What Older Shows Should I Get Into?- Page 2
What Older Shows Should I Get Into?
#25re: What Older Shows Should I Get Into?
Posted: 9/22/08 at 9:21pm
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/genre/musical_theater.html
Rent some of these DVD's
South Pacific in Concert
Oklahoma
Company
Into the Woods
Sunday in the Park With George
Candide (a personal favorite)
Kiss Me Kate
All on on DVD for your enjoyment!
wickedrentq
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/6/04
#26re: What Older Shows Should I Get Into?
Posted: 9/22/08 at 10:57pm
West Side Story -- voted the most influential musical of all time by playbill readers, also considered by many to be one of the best musicals of all time -- and many consider it to be the best musical score of all time -- everyone discusses (and has discussed on this thread) the genius of Sondheim, but I advise you to discover the genius that is Leonard Bernstein. And though I find some flaws in the movie, it is considered one of the best musical movies ever made, so it's an accessible means of getting into the musical.
I'd also be a tad careful of the R&H movies -- I love the King and I and The Sound of Music (of course), but didn't like Carousel or South Pacific. It wasn't until I saw the production of South Pacific of this year, and watched the '94 production of Carousel at the Lincoln Center Archives that I discovered how great they were, but I certainly am not a fan of the movies.
"If there was a Mount Rushmore for Broadway scores, "West Side Story" would be front and center. It snaps, it crackles it pops! It surges with a roar, its energy and sheer life undiminished by the years" - NYPost reviewer Elisabeth Vincentelli
TheBoyDownstairs
Featured Actor Joined: 10/10/07
#27re: What Older Shows Should I Get Into?
Posted: 9/22/08 at 11:03pm
1990 and earlier? Hmm, so many brilliant shows. Some of my favorites are:
Well of course any and all Sondheim (especially Follies)
Carousel
City of Angels
Barnum
Mack & Mabel
Pal Joey
and if you can find a copy, The Mystery of Edwin Drood
#28re: What Older Shows Should I Get Into?
Posted: 9/23/08 at 2:39am
From the "Basic Library of Cast Albums" list compiled a while ago here are some key suggestions....
https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?thread=863740
1900 - 1920s :
BABES IN TOYLAND (studio cast on Decca)
MERRY WIDOW (studio cast on DRG)
LADY BE GOOD (Studio cast on Nonesuch)
THE STUDENT PRINCE (stuio cast on DRG)
NO NO NANETTE (1971 Broadway revival on Sony)
OH, KAY! (studio cast on Nonesuuch)
THE DESERT SONG (studio cast on Decca)
SHOW BOAT (complete recording on 3 CD set from EMI)
GOOD NEWS (Studio cast on Jay)
THE NEW MOON (Concert cast on Ghostlight)
1930s :
STRIKE UP THE BAND (studio cast on Nonesuch)
GIRL CRAZY (Studio cast on Nonesuch)
OF THEE I SING (1952 revival cast on DRG)
PARDON MY ENGLISH (studio cast on Nonesuch)
ANYTHING GOES (studio cast on EMI)
PORGY AND BESS (complete on 3 Cd's from RCA)
ON YOUR TOES (1983 revival cast on Jay)
BABES IN ARMS (studi cast on New World)
BOYS FROM SYRACUSE (Concert cast on DRG)
TOO MANY GIRLS (studio cast on Painted Smiles)
1940s:
PAL JOEY (studio cast on Sony)
LADY IN THE DARK (London cast on Jay)
OKLAHOMA! (Original Broadway cast on Decca)
ON THE TOWN (studio cast on Sony)
CAROUSEL (1993 London cast on RCA)
ANNIE GET YOUR GUN (1966 revival cast on RCA)
FINIAN'S RAINBOW (1960 revival cast on RCA)
BRIGADOON (studio cast on DRG)
KISS ME KATE (original Broadway & studio cast on EMI)
SOUTH PACIFIC (original Broadway cast on Sony)
1950s:
GUYS AND DOLLS (1992 revival cast on RCA)
THE KING AND I (1977 revival cast on RCA)
PETER PAN (original Broadway cast on RCA)
THE PAJAMA GAME (original Broadway cast on Sony)
DAMN YANKEES (original Broadway cast on RCA)
MY FAIR LADY (original Broadway cast on Sony)
WEST SIDE STORY (original Broadway cast on Sony)
MUSIC MAN (original Broadway cast on EMI)
GYPSY (original Broadway cast on Sony)
SOUND OF MUSIC (original Broadway cast on Sony)
1960s:
CAMELOT (original Broadway cast on Sony)
BYE BYE BIRDIE (original Broadway cast on Sony)
HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS... (original Broadway cast on RCA)
A FUNNY THING...FORUM (original Broadway cast on EMI)
HELLO DOLLY (original Broadway cast on RCA)
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (original Broadway cast on RCA)
MAN OF LA MANCHA (original Broadway cast on Decca)
MAME (original Broadway cast on Sony)
CABARET (original Broadway cast on Sony)
HAIR (original Broadway cast on RCA)
1970s:
COMPANY (original Broadway cast on Sony)
FOLLIES (1985 concert cast on RCA)
GREASE (original Broadway cast on M-g-M)
A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC (original Broadway cast on Sony)
A CHORUS LINE (original Broadway cast on Sony)
CHICAGO (original Broadway cast on Arista)
PIPPIN (original Broadway cast on Decca)
ANNIE (original Broadway cast on Sony)
EVITA (original Broadway cast on Decca)
SWEENEY TODD (original Broadway cast on RCA)
1980s:
42ND STREET (original Broadway cast on RCA)
MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG (original Broadway cast on RCA)
DREAMGIRLS (Concert cast on Nonesuch)
NINE (original Broadway cast on Sony)
CATS (original Broadway cast on Geffen)
SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE (original Broadway cast on RCA)
LES MISERABLES (complete recording on First Night)
INTO THE WOODS (original Broadway cast on RCA)
GRAND HOTEL (original Broadway cast on RCA)
CITY OF ANGELS (original Broadway cast on Columbia)
Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!
I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com
logan0215
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/05
#29re: What Older Shows Should I Get Into?
Posted: 9/23/08 at 3:03am
For a great vintage Kander and Ebb that isn't Chicago or Cabaret, try "The Rink"
I discovered it while researching their work from that time period and LOVE listening to it. Chita Rivera playing Liza Minelli's mother? How can you go wrong!
bwaylvsong
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/28/05
#30re: What Older Shows Should I Get Into?
Posted: 9/23/08 at 3:25pmYeah, get the recent revival of Kiss Me, Kate. It's very accessible.
#31re: What Older Shows Should I Get Into?
Posted: 9/23/08 at 4:25pmeven though it's from 1991, I suggest Crazy For You, all songs by Gershwin. based on Girl Crazy, but so good.
<--- the set of A Midsummer Night's Dream that I was assistant stage manager for during the 2007 season at the STNJ outdoor stage.
-Dre- You must remember all the same that at the crux of every game is knowing when it's time to leave the table... And it's important to be artful in your exit. No turning back, you must accept the con is done... It was a ball, it was a blast. And it's a shame it couldn't last. But every chapter has to end, you must agree.
~Dirty Rotten Scoundrels~
There's a special kind of people known as show people. We live in a world full of dreams. Sometimes we're not too certain what's false and what's real. But we're seldom in doubt about what we feel.
~Curtains~
It is a far, far better thing I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest I go to, than I have ever known.
~A Tale of Two Cities ~
~Dirty Rotten Scoundrels~
~Curtains~
~A Tale of Two Cities ~
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