Week of December 28, 2015

Maggie Smith: A Biography
(St. Martin's Press - Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
By Michael Coveney. Written with the actress's blessing and drawing on personal archives, as well as interviews with immediate family and close friends. 352 pages.

The American Song Book: The Tin Pan Alley Era
(Oxford Univ Press - new Hardcover/Paperback Book)
By Philip Furia and Laurie J. Patterson. First in a projected five-volume series of books that will reprint original sheet music, including covers, of songs that constitute the enduring standards of Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, the Gershwins, and other lyricists and composers of what has been called the "Golden Age" of American popular music. The authors place these songs in historical context with essays about the sheet-music publishing industry known as Tin Pan Alley, the emergence of American musical comedy on Broadway, and the "talkie" revolution that made possible the Hollywood musical. They also provide biographical sketches of songwriters, performers, and impresarios and analyze the lyrical and musical artistry of each song and relate anecdotes about how the songs were created. 256 pages.

Week of December 22, 2015

100 Men and a Girl
(Universal Vault Series - on DVD-R)
1937 musical comedy film. Deanna Durbin, Adolphe Menjou, Leopold Stokowski, Eugene Pallette. Charles Previn won Best Score Oscar. 84 minutes. Released 10/30/15.

The Wiz Live! DVD
(Universal Studios - new on DVD)
NBC live musical. Cast includes Shanice Williams, Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, David Alan Grier, Ne-Yo, Elijah Kelley, Uzo Aduba, Amber Riley, Common, Stephanie Mills, and Cirque du Soleil. New material by Harvey Fierstein. Choreographer Fatima Robinson. Executive Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. Music Director Stephen Oremus. 121 minutes.

First You Dream: The Music of Kander & Ebb
(PBS - new on DVD)
2015 televised tribute to John Kander and Fred Ebb. Kate Baldwin, Heidi Blickenstaff, James Clow, Norm Lewis, Julia Murney, Matthew Scott. Bonus items: "She's A Woman/Dressing Them Up" (Kiss of the Spider Woman), "Blue Crystal/Marry Me" (The Rink), "I Don't Care Much" (Cabaret), "Love and Love Alone" (The Visit), "The Money Tree/Maybe This Time" (Cabaret/The Act). David Loud, music director, vocal arrangements. Directed for stage by Eric Schaeffer and produced by HMS Media. 60 minutes.

The Man That Got Away: The Life and Songs of Harold Arlen (Music in American Life series)
(Univ of Illinois Press - Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
By Walter Rimler. From interviews with friends and associates of Arlen and on newly available archives. 248 pages. Published 8/20/15.

The Theatre of David Henry Hwang
(Bloomsbury Methuen Drama - Paperback Book/Kindle Edition)
By Esther Kim Lee (Author), Kevin J. Wetmore Jr. and Patrick Lonergan series editors. 224 pages.

Tom Sawyer soundtrack
(Quartet Records - on 2 CDs)
1973 film with Sherman Brothers songs. Johnnie Whitaker, Jeff East, Jodie Foster, Celeste Holm, Lucille Benson. Original album expanded with extended versions of some songs and underscore tracks by John Williams, plus orchestra-only verisons of the songs. Second CD has the complete soundtrack, songs and underscore, but only in mono. Limited 1500 unit release. Information and purchase at Screen Archives.

Week of December 15, 2015

Be More Chill
(Ghostlight Records - new on CD)
Joe Iconis score. Book by Joe Tracz and is based on the novel by Ned Vizzini. Two River Theater (NJ) cast. Will Connolly, Eric William Morris, Stephanie Hsu, Jake Boyd, Gerard Canonico, Katlyn Carlson, Katie Ladner, Lauren Marcus, George Salazar, and Paul Whitty. "Jeremy's Theme (Instrumental)," "More Than Survive," "I Love Play Rehearsal," "The Squip Song," "Two-Player Game," "The Squip Enters," "Be More Chill Part 1," "Do You Wanna Ride?," "Be More Chill Part 2," "More Than Survive (Reprise)," "A Guy That I'd Kinda Be Into," "The Squip Lurks (Instrumental)," "Upgrade," "Halloween," "Do You Wanna Hang?," "Michael In The Bathroom," "The Smartphone Hour (Rich Set A Fire)," "The Pitiful Children," "The Pants Song," "The Play," "Voices In My Head." The six-piece orchestra includes Nathan Dame (Conductor and Keyboard), Danny Jonokuchi (Trumpet), Dan McMillan (Drums/Percussion), Josh Plotner (Reeds), Mike Rosengarten (Guitar) and Amanda Ruzza (Bass). Previously released digitally on mp3 and at iTunes.

Broadway Revealed: Behind the Theater Curtain
(Chance - Paperback Book)
Photographer Stephen Joseph's sweeping panorama images of studios, designers, and workshops, revealing the process and complexity of creating theater. Directors, set designers, lighting designers, sound designers, costume designers, props artisans, tailors, milliners, wigmakers, and more are depicted alongside their work and workspaces in these stunning color images. 204 pages.

Catch My Soul
(Etiquette Pictures - new Blu-ray/DVD set)
1974 musical film adaptation of Jack Good's UK stage musical of the same title. A rock opera adaptation of Othello. Music by Ray Pohlman and Emil Dean Zoghby; lyrics by Jack Good. First home video release, newly restored from its original 35mm camera negative. Richie Havens, Lance LeGault, Season Hubley, Susan Tyrrell, Tony Joe White, Delaney & Bonnie. Directed by Patrick McGoohan. Bonuses: Drink the Wine, Eat the Bread making-of featurette; The Deacon Speaks interview with Tony Joe White; True Soul featurette on Conrad L. Hall; theatrical trailer; TV spot; promotional still gallery; extensive booklet essay by Tom Mayer; reversible cover artwork; English SDH subtitles. 96 minutes. Released 11/27/15.

Choreographing Copyright: Race, Gender, and Intellectual Property Rights in American Dance
(Oxford Univ Press - Hardcover Book/Paperback Book/Kindle Edition already released)
By Anthea Kraut. Historical and cultural analysis of U.S. dance-makers' investment in intellectual property rights. 336 pages.

Daddy Long Legs Off-Broadway cast
(Ghostlight Records - new on CD)
Paul Gordon score. Megan McGinnis and Paul Alexander Nolan. Produced by Kurt Deutsch and Brad Haak. "The Oldest Orphan In the John Grier Home," "Who Is This Man?," "Mr. Girl Hater," "She Thinks I'm Old," "Like Other Girls," "Things I Didn't Know," "What Does She Mean by Love?," "I'm a Beast," "When Shall We Meet?," "The Color of Your Eyes," "The Secret of Happiness," "My Manhattan," "Less," "The Man I'll Never Be," "The Secret of Happiness (Reprise)," "Graduation Day," "Charity," "I Have Torn You from My Heart," "I'm a Beast (Reprise)," "All This Time." Also available at Ghostlight/Sh-K-Boom. Released earlier at iTunes

The Long Christmas Dinner: An Opera by Paul Hindemith
(Bridge Records, Inc. - new on CD/mp3/)
Premiere recording of Thornton Wilder's libretto. Camille Zamora, Sara Murphy, Catherine Martin, Kathryn Guthrie, Glenn Seven Allen, Scott Murphree, Jarrett Ott, Josh Quinn. American Symphony Orchestra. Conductor Leon Botstein. Recorded live at the Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center. Includes complete librettos in English and German, and extensive background notes by Hindemith scholar Joel Haney, conductor Leon Botstein, and Tappan Wilder, nephew and literary executor of Thornton Wilder. Released 8/3/15.

Melissa Errico: What About Today? Live at 54 BELOW
(Broadway Records - new on DVD)
Live footage from her opening night cabaret performance of "What About Today?" at Feinstein's 54 Below. 15-song collection includes 11 tracks which Melissa has never recorded before, including the strong title track by David Shire. 64 minutes. Available now at BroadwayRecords.com. Will be available at Amazon this week.

Memories of the Revolution: The First Ten Years of the WOW Café Theater
(Univ of Michigan Press - Paperback Book)
By Jill Dolan. Holly Hughes and Carmelita Tropicana, editors. Collects scripts, interviews, and commentary to trace the first decade of WOW Café (Women's One World). Alumnae include Lisa Kron, performance artists Holly Hughes and Carmelita Tropicana, theater troupe the Five Lesbian Brothers, and actors/playwrights Peggy Shaw, Lois Weaver, and Deb Margolin, among others. Also includes photographs of and reminiscences by Café veterans. 312 pages.

Peggy Lee Live in London
(Universal - new 3 CD set + DVD/mp3/at iTunes)
Includes the original studio album Peggy; Peggy Lee Live In London album recorded in 1977 at the London Palladium (both available on CD in their entirety for the first time); Afterglow a collection of some previously unreleased material including the entire second London Palladium concert, some songs Lee recorded in rehearsal at the Palladium, and some extra songs from the London studio sessions. Bonus DVD features Peggy Lee Entertains, a BBC live special from 1981. The package also includes extensive sleevenotes by producer Ken Barnes. Full track lists available at Universal Music.

Right Where I Belong: Adam Jacobs
(new on CD/mp3/at iTunes)
Debut album by Adam Jacobs (Alladin). Songs by Alan Menken. "Go the Distance," "Proud of Your Boy," "Sailing On," "I Could Be That Guy," "Santa Fe," "Suddenly Seymour" (with Arielle Jacobs), "Out There," "Anytime You Need a Friend," "One Jump Ahead," "If I Never Knew You" (with Kelly Jacobs), "Her Voice," "Shooting Star," "Goodnight My Friend." Music direction and arrangements by James Abbott. Allan Detsky and Adam Jacobs are the executive producers. Released 12/13/15.

