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They’ll Know We Are [Human] by our LOVE
“They’ll Know We Are Christians” by Peter Scholtes; arranged, performed, and produced by Ashley Wagner. The initial sound clip is from the documentary “Afro-American Work Songs in a Texas Prison,” recorded in March 1966 by Pete, Toshi, and Daniel Seeger, and Bruce Jackson. The inmates are from the Ellis Unit at a Huntsville, Texas, prison. The political, social, and emotional turbulence I felt during the fall of 2016 is what brought this (highly personal) arrangement into existence. I altered the lyrics (particularly from “Christians” to “Human”) because I wanted to convey a universal message. I appreciate your letting me share some of my experience with you this way. Please know…
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End of NYU semester Vlog
Hey, guys! Getting over a cold ? so in today’s #WeeklyWednesday, I’m just chatting and linking to a previously-shared video that means a lot to me: It was a beautiful spring day in #NYC, so my kitties and I spent a little time out on the fire escape – (I see now why that’s a “thing” ?). My second semester of grad school at NYU is coming to an end ? so I thought I’d share what that’s looking like (realized I left out another paper I have due; accepting tokens of sympathy ?)! Can’t believe my first year is nearly done! Books I mentioned: The Curious Incident of the…
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“The Fear” (Lily Allen cover)
I recorded today’s #WeeklyWednesday a little over a year ago when I needed a pop song for an audition. Finally sharing it (on this stressful/emotional/sore throat kind of day). I think the cultural messaging is important to consider. “The Fear” was released on Lily Allen’s album “It’s Not Me, It’s You” and was written by Allen and Greg Kurstin. My accompaniment is on YouTube and you can also get my version free. Thank you for continuing to support my channel and me as an artist – I hope this finds you well ? #AshleyWagnerArts
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NYC Studio Apartment Tour + Murphy Bed!
Happy #WeeklyWednesday! Today’s video is a tour of my studio apartment in NYC, featuring my Murphy wall bed, which has dramatically improved my quality of life!! I find videos like this interesting, fun, and helpful (especially when looking for tiny living tips, where every inch and item owned matters!); I hope you do, too, and thanks for taking the time to watch mine! Products in the video (none of this is sponsored!): Murphy bed – Expand Furniture MurphySofa Minima in Eco Leather IKEA Kallax bookshelf (complements the lines and finish of the Mimina model and is much less expensive than custom options) IKEA Friheten sleeper sofa: Giantex full-automatic portable washing…
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Happy Working Song! (Disney’s “Enchanted”)
Springtime is finally here in the Northeast!! School is busy, so for this #WeeklyWednesday, I’m throwing it back to a performance I had so much fun doing at the National Cherry Blossom Festival! Washington, DC, is particularly beautiful when the cherry blossoms are blooming! “Happy Working Song” is from the Disney movie “Enchanted,” with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Giselle sings this piece à la Snow White, but with some slightly less cuddly helpers ? My version here is only a cut of the song, as I sang it as part of a medley (and the other songs from that medley are already online) – someday…
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“Thank You for the Music”
I resonate strongly with the sentiment in this ABBA song and hope I’ve adequately communicated the joy and honor it is to me to be able to make music. Thank you for the role you play in helping me – I very much appreciate your support and your taking the time to watch my videos! “Thank You for the Music” was written by ABBA members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, and included in the “Mamma Mia” stage and screen musicals (and if you haven’t seen those, check them out! They’re a lot of fun, with poignant moments, too). Thank you to breinie17xq for this beautiful accompaniment! You can sing along here: https://youtu.be/hx1K9P-Kw_A Looking…
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“What Does He Want of Me?”
Today’s #WeeklyWednesday is from a story I love… to me it symbolizes the conflict we all face between idealism and reality. The musical “Man of La Mancha” is based on the life of Miguel de Cervantes and his beloved novel Don Quixote. Aldonza sings “What Does He Want of Me” in response to “Don Quixote”’s way of viewing the world and treating her with dignity, respect, and honor – possibly the first time in her life someone has shown her such love. I think she sings it with a mixture of disbelief and hope that the world could be different from the way it seems to be. Thank you for…
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Shakespeare: Queen Margaret
from Henry VI, Part III ~ Act 1, Scene 1 Today’s #WeeklyWednesday comes straight out of the #NYU Acting Lab! We’re working on Shakespeare this semester and I’m loving it! We’ve only coached these twice (and just performed them today), but I thought I’d show you my progress so far. I really love this monologue! From Henry VI, Part III, this is Queen Margaret’s first monologue (Act 1, Scene 1). It’s 1455, and England is in the bloodbath of the War of the Roses, with rival families vying for power (King Henry VI, House of Lancaster, versus Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York). Recovering from the loss of a battle, King…
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“Stay With Me”
Today’s #WeeklyWednesday video comes from Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s “Into the Woods,” and focuses on parental love. In the stories of most characters in this show, we see the complications of decisions, viewpoints, and our own familial histories. I believe the Witch deeply loves and wants the best for Rapunzel, and tries to protect her in a way the Witch’s own mother never did. I hope you enjoy my rendition of “Stay with Me”! I really enjoyed coaching this piece in my NYU Song Analysis class last semester and found insights into the character I had never before considered. Thank you very much for watching and supporting me –…
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Disney Cruise Line Videos
28 Jan (a year later) So much has happened since my last post! One of the biggest things is that I finished a wonderful contract on the Disney Dream, including 300 performances of our 3 main stage shows: Disney’s Believe, The Golden Mickeys, and Villains Tonight! It dawned on me that if you’re reading my blog (particularly for the Disney bits), you might like to see videos from some of our shows. I wish they were better quality, but I hope they at least give you a taste of the wonderful live Walt Disney Theatre productions on the ship. Here’s a playlist for you to enjoy! And a little clip of…
