Jagged Little Pill | |
---|---|
Music |
|
Lyrics | Alanis Morissette |
Book | Diablo Cody |
Basis | Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette |
Premiere | May 5, 2018 : American Repertory Theater, Cambridge, Massachusetts |
Productions | 2018 Cambridge 2019 Broadway 2021 Australian Tour 2022 US Tour |
Awards | Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album |
Jagged Little Pill is a jukebox musical with music by Alanis Morissette and Glen Ballard, lyrics by Morissette, and book by Diablo Cody, with additional music by Michael Farrell and Guy Sigsworth. The musical is inspired by the 1995 album of the same name by Morissette and deals with pain, healing, and empowerment. [1] [2] It premiered at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on May 5, 2018, directed by Diane Paulus.
The show began previews on Broadway in November 2019, but closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened on October 21, 2021, and closed on December 17, 2021. For the 74th Tony Awards, Jagged Little Pill won two awards on 15 nominations, the most nominations of any show of the 2019–20 season. It also won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.
In November 2013, it was revealed that a musical version of the album Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette was being adapted for the stage [3] with composer Tom Kitt attached to pen new arrangements and orchestrations for the production. [4] A first workshop was expected to take place in 2014, [5] but in 2015 Morissette revealed that the show was still in early stages and had yet to be written. [6] In May 2017, it was announced that the musical would receive its world premiere in May 2018, 23 years after the album came out. [7] A reading took place in 2017, with Idina Menzel as Mary Jane. [8] The first public performance of songs from the show took place in March 2018 at the American Repertory Theater Gala. [9]
The show has a book by Diablo Cody, [10] with direction by Diane Paulus, [11] choreography by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, [12] set design by Riccardo Hernandez, [13] costume design by Emily Rebholz, lighting design by Justin Townsend, and video design by Finn Ross. [14] Music and lyrics are by Alanis Morissette and Glen Ballard, [15] with musical direction by Bryan Perri, [16] sound design by Jonathan Deans, and orchestrations by Tom Kitt. [17] In addition to music from the show's namesake album, the musical also features other songs from Morissette's catalog, including "Thank U", "That I Would Be Good", and "So Pure" from 1998's Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie , "So Unsexy" and "Hands Clean" from 2002's Under Rug Swept , "Unprodigal Daughter" from 2002's Feast on Scraps , "No" from the Japanese edition of 2012's Havoc and Bright Lights , and "Uninvited" from the soundtrack of the 1998 film City of Angels. Morissette also wrote two new songs for the musical, "Smiling" and "Predator", with the former included as the second single on her ninth studio album, Such Pretty Forks in the Road .
Setting: Connecticut [18]
This musical tells the story of how the Healys, a seemingly perfect white Connecticut family with an adopted Black daughter, begins to unravel when faced with issues of repressed gender identity, sexual assault, and substance abuse. [19]
Mary Jane (MJ) Healy is a mother writing the yearly family Christmas letter. She writes about her husband Steve's job promotion, her daughter Frankie's art, and her son Nick's early admission to Harvard University. MJ writes that she got into a car crash, but is healing with the help of natural remedies. [20] What she doesn't write is that Steve is addicted to pornography, Frankie is making out with her best friend, Jo, as the letter is being written, and MJ is addicted to the painkillers from the car accident ("Right Through You"). MJ pressures Nick and Frankie to be perfect to keep up the family's image ("All I Really Want"). At school, Frankie and Jo discuss how their mothers don't understand or accept them: Frankie's mom because of disapproval of her self-expression, and Jo's mom not accepting them being gay or their gender expression. Jo is thankful for how Frankie understands them, and is sure that everything will turn out alright in the end ("Hand in My Pocket").
MJ tries to get drugs from the pharmacy, but she is out of refills. Desperate, she meets with a familiar dealer who provides her with opioids. MJ moves through her day backward, starting with unpacking groceries at home, getting her painkillers in the alley, keeping up appearances with other school mums, and ending with her running out of pills at the beginning of the day ("Smiling"). On the last day of Frankie's English class before winter break, she reads a short story she wrote aloud in a writer's workshop for her class to critique. The students in the class criticize her since things she claims to be ironic in her piece are not ironic, just bad things that happened to someone. A new student, Phoenix, defends Frankie and encourages her to finish ("Ironic"). A romantic attraction begins between the two. After class, Phoenix and Frankie decide to go to a party that night. At home, MJ and Steve get into an argument. Steve says he wants to see a marriage counselor, yet MJ refuses ("So Unsexy"). Nick comforts MJ after the fight. MJ claims that Nick is the only thing she has ever done right. Nick reflects on the pressures on him from his mother to be perfect ("Perfect").
