Tony-nominated songwriters Justin Paul and Benj Pasek and playwright Timothy Allen McDonald are releasing the highly-anticipated ultimate cast recording of the new musical Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach as a permanently-free download* at www.jatgp.com.
The album features performances by stars from the stage and screen: Megan Hilty as Ladybug (“Smash,” Wicked) ; Christian Borle as Grasshopper (“Peter Pan Live!,” Peter and the Starcatcher); Brian d’Arcy James as Centipede (Sweet Smell of Success, “Smash”); Jackie Hoffman as Spiker (Hairspray, Xanadu); Mary Testa as Sponge (On The Town, 42nd Street); Luca Padovan as James (Newsies); Marc Kudisch as Ladahlord (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast); Daniel Breaker as Earthworm (Shrek the Musical, The Book of Mormon); and Sarah Stiles (Avenue Q, off-Broadway) as Spider, with bonus tracks by Skylar Astin (“Middle of a Moment”) and Megan Hilty (“Everywhere That You Are”).
Just listened to this and it's first rate. Great cast, lyrics and music capture the fantasy, humor and heart of Dahl's original. I don't understand why we are being given this gift today but it's really quite wonderful. Not childish or sugary but funny and touching. I hope we get the chance to see it performed in NY as well as regional productions.
I'm also confused. They could have put this on iTunes. I would have paid for it. It's fantastic. But with this cast and a free download I imagine this will really help get the score out there and lead to more licensed productions.
A smart and clever move by MTI, albeit quite expensive. This will definitely guarantee hundreds, if not thousands, of regional productions both amateur and professional.
This made me smile from start to finish! I haven't read the book or watched the movie in ages, but the whole time I was sitting here thinking this is exactly what this story as a musical should sound like. It's delightful.
Thanks to OP for the heads up ....... still available!
2016 These Paper Bullets (1/02) Our Mother's Brief Affair (1/06), Dragon Boat Racing (1/08), Howard - reading (1/28), Shear Madness (2/10), Fun Home (2/17), Women Without Men (2/18), Trip Of Love (2/21), The First Gentleman -reading (2/22), Southern Comfort (2/23), The Robber Bridegroom (2/24), She Loves Me (3/11), Shuffle Along (4/12), Shear Madness (4/14), Dear Evan Hansen (4/16), American Psycho (4/23), Tuck Everlasting (5/10), Indian Summer (5/15), Peer Gynt (5/18), Broadway's Rising Stars (7/11), Trip of Love (7/27), CATS (7/31), The Layover (8/17), An Act Of God (8/31), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (8/24), Heisenberg (10/12), Fiddler On The Roof (11/02), Othello (11/23), Dear Evan Hansen (11/26), Les Liaisons Dangereuses (12/21) 2017 In Transit (2/01), Groundhog Day (4/04), Ring Twice For Miranda (4/07), Church And State (4/10), The Lucky One (4/19), Ernest Shackleton Loves Me (5/16), Building The Wall (5/19), Indecent (6/01), Six Degrees of Separation (6/09), Marvin's Room (6/28), A Doll's House Pt 2 (7/25) Curvy Widow (8/01)
I've just finished listening to the album, and I enjoyed it. It was more modern-sounding than I expected, but then again i'm not that familiar with the work of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (other than the few songs they wrote for SMASH season 2). But I enjoyed it, and thought the cast was pretty terrific (Luca Padovan, Christian Borle, Megan Hilty, Mary Testa, Jackie Hoffman, Marc Kudisch...a starry cast). I enjoyed the semi-animated film as a child, although i don't think the original material is as good as other Dahl writings. A fun hour well-spent.
"Contentment, it seems, simply happens. It appears accompanied by no bravos and no tears."
Greased, I've gotta say I preferred Luca Padovan's performance. And I loved the accompaniment. I thought Skylar Astin's would have had more high belting in it, to be honest.
"Contentment, it seems, simply happens. It appears accompanied by no bravos and no tears."