TABLE OF CONTENTS FAQ Part II: Composers & Writers and their works Q. Tell me about 'Jekyll & Hyde' A. The concept of the show "Jekyll and Hyde" was begun at USC in 196? by Frank Wildhorn and Steve Cuden. In the late 6.'s, Leslie Bricusse was recruited to write the lyrics and the book. A concept album of "Romantic Highlights" was recorded in 196., with Linda Eder and Colm Wilkinson singing all the songs. In 1990, the show had its first staging at the Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas, with Chuck Wagner in the lead and Linda Eder as Lucy the prostitute. Gregory Boyd, artistic director of the Alley, directed the production. In 1992, there was a workshop in New York, with Terrence Mann as Jekyll/Hyde and a revised book. However there were disagreements between the creative staff and the producers and a planned Broadway run was scrapped. In 1994, the creative team re-gained control. The show was revised again, closer to the original version. Several new songs were added. Another concept album was recorded, with Anthony Warlow in the title roles and Linda Eder still singing Lucy. In January 1995, the show was re-staged, originally very similar in form to the new recording. Gregory Boyd again directed. Robert Cuccioli played the lead, and Linda Eder and Christiane Noll played the female leads. Many changes were made during the Houston run. The show was then staged in Seattle. After a short break, a national tour began in the fall, with the same director and leads as the Houston and Seattle runs. The tour lasted until spring of 1996. Many large and small changes were made to the staging, songs and lyrics during the tour. After the tour, Gregory Boyd resigned as director, and Robin Phillips took over to prepare the show for a Broadway run. The show was revised and recast, but Robert Cuccioli, Linda Eder and Christiane Noll were retained in the leads. On March 21, 1997, Jekyll and Hyde began Broadway previews at the Plymouth Theatre and opened April 26. "Jekyll and Hyde" has had a strong internet presence since 1994, with several cast members and creative personnel in online contact with the show's fans, dubbed "Jekkies" by the media. A production in Melbourne, Australia is planned to open in October 1997, and other productions are being planned in Germany, Scandinavia and Belgium. About the Creative Team & Cast Robert Cuccioli has played the leads in "Jekyll and Hyde" since January 1995, and will be heard on the OCR, recorded in May 1997. Prior to that, he was in the New York company of Les Mis (Javert) on Broadway. Off-Broadway roles -- "And the World Goes Round"(he is on the OCR), "The Rothschilds", and "Gigi". He starred in the New York premiere of the Yeston/Kopit "Phantom", and toured as Lancelot in "Camelot" opposite Richard Harris. Frank Wildhorn (Composer) is from Queens, NY, and was a jock rather than a musician while growing up. He started working on the musical "Jekyll and Hyde" at USC in 196. and has since composed pop songs, other musicals, and theater and ballet music. Wildhorn is the creative director of Atlantic Records new division, Atlantic Theatre. Musicals -- "Jekyll and Hyde" with Leslie Bricusse (2 concept albums in release, now on Broadway, OCR recorded May 1997), "Svengali" with Gregory Boyd (regional stagings, concept album recorded but not released), "The Scarlet Pimpernel" with Nan Knighton (concept album out, planned Broadway opening fall of 1997). Wildhorn also wrote some songs for the Broadway version of "Victor/Victoria", as well as occasional music for a regional production of "Cyrano de Bergerac". Pop music -- Whitney Houston's recording of Wildhorn's "Where do Broken Hearts Go?" was a number one hit. Other Wildhorn songs have been recorded by major pop stars (Natalie Cole, Kenny Rogers, Sammy Davis, Jr., Liza Minelli). In the works is a project called "The Civil War, Part 1", concept and songs by Wildhorn, Gregory Boyd, and Jack Murphy. The show will consist of songs and period readings. Facets of the project include: an album of musical highlights sung by country, pop, theater and opera singers; a double CD with songs and readings; a televised presentation; a staged musical play, starting with a tour and possibly going to Broadway; a concert tour of the music by some of the recording artists; and an HBO cable special on the project. There is a fan club for the musical. Membership includes a membership kit, a quarterly newsletter and occasional extras. $15.00 for US residents, $16.50 for Canada, and $22.50 for other countries. A portion of the proceeds from membership fees will be donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The club's e-mail address is JHFC1@aol.com. Jekyll & Hyde: The Fan Club PO Box 116962 Carrollton, Tx 75011-6962 The "old" website that covered the tour can be reached through http://www.JekyllHyde.com OR http://Reedycreek.stanford.edu/jhtour Q. Tell me about Carrie [Most of the following information comes from Ken Mandelbaum's book "Not Since Carrie: 40 Years of Broadway Musical Flops" St. Martin's Press, ISBN 0-312-06426.4. An entertaining read, and highly recommended.] Yes, there indeed was a musical based on Stephen King's 1974 novel. A workshop of the musical was done in 196., with book by Lawrence D. Cohen (who also wrote the screenplay of Brian DePalma's movie), music by Michael Gore (FAME, TERMS OF ENDEARMENT), and lyrics by Dean Pitchford (FAME, FOOTLOOSE). The Broadway production was financed by Friedrich Kurz, a West German producer famous up to that point for producing German productions of ALW hits, and co- produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company (they had no financial stake in the show). The Anglo-American cast, headed by Linzi Hateley as Carrie and Barbara Cook as Mrs. White, had a brief sold out run at Stratford upon Avon in February 196.. Cook was nearly decapitated by the set on opening night, and left after the show finished its Stratford run. When the show began previews on Broadway on April 26. 196., Mrs. White was played by Betty Buckley. After two weeks of previews, CARRIE opened May 12, 196. to horrible reviews (but praise for Hateley and Buckley) and closed on May 15, 196., four performances later. The production lost $6.million. Audience reaction was reportedly wildly mixed, ranging from boos to cheers and wild applause. Those who have heard the show's music have said that it compares favorably with modern pop/middle-of-the-road scores, most partcularly, CHESS. Sadly, a cast recording was never made, as was initially planned. A concert version of the show, to be recorded, also fell through, although the song "When There's No One" appears on Betty Buckley's solo album "Children Will Listen". At the end of 1993, there was renewed talk of a cast recording being made. Q. Tell me about Rent This musical, based on La Boheme, is one of the major shows of recent years on Broadway - and is controversial in its portrayal of youth, sex, and drugs. It is the story of a group of young people who have chosen to live their own lives. There is Mark, who's a video artists, and Roger who wants to write one great song before AIDS kills him. Mark and Roger live in an abandoned building, stealing their electricity from outside, and holding out against the law and the commercial interests of Benny, who wants to develop the building. Mark eventually faces the prospect of giving in to commercialism when a riot which he films attracts the attention of a TV company. The riot is a direct result of a protest which Mark's former lover, Maureen, organises. Roger is tempted by the seductive Mimi, who persuades him to embrace life - and her - and draw inspiration in that way. Rent generates heated discussion about the merits of the show itself and the lifestyle it encourages. It's a show which has its ardent admirers and detractors, and is therefore difficult to describe without bias. Rent opened in London on 12th May 1998 starring Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal as Mark and Roger, and Wilson Jermaine Heredia as Angel - all from the Broadway production. Mimi is played by Krysten Cummings. Rent premiered on 13th February 1996 at the New York Theatre Workshop. [TG] There is a mailing list. Subscribe at http://www.onelist.com/viewarchive.cgi?listname=no%5Fday%5Fbut%5Ftoday Rent Websites: http://www.lifecafe.com http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/lofts/5119/ http://lifesupport.your-site.com http://www.siteforrent.com/index.html http://dramaturgy.net/RENT/ http://members.aol.com/the3guyz/rent/index.htm http://members.aol.com/demonwolf1/rent4ever.html http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/4705/index.html The rules for the