Frankie and Nick go to the party ("Lancer's Party (So Pure)"). Frankie and Phoenix find each other and leave the crowded party to talk alone, and they discuss their imperfect family lives. Meanwhile, Jo doesn't attend the party because their mom forced them to go to a church function. Jo's mom scolds them for not dressing femininely enough ("That I Would Be Good"). The following day, Jo shows Frankie pictures that are circulating throughout the school of Bella, Nick's friend, who was drunk, passed out, and had her shirt pulled up at the party. Students are making fun of Bella and calling her a slut. Despite barely knowing her, Frankie and Jo go to Bella's house to check on her. Bella reveals that Andrew, Nick's best friend, was the one who took the pictures and raped her. Frankie goes home and wakes Nick up to reprimand him about not going to the police because he was the only one who saw how drunk Bella was. Nick brushes off Bella's claim, saying that Bella was being dramatic. MJ overhears the conversation and insists that Nick should not come forward as it might ruin his reputation. MJ blames Bella for what happened since she chose to drink, but she is visibly upset by the story ("Wake Up"). MJ walks to the church for the first time in a while to pray about her failing marriage, struggling relationship with Frankie, and for help with her addiction. She then reflects on her memory of being raped in college, but blames herself and feels it was God's plan for her ("Forgiven").
Steve and MJ go to their first marriage counseling session, despite MJ's reluctance ("Not the Doctor"). Meanwhile, Frankie and Phoenix hang out at a playground and end up sleeping together ("Head over Feet"). Jo enters the Healys' house uninvited ("Your House") and walks in on Frankie and Phoenix. Jo gets mad and storms out of Frankie's room. MJ and Steve come home early, and Jo tells them that Frankie and Phoenix had sex. Phoenix leaves quickly, leaving Frankie alone with her parents. MJ and Steve reprimand her for having sex so young. Frankie comes out to her parents as bisexual, and she gets mad at her parents for disapproving of her consensual sex but not caring about Bella's rape. Frankie runs away to New York City. Steve and MJ fight about Steve not being present during Frankie's childhood. Frankie takes a train alone to New York ("Unprodigal Daughter"). When she gets lost in the city, Frankie calls Phoenix. She tells him that she loves him and that he should come pick her up. When Phoenix doesn't say 'I love you' back and says he needs to stay at home to help his sister with a medical condition, Frankie gets angry and feels that Phoenix used her for her body.
Students gossip about Bella and her accusations against Andrew. Bella comes to the Healys' house to talk to Nick, but MJ is the only person at home. MJ tries to comfort Bella by telling her she was also raped in college. Bella asks MJ when she started to feel better after her rape, but MJ doesn't answer. Bella leaves, realizing that it may never get better. Nick comes clean to MJ, telling her he walked in on Andrew raping an unconscious Bella but did nothing and left ("Predator"). Nick says he wants to go to the police, but MJ says it would ruin his life and not help Bella. Nick accuses her of only caring about herself and her reputation and not about Bella. MJ slaps him. Jo comes to New York to pick up Frankie after she calls them out of desperation, lost, and out of money. Frankie shows little remorse for sleeping with Phoenix since she didn't think her relationship with Jo was exclusive. She tells Jo that she is in love with Phoenix. Jo, enraged that the one person they felt understood them doesn't love them, ends the relationship ("You Oughta Know"). At home, MJ overdoses on pills. Steve and Nick find her unconscious ("Uninvited"). When Steve gets to the hospital, he is devastated that he didn't know MJ had an addiction and promises her he will be there for her and the family from now on ("Mary Jane"). When Nick gets to the hospital, MJ tells him he should go to the police, but Nick has already told the police about what happened to Bella. Meanwhile, many students attend the rally that Frankie organized to get justice for Bella. Bella is mad at Nick since people only believed her once Nick came forward, and her statement wasn't enough ("No").
