Smile the musical. Does any OBC recording exist?

[born2perform]

Posted: 9/15/05 at 10:40pm

They did this musical at Stagedoor and I really liked the music. I Have looked everywere and it seems there was never any sort of cast recording put out or even a soundtrack from the movie? Ive looked on amazon. ANy idea where I can find it or if it even exists?

[theatrebabe]

Posted: 9/15/05 at 10:42pm

No idea, but I sang Disneyland for an audition recently and I love it!

[CastAlbumFan]

Posted: 9/15/05 at 10:45pm

According to http://www.castalbumdb.com there was an LP made in 1986, but it was never commercially released.

Updated On: 9/15/05 at 10:45 PM

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 9/15/05 at 11:19pm

Even though the LP was never released, there are copies circulating widely. I love the score, and have heard this recording, which seems to have been made with a band of one person on a synthesizer. Maybe that's why someone made the decision not to release it.
Updated On: 9/15/05 at 11:19 PM

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 9/15/05 at 11:48pm

I know some of the songs are on some CDs on Amazon.com I think they're like songs that were in "off broadway musicals." its like a collection, but i remember a good bit of the songs from Smile were on there.

[WChafin]

Posted: 9/16/05 at 6:08am

There was a recording recorded with some members of the Original Broadway Cast including the two lead girls, Anne Bobby (currently in I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE) and JODI BENSON (who later went on to be the voice of THE LITTLE MERMAID). It was recorded for Samuel French for basically demostration purposes. It is a recording of the revised Samuel French script, not the score as it was heard on Broadway.

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 9/16/05 at 7:26am

The Bruce Kimmel produced CD series Unsung Musicals, released by Varese Sarabande in the mid-1990s, featured four Smile songs -- Unsung Musicals (1994) includes "Smile" (Harry Groener), "In Our Hands" (Lynette Perry), and "Disneyland" (Jodi Benson) and Unsung Musicals III (1997) includes "Maria's Song" (Diana Canova).
Updated On: 9/16/05 at 07:26 AM

[Demitri2]

Posted: 9/16/05 at 8:20am

The LP recording with Jodi Benson previously mentioned is offered on eBay as a CD frequently. The sound quality is quite good. Get it!

[best12bars]

Posted: 9/16/05 at 10:25am

The sound quality is very good, to be sure. It does sound like a demo (due to the limited musicians), but it is the entire Broadway score. As previously mentioned, it was recorded with only a few instruments (synth, drums, bass, etc.). Not the full pit orchestrations that were heard in the theatre. Yes, that makes it sound a little "cheesy." But it's not just the two lead girls (Anne Bobby & Jodi Benson). It's the ENTIRE original cast on this "underground" recording. (Jeff McCarthy, Marsha Waterbury, Veanne Cox, Dick Patterson, etc.)

I'm just glad somebody had the sense to gather them all together before it closed and record it, even without the orchestra. (Though I do miss the orchestra.) It's definitely better than nothing at all.

I saw SMILE on Broadway, and it was one of my top favorites in the '80s. Believe it or not, I liked it better than Les Miz (which opened only a couple of weeks after Smile). The shows are completely different animals, but Smile appealed to me more.

If you can't get hold of this unreleased recording, definitely get the Unsung Musicals CD. These have full orchestrations, and Jodi sings her original show-stopper "Disneyland."

[Expressboy69]

Posted: 9/16/05 at 3:50pm

I am actually playing Tommy in a local performance of 'Smile'! the music is very good and though the characters are very stereotypical and flat, it is still a fun show! If you liked Miss Congeniality or even SMILE the movie lol, you would like it!

[WChafin]

Posted: 9/16/05 at 4:22pm

Actually, it's not the entire Original Broadway Cast, it does include all the leads, but only some of the girls, including Anne and Jodi double as the other contestants. The late Howard Ashman provides the voices for not only Little Bob Freelander, but also for his friend Freddy. Also, the recording contains songs not heard in the Broadway Production. Robin's "Postcards" home where completely revised for the new recording, plus the final number before the "Disneyland (Reprise)" was a number called "Pretty As A Picture" and it was performed by Ted Farley, Robin & Big Bob. The recording features a new solo number for Ted Farley called "There Goes The Girl" and then gives the finale over to Big Bob & Robin. They also recorded two short new numbers (that because of time restraints at the time) were left off the recording called "Get The Girls" and "Wish You Were Here" and while they are performed in the new version of the script.

