Theatre reviewer. Broadcaster - host of FRONT ROW CENTRE heard every Sunday morning from 9 to 10 am and every Saturday morning from 8 to 9 am on PROUD-FM.
The new Masterworks Broadway site Feb 10, 12:07:23 AM Thanks, Taz I did not not know that FIRST IMPRESSIONS was still available as a download.
DRG made an arrangement with Sony to release a number of titles in runs of 5,000 copies each for 5 years (or until stock runs out.) The FIRST IMPRESSIONS disc vanished very quickly from the catalog. They can't have sold out all 5,000 copies already!
Download are, of course, a good back-up but I still prefer the actual CD with the jewel box, liner notes and J-card.
RCA Victor: THE SAINT OF BLEEKER STREET THE CHOCOLATE SOLDIER (Complete version - studio cast) THE MERRY WIDOW (1964 Lincoln Center cast) ANDROCLES AND THE LION (TV cast) HALF A SIXPENCE (Movie soundtrack) THE BELIEVERS INNER CITY
Columbia titles... REGINA (NYCO) SONG OF NORWAY (Jones Beach theatre cast-ex rec of this score) LI'L ABNER (movie soundtrack) THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER
The new Masterworks Broadway site Feb 7, 11:20:59 PM Masterworks Broadway have redone their website, now it includes the full cast album catalogs of of both Sony (formerly Columbia) and BMG (originally RCA Victor.)
Weekly articles by Peter Filichia will highlight various aspects of the different records. And ...best of all...the news is that titles that were formerly deleted will be restored (some possibly as downloads only, but at least available at reasonable prices) as well as titles that have previously not been reissued on CD. <
Into the Woods DVD question Feb 3, 02:11:06 AM Oh no, I don't read it as an attack at all. Just a discussion.
You mention Merman in GYPSY. For years I had heard there was an audio tape of her closing night. Someone knew I wanted it and sent it to me...and while I did listen to it once, the sound was too fuzzy (and of pitch) to be enjoyable listening. (Years in radio have made me an audiophile as well as a collector. The wo do not always go hand in hand.)
We need a Broadway show DVD that sells a million units the way OKLAHO
Into the Woods DVD question Feb 2, 05:36:39 PM Absolutely! And to be surrounded by others who knew and appreciated what was on stage. The intermissions were great for chatting with others. It had to be experienced live.
The reference videos that can be viewed in the archive preserve the performances and look of each show for future generations. And although not complete most professional productions have promo segments filmed for use on TV programs/newscasts. (CBS made extensive use of these for their Sunday morning segments on Son
Oh wait. We can't talk about that here. Nevermind.
Yes, Jordan. We all know about the existence of these headache-inducing messes done in the name of "preserving" historic performances. Nonsense. It's just overzealous fans trying to make a quick buck by selling these poor quality reproductions with unlistenable sound and pictures so terrible poor that it's impossible to watch more than a few minutes.
Danielle did indeed, but Ben was there right through th3 closing. I was at the final performance and Sondheim made a brief speech on stage after the curtain calls mentioning that it Ben's birthday...and then everyone sang Happy Birthday to him.
And Pgenre, I too wish they had taped the Kennedy Centre shows. There were rumours then that PBS would tape COMPANY but it never happened. I am told that in Washington there is
CRY-BABY May Actually Get A Recording! Feb 1, 06:07:07 PM Adam Schlesinger is a working music producer who has produced tons of hit CD's and has studio access, so I feel it's only a matter of timing.
This doesn't bode well. Sure, Schlesinger may know how to produce "pop" recordings but that is no guarantee he knows anything about producing a cast album.
Am I reading this wrong? It seems all he is saying that he and the other cast members would like to do a recording but no one has come forward with any money, so there's really
The production was taped May 23 to 26, 1989. Bernadette Peters ad Joanna Gleason returned to their original roles for these performances. That was hardly 3 years later! It was a year and half after the show's November 1987 opening. (Show closed Sep 3, 1989, a little over 3 months after the taping.)
And it was indeed taped in the Martin Beck.