A year has passed, and MJ is writing the Christmas letter again. She writes about the progress being made in their relationships and lives. MJ tells Frankie that she wanted her to feel like every other kid and not be treated differently because of her race, but Frankie tells her that she wouldn't have wanted to fit in with the people in their town ("Thank U"). Frankie dares MJ to email the Christmas letter to everyone, despite its frankness about her overdose and her dislike of the culture in their town. MJ sends it, deciding that this will be her last Christmas letter. Jo and Frankie rekindle their friendship, and Jo has a new girlfriend. Frankie and Phoenix are now just friends. Frankie and MJ, Bella and Nick, and Steve and MJ all now appear to have mended their relationships. Everyone acknowledges that their bad decisions all help them learn and become better people ("You Learn").
In May 2017, it was announced that Jagged Little Pill will premiere at the American Repertory Theater in 2018. [21] In March 2018, principal casting was announced, which included Elizabeth Stanley starring as Mary Jane, Sean Allan Krill as Steve, and Derek Klena as Nick. [22] Additionally, Lauren Patten was cast as Jo, Celia Rose Gooding as Frankie, and Kathryn Gallagher as Bella. [22]
The world premiere production of Jagged Little Pill opened on May 5, 2018, and played through July 15. [23] It was directed by Diane Paulus. [23] The musical was sold out throughout the 79-performance run, and became the highest-grossing and longest-running musical at the American Repertory Theatre. [24]
In January 2019, it was announced that Jagged Little Pill would premiere on Broadway in fall 2019. [25] The principal cast from the world premiere production all transferred with the show to Broadway, with Paulus also continuing as director. [26] The show began previews at the Broadhurst Theatre on November 3, ahead of an official opening night on December 5, 2019. [27] The show suspended performances in March 2020 when all Broadway theatres closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [28]
At the 2020 Tony Awards, Jagged Little Pill led with 15 nominations. [29] The musical won two Tony Awards, with Diablo Cody winning for Best Book of a Musical and Patten winning Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical. [30]
Performances resumed at the Broadhurst Theatre on October 21, 2021. Heidi Blickenstaff reopened the show as Mary Jane, filling in for Stanley who was on maternity leave. Once Stanley returned, the two shared the role. Morgan Dudley and Adi Roy joined the cast, replacing Gooding and Cipriano, respectively. In December 2021, multiple performances Jagged Little Pill were canceled due to COVID-19 issues with the cast and crew. [31] On December 20, 2021, it was announced that the production would close permanently. [31] The producers cited the need to "prioritize the health and safety of the cast, crew, and entire team", retroactively making December 17, 2021 its final show after 36 previews and 171 performances. [32]
An Australian production opened at Sydney's Theatre Royal in December 2021. It relocated to Melbourne's Comedy Theatre in January 2022. The cast features Natalie Bassingthwaighte (Mary Jane), Tim Draxl (Steve), Emily Nkomo (Frankie), Liam Head (Nick), Maggie McKenna (Jo), Grace Miell (Bella) and Aydan (Phoenix). [33] [34]
In February 2022, it was announced that Jagged Little Pill would launch a North American tour. [35] In September 2022, the cast was announced. It stars Heidi Blickenstaff as Mary Jane, Chris Hoch as Steve, Lauren Chanel as Frankie, Dillon Klena as Nick, Jade McLeod as Jo, Allison Sheppard as Bella, and Rishi Golani as Phoenix. [36]
Following technical rehearsals that began in August 2022 in Louisville, Kentucky, the North American tour opened on September 6, 2022, at the Smith Center in Las Vegas. The first year of the tour will travel to 30 cities across North America, with additional cities planned for subsequent years of the tour.
The North American tour of Jagged Little Pill officially closed on April 7, 2024 in Worcester, MA after 474 performances. [37]
In February 2022, it was announced that Jagged Little Pill would premiere on the West End, with an initially planned opening in November 2022, [38] however no further official plans for the production have been announced, and it has since been pushed back from its initial planned opening date.
