Cast Recording Recommendations?- Page 2

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 5/4/09 at 2:15pm

I sure do!

http://www.castalbums.org/users/29/collection/

When I joined there were maybe 20 members...now look at the size of the group. Although I question some of the people's "holdings" - some claim to "have" CD's months before they are released. Others claim to have pressings of extreme rarity. I'm not saying they don't, but if everyone who claimed to have the original "program transcription" Lp of the original cast of THE BANDWAGON that would not be considered such a rare item. I suspect many people have tapes or CD-R copies and are counting the items that way.

I also have done a lot of corrections of catalogue numbers, release dates and mono/stereo info. Unfortunately we need someone from U.K. and someone from Australia to document release dates for LP's over there.

[Tom's Cat]

Posted: 5/4/09 at 2:27pm

Lots of great suggestions here. I would just add "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" and "The Drowsy Chaperone". Both are great fun.

Updated On: 5/4/09 at 02:27 PM

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 5/4/09 at 2:37pm

The Drowsy Chaperone OBC isn't quite as enjoyable if you haven't seen the show, though. For example, I never got what was so funny about "Show Off" until I saw it on the Tonys.

And I'm echoing TheActr, I started out liking the bubbly, and then I met Sondheim.
I don't get the whole "Sondheim is so elite" thing. My exposure to Sondheim has been fairly minimal-- Sweeney, Assassins, A Funny Thing..., some songs from Company, and of course the shows he's done lyrics for-- but while I like his musicals, I don't see anything elite or inaccessible about them.

Everyone says they like Sondheim shows because the music's not catchy or mainstream, but they just seem like songs to me. Songs with clever lyrics and some interesting tunes, but nothing so wildly different that I'd abandon every other musical I ever loved and stick to a diet solely comprised of Sondheim.

I've heard so many people say things like, "Once I discovered Sondheim, I couldn't go back." I still like my trashy 'bad' musicals like Little Mermaid and Phantom of the Opera, and I don't feel any more 'stimulated' by Sondheim-- I like his shows in the same way I like Mermaid and Phantom.

Updated On: 5/4/09 at 02:37 PM

[binau]

Posted: 5/4/09 at 8:15pm

What I can gather you are concluding people like Sondheim because "the music's not catchy or mainstream".

Well, I'd disagree. I haven't really heard anyone claim that they like his music because "it's not catchy". Although I would agree some people may be attracted to Sondheim because it is fashionable, even if they don't realise it (I wonder if I'm affected by a bias, I hope not).

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 5/4/09 at 9:02pm

Everyone says they like Sondheim shows because the music's not catchy or mainstream...

Schmerg, I don't believe anyone has EVER said that.

People that like his muisc are attracted to the complex musical development of themes, rich harmonic langugae and effective use of dissonance. We are dealing with man who does not use one melodic line and repeat it endlessley with stepped key changes.

There really isn't anything elitist about it. Not everyone likes his music. Fair enough. But to dismiss those who don't like it as being somehow inferior is indeed elitist, and grossly unfair, but it says more about the people who do that rather than anything about Sondheim.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 5/4/09 at 9:16pm

Schmerg, I don't believe anyone has EVER said that.

Oh, guys, you know I'm not talking about you, right? I'm talking about a lot of really dedicated theatre kids my own age, who feel that they're only allowed to like Sondheim shows and musicals nobody else has heard of.

And whenever anyone calls a song 'catchy,' these kids scoff and say, "REAL musicals aren't supposed to be 'catchy.' Sondheim, for example." So how come three of the catchiest songs I know are "A Little Priest," "Ballad of Czolgozs" and "Comedy Tonight?"

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 5/5/09 at 1:26am

Those are the kids who grow up to be "bitchy show queens" who will join BWW and post one sentence negative dismissals of any show that someone posts a positive comment about.

Useless comments like these posts:

It was a boring show. Torture. Yuck.

A huge lumbering bore.

Such a fuss over nothing!

And the dreadful, Euro-trashy results are there for everybody to see.

If the banal subject matter is not enough to get you running in the opposite direction, then I'm sure it's the perfect show for you and an obvious meeting of the minds.

Stupid rumor for a stupid show. Leave it to theater people to try to revive a stillborn show. Idiots.

About as hot and talented as watching paint dry. Go live a little, people!

Possibly the most ignorant and stupid review I've ever read here. And that's saying something.



Real helpful posts, aren?t they? (The nutcase who posted the last 5 comments is a real gem: He claims he is now a high school student, yet also that he saw the original production of FOLLIES in 1971!)

Please DON'T tell any of your schoolmates about BWW!

So how come three of the catchiest songs I know are "A Little Priest," "Ballad of Czolgozs" and "Comedy Tonight?"

Well Comedy Tonight was intended to be a catchy show opener. Priest contrasts a lilting waltz tune with savage lyrics, and Czolgosz uses an Americam folk tune atyle as its basis. Also you do not have lazy ears :)