Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Feb 27: Gospel On Broadway

Blow, Gabriel, Blow-Patti LuPone, Anything Goes [1987 Broadway Revival Cast]
Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat-Walter Bobbie, Guys and Dolls [1992 Broadway Revival Cast] (RCA Victor)
Mysterious Ways-Chantylla Johnson, Zipporah G. Gatling, Cast, The Color Purple [Original Broadway Cast] (Angel)
We Beseech Thee-Cast, Godspell [Original Off-Off-Broadway Cast] (Arista)
Simon Zealotes-Tony Vincent, Jesus Christ Superstar [London Revival Cast]
The Crossing-Cast, Big River
till We Reach That Day-Brian Stokes Mitchell, Ragtime [Original Broadway Cast Disc 1] (RCA Victor Broadway)
Light at the End of the Tunnel-Cast, Starlight Express [Original London Cast] Disc 2
The Meek Shall Inherit-Cast, Little Shop of Horrors [Original Soundtrack]
Mabel's Prayer edit-Dioni Michelle Collins, Fame [Original Cast Recording] (DRG)
Run, Freedom, Run!-Hunter Foster, Urinetown (RCA)
Waiting for the Light to Shine reprise-Cast, Big River
Everybody Rejoice-Cast, The Wiz [Original Cast Recording] (Atlantic)
This Time of Year-Cast, Finian's Rainbow [1960 Broadway Revival Cast Recording] (RCA Victor)
It Ain't Necessarily So-Dallas Symphony, Porgy And Bess Orchestral Suite 1996

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Feb 20: Based on the Life Of ,,,

Rose Hovak: Some People-Ethel Merman/Stephen Sondheim, Gypsy [Original Broadway Cast] (Nonesuch)
Rose Louise and June Hovak: If Momma Was Married-Lane Bradbury/Sandra Church, Gypsy [Original Broadway Cast] (Nonesuch)
Evelyn Nesbit: The Crime of the Century-Ensemble/Lynnette Perry, Ragtime [Original Broadway Cast Disc 1] (RCA Victor Broadway)
Nesbit and Harry Houdini: The Show Biz-Jim Corti/Lynnette Perry, Ragtime [Original Cast Recording - RCA] (BMG)
Queen Catherine of Aragon: As Once I Loved You-Barbara Andres, Rex [Original Cast] (RCA)
King Henry VIII: The Chase-Ed Evanko/Merwin Goldsmith/Tom Aldredge, Rex [Original Cast] (RCA)
Eva and Juan Peron: I'd be Surprisingly Good for You-Patti LuPone, Bob Gunton, Evita (BMG/Jupiter)
Emma Goldman: What Does a Man Do...?-Anne L. Nathan, Assassins [Original Broadway Cast] (P.S. Classics)
The Night That Goldman Spoke at Union Square-Camille Saviola/Steven Sutcliffe, Ragtime [Original Cast Recording - RCA] (BMG)
Maggie Brown: I Ain't Down Yet-Bill Starr/Bob Dalley/Sterling Clark/Tammy Grimes, The Unsinkable Molly Brown [Original Broadway Cast] (Capitol)
Titanic Passengers: The 1st Class Roster-Matthew Bennett, Victoria Clark, Cast, Titanic: A New Musical (RCA)
Maria and Georg Von Trap: An Ordinary Couple-Mary Martin/Theodore Bikel, The Sound of Music [Original Broadway Cast] [Bonus Tracks] (Sony BMG)
Annie Oakley: You Can't Get a Man With a Gun-Mary Martin, Annie Get Your Gun [TV Soundtrack] (Angel)
George M. Cohan: Give My Regards to Broadway-Joel Grey, George M! [Original Cast] (Sony)
"Mama" Rose: Rose's Turn-Angela Lansbury, Gypsy [Original London Cast] (RCA)

Thursday, February 07, 2008

Soap box: Shows I wish would play Spokane

I got an email this week from someone asking what shows I'd like to see come to Spokane. So at the risk of sounding self-important, here's my list of what I think MIGHT come through town, and the list of what I WISH would come through town.

