Clownaround Original Cast (1972)
Clownaround Original Cast (1972)
PAConcierge
Swing Joined: 9/29/04
#1Clownaround Original Cast (1972)
Posted: 5/30/10 at 6:57pm
Has anyone ever hear of the musicial Clownaround Original Cast (1972), My brother keeps asking for a copy but I never heard of it. Trying to get him a copy for his Birthday, but can not seem to locate one.
Any Ideas???
Thats
Tom
bk
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/03
#2Clownaround Original Cast (1972)
Posted: 5/30/10 at 7:03pmVERY rare, VERY hard to find. Try eBay and amazon (only amazon sellers would have it), but it's doubtful.
#2Clownaround Original Cast (1972)
Posted: 5/31/10 at 4:30pm
The reason why it is so rare is this:
"Clownaround" was a show/circus with a score by Moose Charlap, direction by Gene Kelly and elaborate, environmental sets by Sean Kenny (who did the sets for the original production of "Oliver"). The show opened in California and was supposed to tour across the country to New York. The idea was that the sets could be set/struck and loaded/unloaded on the truck in one day. The turned out not to be the case, that caused a lot of overtime to be paid and the show folded after the second city.
Possibly due to the success of "Oliver" (which recorded it's original cast album while it was on it's Pre-Broadway tour and made a lot of money for the record company), RCA recorded the show with a studio cast. That record was only sold at the production's souvenir stand.
After the show folded, all the unsold albums got sent back to RCA, who destroyed them.
That is why "Clownaround" is the most expensive cast album out there.
Twenty years ago, when I was looking into it, a beat-up copy of it went for 200 bucks or so.
"A coherent existance after so many years of muddle" - Desiree' Armfelt, A Little Night Music
"Life keeps happening everyday, Say Yes" - 70, Girls, 70
"Life is what you do while you're waiting to die" - Zorba
Updated On: 6/1/10 at 04:30 PM
#3Clownaround Original Cast (1972)
Posted: 6/3/10 at 12:20pm
I wonder if the master tapes are still with us. If I recall it's an awful score but I would love if someone cough*Kritzerland*cough reissued it.
Why not make it another on-demand title through Broadway Masterworks and Arkiv? It is a historically relevant production with Gene Kelly and Ruth Buzzie's involvement. Plus, Moose Charlap is notable for Peter Pan, Whoop-Up, Kelly, and The Conquering Hero.
I'll put an inquiry with Arkiv in today.
With Irma you gotta do something!
#4Clownaround Original Cast (1972)
Posted: 6/3/10 at 1:46pm
I don't have the record, but I do have a burned CD made from the record.
I've been listening to it a lot lately...it's pretty awful, but it is growing on me. "Thingamajig" and "Sunny Day" are kind of catchy.
#5Clownaround Original Cast (1972)
Posted: 6/3/10 at 2:36pmAnd how long will it be before the inevitable "THIS NEEDS TO BE REVIVED," "ENCORES NEEDS TO DO THIS," and "SUTTONDONNAPATTIKRISTENRAULBERNADETTEELAINEIDINA&STEPHANIE NEED TO BE CAST IN THIS!" threads start appearing?
Cheyenne Jackson tickled me. AFTER ordering SoMMS a drink but NOT tickling him, and hanging out with Girly in his dressing room (where he DIDN'T tickle her) but BEFORE we got married. To others. And then he tweeted Boobs. He also tweeted he's good friends with some chick on "The Voice" who just happens to be good friends with Tink's ex. And I'm still married. Oh, and this just in: "Pettiness, spite, malice ....Such ugly emotions... So sad." - After Eight, talking about MEEEEEEEE!!! I'm so honored! :-)
#6Clownaround Original Cast (1972)
Posted: 6/3/10 at 2:52pmSo D2...who would you cast in the Wicked movie?
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
#7Clownaround Original Cast (1972)
Posted: 6/3/10 at 2:57pmWhat's Wicked?
Cheyenne Jackson tickled me. AFTER ordering SoMMS a drink but NOT tickling him, and hanging out with Girly in his dressing room (where he DIDN'T tickle her) but BEFORE we got married. To others. And then he tweeted Boobs. He also tweeted he's good friends with some chick on "The Voice" who just happens to be good friends with Tink's ex. And I'm still married. Oh, and this just in: "Pettiness, spite, malice ....Such ugly emotions... So sad." - After Eight, talking about MEEEEEEEE!!! I'm so honored! :-)
#8Clownaround Original Cast (1972)
Posted: 6/3/10 at 11:11pm
I have it on an old cassette. I haven't listened to it in ages.
All I remember is a song with a verse that goes something like "we who can not have children", making them sound like they're Castratti.
Which, if you feel about clowns the way I do, isn't such a bad idea.
