Should cast recordings be done live?

I know this has probably been discussed before, but I feel like starting a thread on this topic since I can't find an old one.

Theatre is all about singing live and having that real feel of emotion, which I think is lacking in (some) cast recordings. We know that the performers are usually in a booth and have a different emotion in a studio than they do on stage.

I personally think it would be great to see more cast recordings recorded live. The new 2009 London Oliver production was recorded live and it's quite good. I can deal with the applause.

I've just found that a lot of cast recording lack something, and I think the emotion and the feel of playing off the other people in the show.

Brooklyn the Musical was recorded live and it's excellent.

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Brooklyn's OBCR was not done live at the theater... They just had invited audience at the recording session.

And yes, more shows should do this! There are so many cast recordings that lack the energy...

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Some shows really do benefit better from this than others. I feel some of this season's shows like WEST SIDE STORY, SHREK, STORY OF MY LIFE, etc lend themselves better to studio recordings. The most obvious choice for a live recording this season is HAIR, and after listening to the wonderful recording, I still feel it lacks a lot of the energy that just comes from performing the show live (and I don't mean for this recording specifically, I never liked HAIR on recording--except for a few songs--until I saw the show live and finally "got" it).
There are some where I don't think it makes much difference, the PASSION London recording was recorded from a concert version that reunited the principals. I don't see much of a difference in terms of how the overall recording comes across (I suspect Maria Friedman's Fosca would have been as misconceived on a studio as it was on stage).

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Ray-
I agree. HAiR *really* needed to be recorded live. I think it's one of those things that depends on the show, some can benefit, others don't, it all just depends.

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I still think the Spamalot shoulda been recorded live. Their cast recording is just so energy-less without the audiences, and their gags that are missing from the songs just make it even less funnier!

YES!

the german 'mamma mia' was recorded live and it is amazing.

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At the dress rehearsal for FOLLIES IN CONCERT the audience was not allowed to applaud to allow for pefect takes (masters) for the producers to reference if there was a problem recording on the night of the event.

The performers proceeded to perform show-stopper after show-stopper to a rapt audience filled with many cult fans of the show who were literally bursting at the seams, it seemed.

Elaine Stritch then proceeded to sing "Broadway Baby" for the first time in her classic, deadpan manner... to complete silence (as was expected). She then said probably the funniest thing I've heard from her, and that's saying a lot, but I can't re-post it here cuz it's too dirty (there's no cussin' here, right?).

But, YES they should be (usually) recorded live, but studio clean-up should be allowed too.

A Good Nightmare Comes So Rarely,
P genre

A few German-language musicals have recorded their shows live. The applause is never annoying because they keep it at a lower level than the actual audio of the show.

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I think that's absoloutely on the money. Some shows are perfectly studio-suited, but a rock show (i.e. rock of ages, brooklyn, hair) might benefit from the audience.

I loved the way 'Keys' turned out. Stew has such a coolio, unique voice... and Daniel has a more R&B voice... the company has ALL different styles of singing and when they're combined, it's stunning.

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Both of the examples I wanted to give have already been given, but I'll add my voice to the fray. Passing Strange really couldn't have been done anything but live. The show couldn't even translate in their actual performance at the Tonys (a misguided song choice, I personally think), but the live cast recording really captures the electric feeling that seeing the show was. Alternately, Hair really should have done a live recording. I think they did an admirable job of trying to translate the live experience to the recording, but it just can't capture the feeling of actually being in the theater.

In general, I actually think that most cast recordings should be done in the studio, and the clarity afforded by that approach is fantastic. But there are certain shows that are just such theatrical experiences that they can't be captured in a studio recording, and I think that more shows should definitely consider live recordings.

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Applause is definitly loud enough to be picked up by the mics and recycled though the sound system. Though a good sound designer is able to minimize any distortion that may be caused. It also explains why you're able to hear applause on sound board recordings -- it's being picked up by the mics on stage.