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Being Alive: Advice From Broadway’s Best COVID-19 Parodies

The great Stephen Sondheim once wrote, “Alone is alone, not alive! … I’ll always be there, frightened as you, to help us survive being alive.” These lyrics from his recently revived musical, Company, have timely significance as many of us look for ways to “feel alive” from the safety of our homes. Fortunately, the internet has had no trouble keeping us entertained. We’ve put together a list our favorite Broadway-inspired COVID-19 parodies that are both informative and fun!

Let’s start at the very beginning. This new take on “Do Re Me” from The Sound of Music tries to make the CDC’s recommendations a little easier to remember. “Stay at home now, everyone. We must wash and clean things well. Cars? No long trips just for fun.” Maria also has a few “favorite things” to help you stay entertained. Watch that video here.

How is Mary Poppins spending her time in social isolation? She flew in to give us this bit of advice: “There is a super bad transmittable contagious awful virus, and if we don’t act quick and social distance it will mire us.”

It’s hard to make jokes when there’s no Purell or toilet paper, but Randy Rainbow was still able to give us this hilarious parody of “Adelaide’s Lament” from Guys and Dolls. Fair warning to keep your social distance if you don’t like politics.

“Hey pal, feeling blue? Don’t know what to do? You must be in a quarantine!” The cast of Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins over at Gamme Theatre in Rhode Island remind us that “everybody’s got to try and stay healthy. Stay at home and wash your hands ’til they gleam… Let’s just flatten out the curve.”

So you want to meet up with your friends? You’ll have to do the next best thing. Say hello online instead and be in the “Zoom where it happens” with the cast of Broadway’s Hamilton.

It’s a quarantined life, “fighting’ the corona tough and tall,” but these siblings are taking the challenge head-on with a parody of “Carrying the Banner” from Disney’s Newsies.

Do you hear the people sing? This family is taking the Coronavirus situation “one day more” at a time in a clever lockdown version of a favorite song from Les Miserables.

If at some point you need to go out for groceries or a walk, you’re probably going to need a mask. Many cities and states are now requiring that essential employees and residents wear masks when outside of the home. One quarantined actress knows just the matchmaker… we mean mask maker, in this tune from Fiddler on the Roof. We highly recommend visiting Abby Goldfarb’s YouTube channel for even more comedic COVID-19 parodies based on musicals like Wicked and Into the Woods.

We’re all dreaming of a “far off place” right now. These Tony®- and Grammy®-nominated Broadway princesses promise that “we’ll be there some day. For now just keep your distance.” Check out the video from Susan Egan (Broadway’s original Belle in Beauty and the Beast, the voice of Megara in Disney’s animated film “Hercules”), Laura Osnes (Broadway’s original Cinderella, star of Bandstand, Bonnie and Clyde) and Courtney Reed (Broadway’s original Jasmine in Aladdin, star of In The Heights).