Sarah Brightman: Rarities Vol. 1, 2, and 3
(new digital compilation albums)
Culled from originally unreleased recordings, B-Sides, limited edition releases or demo versions. From the master tapes of long sold out special tour edition CDs for the albums Fly (1995) and Harem (2003), the Voce album (a 2014 release available only in Japan), sessions with Gregorian, Schiller, Sash! and other sources. Individual tracks include Brightman's disco classic "I Lost My Heart to a Starship Trooper" (originally performed in 1978 with Hot Gossip), "Done" and "Sarahbande" from the Japanese Voce collection, the unreleased demo version of "Sky & Sand" and "Voyage Voyage" performed with Gregorian. An audio commentary track by Sarah and producer Frank Peterson is included with each compilation. Digitally remastered and available for a limited time. Links at iTunes: Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3. Links to Amazon mp3 with track lists: Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3.

Shaina Taub: Visitors - Digital
(new digital album on mp3/at iTunes)
Debut full length album of singer/writer/actor (Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 Old Hats, The Daughters, What Otters Do, upcoming Public Works Twelfth Night, "American Songbook Series"). Performed with an ensemble of twenty-six musicians and singers. She will make her Lincoln Center debut in the American Songbook series this spring. "When," "Still Young," "Hometown Fire," "O Luck Outrageous," "Honest Mistakes," "We Don't Live There Anymore," "The Visitors," "Joyful Noise," "Reminder Song," "Room," "So Comes Love" (Bonus Track). CD version expected in 2016.

Week of December 8, 2015

Gigi Deluxe soundtrack
(WaterTower Music - new CD-R/mp3)
Warner Archive Collection. Score by Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner. 1958 film soundtrack. Leslie Caron, Louis Jourdan, Maurice Chevalier, Hermione Gingold. "Main Title," "Opening," "Interlude/And There Is The Future," "Thank Heaven For Little Girls," "Meet Gigi," "Gaston's House," "Armenonville/It's A Bore Prelude," "It's A Bore," "After It's A Bore" (Extended version), "Aunt Alicia," "Parisians Introduction," "The Parisians," "Ice Skating Sequence" (Extended version), "Dissolve Maxim's/Gossip" (Extended version), "Introduction To Maxim's Waltz / Waltz At Maxim's" (She's Not Thinking Of Me)" (Extended version), "It's A Bore" (Reprise), "To The Inn" (Extended version), "Goodbye Madame," "Bore Montage," "The Night They Invented Champagne," "Trouville" (Extended version), "I Remember It Well," "Panting Grandma" (Outtake), "Lessons" (Extended version), "Upset," "Gaston's Soliloquy," "Gigi," "Gaston With Flowers," "You Never Told Me," "I'm Glad I'm Not Young Anymore," "I'm Glad I'm Not Young Anymore" (Reprise / Extended version), "Aunt Alicia's March" (Extended version), "Bracelet" (Extended version), "Say A Prayer For Me Tonight," "Gigi's Big Moment," "Second Gossip" (Extended version / vocal outtake), "Waltz At Maxim's, Dance Version" (Extended version), "Gaston's Decision," "Change Of Heart/End Title" (Gigi Soundtrack), "The Parisians" (Extended version / piano-vocal prerecording), "The Night They Invented Champagne" (Piano-vocal prerecording), "Say A Prayer For Me Tonight" (Piano-vocal prerecording). Also available in 12-track version. Released 11/20/15

Judy Garland: Best of Lost Tracks 1929-59
(JSP - new import CD)
Lawrence Schulman's selections from JSP's 2010 4CD set plus three from one of his previous Garland collections, and two new-to-CD tracks ("Over the Rainbow" with its verse, and "The Stars and Stripes Forever"). "Bill," "Medley: On The Good Ship Lollipop/The Object Of My Affection/Dinah," "Broadway Rhythm," "Franklin D Roosevelt Jones," "Comes Love," "Minnie From Trinidad," "Over the Rainbow," "On The Sunny Side Of The Street," "Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart," "The Boy Next Door," "Speak Low," "The Trolley Song," "Long Ago (And Far Away)," "I May Be Wrong (But I Think You re Wonderful)," "I ve Got The Sun In The Morning," "(I m In Love With) A Wonderful Guy," "Mean To Me," "My Ship (Has Sails That Are Made Of Silk)," "Look For The Silver Lining," "Who?," "The Man That Got Away," "The Land Of Let s Pretend," "On Revival Day," "Goody Goodbye," "Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead," "Over The Rainbow," "The Stars And Stripes Forever."

Lady in the Van
(Sony - new on CD/mp3/at iTunes)
Soundtrack from 2015 film based on Alan Bennett play (directed by Nicholas Hytner and featuring Maggie Smith, Dominic Cooper, James Corden and Jim Broadbent). Original music composed by George Fenton and classical pieces featured in the movie. "Miss Shepherd's Waltz," "Moving in," "Two Women —Tango," "Re-parking," "In Care," "The Neighbours," "Special Paint," "Collision and Confession," "Piano Concerto No 1 —Extract," "The New Van," "Broadstairs," "Impromptu in Gb Major- Extract," "Curtain Down," "Alive and Well," "Freewheeling," "The Day Centre," "A Sepulchre," "Remembering Miss Shepherd," "Walk through the Cemetery," "The Ascension (Miss Shepherd's Waltz)," "Impromptu in Gb Major D.899, No.3, Op 90 —Clare Hammond," "Piano Concerto No 1 in E Minor, Op.11, 2Romance (Larghetto)," "Piano Concerto No 1 in E Minor, Op.11, 3Rondo."

The Penguin Arthur Miller: Collected Plays
(Penguin Classics - Hardcover Book Set)
Hardcover edition set published to celebrate the centennial of Miller's birth. Includes The Man Who Had All the Luck, All My Sons, Death of a Salesman, An Enemy of the People, The Crucible, A View from the Bridge, After the Fall, Incident at Vichy, The Price, The Creation of the World and Other Business, The Archbishop's Ceiling, The American Clock, Playing for Time, The Ride Down Mt. Morgan, The Last Yankee, Broken Glass, Mr. Peters' Connections, and Resurrection Blues. 1312 pages.

On Sondheim: An Opinionated Guide
(Oxford Univ Press - new Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
"Ethan Mordden takes the reader on a tour of Stephen Sondheim's work, arguing for the importance and appeal of the composer-lyricist in American theater and, even more, in American culture." Each musical has a dedicated chapter, plus there are articles on Sondheim's life and his major influences, and comprehensive bibliographical and discographical essays. 224 pages.

Susan Egan: Softly
(Terpsichore Music - new on CD/mp3/at iTunes)
New solo album. "Nocturnes," "Think of Me," "Embraceable You / 'Til There Was You," "Love to Me," "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered," "Anyone Can Whistle / Not While I'm Around," "Make Believe," "Lay Down Your Head," "With You," "A Quiet Thing," "I Wish You Love." With Stephen Cook and Danilo Lozano. CD & digital available at CD Baby. Released 11/26/15.

Victor/Victoria deluxe soundtrack
(WaterTower Records - new CD-R/mp3)

Warner Archive Collection. 1982 film soundtrack. Henry Mancini score. Julie Andrews, Robert Preston, Lesley Ann Warren. "Main Title" (Crazy World), "Cherry Ripe," "Alone In Paris," "Gay Paree," "You And Me" (Orchestral Underscore Version 1), "You And Me / The Idea," "Enter Leclou," "A Sub For Lover," "King's Can Can," "Le Jazz Hot," "Medley: Le Jazz Hot" (Bows)/The Unveiling," "You And Me" (Orchestral Underscore Version 2), "I'm Horny," "Chicago, Illinois," "The Shady Dame From Seville," "Cat And Mouse," "Chicago, Illinois," "The Big Lift," "Elegant," "Drag Blues," "You And Me," "Bedroom Radio," "Crazy World" (Le Matelot Club), "You And Me" (Orchestral Underscore Version 3), "Crazy World," "Medley: Crazy World/Sad Victoria," "King's Can Can" (Reprise), "The Shady Dame From Seville," "Finale" (Shady Dame/Le Jazz Hot/Crazy World/You And Me), "You And Me" (Original Soundtrack Album Version), "The Shady Dame From Seville" (Rehearsal). Released 11/20/15.

Judy Garland: Best of Lost Tracks 1929-59
(JSP - new import CD)
Lawrence Schulman's selections from JSP's 2010 4CD set plus three from one of his previous Garland collections, and two new-to-CD tracks ("Over the Rainbow" with its verse, and "The Stars and Stripes Forever"). "Bill," "Medley: On The Good Ship Lollipop/The Object Of My Affection/Dinah," "Broadway Rhythm," "Franklin D Roosevelt Jones," "Comes Love," "Minnie From Trinidad," "Over the Rainbow," "On The Sunny Side Of The Street," "Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart," "The Boy Next Door," "Speak Low," "The Trolley Song," "Long Ago (And Far Away)," "I May Be Wrong (But I Think You re Wonderful)," "I ve Got The Sun In The Morning," "(I m In Love With) A Wonderful Guy," "Mean To Me," "My Ship (Has Sails That Are Made Of Silk)," "Look For The Silver Lining," "Who?," "The Man That Got Away," "The Land Of Let s Pretend," "On Revival Day," "Goody Goodbye," "Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead," "Over The Rainbow," "The Stars And Stripes Forever."

