Posted by William E. Lurie @ 10/17/2002 06:04 AM PST

What an incendiary subject for a Thursday! If I listed those horrible cds in my collection(and there are a few which didn't go to the record trading stores) I should begin to feel like Edward Woodward in THE WICKER MAN!
I don't buy a lot of pop albums without having listened a bit to them first either online or at the store, so I really can't think of a single pop album in my collection that I've been disappointed by; HOWEVER:
Broadway Cast Recordings:
THE WILD PARTY (Lippa; and I know this has its supporters, I just ain't one of them).
MARIE CHRISTINE (which should make any of those Lippa supporters happy that I included a LaChuisa score).
HELLO, AGAIN (which should make the Lippa supporters jump for joy).
It took me at least seven tries to make it through the entire cd of MARIE CHRISTINE, and I just didn't feel it was worth the effort, maybe had they interpolated Randy Newman's brilliant "Marie" (recorded by our very own wonderful Guy), it might have worked.
I should add that I love every second of LaChiusa's THE WILD PARTY, and if it were on vinyl, my copy would have been worn out by now.
SEUSSICAL, as much as I adore Ahrens and Flaherty, even the dreaded animated featured ANASTASIA, this one never worked for me.

Posted by td @ 10/17/2002 06:14 AM PST

Monday's paper is not the least read. Saturday's is. When a show opens on a Friday night, that's when the producers are trying to bury the reviews. Many people don't even subscribe to Saturday's New York Times, but get it every other day of the week. Many shows in the past have opened on a weekend for Monday reviews. With regards to Amour, people like it, people hate it. Personally, I don't think it will be around long, but I haven't seen it yet to offer my own opinion. Friends of ours saw it who are not avid theater-goers and didn't like it at all. It's short, only 1 1/2 hours, with no intermission, but that's not determinative of quality.

Posted by steveg @ 10/17/2002 06:22 AM PST

I have seen AMOUR and you can check the archives of 10/12 for more details, but basically I think that people who liked "Umbrellas" and "Young Girls" will like it but it is not for the tourists. The biggest fault is the libretto --- stupid plot and poor translations. As for the length, it is just right. Any less and it would need a companion one act; any more and it would feel bloated.

Often with a Friday opening the reviews don't appear until Monday anyway.

Regarding the 2 WILD PARTIES my feeling is the Lipa came off much better on stage than on CD and the LaChiusa came off much better on CD than on stage.

CDs I can't listen to: FLOYD COLLINS, MARIE CHRISTINE and PASSIONS come to mind although I think the reissue of BRAVO GIOVANNI will be joining that list after I try one more time.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 10/17/2002 06:42 AM PST

I will have to confine my answers to the worst cast recording CDs that I own.

I will agree with td in saying that I found little to enjoy in MARIE CHRISTINE, except for the presence of the wonderful Audra MacDonald. Sadly, even she could not save yet another pretentious LaChiusa score. His score for the WILD PARTY had its moments, but I will admit to preferring the Lippa version, even if at times it is a guilty pleasure.

I will also defend the cast recording of SEUSSICAL, and not just because I am a fan of Flaherty & Ahrens. I have a young son who made me listen to this show every day for weeks (!) and it taught me to approach the score from his point of view. Taken at its own level, the show offers a multitude of pleasures, even if they are sometimes buried in a confused melange of a book.

Scores whose CDs only received one playing - which, given that I always play a CD three times to determine how much I like it, is indicative of a show that I truly did not feel warranted another moment of my time - are, in alphabetical order:

AFTER THE FAIR (too precious)
BUGSY MALONE (won this in the MTI contest)
NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (never worked for me)
OIL CITY SYMPHONY (ugh! also won this in the MTI contest)
ROBBER BRIDEGROOM (far and away the worst cast recording I have ever heard, in spite of one good song - "Sleepy Man", which is sung better by Liz Callaway.
SECRETS EVERY SMART TRAVELLER SHOULD KNOW (again from the MTI contest)

There are other CDs that I don't listen to very often, but will occasionally pull of the shelf to hear one song or two. And there are others that I don't particularly care for, but I recognize the quality of the work and can understand why others might enjoy them. They just don't work for me.

Which raises an interesting couple of wrinkles to today's question:

Which cast recordings do you own that you don't enjoy, even though the shows are widely recognized as classics?

Which cast recordings would you never listen to at all, except that they are redeemed by one song?

On another note, I recently received my copies of two new cast recordings - HAIRSPRAY and BOMBAY DREAMS - and so far have yet to figure out what the fuss is all about. I will keep listening, though.

Posted by Dave @ 10/17/2002 07:04 AM PST

Sideshow. Never made it all the way through.

Posted by Laura @ 10/17/2002 08:16 AM PST

Cast recording CDs I will probably never listen to again:
Victor/Victoria (how could they ruin such a marvelous film?)
Jekyll & Hyde (jaw-droppingly bad)
Oil City Symphony
Robber Bridegroom
(Yes, Dave, I won the last two over at MTI, too....what ever happened to the contest???)

There are probably others, but these are the ones I remember as being the most painful.

Posted by Pam @ 10/17/2002 08:17 AM PST

I have plenty of CDs I despise -- MAJOR disappointments. They are not, however, musicals or vocals. They are re-recordings of movie scores.

I get into the occasional fracas on discussion lists about film music when I say I'm disappointed. I get accused of not being able to accept alternate "interpretations" of a film's score. My response is always this: If anyone is going to present a complete film score, with artwork from the film and lots of hoo-haw about how the score parts were reconstructed, etc., then the fershluganah re-recording OUGHT to resemble the original score in some fashion, preferably in tempo, orchestration, performance (!!!!) etc.

Many are presented as complete score rerecordings but are actually processed as "concertized" peformances with very low lows and speaker-shattering highs.

In some great films, you hear isolated violin soli, french horn soli, cello soli....but they seem to be missing in rerecordings because someone believes you won't hear such soli in a concert hall!

Well, BAH! I say! HAH! I also say. And PTOOEY, too!

Some of the worst offenders are film composers re-recording their own works, too! Elmer Bernstein did an album called "Elmer Bernstein and the RPO Pops." There is ONE, count it, ONE reason to buy that CD -- a lovely rendition (and the only recording of this music) of his theme for "Hollywood and the Stars" -- a David L. Wolper TV series from the 1960s that featured an achingly beautiful theme that echoes of times past.

The rest of the performances are sooooo sluggish. Blame it on Bernstein, blame it on the orchestra, blame it on a tight recording schedule without adequate rehearsal time or blame it on the fershluganah bossa nova. And therein lies most of the problem, anyway -- lack of rehearsal time. Some scores are very complex and most of the re-recordings are done with orchestras that do not have the extraordinary talents of the LA musician pool...those AFM musicians who can sight read to perfection!