ticket lottery can be found here: http://www.quuxuum.org/~miles/renttix.html. Some London Production websites: 1. http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/parade/abh66/angelsarchrmain.html - London Lifesupport, includes FAQ about the London production, cast info, reviews etc. 2. http://www.fortunecity.com/meltingpot/covent/537/rent.html - A more comic look at the production and discussion of the London line and how to spend the time waiting for tickets. Tell me about 'Chess' Chess was written by Benny Anderson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, the male half of the popular seventies group ABBA. The lyrics are by Tim Rice. The "original" CHESS recording is the black & white "London" CHESS. This is the concept album, recorded when they were touring with the show in England as a concert to raise money to stage it. They got the money, songs became top 10 hits, and they put it on as a musical with Michael Bennett as the director. They ended up with most of the touring singers as the actors, so they did not record the London Cast Album even though there were changes to the show. Michael Bennett fell ill shortly before the show went up, and Trevor Nunn was hired. He did not like Bennett's work, and when the show moved to Broadway he took the opportunity to re-work the show in his own style. Likewise, the politics of the show were updated to reflect the current situation. The Broadway version, with a new director, new cast, plot changes, and some songs added and dropped, was recorded as "the Original Broadway Cast Recording". This recording has the red, white and blue logo with the figures running. The show didn't do as well as hoped (closing after running only a few months), so the next few productions did more plot changes and more song re-arranging. None of these productions has been officially recorded. Andrew Lloyd Webber often released albums of the music in order to gauge the reaction and raise money. JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR and EVITA were handled this way. Since Tim Rice had worked with ALW, he knew the "Original Concept Album" was a Good Thing. Webber was Rice's first choice of composer, but he turned Rice down. Current licensed productions of CHESS are based on the Broadway production. Changing the show to be more like the London Concept Album is considered a breach of copyright, and the show will be shut down. Q. Tell me about 'You're A Good Man Charlie Brown'/'Snoopy' This information has been provided - from the Peanuts FAQ - by Alison Franck, RATM's acknowledged expert on this particular show! 'You're A Good Man Charlie Brown' Singer/comedienne Kaye Ballard (perhaps best known, these days, for starring in television's "The Mothers-in-Law" for two years in the late 1960s) included some Peanuts-themed humor in her nightclub acts of the early 60s, but even though Columbia issued an LP with this material, it never really caught on. YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN began what was to become a truly phenomenal Off-Broadway run on March 7, 1967, at New York City's Theater 80, St. Marks. The cast had gone into rehearsal not even a month earlier -- February 10 -- without a finished script. The show itself, as finally published, didn't really "gel" until after it opened. Gary Burghoff -- later to achieve fame as Radar O'Reilly in both the film and TV versions of "M.A.S.H." -- starred as Charlie Brown. The rest of the cast included Bill Hinnant as Snoopy, Reva Rose as Lucy, Bob Balaban (an actor/director who appeared in "Absence of Malice" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," among others) as Linus, Skip Hinnant as Schroeder, and Karen Johnson as Patty. The show ran four years and 1,300 performances in New York, fielded nine touring companies in cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., London, and San Francisco, and has become the most performed musical in the history of American theatre. The play was published in book form by Random House in 1967, in the small hardcover format similar to Holt, Rinehart & Winston titles such as "Snoopy and the Red Baron," "I Never Promised You an Apple Orchard," and a few others. Musician and lyricist Clark Gesner, in his foreword, introduced this as the document resulting from "...ten songs, a few long scenes, two producers, one small theater, six medium-sized actors, one each of director, assistant director, writer, musical supervisor, lighting designer, and scenic designer, and ten years' worth of Charles Schulz's drawings." Despite Gesner's carefully itemized list, the book actually cites 13 songs, 12 of which wound up on the 1967 Original Cast Soundtrack LP (MGM 1E-9 and S1E-9, mono and stereo). The show's 13th song, "Glee Club Rehearsal," is replaced on the album by "Queen Lucy," which is really only a few exchanges of Act 1 dialog between Linus and Lucy, set to a background theme. Although "Glee Club Rehearsal" remains part of the show as published and licensed by the Tams-Witmark Music Library (to which professional and amateur theater groups write when desiring to produce the play), it has never been issued on a soundtrack LP. That's a shame, since it remains of one the play's funniest bits, as the kids squabble amongst themselves -- initially over a pencil -- while singing a heartfelt rendition of "Home on the Range." Later in 1967, MGM released what was known as a "Studio Cast" soundtrack (MGM LES-9000): the same songs professionally arranged and orchestrated by Jay Blackton, with performances by some "better" (i.e. more famous) stars. Orson Bean, well recognized as a panelist on game shows such as "I've Got a Secret," "Keep Talking," and "To Tell the Truth," took over as Charlie Brown; Barbara Minkus (one of the repertory players in television's "Love, American Style") played Lucy. Bill Hinnant reprised his role as Snoopy and, in an odd bit of novelty casting, Gesner himself played Linus. This album contains only 10 songs, with their order of performance completely different from that of the original play. Missing are "The Book Report," "The Red Baron," the aforementioned "Queen Lucy," and -- of course -- the "Glee Club Rehearsal." Pickwick Records issued another Studio Cast LP (PC-3069 and SPC-3069, mono and stereo), with music conducted by "Bugs" Bower and a cast which included Ron Marshall (known at the time for his recordings on children's albums) and Connie Zimet (with show credits in, among others, "Guys & Dolls" and "South Pacific"). The album cover is rather droll, as it pictures -- rather than any characters or performers -- the objects of primary importance to Charlie Brown and his friends: the blanket, the supperdish, the piano, the kite, the dog house, some baseball equipment, and a lollipop (!). This recording presents the same 10 songs featured on the MGM Studio Cast album, and while the performances aren't quite up to the previous two recordings, the LP is certainly worth seeking in a used record store. (Many thanks to Ken Lieck, for giving me the opportunity to hear this rendition.) The production which genuinely made the play a household name appeared as a Hallmark "Hall of Fame" special on television. This performance starred Wendell Burton as Charlie Brown; the rest of the cast included Ruby Perrson, Barry Livingston (Ernie on TV's "My Three Sons"), Mark Montgomery, Noelle Matlovsky, and Bill Hinnant once again as Snoopy. The soundtrack was issued by Atlantic Records (SD-7252) in 1972. Kid Stuff Records released an album of "Songs from YOUR [sic] A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN," about which the less said, the better. Suffice it to mention that the vocal talent of the Kid Stuff Repertory Company was roughly on par with the company's spelling. Although Tams-Witmark owns the rights to the play itself, a sheet music folio of vocal selections is available from MPL Communications, distributed by the Hal Leonard Corporation. This 48-page music book contains the words and music to the most common 10 songs (as noted above for MGM's Studio Cast album), along with three pages of black-and-white photos. The most frustrating aspect of all this, though, is that NOT ONE of these albums is currently available on CD! The original off-Broadway cast recording was briefly released on CD, but quickly went out-of-print. In spite of being "the most performed musical in the history of American theater," the show can't catch a break with modern technology! Sadly, Gesner never had another theatrical hit. His sole shot at Broadway itself -- "The Utter Glory of Morris E. Hall" -- closed after exactly one performance, in May of 1979. Snoopy In December 1975 -- not quite a decade after Charlie Brown