Lady in the Van Soundtrack
(Sony - new on CD/mp3/at iTunes)
Soundtrack from 2015 film based on Alan Bennett play (directed by Nicholas Hytner and featuring Maggie Smith, Dominic Cooper, James Corden and Jim Broadbent). Original music composed by George Fenton and classical pieces featured in the movie. "Miss Shepherd's Waltz," "Moving in," "Two Women —Tango," "Re-parking," "In Care," "The Neighbours," "Special Paint," "Collision and Confession," "Piano Concerto No 1 —Extract," "The New Van," "Broadstairs," "Impromptu in Gb Major- Extract," "Curtain Down," "Alive and Well," "Freewheeling," "The Day Centre," "A Sepulchre," "Remembering Miss Shepherd," "Walk through the Cemetery," "The Ascension (Miss Shepherd's Waltz)," "Impromptu in Gb Major D.899, No.3, Op 90 —Clare Hammond," "Piano Concerto No 1 in E Minor, Op.11, 2Romance (Larghetto)," "Piano Concerto No 1 in E Minor, Op.11, 3Rondo."

The Wiz Live! Original Soundtrack
(Sony Masterworks/Broadway Records - new on CD/mp3/at iTunes)
Soundtrack recording from 2015 "The Wiz Live" televised live musical. Cast includes Shanice Williams, Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, David Alan Grier, Ne-Yo, Elijah Kelley, Uzo Aduba, Amber Riley, Common, Stephanie Mills. "Prologue," "The Feeling We Once Had," "Tornado," "He's the Wizard," "Soon As I Get Home," "You Can't Win," "Ease On Down the Road," "Slide Some Oil to Me," "I'm a Mean Ole Lion," "Be a Lion," "So You Wanted to See the Wizard," "What Would I Do If I Could Feel," "We Got It," "Don't Nobody Bring Me No Bad News," "A Brand New Day," "Y'All Got It," "Believe in Yourself," "Home." New material by Harvey Fierstein. Music producer Harvey Mason Jr. Music Director Stephen Oremus.

Week of December 1, 2015

#GRATEFUL: Everything Happens for a Reason
(new Paperback/Kindle Edition)
By Annoying Actor Friend. Satirical "create your own show business destiny" sequel to "#SOBLESSED: the Annoying Actor Friend's Guide to Werking in Show Business". Over one hundred different choices and endings.

Blake: A Classic Christmas
(new import CD)
Holiday release from British harmony trio Blake. Shirley Bassey recorded her first ever Christmas song, collaborating with Blake on the first track. "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on An Open Fire)," "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!," "Christmas Time Is Here," "Frosty the Snowman," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas," "Little Saint Nick," "Walking in the Air," "In the Bleak Midwinter," "O Holy Night," "I'll Be Home for Christmas," "Back in Your Arms (For Christmas)," "Silent Night." Released 11/27/15. Also available direct from the UK at Dress Circle
and Amazon UK.

Curtain Up: Agatha Christie: A Life in the Theatre
(Harper - Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
By Julius Green. Examines the bestselling mystery writer's career and work as a playwright, published to commemorate her 125th birthday. Analyzes her plays and features excerpts from Agatha Christie's correspondences, notebooks, and several unpublished and unperformed scripts quoted from for the first time. 624 pages.

Cynthia Loves Sinatra
(new on CD/mp3/at iTunes)
Cynthia Crane with Mike Renzi. "When No One Cares / Only the Lonely," "All or Nothing At All," "When Your Lover Has Gone," "Drinking Again," "One for My Baby," "No One Ever Tells You," "The Night We Called It a Day," "Its Easy to Remember," "Hey Look / No Crying." Also available directly from CD Baby. Released 11/1/15.

Irving Berlin - This Is the Life
(New World Records - on CD)
Highlights Berlin's songs for vaudeville, revue, and the Broadway stage, including some rediscovered scores from Berlin's first musical Watch Your Step (1914). All selections are performed from rare historic orchestrations prepared by Irving Berlin's own staff arrangers and orchestrators. Includes an extensive booklet. "Overture" (Watch Your Step), "Finale to Act II (Opera Medley)" (Watch Your Step), "That Mesmerizing Mendelssohn Tune," "The International Rag," "You'd Be Surprised," "Alexander's Ragtime Band," "Everybody's Doin' It Now," "Play a Simple Melody," "I Love a Piano," "The Girls of My Dreams," "Smile and Show Your Dimple," "Oh! How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning!," "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody," "When I Leave the World Behind," "Home Again Blues," "Tell Me, Little Gypsy," "Nobody Knows (and Nobody Seems to Care)," "Say It With Music," "This Is The Life!," My Melody Dream," "When I Lost You."

Joseph Summer: The Tempest
(Albany Records - new on 2 CDs)
Chamber opera version of Shakespeare's The Tempest, composed by Joseph Summer (founder and executive director of The Shakespeare Concerts) with a libretto by Eve Summer.

A New York Holiday
(Miranda Music - new on CD/mp3/at iTunes)
Miranda Music artists and friends. "The Shortest Day," (Kitty Skrobela & Sean Harkness), "Silent Night," (Lauren Fox & Peter Calo), "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm," (Richard Barone), "It's Christmas All Over the World," (Christopher Gines), "I Wonder as I Wander," (Hilary Kole), "Perfect Christmas," (Tracy Stark), "You'd Better Say Yes," (Marissa Mulder & Rick Jensen), "In the Bleak Midwinter," (Julie Reyburn & Mark Janas), "Your Hallelujah," (Kathleen France), "Holy Days," (Sean Harkness), "Sleigh Ride," (Sue Matsuki & Tom Hubbard), "Merry Christmas, Darling," (Maria Ottavia), "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," (Marcus Simeone), "After the Holidays," (Stacy Sullivan & Jon Weber), "The Christmas Tree," (Karen Oberlin & Fred Hersch), "So It's Christmas," (Bill Zeffiro), "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?," (Lina Koutrakos), "Let There Be Peace On Earth," (Joshua Lance Dixon), "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," (Benjamin Niemczyk). Released 11/26/15.

School of Rock - The Musical OBC
(Warner Bros - new on CD/mp3/iTunes/2-LP vinyl)
Original 2015 Broadway cast recording, featuring Alex Brightman and Sierra Boggess. Twelve original songs by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Glenn Slater, and three songs from the 2003 film. Produced by Rob Cavallo and Lloyd Webber.

Sky-Pony: Beautiful Monster
(Knitting Factory - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Lauren Worsham, her husband Kyle Jarrow, Kevin Wunderlich, drummer Perry Silver, bassist Eric Day, cellist David Blasher, and backup singers Jessi Suzuki, Lizzie O'Hara and Kristin Piacentile. "The Watcher," "Regret It In The Morning," "Beautiful Monster," "Rapture," "Doctor," "Action Movie," "Seems So Strange," "Steal Tonight," "Vampire," "Run Away," "Everyone Will Die."

Theatre World Volume 69: 2012-2013
(Theatre World Media - Hardcover Book)
Ben Hodges and Scott Denny, editors. Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway, and complete listings for 70 regional theatres, detailing more than 2,000 productions with over 800 photographs, each entry includes cast lists, replacements, producers, directors, authors, composers, opening and closing dates, song titles, and plot synopses. The year's obituaries, a listing of all nominees and winners of the major theatrical awards, the longest-running Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, and a detailed index. Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway, and Regional Theatre roundups written by accomplished theatre critics. Highlights of the season include Kinky Boots; Matilda the Musical; Tracy Letts in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf; Cicely Tyson in Horton Foote's The Trip to Bountiful; Pippin; David Byrne and Fat Boy Slim's Here Lies Love. 524 pages.

Whatever I Want It To Be
(new digital album on mp3)
Jonathan Reid Gealt's third studio album, featuring Loren Allred, Whitney Bashor, James Bilodeau, Alex Brightman, Craig Colton, Lilli Cooper, Michael Deleget, Luke Edgemon, Celisse Henderson, Joshua Henry, Caissie Levy, Addi McDaniel, Lindsay Mendez, Jane Monheit, Laura Osnes, Alysha Umphress, Natalie Weiss. Produced by James Bilodeau, Matt Hinkley and Gealt. "Whatever I Want It to Be," "Boy Crazy," "If I Close My Eyes," "This Could Be Love," "Mean to You," "You Had No Right," "Let Yourself Fall," "Where I'd Fall in Love," "Let Me Try," "Everybody Said...," "Lullaby," "Give It All Up." An "Instrumentals" version is also available on mp3 and at iTunes. Released 11/29/15.

Week of November 24, 2015

Act One: An Autobiography - Audiobook
(Blackstone Audio, Inc. - new on CD)
Moss Hart memoir in audiobook format. Unabridged. Foreword by Christopher Hart. Read by Jim Meskimen.

China Doll
(TCG - Paperback Book)
New play by David Mamet, premiering on Broadway October 21. 96 pages.

Diana Ross Sings Songs from The Wiz
(Motown Universal - on mp3/at iTunes)
Album recorded in 1978 for a 1979 release which was canceled. Remastered and produced by Andrew Skurow, George Solomon and Harry Weinger. Tracks include "Ease on Down the Road," "Wonder Wonder Why," "You Can't Win," "The Feeling We Once Had," "A Brand New Day (Everybody Rejoice)," "Believe in Yourself," "Be a Lion," "Home," and more.

Elaine Paige: I'm Still Here - Live At The Royal Albert Hall
(Import CD/DVD)
Live concert performance with the BBC Concert Orchestra. Also available directly from the UK at Amaaon UK.

The Essential Liz Callaway
(Working Girl Records - new on CD/mp3)
Includes her definitive recordings plus five new tracks. "Journey to the Past," "What More Do I Need?," "Make Someone Happy/something Wonderful," "Leavin' on a Jet Plane," "Meadowlark," "My Heart Is So Full of You," "You There in the Back Row," "I'll Be Here*," "Once Upon a December," "Since You Stayed Here," "When Hope Goes," "Not a Day Goes By*," "Another Hundred Lyrics" (Lauren Mayer lyrics), "Downtown," "Didn't We/MacArthur Park," "Memory," "Back to Before*," "The Story Goes On."