Well now, I certainly got carried away. Yes I did.

Whew! Nearly broke a sweat, too.

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 10/17/2002 09:14 AM PST

First, I must commiserate with our dear BK on his early arousal... I mean arisal. I myself arise at 4:50 four days a week in order to get to work by 7 or 7:30. That time includes two cups of coffee, putting up another pot for my Joe, emptying the dishwasher, emptying the trash (or bringing in the garbage can two days a week)a shower, a possible post on this here site, some recreation (like watching Hidden Hills this morning) and a 25 to 45 minute commute depending on traffic.

That BK can arise at 5:15 and be at work by six speaks of superhuman powers. I need a full hour at the very least to pull myself out of dreamland.

I'm sure many bad CD's will come to my mind, but right now I recall these:

A Beach Boys CD touted as their first record, which turned out to be some of their eventual hits recorded in their garage. The sound quality left a bit to be desired.

Elton John's Aïda. I guess it's a musical for people who don't like musicals, 'cause it sure as heck ain't a musical for people who do like musicals.

Tim Rice's one semi-clever lyric for "Dress Is My Strong Suit" is totally drowned out by production values.

Posted by William F. Orr @ 10/17/2002 10:04 AM PST

What are these MTI contests that have been getting mentioned a lot recently? The only MTI that I am aware of is the leasing firm founded by the late Frank Loesser which licenses musicals to schools, community theatres and stock companies similar to Tams-Witmark and Ted Chapin. Is this the same MTI and if so do you have to be in the business of leasing one of their shows to enter?

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 10/17/2002 10:05 AM PST

I, too, seemed to get my share of one-time-listen-CDs from the MTI contest...

Oil City Symphony - The show needs to be seen to be appreciated. The intended amateur feel to the show comes across on stage fine, but on record - or CD - it just comes across as bad performances.

Secrets Every Smart Traveller Should Know - It somehow found an audience when it ran, and was deemed good enough to get a cast recording on a major label... I don't get it.

Oh, there was a showtunes album released by an English singer that I picked up in the cut-out bin at Tower many years ago. Can't remember his name right now, but he was backed by a full symphony and John McGlinn was the conductor. It had quite the selection of songs: "Finishing the Hat", "Bring Him Home", "On the Street Where You Live", "Maria" (most of them transposed down a few keys) etc.. It's been so long since I've even looked at it, that I can't remember what was on it. I wouldn't say the singing was horrible, but he certainly was not the right voice type for all the material he chose. And - possibly bringing up another topic - he has/d that typical English reedy quality to his voice. So much so, that it sounded like he was off pitch most of the time whenever he had to hold out a note. -Boy, do I wish I could remember his name... He's done quite a bit of work, but this album really didn't sit well with me. I remember passing it around to people to get their opinion, and most of them never made it past the first two tracks. Oh, but the cover photo him of him was nice and handsome.

*I'm sure there is some Hainsie/Kimlet out there who knows who I'm talking about. I believe he started out in France in the movies - ???? And I believe he was in the RNT production of A Little Night Music.

Aida - I listened to it a few times, and after I played in the pit for the tour stop in DC, I can't listen to it anymore. Weird tempos, horrible edits in songs (I guess they wanted to make sure the dance arranger got a good "mention"), and Adam Pascal is recorded way too close. Actually, imho, even Heather Headley is not recorded too flatteringly. *At least it was nice to hear that they tweaked a bunch of the dance sections and tempos after they opened - but then that makes the cast recording "behind the times" in the respect.

Oh, there's one track I pass on whenever I put on the duets album that Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu released - "Tonight" from West Side Story. If you thought the Carreras and Te Kanawa recording was not quite right...

There are a few more I know I could list, but my minor sinus infection is keeping my thoughts cloudy. This too shall pass. I think I'll hit "Post" now...

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 10/17/2002 10:17 AM PST

For Mr. Lurie et al.. (Who is this Al anyway?)

MTI is indeed the licencing company. For about three years, they had a contest on their web-site (mtishows.com) called "Who Am I?" It was a clue based contest where each day of the week - sometimes not, however - a line from a limerick would be listed on the contest page. By the end of the week, you had the full limerick - five lines - and five clues as to who they were talking about. Oh, you had to guess which character in a show they were describing. Some of them were very easy, and some of them were a little ambiguous at times, and some of them were just plain hard. Well, if you happened to be one of the winners for the week, you were sent a CD from MTI's collection. At the end of the contest year, whoever had won the most weekly contests won a Grand Prize and they also gave out Runner Up prizes.

*There was many a week where I would dig through their on-line database trying to get some help from their own descriptions. However, there were a few times when the descriptions for a show in which the "winning character" was in, would somehow come up blank when you brought up the info page.

They still have the contest page listed, but there hasn't been a new weekly quiz for over a year now I guess.

Some of the CDs I was more than happy to get - especially the runner-up prize one year of the complete Most Happy Fella on Jay - saved me a lot of money on that purchase. Some of the CDs also just helped to fill out my so-called "reference" recordings. ;-)

And the year I won the Grand Prize, I received an autographed copy of Steven Suskin's "Show Tunes".

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 10/17/2002 10:29 AM PST

-And anyone could enter who accessed the web-site.

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 10/17/2002 10:30 AM PST

Jose - I think the 'English' singer you're talking about is Lambert Wilson? If it is, I have a feeling he may be French, either that or Franglais. I'm just about to leave work to go home, so I'll check it when I get home.

And excuse me, but '"typically English" reedy quality'??? A guy could take exception!

Posted by Allan @ 10/17/2002 10:36 AM PST

LaChiusa's WILD PARTY (I love the Lippa version)
LaChiusa's MARIE CHRISTINE
LaChiusa's HELLO AGAIN (though I gave this one a very hearty try)
Lloyd Webber's BEAUTIFUL GAME
SECRETS..TRAVELLER SHOULD KNOW (thanks MTI)
The New INTO THE WOODS
HONK! (Don't think I ever made it all the way through on that one)
SEUSSICAL
AIDA
THE LION KING
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (sorry Disney...)
Mandy Patinkin: Oscar and Steve
Bernadette Peters Loves Rodgers and Hammerstein
Michael Crawford: Songs from Stage and Screen
Colm Wilkinson: Stage Heroes
et cetera...et cetera....et cetera...

Posted by Jason @ 10/17/2002 10:42 AM PST

Thanks Jose. I logged on to the website and checked out the contest link where it said "There is no new contest this week". I did look at some of the previous answers and I see what you mean how some were very easy and some very difficult. Since there were no dates for the previous contests I have no idea how long "this week" has been.