made his first stage appearance -- SNOOPY! debuted at San Francisco's Little Fox Theater (which had housed San Francisco's run of YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN). It followed the same song-and-sketch format of its predecessor, with simple sets and punchlines derived directly from the comic strip. Larry Grossman wrote the music, Hal Hackady handled the lyrics, and the book was credited to Warren Lockhart, Arthur Whitelaw (who also directed), and Michael L. Grace. There were character changes: Sally (Roxann Pyle) appeared instead of Patty, and Peppermint Patty (Pamela Myers) replaced Schroeder. Don Potter starred as Snoopy, with James Gleason as Charlie Brown, Carla Manning as Lucy, and Jimmy Dodge as Linus. Woodstock also made his (her?) stage debut, played in mime first by Alfred Mazza, and later by elfin Cathy Cahn. After circulating through the United States like its predecessor, SNOOPY! finally made it to New York six years later. DRG Records released the Original Cast Soundtrack (DRG S-6103) in 1975, which was later re-issued on CD (and remains in print today, although it's getting hard to find). Aside from the orchestral "Overture" and "Woodstock's Theme," the album contains 13 songs... ..one of which -- "Friend" -- is no longer part of the play! Tams-Witmark also controls the rights to SNOOPY! Nowhere in their 68-page script will you find any trace of "Friend," although -- as a quick listen to the soundtrack reveals -- it's a perfectly delightful little tune. In point of fact, it originally was the Act 1 finale, a role now filled by Snoopy's solo on "Daisy Hill." To make matters even more confusing, Chappell Music Company's 64-page sheet music folio (with eight pages of black-and-white photos) DOES include this song...while deleting "Edgar Allan Poe," "The Vigil," "The Great Writer," and "The Big Bow-Wow." But wait...it gets better! Polydor Records issued an Original Cast Soundtrack of the London production (S-820247-1), which opened at Newbury's Watermill Theatre on August 2, 1983. Teddy Kempner starred as Snoopy, Robert Locke played Charlie Brown, Zoe Bright played Lucy, Susie Blake played Sally, Nicky Croydon played Peppermint Patty, Mark Hadfield played Linus, and Anthony Best played Woodstock. But aside from this new cast, the production was highlighted by... ..FOUR songs not present in either the American production or its soundtrack! Peppermint Patty has a solo called "Hurry Up, Face," and Snoopy solos on "Mother's Day." Lucy, Snoopy, Sally, and Peppermint Patty join for "Dime a Dozen," and the entire ensemble closes Act 1 with "When Do the Good Things Start?" As revealed by their credits, these four songs also come from Larry Grossman and Hal Hackady...but in what context? Were they written for, but deleted from, the original American production? Held back specifically for this London production? Their 1983 copyright suggests they were added for the West End production, and it also should be noted that the play's overture was reworked slightly, to incorporate themes from those four songs. Will we ever know the actual facts? It's hard to believe these additional songs were considered inferior, since they're every bit as charming and clever as those which "survived." Consider the lyrics to "Hurry Up Face," an ode in which Peppermint Patty laments the tomboyish looks which (she believes) prevent her from finding True Love: Hurry up, face...make it snappy...come on, come on. Fall into place...make me happy...come on, come on. How long can I wait, face? I'm feeling the strain... That you're running late, face...is as plain...as... ...the nose on my face...can you doubt it? Come on, come on. Get on my case...how's about it? Come on, come on! Show me your heart...is in the right place... Come on, come on, come on...hurry up, face! Won't you please try...try to hurry...how time has flown! Years flying by...and I worry...I'll be alone! You're falling behind, face...don't do this to me... My mirror's not blind, face...it can see...that... ...you're losing the race...by a nose, so...get out the lead. Hurry up, face...on your toes, go...full speed ahead! Show me your heart...is in the right place... One of these days, I'll bet... You're gonna catch up yet... So, on your mark, get set...hurry up, face! (Gimme a break!) While most of you are unlikely to hear that or the other three songs in their recorded glory, the good news is that they do, in fact, survive on the London soundtrack LP. Robert Burbidge informs me that this London cast recording has been re-issued on CD in the UK. Its reference is CDTER 1073, manufactured & marketed by TER Limited. The (c) and (p) symbols are dated 1993, from Jay Productions. Perhaps, one day, if Mr. Grossman or Mr. Hackady reads these words, one or both might explain the reasons behind these two wildly divergent recordings. Until that moment, it'll simply remain another of the great Peanuts mysteries. The BROADWAY revival of YAGMCB: Triumph of Love's Roger Bart has reportedly been offered the role of Snoopy in the upcoming Broadway revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, according to Variety. Bart roles have included the Harlequin in Triumph and Cousin Kevin in the touring show of The Who's Tommy. "As a kid, I used to take out paper and trace Snoopy," Bart told Variety, "and now, just by performing him, I'm sort of tracing him again." A call to Bart's agent was not returned. The Michael Mayer-directed show has its Lucy, Schroeder and Patty, according to an Aug. 31 story in Variety. The trade publication reported that Ilana Levine (The Last Night of Ballyhoo) had signed on to play the crabby Lucy van Pelt, Kristin Chenoweth (Steel Pier) had contracted to be Patty, and Stanley Wayne Mathis (The Lion King) is on board to play the piano-playing Schroeder. Show spokesman Jim Byk said (Sept. 18), however, that negotiations with the above players had not been finalized. Also, Anthony Rapp is reportedly still in line to take on the title role, and B.D. Wong is considering the role of the blanket-carrying Linus. The Charlie Brown will begin in Chicago with a national tour in November (casting notices for the show list Nov. 3), after rehearsals start there. St. Louis will be the next stop on the tour (Nov. 24-29, according to Fox), which should reach Broadway in late spring 1999 (casting notices are mentioning March 1999). Aldo Scrofani is co-producing. Charlie Brown is based on the Charles M. Schulz comic strip "Peanuts," which features such characters as luckless Charlie, Lucy the shrew, blanket-toting Linus and piano-playing Schroeder. Begun Oct. 2, 1950, the strip now appears in more than 2,600 newspapers internationally. The musical comprises loosely arranged songs and vignettes -- a slice of the lives of these elementary-school aged characters. Song include "Happiness Is," "Book Report" and "My Blanket and Me." My class/church/drama group is putting on a production of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown," and one of the characters is named Patty. Is this the same person as Peppermint Patty? And, if not, who is this Patty person? No, Patty is not the same as Peppermint Patty. As the only neighborhood girl when the strip debuted in 1950, Patty had her hands full for a while. She was Charlie Brown's sole tormentor in the early days, until Violet (another character you don't see currently) showed up a few months later. Separately, the two were unremarkable: Patty had many of the bossy tendencies that Lucy would eventually inherit, while Violet was initially quite the little Suzy Homemaker (her specialty: mud pies). But once teamed during the mid-1950s, they became a terrible force to behold. Poor Charlie Brown rarely stood a chance when both ganged up on him simultaneously, and their collective cruelty often transcended even Lucy's verbal abuse. Ultimately, this one-note personification meant doom for both girls; absent little brothers or psychiatrist's booths, neither Patty nor Violet would depart the 1960s with any delightful quirks or positive traits. Banishment to the Home for Retired Characters quickly followed, although not until after "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" had made its debut ... which is why Patty is included among the cast members. Along with Shermy and Frieda ("with the naturally curly hair"), Patty and Violet remain the most "important" early characters who no longer surface very often. But the two girls aren't completely gone; both make occasional cameo appearances. [AF] Q. Tell me about these composers/authors...? Symbols for the Recordings Listings: * = show = audio recording (running time) - label, if known V = video B = book CLAUDE MICHEL