Harlem's Theaters: A Staging Ground for Community, Class, and Contradiction, 1923-1939
(Northwestern Univ Press - Paperback Book)
By Adrienne Macki Braconi. Study of three important community-based theaters in Harlem. The author uses textual analysis, performance reconstruction, and audience reception to examine the complex dynamics of productions by the Krigwa Players, the Harlem Experimental Theatre, and the Negro Theatre of the Federal Theatre Project. 280 pages.

Legerdemain: Duncan Sheik
(+180 Records - new on CD/mp3/at iTunes)
Original material by Duncan Sheik (Spring Awakening). 16 tracks - iTunes version includes two bonus tracks. Released 10/9/15.

The MUSICality of Youmans
(JAY Records - on CD/at iTunes)
Nancy Anderson, Brent Barrett, Klea Blackhurst, Matt Bogart, Kim Criswell, Sutton Foster, Debbie Gravitte, Beth Leavel, Norm Lewis, Ron Raines, Christiane Noll, Max Von Essen, Karen Ziemba. "Without a Song" (Great Day), "More Than You Know" (Great Day), "Rise and Shine" (Take a Chance), "Sometimes I'm Happy" (A Night Out), "Tea for Two" (No, No, Nanette), "I Want a Man" (Rainbow), "Why, Oh Why?" (Hit the Deck), "Time on My Hands" (Smiles), "Music Makes Me" (Flying Down to Rio), "Where Has My Hubby Gone Blues" (No, No, Nanette), "Flying Down to Rio" (Flying Down to Rio), "Hallelujah" (Hit the Deck), "Tea for Two (Complete Version)" (No, No, Nanette). CD Available at Amazon UK.

Pony Girl: Loose Cattle
(Low Heat Records - digital single on mp3/at iTunes)
Michael Cerveris and singing partner Kimberly Kaye, along with their band Loose Cattle, perform country version of cut song from Fun Home by Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron. Band includes Gabriel Caplan (guitars), Alex Harvey (mandolin and guitars), Justin Smith (fiddle), Lorenzo Wolff (bass), and Eddy Zweiback (drums).

Sandy Wilson's His Monkey Wife OLC + Selections from Aladdin
(Stage Door Records - new import CD)
Sandy Wilson's musical adaptation of John Collier's novel "His Monkey Wife (or, Married to a Chimp)" Commissioned by and ran at Hampstead Theatre Club in England in 1971. Original cast includes June Ritchie, Robert Swann and Bridget Armstrong. Also included are selections from Wilson's Aladdin score, commissioned by Lyric Theatre Hammersmith in 1979 with original cast Elisabeth Welch, Christine McKenna, Belinda Lang, Joe Melia and Aubrey Woods.

Shanice Williams: Home
(Masterworks - digital single on mp3)
"Home" from the original television cast of the Wiz LIVE!.

Songs for You: Telly Leung
(Yellow Sound Label - new on CD/mp3/at iTunes)
"New York State of Mind," "You Gotta Be," "I (Am What I Am) Have Nothing," "Human Nature," "Dreamscape," "Leaving on Jet Plane," "I Just Had to Hear Your Voice," "Second Chances," "(Send Me) on My Way," "Being Alive," "Make Your Own Kind of Music," "A Song for You."

Week of November 17, 2015

Clinton the Musical
(Ghostlight - new on CD)
Original Off-Broadway cast recording. Music and lyrics by Paul Hodge. Kerry Butler, Tom Galantich, Duke Lafoon, Judy Gold, John Treacy Egan, Veronica J. Kuehn, Kevin Zak, Kara Guy, Dale Hensley, Rob Richardson and Gretchen Wylder. "Overture," "Awful-Awesome," "The Me I See," "The Day After That," "A Starr Is Born," "Lie to You," "Say Nay," "Monica's Song," "Both Ways," "Both Ways (Reprise)," "What Could Go Wrong?," "That Woman, Miss Lewinsky," "State of the Union," "A Place Called Hope," "Monica's Song (Reprise)," "Enough," "Sexual Relations," "Brew It for Your Country," "The Me I See (Reprise) / What Could Go Wrong? (Reprise)," "Finale." Released earlier on new on mp3 and at iTunes

Devil-May-Care
(Warner Archive - made on demand DVD)
1929 musical film starring Ramón Novarro. Score by Dimitri Tiomkin, plus seven songs by Herbert Stothart and Clifford Grey. 97 minutes.

Everything I Have Is Yours
(Warner Archive - made on demand DVD)
1952 musical film. Starring Gower Champion, Marge Champion, Dennis O'Keefe. Written by Ruth Brooks Flippen and George Wells. Directed by Robert Z. Leonard. Songs by Burton Lane & Harold Adamson, Walter Donaldson & Bob Wright and Chet Forrest, Johnny Green & Clifford Grey, Rex Newman and Douglas Furber, Richard Priborsky, Saul Chaplin, Johnny Green & Johnny Mercer, Walter Donaldson & Gus Kahn. 92 minutes.

Frank Sinatra: A Voice On Air (1935-1955)
(Sony/Legacy - new on 4 CDs)
100+ track, 4-CD deluxe box set culled from a collection of rare radio broadcasts and rehearsals restored from the original recording masters (glass and aluminum radio transcription discs and magnetic tape masters) for unprecedented high-fidelity sound. Charts Sinatra's evolution as a vocalist, and includes samples of his radio work from the first twenty years of his amazing career, from his first radio performance in 1935 (singing "S-H-I-N-E" with the Hoboken Four) to his last weekly series in 1955 (The Frank Sinatra Show, featuring ultra-rare performances with an in-studio quintet).

In Gay Madrid
(Warner Archive - made on demand DVD)
1930 musical comedy film starring Ramón Novarro and Dorothy Jordan. Songwriters include Herbert Stothart, Xavier Cugat, Clifford Grey, Fred E. Ahlert, Roy Turk, Herbert Stothart. 82 minutes.

The Girl Most Likely 1957
(Warner Archive - made on demand DVD)
1958 musical comedy film with Jane Powell, Cliff Robertson, Keith Andes, Kaye Ballard, Tommy Noonan. Songs by Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin. Choreography by Gower Champion. Music arranged and conducted by Nelson Riddle. 98 minutes.

Jeudi: Winter Was Warm
(Home and Yonder - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
"It's Winter Again," "By the Fireside," "There's Frost on the Moon," "And Suddenly It's Christmas," "I Know Why and so Do You," "I'll Walk Alone," "Don't Wait Till the Night Before Christmas," "December," "Winter Was Warm," "Santa Claus Came in the Spring," "I'd Like You for Christmas" (with John Boswell), "Little Jack Frost," "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." Produced by John Boswell and David Boswell. Arranged by John Boswell. Released 9/4/15.

The Last Five Years soundtrack vinyl
(Ghostlight Records - new double LP)
Limited edition of 1,000 units.

The Latin Lovers
(Warner Archive - made on demand DVD)
1953 romantic musical comedy MGM film. Cast includes Lana Turner, Ricardo Montalban, John Lund, Louis Calhern, Jean Hagen, Eduard Franz, Beulah Bondi, Joaquin Garay, Archer MacDonald, Dorothy Neumann, Robert Burton, Rita Moreno. Songs by Nicholas Brodszky and Leo Robin. Directed by Mervyn LeRoy. 104 minutes.

The Merry Widow
(Warner Archive - made on demand DVD)
1952 film adaptation of Franz Lehár/Victor Léon/Leo Stein opera. Cast includes Lana Turner, Fernando Lamas, Una Merkel, Richard Haydn, and Gwen Verdon. Directed by Curtis Bernhardt. 137 minutes.

The Merry Widow Met Opera
(Decca - new on DVD)
Franz Lehár operetta. Metropolitan Opera performance featuring Renée Fleming, Nathan Gunn, Kelli O'Hara, Alek Shrader, Sir Thomas Allen, Carson Elrod. Directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman. Orchestra conducted by Andrew Davis).

The Night Is Young
(Warner Archive - made on demand DVD)
1935 musical comedy film featuring Ramón Novarro, Evelyn Laye, Charles Butterworth, Una Merkel, Edward Everett Horton, Donald Cook, Henry Stephenson, Rosalind Russell, Herman Bing. Songs by Sigmund Romberg and Oscar Hammerstein II. Directed by Dudley Murphy. 81 minutes.

Our Mutual Friend: a New Musical
(new on CD)
Studio cast recording Of Larry Gelb;s score of Dickens' "Our Mutual Friend." 24 new songs with Kathryn Boswell (Gigi), James Patterson (Beauty and the Beast), and others. "Bella's Waltz" (Instrumental), "I Hate My Profession," "River in My Blood," "John Harmon Is Dead," "I'm Movin' Up in the World," "Bella's Dilemma" (Part One), "Bella's Dilemma[Part Two), "We All End Up as Dust," "University of You," "Trouble On My Mind," "We're Gonna Brisk Ya' Up," "Six Jolly Porters Drinking Song," "Love Came to Me," "Just Wait 'til They See Her," "I'm Not Supposed to Fall in Love" (Solo), "Where Have I Seen Him Before?," "Maybe It Was Love," "If My Life Were Pleasant," "Don't Tell Bella !," "Lizzie," "The Law's Not for Everyone," "As Near to You as Love," "Bella's Waltz" (Vocal Version), "I'm Not Supposed to Fall in Love[Duet), "Not to Be Like You," "Bella's Waltz" (Instrumental Finale). Available at CD Baby.