Updated On: 11/7/05 at 04:22 PM

[AuditioningWaitress]

Posted: 9/16/05 at 4:56pm

I remember when I worked in the musical dept of Sam French, we would get calls all the time of people trying to buy the recording...I actually thought I remembered them saying that Howard Ashman did more than the two boys on the recording, I could be wrong...Anyway, Samuel French also had a great demo of Howard Ashman & Alan Menken's GOD BLESS YOU, MR. ROSEWATER where the two of them did all the characters...Howard Ashman was so brillant on it! Priceless!

[RockabyeHamlet]

Posted: 9/16/05 at 5:02pm

I saw the show at a local high school and loved it. I am gonna look into getting some kind of recording of it, or maybe the Unsung albums.

[BroadwayDoc]

Posted: 9/18/05 at 10:19am

Actually Veanne Cox is not on the SMILE recording. It was recorded several months after the show had closed and Veanne was playing the lead in FLORA THE RED MENACE at the Vineyard at the time. Everyone thinks she's on it, but Lauren Goler did the part of "Sandra Kay" for the recording.

Back to the score, I actually prefer the Broadway version of the score. I think recording of the revised Samuel French score lacks the bite that it had on stage. I missed Robin's opening number of "Who Is She?" before going into "Typical High School Senior" was a great way to set up the show. Also, because the girls did have to double for the recording, it's not as choral as it was done on stage. I also prefer "Brenda's" number "Orientation" which they replaced with "The Very Best Week of Your Life". It was more satrical and Robin's "Postcard" (which were changed to "Letters" in the revision) were some of the best moments in the show. If anyone did see this on stage before Jodi Benson sung "Disneyland" she did a little song titled "The Horny Skin Doctor". It was a true highlight and to this day I don't know why it was cut.

Other things bothered me a little also, as "Shine" was a great duet with Tommy French and the girls, and it revised to be a production number for the girls. I did like however how they gave "Big Bob" a song in the first act. I always thought him doing the final number, but not having any other real songs was odd. I also like "Ted Farley's" number of "There Goes The Girl" better than him starting out "Pretty As A Picture", but I perfered "Robin" and "Big Bob" doing "Pretty...". I liked the irony of the song better.

All in all, I think it's wonderful that people are still talking about SMILE, which is now an almost 20 year old production. They did record the show for Lincoln Center, and if anyone gets a chance they should head over there and see it.
Updated On: 9/18/05 at 10:19 AM

[best12bars]

Posted: 9/18/05 at 11:22am

Thanks, WChafin and BroadwayDoc for enlightening me on the recording! That was great information.

I was lucky enough to see SMILE while it was in previews (just about a week before opening). It was so entertaining, the cast was great, I loved the music, and Howard Ashman's wit was truly shining throughout. I kept thinking it was going to be a big hit. Sadly, no.

It's still one of my favorite musicals of the '80s.

[bryan]

Posted: 9/18/05 at 6:44pm

that why we should save the shows that did get lp's made and put them on cd's and the new shows like lennon and good vibrations. before they all fade into the sunset forever.

[BroadwayDoc]

Posted: 9/19/05 at 9:11am

Glad you enjoyed SMILE. I honestly believe (and I'm probably wrong) that if it had been done earlier it would have been a reasonable hit. It came at a time of all the British Pop Musicals. But, really what did I know, I was only 14 at the time.

[darkmist115]

Posted: 9/20/05 at 9:06pm

i remember thinking the same thing when i listened to it, about how synthesized it sounded.
I love Jodi Benson on this. I did the show a few years back, and actually like the version that is being licensed by Samuel French now MUCH MUCH more than the actual broadway version.
some things i like better-
-Robin's "Dear Mom's..."
-The song that Robin sings at the end, beginning with "Antelope Valley, You're Young American Miss is coming home..." (might be "last postcard")
-the finale, where doria sings a reprise of disneyland

Smile was definitely one of my favorite shows of the 80's. It's such a shame it didn't last longer.