But what surprised me most about the site is that they are pushing a high school version of LES MIZ they license to high schools all over the country while the original is still on Broadway (with a closing date announced). And what have they changed to make it a high school version? Over the years I have seen many high school productions of classic musicals that ranged in quality from Broadway-callibar to so-awful-it's-fun, but the one thing they had in common was the use of the original script and score (with occasional very minor "censorship"). Have High School Arts Programs changed so much that the students are not capable of doing non-simplified versions of shows (or are the teachers not capable of directing them)? Will they still license the original version of the show if a school wants to do it or is only LES MIZ LIGHT now available to them?

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 10/17/2002 11:14 AM PST

The last time a similar topic came up, I was urged to re-assess some of the CD's on my list. I changed by opinion of some of the CD's. Another listen to others merely confirmed my previous judgment.

"Assassins" (OC)

"Three Guys Naked From the Waist Down" (OC)

Matt Zarley's Solo CD for Fynsworth Alley

I borrowed "Side Show" from DR Laura. I guess I should say Dear Reader Laura. Abbreviating it makes it look like Dr. Laura, and we don't want to go there. I liked parts of it, but thought much was a real shame.

Michael Crawford's Songs from Stage and Screen

"Phantom of the Opera" (OC)

"Sunset Boulevard" (OC)

"Passion" (OC)

I know there are others, but this is enough for now. If I started going through my LP's, I'm sure I could find many more.

Posted by Kerry @ 10/17/2002 11:26 AM PST

Well, Kerry, I'm not going to get into "how can you possibly not like...?" or "you need to listen to.... again."

But I will very rudely jump up and down and say:

YOU BOUGHT MATT ZARLEY'S ALBUM?

YOU BOUGHT MATT ZARLEY'S ALBUM?

YOU BOUGHT MATT ZARLEY'S ALBUM?

YOU BOUGHT MATT ZARLEY'S ALBUM?

YOU BOUGHT MATT ZARLEY'S ALBUM?

Posted by William F. Orr @ 10/17/2002 11:30 AM PST

Stop the presses.

A Google Search has just revealed to me a little-known fact.

The Bruce Kimmel produced album Cole Porter: A Musical Toast
actually has a cut of "Love for Sale" sung by... Matt Zarley.

Now I have to give it a listen and find out what the gentleman's voice actually sounds like, since you can't really hear it on his recently overproduced album.

Posted by William F. Orr @ 10/17/2002 11:43 AM PST

Allan - I knew as soon as I hit post that I should have found another way to phrase my "typical English voice" remark. Sorry. Oh, and BINGO! It is Lambert Wilson - and I believe he is originally from France - and has worked a lot in Britain. But I still can't find a gentler way to put that remark unless I end taking up a lot of posting space. I guess, for me, what it comes down to is how drastic at times the original English cast recordings and subsequent Broadway cast recordings can differ. Two big examples are the original concept album of Evita and, more recently, Mamma Mia!.

Evita's concept album has always puzzled me. I came to know it after I had heard both the Paige and LuPone recordings. Now, I know it came out much earlier, and since it was a concept album, I can overlook some of my personal quibbles, but Julie Covington's (it was she, wasn't it) reading just doesn't sound right to me. The piece seems to cry out for a belter, and she's definitely more of a mixer.

Mamma Mia! is, first of all, a badly produced album, imho. Everything sounds like it is literally in a can and/or barrel. Unfortunately, there is no Original Broadway Cast recording of the show to compare it to, but knowing that Louise Pitre, Karen Mason and Judy Kaye opened the show on Broadway, I can imagine a better sung and better sounding recording of the show than the one preserved on the Original cast - which Decca (laughingly) released under their Broadway series - I don't even think it even says Original London Cast on the packaging.

-And for those of you wondering about my taste in musical theatre... I'm in the middle of a run for Evita, and I'm about to go into two weeks of Mamma Mia! on the second tour. However, I have always loved Evita, and I would never claim Mamma Mia! to be a profound theatrical event. Fluff is fluff, and sometimes that all one needs.

And for my "reedy" description, I've actually picked that phrase up from reading reviews of vocal CDs in Gramaphone.

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 10/17/2002 12:25 PM PST

Oh, yeah. Sunset Boulevard I never got all the way through, either. Same with Aspects of Love.

Posted by Laura @ 10/17/2002 12:27 PM PST

Matt Zarley is just fine on "Love for Sale;" it doesn't quite do what The Manhattan Transfer did for the song, but at least you could hear Matt actually SINGING A SONG (you know those things are somehow "musical" and pleasing to the ear).
..and going back to those concerts BK recorded, who does "They Call the Wind Maria" on the Lerner disc?
I don't think that SIDE SHOW has left my cd player since I got it. It works for me. And I'm probably one of the only ones who LIKED PASSION the first time I heard it; then after numerous listens, fell passionately in love with it. Something I don't hear happening with any of the ones I mentioned in passing this morning.

Posted by td @ 10/17/2002 12:33 PM PST

As for Les Miserables Jr., like other titles in MTI's "Jr." line, it is an abridged version of the show. Additionally, they are usually customized for younger audiences - even Mr. Sondheim reworked some lyrics for Into the Woods Jr.. There's more info on their site about the whole Jr. Program. Although high schools can use the Jr. materials, most of the Jr. version are geared toward younger audiences. They basically take out some of the more adult references (Guys and Dolls comes to mind), and come up with more streamlined AND author-estate approved changes. But back to Les Miz...

The Les Miz Jr. edition is the only one available to anyone wanting to produce the show at this time, and it can only be legally produced by school programs. My understanding is that MTI had so many requests for the title, that they worked out an arrangement with the authors to put together a smaller version of the show. Some sequences have been edited down. The orchestration has been streamlined (this aspect would most likely be the downfall of ANY production - it's a HARD book). At the same time, they've left room in the ensemble arrangement for schools to use as little or as many students they want to use.

I'm sure a high school could very well produce a full-scale, full-length production of this show, but, for right now, if that were the case, it would just open the market to other productions. What it comes down to is that MTI and the authors are trying to prevent any un-authorized productions from occuring - amateur and professional productions . *I think there were a few instances of productions of Cats popping up in weird places.

So, MTI is not per se "censoring" high school productions, but just preventing other ones from getting started. *The best production I've ever seen of Into the Woods was at a high school - everything from the actors to the tech to the orchestra was amazing!

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 10/17/2002 12:43 PM PST

OK, this demands a post of its own:

I bought Matt Zarley's CD.

I know, I know, I'm sorry and I've only played it once, but I've gone into rehab now, honest.

