#26
Posted: 4/25/13 at 10:59am
Best example for me is CHESS. I have seen it on stage dozens of times and have only found it work out for me ONCE. The cds of it though, I can listen to again and again.
Cast recordings better than actual show — Page 2
#27
Posted: 4/25/13 at 11:01am
Sweet Smell of Success
Steel Pier
Steel Pier
....but the world goes 'round
#28
Posted: 4/25/13 at 1:51pm
Candide, Flahooley, House of Flowers, St. Louis Woman, Dear World and Goldilocks come to mind.
BroadwayEd
#29
Posted: 4/25/13 at 2:09pm
Oh yes, Dear World! Excellent pick.
Which reminds me of Mack & Mabel.
And while we're at it, let's throw in The Grand Tour as well.
Which reminds me of Mack & Mabel.
And while we're at it, let's throw in The Grand Tour as well.
....but the world goes 'round
#30
Posted: 4/25/13 at 2:22pm
Has to be Rent for me. I loved the recording when I first purchased it, then when it premiered on London I was really disappointed.
#31
Posted: 4/26/13 at 2:32am
The "Songs for a New World" CR absolutely enchanted me for years, but when I finally had the opportunity to see it live, I felt that it lacked intention and had pacing issues. Yes, I know it's a song cycle, but so is "Closer than Ever," and I was enthralled by that show.
Also, "Chicago" comes to mind. I never saw the original production, but to me, the revival fell flat (even with Ruthie Henshall having stepped in to play Roxie), and I missed the madcap jazz of the cast recording.
Agreed about "Jekyll and Hyde." "Confrontation" THRILLED me when I first heard it (at fourteen), but live, it landed squarely in the middle of what I call the "groan zone:" a moment on stage that fails as drama but isn't bad enough to be enjoyable as camp.
Also, "Chicago" comes to mind. I never saw the original production, but to me, the revival fell flat (even with Ruthie Henshall having stepped in to play Roxie), and I missed the madcap jazz of the cast recording.
Agreed about "Jekyll and Hyde." "Confrontation" THRILLED me when I first heard it (at fourteen), but live, it landed squarely in the middle of what I call the "groan zone:" a moment on stage that fails as drama but isn't bad enough to be enjoyable as camp.
#32
Posted: 4/26/13 at 3:07am
OK, the Herman scores for Dear World, Mack and Mabel, and The Grand Tour may make one wonder how the shows could have been such quick flops, but would you really rather listen to the album than have seen Lansbury, Preston, Peters, and Grey live?
Same for Candide. Barbara Cook in a Tyrone Guthrie production?
Sure, the OCRs may be more consistently entertaining than the live productions but I'd still prefer to have seen them.
While the original JCS had remarkable visuals which made that worth seeing, I agree about Chess.
Same for Candide. Barbara Cook in a Tyrone Guthrie production?
Sure, the OCRs may be more consistently entertaining than the live productions but I'd still prefer to have seen them.
While the original JCS had remarkable visuals which made that worth seeing, I agree about Chess.
#33
Posted: 4/26/13 at 10:47am
Luminous, I couldn't agree more the revival of Chicago was uninspiring and lacked the wow-factor I thought it would have.
#34
Posted: 4/26/13 at 11:04am
Flop shows are natural choices, but a couple of hits too consider:
JOSEPH...DREAMCOAT is a case where the show is little more than what is on the recording.
FUNNY GIRL - the cast album is terrific, but the show on stage never worked. (The film version made a number of improvements.)
One other thought - Does listening to the cast recording set up unrealistic expectations for the show? If you know and love the OCR of MACK & MABEL wouldn't any performance be a let-down vs. what you imagined the show to be like?
JOSEPH...DREAMCOAT is a case where the show is little more than what is on the recording.
FUNNY GIRL - the cast album is terrific, but the show on stage never worked. (The film version made a number of improvements.)
One other thought - Does listening to the cast recording set up unrealistic expectations for the show? If you know and love the OCR of MACK & MABEL wouldn't any performance be a let-down vs. what you imagined the show to be like?
Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!
I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com
#35
Posted: 4/26/13 at 11:18am
As a rule of thumb, I try to avoid playing the OCR until after I've seen the show. Sometimes this is impossible, but I try. On another side of the coin, I remember when Grand Hotel opened, I was totally enthralled with it and went on to see it ten times. For a variety of reasons, an OCR wasn't released until well into the run, which regrettably did not have the benefit of David Carroll's performance (except for a small snippet from his one-man show, done shortly before he died). I NEVER would have been excited about the show based on the recording that finally was released. So it can work both ways: terrific OCR, mediocre when seen live or terrific live version, mediocre OCR.
BroadwayEd
#37
Posted: 4/26/13 at 7:37pm
70 Girls 70.. wow what a score
Henry Sweet Henry Wow half of that score is brilliant
Bakers Wife.. gorgeous score
Henry Sweet Henry Wow half of that score is brilliant
Bakers Wife.. gorgeous score
#38
Posted: 4/27/13 at 12:52am
horror of horrors I think COMPANY works best as a recording and not as a live show...I hated the book...so many long talky set- ups that were deadly...I blame George Furth of course as SONDHEIM'S SCORE IS PERFECT!
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