Child-Actors on Cast Recordings

[gypsy101]

Posted: 4/10/15 at 10:45pm

I was wondering earlier about child-actors in Broadway shows, wherein multiple actors have been cast to alternate performances as the same character, two examples I can think of offhand being Brian D'Addario, Cody Hanford, JJ Singleton and Trevor Braun all alternating in the original cast of The Little Mermaid as Flounder, and Milly Shapiro, Oona Laurence, Sophia Gennusa and Bailey Ryon as Matilda in Matilda. The question being: How do they decide who amongst the four actors who will be performing on the cast album? Is it decided after auditions, and is it in their contracts? Like, it's determined before any performing goes on? Anyone know?

[Tag]

Posted: 4/10/15 at 10:55pm

They probably all have to get paid for the recording regardless if they appear on it or not.  The creative team picks who they think is best, as they also do for opening night.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 4/10/15 at 11:02pm

I think it's different for each production. The Matildas all got their own track on the OBC recording. I remember Daniel Manche and Alex Rutherford each got their own track on the Tarzan cast album as well. There have been times when only one actor was chosen and that's unfortunate. I would have loved to hear a young Andrew Keenan-Bolger on the Seussical cast album, for example.

[gleek4114]

Posted: 4/10/15 at 11:03pm

I can't speak for Mermaid, but all four girls appear on the Matilda album. They just divided up the songs between them. Also I believe that determineing who went on opening night, was completely random. 

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 4/10/15 at 11:28pm

There was a video of the opening night Matilda being chosen out of either Mr. Wormwood's hat or a bowl, I can't remember, but it seemed to be random. 

[gypsy101]

Posted: 4/11/15 at 3:23am

I believe Flounder only sings in one number ("She's in Love," kind of a duet between him and all of Ariel's mersisters) and I still have no clue which actor is performing on the album. As for Matilda...I'm embarrassed to admit I've never been interested in listening to it. But just imagining four different girls singing as Matilda on one album seems very confusing.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 4/11/15 at 8:22am

It's not confusing at all...and I don't know why it would be. Each do a fine job and it's not like you need to compare them. All were hired to be able to sing in the range required.

I do know it was different for Matilda in England - all the girls recorded all the tracks and no one knew which one would be used until it came out. Here, each girl was given different track(s) to record ahead of time.

I also remember in I think How the Grinch Stole Christmas, they had one two girls playing the role of Cindy Lou - and one performed for the regular show songs.. and then the second was given a bonus track at the end so she could also be part of the album.

What did they do with Billy Elliot in the original cast album with 3 Billy's?

 

 

[ebontoyan]

Posted: 4/11/15 at 10:01am

Wow I love the Matilda OBCR and now I know this little nuance I will pay more attention to which Matilda sings what? I assume each Matilda is credited to what songs they sing?  Thanks for any info!

[TrChSpHa]

Posted: 4/11/15 at 10:27am

"Wow I love the Matilda OBCR and now I know this little nuance I will pay more attention to which Matilda sings what? I assume each Matilda is credited to what songs they sing?  Thanks for any info!"

Miracle, Pt. 3 - Bailey
Naughty - Sophia
When I Grow Up - Bailey
I'm Here - Oona
Quiet - Milly
Story 1 - Milly
Story 2 - Oona
Story 3 - Bailey

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 4/11/15 at 12:35pm

Yes there is also a 4 girl Naughty bonus track that is not on the cd (no room) but is available if you purchased the music elsewhere. Each girl does a part of the song starting with Bailey Sophia Oona and then Milly.                          

Also if you have the cd, the credits for the girls are towards the back of the liner notes. I almost missed it first time I checked. 

Updated On: 4/11/15 at 12:35 PM

[broadway_show_fan]

Posted: 4/11/15 at 1:25pm

For Billy, the only recording was from London and the only boy on the recording was the youngest of the original three, Liam Mower.

i didn't know that each Matilda had been pre-assigned. I had thought they had done it like Stratford where each recorded all the tracks. Did you read this somewhere or hear it from one of the kids?

