My Musical Theater Voyage of Discovery; The Word "The"
THE WIZ. I actually listened to this record once, years ago, before I learned about good, hip, hot, groovin’ music. In those days I was a Lerner and Lowe show queen. I am older and wiser and more eclectic now, so I put it in my Ipod and never got around to it. Now that I have, once more, I am leaving the entire recording in the Ipod and listening to it at least once a month. Rock on, man.
THE SECRET GARDEN. This is not the Broadway cast album. It is a studio recording that starred Barbara Cook and Judy Kaye and it is, for the most part, just awful. The songs are over written and the cd is over produced and the entire experience was just a mess for me. The original novel is a sweet, simple story – the Broadway version is also sweet and simple (although all that added story line about the competing brothers and the screaming duet about Lily’s Eyes is a bit over the top for me; but not so much as to ruin that experience for me). The films made of this story have tended toward being sweet and simple. This studio recording feels like too much clothing on a breezeless, sweltering, Texas summer day. HOWEVER…. Miss Barbara Cook does some beautiful work on three numbers that I found worth leaving in the Ipod. She is heavenly.
THE ROTHSCHILDS. I need to read about this show because I LOVE this record. I know nothing about the play but I find myself loving the fact that it is an older musical and it is so well written (musically). Every track tells a part of the story, I am able to follow the characters and storyline, just listening to the cd – that cannot be said of every musical written today. And Hal Linden!!! Oh my gosh. The man can SING. I love this cd. I don’t even mind the big chorus numbers because they are so beautifully written and sung and harmonized. This is choral singing, not screaming. No deletions here.
THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW. Ok, so I have known, for years, the original Tim Curry recording with the cast from The Roxy (selections from which are in my Ipod – not the whole thing; but def, anything by Tim Curry).. I didn’t get to see the last Broadway cast, so I got the cd and imported it and listened to it. Um. Yeah. I left in the tracks by Daphne and Sebastian. Deleted the rest.
THE PIRATE QUEEN. EEEEEK. Ok. Um. I didn’t go see this show. I was broke. I was tired. I was busy. I was influenced by word of mouth. I did see photos and clips on tv and it LOOKED fabulous. Oy. This score is mostly (for me, for my, you understand; this is just my opinion) unlistenable. It’s derivative of previous scores by these same composers… and one or two others. The overture is lovely and then comes a track with SCREAMING chorus members. There’s actually a screaming chorus number that uses a banjo going plunka plunka plunka and for a moment I thought we were on a Show Boat and not a Pirate ship. I love Stephanie J. Block; but I’m going to have to delete most of this cd from my Ipod. I won’t listen to it. I just won’t. By deleting it, I can make room for 9 TO 5. Know what I loved on The Pirate Queen, though? There’s a cut called The Wedding that is decidedly celtic. It’s cool. I do just want to say this: are we done, now? This show was a colossal flop. TALE OF TWO CITIES was, too. THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL is widely derided, as is JANE EYRE. Can we just stop trying to make classic pieces of literature (ok this was a novel based on a real life person; but still….) into epic pieces of theater with scores that sound like the Filene’s Basement version of Les Miserables? Can we? Les Mis was mid 80s. It’s done. Let’s move on. Ok? It’s done.
THE HUMAN COMEDY. I feel awful about this because my friend Brett and my friend Richard both absolutely adore this show. I didn’t get it. I know nothing about the show; so I hit play and waited for the cast album to tell me the story. I was so confused that I didn’t know what was going on. So I deleted it from my Ipod. Tch
THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE. I’ve known songs from this show but not the entire show. It’s cute! However, I have two versions of it in my Ipod and I realize I won’t listen to all that music. One of the cds is the 1963 cast album with Karen Morrow, which takes precedence; all of her tracks stay in. Then the rest is on a case by case basis. The other cd is a studio cast recording with the cast of the Encores! Series that starred Rebecca Luker (who takes precedence) and Davis Gaines (lovely voice). Debbie Gravitte does the Karen Morrow tracks and, while I like Debbie Gravitte, I love Karen Morrow. Morrow sings. Gravitte screams. I’m so tired of screaming singers. Just sing the notes. I did leave both ladies’ Oh Diogenes. They are both delish. Know who is lovely on this cd? Malcolm Gets.
[For the record: The cast album of THE PRODUCERS has been pared down to Cady Huffman and Matthew Broderick, as well as Springtime for Hitler and Haben Sie Gehort Das Deutsche Band (I loved Brad Oscar in this play). Not a fan of Nathan Lane, I find it difficult to listen to him. The Kline/Ronstadt/Rose/Parsons/Smith PIRATES OF PENZANCE is actually in my Ipod from start to finish, even though Gilbert and Sullivan is lost on me. I love them, this cast, and enjoy the listening. Also in the Ipod, completely, are THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, THE MUSIC MAN OBC, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD (with all the endings), THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, and THE MOST HAPPY FELLA OBC (not that weedy revival cast with only 4 intruments – I need the full orchestrations and Susan Watson). I only have three cuts from the West End THE FAR PAVILLIONS because that is all that was on the cd I was given. I’ve trimmed back THE FULL MONTY – a show I really enjoyed, live, but don’t listen to in its’ entirety.]
