Tap Dance Kid

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 7/12/05 at 4:05pm

For those of you who have a recording, is it worth it? I love Dreamgirls and SideShow, but would like a few opinions before putting down $30.
Thanks in advance

[baddadnpa]

Posted: 7/12/05 at 4:07pm

Not a great score and I am NOT a fan of Hinton Battle, but at least he sounds better here than on the Miss Saigon complete recording. He did win the Tony, but the score is forgettable. The young man playing The Tap Dance Kid on the recording has zero personality in his numbers. The ones playing the mother and daughter as winning performances however.

[almostxfamous]

Posted: 7/12/05 at 4:35pm

Didn't Carlton from Fresh Prince play the Tap Dance Kid? Alfonso Ribeiro?

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 7/12/05 at 4:37pm

Yes.

[baddadnpa]

Posted: 7/12/05 at 4:37pm

But he is not the one on the recording.

Updated On: 7/12/05 at 04:37 PM

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 7/12/05 at 4:40pm

No he isn't. It's Jimmy Tate who was a replacement for Willie.

Updated On: 7/12/05 at 04:40 PM

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 7/12/05 at 4:45pm

Correct about Alfonso...and the girl who played his sister, Martine Allard, was on Different Strokes...she was nominated for a Tony and got a Theater World Award...it is her I am most interested in hearing (never saw the show.) Also LOVE Krieger.

[DBillyP]

Posted: 7/12/05 at 4:47pm

I loved this show when I saw it on tour. I have a cassette tape made from a friend's album. (I know; I am old.) I enjoy listening to it immensely.

I don't know if it is worth 30 dollars, but Martine Allard, who played the sister, was something else! I wonder what happened to her ...

[ChiChi]

Posted: 7/12/05 at 4:51pm

I would not put down $30, but I do like it. I got my C.D. for 6.00 at a used bookstore, and got the record for $3.00 at another used bookstore.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 7/12/05 at 5:00pm

The story behid whay some OC members are not on the recording is that the show opened to mixed/unfavourable reviews on Dec 21, 1983 and none of the major labels wre interested in taping it. Finally John Yap stepped up and recorded it with a deal that his label TER would issue the album in the U.K. At the time he did not have a U.S. distribution deal so he licensed the mastrs to Polydor for a limited 5 year window. (He did the same with ON YOUR TOES, THE RINK an BABY.) TAP DANCE KID was recorded over 4 days in October 1984 and by that time Hattie Winston (Ginnie) and Alfonso Ribeiro had left teh cast and their replacements Gail Nelson and Jimmy Tate are on the recording.

One caution: Polydor released these albums on both LP and CD but the Cd's were taken from the LP masters and severely compressed. Seek out a U.K. pressing on TER or wait until JAY Records releases it in North America. (I have the U.S. Polydor issue. It's sounds OK but I suspect the uncompressed version will have more vibrant sound.)

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 7/13/05 at 11:31am

Thanks for all of the input everyone!