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 4/11/15 at 3:49pm

I believe someone mentioned it from the orchestra. I can't swear to it..but I know I heard it from someone.

But also I remember reading an interview with Milly and she said she was so excited to hear she was going to be singing Quiet for the recording as it was her fav song...indicating (and confirming to me) she knew ahead of time.

I do know some were not happy with the British recording because it's not evenly distributed between the girls nor are they given individual credit for what they did sing. There is still some discussion on who sings what - since there is no official reference. For example, I have read that one girl did both the dialogue and singing for "I'm here" - but I have also read that the singing and dialogue were done by two different girls. I certainly don't know for sure..

It's too bad that the actual girls that won the Olivier award for best actress have no recording.

[ebontoyan]

Posted: 4/11/15 at 3:52pm

""Wow I love the Matilda OBCR and now I know this little nuance I will pay more attention to which Matilda sings what? I assume each Matilda is credited to what songs they sing?  Thanks for any info!"
Miracle, Pt. 3 - Bailey
Naughty - Sophia
When I Grow Up - Bailey
I'm Here - Oona
Quiet - Milly
Story 1 - Milly
Story 2 - Oona
Story 3 - Bailey"

 Thanks very much!!!

[toofunktastic2]

Posted: 4/11/15 at 3:57pm

"I believe someone mentioned it from the orchestra. I can't swear to it..but I know I heard it from someone.
But also I remember reading an interview with Milly and she said she was so excited to hear she was going to be singing Quiet for the recording as it was her fav song...indicating (and confirming to me) she knew ahead of time.
I do know some were not happy with the British recording because it's not evenly distributed between the girls nor are they given individual credit for what they did sing. There is still some discussion on who sings what - since there is no official reference. For example, I have read that one girl did both the dialogue and singing for "I'm here" - but I have also read that the singing and dialogue were done by two different girls. I certainly don't know for sure..
It's too bad that the actual girls that won the Olivier award for best actress have no recording."

 I believe Josie's mom has confirmed that Josie did the singing in I'm Here while Kerry did the dialogue.  I have no clue why they did it like that though.  

[rcwr]

Posted: 4/11/15 at 4:33pm

I do know some were not happy with the British recording because it's not evenly distributed between the girls nor are they given individual credit for what they did sing. There is still some discussion on who sings what - since there is no official reference.

I love the OLCR of Matilda -- so much that I never bought the OBCR, I bought only "Quiet" because Milly does a particularly wonderful job at it -- but I have always been unsettled by the lack of individual credit by song. I can't even begin to imagine a reason for that decision.

Updated On: 4/11/15 at 04:33 PM

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 4/11/15 at 4:36pm

""I believe someone mentioned it from the orchestra. I can't swear to it..but I know I heard it from someone.
But also I remember reading an interview with Milly and she said she was so excited to hear she was going to be singing Quiet for the recording as it was her fav song...indicating (and confirming to me) she knew ahead of time.
I do know some were not happy with the British recording because it's not evenly distributed between the girls nor are they given individual credit for what they did sing. There is still some discussion on who sings what - since there is no official reference. For example, I have read that one girl did both the dialogue and singing for "I'm here" - but I have also read that the singing and dialogue were done by two different girls. I certainly don't know for sure..
It's too bad that the actual girls that won the Olivier award for best actress have no recording."
 I believe Josie's mom has confirmed that Josie did the singing in I'm Here while Kerry did the dialogue.  I have no clue why they did it like that though.  "

They sound like different voices to me but who knows. That's the problem...IMO the kids should be given credit for what they did.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 4/11/15 at 6:58pm

I heard from somebody connected with the music department that for the Broadway recording of Matilda they essentially gave the girls their assigned tracks based on which song/sequence they felt they excelled the most on and would show the best parts of their performances.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 4/11/15 at 7:10pm

On the most recent cast album for Night Music, Katherine Doherty does the dialogue while Keaton Whittaker sings the solo in Glamorous Life.