SCHONBERG SHOWS TO DATE LA REVOLUTION FRANCAISE - Boublil and Schonberg's first musical, produced in the early 1970's. Very rock beat and completely in French. About the French Revolution. Even has Schonberg in a singing role. Original French Cast - First Night LES MISERABLES (1986) - Musicalization of the Victor Hugo novel. Won the Tony Award for best musical in 1987. Original 1984 French Concept Album (90 min.) - First Night - Before this was the musical as it is known now. Much more rock/disco with some different music and extra characters. London Cast Recording (100) - First Night - First english production. Contains "Little People" and "I Saw Him Once" which were cut for the Broadway version. - Cast: Colm Wilkinson Valjean Roger Allum Javert Patti LuPone Fantine Michael Ball Marius Rebeccah Caine Cosette Frances Ruffelle Eponine David Burt Enjolras Broadway Cast Recording (100) - Geffen - Production as it is now. Includes Tony Award Winners Frances Ruffelle and Michael Maguire. Won Grammy Award as well. - Cast: Colm Wilkinson Valjean Terrence Mann Javert Randy Graff Fantine David Bryant Marius Judy Kuhn Cosette Frances Ruffelle Eponine Michael Maguire Enjolras Symphonic Recording (165) - First Night - This is the only recording of the entire show. Cast members come from different productions from all over the world including London, New York, Sydney, Los Angeles and Tokyo. Won Grammy. - Cast: Gary Morris Valjean New York Phillip Quast Javert Sydney Debbie Byrne Fantine Sydney Michael Ball Marius London Tracy Shayne Cosette New York Kaho Shimada Eponine Tokyo Anthony Warlow Enjolras Sydney Hungarian Cast (60) Austrian Cast (100) Israeli Cast (45) Japanese Single - 2 songs: "On My Own" sung by Kaho Shimada and "Do You Hear the People Sing" Japanese Cast--Kaga or red version (140) - Recorded live, and has almost the entire show Japanese Cast--Takita or blue version (140) - Recorded live, and has almost the entire show Swedish Cast (70) Manchester Cast Highlights - Cast: Ria Jones Fantine Philip Quast Javert Meredith Braun Eponine Jeff Leyton Valjean Mike Sterling Marius - 5 songs: "I Dreamed a Dream", "Stars", "On My Own", "Bring Him Home", "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" Dutch Cast (Mercury Records 120) 1991 Original Paris (Trema Records 120) Prague Cast Danish Cast Korean Cast Spanish Cast Tring Highlights (unauthorized and generally inferior to to sanctioned recordings) "On My Own" rock single with Frances Ruffelle V: Stage by Stage: Les Miserables - Video with clips of show around the world plus clips of production team. B: The Complete Book of Les Miserables - Edward Behr The official Les Miserables website is at http://www.lesmiz.com MISS SAIGON (1989) - Madame Butterfly-type story taking place during and after the Vietnam War. Nominated for best musical Tony Award in 1991. London Cast (120) - Geffen - Cast: Lea Salonga Kim Jonathan Pryce Engineer Simon Bowman Chris Peter Polycarpou John Claire Moore Ellen Japanese highlights -7 songs including "I'd Give My Life for You" twice by 2 Kims. Complete Japanese Cast recorded live Tring Highlights (unauthorized and generally inferior to to sanctioned recordings) Complete Synphonic Recording - First Night Records (KIM CD 1) - Cast: Joanna Ampil Kim (from UK/Sydney cast) Kevin Grey Engineer (from LA cast) Peter Cousens Chris (from Sydney cast) Hinton Battle John (from NY cast) Ruthie Henshall Ellen (from London Cast) V: The Heat is On: The Making of Miss Saigon B: The Story of Miss Saigon book by Mark Steyn and Ed Behr MARTIN GUERRE (1996) - Adaptation of the classic French story of religous conflict and mistaken identity. Directed in London by Declan Donnellan, with musical staging by Bob Avian. Produced by Sir Cameron Mackintosh. Book by Alain Boublil and Claud-Michel Schonberg; English Lyrics by Edward Hardy and Stephen Clark; Original French Text by Alain Boublil; Additional Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil. London Cast - First Night - Cast: Iain Glen Arnaud du Thil Rebecca Lock Bertrand de Rols[*] Jerome Pradon Guillaume Matt Rawle Martin Guerre Martin Turner Pierre Guerre [*] The part of Bertrande was played by Juliette Caton in the first stage production Video: History in The Making 1999 Tour Cast Recording - First Night - Cast - Cast: Matthew Camelle Arnaud du Thil Joanna Riding Bertrand de Rols Maurice Clarke Guillaume Stephen Weller Martin Guerre Gareth Snook Father Dominic FUTURE PROJECTS LES MIS movie info: Alan Parker [FAME, BUGSY MALONE, PINK FLOYD THE WALL, BIRDY] was initially chosen by Cameron Mackintosh to direct the movie for Tristar Pictures. Parker pulled out, as did two subsequent directors: Bruce Beresford [DRIVING MISS DAISY, BLACK ROBE] and Richard Attenborough [GANDHI, A CHORUS LINE - THE MOVIE]. The current credits are as follows: David Matalon (exec. producer), Cameron Mackintosh (producer), Chris Kenny (co-producer), Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg (screenplay, music, lyrics), Herbert Kretzmer (English lyrics), and John Napier (production designer). Mackintosh is still planning on making a movie once an appropriate director is signed. MISS SAIGON magazine Sun And Moon c/o J. Jennifer Kang 16 Maltbie Avenue Ridgewood, NJ 07450 USA email: JAJ6.6.@ACFcluster.NYU.EDU There is a Boublil/Schonberg web page at: http://www.netlink.co.uk/users/nomad/ ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER The Really Useful Group's Web Page is http://www.reallyuseful.com/ SHOWS TO DATE Each title is followed by name of lyricist. JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT (Tim Rice) *JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT This is the first musical that Lloyd Webber and Rice had produced. Originally it started off as a piece for a Children's choir and later became a Broadway musical. The original production was only 15 minutes long (the first recording ran about 1/2 an hour) but as the years went by more songs were add to it so that the Broadway production of the early 6.'s ran for 60 minutes. In 1991 a new production was staged in London. This new version of the show now lasts about 2 hours with the introduction of more dance sequences and the repeating of songs. Original 1966.Cast (25 min) -This has Tim Rice playing Pharoah. It is very 60's rock and similar to the new production. 1973 Young Vic production 1974 London Cast 1979 London Cast 19?? Broadway Cast (60) - Chrysalis -Stars Bill Hutton as Joseph and Laurie Beechman as the Narrator. This is a much more musicalized version of the show. It was nominated for a Tony Award and runs about 60 minutes. 1991 London Cast (72) - Polydor -Stars Jason Donovan as Joseph and Linzi Hately as the Narrator. This is a very modernized, rock version of the show. 1992 Toronto Cast (72) -Stars Donny Osmond as Joseph and Janet Metz as the Narrator. Same production as the 1991 London. 1993 Los Angeles Cast -Stars Michael Damian as Joseph and Kelli Rabke as the Narrator. This is the cast that will play on Broadway. South African Cast Irish Cast Israeli Cast Mexican Cast JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (Tim Rice) This is Lloyd Webber's and Rice's musical detailing the last days of Jesus. Some argue that this should have been called Judas Iscariot Superstar since the show is basically detailing Judas's dilemma in betraying Jesus. There have been a lot of new recordings and productions coming out to celebrate its 20th year Anniversary. Some music from this show came from the Original Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Original Concept Recording (90) - Cast: Ian Gilliam Jesus Murray Head Judas Yvonne Elliman Mary Magdalene - This is the original studio version before this became a musical. Very rock and features the voices of Rice and Lloyd Webber as chorus members. Original London Cast Original Broadway Cast (45) - Cast: Jeff Fenholt Jesus Ben Vereen Judas Yvonne Elliman Mary Magdalene Motion Picture Soundtrack (100) - Cast: Ted Neely Jesus Carl Anderson Judas Yvonne Elliman Mary Magdalene Hungarian Cast German Cast French Cast Russian Cast Original Australian Cast(45) Japanese Cast Mexican Cast Danish Cast Brazilian Cast Swedish Cast 20th Anniversary Recording(100) - Cast: Paul Nicholas Jesus Keith Burns Judas Claire Moore Mary Magdalene Australian Cast(60) - This is an even more rock version of the show in the same manner of the new Joseph production. Features among other performances, a heavy metal "Herod's Song" and a very Top-40 "I Don't Know How to Love Him." 1997 London Cast V Movie directed by Norman Jewison V West End Revival/Broadway revival directed by Gale Edwards, starring Jerome Pradon as Judas and Marcus Lovett as Jesus. WEB PAGES http://monsterbit.com/daemon/jcs.html http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Stage/3583/jcslinks.htm JEEVES (Alan Ayckbourn) *JEEVES Original London Cast(50) - There is indeed a recording for Lloyd Webber's only flop. This is based on the Jeeves novels by P.G. Wodehouse. One of the criticisms of this show is that the book dragged it down and the Jeeves was just a background character. Sadly, the record is out of print. Some rare record store might have it but expect to pay up to $200 if you are lucky enough to find it. The recording is missing some of the show's songs but in the end proves to be a pretty good listen. 