Anyone feel like sharing some Cy Coleman love?

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 9:35pm

He was a brilliant composer. And I can't help but notice how underrated he is. He's my favorite Broadway composer along with Sondheim and John Kander.













Sweet Charity, City of Angels, and The Life are among my favorite scores of his.

Cy love anyone?
Updated On: 7/27/07 at 09:35 PM

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 9:37pm

If I remember correctly, City of Angels was pretty popular here on BWW. (Along with Ragtime and L5Y)

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 9:39pm

As I said in the other thread, as much as I dislike CITY OF ANGELS, I certainly like Cy Coleman's music.
SWEET CHARITY has a fascinating score, I think "Charity's Soliloquy" is about one of his most underrated songs. To me it feels like Charity's "Rose's Turn" in a way. Plus what kind of score features so many fantastic showstoppers "Big Spender," "If My Friends Could See Me Now," "Baby Dream Your Dream," "Rhythm of Life," "I'm the Bravest Individual," et al.
SEESAW is by far my favorite Coleman score though and one of my top 10 cast recordings since it features an incredible performance by Michele Lee.

[pushdabutton]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 10:11pm

I loved The Life.

[MarkRascati]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 10:11pm

I'm a fan of barnum.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 10:15pm

Don't forget how brilliant some of his pop standards before he became more of a theatre copmposer were--I believe Sondheim himself has said a few times how The Best is Yet to Come (an absolute fave of mine) is one of those songs he wish he could've written but never would have been able to.

I always wanted to hear the score he was writing off and on for Fosse that was meant to be "dark" called Atlantic City--I believe he did record at least one song from it on a solo cd but I've not tracked it down

[morosco]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 10:30pm

Talk about versatile! The man can write in any style with ease.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 11:04pm

I love The Life. I didn't like it all that much at first, but it really grew on me. And City of Angels has some great songs.

[uhkthxbye2]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 11:06pm

I have to admit, it took me a few listens to get used to Sweet Charity (I'm vocally directing it for my college's production this year), but now (and especially after listening to the Christina Applegate version much more than the Gwen Verdon version), I'm pretty much in love with it.

[jv92]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 11:08pm

I love On the Twentieth Century. It's an absolute delight! I'm actually going to listen to it now!

[Sally]

Posted: 7/28/07 at 1:28am

Love Barnum!

I need to get aquainted with more of his work.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 7/28/07 at 2:10am

As everyone has said, Mr. Coleman is underrated and underappreciated. I continue to be dazzled by his wit and jazzy rhythms every time I hear one of his compositions.

LOVE HIM!

[justme2]

Posted: 7/28/07 at 3:43am

City of Angels is an absolute favorite. From the jazz to torch to instrumentals, that cast recording is perfect in my estimation.

I was lucky enough to see a show called "Cycles...the music of Cy Coleman" years ago at the HillBarn theatre out here in CA. It was a compilation revue type of show and the master himself was around that night, though I never saw him personally. That's the only time I've ever seen a revue type of show of his work, and I don't understand why. He is indeed very under appreciated.

His passing was a true example of the theatre losing a very talented man much too soon. He had many shows still left to open.

Shows I wanted to see.

[gymdudeva]

Posted: 7/28/07 at 5:21pm

I'm currently playing in the pit band (trombone!) for a production of Will Rogers. I don't think the show itself would be my cup of tea as an audience member, but the songs are good, and the orchestrations (I think Coleman did them himself) are really good! The show is arranged very well and it really fun to play!!!

[mallardo]

Posted: 7/28/07 at 5:39pm

Billy Byers orchestrated the original Will Rogers Follies - I assume those are the charts still used. I don't think Coleman orchestrated any of his shows except I Love My Wife - a fabulous piece - which has an on-stage combo as an integral part of the show and for which he did the arrangements.

[gymdudeva]

Posted: 7/28/07 at 6:09pm

Oh ok...my orchstra book doesn't list an orchestrator ....it just says "composed and arranged by Cy Coleman", so I assumed he had done the orchestrations.

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 7/28/07 at 6:24pm

I sure feel like sharing the love.
I just did CITY OF ANGELS and BARNUM this past summer at my camp. Although I love CITY OF ANGELS because of its intricate melodies and the ultimate male-to-male duet "You're Nothing Without Me," I'd have to say that BARNUM is a much happier score, and I got a huge kick playing from that. However, I must say that CITY OF ANGELS was such a delight to work on.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/28/07 at 6:53pm

First off, get the London City of Angels disc. Far better.

Second, Cy Coleman was an amazing talent. I wept when he died so unexpectedly. Sweet Charity, Seesaw, On the 20th Century, and City of Angels are among my favorite shows. He really knew how to match his music to the subject.

I think his greatest work is 20th Century. It needs a revival, and I think the argument that it would be too expensive is lame. Roundabout could easily mount the show. It doesn't have to be as grand as the original. I recently saw a wonderful concert in Seattle. Its so amazing that he wrote such a variety of shows.

My favorite Coleman tune isn't even from a musical.

"When in Rome". I love Barbra's and Barbara's both.

He is a great talent that is greatly missed.

[starzilla]

Posted: 7/28/07 at 6:58pm

"She's a Nut" On the 20th Century has always been one of my favs and Madeline Kahn....ahhhhh gone but not forgotten. Sigh... Cy.

Updated On: 7/28/07 at 06:58 PM

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/28/07 at 7:06pm

"She's a Nut" is pure genius.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 7/28/07 at 7:10pm

I adore his music from WELCOME TO THE CLUB! "Holidays" is such a great song.
Updated On: 7/28/07 at 07:10 PM

[Anon2]

Posted: 7/28/07 at 7:12pm

i love barnum & city of angels!! Have some love Cy

[sondheimboy2]

Posted: 7/28/07 at 9:38pm

I was just listening to "Sweet Charity" this morning. "Baby, Dream Your Dream" and wondering why "Too Many Tomorrows" doesn't get sung more often and thinking of looking into it as an audition piece.

I adore "On the Twentieth Century"! I had it on an 8-track tape when I was just a little Show Princess. "Repent" is one of my specialty numbers.

The man could not write bad music. I remember when Frank Rich was giving a bad review to "Welcome To The Club" he wrote "Cy Coleman write music that makes you glad to be in a theater..."

I have a demo of his '70's closed out of town flop "Home Again, Home Again" (lyrics by Barbara Fried) and practically every song on it is a delight!

[hushpuppy]

Posted: 7/29/07 at 11:02am

I have been a Cy Coleman fan ever since I saw SEESAW with Michele Lee and Tommy Tune way back before most of you were born. It was a crime that THE LIFE lost the Tony to TITANIC.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 8/9/07 at 4:00pm

Cy Coleman is, as already stated, an unappreciated genius.

I adore Sweet Charity, The Life, Barnum, and Seesaw is one of my favorite scores EVER.

Can't wait to finally hear City of Angels.