What is your favorite recording of a musical that's never been produced?

[SomeOtherMe]

Posted: 12/30/21 at 8:37pm

I've been on a studio cast recording kick lately. It's interesting when you really only have the music to judge a musical on if there's never been a professional production anywhere. What are some of your favorite recordings from a musical that has never been produced?

Updated On: 12/30/21 at 08:37 PM

[SomeOtherMe]

Posted: 1/3/22 at 2:23pm

BUMP

[BarnabyTucker]

Posted: 1/3/22 at 3:19pm

I thought the demo recording for Pasek and Paul's JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH was lovely and had the strongest Dahl identity for any musical adapted from his work.

[Fan123]

Posted: 1/3/22 at 4:03pm

I suppose depending on how 'professional production' is defined, a lot of recordings would be out of contention due to having had a small-scale, but technically professional (those involved were paid), production at some point.

If it's any help, you could try browsing at https://castalbums.org/recordings/browse/ and filtering by the types 'Concept Recording', 'Demo Recording', and/or maybe 'Studio Cast'. There may be a few interesting ones in the results that might not have had productions yet.

[missthemountains]

Posted: 1/3/22 at 4:25pm

The only thing that comes to mind I can speak to with certainty is the demo recording for MISERY: THE MUSICAL which got shut down pretty quickly. I'm sure there are others I've heard that have never been staged...but I'm coming up short. I believe songs from KICKS have been professionally recorded--and of course I've heard the live reading recording, but it's never been staged. Also while I don't have access to the recordings, from what I've heard of SUBURBIA, I absolutely love it.

Again, as Fan123 noted, it's hard to know how 'professional production' is defined -- do you consider professional to be commercial, or would a regional production where actors are paid count (regardless of Equity status)? 

[SomeOtherMe]

Posted: 1/3/22 at 4:59pm

Again, as Fan123 noted, it's hard to know how 'professional production' is defined -- do you consider professional to be commercial, or would a regional production where actors are paid count (regardless of Equity status)?"

Hmm... I suppose in terms of this specific question, when I said professional production, I would be referring to those that would probably fit into the "commercial" realm. Not really thinking of those that maybe had a regional production in a small theater that not many people saw (though I understand those would technically be professional)

Updated On: 1/3/22 at 04:59 PM