Posted by Allan @ 10/17/2002 12:43 PM PST

Oh, when I stated "geared toward younger audiences", I should have also added "and performers". The Jr. materials are perfect for grade school and summer camp productions. And, since I kind of buried it in the post, they are done in total collaboration with the authors and/or author's estates.

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 10/17/2002 12:47 PM PST

I was fortunate enough to see Side Show on Broadway. Saved me the investment on the disc. Thank-you, Ron, for reminding me of the word PTOOEY!, because PTOOEY! is the best word to describe that mess.

Posted by S. Woody White @ 10/17/2002 12:48 PM PST

Phew, I feel so much better for having got that off my chest.

Now onto my list of major disappointments. Most of you will probably never have heard of most of these and, trust me, you want to keep it that way:

Charlotte Sweet (really, really dire)
The Farmer Weds A Widow (ditto)
Chippy
A Bag of Popcorn and a Dream
Most Men Are
Pardon My Prejudice (an English musical adaptation of Pride & Prejudice - has to be heard to be believed)
Thrill Me
Your Own Thing
Kelly

And some you may have heard of:
Robber Bridegroom (there seems to be a lot of agreement on that one)
By Jeeves (bad even by Andrew Lloyd Webber standards)
Two Gentlemen of Verona (this beat Follies to a Tony??? What were they thinking????)

And to end on a positive - from the ridiculous to the sublime - saw Elaine Stritch last night. What can I say? - amazing!

Posted by Allan @ 10/17/2002 12:52 PM PST

Allan: There is another human being out there who heard Most Men Are! I bought it used (that's one good thing) and forced myself to listen to the entire thing. Ptooey and Yuck! I'll post more tonight. I'm just getting ready to leave the office.

Posted by Ben @ 10/17/2002 01:00 PM PST

Oh, and I'm really, really sorry BK, but I really didn't like Bed and Sofa. As far as I remember, that's the only BK-produced CD I don't play.

Posted by Allan @ 10/17/2002 01:03 PM PST

Thanks Jose for the info on LES MIS JR. I knew that they had special versions of some shows for grammer schools (all shows that were already released to other groups) but this was the first instance I'd heard of a special high school version of a show no other groups could get the rights for. To me, if the rights to a show are released to high schools, they should probably be released to all groups, although if LES MIS actually closes when it is supposed to I assume it will be available for all by summer. Although why a show is closing just after the slow season and before the summer is a mystery to me and I still expect it is a ploy to sell tickets this winter and will be held over. Even though another show has been booked for October, that show (THE BOY FROM OZ) has alredy been postponed twice and if Hugh Jackman gets another movie it is likely to be postponed again.

The problem with SIDE SHOW is that it is a serious show one minute and then turns high camp (for example the bird production number) the next. I liked it a lot on stage (but that was probably because the cast was so good) but don't care that much for it on CD.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 10/17/2002 01:19 PM PST

I will be errant and truant and go against the grain by saying that I happen to LOVE the cd of Side Show.. but to each their own... Love Emily and Alice and Norm on the cd

Posted by Craig @ 10/17/2002 01:21 PM PST

35 posts, that's what I'M talkin' about. I am so jiggy with it.

I am proud to have a handful of CDs on the worst list - it keeps me grounded. There are a few that even I never listen to - which would include Bed and Sofa, After the Fair and a handful of others. That said, I do adore Night of the Hunter, but then I adore Claibe Richardson.

Posted by bk @ 10/17/2002 01:40 PM PST

Hey, guess who's back? Our merry searchers, that's who's back. Isn't that exciting? Isn't that just too too? Searching their little hearts away. Finding nothing, but searching nonetheless. On and on they search, hoping for some little morsel to hang onto, but they never do and you would think they would learn from this and go about their merry business. I'm quite certain their merry business could use their attention, oh, yes, I'm quite certain of that.

Now, more posts, MacDuff.

Posted by bk @ 10/17/2002 02:05 PM PST

I have never been able to cope with the Bernadette Peters version of "Song & Dance" and I find the Helen Schneider "Songs Of Kurt Weill" unlistenable. At times I really enjoy the work of both ladies but these Cds are dreadful to my ears at least. I guess they are probably someone's favourites.

Posted by Tom from OZ @ 10/17/2002 02:19 PM PST

I hate Allan. Really, really
dire (cf. his comments on
CHARLOTTE SWEET). Dare I say, I
was also involved in the original
ROBBER BRIDEGROOM. Of course,
there are shows that you can't
appreciate if you haven't seen
them--which could be another
topic of discussion. For
instance, I only realized how
good WONDERFUL TOWN was when I
saw a first-rate production.

Posted by Ludlow29 @ 10/17/2002 02:30 PM PST

I am one of those fans of both "Passion" and "Suessical". Love them both and play them often. Saw them both too.

I know the Lambert Wilson Cd - I play it sometimes and quite like his version of "Finishing The Hat".
Most also include that I have "Wuthering Heights" and "Heathcliff" in my collection. I would only admit that to friends. The video of "Heathcliff" has also been played and buried. I was in therapy for a while after that viewing. Jeckel & Hyde looked good by comparison.

Posted by Tom Guest (from OZ) @ 10/17/2002 02:33 PM PST

Allan: A-HA!!! So YOU'RE the other person who owns a copy of Bed and Breakfast! I was wondering who that poor soul was!

Posted by S. Woody White @ 10/17/2002 02:40 PM PST

Sofa. I meant Sofa, not Breakfast. Breakfast would have had some taste involved. (Sorry, BK. Some day you're going to have to tell us who threatened your life if you didn't record that show.)

Posted by S. Woody White @ 10/17/2002 02:41 PM PST

I hate the Lippa "Wild Party" with the sort of passion some people only ever dream of. It's just dreadful from beginning to end, and Julia Murney's voice is horrible.

I'm also really not getting along with "The Sweet Smell of Success" - in fact, I've never made it through to the end in a single sitting (and, actually, I've now pretty much given up trying).

Others - the London "Once On This Island" (I don't know why I bought it because I didn't like the production either, though I do enjoy the OBC). "Marie Christine". "The Witches of Eastwick" OLC. The Sarah Jessica Parker "Once Upon a Mattress" (it was a gift, OK?). "3hree" - I listened to it once. Just once. And I have huge problems with the overindulgent, whiny posturing of "tick tick... BOOM!"

Now I come to think of it, the London recording of "Children of Eden" is also quite horrible.

Posted by Stephen Farrow @ 10/17/2002 02:57 PM PST

Like Kerry, I went back and
gave some CD's a second
chance after a subject such as
this before. That meant a
second (and last for a good
long time) listening to
"Passion." Maybe it's decent
in context of a live show
(maybe not), but it just does
zero for me on CD.

