Student Blog: The Midterms Mixtape: Five Soundtracks to Help Get Through Exam Season

As both a self-proclaimed theatre geek and a college student, I am always listening to cast albums and soundtracks, no matter where I am or what I’m doing. Especially during exam season, these albums help me to relax and focus when I am studying or walking to classes, and they also help relieve my anxiety about upcoming exams. This year, I have been consistently listening to five cast albums that have been bringing me joy in my studies as we approach midterm exams here at Fordham University. I thought I would share these albums here to (hopefully) give you some new music to add to your playlist and lifestyle!

1. The Connector (Jason Robert Brown)

The first album I discovered at a cast reunion concert last summer has since become one of my favorite cast albums. This, of course, is Jason Robert Brown’s The Connector. Featuring Suffs’ Hannah Cruz and Ragtime’s Ben Levi Ross, playing copy editor Robin Martinez and writer Ethan Dobson, respectively, this story centers on the truth in the press and the struggles that can arise with journalistic integrity. As the album progresses, the line between truth and fabricated news story becomes increasingly blurred, and at the end of the final number, the listener is so deep into the narrative that they begin to question the truth in their own life. It is very relevant to today and invites one to ponder its themes, as well as be drawn in by its beautiful, captivating melodies, with both uptempo beats like “Success” as well as slower songs like “So I Come To New York” all coming together and showcasing Brown’s wide range in terms of songwriting and storytelling. Especially in my communication-focused studies, it is always cool to listen to something so relevant to what I am learning, and there is nothing quite like listening to “There Never Was” whilst writing a paper on journalism! 

2. Alice By Heart (Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater)

Inspired by Fordham University’s recent production, this album has become a staple of my midterm studying playlist. Although I had never heard of it before seeing the production, this album features beautiful concepts and lyrics that are both whimsical and striking. The beautiful yet sad nature of the show provides a brilliant, mellow backdrop, and it truly is a great fantastical world to escape into (just try not to cry during “Afternoon”; it’s difficult!). The harmonies and characterization shine in this piece, and it may even inspire you to push for a production at your school! Both a historical and a fantastical piece of theatre, this cast album featuring Molly Gordon and Colton Ryan ties together many motifs relevant not just in art but in life, from grief to wonder. By taking the listener out of society and into Wonderland, this album steals your heart and makes you realize how important storytelling can be. Favorite numbers include “Down the Hole,” “Another Room in Your Head,” and “Some Things Fall Away,” but the entire work is impeccable. 

3. Suffs (Shaina Taub)

One of my favorite scores ever, Shaina Taub’s Suffs cast album is resonant and motivating, just the thing to help navigate studies whilst feeling politically motivated. This story centers around the women’s suffrage movement and the struggles women faced in their attempt for the vote, and tells the stories of historical women who are often overlooked, most notably suffragist Alice Paul. Whilst offering funny moments, like Grace McClean’s hysterical number “Ladies” as President Woodrow Wilson, this album can make the listener feel a range of emotions and will stick with you forever, as well as teach you so much that even the most historically minded listeners may not have been aware of! In this day and age, it is both important to escape into art and to use art to feel understood. This piece, although it is infuriating that women are often still overlooked and that there is still so much work to do to achieve equality in American society, also provides motivation and hope. Taub’s masterpiece is a prime example of how people can come together to push for the change they wish to see, as the suffragists did, and how this can inspire generations upon generations. No matter how hard it gets and how impossible the path forward may seem, Suffs reminds us to always keep marching. 

4. Boop! The Musical (David Foster & Susan Birkenhead)

For a more fun and abstract choice, the cast recording for the 2025 musical, Boop!, is incredibly fun and has some great melodies that will stay in your head. This musical is so full of joy and energy, and provides some great study tunes as well as a much-needed pick-me-up after a long study session. Starring Tony nominee Jasmine Amy Rogers and co-star Ainsley Melham, amongst many other incredible performers, this recording provides levity and light and always makes me happy. Although it might not have the deepest ideas or most relevant political voices, it does what it can to speak to feminism and is great to dance to! It also is a really interesting and cool way to see how a cartoon can be brought to the stage in the modern day, and from a writing standpoint is a really cool case study in how a lot of different source materials can be adapted for the stage!

5. Catch Me If You Can (Mark Shaiman & Scott Wittman)

     The final album in my studying mixtape is one that’s been in my library for ages, and I always find myself coming back to. I am, of course, referring to Catch Me If You Can, featuring legends Aaron Tveit and Kerry Butler. This album, in its entirety, is cohesive and brilliantly written, and sometimes, when studying, all I want is something fun and familiar, and this is an album that I always love listening to and coming back to. Butler’s “Fly Fly Away” is a gorgeous musical theatre ballad, and Tveit’s “Goodbye” will always be one of my favorite songs in the musical theatre canon. Be careful with this one so as not to get too wrapped up in it and forget to study! Finally, if you’re studying for any upcoming exams, Good luck!