1996 London Cast EVITA (Tim Rice) Musical of the life of Eva Peron. Winner of Best Musical and Best Actress Tony Awards among others. Started off as a concept recording like Jesus Christ Superstar and was later turned into a staged musical. Original Concept Recording - MCA(120) - very "Rock" sounding and contains the song "The Lady's Got Potential" as well as Che's insecticide plot line which were eventually dropped for staged production. - Cast: Julie Covington Evita C.T. (Colm) Wilkinson Che Paul Jones Peron Original London Cast(60) - They only released a highlights recording of this cast. - Cast: Elaine Paige Evita David Essex Che Joss Ackland Peron Original American Cast(110) - Cast: Patti Lupone Evita Mandy Patinkin Che Bob Gunton Peron Motion Picture Sountrack - Cast: Madonna Evita Antonio Banderas Che Jonathan Pryce Peron Magaldi Jimmy Nail This is the soundrack from the movie, which opened late 1996 in the USA and early 1997 in the UK. It features "The Lady's Got Potential" with re- written lyrics as well as a new song, "You Must Love Me" which won Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice the Oscar for Best Original Song at the 1996 Oscars. [TG] Spanish Cast(110) - Epic American Touring Company Australian Cast New Zealand Cast Korean Cast Brazilian Cast Hungarian Cast Mexican Cast South African Cast German Cast Israeli Cast Japanese Cast CATS (from poems by T.S. Eliot; additional lyrics by Trevor Nunn and Richard Stilgoe) *CATS Original London Cast(120) - This recording has Elaine Paige, Paul Nicholas, Brian Blessed, and Sarah Brightman among others. It has a different version of "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteaser" from the future productions and includes the song the "Ballad of Billy McCaw". Original Broadway Cast(120) - This recording has Betty Buckley, Terrence Mann, and Ken Page among others. In order to make fun of those who claimed he had stolen from Puccini, Lloyd Webber wrote "Growltiger's Last Stand" to replace the "Ballad of Billy McCaw" as a Puccini parody. Australian Cast(90) - This is the only English recording with the "Pekes and the Pollicles" on it. Video (1998) - A recording of the British production starring Elaine Paige as Grizabella, John Mills as Gus and Ken Page as Rum Tum Tugger. This version does not contain "Growltiger's Last Stand" - due to the extreme age of John Mills (90). It does, however, have "The Awful Tale Pekes and the Pollicles" - This video was released first in the United Kingdom, and then in the USA a few weeks later. It was also aired on PBS in the United States. German Cast(60) German Cast live(120) Japanese Cast Japanese Cast (second recording) Dutch Cast French Cast(120) Mexican Cast Hungarian Cast SONG AND DANCE (Don Black) *SONG AND DANCE Song and Dance is a combination of Tell Me on a Sunday and Variations. Unexpected Song was added for the Broadway version. London Cast with Marti Webb(100) - This was recorded live and contains both the Song and Dance portions. Broadway Cast with Bernadette Peters, songs only(60) - RCA London with Sarah Brightman German Cast Tell Me on a Sunday Swedish recording. VBBC broadcast with Sarah Brightman STARLIGHT EXPRESS (Don Black and Richard Stilgoe) [Thanks to Jeremiah Rickert for many details] This musical has a rather chequered history. It was originally conceived as a cartoon retelling of the Cinderella story. Many re-writes and revisions have taken place over the years, and Richard Stilgoe - the credited lyricist - in fact inherited many of the lyrics (including 'U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D' from Peter Reeves) Original London Cast - Polydor(100) -with Frances Ruffelle as Dinah American Concept Recording - MCA German Cast(60) German Cast live German Cast - 1993 German Recordings The German recordings all include the Overture with the Mother telling the little boy to go to sleep and put his trains away. They end up singing Starlight Express as a Lullaby, albeit with a Germanized version of the Broadway lyrics. These lyrics seem to have been used in every production except the London one, which kept the "When You're goodnights have been said" version of the song. The German recordings also retain C.B., renamed Caboose, but cut out Belle. Additionally, the Coda of freight is included ("Earth, Water, Air, Fire, see the steam, rise higher"). The New London cast is the first English recording that includes the Starlight Express Lullaby with the mother and the Coda. German Recordings (Like Broadway) All have four Rockies, because Rocky IV was out by the time it reached Broadway. Despite the Fact there's a fifth Rocky film, I don't know of any production using a fifth Rocky. Original German Recording This is a concept recording (with slightly more pop arrangements of the score) that was released before the show opened to stir up interest. Du Allein (You Alone, i.e, Only You) was sung by German pop and theatre star Ute Lemper, and Johnny Logan. (I hadn't heard of him, but assume he's a pop star as well.) The Original Bochum Cast: (53mins) Ashley--Roslyn Howell Buffy--Carol Hoffmann Caboose--Hans Johnasson Dinah--Natalie Howard Electra--Eric Clausell Greastball--Paul Kribbe Papa--Trevor Michael Georges Pearl--Maria Jane Hyde Rusty--Steven Michael Skeels Complete Bochum Recording (Live, 114 mins) As far as I can tell, this is the most complete recording of the show. 1hr, 54mins long. The "International Race" plot of the show is easier to discern here than any recording up to this time. (if you understand German). Ashley--Johanne Simpson Buffy--Aiko Naksone Caboose--Kapa Kitchen Dinah--Laurie Sheppard Elecktra--David-Michael Johnson Greaseball--Nigel Casey Pearl--Lovette George Poppa--Stevie Woods Rusty--Bernie Blanks Bochum Cast Highlights (56mins) Came out in 1991. Studio recording highlights of the Bochum Cast. Ashley--Tracey Heyworth Buffy--Ivy Fox Caboose--Kapa Kitchen Dinah--Darlene Casanova Electra--Koffi Missah Greaseball--Nigel Casey Pearl--Claudia Bradley Poppa--Stevie Woods Rusty--Colin Munro Australian/Japanese Touring Company (in English)(45) [JR] 1993 London Starlight Express. This is an extensively revised version of the original. Two characters were dropped (C.B. and Belle) and the title song was re-written. "Only He" was also dropped, and "Make Up My Heart" and "Next Time You Fall In Love" added. The lyrics for this latter song was written by Don Black. "Freight" was also re-worked, and some new ensemble characters added. [TG] This production is still running at the Apollo Victoria theatre. There is also a more recent cast recording, called London Cast, but featuring performers from the Las Vegas cast of the show. [JR] THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe, with additional material by Mike Batt) This is Andrew Lloyd Webber's biggest hit yet. This show has played to sell-out crowds on London and Broadway since it opened in 196. and 196. respectively. Michael Crawford created the role of the Phantom in both productions. Another popular Phantom, Colm Wilkinson, played the Phantom at Lloyd Webber's Sydmonton Festival, where a draft of the first act was presented. This sometimes leads to battles between the performers' fans about who "created" the role or was the "original" Phantom. As Crawford and Hal Prince worked together on many aspects of the role, it is safe to say that Michael Crawford certainly created the role as it's presented today. Colm Wilkinson is thought to have been offered the role first, and later played the Phantom for five years in Toronto, Canada. Other very popular Phantoms include Peter Karrie, Franc D'Ambrosio, Davis Gaines, Grant Norman, and Dave Willetts. The London production reached its 10th anniversary on 9th October 1996, but did not mark the occassion with anything in the style of the Les Miserables 10th anniversary concert. A gala performance was attended by special guests, and fans lucky enough to get a ticket. As a special finale, Sarah Brightman sang on stage, along with four Phantoms - Peter Karrie, Ethan Freeman, Davis Gaines and Simon