Also rather dislike the original
Manhattan Transfer's lone
album "Jukin'," a rather
Muzak-ish Lloyd Webber set
my father foolishly purchased
for me ("Well, it's Broadway,
right?"), and surprisingly a
"Best of" Frank Sinatra album
that is anything but.

Posted by Jed @ 10/17/2002 03:26 PM PST

td - Funny you should mention
Manhattan Transfer's version
of "Love for Sale." As big a
Transfer fan as I am, that's
one track I always skip over.

bk - Finally added Lost in
Boston IV to my collection
yesterday and am enjoying it
immensely, particularly Karen
Morrow on the Ballroom
songs, and that wonderfully
catchy little "I Love Fish"
number!

Posted by Jed @ 10/17/2002 03:31 PM PST

Every once and again, I will use this here messageboard's search feature to look up a topic or a poster because of something I thought I had read or needed to recall.

So how does one differentiate between the Hainsies/Kimlets on the search feature and "the merry searchers"? Can you see from the topics the "type" of information that is being searched for? Are these "merry searchers" giving their merry selves away with merry code words? Do you seem them as "merry" troublemakers?

Inquiring minds say, "If you don't have anything good to say about somebody, come talk to me!"

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 10/17/2002 03:52 PM PST

I'm shocked--shocked, I say :) --by some of the choices here. I think "Robber Bridegroom" is one of the most original, albeit quirky, Broadway scores in recent memory, and I must say that Michael Colby's "Charlotte Sweet" also has its particular pleasures. I was so disappointed that the masters of "Bridgroom" had obviously not been stored correctly, as evidenced by the problems of the CD reissue. It's funny Stephen should mention "Witches of Eastwick," because I was just listening to that today, closely for the first time, and found a lot of it to be quite wonderful. It's made me want to go back and check out "The Fix" (by the same team) again, because that was one I never listened to after the first time. And I think Larry O'Keefe's section of "3hree" is as good (again, quirky) as his "Batboy." The other two thirds (especially "Flight of the Lawnchair Man," or whatever the hell it's called) left me more underwhelmed. Finally, thank you BK for assuaging my guilt over not really taking a liking to "After the Fair".

Posted by JMK @ 10/17/2002 03:58 PM PST

Jose:

Allan is right ! You're thinking
of Lambert Wilson, who is
French, but has some English
blood -- he was raised in
England, and lives there most
of the time...
His father, Georges Wilson, is
a great French actor; TV, Films
and theater....
Lambert is an actor who
sings, and THE ONLY ONE IN
FRANCE WHO TRIES TO
HAVE US INTERESTED IN
MUSICALS !
As you say, he's very easy on
the eye !

William Lurie:

I'm glad Ron Pulliam
confirmed it ; I don't know
when the Sleeping Beauty
Special DVD package will be
out in the US of A, but it has
already been conceived, since
it's been out here in France
since last June, bonuses
upon bonuses.......
That's why the Disney people
had the special showing at El
Capitan some weeks ago,
with Mary Costa amongs other
guests.

Posted by Francois @ 10/17/2002 04:26 PM PST

I can't believe it, I can't believe
it......

What is it in Beauty and the
Beast that doesn't turn you ON,
Jason ?

I can't believe it, I can't beleive
it....

YOU not liking B&B !!!

Posted by Francois @ 10/17/2002 04:44 PM PST

Francois: You're back online!

Hoorah!

There are any number of scores out there I don't listen to since the first time I heard them. "Pippin" is one. "70 Girls 70" is another. Add "42nd Street" -- all on LP.

"Greenwillow" isn't one of my favorites, either.

But then I haven't listened to them beyond the first listen-through and I've discovered that sometimes ... sometimes... things grow on you after multiple listenings.

I know I was shocked (I tell you, shocked) (that's a "Casablanca" reference) by someone's inclusion of "Phantom of the Opera" OCR. If that's the same recording I have -- two CDs with Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman, all I can say is that it's one of my favorite all-time wallows. I fell in love with it on first listen and have listened to it countless times since the late 1980s!

I have any number of recently acquired vocal CDs (many of which BK produced!) that include totally wonderful things...and some things I simply don't care for at all. It's not so much the music as it is the manner in which the vocalist chose to present it!

No names, no titles, no regrets!

Je ne regret rien! N'est-ce pas?

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 10/17/2002 04:44 PM PST

Possessed: The Dracula Musical
Most Men Are
In Gay Company
Out on Broadwaty
Get Used To It
Rent
Smokey Joes Cafe
The one where Love Changes Everything comes from
Balancing Act

and others but they are hidden away for the moment due to my limited space

and there are others mostly gone in my big ebay sale earlier this year.

The above cds are ones I couldn't sell on ebay and no 2nd hand cd store near me would touch them.

Posted by Michael Shayne @ 10/17/2002 05:13 PM PST

Now, Michael Colby, we all love you - but one must take the accolades with the brickbats - certainly several of my very own productions have shown up on these lists.

Now, as to why I would record Bed and Sofa or whatever. I do things for a variety and also a hollywood reporter of reasons. In the case of Bed and Sofa, a) they wore me down, b) I wanted to establish a relationship with the Vineyard Theater, who produced that production, c) I thought the performers were wonderful, and d) because of the orchestration I thought I could make an interesting-sounding album. I think it IS an interesting-sounding album, but believe me I know it isn't for all or any tastes. After the Fair - I had a relationship with the York, I had a relationship with Stephen Cole, and I had a relationship with the actors, especially Michele Pawk and Jen Piech. I didn't think it a great piece or anything, but again I thought for those who enjoyed the show (and the audiences really seemed to) it would be a nice-sounding album to remember it by.

Without going into details, the merry searchers of whom I speak are quite easily indentified. I know when a "dear reader" is searching, I know when a stranger is searching and believe me, I know when a merry searcher is searching.

Posted by bk @ 10/17/2002 05:21 PM PST

I won't comment on singers I dislike because I really think it is subjective. The singers I have in my collection and there are quit a few (almost 300 different singers) I always listened to with their soundbites on Amazon and other places before I buy them. Do they all get equal listening? No. There are some that get repeated listen like Nancy LaMott, Lee Lessack, Kevin Koelbl, Liz Callaway, Jason Graae, Laurie Beechman.

Sometimes I even take a chance. Lisa Richards was one and so glad I did. I had seen Lee Lessack's show at the Cinegrill and a former associate of his asked me if I ever heard Lisa Richard. Of course I asked her if she was the Lisa Richard that was on the old soap opera "Dark Shadows". (Of course she wasn't) When I got home I ordered Lisa's first cd and I have never regretted it.