THE SECRET GARDEN. This is not the Broadway cast album. It is a studio recording that starred Barbara Cook and Judy Kaye and it is, for the most part, just awful. The songs are over written and the cd is over produced and the entire experience was just a mess for me. The original novel is a sweet, simple story – the Broadway version is also sweet and simple (although all that added story line about the competing brothers and the screaming duet about Lily’s Eyes is a bit over the top for me; but not so much as to ruin that experience for me). The films made of this story have tended toward being sweet and simple. This studio recording feels like too much clothing on a breezeless, sweltering, Texas summer day. HOWEVER…. Miss Barbara Cook does some beautiful work on three numbers that I found worth leaving in the Ipod. She is heavenly.
THE ROTHSCHILDS. I need to read about this show because I LOVE this record. I know nothing about the play but I find myself loving the fact that it is an older musical and it is so well written (musically). Every track tells a part of the story, I am able to follow the characters and storyline, just listening to the cd – that cannot be said of every musical written today. And Hal Linden!!! Oh my gosh. The man can SING. I love this cd. I don’t even mind the big chorus numbers because they are so beautifully written and sung and harmonized. This is choral singing, not screaming. No deletions here.
THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW. Ok, so I have known, for years, the original Tim Curry recording with the cast from The Roxy (selections from which are in my Ipod – not the whole thing; but def, anything by Tim Curry).. I didn’t get to see the last Broadway cast, so I got the cd and imported it and listened to it. Um. Yeah. I left in the tracks by Daphne and Sebastian. Deleted the rest.
THE PIRATE QUEEN. EEEEEK. Ok. Um. I didn’t go see this show. I was broke. I was tired. I was busy. I was influenced by word of mouth. I did see photos and clips on tv and it LOOKED fabulous. Oy. This score is mostly (for me, for my, you understand; this is just my opinion) unlistenable. It’s derivative of previous scores by these same composers… and one or two others. The overture is lovely and then comes a track with SCREAMING chorus members. There’s actually a screaming chorus number that uses a banjo going plunka plunka plunka and for a moment I thought we were on a Show Boat and not a Pirate ship. I love Stephanie J. Block; but I’m going to have to delete most of this cd from my Ipod. I won’t listen to it. I just won’t. By deleting it, I can make room for 9 TO 5. Know what I loved on The Pirate Queen, though? There’s a cut called The Wedding that is decidedly celtic. It’s cool. I do just want to say this: are we done, now? This show was a colossal flop. TALE OF TWO CITIES was, too. THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL is widely derided, as is JANE EYRE. Can we just stop trying to make classic pieces of literature (ok this was a novel based on a real life person; but still….) into epic pieces of theater with scores that sound like the Filene’s Basement version of Les Miserables? Can we? Les Mis was mid 80s. It’s done. Let’s move on. Ok? It’s done.
THE HUMAN COMEDY. I feel awful about this because my friend Brett and my friend Richard both absolutely adore this show. I didn’t get it. I know nothing about the show; so I hit play and waited for the cast album to tell me the story. I was so confused that I didn’t know what was going on. So I deleted it from my Ipod. Tch
THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE. I’ve known songs from this show but not the entire show. It’s cute! However, I have two versions of it in my Ipod and I realize I won’t listen to all that music. One of the cds is the 1963 cast album with Karen Morrow, which takes precedence; all of her tracks stay in. Then the rest is on a case by case basis. The other cd is a studio cast recording with the cast of the Encores! Series that starred Rebecca Luker (who takes precedence) and Davis Gaines (lovely voice). Debbie Gravitte does the Karen Morrow tracks and, while I like Debbie Gravitte, I love Karen Morrow. Morrow sings. Gravitte screams. I’m so tired of screaming singers. Just sing the notes. I did leave both ladies’ Oh Diogenes. They are both delish. Know who is lovely on this cd? Malcolm Gets.
[For the record: The cast album of THE PRODUCERS has been pared down to Cady Huffman and Matthew Broderick, as well as Springtime for Hitler and Haben Sie Gehort Das Deutsche Band (I loved Brad Oscar in this play). Not a fan of Nathan Lane, I find it difficult to listen to him. The Kline/Ronstadt/Rose/Parsons/Smith PIRATES OF PENZANCE is actually in my Ipod from start to finish, even though Gilbert and Sullivan is lost on me. I love them, this cast, and enjoy the listening. Also in the Ipod, completely, are THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, THE MUSIC MAN OBC, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD (with all the endings), THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, and THE MOST HAPPY FELLA OBC (not that weedy revival cast with only 4 intruments – I need the full orchestrations and Susan Watson). I only have three cuts from the West End THE FAR PAVILLIONS because that is all that was on the cd I was given. I’ve trimmed back THE FULL MONTY – a show I really enjoyed, live, but don’t listen to in its’ entirety.]
posted by StephenMosher at 7:52 AM
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