"A coherent existance after so many years of muddle" - Desiree' Armfelt, A Little Night Music
"Life keeps happening everyday, Say Yes" - 70, Girls, 70
"Life is what you do while you're waiting to die" - Zorba
#9Clownaround Original Cast (1972)
Posted: 6/3/10 at 11:42pmThe song you are thinking of is "Here Are Your Children." It is the third song in Act 1.
WOSQ
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/18/03
#10Clownaround Original Cast (1972)
Posted: 6/7/10 at 10:09am
Moose Charlap's son, Bill Charlap, is a cabaret performer in NYC and other cities. He accompanies his wife, a singer named Sandy Stewart (I think) and also sings.
Contact him to see if he has the mysterious tapes or knows where they are.
Didn't Alvin Cooperman work for the Shuberts as a booker in the early days of the Bernie-Jerry regime? He could be in the phone book.
"If my life weren't funny, it would just be true. And that would be unacceptable."
--Carrie Fisher
#11Clownaround Original Cast (1972)
Posted: 6/7/10 at 8:22pm
Did anyone have worse luck writing for the theatre than Moose Charlap? (I mean, Vernon Duke at least had "Cabin in the Sky")
The only show of his that was a hit was the one that had songs by others in it.
He also wrote a very forgettable score for an original television musical called "Alice Through the Looking Glass".
Did he ever write any pop hit songs?
"A coherent existance after so many years of muddle" - Desiree' Armfelt, A Little Night Music
"Life keeps happening everyday, Say Yes" - 70, Girls, 70
"Life is what you do while you're waiting to die" - Zorba
#12Clownaround Original Cast (1972)
Posted: 12/28/10 at 1:10pm
A copy is being sold on ebay right now for $99.95
http://cgi.ebay.com/VERY-RARE-GENE-KELLYS-CLOWNAROUND-OC-LP-ORIGINAL-CAST-/350424718794?pt=Music_on_Vinyl&hash=item5196f0ddca
#13Clownaround Original Cast (1972)
Posted: 12/28/10 at 1:19pm
Wow. Have not thought about this show in years. I'm surprised *anyone* remembers it.
Dreadful doesnt begin to describe it. 
http://docandraider.com
#14Clownaround Original Cast (1972)
Posted: 12/28/10 at 1:21pmSeanMartin, did you get to see it live?
#15Clownaround Original Cast (1972)
Posted: 5/29/13 at 11:17am
My CD of CLOWNAROUND arrived today from Masterworks Broadway.
It's a very strange album. For starters none of the singers are listed or identified. Are these the performers who were in the show? The album is coyly billed as "The Original Show Album" but not one performer is listed by name.
The opening number, Clowns (performed by a Living Voices type chorus - and if I am not mistaken the Living Voices & Living Strings were RCA studio ensembles) sounds like a big opening number for one of those bad TV Variety specials from the late 1960's.
This was the ultimate holy grail for cast album collectors... listed in the Movie/TV Soundtracks & Original cast albums price guide (published by Jerry Osborne in 1997) with a value of $200 - $250. (The notes explain the rarity, as when the show folded the remaining stock of albums were destroyed.)
I am going to feature this on my program next week. As a lead in I can use Gene Kelly and Judy Garland's "Be a Clown" from THE PIRATE and fill out the segment with tracks from BARNUM, JUMBO and the film soundtrack of THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH.
The notes by David Foil (head of Masterworks Broadway) give the troubled history of the show but do not provide any type of synopsis... did anyone see this show during its brief try-out? If so...what was it about?
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
#16Clownaround Original Cast (1972)
Posted: 5/29/13 at 11:34am
I thought it was being released on June 4th. How did you get an advanced copy? I can't even seem to be able to preorder it on their website. Help please!!
Never mind...found it...ordering the CD right now. Thanks.
Updated On: 5/29/13 at 11:34 AM
#17Clownaround Original Cast (1972)
Posted: 5/29/13 at 1:55pm
The CD was sent to me care of the radio station (for use on FRC) which is why it arrived today.
But yes, June 4th is the release date. Odd since that is a Saturday.
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
#18Clownaround Original Cast (1972)
Posted: 5/29/13 at 3:23pmThanks for the reminder! Just ordered my copy. Please give us SHELTER next. I know there are complications, but make it work please somebody!
With Irma you gotta do something!
#19Clownaround Original Cast (1972)
Posted: 6/8/13 at 10:00pm
Just got my copy. What a strange listen. Anyone else confused by the liner notes text being so faint a hue? Their customers are going to go blind reading that type.
Also, it's weird Ruth Buzzi doesn't sing in any songs.
With Irma you gotta do something!
jcrowther64
Swing Joined: 2/8/14
#20Clownaround Original Cast (1972)
Posted: 2/8/14 at 4:58pmDoes everyone realize it has been available for download for quite awhile on iTunes?
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