15 Essential Cast Albums — Page 2

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#26

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/6/04 at 7:42pm

-- Show Boat
-- Porgy & Bess
-- Kiss Me, Kate
-- Carousel
-- South Pacific
-- West Side Story
-- Gypsy
-- Fiddler on the Roof
-- Cabaret
-- Hair
-- Company
-- Sweeney Todd
-- Dreamgirls
-- Rent
-- Ragtime

#27

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/7/04 at 8:31am

Wow - you folks like the recent stuff. I guess it depends on your taste, but if I were teaching a class, I would use examples from these albums:

Anything Goes
Pal Joey
South Pacific
Carousel
My Fair Lady
Gypsy
West Side Story
Cabaret
Fiddler on the Roof
Company
Chicago
Sweeney Todd
Evita
Dreamgirls
A Chorus Line
Les Miserables
Phantom of the Opera
Rent
Ragtime

I know its more than 15 but you have to have some classics amongst your essentials. You should distinguish between Favorite albums and Essentials. Enjoy!

#28

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/7/04 at 10:01am

Yeah, I guess there is a pretty huge difference between what people deem essential for them and what people would deem as the essential recordings objectively. My list would probably be very different as I'd want to highlight los of different sounds, rather than only sounds I like.

"Jane, I've been dealt a blow - I've been dealt a blow, Jane."

#29

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/7/04 at 10:12am

Sweeney Todd
She Loves Me
Company
A little Night Music
The Secret Garden
Man of La Mancha
Show Boat
Sunday in The Park with George
Gypsy
West Side Story
The Spitfire Grill

at the very least...

"I don't really get the ending,all i can go with is when after several months,Judith saw Pat sang,and later she kissed him on the toilet,after that the story back to where Pat went down from the stage after he'd sung,and he went to the italian lady.I just don't get it,what Judith exatcly meant when he kissed Pat that she had seen,and did Pat end up together with The Italian Lady?Please help me,thank u very much!" Quote from someone on IMDB in reference to a movie he/she didn't understand. Such grammar!

#30

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/7/04 at 10:12am

Fifteen just won't do. I have to add:

Falsettos
Chicago
Caroline or Change
Oliver!
Dreamgirls
Ragtime
Rent
The Wild Party (LaChiusa)
Parade
Big River
Ain't Misbehavin'
Baby
Crazy For You
A Chorus Line
Pal Joey
Titanic
The Scarlet Pimpernel
Avenue Q
Godspell
Sweeney Todd

"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian

#31

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/7/04 at 10:31am

"??? to those who have Zanna, Taboo, and Millie on their essential lists. Any specific reasons? I'm not being malitious, I'm just wonderin'. Later y'all."

Well, can't say about Zanna or Taboo, but THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE is outstanding! I LOVE IT TO DEATH! "Speed Test" is stuck in my head all the time. I adore "Gimme Gimme" and "Only In New York" and "Forget About The Boy" and "Thoroughly Modern Millie" and "The Nuttycracker Suite" and "How The Other Half Lives" and "Not For The Life of Me" and all the rest!

Why DON'T you like it???

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

#32

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/7/04 at 10:36am

Chicago
Caberet
Rent
Showboat
A Chorus Line
Avenue Q
Sweeney Todd
My Fair Lady
Evita
West Side Story
Porgy & Bess
Kiss Me Kate
Fiddler on the Roof
Chess (God, I loved that show)
Les Miserables

#33

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/7/04 at 10:40am

Hello, Dolly!
West Side Story
Oliver!
Cats
Taboo
Rent
Funny Girl
Gypsy (Bernadette)
Fiddler (Molina)
The Phantom of the Opera
A Chorus Line
Dreamgirls
Evita
Sweeney Todd
Into the Woods (original)
Sunday in the Park with George
The Wild Party (both versions)
Chicago (revival)
Nine (revival)
The Secret Garden
tick, tick...BOOM!
Les Miserables (OBC)
Ragtime
Parade
Big River
Titanic
Godspell (off-Broadway)
Man of La Mancha (revival)
Carousel (revival)
Cabaret (revival)

"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

#34

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/7/04 at 10:46am

Cabaret
Ragtime
Dreamgirls
Hair
A Chorus Line
Sweeny Todd
Tick, Tick,...Boom!
West Side Story
Gypsy
Urientown
SITPWG
Carousel
Phantom
Les Mis
Rent

I want to write music. I want to sit down right now at my piano and write a song that people will listen to and remember and do the same thing every morning...for the rest of my life. - Jonathan Larson. Tick, Tick...BOOM!

