portion of the video. It’s because this song and this singer were a perfect perfect match for each other. Aaron sings this as good as anyone, maybe better. I’d love to see him do this song live again, but the video - which does not do the live experience justice - stands the test of time. 

What’s real?