New and Upcoming Releases For the Week of June 15 - Mike Birbiglia's THE NEW ONE, and More!

Need something new to listen to, read, or watch? Check out this week's list of new and upcoming releases, including Mike Birbiglia's The New One, the Sing Street cast recording, and more!

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Films Now Available

Romance on the High Seas

1948 musical film starring Doris Day, Jack Carson, Janis Paige, Don DeFore. Songs by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn.

Purchase on Amazon here.

Upcoming Film Releases

Hans Christian Andersen

1952 musical film starring Danny Kaye. Music and lyrics by Frank Loesser. Directed by Charles Vidor.

Purchase on Amazon here.

The King and I

1999 animated feature film based on the musical with score by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Vocal cast includes Miranda Richardson, Martin Vidnovic, Ian Richardson, Darrell Hammond.

Purchase on Amazon here.

Books Now Available

Macbeth in Harlem: Black Theater in America from the Beginning to Raisin in the Sun

By Clifford Mason

This book tells the story of black actors and their fellow black theatrical artists, from the early nineteenth century to the dawn of the civil rights era. How they fought to carve out a space for authentic black voices onstage at a time when blockbuster plays like Uncle Tom's Cabin and The Octoroon trafficked in cheap stereotypes. A testament to black artistry thriving in the face of adversity, chronicling how even as the endemic racism in American society and its theatrical establishment forced black performers to abase themselves for white audiences' amusement, African Americans overcame those obstacles to enrich the nation's theater in countless ways.

Purchase on Amazon here.

The New One: Painfully True Stories from a Reluctant Dad

By Mike Birbiglia, with poems by J. Hope Stein

This book is the basis for Mike Birbiglia's Drama Desk-winning 2018 Broadway show The New One. Sharing some of his darkest and funniest thoughts about the decision to have a child, his wife's pregnancy, and that first year with their child.

Purchase on Amazon here.

Tarell Alvin McCraney: Theater, Performance, and Collaboration

Edited by Sharrell Luckett, David Román, and Isaiah Wooden.

This is the first book to dedicate scholarly attention to the work of Tarell Alvin McCraney (Choir Boy, Head of Passes, The Brother/Sister Plays). Featuring essays, interviews, and commentaries by scholars and artists, who consider McCraney's innovations as a playwright, adapter, director, performer, teacher, and collaborator, bringing fresh and diverse perspectives to their observations and analyses.

Purchase on Amazon here.

Upcoming Book Releases

The Complete Book of 2010s Broadway Musicals

This book includes detailed information about every musical that opened on Broadway from 2010 through the end of 2019. Discusses the decade's major successes, notorious failures, and musicals that closed during their pre-Broadway tryouts, and also highlights revivals and personal-appearance revues. Plot summaries; cast members; names of all important personnel, including writers, composers, directors, choreographers, producers, and musical directors; opening and closing dates; number of performances; critical commentary; musical numbers and the performers who introduced the songs; production data, including information about tryouts; source material; Tony awards and nominations; information about London and other foreign productions.

Purchase on Amazon here.

The Understudy

This is a new novel by stage actress Ellen Tovatt Leary about the life of a Broadway actress in the 1970s.

Purchase on Amazon here.

Upcoming Music Releases

American Morning

Studio cast recording of a score by Timothy Huang. Tells the story of two immigrant cab drivers taking opposite shifts off the same medallion. Josh Dela Cruz, Raymond J. Lee, and Arielle Jacobs, Andrew Cristi, Troy Iwata, Will Roland, Allie Trim, Thom Sesma, Jason SweetTooth Williams, and Isabel Santiago. Orchestrations by Alexander Sage Oyen. Released by Kate Hall & Gary Lynch and The Lisa Cleff Kurtz and Michael Kurtz Foundation, in association with Less Than Rent Theatre. Produced by Alexander Sage Oyen and Timothy Huang.

Lauren Turner: Play On

This is a solo album from New York cabaret singer Lauren Turner. "I Have Nothing," "I'll Be There," "If It Makes You Happy," "Fire and Rain," "The Heart of the Matter." A portion of proceeds from the album will go to charities benefiting doctors fighting the pandemic. Produced by Mitchell Walker and features Michael Isaacs on piano, Daniel Muniz on guitar and background vocals by Tara Martinez.

Ultimate Peggy Lee

This album is a salute to music legend Peggy Lee, and celebrating her landmark 100th birthday. New, career-spanning collection featuring hits and signature songs. "I Love Being Here With You," "Fever," "Things Are Swingin'," "I Don't Know Enough About You," "I'm A Woman," "Just In Time," "Hallelujah, I Love Him So," "Sweet Happy Life," "Alright, Okay, You Win," "Too Close For Comfort," "Why Don't You Do Right (Get Me Some Money Too)," "It's A Good Day," "You Deserve," "Heart," "Big Spender," "He's A Tramp," "I Wanna Be Around," "Black Coffee," "I've Got The World On A String," "The Folks Who Live On The Hill," "Is That All There Is?," "Try A Little Tenderness" (previously unreleased).

Purchase on Amazon here. Released earlier on mp3 and at iTunes.