[JoseLee_]

Posted: 4/11/15 at 7:35pm

The most frustrating thing is that I don't know who are Jane and Michael in the australian  cast recording of 'Mary Poppins (Original Live Cast Recording)' the worst part is that I read somewhere that it was recorded in more than one night.. so there is probably 2 different Janes and Michaels.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 4/11/15 at 7:47pm

"I do know some were not happy with the British recording because it's not evenly distributed between the girls nor are they given individual credit for what they did sing. There is still some discussion on who sings what - since there is no official reference.
I love the OLCR of Matilda -- so much that I never bought the OBCR, I bought only "Quiet" because Milly does a particularly wonderful job at it -- but I have always been unsettled by the lack of individual credit by song. I can't even begin to imagine a reason for that decision."

 

I didn't mean to insinuate that the Stratford version was not fabulous. I just meant that some were not happy with way the songs were distributed to the Matildas and the lack of individual credit - which was obviously corrected for the OBCR. I have both but I love that the NY version has the acrobat stories, where the British version does not..so it was worth it to me for that reason alone. And of course, what's on the Stratford version is NOT all the final version of all the songs.

And yes I agree the Broadway cast was given songs that highlighted their strengths - but also it had to cost a lot more to record each song with four separate actresses in order to decide...and pretty unnecessary time and expense-wise. You know each would do a good job in whatever they were given.

 

Updated On: 4/12/15 at 07:47 PM

[toofunktastic2]

Posted: 4/11/15 at 8:04pm

"""I believe someone mentioned it from the orchestra. I can't swear to it..but I know I heard it from someone.
But also I remember reading an interview with Milly and she said she was so excited to hear she was going to be singing Quiet for the recording as it was her fav song...indicating (and confirming to me) she knew ahead of time.
I do know some were not happy with the British recording because it's not evenly distributed between the girls nor are they given individual credit for what they did sing. There is still some discussion on who sings what - since there is no official reference. For example, I have read that one girl did both the dialogue and singing for "I'm here" - but I have also read that the singing and dialogue were done by two different girls. I certainly don't know for sure..
It's too bad that the actual girls that won the Olivier award for best actress have no recording."
 I believe Josie's mom has confirmed that Josie did the singing in I'm Here while Kerry did the dialogue.  I have no clue why they did it like that though.  "
They sound like different voices to me but who knows. That's the problem...IMO the kids should be given credit for what they did. "

 I did mean that both Josie and Kerry are on the recording for I'm Here, just in case I was unclear.  

[rcwr]

Posted: 4/11/15 at 8:17pm

I didn't mean to insinuate that the Stratford version was not fabulous. I just meant that some were not happy with way the songs were distributed to the Matildas and the lack of individual credit 

Kathy, yep, I understood! I was just agreeing that the lack of indiv credit is bothersome.

Arguably I should stop saying "OLCR" about Matilda -- I know it wasn't London -- but it's THE British recording so I always end up saying it anyway. :/

[Gothampc]

Posted: 4/11/15 at 11:19pm

Two different boys sing Colin's music on the OBC of The Secret Garden.  And their timbres are different so you can tell it's two different boys.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 4/12/15 at 12:54am

As I recall with The Secret Garden recording, by the time they recorded it John Babcock, who had opened the show playing Colin, had already hit the voice-changing period of puberty and was soon to be replaced.  He could still sing some of the score, but they decided to have his understudy record "Lift Me Up" since that song was one John Babcock was struggling with due to the changing of his voice.

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 4/12/15 at 4:09am

On the OBCR of Oliver!, Davy Jones did not perform as Artful Dodger despite being the original Dodger on Broadway, but rather Michael Goodman who was in the U.S. National Tour before the show opened on Broadway got to do the cast recording. I think the OBCR was actually recorded during the tour and before it opened on Broadway.