so I just bought the OBC of the Secret Garden...

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 12/28/05 at 2:06am

i wanted to know what the fuss was all about... a lot of people seemed to like it and it won some Tonys (and it beat Miss Saigon for some awards... argh.. haha)... i must say that i thoroughly enjoyed the CD... can't get that freaking song WICK out of my head and i play it constantly! what did you all think of this show when it was on Broadway?

[tmz814]

Posted: 12/28/05 at 3:37am

Funny that you just posted this. I am actually going to buy this cd tomorrow. I haven't been able to get the songs out of my head since the World Aids Day benefit concert. I never saw it on bway, but I wish I had.

[LeaGirl]

Posted: 12/28/05 at 8:20am

I LOVED the Secret Garden. I went in expecting a children's show and was given something completely different. The broadway production was so beautifully staged I still compare shows to it today.

This remains one of my favorite shows - I was so excited when they did the benefit this year that I actually shelled out money in advance for a ticket I couldn't afford (something I never do)

[ProducersFan]

Posted: 12/28/05 at 9:35am

Haha - my high school did a production of this years ago and when I saw it, I couldn't get Wick out of my head either. It drove me crazy for at least a month. It's taken me until now to come to peace with it. I love the music - it's so hauntingly beautiful. But unfortunately I never saw it on Broadway either.

[Kitzarina]

Posted: 12/28/05 at 9:49am

If you liked Mandy Patinkin, try and download Anthony Warlow singing those songs. After you hear him and Philip Quast singing "Lily's Eyes," your life will never be the same again.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 12/28/05 at 10:14am

Somehow 'Garden' won Best Book, even though the book is downright awful. The score's the strong point of the show. It's a bit of a mess structurally as it goes from long heavily musical sequences into clunky book-song scenes pretty recklessly, as if they just shuffled two drafts of the show together and kept the songs they liked.

I really do enjoy much of the score but I don't think the show lives up to it, although the big climaxes are certainly effective.

[amasis]

Posted: 12/28/05 at 7:47pm

I recommend the Australian Cast Recording. It's not complete, only 8 songs, but Anthony Warlow, Phillip Quast, and Marina Pryor are all brilliant performers. Anthony Warlow especially :).

[ThrourouglyModernMLE]

Posted: 12/28/05 at 8:48pm

Haha my high school did SG last year and I LOVED it! My favorite song is "Lily's Eyes," it makes me cry! haha

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 12/28/05 at 10:06pm

I prefer the London Cast Recording. I adore this show, and score.

[Enjolras77]

Posted: 12/28/05 at 10:54pm

I have all three cast recordings (OBC, London, and Australian) and love all three. Some of the lyric changes in the London version bug me though. The Australian version is great because of Anthony Warlow (IMHO: the best musical theatre baritone in the world) and the sequence of "Where in the World/How Can I Ever Know". Anthony's emotion in this section is unmatched. However, even though I am a huge fan of both Anthony and Phillip Quast I am still not 100% in favor of their version of "Lily's Eyes" as the best one. I think having two baritones singing the roles makes the timbre less effective than having a true tenor and a baritone singing.

Posted: 12/29/05 at 1:46am

I wish they made a recording of the AIDS benefit a few weeks ago. That cast was all-star and completely stellar. Will Chase and Stephen Pasquale...dream! If anyone has a copy of it, I would love for you to get in touch with me! Happy New Year to everyone.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 1:50am

I love The Secret Garden and the Australian cast recording is my favorite. Poor OBC.