Wonderland OBCR out in May on Masterworks Broadway

[phantom39]

Posted: 3/4/11 at 12:29pm

"Wonderland, the new Broadway musical that reinvents "Alice in Wonderland" for the 21st century, will get a cast album from Masterworks Broadway. The score by composer Frank Wildhorn and lyricist Jack Murphy will be recorded March 6 for a release in May.

The album of Wonderland — A New Alice. A New Musical. will be produced by Frank Wildhorn, David Lai and Jason Howland."

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/148325-Wonderland-Troupe-Will-Record-Cast-Album-Prior-to-Broadway-Launch

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 3/4/11 at 12:45pm

Not to be too rude or blunt, but WHO keeps sponsoring and paying for Frank Wildhorn? I mean I wish this show well, but when has ANYTHING of his ever turned a profit?

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 3/4/11 at 1:24pm

Well, I'm thrilled. I love the songs and I'm glad they're learning from past mistakes and recording before the reviews come out.

[newintown]

Posted: 3/4/11 at 1:27pm

I wonder what I'll buy with the money I don't spend on this...

[philly03]

Posted: 3/4/11 at 1:45pm

Frank does work for Masterworks Broadway, I believe. Frank also has a lot of money to most likely invest in his own recordings (He was a pop writer for a couple of decades).

Not to mention all of his cast albums have been incredibly successful - The double-disc J&H was nominated for a Grammy, Count of Monte Cristo's English Concept album (with Brandi Burkhardt & Thomas Borchert) went platinum, The Civil War attracted a large talent base from the pop, country & Broadway worlds, etc etc

Shows aside, I'm sure the CRs make money.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 3/4/11 at 1:51pm

YES!!!!

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 3/4/11 at 3:47pm

The Count of Monte Cristo's English Concept album went platinum??? Really?? I thought I was one of the only people who owned it!

[madlibrarian]

Posted: 3/4/11 at 7:40pm

It is surprising that Wonderland, which many are predicting to flop, gets an album before much buzzier shows like, e.g., The Book of Mormon.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 3/4/11 at 7:57pm

^ I would imagine that they're trying to get it out as soon as possible as a marketing tool.

[rmusic11322]

Posted: 3/4/11 at 7:59pm

Good stuff.

[philly03]

Posted: 3/4/11 at 8:12pm

I agree - seems like a great marketing tool, especially as I still blieve the show's best asset is the score. None the less, I'm excited...

Yes, Count of Monte Cristo went platinum. Thomas Borchert & Pia Douwes, two of Europe's biggest musical theatre stars appeared on the album as well which couldn't hurt, following Frank's first major Euro hit "DRACULA."

[KChenowethfan]

Posted: 3/4/11 at 9:29pm

How much will this differ from the concept album apart from the cast changes? I'm not seeing the show until the end of the month so my only familiarity with it is the concept recording.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 3/4/11 at 9:59pm

^ The show orchestrations are almost completely different. I'm sure they're making more changes, but if the Broadway production ends up with a similar song list to the 2011 Tampa production then there are upwards of ten songs that are in the show that weren't included on the concept CD.

[sweetTb'way]

Posted: 3/4/11 at 11:01pm

Word is that new director and writer (Scott Ellis & Rupert Holmes) have done a massive overhaul on the show and that it's looking to be more promising than before. Big changes rather than quick patch work here and there apparently. The OBC album will sound completely different from the concept recording and include some new songs while dropping some others. And of course it's a marketing tool.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 3/4/11 at 11:42pm

I hope they don't cut Heroes but I hope they take care of that damned chess game that, thanks to the new revisions, pops up out of nowhere.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 3/5/11 at 12:08am

^ I really liked the structure of the show in Tampa so I'm hoping the song list doesn't change too much. It seems so strange to me that they would spend all that money on the little Pre-Broadway tryout and mini tour and then open cold on Broadway with a new book. It sort of renders the tryout relatively pointless.

[philly03]

Posted: 3/5/11 at 3:56am

The show got worse reviews in Tampa in January '11 than it did in '09, so I'd rather have them open cold as someone who saw both productions live. This past year was a mess, and made me disheartened. The new script for Broadway is much funnier than the '11 Tampa production, which quite frankly was trying to make this piece dramatic & serious, when it's a quirky-turned-heart warming story.

Concept album was orchestrated by Jeremy Roberts, and the show itself is orchestrated by Kim Scharnberg. Several songs have been cut, performers have been replaced, lyrics have changed... Definitely worth the new one since the Concept was recorded before the show played a performance. Although several of the orchestrations by Jeremy Roberts are much much better (ie Don't Wanna Fall in Love), so it's a matter of taste!


Only $3 MIL was spent on the original Tampa production, and the move to Houston wasn't much other than the move itself. The show itself needs work, there's far too many stupid elements that make no sense... If the productions had been reversed (ie: Tampa '11 first then Tampa '09) I would have been satisfied... I couldn't believe how far they went back! So I'm hoping for the best!