Retro: Linda Eder
(new on CD)
"Love Is Here at Last" (Cyrano de Bergerac), "In the Stone" (Camille Claudel), "When the Right Man Comes Along" (Quickstep), "You Never Can Tell" (Havana, duet with Michael Lanning), "I'm Doing Just Fine" (Havana), "Someone" (Cyrano de Bergerac), "The One That Got Away" (by Wildhorn and Jack Murphy), "Matter of Luck" (Havana), "So Young So Beautiful" (Cyrano de Bergerac), "Sweet Surprise" (Havana), "Could It Be" (Quickstep by Jason Howland), "Easy" (Scott & Zelda), "There Is Love (Frank Wildhorn and Maury Yeston), "Is This Where Our Story Ends." Available at www.lindaeder.com.

Sinatra: All Or Nothing At All
(Eagle Rock Entertainment - 2 Blu-ray disc set/2 DVD set/4 DVD deluxe set)
2015 documenary shown on HBO, plus additional interviews. 4-DVD set includes a CD and additional DVD of Sinatra's retirement concert and his 1965 TV interview with Walter Cronkite plus other items.

The Son-Daughter
(Warner Archive - made on demand DVD)
1932 film based on the play (November 1919 - June 1920, Belasco Theatre) by George Scarborough and David Belasco. Cast includes Helen Hayes, Lewis Stone, H.B. Warner, Warner Oland, Ramón Novarro, Ralph Morgan, Louise Closser Hale. 79 minutes.

Theatre and Laughter
(Palgrave Macmillan - Paperback Book)
By Eric Weitz. Examines laughter among actors, among audience, and the interaction between the two ... laughter as a tool of political resonance, as social commentary, and as one of the oldest rhetorical devices. 120 pages.

Theatre and Social Media
(Palgrave Macmillan - Paperback Book)
By Patrick Lonergan. The relationship between social media and theatre. The author argues that social media is itself a performance space, analysing how it's used by both theatres and audiences and also in connection with each other.

Uncle Tom's Cabin on the American Stage and Screen
(Palgrave Macmillan - Paperback Book)
Paperback version of 2012 book by John Frick. Traces the major dramatizations of Harriet Beecher Stowe's classic from its inception in 1852 through "modern" versions on film. Examines the major productions, companies, and influential persons in the long, complex history of theatrical Toms and introduces the reader to the artists who created the plays and productions that created theatre history. 332 pages.

What the Eye Hears: A History of Tap Dancing
(Farrar, Straus and Giroux/Macmillan - Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
By Brian Seibert (dance critic for New York Times). Authoritative account of the great American art of tap dancing. 624 pages.

Week of November 10, 2015

Annaleigh Ashford Live at 54 BELOW: Lost in the Stars
(Broadway Records - new on CD/mp3)
Live recording. Features Ashford with songwriter and music director Will Van Dyke and the Whiskey 5 band. Celebrates the classic cabaret with an eclectic mix of music from the disco days of Donna Summer to the haunting melodies of Kurt Weill and Stephen Sondheim to a sing-a-long of Alanis Morrisette. "Overture," "One Night Only," "Donna Summer Medley," Welcome To 54 Below..., "Love Hurts," "Someone Like You/Crazy," What A Great Holiday Song..., "Date With Myself," "Another Time," Miss Kitt..., "Come Rain Or Come Shine," "Hand In My Pocket," Famous Voices..., "Good Enough," "Another Hundred People/Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters," Thank You..., "Last Dance," "For Good," "Lost In The Stars ." Produced by Ashford, Andy Jones, Will Van Dyke, and Derik Lee.

Barbara Fasano: Busy Being Free
(Harbinger/Naxos - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
"How Little We Know," "Cactus Tree," "Remind Me," "Dancing in the Dark," "If I Loved You," "It Never Was You," "Roundabout," "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top," "Time Flies," "I Got Lost in His Arms," "Hurry on Down," "But Beautiful," "Photographs," "Where or When." John Di Martino, piano; Warren Vaché, cornet; Aaron Heick, soprano saxophone, flute; Paul Meyers, guitar; Boris Kozlov, bass; Vince Cherico, drums, percussion. Produced by John di Martino & Barbara Fasano, by Ken Bloom for Harbinger Records. Arranged by John di Martino.

Daddy Long Legs Off-Broadway cast Digital
(Ghostlight Records - at iTunes)
Paul Gordon score. Megan McGinnis and Paul Alexander Nolan. Produced by Kurt Deutsch and Brad Haak. "The Oldest Orphan In the John Grier Home," "Who Is This Man?," "Mr. Girl Hater," "She Thinks I'm Old," "Like Other Girls," "Things I Didn't Know," "What Does She Mean by Love?," "I'm a Beast," "When Shall We Meet?," "The Color of Your Eyes," "The Secret of Happiness," "My Manhattan," "Less," "The Man I'll Never Be," "The Secret of Happiness (Reprise)," "Graduation Day," "Charity," "I Have Torn You from My Heart," "I'm a Beast (Reprise)," "All This Time." Includes digital booklet.

Deep in My Heart
(Warner Archive - new made on demand Blu-ray)
1954 biographical musical film about Sigmund Romberg. Jose Ferrer, Merle Oberon, Helen Traubel, Doe Avedon, Walter Pidgeon, Paul Henreid, Tamara Toumanova, Paul Stewart, Isobel Elsom, David Burns, Jim Backus. Written by Leonard Spigelgass. Directed by Stanley Donen.

Eclipsed
(TCG - Paperback Book)
Play by Danai Gurira. Currently in production at the Public Theater. 80 pages.

The Fourth Messenger: A Musical by Tanya Shaffer and Vienna Teng
(4m Productions - Paperback Book)
Musical by by Tanya Shaffer (book and lyrics) and Vienna Teng (music and additional lyrics). Produced in Berkeley CA in 2013. 142 pages.

Great Britons of Stage and Screen: In Conversation
(Rowman & Littlefield - Hardcover/Kindle Edition)
By Barbara Roisman Cooper. Foreword by Robert Osborne. Afterword by Kevin Brownlow. Barbara Roisman Cooper presents interviews she personally conducted with more than twenty stars of film, television, and theatre. Eileen Atkins, Isla Blair, Simon Callow, Joan Collins, Peggy Cummins, Sinead Cusack, Samantha Eggar, Stephen Fry, Julian Glover, Stephen Grief, Jeremy Irons, Derek Jacobi, Felicity Kendal, Ben Kinglsey, Angela Lansbury, John Mills, Alfred Molina, Lynn Redgrave, Jean Simmons, David Suchet, Richard Todd, Michael York. 424 pages. Released 10/1/15.

John Kander: Hidden Treasures 1950-2015
(Harbinger Records/The Musical Theater Project/Naxos - new 2-CD set)
Forty-nine tracks include rare demos recorded by Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb, and new recordings. Deluxe 64-page booklet is lavishly illustrated, with extensive notes by Jesse Green that include comments on the songs by Kander himself. Newest edition in Harbinger Records' Songwriter Showcase Series. Disc 1: "I Love Music," (John Kander and Fred Ebb), "Janie," (Kander), "Excerpt from Requiem for Georgie," (Robert Mesrobian, Ray Pitt and Oberlin College Student Cast), "Dance with Me," (Kander), "There's a Room in My House," (John Riddle, Elena Shaddow and David Loud), "My Coloring Book," (Kander), "Happy New Year," (K&E), "A Simple Thing Like That," (K&E), "The Kid Herself," (K&E), "A Quiet Thing," (Kander), "So What?," (K&E), "Guten Abend," (K&E), "It'll All Blow Over," (K&E), "Cabaret), "In His Own Good Time," (K&E), "Walking Among My Yesterdays," (Kander), "Getting Younger Ev'ry Year," (K&E), "If You Leave Me Now," (K&E), "I Have a Friend," (K&E), "Look There," (K&E), "Only Love," (Anita Gillette and David Loud), "Seven O'clock," (K&E), "Coffee in a Cardboard Cup," (K&E), "You Old Bastards," (K&E); Disc 2: "Wait for Me, World," (K&E), "Isn't This Better?," (Kander), "Roxie," (K&E), "Windowpanes Of Rose," (Kander), "It," (K&E), "Good Thing Going," (K&E), "Theme from New York, New York (Original Version)," (K&E), "Theme from New York, New York (Final Version)," (K&E), "I Get My Music from My Dad," (Michael Winther), "Summer with You," (Brent Barrett), "The Man About Town," (K&E), "Not Enough Magic," (K&E), "Man Overboard," (K&E), "Never You," (K&E), "Nobody's Fault," (Karen Ziemba and David Loud), "The Wheel," (Clarke Peters and Jim Laev), "He Always Comes Home To Me," (Linda Emond and Kander), "Nice People," (Jim Newman and Jim Laev), "Military Man," (David Standish, Michael Mccormick and Jim Laev), "The Skin Of Our Teeth," (Brent Barrett), "You Know Me," (Alix Korey and Barbara Walsh), "Look Up," (Julia Murney, Paul Anthony Stewart and Paul Masse), "You, If Anyone," (Lewis Cleale and Greg Pierce), "People Like Us," (Kander and Greg Pierce), "Yes," (K&E). Also available at MusicalTheatreProject.org.

The Kerrigan-Lowdermilk Songbook
(Hal Leonard - Paperback Book)
Songwriting team Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk (Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown, Henry and Mudge, The Woman Upstairs, Republic, and Tales from the Bad Years). 17 songs from their shows plus notes about them and their work. Includes: "Avalanche," "The Bad Years," "Five and a Half Minutes," "Freedom," "The Girl Who Drove Away," "Hand in Hand," "Holding On," "How to Return Home," "My Party Dress," "Not a Love Story," "Rise," "Run Away with Me," "Sadie," "Say the Word," "Two Strangers," "Vegas." 216 pages.