Character | Reading | Workshop | American Repertory Theatre [14] | Broadway [39] | Australian Tour [40] | North American Tour [41] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | |
Mary Jane "MJ" Healy | Idina Menzel | Elizabeth Stanley | Natalie Bassingthwaighte | Heidi Blickenstaff | ||
Steve Healy | Michael Park | Sean Allan Krill | Tim Draxl | Chris Hoch | ||
Frankie Healy | Celia Rose Gooding | Emily Nkomo | Lauren Chanel | |||
Nick Healy | Derek Klena | Liam Head | Dillon Klena | |||
Jo Taylor | Lauren Patten | Maggie (Max) Mckenna | Jade McLeod | |||
Bella Fox | — | Kathryn Gallagher | Grace Miell | Allison Sheppard | ||
Phoenix | — | Antonio Cipriano | Aydan Calafiore | Rishi Golani | ||
Jagged Little Pill features songs previously written and recorded by Alanis, with the exception of "Smiling" and "Predator", which she wrote for the show. [42]
Act I
| Act II
|
Keys
The original Broadway cast recording was released digitally on November 29, 2019, followed by a physical album release on December 6, 2019. [43] The cast album is distributed through Atlantic Records, and is produced by Tom Kitt and Neal Avron. [44] It debuted at number two on the Billboard Cast Albums chart, number 14 on the Alternative Album Sales chart, and number 26 on the Rock Album Sales chart. [45] [46] [47]
At the 2021 Grammy Awards, the cast recording album won Best Musical Theater Album. [48]
In the fall of 2022, Atlantic records released one new, stand-alone track featuring Heidi Blickenstaff and the original Broadway cast singing Uninvited.
No. | Title | Performer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Overture" | Ensemble | 1:11 |
2. | "Right Through You" | Ensemble | 0:53 |
3. | "All I Really Want" | Celia Rose Gooding, Elizabeth Stanley, Sean Allan Krill, Derek Klena, Ensemble | 4:58 |
4. | "Hand in My Pocket" | Lauren Patten, Gooding, Ensemble | 3:01 |
5. | "Smiling" | Stanley, Ensemble | 4:13 |
6. | "Ironic" | Gooding, Antonio Cipriano, Laurel Harris, Kei Tsuruharatani, Ezra Menas, John Cardoza, Ensemble | 3:54 |
7. | "So Unsexy" | Krill, Stanley, Ensemble | 2:33 |
8. | "Perfect" | Klena, Ensemble | 2:52 |
9. | "Lancer's Party (So Pure)" | Gooding, Kathryn Gallagher, Ensemble | 1:32 |
10. | "That I Would Be Good" | Cipriano, Gooding, Patten, Ensemble | 3:36 |
11. | "Wake Up" | Gooding, Klena, Logan Hart, Gallagher, Stanley, Ensemble | 4:23 |
12. | "Forgiven" | Stanley, Ensemble | 4:53 |
13. | "Entr'Acte (Hands Clean)" | Ensemble | 0:56 |
14. | "Not The Doctor" | Stanley, Krill, Nora Schell, Ensemble | 1:37 |
15. | "Head Over Feet" | Cipriano, Gooding, Krill, Stanley, Patten, Ensemble | 4:09 |
16. | "Unprodigal Daughter" | Gooding, Ensemble | 2:54 |
17. | "Predator" | Gallagher, Jane Bruce, Ensemble | 4:40 |
18. | "You Oughta Know" | Patten, Ensemble | 4:19 |
19. | "Uninvited" | Stanley, Gallagher, Ensemble | 3:45 |
20. | "Mary Jane" | Krill, Ensemble | 3:42 |
21. | "No" | Gallagher, Schell, Bruce, Menas, Max Kumangai, Patten, Gooding, Klena, Ensemble | 3:38 |
22. | "Thank U" | Schell, Harris, Menas, Gooding, Ensemble | 1:58 |
23. | "You Learn" | Ensemble | 3:53 |
A young adult novel adaptation was announced in Rolling Stone on December 9, 2021, [49] and was released on April 26, 2022, by Abrams Books, [50] written by Eric Smith in collaboration with the show's creators.
