Alan Menken wants Sister Act OBCR- Page 2

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/14/11 at 8:55pm

Both Miss Saigon & Mama Mia never got a Original Bway Cast Album. A number of songs in the London Saigon were not in the broadway version & vice versa. Somehow, the world survived.

Updated On: 8/14/11 at 08:55 PM

[chewy5000]

Posted: 8/14/11 at 9:00pm

I don't know about you, but I am absolutely LIVID that they didn't record Mamma Mia again!

[philly03]

Posted: 8/14/11 at 9:01pm

I'm in favor of a Broadway Cast Recording for this one... There is a lot of changes... the Prologue's and How I Got the Calling are cut, "Here Within These Walls" has a Deloris verse, "Fabulous Baby!" is a little different as well... and that's just within the first 5 songs.

[AC126748]

Posted: 8/14/11 at 9:02pm

I'd be interested in a cast recording because, in my opinion, 90% of the Broadway cast are superior to their London counterparts.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 8/14/11 at 11:01pm

I wonder what Menken was thinking by twittering that?
Didn't he think , people will say: Pay for it yourself!
I also know by experience that what bk says ia absolutely right.
I guess Menken feels it is the norm that composers do not back there own stuff, even if they really want a recording.
Disney is richer than god but they didn't do a new MARY POPPINS.
If a show wants a shelf life and national and international futurs productions, multiple recordings can only help.

[Scripps2]

Posted: 8/15/11 at 6:27pm

"Wow, Bruce. Did you need to be sarcastic? I was basing that off of some quick research I did. Not everyone produces cast recordings for a living."

Maybe you don't but those of us who also live on Earth expect posts from a self proclaimed "professor of theater studies" to be rather more substantive and knowledgeable.

Which institution do you work for?

I ask so that potential students of theatre reading this site will know not to apply.
Updated On: 8/15/11 at 06:27 PM

[AC126748]

Posted: 8/15/11 at 6:38pm

Where I teach is my business. This is an anonymous board; if I wanted to use my real name or tell people where I work, I would. I will say that it's a top-100 ranked university according to the Princeton Review, dear. But I choose to keep a good portion of my private life private, and for good reason. Also, the last time I checked I've never taught a class on how to produce a cast recording.

I thought that Bruce's comment was somewhat condescending because, as I said, not everyone knows the inside of the business the way he does, and to assume so is wrong. I teach theatre studies, i.e., theatre history, dramatic literature, etc. I don't teach people how to audition for Mamma Mia or get their album produced.

[Scripps2]

Posted: 8/15/11 at 6:45pm

You're a professor teacher and you don't recognise a rhetorical question?

[phantom8019]

Posted: 8/15/11 at 6:46pm

Saw the show Saturday and had a great time. Unfortunately some of the seats were empty. They gave all of the audience members a marketing survey to complete before the show started.
Anyway, Whoopi, as a producer, could finance a new recording. But maybe she doesn't want to. Maybe she thinks she already put enough money into the show.
What bothers me about it, and what I wish someone would address, is why do musicals increasingly have more and more versions and updates? Why can't something just be final? I don't think this is how it was done in the golden age of Broadway, but I'm no expert.

[AC126748]

Posted: 8/15/11 at 6:47pm

How is "what institution do you work for?" a rhetorical question? Do you need a definition of that word.

And it's doctor, actually.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/15/11 at 6:54pm

Geez, Scripps -- who peed in your cheerios? Does a professor in every field know everything that is slightly related to it?

I know I was never taught about the financial part of the theater -- I wasn't studying to become a producer of a financial backer.

[Scripps2]

Posted: 8/15/11 at 6:56pm

"Do you need a definition of that word."

No.

But you do.

[staunchcharacter]

Posted: 8/15/11 at 7:02pm

I wholeheartedly agree with AC's earlier post. Thank god Scottsboro Boys has been recorded for posterity.
And on the subject: I'm a huge Sister Act fan. But I'm perfectly dandy with the London recording. It's a fantastic recording. It has a great orchestra. Also I'm upset they took out How I Got the Calling. I found the number to be witty.
Updated On: 8/15/11 at 07:02 PM

[AC126748]

Posted: 8/15/11 at 7:12pm

Geez, Scripps -- who peed in your cheerios? Does a professor in every field know everything that is slightly related to it?