#35

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/7/04 at 10:47am

Passion (the London Cast, Maria Friedman and Michael Ball sound fabulous)
Assassins (off-Broadway Cast, Victor Garber is great as Booth and the track with Lee Harvey Oswald is very gripping, stirring, just great writing and great theater)
Assassins (Original Broadway Cast, just as good as the off-broadway in that it has extra dialogue, but it cuts out Lee Harvey Oswald's scene, which is why you need the off Broadway)
Ragtime (Flaherty and Ahrens' best work and the best cast)
Parade
Songs for a New World
A New Brain (This is my fav from Will Finn)
1776 (quite quirky and William Daniels is superb as John Adams)
POTO (Original London Cast)
Les Miz (the concert at the Royal Albert Hall. It's not a cast album per se, but it has the best of all the cast albums, which is great)
Into the Woods (London Cast. I like the orchestrations much better than the Broadway cast and Imelda Staunton sounds much better on the recording as the Baker's Wife.)
Marie Christine (I love LaChuisa and Audra and this is the perfect marriage of both)
The Scarlet Pimpernel (guilty pleasure, but I love the Original Broadway Cast. Doug Sills is the Pimpernel)

It's not quite 15, but those are the ones that continuously played throughout the year.

The phrase "working mother" is redundant. -Jane Sellman-

Updated On: 12/7/04 at 10:47 AM

#36

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/7/04 at 11:44am

Essential to me...
1. Sweeney Todd-Original Broadway Cast
2. Follies- Papermill Cast
3. Sweet Charity-Original Broadway Cast
4. Evita-Original Broadway Cast
5. Wild Party-Original Broadway Cast
6.Company-Original Broadway Cast
7. Hello Again- Original Cast
8. West Side Story-Original Broadway Cast
9. On A Clear Day You can See Forever-Original Broadway Cast
10. Pal Joey- Encores Cast
11. Ave Q-Original Broadway Cast
12. Passion-Original Broadway Cast
13. Nine-Original Broadway Cast
14. Falsettos-Off Broadway Casts
15. Seesaw-Orignal Broadway Cast

#37

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/7/04 at 12:21pm

Perhaps I missed it, but not one person put THE MOST HAPPY FELLA on this list??

"I'm so looking forward to a time when all the Reagan Democrats are dead."

#38

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/7/04 at 1:05pm

I almost did, robbiej, but I was trying for the best of each composer and I had already included Guys and Dolls, but Most Happy Fella is truly one of my favorite scores and shows. I saw a production of the show at Theatre Under the Stars in Houston about 12 years ago that was utterly perfect. It was a Broadway-worthy production that could have transferred as-is and probably have taken a Tony. It was THAT GOOD.

"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian

#39

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/7/04 at 1:19pm

Although I enjoy GUYS AND DOLLS and adore HOW TO SUCCEED..., my heart belongs to THE MOST HAPPY FELLA.

A remarkable work. And yes, I would put it on the list looooooooong before MILLIE.

CIRCUS PONIES!

"I'm so looking forward to a time when all the Reagan Democrats are dead."

#40

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:27pm

Okay fine, I'll put in my 2cents....not that anyone really reads the whole list...

1. Rent
2. Wild Party (Lippa)
3. Avenue Q
4. Chicago
5. Wicked
6. Into the Woods
7. The Life
8. A Chorus Line
9. Hair
10. Aida
11. Ragtime
12. Full Monty
13. Last 5 Years
14. Cabaret
15. Hairspray

"The most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous." -Carrie Bradshaw

#41

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:33pm

Someone has Zanna Don't on their list - HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Only 1/2 kidding...afterall, Chess and TDV would make my top 15 list.

"What the hell happened to you? You look like a Make-A-Wish Kid. You know, I just knew you were gonna bring shame on this new family of ours, and it just figures you had to go make yourself over into some heroin-shootin skate board chic on the only day E! could interview you!" - Cherry Cherry, on her daughter Mary Cherry

Updated On: 12/7/04 at 03:33 PM

#42

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:38pm

I actually love Zanna, Don't! Although it has some MAJOR problems......and top 15? Nah...