In the original world premiere production at the American Repertory Theater, the character of Jo was nonbinary, and portrayed by Lauren Patten, a cisgender woman. During the original production, Patten confirmed the use of they/them pronouns for the character and referred to them as nonbinary and genderqueer on multiple occasions. Although the character's sexuality was never explicitly stated, there were multiple references to Jo being nonbinary. [51]
But when the show transferred to Broadway, the show openly referred to Jo as a cisgender woman. [51] In a 2020 interview, Patten said, "Jo never was written as anything other than cisgender". [52] In April 2021, debate and backlash ensued on social media. The change in Jo's character was viewed as an example of the underrepresentation of trans and nonbinary people on Broadway. [51] Despite this, following her Tony Award win for Best Featured Actress in a Musical, Patten thanked her "trans and nonbinary friends". [53]
On September 18, 2021, lead producers Vivek Tiwary, Arvind Ethan David and Eva Price apologized for changing Jo's gender identity and for not listening to feedback. [54] In their statement, the producers acknowledged their mistakes as they "set out to portray a character on a gender expansive journey without a known outcome". [54] The show hired a new dramaturge to revise the scripts, and pledged to cast actors to play Jo who are on their own gender journeys. [55]
Canadian actor Jade McLeod, who identifies as nonbinary, was cast as Jo in the North American tour of Jagged Little Pill. [56] The character was re-established as nonbinary, with McLeod reporting being given some freedom to reimagine the role. [57]
The New York Times called the Cambridge production "[p]assionate, dramatically compelling, and big-hearted...Jagged Little Pill breaks the jukebox musical mold, and takes on the good work we are always asking new musicals to do: the work of singing about real things." [58] A New York Times feature story published on May 20, 2018, called the show's story, "steeped in hot-button issues like opiate addiction, gender identity and sexual assault", "very much of the present", and said the show "may just be the most woke musical since Hair ." [59]
Bob Verini of Variety wrote, "Not since Rent has a musical invested so many bravura roles with so much individual life...It's a risky business, making a musical not from a story demanding to be told but from a set of songs merely available to be used. Jagged Little Pill triumphantly avoids the pitfalls. Always engaging, often moving and even rousing, the show boasts dramatic interest and integrity on its own theatrical terms, courtesy of director Diane Paulus, first-time librettist Diablo Cody, and that peerless, soulful balladeer of the modern Western condition, Alanis Morissette." [60]
The Broadway production of Jagged Little Pill opened to positive reviews. The New York Times called the musical "redemptive, rousing and real ... Jagged Little Pill stands alongside the original musicals that have been sustaining the best hopes of Broadway". [61] Praising the show's score, Variety wrote, "Morissette’s youthful perspective and the rocking-good score make Jagged Little Pill feel very much of the moment". [62] Rolling Stone awarded the production four out of five stars, writing that although the show feels "overly 'woke'" at times and "wears its earnestness on its sleeve", Jagged Little Pill burns with passion ... and enthusiastic beauty." [63] The show was nominated for 15 Tony Awards. [64]
Of a January 2023 performance at Providence Performing Arts Center, reviewer John McDaid wrote in BroadwayWorld that a "[s]tellar national tour brings Morisette's music to life" and called Jagged Little Pill "a powerful, moving production, superbly crafted and full of top-notch performances" and "a rare show: a jukebox musical that feels organic; a 'message' show that foregrounds authentic characters. Much of the credit goes to the excellent cast, who are intensely right there in the moment, at every moment. It's a powerful theatrical experience, a visual delight, and you absolutely will leave the theater singing." [65]
Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | Elliot Norton Awards [66] [67] | Outstanding Musical Production | Nominated | |
Outstanding Musical Performance by an Actress | Lauren Patten | Nominated | ||
Elizabeth Stanley | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Choreography | Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui | Won | ||
Outstanding Musical Direction | Bryan Perri | Nominated | ||
IRNE Awards [68] [69] | Best Musical | Nominated | ||
Best New Musical | Nominated | |||
Best Actress – Musical | Elizabeth Stanley | Nominated | ||
Best Supporting Actress – Musical | Lauren Patten | Won | ||
Best Ensemble | Nominated | |||
Best Director – Musical | Diane Paulus | Nominated | ||
Best Music Director | Bryan Perri | Nominated | ||
Best Sound Design | Jonathan Deans | Nominated |
Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | Tony Awards [70] | Best Musical | Nominated | |
Best Book of a Musical | Diablo Cody | Won | ||
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical | Elizabeth Stanley | Nominated | ||
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical | Derek Klena | Nominated | ||
Sean Allan Krill | Nominated | |||
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical | Kathryn Gallagher | Nominated | ||