I do make an effort to listen to all my vocal cds on a regualr basis.

Now since Matt Zarley was mentioned I did listen to the soundbites from his album and I decided to pass.

Posted by Michael Shayne @ 10/17/2002 05:30 PM PST

Oh, and I should add one thing to my suggestion of Jason Graae as Harry Schechter. From all indications, the talented Mr. Graae would have no compunction about doing a nude scene.

Of course, Harry doesn't have a nude scene, not in the original anyway. Perhaps Jason would like another rôle. George pehaps? Schlong? Well, for that part (ahem!) there must be a real audition.

Posted by William F. Orr @ 10/17/2002 05:37 PM PST

I liked Bed and Sofa. It is not something you can listen to passively. And more recently i have been doing a lot of passive listening.

Also liked Robber Bridgroom, but I think the CD transfer was botched> Why not put those bonus tracks into show order! I liked Passion. I saw it on Broadway and it totally enveloped me into its story. The recording is another cd that require you not to be passive.

I would listen to Phantom a bit more if it wasn't one long track.

Marie Christine I bought and never opened. Sold it that way.

Another Matt Zarley comment. A positive one though. I bet he sings Love For Sale better than Harvey Fierstein did in the film version of Torch Song Trilogy. (Which BTW has a soundtrack album)

Posted by Michael Shayne @ 10/17/2002 05:43 PM PST

BK: I'm glad you have your ways of detecting the "merry searchers."

Obviously, they've not cracked our code!

Tom from/of OZ: Thank YOU! I, too, am not besotted by "Song and Dance." Not by a long stretch of the imagination. I think it would have helpd to have seen the show....a whole lot!

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 10/17/2002 05:45 PM PST

Jed:
There are quite a few Manhattan Transfer-ites amongst us here.
I just think that their "Love for Sale" definitely belongs on an album titled, "Pastiche."

Stephen Farrow:
Haven't you and I been through this Lippa/LaC WILD PARTY thing once or twice before over at RATM? YES, I know you're passionate dislike for the Lippa.

Well, I was GIVEN the Matt Zarley cd as a gift; do I still have to confess???

Posted by td @ 10/17/2002 06:13 PM PST

Thank you Bruce. As soon as I
typed my foolish comment, I
realized no one would hear the
jocular "I hate you, darling"
tone I intended. My fervent
apologies to Allan. I'm actually
flattered to be in the same
company as YOUR OWN THING and
KELLY (David Susskind really knew
his musicals).

Posted by Ludlow29.com @ 10/17/2002 06:17 PM PST

Unfortunately, it's not just the show order of the bonus tracks that's a problem with "Bridegroom." If you listen carefully, you'll hear speed fluctuations and deterioration which lead me to believe the master tapes weren't stored properly. A shame, really, though I for one am glad to have this digitally preserved despite the flaws.

Posted by JMK @ 10/17/2002 06:43 PM PST

td - yes, we probably have. I loathe it - and I REALLY loathe the sound Julia Murney makes when she tries to belt out a note that's a half-octave outside her range.

JMK - "The Fix" is better than "The Witches of Eastwick". But then, I've had migraines that were better than "The Witches of Eastwick". It just doesn't work for me.

Posted by Stephen Farrow @ 10/17/2002 06:44 PM PST

I just typed all this and lost it somewhere.
I quite like Song & Dance. Before it was Americanised! I have the Martie Webb & Brightman versions and also the video of Ms Brightman. I saw the show done professionally in Melbourne and liked it a lot. An amateur version seen recently was even better. Berndatte was (to me ears) wrong wrong wrong.
At leats Michael & I like "Passion". It does require work from the listener but the voices are wonderful. I tought Jere Shea was unfairly treated by the media. His character was colourless at the start and you saw him develop. He was not shallow at the conclusion. I thought Jere showed this well.The women are more interesting but you don't see them change so much. I still find the video very moving. I play the Trotter version quite often too.

Posted by Tom Guest @ 10/17/2002 06:47 PM PST

Here's a list of recordings (most of them are original cast recordings) that I listened to once and never again. Strangely enough, there is a preponderance of London cast recordings, which is not to disparage London musicals but these just don't seem to work for me. Some of these have been mentioned in other lists. I've stayed mostly on OCRs (though I mention one or two outside the genre) and not gone to other music because that would be a bigger list

London recording of Ain't Misbehavin' from 1995
The Beautiful Game
Cats
A Class Act
I Remember Mama
Into the Woods (the new one)
Jesus Christ Superstar (or as I used to refer to it, Jesus Christ Screaming Star)
Kelly-The Studio Recording
Kiss of the Spiderwoman (I just don't get this show, I know that many people love it but I loathe it with the same kind of passion mentioned by Stephen Farrow for Wild Party)
Late Nite Comic
Legs Diamond
London recording of Merrily We Roll Along
Most Men Are
London recording of Music Man with Van Johnson
Oh, Brother (except for one track, What Do I Tell People This Time?)
Once Upon a Mattress (SJP's version)
Pump Boys and Dinette
A Slice of Saturday Night (another London show)
London recording of Some Like It Hot (a re-worked Sugar from 1992)
Song and Dance w/Bernadette Peters
Skyscraper
Sunset Boulevard
Tallulah (with Helen Gallagher)
Tovarich (with Vivian Leigh)
Two Gentlemen of Verona (detest, detest, detest, as mentioned before, this dreck won over Follies???)

Jed mentioned something that I will elaborate on re: Manhattan Transfer. I love them and have all the albums on CD, vinyl or tape but the one I never play, I have only so that I have a complete collection is, Jukin' If that was the first I had ever heard of MT, I don't know if I would have become so enamored of them. The album just doesn't work for me.

I also cannot sit through Mr. Michael Ball. My partner, Anthony really likes him, so when we're on Long Island (LI in internet lingo:-) and he puts the tape on in the car, I just think of how happy I am with my love of seven years and drown out all sounds of Mr. Ball singing.

There are others, but I don't want to go on.

Posted by Ben @ 10/17/2002 07:15 PM PST

To clear up something mentioned twice above: although TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA beat FOLLIES for Best Musical, FOLLIES did win for BEST SCORE.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 10/17/2002 07:24 PM PST

Hello, all. Tonight I checked out several CDs from the library to take on my long driving trip next week. Some I picked because I knew they'd be bad and would make fun listening when I'm really bored. Here they are.. feel free to make your comments.
A Little Night Music
Barnum
Man of La Mancha(w/Placido Domingo)
Donny Osmond-This is the Moment.
Songs and More Songs by Tom Lehrer
Martin Guerre
Cole Porter, A Musical Toast
Johnny Mathis on Broadway

Posted by Laura @ 10/17/2002 07:24 PM PST

SIDE SHOW happens to be a favorite of mine and I would take TICK TICK BOOM over RENT any day.