Bowman. Michael Crawford was unable to attend due to a hip injury. Guests and media then went to a "Masquerade Ball". [CD] London Cast (100 min.) - Polydor - Cast: Michael Crawford Phantom Sarah Brightman Christine Steve Barton Raoul - This is the same cast that went to Broadway. collector's edition 24ct Gold release of London Cast (6.1 273-2G) collector's edition 24ct Gold release of London Cast Highlights Toronto Cast (70) - Polydor - Cast: Colm Wilkinson Phantom Rebeccah Caine Christine Byron Nease Raoul - This is a highlights recording but it does include the Hannibal opera which was not on the London Cast Recording. Hamburg Cast Highlights(50 min) Phantom - Peter Hofmann Christine - Anna Maria Kaufmann Raoul - Hartwig Rudolz Vienna Cast(120) Phantom - Alexander Goebel Christine - Luzia Nistler Raoul - Alfred Pfeifer Dutch Cast Highlights Phantom - Henk Poort Christine - Joke de Kruif Raoul - Peter de Smet Swedish Cast(110) - Basically the whole show recorded live. Fantomen - Mikael Samuelson Christine - Elisabeth Berg Raoul - Bengt Nordfors 196. Japanese Cast(120) Phantom - Masachika Ichimura Christine - Rhoko Nomura Raoul - Yuichiro Yamaguchi (No longer produced - very hard to find.) 1992 Japanese Cast(120) Phantom - Yuichiro Yamaguchi Christine - Kyoko Suzuki Raoul - Kanji Ishimaru Studio cast - TER Phantom - Graham Bickley Christine - Claire Moore Raoul - John Barrowman Studio cast - JAY Phantom - Ethan Freeman Christine - Claire Moore Raoul - John Barrowman (Same recording as TER, but Bickley's tracks replaced by Freeman.) Swiss Cast (1 CD) WEB PAGES http://phantom.skywalk.com/ http://members.aol.com/CH522/index.html http://www.reallyuseful.com/ CRICKET (Tim Rice) This small musical, written for a private Royal performance, was never recorded, and indeed many of the tunes were later recycled in 'Aspects of Love'. ASPECTS OF LOVE (Charles Hart and Don Black) Lloyd Webber's musical based on the David Garnett novel. This show has met mixed success. It played 3 years in London but didn't even last one year on Broadway. It is currently touring the United States in a revamped Robin Phillips production. Some people complain that this show consists of 1 song others are quick to point out the many musical themes in this show. There has been debate about the relationship between the beginning and ending of the play and it has been generally resolved that the beginning takes place right after Alex has left Rose and Jenny and has met Giulietta. In the touring production this means that it is actually George's body in the casket. Original London Cast(137) - Polydor - Cast: Michael Ball Alex Ann Crumb Rose Kevin Colson George Kathleen Rowe McAllen Giullieta SUNSET BOULEVARD (Don Black and Christopher Hampton) Musical version of the Billy Wilder movie, which opened in London July 12, 1993. The London Cast Recording (a.k.a. World Premiere Recording) was released in England in August 1993, and is now available domestically in the U.S. The LA cast has been recorded, and the CD was released September 13 1997. Productions of Sunset Boulevard in New York and London closed within a month of each other in March and April 1997. The US touring production has also ended. Original London Cast - Polydor -Cast: Patti LuPone Norma Desmond Kevin Anderson Joe Gillis Meredith Braun Betty Schaeffer Daniel Benzali Max von Mayerling American Premiere Cast - Polydor -Cast: Glenn Close Norma Desmond Alan Campbell Joe Gillis Judy Kuhn Betty Schaeffer George Hearn Max von Mayerling Sunset Boulevard Single (Michael Ball) The Perfect Year Single (Glenn Close) WEB PAGES http://www.cen.uiuc.edu/~dd-moore/sunset-blvd.html http://www.reallyuseful.com/ WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND Musical based on the novel and film about a group of children who discover an escaped convict in a barn, and believe him to be Jesus. The musical was re-written after its unsuccessful Washington preview, and openend in the West End in 1998. Original Cast Recording MARCUS LOVETT The Man LOTTIE MAYOR Swallow DEAN COLLINSON Amos VERONICA HART Candy THE BEAUTIFUL GAME Opened in London in September 2000. As the sixties draw to a close, life is just beginning for a group of teenagers. Amongst them are Father O'Donnel's football team including Del and John who both have enough talent to make it big. Their girlfriends, Mary and Christine are dreaming about what to do with their lives and worrying about the way their world is changing. Yearning for a time when they can live and love in peace, they all learn that to escape from bigotry and intolerance will take all the courage they can muster. Original Cast Recording - Telstar (TCD3160) JOSIE WALKER Mary DAVID SHANNON John HANNAH WADDINGHAM Christine MICHAEL SHAEFFER Thomas CURRENT PROJECTS THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA movie - This is another one that was rumoured for a number of years, nearly made, and then slipped back into rumours. The Really Useful Group now say that the film is going into production with Warner Brothers next year. At the time of writing, neither the cast nor director has been announced. There is much speculation that Michael Crawford still has a contract, and Lloyd Webber is reported to back him as the star. Anthony Hopkins and Michelle Pfeiffer have been mentioned as favourites of the studio. Fans are divided on whether the film is to be welcomed or not. A rumour surrounding casting suggests that John Travolta is interested in, or being considered for, the role of the Phantom. Recent rumours suggest that Antonio Banderas is being considered for the role. Ben Elton, a British comedian and novelist, He has recently appeared in the EVITA movie, and sang at Lloyd Webber's fiftieth birthday concert at the Albert Hall in London. ASPECTS OF LOVE movie - This is another rumored project that hasn't begun filming yet. Supposedly Lloyd Webber wants Brightman as Rose and this wouldn't be surprising since he has had her playing Rose on Broadway, London and for part of the American tour. CATS animated movie - didn't happen, but the touring set was used to film a video which was the first ALW musical to be taped for commercial release, and broadcast. A STAR IS BORN - ALW has purchased the rights to produce a stage version of the 1954 Judy Garland-James Mason movie. He will not write any original music, but rather retain the Harold Arlen-Ira Gershwin score and add other songs from the Arlen repertory. Larry Gelbart (CITY OF ANGELS) has been sought to write the show's book, and Stephen Pimlott (the recent JOSEPH... revival) is scheduled to direct (ALW will act as producer). The production is scheduled to open 16.24 months from the time of the project's announcement (which was March/95). "PHANTOM 2" - One of the "many" projects being considered by Andrew Lloyd Webber is a sequel to 'The Phantom of The Opera', which involves Raoul and Christine, who has a child which is rumoured to by by the Phantom. The musical was to be written by Lloyd Webber and the well known novelist Frederick Forsyth. There was a novella by Forsyth, but the project was killed off and one of its melodies recycled in 'The Beautiful Game'. OTHER RECORDINGS/COMPILATIONS [ML/SP] The Premiere Collection (50) - MCA - 14 singles from Superstar to Phantom, including the Phantom rock version with Steve Harley and Sarah Brightman. The Premiere Collection Encore (60) - Polydor - 16 singles from Evita to the new production of Joseph, including "Amigos Para Siempre", the 1992 Summer Olympics theme. VThe Premiere Collection Encore (90) - Polydor - 16 videos based mostly on songs found in the two Premiere Collection recordings. Requiem (70) - EMI - A Latin mass written in tribute to ALW's late father. Features Placido Domingo, Sarah Brightman, and Paul Miles-Kingston. Variations, 1976.