Celia Rose Gooding | Nominated | |||
Lauren Patten | Won | |||
Best Direction of a Musical | Diane Paulus | Nominated | ||
Best Choreography | Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui | Nominated | ||
Best Orchestrations | Tom Kitt | Nominated | ||
Best Scenic Design of a Musical | Riccardo Hernández and Lucy MacKinnon | Nominated | ||
Best Costume Design of a Musical | Emily Rebholz | Nominated | ||
Best Lighting Design of a Musical | Justin Townsend | Nominated | ||
Best Sound Design of a Musical | Jonathan Deans | Nominated | ||
Drama Desk Awards [71] | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Elizabeth Stanley | Nominated | |
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Lauren Patten | Won | ||
Outstanding Orchestrations | Tom Kitt | Won | ||
Drama League Awards [72] [73] | Outstanding Production of a Musical | Nominated | ||
Distinguished Performance | Lauren Patten | Nominated | ||
Outer Critics Circle Awards [74] | Outstanding New Broadway Musical | Honoree | ||
Outstanding Book of a Musical | Diablo Cody | Honoree | ||
Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Elizabeth Stanley | Honoree | ||
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Kathryn Gallagher | Honoree | ||
Lauren Patten | Honoree | |||
Outstanding Director of a Musical | Diane Paulus | Honoree | ||
Outstanding Choreographer | Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui | Honoree | ||
Outstanding Orchestrations | Tom Kitt | Honoree | ||
GLAAD Media Awards [75] [76] | Outstanding Broadway Production | Nominated | ||
2021 | Grammy Awards [77] | Best Musical Theater Album | Neal Avron, Kathryn Gallagher, Pete Ganbarg, Vivek J. Tiwary, Tom Kitt, Michael Parker, Lauren Patten, Celia Rose Gooding, Craig Rosen, Elizabeth Stanley | Won |
Artios Awards [78] | New York Broadway Theatre – Musical | Stephen Kopel | Nominated |
Alanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian and American singer, songwriter, and musician. She began her music career in Canada in the early 1990s with two dance-pop albums. In 1995, she released the alternative rock album Jagged Little Pill, which sold more than 33 million copies globally and propelled her to become a cultural phenomenon. Morissette won the 1996 Grammy Award for Album of the Year among other accolades, and the album was adapted into a 2018 rock musical. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has Jagged Little Pill on their 200 Definitive Albums list, and it appeared on various editions of Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" guide. Its lead single, "You Oughta Know", was also included on Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list.
Jagged Little Pill is the third studio album by Canadian-American singer Alanis Morissette, released by Maverick on June 13, 1995. Recorded in Hollywood at Westlake with production by Glen Ballard, it is Morissette's first album to be released worldwide. It marks a significant stylistic departure from dance-pop sound of her first two efforts, Alanis (1991) and Now Is the Time (1992). She began work on the album after moving from her hometown Ottawa to Los Angeles, where she met Ballard. The pair had an instant connection and began co-writing and experimenting with sounds. The experimentation resulted in an alternative rock album that takes influence from post-grunge and pop rock, and features guitars, keyboards, drum machines, and harmonica. The lyrics touch upon themes of aggression and unsuccessful relationships, while Ballard introduced a pop sensibility to Morissette's angst. The title of the album is taken from a line in the first verse of the song "You Learn".
"Ironic" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released in February 1996 by Maverick and Warner Bros. as the third single from her third studio album, Jagged Little Pill (1995). It was written by Morissette and Glen Ballard, and was produced by him. The lyrics present several unfortunate situations that are described as "ironic"; this has led to debate as to whether any of these match the accepted meaning of irony.
Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie is the fourth studio album and second internationally released album by singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released by Maverick Records in the United States on November 3, 1998.
"You Oughta Know" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released as the lead single from her third studio album, Jagged Little Pill (1995), on July 6, 1995. After releasing two studio albums, Morissette left MCA Records Canada and was introduced to manager Scott Welch. Morissette began working on new music after moving from her hometown of Ottawa to Toronto, but made little progress. In Los Angeles, she met producer Glen Ballard, with whom she wrote songs including "You Oughta Know". Despite much speculation concerning whom the song is about, Morissette has never disclosed the person's identity and has never indicated an intention to do so.
Basil Glen Ballard Jr. is an American songwriter, lyricist, and record producer. He is best known for co-writing and producing Alanis Morissette's 1995 album Jagged Little Pill and Dave Matthews Band's 2001 album Everyday. As a songwriter, he co-wrote songs including "All I Need", "Man in the Mirror", "Hold On", "Hand in My Pocket", and Josh Groban's "Believe". As a producer, he has worked with No Doubt, Shelby Lynne, Goo Goo Dolls, P.O.D., Annie Lennox and others.