Posted by Arnold M. Brockman @ 10/17/2002 07:41 PM PST

Dear Reader Laura:
One listen to the Domingo MAN OF LA MANCHA, and you'll know why a lot of us have a very strong aversion to Mandy ("Somewhat Overindulgent) Patinkin, should you make it past his "I'm Sancho..." then you'll have made it further than I. I am besotted though with Julia Migenes, so for me the recording isn't one I'd throw away.
I actually like the Mathis cd, and have it for the stunning work on "Our Children" from RAGTIME.
BARNUM is happy, happy, happy.
I hope that the Lehrer cd has the song that I'm currently working on, "Poisoning Pigeions in the Park." A true classic.
COLE PORTER is wunderbar!
If you can track down OVER THE RAINBOW, try it out for listening, too; as well as the others on Varese - SONDHEIM, LERNER, LOEWE & LANE, plus the GERSHWIN on MCA(?). You'll get quite a musical lesson out of all of them.
Since Stephen Farrow is out and about tonight, maybe he'd like to tell you all about MARTIN GUERRE...
NIGHT MUSIC is chilled champagne on a sweaty night, lush, erotic and intoxicating.
...and you're just gonna have to let us all know how the Donny Osmond is.

Posted by td @ 10/17/2002 08:36 PM PST

OOH-RAH!

I'm going to see Luhrmann's "La Boheme" on Saturday!!

YOWZAH! Puccini and a Broadway sensibility in one package!

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 10/17/2002 08:49 PM PST

WOW! What a nice suprise to come home to after the show. Posts, Posts, Posts!

Ah, the Domingo Man of La Mancha, I remember it well. I should have listed that one earlier. Mandy Patinkin's performance is the personification of idiosyncratic!

*I will say my favorite recorded performance of La Mancha are the few selections that were presented on the TV show, Quantum Leap, an subsequently preserved on the soundtrack. Scott Bakula was Quixote, and Michelle Pawk was Aldonza - she sounds quite wonderful.

The Donny Osmond album also bewildered me. I had no idea it was going to be so over-produced and over-arranged. I've seen and heard him sing "legitimately", and I've like his work. From some of the interviews he did before the album came out, I expected a more traditional sounding album.

The Robber Bridegroom is definitely not served well by it's CD re-issue. There's been some mumblings about mounting a new production, so maybe they'll get another chance at recording the score - that is if they don't totally re-write and re-work the show in the process.

Ms. Parker's Once Upon A Mattress is one I don't think I've even taken the plastic wrapper off of. I bought it mainly since Lewis Cleale was in the show - and I had just worked with him on Passion at Signature Theatre.

And speaking of Passion... Definitely a show that requires active listening as some posters have already pointed out. Truly some of Tunick's most beautiful work. *The one regret from this summer's production at the Kennedy Center was that the "I Love Fosca" "aria" was not the work of Mr. Tunick since it was imported from the London production - and the sonic difference was quite noticable.

"Jukin'" - Hmmm, I like the Manhattan Transfer too, and I don't think I've come across this one in my travels. Although from the talk about it here, maybe that's a good thing.

Kiss of the Spider Woman - I just wish Chita Rivera and company were treated to the same recording quality as Vanessa Williams and company.

And once I'm done with my two weeks of playing in the pit of Mamma Mia!, I probably won't be listening to that one anytime again soon.

And I also bought Bed & Sofa - I think I washed dishes to it one time, but that was it. -However, I did just "work" with Jason Workman - he was Jeremy Kushnier's standy (Radames)...

And I just the the Times review of Flower Drum Song on-line... I'll let you all see for yourself.

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 10/17/2002 09:36 PM PST

I'm sorry for the italics. I really am.

And after reading my post, I apologize for some of the missing words, grammatical errors and unintentional confusion.

Although I do like the term "standy".

Of course, the one time I decided to hit Post instead of Preview...

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 10/17/2002 09:40 PM PST

Thanks Jose for the neverending italics. ;-)

Posted by Jason @ 10/17/2002 09:47 PM PST

(/i)I guess this won't do it, but I thought I'd try.

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 10/17/2002 09:55 PM PST

[/i] Nor this....

Well, while we're here, would someone show us ONE MORE TIME how to do bold and italics.

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 10/17/2002 09:56 PM PST

And from what I've "heard", Jason Graae could probably pull out - I mean pull off Schlong.

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 10/17/2002 09:56 PM PST

td - I never bought a cast recording of "Martin Guerre. Seeing it was bad enough. Though at least the OLC replaced the un-fabulous Juliette Caton, the original leading lady, who sang her ENTIRE ROLE a half-tone flat at the preview I saw.

Re: "tick, tick...BOOM!" - I don't need to pay for a CD to listen to people whining about their career (or lack thereof). I'm in graduate school. I can get that every time I walk into my department.

Posted by Stephen Farrow @ 10/17/2002 09:57 PM PST

This may be my one time to write in italics.
I love "Spiderwoman". (I saw the Vanessa version).
Man of la Mancha - worth it to hear Julia's wonderful Aldonza. My favourite recording of La Mancha is the Dialogue one with Keith Michell. (not on Cd).
I don't mind Martin Guerre (either recorded version) but I can't see how it would ever work on stage.

I am a fan of Michael Ball too Ben. Let Anthony know he is certainly not alone.

Donny Osmond's album is not that bad . IT was released here with a bonus disc of his teen hits - they, on the other hand, you can keep. David Cassidy is here in OZ at the moment. Should I be excited?

It is good that we all have such varied tastes. Some people even liked "Blood Brothers".

Posted by Tom from OZ @ 10/17/2002 10:07 PM PST

I know, I know!

I know how to do italics and bolds!

Italics

Bolds

See!!!

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 10/17/2002 10:11 PM PST

I DID NOT, I REPEAT, DID NOT BUY MATT ZARLEY'S ALBUM. I BORROWED IT FROM A FRIEND AND WAS SOOOOOOO GLAD I HAD NOT SPENT THE MONEY. Before hearing the CD, I had recommended it to a friend because Matt Zarley was cute and because I foolishly still believed (even after all those months since Bruce had left) that anything on the FA label would be good (or somewhat Broadway related, at least). Now Matt Zarley may be a wonderful person, and he is cute (from the pictures I've seen), but I wasn't keen on his rendition of "Love For Sale" either. He seems to have misplaced the melody. The crowd liked it though, but I'm sure that had as much to do with the fact of him gyrating or stripping or wahtever he was doing during the performance.