(40) - MCA - These variations on Paganini's 24th caprice in A minor were written for Julian Lloyd Webber's cello/rock band. This work was later adapted into the dance portion of Song and Dance. Variations, 196. (40) - Philips - A reworking of the original Variations for full orchestra. The Magic of Andrew Lloyd Webber The Magic of Andrew Lloyd Webber II The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber (60) - First Night - 15 songs from Superstar to Phantom, featuring Paul Nicholas and Stephanie Lawrence Andrew Lloyd Webber Love Songs (50) - Silva - Somewhat of a misnomer--after all, "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" can hardly be called a love song. Dave Willetts is one of the featured singers. Ovation Essentials (70) - Koch - 17 songs from Evita to Aspects. One of the featured singers is is Claire Moore The Odessa File soundtrack Gumshoe soundtrack "Amigos Para Siempre" -Lloyd Webber was commissioned to write this theme for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. It is sung by Sarah Brightman and Jose Carreras and has lyrics by Don Black in English and Gloria Estefan in Spanish. The Andrew Lloyd Webber 50th Anniversary Concert This has been released on CD and Video. It was recorded in early summer 1998 at the Royal Albert Hall in London, and contains songs from most of ALW's shows. The Phantom Appreciation Society The Phantom Appreciation Society in the UK has 250 members internationally, and produces a quarterly newsletter/magazine. Would you be able to add our address to the FAQ? People can either e-mail Christine Daae (she had it legally changed!) at cdaae@easynet.co.uk for more information, or write to: The Phantom Appreciation Society Salkyns Gt Canfield Bishop's Stortford Herts CM22 6SX UK STEPHEN SONDHEIM [JAC] SHOWS TO DATE LYRICS AND MUSIC Broadway musicals unless otherwise indicated. Each title is followed by year of first production and name of librettist. *SATURDAY NIGHT Sondheim's first Broadway musical, abandoned when its producer died. Several of its songs have been recorded in anthologies (see below). The 1997 London Bridewell Theatre production was recorded, and is available on the First Night label. A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM (1962; Burt Shevelove & Larry Gelbart after Plautus) A fast-paced farce in which the songs serve as interludes. The film dropped many of the songs and was overproduced, but does preserve the performances of Mostel and Gilford. OC: Broadway Angel CD - Cast: Zero Mostel, Jack Gilford. ANYONE CAN WHISTLE (1964; Arthur Laurents) A 9-performance flop. OC: CBS CD; the CD adds music omitted from the LP. - Cast: Angela Lansbury (her first musical), Lee Remick, Harry Guardino. EVENING PRIMROSE (1966; James Goldman after Collier) (television musical Based on a short story; score comprises only 4 songs. No recording except for a medley of the songs on Mandy Patinkin's "Dress Casual" CD (Bernadette Peters as guest artist). COMPANY (1970; George Furth) The show that established Sondheim's stature, a mixture of musical and revue with urban life and personal commitment as the themes. Tony awards: Musical, Music, Lyrics, Book, Director, Scenic Design OC: CBS CD. - Cast: Dean Jones, Barbara Barrie, Elaine Stritch, Donna McKechnie, Beth Howland, Charles Kimbrough, George Coe. - There is also a "London Cast" album which is the OC with Dean Jones's voice tracks replaced by those of his replacement, Larry Kert (to be reissued on CD on English CBS). V Video documentary of recording session: RCA Video. 1996 London Cast - Cast: Bobby Adrian Lester Sarah Rebecca Front Harry Clive Rowe Susan Clare Burt Peter Gareth Snook Jenny Liza Sadovy David Teddy Kempner Amy Sophie Thompson Paul Michael Simkins Joanne Sheila Gish Larry Paul Bentley Marta Anna Francolini Kathy Kiran Hocking April Hannah James FOLLIES (1971; James Goldman) None of the three recordings conveys the full stature of this score and show, arguably Sondheim's finest. The first is too truncated, the second inattentive to dramatic values, the third unwisely revised; all are seriously incomplete. Tony awards: Music and Lyrics, Director, Choreographer, Scenic Design, Costumes, Lighting, Actress (Alexis Smith) OC: Broadway Angel CD. - Cast: Alexis Smith, Dorothy Collins, Yvonne De Carlo, Gene Nelson, John McMartin, Mary McCarty, Ethel Shutta. - CD contains 1 song not on LP. Concert cast: RCA, 2 CDs. - Cast: Barbara Cook, Lee Remick, Carol Burnett, George Hearn, Mandy Patinkin, Elaine Stritch, Comden & Green, Liz Callaway, Howard McGillin. 196? revision, London cast: First Night, 2 CDs. - Cast: Julia McKenzie, Diana Rigg, Delores Gray, Daniel Massey. Papermill Playhouse (1998) - Cast: Kaye Ballard, Michael Green, Laurence Guittard, Billy Hartung A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC (1973; Hugh Wheeler after Bergman) Based on the Bergman film SMILES OF A SUMMER NIGHT, with an operetta score based on variants of triple meter. Tony awards: Musical, Music and Lyrics, Book, Actress (Glynis Johns), Supporting Actress (Patricia Elliott) Academy award [film version]: Adaptation Score OC: CBS CD. - Cast: Glynis Johns, Hermione Gingold, Len Cariou, Patricia Elliott, Victoria Mallory, Laurence Guittard. London 1996 - Cast: Judi Dench, Sian Phillips, Lawrence Guittard, Joanna Riding, Patricia Hodge, Lambert Wilson V The film version is too poor to be worth much attention. V The NY City Opera production televised on PBS is better, but not commercially available. THE FROGS (1974; Burt Shevelove after Aristophanes) play with music, Yale School of Drama Originally done in and around a swimming pool. No recording; 2 songs ("Invocation and Instructions" and "Fear No More"-- lyrics by Shakespeare) have been recorded in compilations. PACIFIC OVERTURES (1976; John Weidman) A depiction of the recent history of Japan in modified Kabuki style, with an all-male (till the finale), originally all-Asian cast. Tony awards: Costume Design, Scenic Design OC: RCA CD. - Cast: Mako, Soon-Teck Oh, Sab Shimono, Gedde Watanabe, Isao Sato. English National Opera production: TER, 2 CDs (complete including dialog). SWEENEY TODD, THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET (1979; Hugh Wheeler after Bond) Sondheim's closest approach to opera, a large-scale piece in which all but about 15 minutes is set to music, and which has been done by opera companies. The story uses many legends which were first seen in written form in Victorian London. These 'penny dreadfuls' were cheap, 'pulp' fiction designed to appeal to the readers' gruesome and romantic tastes. Various versions depicted Mrs Lovett as a beguilling beauty while others (Bond's play and this musical) chose a less appealing character. Sweeney Todd has been rescued from the sea off Botany Bay near Australia where he was transported on a trumped up charge by the corrupt Judge Turpin. Returned to London by the man who saved him, Anthony Hope, he sets about locating his wife and daughter, who were taken from him as part of the Judge's plan. He meets Mrs Lovett, the owner of a pie shop near Fleet Street, who tells him what became of his wife and daughter, and that the daughter (Johanna) is Judge Turpin's ward. Todd works hard to establish himself as a Barber, ridding himself and the world of anyone who gets in his way. Various events transpire to foil Todd on his quest for revenge, and the culmination of the show is a remarkable and very tragic sequence of events which will not be revealed here! Tony awards: Musical, Book, Score, Actor (Len Cariou), Actress (Angela Lansbury), Director, Scenic Design, Costume Design OC: RCA, 2 CDs (highlights on 1 CD). - Cast: Len Cariou, Angela Lansbury, Victor Garber. VVideo of LA stage performance (RKO Video) - Cast: Lansbury, George Hearn, Cris Groenendaal, Betsy Joslyn. MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG (196.; George Furth after Kaufman & Hart) A Broadway failure which has often been performed by schools and universities, and which has been repeatedly revised by its authors. OC: RCA CD. - Cast: Jim Walton, Ann Morrison, Lonny Price, Jason Alexander. Leicester Haymarket (1992, released 1994): TER CD. - Cast: Michael Cantwell, Maria Friedman, Evan Pappas York Theater Company (1994): Varese Sarabande CD. - Cast: Malcolm Gets, Amy Ryder, Adam Heller SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE (196.; James Lapine) An examination of the artist's changing role in terms of the painter Georges Seurat and a modern counterpart. Tony awards: Scenic Design, Lighting Design Pulitzer Prize for Drama (196.) OC: RCA CD. - Cast: Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, Charles Kimbrough, Dana Ivey, Cris Groenendaal, Barbara Bryne, Robert Westenberg, Brent Spiner. V Video of stage performance: original cast. (Karl-Lorimar Video) INTO THE WOODS (196.; James Lapine) This combination of 4 traditional fairy tales with a new one, examining the aftereffects of their stories, provided Sondheim with his longest Broadway run since FORUM. Tony awards: Score, Book, Actress (Joanna Gleason) OC: RCA Victor CD. - Cast: Bernadette Peters, Joanna Gleason, Chip Zien, Tom Aldredge, Robert Westenberg, Chuck Wagner, Kim Crosby, Ben Wright, Danielle Ferland. London cast: RCA Victor (one new song in this version). - Cast: Julia McKenzie, Imelda Staunton. V Video of stage production: Original cast. (only available on laserdisk) DICK TRACY (1990) songs for film Academy award: Original Song ("Sooner or Later") - 5 "period" songs. 