Exactly (and thanks). I wouldn't expect a professor of Victorian Literature to teach classes on the Renaissance or a professor of physics to write a scholarly article on cellular division. The poster who is calling my credentials into question based on a post on an Internet message board obviously has no clue how the educational system works.

I should note that this "Scripps" character has had something against me since I questioned the validity of certain "facts" that he was trying to pass off on a thread about JERUSALEM. So it's no surprise that he would jump on any opportunity to say something negative or derisive about me, my education, or my profession.

Updated On: 8/15/11 at 07:12 PM

[castlestreet]

Posted: 8/15/11 at 7:22pm

Miss Saigon did get a complete Symphonic Recording though, which preserved most of the post-London changes.

I couldn't agree with most of the sentiments on this thread more- the ones who have the money to spare and want their work preserved usually don't. Cast recordings, as I'm sure BK would agree has become a losing business. The only way something gets recorded now is Ghostlight, or someone is smart enough to build the cost into the upfront money to put the show on (very unlikely)

Remember the days when a show would get a London & Broadway cast even when there were very few cast changes i.e. Me and My Girl! We even used to get Canadian Cast Recordings before Livent went bust Those were the days.

[Scripps2]

Posted: 8/18/11 at 4:44pm

"Geez, Scripps -- who peed in your cheerios? Does a professor in every field know everything that is slightly related to it?"

To answer the first question - those few individuals on this board who feel the need to proclaim their profession as a way of asserting their superiority over others. I find these individuals wholly ridiculous and as far as I'm concerned their bragging and swanking legitimizes them as a target for some severe scrutiny: scrutiny which the great professor/doctor/Mister Carp/ACwhatever has wimped out of, instead choosing to use the tactics of a desperate politician.

To answer the second question, I can think of many posters on this site who write with a perception, passion, knowledge and experience that fascinates, engages and even elicits an emotional response. They aren't theatre professionals and so when a poster asserts themself as being superior I expect it to be evident.

And I either check my facts before I press the Post button, or I don't post.

And when I quote, I reference properly.


Updated On: 8/18/11 at 04:44 PM

[nealb1]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 12:16pm

I wish there would be a OBCR of "Sister Act." Patina is leaving the show on March 18th.

[broadwaybabytn]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 12:27pm

Rereading this thread leaves me throughly respectful of John Kander and also wanting to point out that Stephen Sondheim (like John Kander) does not, and probably will never, have the type of money that Alan Menken has.

[sondhead]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 5:54pm

My bets are on a cast recording of the final version eventually coming out in the form of a live recording of the national tour or maybe Raven once she replaces. I had not realized how many changes they made, but there are substantial changes and from a licensing perspective, it would definitely behoove them to make a new recording. Of course, the only people benefitting from licensing are Menken, Slater, and the book writers... so maybe they SHOULD finance it!

[binau]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 7:04pm

It will be such a shame to miss out on Clark and Patina on a OBCR of Sister Act, but maybe having Raven will make it more financially feasible etc.. so it will be better than nothing.

[Nick Murphy]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 8:45pm

Why would the producers invest one more penny in view of the fortune they've spent
keeping the show alive both in London and New York. The reason there's no OBC is because not enough people are interested. Who's gonna buy it? The composer should be grateful his producers are willing to keep pumping money into this production that will never pay off financially. What an ungrateful creative!

[philly03]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 9:20pm

Hasn't been said in this thread, but the cast album from the Vienna production (bizarrely starring Drew Sarich as Curtis) is a live recording that follows the flow of the Broadway production.

[justoldbill]

Posted: 2/22/12 at 11:22pm

BK- Where can I get an "old curmudgeon" cap like yours? I swear I'd wear it every time I listen to ANYA. (which is A LOT!)

[newintown]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 10:06am

Add me to the list who say "fund it your own damn self, you filthy-rich hack."

He's not the worst hack (that's Wildhorn), but he's been incredibly fortunate, for someone who writes only pleasant but cheap tunes. I actually kinda liked Sister Act; but the man has buckets of cash - if he wants another recording (with the same star, yet), he can cough up the dough and not miss a penny of it.

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 2:01pm

^ Totally agree.