Lady, Be Good Encores! cast
(Ghostlight - new on CD)
George and Ira Gershwin score. Charissa Bertels, Colin Donnell, Danny Gardner, Joe Grandy, Tiffany Haas, Jeff Hiller, Drew Humphrey, Erin Mackey, Jason Mills, Patti Murin, Nicolas Dávila, Douglas Sills, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Tommy Tune and Kirsten Wyatt. "Overture," "Hang On To Me," "A Wonderful Party," "End of a String," "We're Here Because," "Fascinating Rhythm," "So Am I," "Oh, Lady, Be Good!," "Piano Specialty," "Finale (Act One)," "Entr'acte," "Linger in the Lobby," "The Half of it, Dearie, Blues," "Juanita," "I'd Rather Charleston," "So Am I (Reprise)," "Oh, Lady, Be Good! (Reprise)," "Little Jazz Bird," "Carnival Time," "Swiss Miss," "Finale." Released earlier on mp3 and at iTunes. Also available at www.sh-k-boom.com.

Murder in the Private Car
(Warner Archive - made on demand DVD)
1934 mystery film based on a play The Rear Car by Edward E. Rose. Charles Ruggles, Una Merkel, Mary Carlisle. 63 minutes.

Steve Ross: Good Thing Going, the Songs of Stephen Sondheim
(Harbinger Records/The Musical Theater Project/Naxos - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
"Another Hundred People," "Being Alive," "Johanna," "Pretty Women," "The God-Why-Don't-You-Love-Me Blues," "So Many People," "One More Kiss," "I've Got You to Lean On," "Anyone Can Whistle," "Ah, Paris!," "Too Many Mornings," "Sand," "Who Could Be Blue?," "We're Gonna Be All Right," "Marry Me a Little," "Sorry-Grateful," "Losing My Mind," "Broadway Baby," "Send In the Clowns," "With So Little to Be Sure Of," "Take the Moment," "Goodbye for Now."

Sublimities: Cy Walter Centennial Tribute Vol 1
(Harbinger/Musical Theater Project - new on CD)
Volume 1 focuses on rare recordings, radio appearances and solo performances remastered from original 78s of this dean of cocktail piano players. "All The Things You Are," "Begin the Beguine," "Body and Soul," "Dancing In the Dark," "I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'," "I'll Be Around," "Music for Twilight," "Lover," "The Way You Look Tonight," "Crazy Rhythm," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "I Married an Angel Medley," "The Song Is You," "Warsaw Concerto," Intro to "Tea for Two"," "Tea for Two," Intro to "Through the Years"," "Through the Years," Intro to "Liza"," "Liza," Intro to "Bess, You Is My Woman Now"," "Bess, You Is My Woman Now," Intro to "Falling In Love With Love"," "Falling in Love With Love," Intro to "It's Only a Paper Moon"," "It's Only a Paper Moon," Intro to "Rachmaninoff Variations"," "Rhapsody and Variations On the Theme From Paganini," Intro to "It's April Again"," "It's April Again," Intro to "Star Dust"," "Star Dust," Intro to "Laura"," "Laura," Intro to "March of the Siamese Children"," "March Of the Siamese Children," Intro to "Mrs. Malaprop"," "Mrs. Malaprop." 24 page booklet with notes and essays by Chilton Ryan, Ruth McGirl, Peter Mintun, Benny Zeitlin, Stanley Turkel, and photos. Also available as a set at www.musicaltheaterproject.org.

Sublimities: Cy Walter Centennial Tribute Vol 2
(Harbinger/Musical Theater Project - new on CD)
Volume 2 focuses on Walter as accompanist and composer. Guest artists include Hoagy Carmichael, Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire, Mabel Mercer, Benny Goodman, Art Tatum, and more. "Blue Skies," "Intro to "Lover," "Lover," "Over the Rainbow," "Rhode Island Is Famous for You," "Alexander's Ragtime Band," "If I Could Be with You One Hour Tonight," "Minute Waltz," "Oh, Lady Be Good!/The Waltz In Swing Time," "Intro to "Ole Buttermilk Sky," "Ole Buttermilk Sky," "Intro to "Up a Lazy River," "Up a Lazy River," "The Girl That I Marry/Blue Moon/ Someone to Watch Over Me," "How to Win Friends and Influence People," "With a Twinkle In Your Eye," "Summertime," "Getting to Know You," "A Guy Is a Guy," "While We're Young," "Don't Think It Wasn't Lovely," "I Wish, I Wish, I Wish," "Some Fine Day," "The Next Time Around," "Moonbeam," "See a Ring Around the Moon," "Time and Tide," "Intro to "The Astaire," "The Astaire" [Piano], "The Astaire" [Orchestra]. 24 page booklet with notes essays by Mark Walter, Michael Feinstein, Alex Hassan, Michael Kanan, Adela and Larry Elow, Richard Behrens, Guy Beck, Ted Swift, Michael F. Clifton, and photos. Also available as a set at www.musicaltheaterproject.org.

Week of November 3, 2015

The Beggar's Opera
(Masterworks/ArkivMusic - new on CD-R w/ digital booklet/mp3/at iTunes)
1968 OLC cast. Peter Gilmore, James Cossins and Jan Waters. Score by John Gay. "Through All the Employments of Life," "Virgins Are Like the Fair Flowers," "Our Polly Is a Sad Slut," "Can Love Be Controlled by Advice," "Polly, You Might Have Toyed and Kissed," "The Turtle Thus with Plaintive Crying," "Through All the Unemployments of Life (Reprise)," "My Heart Forebodes," "My Heart Was So Free," "Pretty Molly," "Over the Hill and Far Away," "Oh, What Pain It Is to Part," "The Miser Thus a Shilling Sees," "Fill Every Glass," "Let Us Take the Road," "If the Heart of a Man," "Youth's the Season Made for Joys," "When Gold Is in Hand," "Before the Barn Door Crowing," "In Pimps and Politicians," "Man May Escape from Rope and Gun," "How Cruel Are the Traitors," "When You Censure the Age," "How Happy Could I Be with Either," "Why, How Now, Madam Flirt," "No Power on Earth Can 'Ere Divide," "When Young in the 'Fore," "My Love Is All Madness and Folly," "Gamesters United in Friendship Are Found," "The Modes of the City," "Let Us Take the Road (Reprise)," "In the Days of My Youth," "Come Sweet Lass," "Oh, Cruel, Cruel, Cruel Cost," "Would I Might Be Hanged," "All You Who Behold This Terrible Sight," "The Rich of Today May Be Beggars Tomorrow." [CD-R still showing as backordered from ArkivMusic, but Masterworks has it on Amazon, link above.]

The Battery's Down: Songs from the Reunion Special
(new digital album on mp3/at iTunes)
Two brand new tracks, "Just One Day" (by Adam Wachter) and "This Is Our Life" (by Ryan Scott Oliver & Kirsten Guenther), from the special Reunion Episode of the popular Broadway web series, now on Hulu. Featuring Alysha Umphress, Jake Wilson, Cortney Wolfson, Dani Spieler, Nina Sturtz LaBarre, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, and Vanessa Ray. Released October 20.

The Blue Touch Paper: A Memoir (by David Hare)
(W.W. Norton and Company - Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
Playwright and screenwriter David Hare's account of becoming a writer amid the enormous flux of postwar England ... from his university days at Cambridge to the swinging 1960s, when he cofounded the influential Portable Theatre in London and took a memorable road trip across America, to his breakthrough successes as a playwright amid the political ferment of the '70s. 368 pages with eight pages of illustrations.

Brenna Whitaker
(Verve - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
L.A.-based jazz singer. "Black and Gold," "Misty Blue," "It's a Good Day," "You Don't Owe Me," "My Heart Cries for You," "When I'm Done," "I Can't Hear a Word You Say," "It's Not Easy Bein' Green," "Love Back," "Anyone Who Had a Heart," "Sayonara," "A House Is Not a Home." Deluxe mp3 and iTunes versions have three bonus songs: "For All We Know," "Light," "One More Try.""

Carols for a Cure 2015: Volume 17
(Rock-it Science Records - new on 2 CDs)
"Christmas Vacation" (Beautiful: the Carole King Musical), "Joy to the World" (Hamilton), "Happy All the Time" (Elf), "Go Tell It on the Mountain" (Finding Neverland), "A Crunchem Hall Christmas" (Matilda the Musical), "We Three Cool Kings" (At This Performance), "Auld Lang Syne/River" (The King and I), "I Saw Three Ships" (The Phantom of the Opera), "Sign of the Dove" (Dames At Sea), "Christmas In Fishnets" (Chicago), "One Little Christmas Tree" (Kinky Boots), "Home's With You" (Fun Home), "O Holy Night" (A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder), "One Star" (Les Miserables), "Mary, Did You Know?" (School of Rock), "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (Aladdin), "The First Noel" (Amazing Grace), "Ave Maria/Heard the Bells" (Wicked), "12 Days of Something Rotten Christmas" (Something Rotten!). Available at the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS website, at participating Broadway and off-Broadway shows in New York during the six-week "Gypsy of the Year" fundraising period, which runs through December 6th, and at select venues throughout the U.S., including The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.

