I know in the 60s Columbia Records briefly (it seems) went through a period of recording complete original cast performances of plays, under Columbia's cast album producer Godard Lieberson. I own the wonderful one for Virginia Wolf (which they've tried to reissue on CD but apparently si tied into many rights uissues) and have heard ones were done for Luv and The Subject was Roses. Were more done?
Though not "original casts", in the early 70s, there was a series of recordings of Eugene O'Neill plays including Long Day's Journey Into Night, Moon for the Misbegotten, Iceman Cometh and Mourning Becomes Electra among some others, I believe. The Caedmon label did a lot of "spoken word" recordings of drama, literature and poetry. Only a few of their plays were released on CD including:
The Crucible Death of a Salesman Glass Menagerie Importance of Being Earnest Long Day's Journey Into Night Pygmalion Raisin in the Sun Streetcar Named Desire Under Milkwood
Egghumor, just a point of order and I hope it doesn't seem snarky.
AIN'T SUPPOSED TO DIE A NATURAL DEATH is a musical. It was was nominated for tonys for best musical, book, score, direction of a musical and featured actress in a musical.
Henrik, your post is not at all "snarky." I thought about that as I was posting but decided to include anyway because AIN'T SUPPOSED TO DIE... is not a musical in the traditional sense. No actor/character sings or dances (well, one gyrates). The group of actors deliver monologues with underscoring, and so it sounds and feels more like a play to me, and I think to most listeners. Updated On: 11/11/11 at 05:17 PM
It's too bad that the AIN"T SUPPOSED TO DIE A NATURAL DEATH cast recording has become so obscure as it has lots of strong writing and performances. Melvin Van Peebles other show at the time, DON'T PLAY US CHEAP is a more traditional musical -- but for my money, not nearly as interesting as the other, angrier monologue-driven show.
Besides Copenhagen, I also recorded Chris Durang's Beyond Therapy, with a rather wonderful cast including David Hyde Pierce, Catherine O'Hara, Richard Kind, etc. And Mr. Durang himself.
I did. When I was a teen I loved the Columbia plays and so I decided to bring it back to disc and Copenhagen seemed like the absolute best thing to record - great actors, play, and small. I'd also offered to record Albee's The Play About The Baby, but he's a little nuts and it didn't happen. Then we did Beyond Therapy, and then most know what happened to me and the label I'd created back then - not pretty - but one of us came out okay :) It's a shame we couldn't have continued to do those - I think they're important.
i agree the recordings are important. as much as i appreciate and in some cases are thrilled by the l.a. theaterworks recordings, there's just something original new york casts. i had often wondered why other plays from that time hadn't been recorded as well. if only we'd had cast recordings of the original Glass Menagerie, or the entertainer, or a whole host of others
Once upon a time, I had a whole lot of these great box sets. Then I got rid of the turntable. Then I got another turntable, so I search for them.
Sorry if I'm repeating people, but these LPs come to mind: Waiting for Godot w/Lahr The Zoo Story (Wm. Daniels) All of the American Film Theatre films (esp. for The Homecoming and A Delicate Balance) The Real Thing with close and irons and baranski and cynthia nixon Glass Menagerie (Tandy) Belle of Amherst (Harris) there's a one LP, i think, radio clips thing of Tandy and Brando in Streetcar somebody i'm sure did Long Day's Journey The Caretaker (think it was off the s/track) Marat/Sade (both stage and film, i think) Death of a Salesman with Cobb and Dunnock assorted big named Ibsens, and Chekhovs, and of course tons of Shakespeare (including Taming with Liz and Dick, all of Zefferelli's Romeo & J) Miller's All Fall Down with Faye Dunaway etc. Becket (film) Othello (olivier/film - 4 lps i think) Streetcar (Harris/Farentino) Hamlet (Burton/Bwy) Don Juan in Hell (Laughton) Great White Hope (Jones, Alelxander) View from a bridge (Duvall, Hoffmann) Subject Was Roses (Sheen) Lenny Macbird
Many of these are on ebay right now -- but shop carefully. FOr example, the Zefferelli R&J prices are all over the place.
The Boys in the Band isn't that difficult to find - I've got two sets. I really want The Homecoming and A Delicate Balance, and Godot back. I was very happy to get Virginia Woolf (both stage and screen) back on the shelves.
I'd say my personal favorites were/are Virginia Woolf, Zoo Story, Boys in the Band, Homecoming (Vivien Merchant!), A Delicate Balance (even though the film wasn't well received). Certainly The Real Thing, which sparks with energy.
Of course as i type that there are no Boys in the Band on ebay. I'm so lucky to be able to record shop here in NYC (like a $25 boxed Garland Star is Born on ebay, cost me $1.00 (that's one dollar) here. You have to dig and dig and dig, but great things never on CD are out there.