I am throwing in my two cents and posting my review of the How To Succeed Cast Recording.
On the New Broadway Cast Recording of How to Succeed... - which pays heavy homage to the recent resurgence of 60's nostalgia -listeners are treated to one of the most comprehensive and complete recordings of this score to date. It's little wonder that this show received a revival during this period - especially when you consider that most of these "new" 60's period musicals don't have the verve, wit or the musical style of Loesser. A huge tip of the hat to producer Robert Sher for once again knowing his audience. This album will sell and sell to the Harry Potter fanatics - most of whom have probably never purchased a Broadway Cast Album in their lives. Sher wisely knows that any new recording of a show has to have a reason for being to get theatre fanatics to shell out the money for a cast album of a show of which they already own two versions. Sher, like J Pierrepont Finch - succeeds on all levels. All of Sher's cast recordings give the listener more than they expect - and How to Succeed is not an exception. For the Potter fanatics, they get Radcliffe. For the theatre fanatics we get Bonus tracks, Reprises, Exit Music, dance music and the new orchestrations - beautifully captured on disc by an orchestra that sounds MUCH larger than it is.
This album, utilizes new "Mad Men" period infused orchestrations that pay homage to Robert Ginzler's original legendary work, yet give the show a sound that makes this How To Succeed as satisfying as a cup of that elusive "Coffee Break" Coffee. Specifically, the new orchestrations for "Cinderella, Darling" (cut from the last revival and MANY regional productions) are so unique to this production, (Taps that mimic typewriters) it sounds like a totally new song - and it's tracks like this that make this a must-have.
The cast performs this score with character - and that's something that was missing terribly from the 95 Matthew Broderick revival. These people are supposed to be slightly offbeat as they inhabit this cartoon corporate world. Mary Faber and Tammy Blanchard come across very well - while not totally supplanting the unforgettable characterizations created by Claudette Sutherland and Virginia Martin respectively, they bring their own offbeat takes on the roles to the album for a satisfying, yet different, listening experience.
Ellen Harvey trills and shrills her way through the act two showstopper "Brotherhood of Man." It's a perfectly valid characterization of Miss Jones, but still not as indelible as Ruth Kobart's harried harridan or as wild and abandoned as Lillias White's gospel infused take on the role.
Rose Hemingway as Rosemary is refreshing on the recording - bringing the role of Rosemary back to the comic ingenue style of Bonnie Scott and Michelle Lee rather than the pinched Karen Walker character vocals of Megan Mullally in the last revival.
John Laroquette, as J.B. Biggley, is a totally different animal than many Biggleys. He's all bombast and brio, where most actors play him as a doddering fool. He comes across very well in Grand Old Ivy - which has been appropriately re orchestrated to match his bombast. It's a college band meets Dixieland arrangement, which is tailor-made to his performance. This Biggley is a blowhard - which truly works for Larroquette.
Christopher J Hanke as Bud Frump is a slight disappointment on the album, as once again, we find a Frump who has been directed to play Frump as a fey evil queen. Even Charles Nelson Reilly made Frump's rat fink exasperation amusing and quirky on the OBC Album. Hanke falls a bit short of that.
Rob Bartlett, in the dual roles of Twimble and Wally Womper comes cross with the charm and fun of a character guy who has seen and done it all. My only complaint with the Male Ensemble is that their sound is not as robust and full as you might have hoped It seems that there are too many Les Miz pop tenors and not enough Goulets in this ensemble to produce that Corporate office male-dominates sound that was so prevalent in the original. Of course, that's Broadway these days.
So, what about this upstart Harry Potter starring in his first musical?
No, Daniel Radcliffe is not one of our great Broadway vocalists, but, with all due respect, neither was Bobby Morse. Morse's performance was predicated on his prodigious charm and offbeat puppy dog looks. On the recording, Radcliffe comes across ever so slightly as an homage to Morse - and that's not a bad thing at all. His "I Believe in You" comes off more sweet and as a wide-eyed juvenile rather than the cocky corporate cad - I assume he was coached to sing it like this to overcome the limitations of his vocal power. On the recording, it works.
It's almost regrettable that this wasn't an enhanced CD with video clips. If you have seen press reels and footage from this production, you'll see Radcliffe dancing with boundless energy and being tossed about the stage by the Grand Old Ivy football team. Even if the physical energy Radcliffe produces on stage doesn't translate to the recording, He's still a very lovable Finch.
That being said, It's a terrific and markedly different addition to any cast album collection - I daresay you'll be listening to this far more often than you will the last revival.