A Chorus Line: 40th Anniversary Celebration Original Broadway Cast Recording - Vinyl
(Masterworks Broadway - new vinyl)
Remastered new edition of the original Broadway cast recording. Score by Marvin Hamlisch and Ed Kleban. With eight bonus track demos. Scott Allen, Renee Baughman, Carole Bishop, Pamela Blair, Wayne Cilento, Chuck Cissel, Clive Clerk, Kay Cole, Ronald Dennis, Donna Drake, Brandt Edwards, Patricia Garland, Carolyn Kirsch, Ron Kuhlman, Nancy Lane, Baayork Lee, Priscilla Lopez, Robert LuPone, Cameron Mason, Donna McKechnie, Don Percassi, Carole Schweid, Michael Serrecchia, Michael Stuart, Thomas J. Walsh, Sammy Williams, Crissy Wilzak. "Opening: I Hope I Get It," "I Can Do That," "At the Ballet," "Sing!," "Montage (In Three Parts); Montage Part 1: Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love," "Montage (In Three Parts); Montage Part 2: Mother," "Montage (In Three Parts); Montage Part 3: Gimme The Ball," "Nothing," "Dance: Ten; Looks: Three," "The Music and the Mirror," "One," "What I Did for Love," "One (Reprise) / Finale"; Bonus tracks: "It's All in Here," "I Can Do That," "At the Ballet," "Sing!," "Shoes," "One," "Finale Ballad (What I Did For Love)," "Joanne." New high-resolution (24/96) master of the original cast recording, taken from the surround-sound remix created for the SACD-only format (previously available only in that format). Expanded booklet with new liner notes by Oskar Eustis, Terre Blair Hamlisch, Linda Kline, and Robert Viagas. INcludes a a digital download card.

Harold Sanditen: Flyin' High Live at the Crazy Coqs
(LML Music - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Live performance of jazz and cabaret performer at at London's Crazy Coqs. "Come Fly with Me / Route 66," "Intro To: Pass That Peace Pipe," "Pass That Peace Pipe," "Rocky Raccoon," "When in Rome (I Do as the Romans Do)," "Intro To: Up on the Roof," "Up on the Roof," "Brazil," "Intro To: The Look of Love," "The Look of Love," "Intro To: I Got the Sun in the Morning," "I Got the Sun in the Morning," "Around the World," "One Night Only / Speak Low," "Never Really Mine to Lose," "Intro To: No More Blues," "No More Blues," "Intro To: In My Life," "In My Life."

In the Holiday Spirit: Russ Lorenson
(LML Music - new on CD/mp3/at iTunes)
With The Kelly Park Big Band and The San Francisco Boys Chorus. "Shake Hands with Santa Claus," "Holiday for Two," "Let's Share Christmas," "Let Me Be the First to Wish You Merry Christmas," "Jingles, The Christmas Cat," "You're All I Want for Christmas," "Mrs. Claus," "Warm in December," "The Christmas Blues," "Santa Claus Is Near," "It'll Be Christmas Before You Know It," "A Winter Romance," "Kissin' by the Mistletoe," "Little Drummer Boy / Peace on Earth," "It's Christmas Time All over the World."

Johnny Mathis: The Complete Christmas Collection 1958-2010
(Real Gone Music - 3-CD set)
All five Christmas albums Johnny recorded for Columbia and Mercury. The 71 tracks include duets with Bette Midler and Gladys Knight & the Pips, and there are rarities that did not appear on the albums (two of them are newly discovered tracks). Among the producers, arrangers and conductors behind the scenes here are Mitch Miller, Percy Faith, Don Costa, Glenn Osser, Ernie Freeman, Gene Page, Jack Gold, Ray Ellis, and Henry Mancini. Remastered by Mike Piacentini at Sony's Battery Studios. Packaged in an eight-panel wallet sporting photos and notes by Joe Marchese drawn from an exclusive interview with Mathis.

Noel, Tallulah, Cole, and Me: A Memoir of Broadway's Golden Age
(Rowman & Littlefield - Hardcover Book)
John C. Wilson (author), Thomas S. Hischak (Contributor), Jack Macauley (Contributor). Theatre director and producer John Wilson's autobiography, which was completed in 1958. The text has been edited, with added commentary. Covers Wilson's youth, his education at Yale, his experience working in silent films, and details of his professional and personal relationship with Coward; his theatrical career on Broadway and in London; his marriage to Natalie Paley; and life within international high society. The people Wilson befriended—Tallulah Bankhead, Cecil Beaton, Claudette Colbert, Cole Porter, and Richard Rodgers, among others—are described with affection, candor, and colorful panache. Wilson also shares behind-the-scenes stories about such landmark theatre productions as Private Lives, Blithe Spirit, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and Kiss Me, Kate. 288 pages.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas: Travis Moser
(digital single on mp3/at iTunes)
Released October 23.

Rufus Wainwright: Prima Donna
(Deutsche Grammophon - new on 2 CDs/mp3/at iTunes)
New opera written by Rufus Wainwright. Janis Kelly, Kathryn Guthrie, Antonio Figueroa, Richard Morrison. BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jayce Ogren. Released October 2.

Sinatra: Nick Ziobro
(digital single on mp3 and iTunes)
Nick Ziobro performs song written by Larry Kerchner. Released 7/9/15.

Something Rotten!: Vocal Selections
(Hal Leonard - Paperback Book)
A dozen vocal selections from Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick score. Presented in vocal line arrangements with piano accompaniment. Includes: "Welcome to the Renaissance," "God, I Hate Shakespeare", "Right Hand Man", "A Musical", "The Black Death", "I Love the Way", "Will Power", "Bottom's Gonna Be on Top", "Hard to Be the Bard", "We See the Light", "Make an Omelette", "To Thine Own Self (Reprise)." 96 pages.

Sara Bareilles - What's Inside: Songs From Waitress
(Epic - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Features songs from the upcoming Broadway musical Waitress, for which Sara wrote both music and lyrics. "What's Inside," "Opening Up," "Door Number Three," "When He Sees Me," "Soft Place To Land," "Never Ever Getting Rid Of Me," "I Didn't Plan It," "Bad Idea" (with Jason Mraz, "You Matter To Me" (with Jason Mraz, "She Used To Be Mine," "Everything Changes," "Lulu's Pie Song."

Week of October 27, 2015

Be More Chill Digital
(Ghostlight Records - new on mp3/at iTunes)
Joe Iconis score. Book by Joe Tracz and is based on the novel by Ned Vizzini. Two River Theater (NJ) cast. Will Connolly, Eric William Morris, Stephanie Hsu, Jake Boyd, Gerard Canonico, Katlyn Carlson, Katie Ladner, Lauren Marcus, George Salazar, and Paul Whitty. "Jeremy's Theme (Instrumental)," "More Than Survive," "I Love Play Rehearsal," "The Squip Song," "Two-Player Game," "The Squip Enters," "Be More Chill Part 1," "Do You Wanna Ride?," "Be More Chill Part 2," "More Than Survive (Reprise)," "A Guy That I'd Kinda Be Into," "The Squip Lurks (Instrumental)," "Upgrade," "Halloween," "Do You Wanna Hang?," "Michael In The Bathroom," "The Smartphone Hour (Rich Set A Fire)," "The Pitiful Children," "The Pants Song," "The Play," "Voices In My Head." The six-piece orchestra includes Nathan Dame (Conductor and Keyboard), Danny Jonokuchi (Trumpet), Dan McMillan (Drums/Percussion), Josh Plotner (Reeds), Mike Rosengarten (Guitar) and Amanda Ruzza (Bass). With digital booklet. CD to be released 12/18/15.

Between Riverside and Crazy
(TCG - Paperback Book)
Pulitzer Prize winning play by Stephen Adly Guirgis. 108 pages.

Chip Deffaa's Irving Berlin & Co.: The Original Cast Album
(Garret Mountain Records - on CD)
Two dozen Berlin songs to help tell his life story. Some are well-known, some are rarities and rediscoveries, and some have never before been recorded. Company of 24 artists. Produced by Chip Deffaa. Album available at CDBaby.

Clinton the Musical Digital
(Ghostlight - new on mp3/at iTunes)
Original Off-Broadway cast recording. Music and lyrics by Paul Hodge. Kerry Butler, Tom Galantich, Duke Lafoon, Judy Gold, John Treacy Egan, Veronica J. Kuehn, Kevin Zak, Kara Guy, Dale Hensley, Rob Richardson and Gretchen Wylder. "Overture," "Awful-Awesome," "The Me I See," "The Day After That," "A Starr Is Born," "Lie to You," "Say Nay," "Monica's Song," "Both Ways," "Both Ways (Reprise)," "What Could Go Wrong?," "That Woman, Miss Lewinsky," "State of the Union," "A Place Called Hope," "Monica's Song (Reprise)," "Enough," "Sexual Relations," "Brew It for Your Country," "The Me I See (Reprise) / What Could Go Wrong? (Reprise)," "Finale." CD to be released November 20.

Elf OLC
(new import CD)
Original London cast recording of Matthew Sklar/Chad Beguelin score. Cast includes Ben Forster, Kimberley Walsh, Joe McGann, Jessica Martin. "Overture," "Christmastown," "World's Greatest Dad," "In The Way," "Sparklejollytwinklejingley," "I'll Believe In You," "In The Way," "Just Like Him," "A Christmas Song," "World's Greatest Dad," "Nobody Cares About Santa," "Never Fall In Love (With An Elf)," "There Is A Santa Claus," "The Story Of Buddy The Elf," "Nobody Cares About Santa," "A Christmas Song," "Finale."

Gwen Verdon: A Life on Stage and Screen
(McFarland & Co - Paperback Book)
By Peter Shelley. First full-length biography of the American dancer, singer and actress Gwen Verdon. Covers her life and career, as an individual and also in her collaborations with choreographers Jack Cole and Bob Fosse. Includes a brief appendix with information about DVD and video availability. 277 pages.

