BWW Review: Migguel Anggelo Enthralls with LATINXOXO at Joe's PubNovember 12, 2019As an artist that is well established in the New York Cabaret scene, audiences know that a Migguel Anggelo performance is guaranteed to entertain and enthrall. With LATINXOXO, he captivates audiences while sharing his yearning for acceptance and love from his father, who died by electrocution while changing a lightbulb on his Venezuelan cattle ranch.
BWW Interview: Migguel Anggelo Talks LATINXOXO at Joe's PubOctober 2, 2019Migguel Anggelo returns to Joe's Pub with a reworked presentation of LATINXOXO on October 15th, November 6, and November 7. Through the concert experience, Anggelo moves the audience through iconic pop hits, original compositions, and the Spanish boleros of his youth, to remind them that the greatest love of all is right there in the mirror. To get the inside scoop on LATINXOXO, I chatted with Anggelo about the show.
BWW Album Review: TOOTSIE (Original Broadway Cast Recording) Wraps Transphobia in SequinsJuly 26, 2019TOOTSIE, a stage adaptation of the well-know 1982 Dustin Hoffman vehicle, missed its opportunity to engage in poignant conversations on gender, feminism, and trans identities. Instead, David Yazbek's lyrics and music stay stuck in the bygone era of the early 1980s, leaning heavily on the tired and inherently transphobic a?oeman in a dressa?? gag and a rather generic sounding Broadway score rooted firmly in the most rudimentary basics of musical writing.
BWW Album Review: BEETLEJUICE (Original Broadway Cast Recording) is a Rib-Tickling TreatJune 19, 2019BEETLEJUICE is a giddily irreverent musical that has left audiences laughing themselves to death since it began its out-of-town tryouts in Washington, D.C. Currently playing Broadway's Winter Garden Theatre, this rib-tickling treat has recently released BEETLEJUICE (Original Broadway Cast Recording) through Ghostlight Records and Warner Records. The album captures the heart and humor of the production, sharing the giggles and laughs with a worldwide audience.
BWW Interview: Joe Chisholm Talks SAFEWORDJune 5, 2019Exploring the depths of modern relationships is something that S. Asher Gelman is keen on doing in his works. On the heels of Off-Broadway's smash hit AFTERGLOW, which offered a view into the world of open relationships, the playwright's latest work - SAFEWORD - explores concepts of trust in relationships through the lens of BDSM. To get the inside scoop on the play, we sat down with Joe Chisholm.
BWW Album Review: Michelle Vezilj's 'Fire Goes to Die' is an Empowering AnthemMay 17, 2019Michelle Vezilj is making a profound and timely statement with her latest single, 'Fire Goes to Die.' Inspired by the #MeToo movement and being a victim of sexual assault herself, Vezilj's empowering anthem touches on those pressing topics. Yet, in the same week as the governor of Alabama signed our nation's most restrictive anti-abortion bill into law, this tune's broader themes about emboldening oneself to take control of one's body couldn't feel more timely.
BWW Album Review: BE MORE CHILL (Original Broadway Cast Recording) Does Not Always ComputeMay 9, 2019With a slightly different cast and some changes to the music, it is no surprise that BE MORE CHILL's Broadway production was recorded for Ghostlight Records BE MORE CHILL (Original Broadway Cast Recording). The album is full of energy and teeters on the verge of frenetic, masterfully capturing the best and worst aspects of the upgraded Broadway production.
BWW Album Review: WE ARE THE TIGERS (Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording) Bops with Beats and BiteApril 28, 2019Preston Max Allen's WE ARE THE TIGERS Off-Broadway run had music and lyrics that were fully realized and demanded to be recorded. Broadway Records answered that call and released WE ARE THE TIGERS (Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording), preserving the show's infectious, toe-tap inducing pop score. And, freed from the book scenes, this music comes across as more poignant and thought-provoking than it did in the context of the show.
