BETWEEN THE LINES Original Cast Recording Thread

GHOSTLIGHT RECORDS has announced that Between the Lines - Original Cast Recording, based on the recent new Off-Broadway production, will be released in streaming and digital formats on Friday, January 13, 2023. The album is currently available for pre-order. Produced by Daryl Roth (Kinky Boots, Indecent) and based on the novel by international bestselling author Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer, the show was directed by two-time Tony Award nominee Jeff Calhoun(Newsies) and choreographed by Paul McGill (The Legend of Georgia McBride). Between the Lines features a book by Timothy Allen McDonald (Jim Henson's Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas) and music & lyrics by Elyssa Samsel & Kate Anderson (Apple TV+'s "Central Park", in their New York theatre debuts. The album is produced by Michael Croiter and Greg Anthony Rassen. Pre-save the album at Ghostlight.lnk.to/BetweenTheLines

I loved this show (and the wonderful score) when I saw it. Looking forward to hearing it again.

Releases tomorrow - here’s a first listen of Wren Rivera (Jules / Ondine), Vicki Lewis (Ms. Winx / Mrs. Brown / Jessamyn Jacobs), Jerusha Cavazos (Janice / Marina), and Arielle Jacobs (Delilah) performing “Do It for You”:

Jacobs and Jake David Smith (Prince Oliver) performing the title song:

The whole album is finally out - who’s listening?

This is a cute, safe, jaunty piece of fluff; an hourlong dose of optimism that I certainly needed today. The New York Times called the score “innocuous” and I would agree with that too. To me, this was a mashup of Big Fish, Mean Girls, and basically every Disney animated musical since the late ‘80s.

The first act has a lot of the better numbers, though act two gets off to a strong start as well and has a delightful closer. For the most part, the music has a beating pop heart that should be a nice fit for the show. Samsel and Anderson have done some very nice work here.

The MVP of this album is undoubtedly Arielle Jacobs, though she did leave me a bit concerned after “Another Chapter”, which I think didn’t sound as sharp as the previously-released demo version. She settles in beautifully afterwards and gives one heck of a vocal performance throughout.

Jake David Smith and the kids offer some solid support. I actually liked “Crazy Chemistry” more than “Inner Thoughts”, compared to what some said on the show’s thread when it played last summer.

The new orchestrations for “A Whole New Story” are stunning, kudos to Greg Anthony Rassen. That final minute with the ensemble coming in with their “ah”s and the emphatic orchestral ending… WOW. A first act closer with 11 o’clock number potential.

I wasn’t enamored by Julia Murney and John Rapson’s excessive vibrato. Nevertheless, Murney gives an acting masterclass in “Leaps and Bounds”, and I look forward to hearing about Rapson as the Beadle in Sweeney Todd.

Vicki Lewis fares a little better than the other adults.

I look forward to seeing the whole show for the first time on Disney+, if the rumors are true.

Updated On: 1/13/23 at 01:18 PM

This is a guilty pleasure musical for me. I've been waiting to flail my arms to "In My Perfect World", the new "Love Is an Open Door". Although the cast album version lost a little quirky energy from the live show, I'm glad it's finally here. Then there are tracks like "Inner Thoughts" that's actually better than live. At my performance, Jeff Calhoun said the show was filmed for future release. Hopefully we'll get the proshot this year too.