Broadway

NARRATOR: Please welcome Maestro Luke Frazier and the American Pops Orchestra in "One Voice: The Songs We Share."

Until the curtains are able to rise on the Great White Way, join us as we celebrate the music of Broadway, with performances by tap icon, Luke Hawkins, Broadway star, Amber Iman, from RuPaul's Drag Race, Alexis Michelle, Broadway artist, Sam Simahk and pianists, Steven Mann and Ray Wong.

Hosted by Tony and Grammy Award winner, Jessie Mueller.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (drums) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ FRAZIER: I'm Luke Frazier, Founder and Music Director of the American Pops Orchestra.

Welcome to "One Voice: The Songs We Share."

In this episode, we're exploring the popular influence of Broadway musicals, and to do that, I've asked the incomparable Tony Award-winning artist, Jessie Mueller, to join us!

MUELLER: Thanks Luke, I'm so happy to be here with you and the American Pops Orchestra.

Once in a generation, a song from a Broadway show becomes not just a hit but an anthem.

To sing "I Am What I Am," please welcome the extraordinary Alexis Michelle.

♪ MICHELLE: I am what I am.

♪ ♪ I am my own special creation.

♪ ♪ So, come take a look, ♪ ♪ give me the hook or the ovation.

♪ ♪ It's my world ♪ ♪ that I want to have a little pride in, ♪ ♪ my world, ♪ ♪ and it's not a place I have to hide in.

♪ ♪ Life's not worth a damn, ♪ ♪ 'til you can say, ♪ "Hey world, I am what I am."

♪ I am what I am, I don't want praise, ♪ ♪ I don't want pity.

♪ ♪ I bang my own drum, some think it's noise, ♪ ♪ I think it's pretty.

♪ ♪ And so what if I love each feather ♪ ♪ and each spangle, ♪ ♪ why not try to see things from a different angle?

♪ ♪ Your life is a sham, 'til you can say out loud, ♪ ♪ "I am what I am."

♪ ♪ I am what I am, ♪ ♪ and what I am needs no excuses.

♪ ♪ I deal my own deck, ♪ ♪ sometimes the ace, ♪ ♪ sometimes, the deuces.

♪ ♪ There's one life, ♪ ♪ and there's no return and no deposit, ♪ ♪ one life, so it's time to open up your closet.

♪ ♪ Life's not worth a damn, 'til you can say, ♪ ♪ "Hey, world, ♪ ♪ I am what I am!"

♪ ♪ ♪ FRAZIER: Rogers and Hammerstein met Carole King and all three met one of the brightest lights of Broadway, who made these songs her own.

The wonderful, Jessie Mueller.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ MUELLER: If I loved you, ♪ ♪ time and again I would try to say ♪ ♪ all I'd want you to know.

♪ ♪ If I loved you, ♪ ♪ words wouldn't come in an easy way, ♪ ♪ round in circles I'd go.

♪ ♪ Longing to tell you, ♪ ♪ but afraid and shy, ♪ ♪ I'd let my golden chances ♪ ♪ pass me by.

♪ ♪ Soon you'd leave me, ♪ ♪ off you would go in the mist of day, ♪ ♪ never, never to know ♪ ♪ how I loved you ♪ ♪ if I loved you.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Tonight, with words unspoken, ♪ ♪ you say that I'm the only one.

♪ ♪ But, will my heart be broken, ♪ ♪ when the night meets the morning sun?

♪ ♪ I'd like to know that your love, ♪ ♪ is love I can ♪ ♪ be sure of.

♪ ♪ So, tell me now ♪ ♪ oh and I won't ask again ♪ ♪ will you still love me tomorrow?

♪ ♪ Cause I'm longing to tell you, ♪ ♪ but afraid and shy, ♪ ♪ I'd let my golden chances ♪ ♪ pass me by.

♪ ♪ Soon you'd leave me, ♪ ♪ off you would go in the mist of day, ♪ ♪ never, never to know ♪ ♪ how I loved you ♪ ♪ if I loved you.

♪ ♪ Will you still love me tomorrow?

♪♪ FRAZIER: Sammy Davis, Jr, Van Morrison and Barbra Streisand have all made this song a singular standout, though the musical in which it appeared originally, "The Roar of the Grease Paint, the Smell of the Crowd," is rarely performed.

To sing "Who Can I Turn To?"

please welcome the incredible Sam Simahk.