A few posts back, BrodwayDoc said, "...They did record the show for Lincoln Center, and if anyone gets a chance they should head over there and see it." Just wondering-- don't you need a specific reason to see the show- ie choreographer/director? or do you just have to pay an entrance fee? or what? thanks:)

[BroadwayDoc]

Posted: 9/20/05 at 10:37pm

darkmist111, I guess we will have to agree to disagree. Robin's song at the end was just titled "The Finale". As to seeing it at Lincoln Center, as far as I know, there are no restrictions on it. Some videos you need special permission to view.

[darkmist115]

Posted: 9/20/05 at 10:42pm

ah, ok.

and agreeing to disagree is perfectly fine with me. another thing i liked better (which you expressly talked about actually) was "Shine" being Tommy AND the girls. i think it's a LOT better with just the girls..

I do very much like the "Who is She" that Robin did at the beginning, though, as you said..

[bk]

Posted: 9/21/05 at 2:19am

The problem with Smile wasn't the score, it was the book - they never got the tone right. The film walks that line perfectly, but the show tried to be other things.

I tried for years to record the show - Marvin Hamlisch doesn't like to know from his failures and always said no, even though Ashman's sister (and the keeper of his estate) was all for it. But, Hamlisch did allow me to record the four songs we did, so at least those exist with nice orchestrations and good people doing them.

Posted: 10/9/05 at 12:41am

I saw this one at Stagedoor, also. We switched dress rehersals with them.

"Until Tomorrow Night" was stuck in my head for a week afterwards and I think I might die if I can't listen to it.

[Hester Prynne]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 11:16am

loved SMILE when I was a girl! I can still remember sitting in the fifth row orchestra near the aisle watching the show with my parents. I thought Anne Marie Bobby was so wonderful and a pre-nose job Jodi Benson was the perfect "Doria". True, looking back now, the book did have tone problems, but I was 12 at the time, as I was analyzing musical then. Back then, I either liked it or hated it.

I also have trouble believing "darkmist115" saw the show. As his profile states that he's 15 years old. The show opened in November 1986, which by my math is almost 19 years ago. So, either he's lying about his age or he's like Shirley MacLaine and channeling his former lives. If he had seen it, I don't think he would not have like "Shine" done with Tommy French and the girls. It was so hysterical! Watching this drunk Bob Fosse wannabe choreographer sing and dance the routine with the girls was priceless. If fact, many years later I was watching BRING IT ON with some friends and there is a scene where the cheerleaders higher on choregrapher and it's just like the scene out of SMILE!

Maybe when he gets over to see the show at Lincoln Center instead of judging it by either a sound board recording or an audience one, he will change his mind.

[darkmist115]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 12:26pm

Hester Prynne:
As for: "I also have trouble believing "darkmist115" saw the show. As his profile states that he's 15 years old. The show opened in November 1986, which by my math is almost 19 years ago. So, either he's lying about his age or he's like Shirley MacLaine and channeling his former lives."
I didn't realize people analyzed my profile, hah.

"Maybe when he gets over to see the show at Lincoln Center instead of judging it by either a sound board recording or an audience one, he will change his mind."

I have, in fact, seen the show with the 1986 Original Broadway Cast. You're right- I did not see it in the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, but I have seen it- in a way most members of this board do not condone, so I didn't really want to just go right out there and say, "Oh, by the way, in the Smile bootleg that I saw, I didn't like...."

And as for Tommy French's "Shine" scene, I liked the way it was done in the Samuel French version better. I may be biased, because I was in an amateur production of Smile a few years back... (also, I said "i think it's a LOT better with just the girls..{") I never expressly said I hated it done that way, or something like that.) The way they did it in the original show was all right, but I didn't find it as funny as you did.

That being said, there are a lot of things that can be missed while seeing a bootleg than actually being there. I'm sure I would have enjoyed it more had I seen it live. But since that wasn't an option for me, I'll take all I can get..

[Flahooley]

Posted: 1/11/06 at 7:53pm

I can't say enough about how much I love SMILE.

I've got the a couple recordings of the show, have read the published script and other items. I think the tone is right on target. Only problem is the target is the jingoism, racism, and hypocrisy of those who keep shoving so-called American values in your face. These are ideas the typical 80's Broadway theatre goer didn't want to deal with. Especially with Ashman's uncomprimising approach to the material.

Did anyone ever see the 60 MINUTES profile of the show? What was it like?