Hey there,
Yup...this is the live recording of the NEO Concert at the York Theatre, as recorded in June of 2003. It took a long time for it to come out (mostly due to a lot of red tape that has to be cut through when dealing with benefits/unions). But we're very excited that it's finally out! It's funny...in listening to it, Tonya Pinkins is introduced as "the star of the upcoming 'Caroline, or Change' at the Public Theatre." So in the time it took for this CD to come out, Caroline opened and closed at the Public, moved to Broadway, closed and toured and closed again. Not bad, eh?
Anyway, the CD is really remarkable quality with some fantastic new music. Some of the not-to-be-missed performances include Barbara Walsh's "Richard" by Leslie Becker and Mary Mitchell Campbell, Laura Benanti's "Leading Man" by David Rossmer and Dan Lipton, Matt Morrison's "A Normal Life" from The Opposite of Sex, Deven May singing "Sensitive Song" by Larry O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin, Kerry Butler and Laura Bell Bundy belting their faces off in "Any Day" from The Three Musketeers, and of course Darius de Haas singing "Field Flowers," a poem by my ancestor, Thomas Campbell, as set to music by my friend Pat Rasile.
I'm COMPLETELY biased but I think any fan of any of these performers as wella s new musicals should definitely go pick this one up. No doubt, a number of the songs will be heard on Broadway and Off in the not-too-distant future. Also-sales of this CD benefit the York Theatre Company (one of the only companies in the city that so fully supports the development of new musical theatre). ENJOY!
"There is nothing scary about life, if you are not attached to the results." - Conversations With God