Therefore, the Tampa '11 tryout they must have realized wasn't good at all... I mean if you're getting lukewarm AT BEST reviews in Tampa, you've got a problem!

[Anakela]

Posted: 3/5/11 at 10:43am

Do any of you in the know know if they're bringing back "Love Begins" for Broadway?

[cfm3]

Posted: 3/5/11 at 9:07pm

Philly03, I'm not sure what you're basing your comments "the show got worse reviews in Tampa in January '11 than it did in '09...the new script for Broadway is much funnier than the '11 Tampa production."

First, the very limited number of reviews in the press for the Jan `11 production did state it needed more work, but also stated it was an improvement over the previous incarnation. Similarly, most online posts, here and elsewhere, agreed that it improved though needed more work.

As for the "funnier" Broadway script, proof will be given in a few weeks when it plays in front of a live audience during previews, and shouldn't be based on behind the scenes chatter during rehearsals. Just my opinion.

[sweetTb'way]

Posted: 3/5/11 at 10:27pm

From what I've heard concerning the cast recording......
"Love Begins" & "Don't Wanna Fall in Love" are no longer in the show. But "I Will Prevail" & "Heroes" remains. Some of the music has been reworked/rearranged. Having seen the original Tampa premiere in 2009 and not the most recent......I look forward to seeing the final result of this show, especially with the input and fresh eyes of a new director and writer.

[philly03]

Posted: 3/6/11 at 12:00am

cfm3 i reviewed the show, I saw the show in person, etc. It needs major work and has more major problems then it did before. (Thus why they brought in extra help???)

The reviews last year were decent, saying the script needed a re-work, obviously, etc.

But the reviews this year included (this is just ONE review) for the official Broadway TRY-OUT!
"I've now seen Wonderland in at least four different versions, including a production in Houston in February, and I think that Wildhorn and his colleagues still have a way to go before it has a chance of success."

"However, in an effort to clarify, the revamped book by director Gregory Boyd and lyricist Jack Murphy resorts to ponderous exposition...in the truncated opening scene."

"Shindle is a strong addition to the cast, but her character's story line is burdened with leftovers from earlier versions, such as the "de-braining machine," a Rube Goldberg contraption that is fun but kind of beside the point."

"but the narrative problems have persisted through rewrites by Boyd and Murphy."

and finishes "Wonderland might be able to get by on its iconic pedigree, infectious music, talented cast and high-tech staging. But I wouldn't count on it."



Darren Ritchie tweeted (certainly the best source...) that Holmes was brought in for the script change (& said it was funny). The show was not funny, and at times awkward in Tampa '11. I don't know if you saw it or you are basing this on what you have "heard."

[rmusic11322]

Posted: 3/6/11 at 1:09am

"Don't Wanna Fall in Love are no longer in the show."

But that's my favorite song on the concept album. *sniff* :'(

[philly03]

Posted: 3/6/11 at 2:48am

^^It's one of my favourites too. Jeremy Roberts did a great job with that orchestration on that album.

Who knows, it may still be in, as it was in the Tampa '11 run as well. Could be cut as well as it doesn't (well didn't) do anything for the story, but it's always been one of my favourites (as is Love Begins)!

Who knows, we may be getting more new songs as well!

[cfm3]

Posted: 3/6/11 at 8:43am

Philly03, I actually agree with some of your viewpoints on the show. It needs work, a lot in some areas. However, I just disagree with your broad interpretation of press reviews. That same review that you reference starts out “Wonderland is better” and “Wonderland is back, and it's bigger and brighter and more boffo than ever. Many of the changes made to the musical based on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass are definite improvements, as it prepares to bow on Broadway in April.”

My point, saying the show received “worse reviews in Tampa in January '11 than it did in '09” is not accurate, but more of a reflection of your personal views. To be frank, there are hardly any reputable reviews to reference from the January '11 incarnation, and the one you do reference says it improved but with many caveats.

Secondly, thanks for pointing out that Ritchie tweeted the new script “was funny,” but to me, that’s not enough to say “the new script for Broadway is much funnier than the '11 Tampa production.”

I truly enjoy reading your assessment of shows. However, I think we all need to be careful about making broad statements about general perception in the press or future show direction, some of which may be colored with our own personal viewpoint.

Enjoy the new Broadway version. Updated On: 3/6/11 at 08:43 AM

[elphaba.scares.me]

Posted: 3/6/11 at 12:19pm

Sigh. Once again:

The '11 Tampa production was not a tryout. It ran less than two weeks and was primarily an out-of-town tech with a handful of public previews. Reviewers were not invited, although some did come.

There were one or two reviews in actual (local) newspapers, compared to probably two dozen during the last go-round (Tampa and Houston)--and those (Variety, for example) were big-time publications whose reviews mean box office. You give an awful lot of weight to the St. Petersburg Times if you hold it up against a much greater volume of reviews the last time around.

And basically, that review said the show needed work...and work has been done. Big work. So hold your horses for another couple of weeks and you can see it!

I am not counting message board opinions/reviews in the tally.