MTV Unplugged is the first live album by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released by Maverick Records in the United States on November 9, 1999. It comprises songs performed by Morissette on the television program MTV Unplugged. Twelve tracks were included on the album, but Morissette also performed "Baba", "Thank U" and "Your House" during the live taping. These were later released as B-sides on the "King of Pain" single release. The first single, "That I Would Be Good", was moderately successful, and two other tracks, "King of Pain" and "You Learn" were released as singles outside North America. As of March 2012, the album has sold 673,000 copies in the U.S.
"Head over Feet" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, taken from her third studio album Jagged Little Pill (1995). Written by Alanis and Glen Ballard, and produced by Ballard, it was released as the album's fifth single outside of the United States in July 1996 and presented a softer sound than the previous singles from the album. "Head over Feet" talks about being best friends and lovers with someone at the same time, with Alanis thanking them for their manners, love and devotion.
"You Learn" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette from her third studio album, Jagged Little Pill (1995). It was written by Morissette and Glen Ballard, the album's producer. Maverick and Warner Bros. Records released the song as the album's fourth single, and as the final single in the United States. The lyrics state that valuable lessons are learned from poor decisions. The album title is taken from this song's line: "Swallow it down ".
"Hand in My Pocket" is a song by Canadian recording artist and songwriter Alanis Morissette from her third studio album, Jagged Little Pill (1995). The song was written by Morissette and Glen Ballard and was released as the second single from the album on October 16, 1995 by Maverick and Reprise, five months after the album release. The song received generally favorable reviews from music critics, who applauded Morissette's songwriting.
Diane Marie Paulus is an American theater and opera director who is currently the Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director of the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University. Paulus was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for her revivals of Hair and The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess, and won the award in 2013 for her revival of Pippin.
Derek Anthony Klena is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his work on Broadway, including originating the roles of Nick Healy in Jagged Little Pill (2019–2021), Dmitry in Anastasia (2017–2018), and Michael in The Bridges of Madison County (2014). His breakthrough was in the original Off-Broadway production of Pasek & Paul's stage adaptation of Dogfight, and he played Fiyero in the 10th anniversary company of Wicked on Broadway. Klena most recently portrayed Christian in the Broadway company of Moulin Rouge! replacing Aaron Tveit in the role on and off from 2022 to 2024. He has made appearances on several television series such as Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, The Code, and Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin.
Such Pretty Forks in the Road is the ninth studio album by Canadian-American singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released on July 31, 2020, through Epiphany Music and Thirty Tigers in North America, and by RCA and Sony Music in Europe. It is Morissette's first studio album in eight years, following 2012's Havoc and Bright Lights.
Lauren Marie Patten is an American actress, singer, and writer best known for originating the role of Jo in the Broadway musical Jagged Little Pill, as well as playing Officer Rachel Witten in the crime series Blue Bloods. For her performance in Jagged Little Pill, Patten won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.
Elizabeth Stanley is an American stage actor and singer. She has originated a number of main and featured roles in Broadway musicals, including Allison in Cry-Baby and Dyanne in Million Dollar Quartet. In 2020, Stanley was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Mary Jane Healy in Jagged Little Pill.
Antonio Cipriano is an American actor and singer. He made his Broadway debut in 2019 playing Phoenix in the musical Jagged Little Pill, a role he originated at the American Repertory Theater. On screen, he has made appearances in television series such as City on a Hill, The Sex Lives of College Girls, and the Disney+ series National Treasure: Edge of History.
"Smiling" is a song by Canadian-American singer Alanis Morissette co-written by Morissette and Michael Farrell. It was one of two new songs written for the Broadway adaptation of Morissette's 1995 album, Jagged Little Pill, and later released as the second single from her ninth studio album, Such Pretty Forks in the Road, on February 21, 2020. The album's title is taken from a lyric in this song. Morissette subsequently released a duet version of the song featuring Jagged Little Pill actress Elizabeth Stanley with the rest of the cast on backing vocals.
Kathryn Gallagher is an American singer and actress best known for her portrayal of Bella Fox in the Broadway musical Jagged Little Pill, for which she received a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album and a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.
Celia Rose Gooding is an American actor and singer. They made their Broadway debut and rose to prominence for the role of Mary Frances "Frankie" Healy in the rock musical Jagged Little Pill for which they won a 2021 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album and were nominated for a 2020 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical, becoming one of the youngest nominees in the category at age 20. Their mother is LaChanze, an American actress, singer, and dancer. Gooding plays the role of Nyota Uhura in the Paramount+ original series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022–present).