3 sung by Madonna (one as a duet with Mandy Patinkin); they are performed by her (not the soundtrack performances) in her album "I'm Breathless." The other 2, background choral numbers in the film, can be heard on the Carnegie Hall concert recording. V Film available on video (Touchstone/Buena Vista) ASSASSINS (1991; John Weidman) off-Broadway Opened December 16. 1990 at Playwrights Horizons Ran for 73 performances Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Book by John Weidman Based on an idea by Charles S. Gilbert, Jr. Produced by Playwrights Horizons "Something Just Broke" was added in to the Original London Score. A 90-minute one-act show, an examination of the role of assassins in American history in revue-like nightmarish format. Original cast: RCA Victor CD. - Cast: Victor Garber, Jonathan Hadary, Terrence Mann, Annie Golden, Debra Monk. PASSION (1994; James Lapine) A one-act chamber musical, set in 19th century Italy, about an ugly, sickly woman in pursuit of a handsome soldier. Passion is based on Passion d'Amore, a film directed by Ettore Scola, and the the novel Fosca, by I.U. Tarchetti Passion was premiered on November 9 1994 at the Lincoln Center. Sets by Adrianne Lobel, costumes by Jane Greenwood, lighting by Beverley Emmons. Directed by James Lapine with Jane Comfort Fosca Donna Murphy Giorgio Jere Shea Clara Marin Mazzie The London production, starring Maria Friedman and Michael Ball was presented in two acts. Tony awards: Musical, Score, Book, Actress (Murphy) Olivier Award: Best Actress in a Musical (Friedman) (1996) OC: Angel CD. - Cast: Donna Murphy, Jere Shea, Marin Mazzie, Gregg Edelman, Tom Aldredge, Cris Groenendaal, Francis Ruivivar, George Dvorsky LYRICS ONLY Composer listed first, then librettist. WEST SIDE STORY (1957; Leonard Bernstein; Arthur Laurents) GYPSY (1959; Jule Styne; Arthur Laurents) DO I HEAR A WALTZ? (1965; Richard Rodgers; Arthur Laurents) THE EXCEPTION AND THE RULE (project abandoned 1966. Leonard Bernstein; John Guare after Brecht) also known under the working titles THE ROAD TO URGA and A PRAY BY BLECHT CANDIDE (additional lyrics for 1973 revision; Leonard Bernstein; Hugh Wheeler after Voltaire) CURRENT PROJECTS INTO THE WOODS film (199?; Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandel) In October 1994, and all-star reading of the script was held at the home of Penny Marshall. Participating in the reading were Robin Williams (the Baker), Goldie Hawn (the Baker's Wife), Cher (the Witch), Steve Martin (the Wolf), Danny DeVito (the Giant), Elijah Wood (Jack and the Beanstalk), Roseanne (Jack's mother), Bebe Neuwirth (Cinderella's stepmother), Mayim Bialik (Little Red Riding Hood), Samantha Mathis (Rapunzel), Brendan Fraser (Rapunzel's prince), Moira Kelly (Cinderella), Kyle MacLachlan (Cinderella's prince) and Michael Jeter (Cinderella's father). Marshall is attached as director, though an item in Marilyn Beck's gossip column in February 1995 reported that a co-director may be brought in because of the size of the production. No cast nor start date has been announced. Currently, the Into the Woods film does not look promising. Sony Pictures has dropped the project from its plans and the film version is being shopped around to other studios. SWEENEY TODD film (199?; no screenwriter announced) Tim Burton plans to direct a movie version of SWEENEY, possibly after the completion of his current movie, MARS ATTACKS! Sondhiem will write new songs and update older ones for the SWEENEY movie. SINGING OUT LOUD (199?; William Goldman) A film musical project to be directed by Rob Reiner. The project has reportedly been abandoned. MUSCLE Sondheim has abandoned work on MUSCLE, which Lapine is now developing with William Finn and Ellen Fitzhugh. GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER Co-written by Sondheim and George Furth WISE GUYS Sondheim's new musical comedy will be about the Mizner brothers: Addison (an architect) and Wilson (playwright, prospector, and businessman). The production was scheduled to open on June 30 1997, but now anticipates a fall '97 date. The "Wise Guys" title may also be changed as it was only devised for the Center's use in production marketing. The musical comedy will parallel the lives of the Mizner Brothers and the rise and fall of vaudeville. From the 1920s to the 1930s. To date, Stephen has written two complete songs for WISE GUYS. They held a private reading of completed sections of the script and music on March 27, 1997, in NYC. The reading was directed by Lori Steinberg and starred Victor Garber, Dee Hoty, Robert Westenberg, etc. (The director and actor's for the readings do not mean anything about who will direct or star in the final production). Revues, Concerts, etc. SONDHEIM: A MUSICAL TRIBUTE (1973; tribute concert), RCA Victor, 2 CDs SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM (1976; revue), RCA, 2 LPs, not reissued on CD MARRY ME A LITTLE (196.; revue), RCA CD A STEPHEN SONDHEIM EVENING (196.; concert), RCA, 2 LPs; program available for performance as YOU'RE GONNA LOVE TOMORROW SONDHEIM (196.; newly recorded anthology), Book-of-the-Month records, 2 CDs A COLLECTOR'S SONDHEIM (196.; reissue anthology), RCA, 3 CDs SONDHEIM: A CARNEGIE HALL CELEBRATION (1992; tribute concert), RCA, 2 CDs. Abbreviated (90-minute) version on RCA Video PUTTING IT TOGETHER (1993; revue), RCA 2-CD recording Newsletters/Journals The Stephen Sondheim Society The Stephen Sondheim Society, based in Britain, was formed in 1993 to promote the works of the composer. US membership is 20 pounds, and benefits include a newsletter listing British professional and amateur productions of Sondheim shows, reviews of new recordings, and other Sondheim-related articles. This is a "sanctioned" appreciation society. For more information, write to: The Stephen Sondheim Society c/o Dress Circle, 57/59 Monmouth Street Upper St. Martin's Lane London WC2H 9DG UK The Sondheim Review The Sondheim Review is a quarterly journal devoted to Sondheim's works. The cost is $19.95 for 4 issues. The Sondheim Review Box 11213 Chicago, IL 60611-0123 or phone 1-6.0-56.-1020 Books about Sondheim [JEA] Books about Sondheim and his work - basically in order from "If you only get one, get this one" to "If you are a completist..." Most available through Amazon.com, all (plus other stuff) accessible through the Stephen Sondheim Stage (www.sondheim.com) website under "merchandise". These are the major ones: SONDHEIM & CO. (Craig Zadan) The one to get if you're only getting one. A nice overview of Sondheim's life and career. Very easy to read. Available as a large paperback. Current through ASSASSINS (1992), unless a newer edition that I don't know about has popped up. SONDHEIM (Martin Gottfried) A nice coffee table book with a lot of great photos. Gottfried is a bit opinionated, and tends to present his opinions as fact more than one might like. There are a few small errors here and there which annoy the purists. But overall, an enjoyable book, and a good overview of Sondheim's career. Also current through ASSASSINS (1992) if I remember correctly. STEPHEN SONDHEIM: A LIFE (Meryle Secrest) The only real biography of Stephen Sondheim out there, just published in 1998. Extensive and candid cooperation from Sondheim and his friends. She tends to be a bit free with the pop psychology and armchair analysis, rather than just letting the circumstances speak for themselves. And, she appears to be pretty dreadfully ignorant of musical theatre in general, making it hard for her to gauge Sondheim's work and relative importance to the genre with any kind of accuracy. The sentence structure is sometimes so convoluted that a passage must be reread to grasp the intent. Nonetheless, a compelling read, and what will probably always be the seminal biography of the man, since future biographers will probably never have the extensive cooperation that she did from him and his friends. Well worth reading by any Sondheim fan, or fan of musical theatre in general. ART ISN'T EASY: THE THEATRE OF STEPHEN SONDHEIM (Joanne Gordon) Basically, the book examines a Sondheim show per chapter, not going into any great depth, and not spending much time at all on Sondheim as a person. But as a good show by show reference, it is a handy and readable book. SONDHEIM'S BROADWAY MUSICALS (Stephen Banfield) A very detailed and dense study of Sondheim's work, heavy on the musicology. For musicians and those with a strong background in music theory, a fascinating read. For the rest of us, also fascinating, but daunting. This book can be very dense and difficult to read, but there is a huge wealth of information for those willing to persevere. Much in depth analysis of the music and themes in Sondheim's work, with great cooperation from Sondheim himself in terms of information and materials.