Little Shop of Horrors original cast recording question
Little Shop of Horrors original cast recording question
Little Shop of Horrors original cast recording question#1
Posted: 8/31/09 at 4:18pmThis is a really random question but does anyone know who voices the disembodied voice in the prologue? I was listening to it earlier and couldn't help thinking that it sounded a little like Howard Ashman.
Broadway Star Joined: 10/25/06
re: Little Shop of Horrors original cast recording question#2
Posted: 8/31/09 at 5:22pmIt's Howard Ashman, as is the first huckster in Meek Shall Inherit.
re: Little Shop of Horrors original cast recording question#2
Posted: 8/31/09 at 5:24pmThe original off-Broadway cast recording, although not an accurate representation of the final version of the show, is probably one of my favorite cast recordings.
Broadway Star Joined: 10/25/06
re: Little Shop of Horrors original cast recording question#3
Posted: 8/31/09 at 5:31pm
It's a fantastic album. I think the reason Ashman did those, apart from the joy it undoubtedly brought him being immortalized on the recording of his best show, was they were clearly into making that album an album, not a strict representation of the show. This is one of the main reasons it's so good. I don't think the alternative ever works very well. In this case, though having one person be all the hucksters in meek shall inherit is funny and effective on stage, the joke can't really work on album because you can't see it. Thus, they subbed Ashman.
The only sad thing about that recording is everyone thinks those are the tempos the show was performed with. In reality, the original off-broadway production was paced MUCH faster than any other production I've seen, thanks to both this album and the movie. Now we can add the dreadful revival recording to that list as well.
I love the original album so very very much, but I do wish more companies would perform the songs at their original tempos. Gives the show a lot more spunk and energy. Faster tempos require a smaller space, though.
Ramblings.... sorry
re: Little Shop of Horrors original cast recording question#4
Posted: 8/31/09 at 5:41pm
Thanks sondhead, that's what I thought. In regards to the tempos, I always thought that the tempos on both the original and revival recordings were a too slow for some numbers. When I saw the revival on tour, a few of the songs were taken slower as well.
And Kad, you make an interesting point about the recording not representing the final version of the show. I haven't listened to it in a long time and I was really surprised at how it differed from the revival cast recording at some points. There are a few lyric changes and the song order is different.
Nevertheless, it's still an amazing recording. Ellen Greene knocks it out of the park on "Somewhere That's Green" and "Suddenly Seymour"!
re: Little Shop of Horrors original cast recording question#5
Posted: 8/31/09 at 5:52pmI love Ellen Greene on this recording, of course, but I gotta admit that most of it is almost unlistenable for me. It sounds like an atari game soundtrack. Other than her, I vastly prefer the Broadway. Updated On: 8/31/09 at 05:52 PM
re: Little Shop of Horrors original cast recording question#6
Posted: 8/31/09 at 5:58pm
^^^
I must admit, I do prefer the orchestrations for the revival cast recording to those on the OCR. I also liked some of the new vocal arrangements done for the revival, like the urchins vocalizing during "Feed Me (Git It)".
re: Little Shop of Horrors original cast recording question#7
Posted: 8/31/09 at 6:04pmWasn't one of the off-Broadway casts filmed for Japanese tv? Is it possible to get a copy of that?
Broadway Star Joined: 10/25/06
re: Little Shop of Horrors original cast recording question#8
Posted: 8/31/09 at 6:50pmUpdated On: 11/12/09 at 06:50 PM
re: Little Shop of Horrors original cast recording question#9
Posted: 8/31/09 at 7:39pm
The major differences original Off-Broadway cast recording features is a largely different "Mushnik & Son", the aforementioned Mrs. Luce segment of "Meek..", a missing verse of "Suppertime", alternate orchestrations for "Sominex", and the lack of "Call Back in the Morning" (honestly not a huge loss) and "Somewhere That's Green (Reprise)". The only thing that I would truly like to have recorded is Ellen Green's version of that reprise.
The revival recording is mediocre at best, but there are some things I do like about it. I enjoy Hunter Foster a great deal, and think Rob Bartlett and Douglas Sills both do a good job. I usually love Kerry Butler, but cannot stand her on the recording. It's also nice to have the full, complete score.
re: Little Shop of Horrors original cast recording question#10
Posted: 8/31/09 at 7:54pm
It's also nice to have the full, complete score.
Agreed. I enjoy the revival recording, but mostly value it because it is the complete score. I also enjoy listening to Ashman and Menken sing the demo songs.
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