From Casey in Pennsylvania:
Hi! I want to start by saying how much I love your work. The Scarlet Pimpernel is one of my favorite musicals, and I am really looking forward to Camille...I just love the song "Gold". =) I was wondering what your favorite musicals are...or your favorite songs or songwriters...anything of the sort, really.

Dear Casey,

Thank you so much for your kind words about my work and "Gold." In answer to your question- well, I suppose these would be my top five favorite musicals:

1) The Most Happy Fella [Frank Loesser]
2) A Chorus Line [James Kirkwood, Nicholas Dante, Marvin Hamlisch, Edward Kleban]
3) Wonderful Town [Joseph Fields, Jerome Chodorov, Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, Adolph Green]
4) Follies [James Goldman, Stephen Sondheim]
5) Pajama Game [George Abbott, Richard Bissell, Richard Adler, Jerry Ross]

Favorite musical theatre composers:

1) Stephen Sondheim
2) Frank Loesser
3) Cole Porter
4) Rodgers & Hammerstein
5) Kurt Weill

Favorite other composers:

1) George Gershwin
2) Rachmaninoff
3) Mahler
4) James Taylor
5) Randy Newman
6) Stevie Wonder
7) Puccini

Favorite songs:

1) "The Best is Yet to Come" [Cy Coleman, Carolyn Leigh]
2) "Where or When" [Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers]
3) "I Go to Rio" [Peter Allen, Adrienne Anderson]
4) "The Ladies Who Lunch" [Stephen Sondheim]
5) "Finishing the Hat" [Stephen Sondheim]
6) "With So Little to be Sure Of" [Stephen Sondheim]
7) "Summer's Here" [James Taylor]
8) "Sailor's Tango" [Matrosenlied, Kurt Weill]
9) "Our Love is Here to Stay" (esp. Feinstein's version) [George and Ira Gershwin]
10) "What'd I Say?" [Ray Charles]
11) "A Little Priest" [Stephen Sondheim]
12) "Overjoyed" [Stevie Wonder]
13) "First of May" [James Taylor]
14) "Celebrate Me Home" [Kenny Loggins, Bob James]
15) "Deacon Blues" performed by Steely Dan [Walter Becker, Donald Fagen]
16) "I am Singing" [Stevie Wonder]
17) "You Send Me" [Sam Cooke]
18) "Great Balls of Fire" [Otis Blackwell, Jack Hammer]
19) "Let the River Run" [Carly Simon]
20) "Sea of Love" [Phillip Baptiste, George Khoury]

Obviously I got totally carried away there- better stop before I hit 100. I also love Country Fiddle Band music and Irish/Celtic. And Vienna Choir Boys. And Latin jazz- like Stan Getz. Guess you got a whole lot more than you asked for. Anyway, thanks for your question, which was really fun to answer, and by the way- I almost named my second child Casey- great name.

Best to you- Nan