Which Highlights Cd to Upgrade?

[Roger246]

Posted: 8/30/08 at 9:38pm

I was thinking of spending some extra money and buying the full version of one of the following Highlights versions I have.

The two I have are:

Songs from Ragtime
and
Highlights from Miss Saigon

Which of the two, do you guys think is the most essential to hear in its entirety?

Thanks in advance.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 8/30/08 at 10:07pm

Ragtime. But, if you do get Miss Saigon you have to get the complete 1995 studio cast not the original London cast. The London cast is on two discs but it's not really complete.

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 8/30/08 at 10:24pm

The performers are much better on the London cast... IMO... though Hinton Battle and Ruthie Henshall make a strong case for the recording by themselves.

[Eagleman]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 1:08am

Roger, "Ragtime" is REALLY special. I think there might be one song in the show that I thought could have been cut but the extended versions of "The Night Goldman Spoke at Union Hall" and "Sarah Brown Eyes" are wonderful. The best part of the C.D. set (Broadway) for me is the dialogue that follows the second act song when Tateh (?) and "Mother" watch their kids playing on the beach:

Both
See them running down the beach.
Children run so fast
Toward the future
From the past.
There they stand,
Making footprints in the sand,
And forever hand in hand,
Our children.
Two small lives,
Silhouetted by the blue,
One like me
And one like you.
Our children.
Our children.

Mother
Well.

Tateh
You say that often. "Well."

Mother
It's because I don't know what to say, Baron.

Tateh
I'm not a Baron, of course. I'm a poor immigrant, a Jew,
who points a camera so that his child can dress as beautifully
as a princess. I want to drive from her memory every tenement
stench and filthy immigrant street. I will buy her light and
sun and clean wind of the ocean for the rest of her life. Now
you know me. Now you understand. I am no Baron. I am Tateh.

Mother
Now I know even less what to say.

Tateh
Now it's my turn. Well.

Mother
Thank you for your confidence. I shall keep it here. (touches heart).

I get verklempt whenever I hear that.

There is also a very powerful moment when Booker T. Washington attempts to talk Coal House into giving himself up and the dialogue prior to a reprise of "Wheels of a Dream" really ties everything up marvelously.

It's just about as close as you can get to hearing the entire show. The C.D. set should have really won a Grammy.







Updated On: 8/31/08 at 01:08 AM

[BDrischBDemented]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 10:02am

"Ragtime"... there's really no question about it.

[jeff_thedancer]

Posted: 8/31/08 at 10:47am

As much as i love Saigon (seen it 4 times) Ragtime is a Must.