Amanda Prahl - Page 4

If we're being honest, we can probably count on one hand the number of viewers who went to see Tom Hooper's ill-advised movie version of Cats for the music. Andrew Lloyd Webber's music has never really been the appeal of Cats; it's always been the visuals and the brand more than anything that allowed it to become an iconic piece of theatre pop culture. As you probably expect, the soundtrack for the movie does very little new, but dutifully recreates the score with a talented all-star cast.

Tyrell, a new concept album, imagines what three supporting characters were up to during the early days of Game of Thrones. The concept is interesting on its own, but the skillful execution by the writer and performers on the album elevate it to something sure to have appeal outside of Thrones die-hards.

Historically, superhero concepts and musical theater don't tend to mix well. The off-Broadway musical Superhero, with a score by Tom Kitt, fares somewhat better. It's not breaking new ground, but it's a pleasant album with a big heart.

If you're looking for a traditional show, Octet isn't it, but if you're looking for a smart, often witty meditation on technology in the modern world, this definitely is it.

Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, who won Oscars for their work on the original Frozen, return with a new batch of songs that are a little more melancholy and a little more mature, but also lack a little bit of the sparkle that set the original apart. Sequels are always hard, and the Frozen 2 soundtrack proves that true.

Pairing Michael Ball and Alfie Boe together for an album of standards seems so intuitive, it's no wonder this is their third album together. Back Together reunites the two stars for an album and a concert tour, covering everything from mid-century standards to contemporary pop-Broadway hybrids. There's little in the way of surprise on this album, but in some ways, that's perfectly fine a?" Ball and Boe know what works for them (and for us), and they lean into it.

Beau, a new musical by Douglas Lyons and Ethan D. Pakchar, has a sound that combines country, folk, and funk sounds and a sweetly internal story. It's a refreshing change of pace that's sure to enter your music rotation.

It's pretty much a rite of passage for vocalists to put together a holiday album, and this year, it's Lea Michele's turn, with Christmas in the City. For the most part, it's a perfectly lovely addition to the Christmas genre.

Every now and then, there's a bright new piece of theatre that finds a way to be innovative and fresh while still embracing some of the exquisite structure that's come before. That's definitely one way to describe Michael R. Jackson's A Strange Loop.

Kristin Chenoweth's latest album, For the Girls, is, just as its name suggests, a celebration of songs by, about, and for women. Chenoweth croons her way through a selection of standards, occasionally with the help of some other incredible female vocalists. It's a lovely album with plenty of top-notch performances; the only flaw is a little bit too much same-ness.

The Long Haul is Tony nominee Norbert Leo Butz's first original album. Butz has always been one of the more unconventional, versatile voices in contemporary musical theatre, and this album gives him a new chance to shine as both a singer and as a songwriter. It's a pleasant, bluegrass and country-tinged set of songs that doesn't break new ground but is a perfectly enjoyable album overall.

For Marsha Mason, versatility has been the name of the game throughout her long and acclaimed career. Beneath it all is the same genuine passion and willingness to tackle new challenges.

The album revamps the 2001 film's famously pop-laden score to incorporate even more greatest hits of the last two decades, and every single track is packed to the brim with excess that Harold Zigler would be proud of. The downside to this approach, unfortunately, is that the story's sweet, sad, beating heart is nearly buried under all the glitz.

Over the course of a few years, director Rachel Chavkin has gone from being a staple of the off-Broadway scene to the director with one of the most distinctive and creative aesthetics on Broadway. That's just one of many ways that she proves she's in a league all her own.

Luckily for fans of Waitress, the creative team has released What's Not Inside, a delightful mini-album of songs that were scrapped on the road to Broadway. It's a charming addition to one of the 21st century's surprise smash hits.

Based loosely on a true story, Half Time tells a classic fish-out-of-water story: a group of senior citizen dancers who audition to be halftime dancers, only to panic when they learn they have to dance hip-hop. The musical, which includes some of the last songs written by theatre legend Marvin Hamlisch, is certainly charming, but it never quite transcends the cheesiness of its material.

This season on Broadway, everything has definitely been going Eva Price's way.

If we already know how the story ends, why do we come back again and again? That's the question at the heart of Hadestown, 2019's Tony-winning best musical, whose full Broadway cast recording is out now. With a score by Anais Mitchell that's alternately jazzy, ethereal, and devastating, it makes you believe that music really could change the world.

While The Lion King's updated soundtrack doesn't quite roar to life, it does manage to pull off most of the iconic music and take its place in the story's own circle of life.

With a score by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater, the cast recording of 'Alice By Heart' is a little uneven in parts but still manages to hit the gut-punch of emotion when it counts.