Gypsy Recordings Jan 31, 09:31:33 PM It has but I can't find the thread either.
In brief, Merman brings a ferociousness to the role that no one else matches. Lansbury acts it well but the songs challenge her range. Daly was ill when the record was made, but she is an actress first and singer last. Peters has some unusual vocal intonations, and tries hard to remake the part, but when the dress was fitted to Ethel Merman it really doesn't work well on a different model. Lupone is closer to Merman, and her disc gets in a ha
Another major birthday today (Jan 31) Jan 31, 09:18:11 PM Although he didn't do Broadway, Tinseltown's tubby tenor, Mario Lanza, did record a lot of Broadway and operetta songs for RCA. He was born Jan 31, 1921. Had he lived, he would have been 89 today. He died at age 38. Too much wine, women and song.
West Side Story wins Grammy! Jan 31, 08:52:17 PM For years now the voters of the cast album Grammy have generally known nothing about the scores nominated or even musical theatre in general. Most often they don't bother listening and simply vote for the title with the most name recognition... hence: WSS!
Overall I thought it was a fine CD, but lacking the excitement (as well as the many wrong note) of the original.
Of the "new" scores I find NEXT TO NORMAL more interesting that SHREk but it starts to pall after a while: Too
Should Lupone move on from 'Gypsy?' Jan 28, 01:11:39 PM I know there are people here who complain that GYPSY has had too many Broadway revivals, but it has not been done all that frequently in London. The Lansbury production was London's first chance to see the show (Merman never toured with it there) and neither the Tyne Daly nor Bernadette Peters revivals transferred. SO if Lupone is willing, and they can get the money and a theatre I'd say go for it!
two fairy tales lyrics Jan 26, 05:07:49 PM I don't have them but they are printed in full in the booklet that comes wit the RCA 3 CD set A Collector's Sondheim (P.57-59)
Memphis cast album, did it release today? Jan 26, 04:48:21 PM I have heard the same reports that Robbie has. No dell has been signed for national distribution as yet.
A different end to GYPSY Jan 26, 04:45:58 PM I have just read an interview with Laurents, Sondhiem, and Robbins speaking about Gypsy. Laurents and Sondheim said that when Oscar Hammerstein saw the show there was no scene after "Rose's Turn". The show's original ending was simply "Rose's Turn". Hammerstein only had two notes on the entire production, and one was that their needed to be some sort of closer for the audience, and there needed to be something that said that Rose is a human being, not this monster.
This is not al
Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 1/24 Jan 26, 12:05:54 AM I agree with all Barney has said, but would like to add that once a show recoups the creative staff get a larger share of the weekly take, so the "nut" actually goes up after recouping.
Adam...where are you hearing that NEXT TO NORMAL is anywhere near recouping? Last report I heard was that it still has a long way to go?
You cannot take the total gross, deduct the weekly nut and assume all the rest is credited to production costs. There is a royalty pool that gets about 40% of
A different end to GYPSY Jan 25, 02:45:13 PM True. It's more a triumph in her own mind an our applause feeds that fantasy. To cut the final scene, however, robs it of its subtext and becomes just a standard 11:00 number.
A different end to GYPSY Jan 25, 01:49:52 PM That's how I felt: To end with "Rose's Turn" shows Rose in triumph. The final scene reveals it as all in her head and in actual fact the show ends with Rose in defeat.
I am checking with another reviewer who saw it Sat night just to make sure that this wasn't an anomaly at Sunday's matinee before firing off an email to T/W.
Needless to say my review will be a blistering attack on the people responsible for this boneheaded decision. I mean its not like the audience would not ha
A different end to GYPSY Jan 25, 01:03:20 PM I cover number of local theatres for newspapers in the area. yesterday I attended a production of GYPSY. It was pretty good as community staging goes, with an energetic cast, and some really nicely done drops for each scene.
The show is going along beautifully, the actress playing Rose does a great "Rose's Turn" and the curtain comes down. I expect it will go up showing Rose bowing and blowing kisses leading into the final scene with Gypsy.
