Belting Beauties
Sunday, October 11, 2026
Hosted by Katie Cass
Playlist
[08:56]
Hard Knock Life
— Annie
(opening)
[09:02]
And I Am Telling You
— Dreamgirls
(Jennifer Holliday)
[11:20]
You Can't Get a Man with a Gun
— Annie Get Your Gun
(Ethel Merman)
[22:00]
Easy as Life
— Aida
(Heather Headley, original Broadway cast)
[20:13]
I Didn't Plan It
— Waitress
(Keala Settle)
[23:53]
Don't Nobody Bring Me No Bad News
— The Wiz
[34:37]
Good Morning Baltimore
— Hairspray
(Marissa Jaret Winokur)
[24:29]
Independently Owned
— Shucked
(Alex Newell)
[45:19]
The Ladder to the Roof
— Everyday Rapture
(Sherri Rene Scott)
[08:20]
I'm Here
— The Color Purple
(Cynthia Erivo)
[51:02]
Sparkling Diamonds
— Moulin Rouge
(Karen Olivo)
[52:40]
Some People
— Gypsy
(Patti LuPone)
[59:04]
America
— West Side Story
(Chita Rivera, closing)
Transcript
[00:43]
On October 17th, Madison Theatre Guild proudly presents Sarah Ruhl's Eurydice, a beautifully
[00:50]
fantastical and moving reimagining of the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice.
[00:57]
After dying too young on her wedding day, Eurydice journeys to the underworld.
[01:01]
Rather than presenting this myth as simply Orpheus attempting to rescue Eurydice from
[01:06]
Hades, Sarah Ruhl tells this tale through the eyes of her heroine, giving Eurydice
[01:13]
her own voice and desires, placing a powerful emphasis on her relationship with her father
[01:18]
and on the difficult choices that come with love and loss.
[01:22]
Madison Theatre Guild's production of Sarah Ruhl's Eurydice performs at the Bartel Theatre
[01:28]
now through October 17th.
[01:31]
Tickets at barteltheatre.org.
[01:35]
This is W.R.T. 89.9 FM and W.R.T. FM dot O.R.G.
[08:14]
You are listening to W.R.T. 89.9 FM Madison.
[08:19]
This is Katie.
[08:20]
I'm here with Better Living Through Show Tunes.
[08:23]
I'm here every second Sunday of the month at two o'clock to bring you your favorite
[08:28]
show tunes, either from movies, musicals, stage, screen, all those good things.
[08:35]
So today's little theme that I've picked out is belting beauties.
[08:41]
So I've picked some songs from some of my favorite Broadway shows and some of my favorite performers
[08:48]
that are incredible power singers.
[08:52]
So I decided to start off with something kind of cute.
[08:56]
It was Hard Knock Life from Annie.
[08:59]
Those little girls, man, they can really belt it out, right?
[09:02]
And then you just heard, and I am telling you from Dreamgirls with the amazing Jennifer
[09:06]
Holiday, one of the most iconic belting songs of all times.
[09:11]
Yeah, so thanks for joining me.
[09:14]
We're going to play some fun little musical treasures for the next hour.
[09:21]
And also wanted to let you know that last weekend was our last weekend of the full pledge
[09:27]
drive here at W.R.T.
[09:29]
But we are still accepting online donations.
[09:33]
So if you have that in your heart and you have that in your pocketbook and you want
[09:39]
to share that with W.R.T.
[09:40]
to keep the programming here going, all this amazing music, talk, news, all the stuff
[09:46]
that we get to share with our community coming through W.R.T., this volunteer run station.
[09:55]
It's just so amazing.
[09:56]
So if you want to keep that going, we definitely need your help.
[10:01]
So I want to thank everyone who's already donated and future donors, a little information.
[10:07]
If you want to donate, we currently have a match little thing going on.
[10:12]
So if you donate $40, W.R.T. will actually receive $80.
[10:18]
And if you are a new donor, if you've never donated to W.R.T. before, they're doing
[10:22]
a two to one match.
[10:24]
So if you donate $40, W.R.T. gets $120 donation.
[10:29]
So that's kind of amazing.
[10:31]
I do want to acknowledge someone that donated online right before I started.
[10:37]
I don't know if they got their shout out.
[10:39]
So I do want to say thank you to Harvey from Madison for donating.
[10:44]
You are doing the work.
[10:46]
So thank you so much.
[10:48]
Every little dollar counts.
[10:51]
So don't think your donation is too small.
[10:54]
Everything goes to help keep this wonderful station going and this amazing thing that we
[10:58]
have here in Madison that we get to share with everyone.
[11:01]
So let's get back to some music.
[11:04]
The next song that I picked was it came to my head right away, actually, because it's
[11:11]
sung by Ethel Merman, who if you are part of the theater world, when anyone's a real
[11:16]
brassy belter, they're like, Hello, Ethel Merman, right?
[11:20]
So this one is from Annie Get Your Gun, and it is You Can't Get a Man with a Gun.