BWW Album Review: Ben Platt's SING TO ME INSTEAD Radiates Pure JoyApril 12, 2019Ben Platt's SING TO ME INSTEAD is ready to be the pop album you leave on repeat all spring long, and deservedly so. His soaring vocals, especially those grandiose belts, sans the affectations of Evan Hansen dazzle across the record, making each of the tunes - whether an up-tempo bop or a soulful ballad - command the attention of the listener. Truthfully, SING TO ME INSTEAD is pure joy, making repeat listens more than welcomed; they are essential.
BWW Album Review: CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE '90S MUSICAL (Original Cast Album) Rests On NostalgiaMarch 11, 2019ABKCO's CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE '90S MUSICAL (Original Cast Album) is undoubtedly Kidz Bop for adults. And there's nothing wrong with that (in this case). The album features "Every You, Every Me," "Colorblind," and "Bittersweet Symphony" from the original motion picture soundtrack, and the remaining 15 tracks are comprised of instantly recognizable standards of the era.
BWW Review: WE ARE THE TIGERS Fumbles But Is Still F-U-NFebruary 21, 2019A real curious thing is happening at Theater 80 St Marks. And, oddly, it may be the off-beat, quirky must-see Off-Broadway event of the winter. Not because the show is amazing, nor because it is so terrible that it has to be seen to be believed. Truthfully, Preston Max Allen's WE ARE THE TIGERS makes you forgive its missteps by being infectiously plucky and actually fun.
BWW Album Review: UNBREAKABLE (Original Cast Recording) is Stirring and EvocativeFebruary 9, 2019Broadway composer Andrew Lippa has written a poignant song cycle with UNBREAKABLE, which was premiered by The San Francisco's Gay Men's Chorus at Nourse Theater in San Francisco, CA on June 22-23, 2018. This week Ghostlight Records released UNBREAKABLE (Original Cast Recording), allowing listeners a chance to go inside the Nourse Theater to experience the powerfully moving cycle live and for themselves.
BWW Album Review: RENT (Original Soundtrack of the Fox Live Television Event) Stumbles and Mostly Falls FlatFebruary 2, 2019When it comes to RENT being on broadcast television, it was always going to be a dicey experience. Diehard fans were sure to be disappointed by lines altered to be in compliance with the FCC. Then, casting a handful of pop performers over trained actors was sure to lead to questionable character choices throughout the evening. Sony Masterworks Broadway's RENT (Original Soundtrack of the Fox Live Television Event) drives these points home with all the subtly of a sledgehammer bludgeoning a nail.
BWW Album Review: Brian Gallagher's BROWNSTONE is a Moody, Bluesy Murderous MusicalJanuary 23, 2019Broadway veteran Brian Gallagher recently released the concept album for his new musical BROWNSTONE. The thrilling record is mostly sung by Gallagher himself, but it also features the vocals of Broadway star Megan Hilty. Utilizing his well-honed ability to write jazzy, ambient rock with a 70s garage band vibe, Gallagher has skillfully created, for BROWNSTONE, a moody and haunting piece of musical theatre that excites as easily as it sends shivers down the spine.
BWW Album Review: FOLLIES (2018 National Theatre Cast Recording) Touches the SublimeJanuary 19, 2019Once one of the costliest flops in Broadway history, FOLLIES is now highly regarded as a true classic in musical theater canon. The well-reviewed National Theatre revival, which ran through January 3, 2018, is scheduled to return to the West End this spring, and the sumptuously lush FOLLIES (2018 National Theatre Cast Recording) is now available digitally.
BWW Album Review: THE PROM is the Perfect Blend of Glitter, Confetti, and HeartDecember 21, 2018With moxie, sequins, and indefatigable whimsy, Sony Masterworks Broadway's THE PROM (Original Broadway Cast Recording) perfectly captures the mirth of the heartwarming Broadway production. Masterfully blending Matthew Sklar's toe-tapping score, Chad Beguelin's rib-tickling and heartfelt lyrics, and the stellar performances of the cast, this album is as charming as it is mesmerizing.