The current revival of the 1966 musical comedy, with Christina Applegate in
the role originated by Gwen Verdon, is a great deal of fun in the theater
and this recording captures the sound of that fun. (Click
here to read our
review of that show now playing at the Al Hirschfeld.)
While the classic recording of the
original
Broadway production is currently available on CD, its sound quality didn't make the
transition to the digital age gracefully. This new recording, using the
slightly reduced charts that benefit from orchestrator Don Sebesky's skill
with full bass brass sounds, provides a much better sound even if it doesn't
have Ralph Burns' original charts and the performances of the incomparable
original cast. As if to make up for that, the package includes six bonus
tracks of interest. |
Storyline: A dance-hall girl with a heart of gold always looks on the bright
side of every situation and always believes she's about to have that big
love that will let her live happily ever after. She finally does seem to
find "Mr. Right" when they are stranded in an elevator, but this
relationship falls apart as well. She's hurt but picks herself up one more
time with the conviction that happiness is still just around the corner.
The full score, with its jazzy spirit of
optimism, is captured in bright clear sound on 18 tracks running a total of
53 minutes. Applegate is a fine Charity with spirited and personable
performances of "You Should See Yourself," "If My Friends Could See Me Now"
and "I'm a Brass Band." The disc captures Paul Schoeffler's full toned
near-baritone which makes "Too Many Tomorrows" a thrill, gives a nice sample
of Dennis O'Hare's persona in both "I'm The Bravest Individual" and the
title song (note Sebesky's thumping Nelson Riddle-ish chart on this) and the
buddy number that Janine LaManna and Kyra Da Costa share, "Baby, Dream Your
Dream." The big Act I dance number, "Rich Man's Frug" comes across on disc
as a great deal of fun even if you can't see the dances. Unfortunately, the
disc also gives evidence of the reason for the biggest disappointment of the
show, the pallid vocal performance of Rhett George in the one-number role of
the head of a hip hippie church, "The Rhythm of Life."
After the full score, the disc offers up another
dozen minutes with six bonus tracks. One is a previously unheard verse for
the show's star's song of decision and self-revelation "Where Am I Going?"
Another is the previously available "Big Spender" from
An Evening with Dorothy Fields, and there are four songs being sung by
composer Cy Coleman in the demonstration recording he made to play for
potential investors in the show back in 1963. One, "Gimme A Rain Check" is a song that was cut before the show opened. It had been available before in
Volume IV of Bruce Kimmel's wonderful
Lost in Boston series on Varese
Sarabande.
The colorful package includes a fold-up
booklet that provides interesting notes by Will Friedwald of the New York
Sun and a dozen photographs from the show. Those photographs concentrate on
the individual performers in character which gives you a good feel for the
characterizations and the costumes of William Ivey Long but little feel for
the bright and inventive set design of Scott Pask. The lack of a synopsis is
a shame for those who haven't seen the show, and thus don't know how each
song works in the story. The enunciation of the entire cast is clearly
caught so the absence of printed lyrics is less acutely felt.
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