[11:59]
With targets not much bigger than a pinpoint, I'm number one, but my score with a fair is
[12:10]
lower than a cellar, Oh, you can't get a man with a gun, when I'm with a pistol, I sparkle
[12:21]
like a crystal, yes, I shine like the morning sun, but I lose all muster, when with a bronco
[12:32]
buster, oh, you can't get a man with a gun, with a gun, you can't get a man with a gun,
[12:48]
if I went to bat bull, with someone's herd of cat bull, you'd have steak when the job was done,
[12:59]
but if I shot the herder, they'd haul a bloody murder, and you can't shoot a male, in the tail like a quail,
[13:09]
oh, you can't get a man with a gun, if I shot a rabbit, some furrier would grab it for a coat that would
[13:24]
warm someone, but you can shoot a lover, and use him for a cover, oh, you can't get a man with a gun,
[13:38]
the gals with umbrellers, are always out with fellers, in the rain or the blazing sun, but a man with trifles,
[13:51]
with gals who carry rifles, oh, you can't get a man with a gun, with a gun, with a gun, no, you can't get a man with a gun,
[14:09]
a tom, dick or harry, will build a house for carry, when the preacher has made them one, but he can't build your houses,
[14:22]
with buckshot it is trousers for a man, may be hot, but he's not when he's shot, oh, you can't get a man with a gun,
[14:42]
this is the moment, when the gods expect me to beg for help, but I won't even try, I want nothing in the world but myself,
[14:57]
to protect me, and I won't lie down, roll over and I die, all I have to do, is forget how much I love him,
[15:24]
all I have to do, is put my longing to one's try, tell myself that love's a never changing situation, passion would have cooled,
[15:40]
and all the magic would have died, it's easy, it's easy, when he seals into my hole, when the tide of the familiar,
[16:29]
until I, as he was when I last talked, like he won't call your rocks at me, looking crazy.
[20:13]
It's Kayla Settle with I Didn't Plan It from The Musical Waitress, she is an amazing talent, just love her so much, also,
[21:43]
I tried to emulate her right when I'm singing some Broadway songs, because I just really look up to her and her talent,
[21:52]
yeah, I think she's amazing, and before that, you heard another just idol of mine, Heather Hadley,
[22:00]
singing from Aida, the musical, original Broadway cast, singing easy as life,
[22:08]
oh goodness, that was one of, that was the first Broadway show that I saw ever, I went to
[22:17]
New York, early 20s, and stayed with a friend, and that was the first show I got to see,
[22:25]
so it does hold a special place in my heart. I also realized that I didn't give you a lot
[22:30]
of information on how to make some donations if you are interested in calling in, you can do that
[22:37]
and do a pledge, but they will then redirect you to the website, so if you go straight to the website,
[22:44]
which is wortfm.org backslash donate, you can make a donation there and it will be either matched
[22:53]
one to one or two to one, depending on whether you have donated before or if you are a new donor
[22:59]
to Wart, so anything that you pledge is appreciated, if you are interested in doing that, do know that
[23:07]
this is the last day, so you have until about 11.59 tonight to make those donations, if you want to
[23:16]
donate online during this show, I will give you a shout out, so please do that if that
[23:25]
is something you are able to do. The next song that I'm going to play, I am so excited about,
[23:31]
because I'm going to see this show tonight at the Overture Center in Madison,
[23:36]
and I think you might know what it is, it is from The Wiz. This musical I have loved since I was in
[23:46]
third grade, and my elementary music teacher, Miss Verkron, showed it to us at Hawthorne Elementary.
[23:53]
Here is Don't Nobody Bring Me No Bad News from The Wiz.
[24:29]
Just heard Alex Newell sing from Shucked that is independently owned, oh my gosh,
[34:29]
Alex Newell, what a powerhouse, I feel like top diva of today's Broadway, love, love, love.
[34:37]
Before that, you heard Marissa Jarrett-Winnaker singing Good Morning Baltimore from Hairspray,
[34:45]
and what did you all think of Don't Nobody Bring Me No Bad News from The Wiz? Didn't it make you
[34:51]
just want to like jump up and go see it tonight with me? So yes, I'm very excited about that.
[34:57]
Next up, we have some more well-known divas singing some iconic songs, little funny
[35:09]
connections. Alex Newell was on Glee, and this next song kind of revived and made young people
[35:18]
kind of know this song again, and when I used to work at the duplex piano bar in New York City,
[35:23]
the people would come in and request, sing that song from Glee, and it was either one of
[35:29]
two songs. It was either Don't Stop Believing by Journey, or it was this song from Funny Girl.
[36:01]
To love me, you to love
[38:38]
I've got, I've got, I've got my sister I can feel her now, she may not be here
[39:04]
But she's still mine, I know you still love me Got my children, I can't hold them now
[39:27]
They may not be here, but they still mine, I still love
[45:19]
The Ladder to the Roof by Sherri Renee Scott from Everyday Rapture, which is her show about her
[45:25]
life. With singing with her was Lindsay Mendez and Betsy Wolf, who are also Broadway stars
[45:32]
that were singing back up for her at that time and have since created
[45:37]
amazing careers for themselves on the stage. You heard I'm Here from The Color Purple,
[45:43]
the new Broadway cast recording. Cynthia Rivo, who you know as Elphaba from the Wicked Movies.
