What was "On The Record" about?

[Born2cthelightsofbway]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 10:07pm

What was "on the record" about? and also, is it planning on coming to broadway?

[timote316]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 10:10pm

Basically, it was a review of Disney songs. They tried to put it into a story (a group of people recording a CD). They originally had their eyes on Broadway, I believe, but that fell apart when people realized that the show was horrible. That being said, I regret not seeing it when it was in Boston...

[Jon]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 10:13pm

It was about squeezing some cash out of old Disney tunes.

Seriously - in the show, they are supposedly recording a CD. You could then buy the CD in the lobby! Wow - it's Disney magic!

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 10:15pm

Emily Skinner was supposed to star in it but I believe she had a frequent absense record
2 guys from Altar Boyz were in it too, I think Andy Karl and Tyler Maynard

[Jon]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 10:18pm

The Chicago Sun-Times critic said that Emily Skinner seemed to be trying to emulate Bargbara Cook - not only in voice, but in physique as well.

OUCH!

[almostxfamous]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 10:25pm

Yeah, Tyler and Andy were in it.

Oh, Andy and his bass voice on 'Elephants on Parade' is LOOOVE.*sings*

Eh, who cares if the plot line sucked. Old Disney songs are fun to dance around the house to. Er, or is that just me?

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 8/23/05 at 11:31pm

Nope, Emily left on her own. She did not enjoy it...I could tell opening night.

(revue*)

Updated On: 8/23/05 at 11:31 PM

[Jilani]

Posted: 8/24/05 at 12:37am

Anyone who was expecting a plot was bound to be disappointed. I'm not sure why people would expect one, though, since it was billed as a revue. I went in knowing it was a revue, and being a fan of Disney music, I thought it was very well-conceived and performed. I also remember reading on jimhillmedia.com that the show was never intended for Broadway (which makes sense - it wouldn't work there), but rather solely as a touring vehicle.

In any case, despite the show's relative lack of commercial success, at least it launched Ashley Brown into the role of Belle on Broadway - I have no dobut she will be terrific.

[whimsical]

Posted: 8/24/05 at 2:11pm

Ashley Brown's voice was phenomenal and worth the ticket price alone.

I love the CDs and I listen to them all the time. Of course, the music is the best part of the show (I love the arrangements for the He's a Tramp duet and the beginning section with I Wanna Be Like You, Lavendar Blue, and I Just Can't Wait to be King). I was disappointed when I actually went to see the show but it wasn't awful.

Basically, if you buy the CDs, you'll have practically seen the show. There are definitely no plot surprises or anything like that. :)
Updated On: 8/24/05 at 02:11 PM

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 8/24/05 at 2:15pm

On The Record was about the worst theatrical piece I ever sufferred through.

[GirlfriendFromCanada]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 7:22pm

Is there anyway to find out which performers sing what on the CD, before you buy it?

[Fosse76]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 8:39pm

It wasn't billed as a revue it was billed as a musical. And the plot involved stealing money from 2000 theatergoers and forcing them to sit through badly re-orchestrated Disney songs.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 8:49pm

"On The Record" was probably one of the most boring/pointless shows I've ever seen. "What is it about?" It's a revue about nothing pretending to be a musical about a young couple in love and an older couple...sure. Knowing it was a Disney show I expected one of those big spectacles crowd-pleasing shows that characterize Disney; however, it was so tedious. The way they mixed some of the songs was annoying. Ashley Brown was amazing though, her voice was so overwhelming and it caused such a great impact on the audience! She's the only reason I didn't leave after the first act.

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 8:49pm

For the first couple of cities, it was billed as a musical. I have seen many logos/posters that say 'revue' on them.

[Princeton78]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 10:41pm

Ugh..
This show was meant to be a revue and anyone expecting a plot shouldn't be crabbing about being robbed. The show was exactly what it promised to be.....6 great singers singing Disney Music for 2 hours. There was a razor-thin plot and minimal choreography, but if you went in, as I did, expecting a revue, you were most likely pleased. The sold-out audience I saw it with ate it up. Noone seemed dissapointed.

[Jilani]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 11:04pm

I agree completely with you, Princeton78. The CD says "A New Musical Revue." In my Playbill, it says "Starring the Music and Lyrics of," followed by the names of the composers and lyricists, and then "with" followed by the names of the cast. The star of that production was the songs, and the singers performed them beautifully. The Boston audience I saw it with loved it. (None of which is meant to discount the opinions of people who disliked the show.)

[wickedkiwi]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 11:16pm

this review should have been done more like putting it together. it was just an excuse to play songs, but it DID have a basic plot. at least the "acting" in that show was convinicing enough to consider the show as a story carrying one.

i haven't seen on the record though. i think it should be razzled dazzled a little and placed permanently in the disney theme parks - thats where the show belongs and we all know it.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 7:43am

I bought the CD for Kaitlin Hopkins and Kaitlin Hopkins alone. The show itself is painfully bad, despite Ms. Hopkins' best efforts.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 10:44am

It was BILLED as a MUSICAL in Chicago. anyone who saw it there had the right to expect a show with at least some semblence of plot, as opposed to badly re-orchestrated Disney songs. It doesn't matter what the cast recording calls it, since it came out when the show was closing on the road.

[beenthere]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 5:17pm

It was about two hours and forty minutes of painful theme park schtick with some nice voices. Saw it in Philly and (first time in my life) left before the final bows!

[Jilani]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 5:54pm

Fosse76, in that case, I agree with you . . . Disney had no business billing the show as a musical with a story, and if they did that, they deserve all the negative response. I hope you didn't pay full price to see the show.

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 5:57pm

Fosse, in my last post on this thread, you will see I said:

"For the first couple of cities, it was billed as a musical. I have seen many logos/posters that say 'revue' on them."

Chicago was the second or third city after Cleveland.