But hey, it's a fun one.

"The most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous." -Carrie Bradshaw

#43

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/7/04 at 4:14pm

Try as I could, I could only narrow my list down to 20. Here's what I'd recommend (in no particular order):

1. Oklahoma!: The first show to put out an original cast album.
2. Show Boat: The first step on the path to the integrated musical.
3. South Pacific: The best of the Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals.
4. Anything Goes: The best of early Cole Porter.
5. Kiss Me Kate/Call Me Madam: Either one is a good pick for the best of post-R&H Porter.
6. As Thousands Cheer: The best of early Irving Berlin. Most of his early work was in revue, and this is arguably his best.
7. Annie Get Your Gun: The best of post-R&H Berlin.
8. Wonderful Town/On the Town: Either one is a good pick for Bernstein when he was young and playful.
9. West Side Story: I hate the show myself, but the score is good Serious Bernstein with Sondheim's first Broadway lyrics.
10. Hair: The arrival of rock on Broadway, and also a pretty good score.
11. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum: Sondheim's first solo show, and his best early work.
12. Company/Follies: Either one is a good pick for the Sondheim-Prince collaboration.
13. Sunday in the Park With George/Sweeney Todd: Either one is a good pick for mature Sondheim.
14. Mack and Mabel/La Cage aux Folles: Either one is a good pick for Jerry Herman.
15. Babes in Arms: Arguably the best Rodgers & Hart show.
16. Fiddler on the Roof: A certified classic show, and a great Bock & Harnick score.
17. Chicago/Cabaret: Either one is a good pick for Kander & Ebb.
18. Falsettos: Best score yet from William Finn.
19. Avenue Q: Terrific first Broadway shot for Marx & Lopez.
20. Once on This Island: Wonderful first Broadway shot for Flaherty & Ahrens.

(18-20 are my picks for the best of the new crop of Broadway composers/lyricists.)

That's my list, and I'm stickin' to it (unless someone has a damn good argument for something else...)

#44

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/7/04 at 4:22pm

OOPS! I just looked at my list and found I have *no* Loesser. My bad. So replace "Once on This Island" with "Guys and Dolls". Thank you.

#45

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/7/04 at 4:43pm

Does anyone remember the website that has some Broadway Cast Recordings for free play on it? I'm looking to sample some of these, thank you.

#46

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/8/04 at 5:09pm

it's been fun looking at these lists. you can tell who the OLD people are

RIP glebby <3

#47

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/8/04 at 5:13pm

Alright...I'm bored and the day is almost done...so here goes:

1. Showboat
2. Porgy & Bess
3. Carousel
4. My Fair Lady
5. Most Happy Fella
6. Candide
7. Threepenny Opera
8. Gypsy***
9. Hair
10. Jesus Christ Superstar
11. Company
12. Sweeney Todd
13. Falsettos
14. Les Miserables
15. Parade

***Realized I had not included GYPSY, so I dropped BYE, BYE BIRDIE.

"I'm so looking forward to a time when all the Reagan Democrats are dead."

Updated On: 12/8/04 at 05:13 PM

#48

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/8/04 at 5:15pm

The ones with asterisks=highly suggested

-Gypsy (Merman)*
-Gypsy (Peters)
-Wicked*
-The Producers
-Phantom
-Selections from CATS
-Hairspray*
-Mamma Mia!
-LSHOH (2003 revival)*
-Thoroughly Modern Millie*
-A Chorus Line*
-Chicago (revival or movie)
-RENT*
-Fiddler on the Roof (original cast)
-Annie (original)

#49

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/8/04 at 7:30pm

Porgy and Bess
Showboat
Oklahoma
West Side Story
My Fair Lady
Fiddler on the Roof
Hair
Jesus Christ Superstar
A Chorus Line
Evita
Sweeney Todd
Les Miserables
Phantom of the Opera
RENT
A New Brain

"They're eating her and then they're going to eat me. OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!" -Troll 2

#50

re: 15 Essential Cast Albums

Posted: 12/8/04 at 7:37pm

Brooklyn DON'T HIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Megan Mullally as Karen Walker on Will and Grace: "Tell me more. Tell me more. Like does he have a car?"

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