The companies that produce touring shows have advertised several that might still be running in the 2008-09 season. They include the Man of La Mancha, The Will Rogers Follies, Fame, Grease, Ring of Fire, Fiddler on the Roof, and Evita. They're all valid choices for a Best of Broadway or other tour, but they're not high on my wish list. The advertised ones that I'd really LIKE to see come to town are:

- Wicked (pop-y music, great fun, huge hit - it's on every theater group's wish list)
- 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (a bit risque but fun)
- Pajama Game (a fun little classic, featuring Steam Heat)
- Color Purple (the second act has problems, but all in all a good rendition of a fabulous novel)

Then there are the shows that don't have a national tour, but I hope that at least one of the theater organizations around the Inland Northwest is seriously considering. They are:
- Light in the Piazza
- Drowsy Chaperone
- Avenue Q
- Grey Gardens

And then there are some older or more obscure shows that I think might have a different spin today and give audiences something new to enjoy. A partial list of them: Dear World, Working, The Apple Tree, The Baker's Wife, Wonderful Town, Unsinkable Molly Brown, High Society, Kismet, Mack and Mabel, Strike Up The Band.

In any case, the theaters are starting to announce their shows for the coming season. Actually, we know Coeur d'Alene's season this summer (Les Miserables, Once Upon and Mattress, La Cage aux Folles, and All Shook Up) and Civic's season (with even more musicals than usual). Best of Broadway will announce before too long, and I'll climb up on my soapbox then, too ;-)

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Feb 6: Lullabies of Broadway

A couple of weeks ago I was having problems with my CD burner. That's how I make the Matinee program for KPBX - I burn a CD from my home computer. Turns out there was a problem again, and this week's show didn't copy correctly. Verne pulled an archive CD of a program from 2006 - Lullabies of Broadway. I'll look for that playlist later this week and post it here as soon as possible. But I have to say some of these songs playing today I haven't heard in a while, and I'm loving hearing Liz Callaway's voice and Mary Martin's and all of these wondeful soft lullabies. I hope you're enjoying this lemons-to-lemonade technical difficulty as much as I am.

Feb 6: Jazz Restaged

The Joint Is Jumpin' - Eugene Barry-Hill/Michael-Leon Wooley/The Pointer Sisters, Ain't Misbehavin' (The New Cast Recording) (RCA Victor Broadway)
It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) - De Shields, Andre/Larry Marshall/Lawrence Hamilton/Yvette Cason, Play On [Original Broadway Cast] (Varese)
Hit Me With a Hot Note (And Watch Me Bounce) - Carl Anderson/Cheryl Freeman/Duke's Band, Play On [Original Broadway Cast] (Varese)
Play the Music for Me - Tonya Pinkins, Jelly's Last Jam (Mercury)
Prelude to a Kiss - Carl Anderson/Cheryl Freeman, Play On [Original Broadway Cast] (Varese)
Medley: Hurry Home/I Know What I've Got/Is You Is or Is You Ain't ... - Company, Five Guys Named Moe [Original London Cast] (First Night)
Bessie Smith Blues - Bertrice Reading, The Jazz Train [Bonus Tracks] (Sepia Recordings)
I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues - Carrie Smith, Black & Blue [Original Broadway Cast] (DRG)
Blues in the Night - Ann Hampton Callaway, Swing [Original Broadway Cast] (Sony)
Am I Blue - Carrie Smith/Claude"Fiddler"Williams, Black & Blue [Original Broadway Cast] (DRG)
Black and Blue - Eugene Barry-Hill/Michael-Leon Wooley/The Pointer Sisters, Ain't Misbehavin' (The New Cast Recording) (RCA Victor Broadway)
That's How You Jazz - Crowd/Gregory Hines/Stanley Wayne Mathis, Jelly's Last Jam (Mercury)
Let the Good Times Roll - Ron Taylor, It Ain't Nothin But the Blues (MCA)
Choo Choo Ch'Boogie - Company/Paul J. Medford, Five Guys Named Moe [Original London Cast] (First Night)
There Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens - Clarke Peters/Newton, Peter Alex, Five Guys Named Moe [Original London Cast] (First Night)
Caravan - Gotham City Gates, Swing [Original Broadway Cast] (Sony)