[45:52]
So yes, that was her just rips my heart out that song. Such a beautiful part of that show.
[46:02]
Next up, we have a fun little song from Moulin Rouge, the musical, and it features Karen Olivo,
[46:12]
our Wisconsin gal, our imported Wisconsin gal. We love her.
[46:50]
They are all that need to please me. They can stimulate and tease me.
[46:59]
They won't leave in the night. I've no fear that they desert me.
[47:07]
And I'll forever hold one up and then caress it. Touch it, stroke it, and undress it.
[47:23]
I can see every part. Nothing hides in their heart to hurt.
[47:30]
How fun is that mashup? Karen Olivo belting her face out in Moulin Rouge, the musical,
[51:02]
with the sparkling diamond. So thank you, Karen, for being amazing. Just like you are.
[51:11]
I wanted to give a little challenge to all of you who might be listening.
[51:18]
I would really love to do an audience favorites show. So if you have a favorite musical
[51:26]
or favorite song from a musical, please message me on social media. You can find me on Instagram
[51:34]
at at Miss Katie Cass. That's M-I-S-S-K-A-T-I-E-C-A-S-S on Instagram. And let me know what your
[51:43]
favorite show is. Let me know what your favorite song from that show is. And let me know what it
[51:49]
means to you. Don't forget to include your name if it's different than your handle. And I'm going
[51:54]
to make a little show. So I'm going to make a little playlist of all the fan favorites.
[51:58]
And I'll give you a little shout out on the radio. So that might be fun.
[52:02]
If you have any questions about that, you know, I don't know how to, I don't know how I can make
[52:09]
that like easier, right? You get a shout out on the radio. You get to hear your favorite song.
[52:16]
I mean, what's not great about that. Anyway, next up is a song from a Gypsy. I chose the
[52:24]
Patti LuPone version because that is the version that I saw on Broadway. I was running so late to
[52:30]
that show and I sat down in my seat and the lights went out and Patti LuPone showed up right
[52:35]
next to me because I was sitting on the aisle and she had an audience entrance and I was just like,
[52:40]
oh my goodness, thank God I was on time. And this song is called Some People. And yeah,
[52:48]
Patti LuPone is an iconic belter from Broadway. She has definitely cemented herself in the
[52:53]
Broadway Hall of Fame. Anybody that stays home is dead. If I die, it won't be from sitting.
[53:00]
It'll be from fighting to get up and get out. Some people can get that's okay for some people
[53:14]
who don't know they're alive. Some people can thrive and be perfect for some people of one
[53:30]
else. But other sites that I gotta see at all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta
[53:45]
be. Yeah, come on, papa, what do you say? Some people can be content. That's PG for some people,
[53:57]
for some humdrum people. I had a dream, a wonderful papa. All about tuning the Orpheum circuit.
[54:19]
Give me a chance and I know I can work it. I had a dream, just as real as can be papa.
[54:29]
There I was in Mr. Orpheum's office. He was saying to himself some new orchestrations,
[54:38]
two routines and red velvet curtains. Get a feathered hat for the baby. Photographs in
[54:42]
front of the theater. Get an agent and in cheek time you'll be being booked in the big time.
[54:48]
Oh what a dream, a wonderful dream, papa. And all that I need is 88 bucks, papa.
[55:00]
That's what he said, papa. Only 88 bucks ain't getting 88 cents from me, Rose. Then I'll get it
[55:11]
someplace else, but I'll get it and get my kids out to Blue Bear. All the socials I had to go to,
[55:28]
all the lodges I had to play, all the shriners I said hello to. Hey LA, I'm in your way. Some
[55:34]
people sit on them, not the guts. That's living for some people, for some un-drowned dream.
[56:15]
Wash out 44 pairs of socks and have them hanging on the line. I can start your nine in two dozen
[56:21]
shirts before you can count from one to nine. I can scoop up a great big dipper full of lard
[56:26]
from the dripping's can. Vote and skill it, go out and do a shopping and be back before it melts
[56:33]
until it's shining like a dime. My baby greased the car and piled up my face at the same time.
[56:53]
Hope dressed up, go out and swing to four a.m. and then lay down at five, jump up at six and start
[57:01]
all over again sickly. You know I'm gonna make you well. If you come to me hit stop,
[57:20]
you know I'm gonna break the spell. You know if you come to me hungry, I'm gonna fill you full
[57:26]
of grit. Put epic love in your locker and I'll kiss you and give you the shivering.
[58:58]
Thank you for hanging out with me during Better Living Through Showtimes today. My name is Katie
[59:04]
and my last song for the day is going to be America from West Side Story. A little belting
[59:13]
Miss Chita Rivera so that is fun. Please stay tuned for On the Horizon and yeah have a great
[59:22]
Sunday y'all. It was nice playing show tunes with you. Hey Rock and John, who do you think of
[61:37]
when I say Madison rock and roll? I'd have to say the Raussers. Perfect because the Raussers are
[61:44]
playing at Wood Music Hall Friday October 23rd. The Raussers are definitely one of Madison's
[61:50]
most enduring and beloved Blue's Rock bands.