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Friday, October 14, 2011

Guide to Broadway

A couple of days ago I finished Seth Rudetsky's The Q Guide to Broadway. What a fantastic book! I've known about Seth for sometime, having read his other book, Broadway Nights and his Playbill column. I've been wanting to read this book for some time and I couldn't be happier. Seth gives advice on Broadway (and not really just musicals) from what shows to see to how to get tickets and anecdotes in between! One of my favorite stories that I didn't know was the story of Priscilla Lopez and her mishap one night during A Day in Hollywood/A Night n the Ukraine. Such an amazing story, it had me in tears!

Rating: 5/5 MUST READ

Seth gives two lists to new musical fans of cast records that they should own, one, that I consider "Major" shows and one that is "shows you've never heard of but you should". While I agree with some of the CDs on there (or the order their in) I don't agree with all of them. So I thought I'd give my own list:

1.  Aida
Who's in it: Adam Pascal (From Rent), Heather Headley, and Sherie Rene Scott 
Background: Very loosely based on Verdi's Opera of the same name, Aida (Heather Headley) is a Nubian slave captured by the Egyptian Radames (Adam Pascal), who has been engaged to Princess Amnaris (Sherie Rene Scott). Radames ends up falling in love with Aida but he must choose between his love for her and his love for his country.
Why: The scores (Tim Rice people!) and melodies are just fantastic. While the plot is kind of cheesy, the vocal and orchestral arrangements are not to miss.
 2. All Shook Up
Who's in it: Cheyenne Jackson, Jennifer Gambatese, Alix Korey to name a few
Background: Based on Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, ASU tells the story, using Elvis songs. 
Why: Well for one, the vocal arrangements. There are just some absolutely gorgeous melodies, harmonies, and chorus lines in the entire show. I was so blown that this show wasn't nominated for anything at that year's Tony Awards (Seth explains in the book above that some of it may have been backlash from people hating on jukebox musicals). Plus Cheyenne Jackson's voice is just phenomenal (Surprising tidbit, he was Will Chase's than Adam Pascal's standby than understudy in Aida!). He and Jenn have this amazing connection that comes across even in the cast album
3. Altar Boyz
Who's in it: Ryan Duncan, David Josefsberg, Andy Karl, Tyler Maynard and Scott Porter
Background: The musical is presented in real time as the final concert of the national "Raise the Praise" tour staged by the five-member group the Altar Boyz (Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan, and Abraham). The Altar Boyz perform their songs, with choreographed dancing in the style of boy bands, and present several scenes concerning the group and its origins, as well as each member's strengths and demons, as part of the concert. During the show, the Altar Boyz repeatedly turn to a machine on stage, the "Soul Sensor DX-12," which has a display that they explain shows the number of burdened souls in the theatre. Their goal is to reduce the number on the machine to zero by the end of the concert. (Source)
Sidenote: Just a random note, Cheyenne Jackson also originated this in many workshops and was going to do the show but then got the offer to do All Shook Up as the lead (he wasn't the original lead in that show).
Why?: The show not only has great catchy songs (like any boy band should) but it's got a great message at the end. However, because it does make fun of many Christian beliefs, I would not recommend this if your easily offended by such things.

4. Assassins (The Original Broadway Cast)
Who's in it: Among a plethora of huge names, Neil Patrick Harris
Background: This examines the people behind the presidential assassinations.
Why: It's written by the great composer Steven Sondheim and while I'm not Sondheim fan in general, this show is absolutely brilliant. 
5. Jekyll and Hyde (The original Broadway cast, though the London cast is excellent as well)
Who's in it: Linda Eder, Christiane Noll, and Emily Skinner to name a few
Background: based on the novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. The rest of the synopsis can be found at Wikipedia.
Why: The music is done by an absolute genius of a composer, Frank Wildhorn. Just gorgeous melodies
6. Miss Saigon
7. Oklahoma! (I personally recommend the Hugh Jackman version)
8.  Songs for a New World
9. State Fair
10. The Civil War
11. The Light in the Piazza
12. The Pajama Game



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