And alright, I'll give "Passion" one more try.

Posted by Kerry @ 10/17/2002 10:49 PM PST

I see that Brent Barrett's Alan J. Lerner album is being offered by Broadway Cares. I don't know if it is actually there yet, but I'll buy it from them since I believe so much in what they're doing. Maybe I'll even buy the autographed copy so they get more of a donation. I know they have sold CD's that Bruce has produced before, but I wonder if Guy Haines has ever signed copies of "Haines His Way" for BCEFA.

Posted by Kerry @ 10/17/2002 10:53 PM PST

Allan,
Thank you for admitting you bought Matt Zarley's CD. It helped me to fess up to recommending the thing to someone (before I heard it). Interestinly a friend who likes the Back Street Boys and 98° really liked the CD.

Posted by Kerry @ 10/17/2002 10:58 PM PST

I cannot resist! Eighty! Eighty posts! One, Two, Three, Four...Tell me, do you know the way to Sesame Street...Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine...

Posted by The Count @ 10/18/2002 12:11 AM PST

Well, hasn't this been jiggy?? Don't worry "Ludlow29", I didn't take offence to your hating me for hating Charlotte Sweet - didn't realise I was making personal comments to any dear readers.

Given all of the above, I love 'Passion' - even the London production with Michael Ball was good. And talking of Michael Ball, I don't usually like him and never buy his albums - too 'poppy' for me - but I did get the DVD of his 'Divas at the Donmar' cabaret performance, and it is surprisingly good. Actually, it's better to listen to than watch as he sweats like a pig all the way through.

I also love 'Night of the Hunter' and anything else I've heard by Claibe Richardson (eg 'Lola). Does anyone know if there's anything else available by him?

Posted by Allan @ 10/18/2002 01:15 AM PST

Well, it worked once for me. I've tried getting rid of italics here and sometimes succeeded.

But GreyMatter is nothing if not quirky.

Posted by William F. Orr @ 10/18/2002 03:08 AM PST

Success!

All of y'all may now pat me on the back.

Posted by William F. Orr @ 10/18/2002 03:10 AM PST

Decca Broadway is releasing the London cast of Man of La manch with Keith Michell. It is an almost complete recording. It lacks the Moorish dance sequence, but who knows it might have been recorded but deleted due to time. If memory serves there are also minor cuts here and there. It is in my opinion a lot better than the recent recording with Ron Raines. I Raines was great, but it was a chore to listen to rest of album. The dialogue was a chore to get through. It was flat and had no character to them. Kim Kriswell was a very disappointing Aldonza, I only bought this one because it was the first complete one. I think I will buy the former and get rid of the latter.

Posted by Michael Shayne @ 10/18/2002 03:47 AM PST

Okay! Are 85 posts a record? What a great day of posts!!

Posted by Michael Shayne @ 10/18/2002 03:48 AM PST

85 posts like this may be a record for content. We did have a day a few months ago when everyone got silly and we went over 100 posts but many of them consisted of one word or even one letter as I remember. We were jiggy with the possibility of hitting and surpassing the magic number of 100 so we went a little wild but these 85 posts are all content-rich, to speak in buzz-words.

Jose, re: Jukin', it's hard to find. There is mention of it on the MT fan club page and it seems a European producer has repackaged it to look like a new album from MT going so far as to include a picture of the current MTs with no mention of the fact that it was recorded in 1971 and the only MT involved was Tim Hauser. It doesn't even credit Gene Pistilli, Marty Nelson, Pat Rosalia, and Erin Dickens who were the others involved. Apparently, the current MTs had nothing to do w/this re-issue.

Mr. Orr, was mathematics involved in getting rid of the ital? ;-)

Posted by Ben @ 10/18/2002 04:28 AM PST

Yes, I forgot to mention. If you can get to it, read Ben Brantley's review of Flower Drum Song in today's NYTimes. It's very funny. If you've never been there before you will have to do a free registration to get to the review. It's in the Arts section as you scroll down the page, near the bottom. Also check out the Bruce Weber review of Burning Blue, a show from 1995 about the Don't Ask, Don't Tell controversy. Doesn't make me want to see the show (except perhaps to see if it's really as bad as he says) but it's funny (IMHO)

Posted by Ben @ 10/18/2002 04:36 AM PST

Ben:

No. Just consistent repetition of </i> with an occasional <i>frame with words, closing with a couple of </i> </i>

8-)>

Posted by William F. Orr @ 10/18/2002 04:38 AM PST

William:

Sounds like math to me :-)

This from a person whose last math class was algebra in 1969 (10th grade). Although, thanks to a homo-hating gym teacher, phys-ed was my worst class, I did not excel in the field of mathematics either. My attention was turned on my burgeoning career as a performer and I was able to avoid any of the higher level math classes. Not to disparage you (or math) in any way, Mr. Orr. I just never had the good luck to have a teacher who explained math in a way that I could grasp it. I think one of the reasons I liked Proof so much was because the author seemed to capture some of the passion that Mathematics can inspire in a person, unlike Copenhage which I found dull, tedious and repititious. I wanted to scream every time they decided to go over the story "one more time" to try and find any new clues as to what happened at the meeting. Instead of screaming, I nodded off.

Posted by Ben @ 10/18/2002 05:34 AM PST

We must simply get to 90 posts.. there's no option.. it's just something we must all get jiggy with... so without further ado (ado never gets to do anything) - here we are at 90!

Posted by Craig @ 10/18/2002 05:45 AM PST

But we must also have content. We must be content to have content. Content would content me.

Posted by William F. Orr @ 10/18/2002 06:04 AM PST

Forgot to mention that to those posters, yesterday, I think, inquiring about Keene Curtis' obit in the NYTimes, it is in today's edition.

Posted by Ben @ 10/18/2002 06:38 AM PST

William.. well we wouldn't want you to be discontented. Even if this were the winter of your discontent - that would be unseemly. So content it is!

Urinetown is a cd that didn't get more than one listen.

An annoyance I have found is when you hear a simply wonderful track off of a cd on the radio or in a store, or wherever and then you buy the cd and come to find out that, in short, that track was the only redeeming one on the cd.

Posted by Craig @ 10/18/2002 06:56 AM PST

Content - re Ben's post about NY Times, I've registered with them and I get a weekly email of any articles about recordings or musicals - all for free. Great for us impoverished Brits who can't get the paper.
Are we content that this is content?

Posted by Allan @ 10/18/2002 06:56 AM PST

I never bother with CD's I hate. (Larry Hart reference.)

Posted by William F. Orr @ 10/18/2002 07:33 AM PST