From ATC:
“On the Town”
“Music in the Air”
“Finian’s Rainbow”
Sounds very exciting, especially Finian's Rainbow. Can't wait.
Encores! Season, NYT
Updated On: 5/12/08 at 01:17 AM
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/27/07
YAY for “Finian’s Rainbow”! I actually have the OBC cassette in my car right now, and I love it. Can't wait to see it live!
Ahh, exciting.
No MACK & MABEL? *#$%$&!
What a bull**** season. With all of the titles perfect for encores; On the Town which gets a revival or concert every six minutes and Finian's Rainbow that just was seen in a wonderful production in NYC. What crap choices. Fine shows but not really in the spirit of Encores. A few just coming to mind that are long overdue:
Mack and Mabel
Dear World
The Happy Time
Funny Girl
Say, Darling
Fanny
Golden Apple
Superman
Hallelujah , Baby!
Raisin
I love On The Town and I like Finian's Rainbow, but they are both done ALL the time, in various productions. If this is truly the season, I'll be very disappointed. I'd rather see any and every one on BobbyBubby's list first.
I completely agree with BobbyBubby...and add JENNIE, HOT SPOT and SUBWAYS ARE FOR SLEEPING to that list.
I'm happy with MUSIC IN THE AIR, but the other two? So frustrating.
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/20/05
Music in the Air was the first musical I saw ever, back in 1953, at the old Lambertville Music Circus. I've always bemoaned the fact that it's never had a good recording, as it has some of Kern's loveliest music. This will be a true trip down nostalgia lane for me and, with some kind of luck, maybe even generate a recording.
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/20/05
Say, Darling? What a piece of non-musical garbage!
Darn, what a dull season of shows. Maybe they will change their minds!
BobbyBubby: I second your choice of FANNY which opened in 1954 and ran for 888 performances. To my knowledge, it has never been revived, but it deserves to be--starting with Encores! and then moving to Broadway. It had some book problems, but the score is ravishing, especially the title song as sung by Marius as played by William Tabbert who was the original Lt. Cable in SOUTH PACIFIC. Florence Henderson, Ezio Pinza, and Walter Slezak round out the original cast and all have great songs to sing. The music and lyrics are by the under-rated Harold Rome. Get the CD if you can.
Why don't they do Irving Berlin's MR. PRESIDENT?
^^ Huh. There was the chance to hear the title song from that (Fanny) at the April BBTY when Sean Palmer hurt his leg and the dance number got cancelled so he did a solo instead. Sadly, they put him off-mic for it and you couldn't hear him at all in the rear balcony (nor could my friend who was in the rear orchestra). Most boring segment of the show...though I'd like to hear what it's supposed to sound like.
Mr. President is a stink bomb.
MR. PRESIDENT is wonderful...and a fantastic choice for Encores!
The book of MR. PRESIDENT may stink, but the score is great.
I recomend listening to the score.
"the secret service...makes me nervous!"
"i'd rather be the second or the third or the fourth or the fifth or the sixth or the seventh instead of the first lady of the land."
Gotta agree with BobbyBubby...Encores seems to be losing sight of its mission. Could it be that audiences are so very much expecting the next CHICAGO or WONDERFUL TOWN that when they do something genuinely flawed and challenging, like JUNO, that audiences are turned off? What a pity.
Oh god. Apart from the trashy numbers in Mr. President (like "Washington Twist" and "Secret Service" and "The Only Dance I Know,") that score and show is a complete bust.
I completely disagree.
"Is He The Omly Man In The World?"
"Don't Be Afraid Of Romance"
are lovely.
"They Like ME" is a hoot.
and "This IS A Great Country" os a wonder finale/anthem.
Updated On: 5/12/08 at 10:20 AM
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/3/05
I've never had the chance to see any of these shows, and am very excited about them.
While Finian was just Off-Broadway, it was only with a couple of musicians. To hear it with a full orchestra and original orchestrations will be thrilling. And I would a gree with On The Town, but they're doing it becuase of the Bernstein celebration (wish they would do 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue instead).
I don't think the Berstein estate allows anyone to do 1600 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE...only WHITE HOUSE CANTATA. So annoying.
Hopefully that "law" will be lifted one day...
I see what ENCORES is doing. They want subscibers to buy so they suck them in with familar titles and throw in one lesser known piece (MUSIC IN THE AIR. Show fans know it by name but with no complete authentic recording of the score it is a "lost" title.) Ideally ENCORES would surround it with the likes of JENNIE, ME AND JULIET et al. but that would not attract enough subscribers.
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
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