Favourite Christine? Dec 20
2012, 02:29:40 PM
My favourite Christine on a major English-language commercial recording of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is Rebecca Caine. Although her voice sounds - perhaps - a shade too mature for the role, she delivers a marvellously acted and sung performance on the recording that by all accounts is a good record of the way she performed the role in the theatre. The way that Caine took the operetta cliché that is the stuff of Christine’s character and moulds it into something more complex has been a blueprint f
OBCR of FOLLIES remixed and remastered! Aug 14
2012, 11:02:19 PM
Mine has arrived! It is simply gorgeous. I had to tear myself away from it to go to work. Thanks, bk! What a fantastic job. It's uncanny how immersive the recording is, despite being so truncated. The remixing and remastering have a great deal to do with that and we are lucky to have this.
Encores PIPE DREAM Gets 9/18 CD Release Aug 12
2012, 01:30:45 PM
The closer this gets, the more excited I get. I'm really keen to have a new recording of this score. I've got a feeling that I'm generally in for a Steinbeck phase soon.
New Poll: Should INTO THE WOODS Move to Broadway? Aug 11
2012, 11:10:03 PM
I voted no. This concept has had its moment in the sun and that a move to Broadway would be pointless, particularly given that this production is designed to play outdoors and appear as if the whole thing is an extension of the park itself. (I would not mind seeing the filmed version of the production as it played in Regent's Park released to DVD/Blu-Ray. I'm a bit over watching it on the computer. And although I have not seen the show in Central Park, everything looks a great deal less effectiv
OBCR of FOLLIES remixed and remastered! Aug 11
2012, 11:00:21 PM
Still waiting for mine, through that is not unusual given the time it takes things to get here. But I am incredibly excited, even more so after reading this thread as it's been updated every day. I cannot wait!
Animated THE KING AND I Jul 22
2012, 11:36:46 PM
The biggest disappointment in regard to this adaptation of THE KING AND I is that it panders to the idea that animation is a medium exclusively for the consumption of children.
It makes me sad to see that this attitude seems to be prevalent on these boards too, but somehow makes me less surprised that THE KING AND I turned out the way it did.
Rise Rise Rise! Jul 9
2012, 12:52:08 AM
I'm glad that Elaine Stritch has finally decided to use cue cards to aid her failing memory during performances. However, I think they are a little large.
MUNY's Production of CHICAGO Jun 27
2012, 12:27:25 AM BrdwyTh wrote: Having just closed a production of CHICAGO last week, I'm curious to hear how they handle the Mary Sunshine reveal with Patti (Cohenour) playing the role.
At best, it could be passed off as a woman playing a man playing a woman. But it's not ideal: the choice to make Mary Sunshine female not only derails a plot point in the show (as has been mentioned above), but also clearly goes against the intention of the creators in their choice to use a character in dr
The Public Domain (and Musical Theatre) Jun 24
2012, 08:21:30 AM
I am busy cleaning out and backing up my hard drive today and found a list that I saved from goodness knows where of musicals that are in the public domain. Thought I would find somewhere relevant to post these on here, in case anyone was interested.
BABES IN TOYLAND BING BOYS ARE HERE BLUE BEARD CARMEN EARL AND THE GIRL EVANGELINE FLORODORA FORTUNE TELLER FORTY FIVE MINUTES FROM BROADWAY GARRICK GAIETIES H.M.S. PINAFORE IRENE LA TRAVIATA
"For Now" Lyric Change? Jun 23
2012, 02:10:07 AM DE Clarke wrote: ["Obama is only for now" is] a simple change, and keeps it in the same vein.
yankeefan7 wrote: It would be politically incorrect to put in Obama's name (for now) and they don't have the guts to do it. If they have, then it would be a big surprise to me.
It would also neither be funny nor comparable to the use of George Bush in the song, unless the implication were that all presidents are the same and ,of course, they are not. Those a
Broadway Salaries Jun 20
2012, 10:58:26 PM
I know that this thread started earlier in WICKED's lifespan, but I think it was actor-proof pretty much from the start. It's the lowest common denominator appeal that WICKED spends most of its craft, such as it is, attaining that sells the show.
Broadway Salaries Jun 16
2012, 11:56:01 PM toodramatic wrote: But... would (WICKED have been a success) without Kristen and Idina?
Isn't WICKED pretty much actor proof? Despite their respective contributions to the show, the salary numbers that have been reported for them in this thread seem insanely high. The show seems to work no matter who is in it and in spite of its mediocre book and complacent score.
best12bars wrote: It just seems like it's gotten crazy-out-of-hand to me.
Look
First Performance of TRIASSIC PARQ Jun 16
2012, 12:24:08 AM RippedMan wrote:I'm not sure I would think "Broadway" immediately. After the failures of SCOTTSBORO BOYS, BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON, and LYSISTRATA JONES I'm not sure producers are clamoring for that obscure off-beat show.
I get your point about those shows all being less mainstream, off-beat productions, which is something they have in common, but I think it is worth saying that THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS is in a class of its own compared to those other two shows, a far more
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS Director's Cut Jun 15
2012, 11:18:11 PM
I am glad that both cuts will be on the release. That original alternate ending is interminable and I think betrays the tone of the film somewhat. Despite its differences from the stage show, I don't mind the new ending, although it is a little awkwardly pasted onto the film. The new little Audrey 2 growing in Seymour's garden adds enough of a kick to the ending, although it's a pity that "Don't Feed the Plants" was lost completly, even as a credits song. I understand the argument that the film
Legends at the Tony Awards Jun 14
2012, 11:21:21 PM qolbinau wrote: Bernadette... introduced Danny when she (or Jan) should have been the ones being introduced to perform. I don't think it counts. :.
There's just no way that Bernadette Peters was going to be performing the FOLLIES presentation, not without the nomination and not having left the show - and given the context, I don't think it's reasonable to have expected her to. Watching her introduce the FOLLIES clip was awkward enough, especially when she started to get te
Ranking the Tony Performances, with Comments Jun 14
2012, 12:39:51 PM
It's very hard to rank the performances because nothing worked perfectly, but the reasons for the respective shortcomings were so diverse. As such I've placed the performances in a tentative order that could accomodate some shuffles and switches by one place here and there.
PORGY AND BESS was featured excellent performances, but it felt disjointed because it wasn't in fact a medley, but a series of clips that followed one another without any overall vision. A medley of songs can work, b
RENT on Film Jun 14
2012, 11:52:55 AM ucjrdude902 wrote: Why didn't RENT work on film?
It was badly directed and badly adapted. It didn't help that RENT itself is already deeply flawed, but its inherent flaes were never going to be addressed on film, so I guess that point is moot.
Jordan Catalano wrote: The problem in a nutshell is that Columbus was as wrong a director as you could have ever chosen for this. Someone like David Fincher would have made it what it needed to be - dirty, gritty a
Supporting Audra Jun 12
2012, 02:56:45 PM
All this controversy about a "rape joke" that never happened. It's bizarre.