♪ ♪ ♪ SIMAHK: Who can I turn to ♪ ♪ when nobody needs me?

♪ ♪ My heart wants to know and ♪ ♪ so I must go where destiny leads me.

♪ ♪ With no star to guide me, ♪ ♪ and no one beside me, ♪ ♪ I'll go on my way, ♪ ♪ and after the day, the darkness will hide me.

♪ ♪ And maybe tomorrow, ♪ ♪ I'll find what I'm after.

♪ ♪ I'll throw off my sorrow, beg, steal, or borrow, ♪ ♪ my share of laughter.

♪ ♪ With you I could learn to, ♪ ♪ with you on a new day, ♪ ♪ but who can I turn to ♪ ♪ if you turn away?

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ With no star to guide me, ♪ ♪ and no one beside me, ♪ ♪ I'll go on my way, ♪ ♪ and after the day, ♪ ♪ the darkness will hide me.

♪ ♪ And maybe tomorrow, ♪ ♪ I'll find what I'm after.

♪ ♪ I'll throw off my sorrow, beg, steal, or borrow, ♪ ♪ my share of laughter.

♪ ♪ With you I could learn to, ♪ ♪ with you on a new day, ♪ ♪ but who can I turn to?

♪ ♪ Who can I turn to?

♪ ♪ Who can I turn to if you ♪ ♪ turn away?

♪♪ MUELLER: Here to sing "Whatever Lola Wants" please welcome Broadway's Amber Iman, with a little help from tap sensation Luke Hawkins.

♪ ♪ ♪ IMAN: Whatever Lola wants Lola gets, ♪ ♪ and little man, ♪ ♪ little Lola wants you.

♪ ♪ Make up your mind to have ♪ ♪ no regrets, ♪ ♪ recline yourself, ♪ ♪ resign yourself, you're through.

♪ ♪ I always get what I aim for ♪ ♪ and your heart and soul is what I came for.

♪ ♪ Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets, ♪ ♪ no use to fight, ♪ ♪ don't you know you can't win?

♪ ♪ You're no exception to the rule.

♪ ♪ I'm irresistible you fool.

♪ ♪ Give in.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I always get what I aim for ♪ ♪ and your heart and soul is what I came for.

♪ ♪ Lola wants, ♪ ♪ Lola gets, ♪ ♪ you'll never win.

♪ ♪ You're no exception to the rule, ♪ ♪ I'm irresistible, you fool.

♪ ♪ Give in!

♪ ♪ Give in!

♪ ♪ Give in!

♪♪ FRAZIER: I hope you've enjoyed this episode and I'm so very grateful to our guest artists who made this show so special.

For our final act, please welcome back, the one and only, Jessie Mueller.

♪ ♪ ♪ MUELLER: We travel single, O.

♪ ♪ Maybe we're lucky.

♪ ♪ But I don't know.

♪ ♪ With them, just let one kid fall down ♪ ♪ and seven mothers faint.

♪ ♪ I guess we're both happy.

♪ ♪ But maybe we ain't.

♪ ♪ People, people who need people ♪ ♪ are the luckiest people in the world.

♪ ♪ We're children needing other children, ♪ ♪ and yet letting our grown up pride ♪ ♪ hide all the need inside, ♪ ♪ acting more like children than children.

♪ ♪ Lovers are very special people ♪ ♪ they're the luckiest people in the world.

♪ ♪ With one person, ♪ ♪ one very special person, ♪ ♪ a feeling deep in your soul ♪ ♪ says, you were half, now you're whole.

♪ ♪ No more hunger and thirst, ♪ ♪ but first be a person who needs people.

♪ ♪ People who need people, ♪ ♪ are the luckiest people in the world!

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ With one person, one very special person, ♪ ♪ a feeling deep in your soul, ♪ ♪ says, you were half, now you're whole.

♪ ♪ No more hunger and thirst, ♪ ♪ but first be a person who needs people.

♪ ♪ People who need people, ♪ ♪ are the luckiest people ♪ ♪ in the world.

♪ ♪ MICHELLE: So what if I love each feather ♪ ♪ and each spangle.

♪ ♪ Why not try to see things from a different angle.

♪ ♪ Your life is a sham, 'til you can say out loud, ♪ ♪ "I am what I am."

♪ ♪ I am what I am and... ♪♪