Judy Collins: Strangers Again
(Wildflower/Cleopatra Records - new on CD/mp3 Deluxe Edition/iTunes Deluxe Edition)
Album of duets. "Strangers Again" (with Ari Hest), "Miracle River" (with Michael McDonald), "Belfast To Boston" (with Marc Cohn), "When I Go" (with Willie Nelson), "Make Our Garden Grow" (with Jeff Bridges), "Feels Like Home" (with Jackson Browne), "From Grace" (with Thomas Dybdahl), "Hallelujah" (with Bhi Bhiman), "Someday Soon" (with Jimmy Buffett), "Stars In My Eyes" (with Aled Jones), "Send In The Clowns" (with Don McLean), "Races" (with Glen Hansard). Digital Deluxe Editions also include "Last Thing on My Mind," "Diamonds and Rust," "When Your Eyes Close." Released 9/18/15.

Melissa Errico: What About Today? Live at 54 BELOW
(Broadway Records - new on CD/mp3 )
11 tracks which Melissa has never recorded before, including the title track by David Shire and Bacharach's "The April Fools" and performances of a pair of Michel Legrand classics. Why are actors so nuts?, "What About Today?," Do you like this hair flip?, "The Summer Knows," Those were seals..., "The April Fools," Let's stay at the movies a little longer..., "His Eyes, Her Eyes," How 'bout we do a little Broadway?, "It's An Art," One perfect storm of a song..., "Meadowlark," Where does that leave us?, "Getting Married Today," Time to regroup..., "No More," It doesn't get better than this..., "Small World," "Show Me," "The Heart Is Slow To Learn," I got the idea to write this..., "Gentle Child," I am really bananas about Eydie Gormé..., "What Did I Have That I Don't Have?," "Last Dance," I'm like Cher in Moonstruck!, "How Are Things In Glocca Morra?."

Musicals: The Definitive Illustrated Story
(DK - Hardcover Book)
Foreword by Elaine Paige. "Showcases the complete history of the musical on stage and screen, from its origins in ancient Greece to early twentieth century dance halls and vaudeville to the golden age of cinema productions to the record-breaking Broadway musicals of today." 360 pages with infographics, black-and-white and color photography.

My Fair Lady 50th Anniversary Blu-ray/DVD
(Paramount - 3-disc blu-ray set)
Remastered 1964 film based on the Lerner & Loewe musical. Per Playbill, extras to include video from the British and Los Angeles premieres, Rex Harrison's BFI Honor and Golden Globe acceptance speech, alternate Audrey Hepburn vocals.

Play Readings: A Complete Guide for Theatre Practitioners
(Focal Press - Hardcover/Paperback Book)
By Rob Urbinati. Examines considerations involved in readings: use of the venue, pre-reading preparations, playwright/director communication, editing/adapting stage directions, casting, using the limited rehearsal time effectively, simple "staging" suggestions, working with actors, handling complex stage directions, talkbacks, and limiting the use of props, costumes, and music. A variety of readings are covered, including readings of musicals, operas, and period plays. 224 pages.

Seth Macfarlane: No One Ever Tells You
(Republic - new on CD/on mp3/at iTunes)
Features both originals and covers. Macfarlane teams up with composer Joel McNeely for the project. "No One Ever Tells You," "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry," "A Ship Without A Sail," "The One I Love (Belongs To Somebody Else)," "It's All Right With Me," "This Nearly Was Mine," "Make This A Slow Goodbye," "Don't Call It Love," "I'll Only Miss Her When I Think Of Her," "These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You)," "Before I Gaze At You Again," "Only The Lonely," "I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan," "I Wish I Didn't Love You So," "Goodbye, Little Dream, Goodbye," "Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year," "Loss Of Love."

Seth's Broadway Diary, Volume 2
(CreateSpace - new Paperback Book/Kindle Edition Pt 1 and Pt 2)
A compilation of Seth's Broadway-centric "Onstage and Backstage" columns for Playbill.com. Featuring blow-by-blow accounts of experiences like doing Kathy Griffin's reality show opposite Kristin Chenoweth and Cloris Leachman (what?), going to Disneyland with Audra McDonald, and helping Sutton Foster star in two completely different Broadway shows (on the same night). Features behind-the-scenes stories straight from the mouths of stars like Lea Salonga, Megan Hilty, Gavin Creel, Idina Menzel, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and more. 294 pages.

We Love Disney (Deluxe Edition)
(Verve/Disney - new on CD/on mp3/at iTunes/vinyl w/ digital)
Compilation album. "Friend Like Me" (NE-YO), "Part of Your World" (Jessie J), "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" (Jason Derulo), "The Rainbow Connection" (Gwen Stefani), "Zero To Hero" (Ariana Grande), "In a World of My Own/Very Good Advice" (Jhené Aiko), "I Wan'na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)" (Fall Out Boy), "Colors of the Wind" (Tori Kelly ), "A Spoonful of Sugar" (Kacey Musgraves), "Ev'rybody Wants To Be a Cat" (Charles Perry), "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" (Jessie Ware), "Let It Go" (Lucy Hale & Rascal Flatts), "It's a Small World" (Various Artists). Bonus tracks: "It's Not Easy Being Green" (Brenna Whitaker), "A Whole New World" (Yuna). Produced by David Foster. Also available in Disney collector's boxed set.

Week of October 20, 2015

Andrea Bocelli: Cinema
(Sony - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
"Maria," "La chanson de Lara," "Moon River," "E più ti penso," "Be My Love," "The Music Of The Night," "Por Una Cabeza," "Sorridi amore vai," "Mi mancherai," "Cheek To Cheek," "Brucia la terra," "No Llores Por Mi Argentina," "Nelle tue mani." Also available in a Deluxe Edition, which also includes "Sorridi amore vai," "Historia De Amor," "Ol' Man River".

Broadway Swings: Covering the Ensemble in Musical Theatre
(Bloomsbury Methuen Drama - Paperback Book/Kindle Edition)
By by Lyndy Franklin Smith and J. Austin Eyer. The responsibilities and rigors, joy and turmoil of the job of the Swing. Traces the entire journey of a Swing's life on Broadway, from auditions and how Swings are selected to the ups and downs of rehearsals and performances. Over 100 Broadway pros and Swing veterans interviewed plus many Stage Managers, Casting Directors, Choreographers and Directors. Rob Ashford, Susan Stroman, Jerry Mitchell, Larry Fuller, Tony Stevens, Beverley Randolph and Frank Dilella of NY1's Onstage. 224 pages.

A Chorus Line: 40th Anniversary Celebration Original Broadway Cast Recording
(Masterworks Broadway - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Remastered new edition of the original Broadway cast recording. Score by Marvin Hamlisch and Ed Kleban. With eight bonus track demos. Scott Allen, Renee Baughman, Carole Bishop, Pamela Blair, Wayne Cilento, Chuck Cissel, Clive Clerk, Kay Cole, Ronald Dennis, Donna Drake, Brandt Edwards, Patricia Garland, Carolyn Kirsch, Ron Kuhlman, Nancy Lane, Baayork Lee, Priscilla Lopez, Robert LuPone, Cameron Mason, Donna McKechnie, Don Percassi, Carole Schweid, Michael Serrecchia, Michael Stuart, Thomas J. Walsh, Sammy Williams, Crissy Wilzak. "Opening: I Hope I Get It," "I Can Do That," "At the Ballet," "Sing!," "Montage (In Three Parts); Montage Part 1: Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love," "Montage (In Three Parts); Montage Part 2: Mother," "Montage (In Three Parts); Montage Part 3: Gimme The Ball," "Nothing," "Dance: Ten; Looks: Three," "The Music and the Mirror," "One," "What I Did for Love," "One (Reprise) / Finale"; Bonus tracks: "It's All in Here," "I Can Do That," "At the Ballet," "Sing!," "Shoes," "One," "Finale Ballad (What I Did For Love)," "Joanne." New high-resolution (24/96) master of the original cast recording, taken from the surround-sound remix created for the SACD-only format (previously available only in that format). Expanded booklet with new liner notes by Oskar Eustis, Terre Blair Hamlisch, Linda Kline, and Robert Viagas. 180-gram vinyl version to be released November 6.

Danny Kaye: Legends
(MVD Visual - on 2 DVDs)
Six episodes from Kaye's 1960s TV series. Guests include Louis Armstrong, Lucille Ball, Tony Bennett, George Burns, Shirley Jones Liberace, the Righteous Brothers, Mireille Mathieu, Vikki Carr, John Gary and Imogene Coca, with series regulars Harvey Korman, Joyce Van Patten and orchestra leader Paul Weston.

The Life and Times of Mickey Rooney
(Gallery Books - new Hardcover Book)
Biography by Richard A. Lertzman and William J. Birnes. Draws on never-before-seen excerpts from Rooney's diary and exclusive interviews with Mickey, and with those who knew him best, including his heretofore unknown mistress of sixty years. 432 pages.

Presenting Shakespeare: 1,100 Posters from Around the World
(Princeton Architectural Press - Hardcover Book)
By Mirko Ilic and Steven Heller. Foreword by Julie Taymor. 1,100 posters for Shakespeare's plays, designed artists representing 55 countries. Trove of theatrical artifacts for theater and design lovers alike. 320 pages.

Secrets of Stage Success
(Nick Hern Books - Paperback Book)
UK musical theatre performers Louise Dearman and Mark Evans answer questions asked by fans about how to succeed in showbusiness. Kindle edition released earlier.

Singing Sondheim —Songs By Stephen Sondheim: Aaron Morishita with Jon Delfin
(Emenar Records - new digital album)
Full recording of the acclaimed, 2000 Back Stage Bistro Award-winning evening of songs by Stephen Sondheim from Aaron Morishita, with musical director Jon Delfin at the piano. "Something's Coming / Our Time," "Love, I Hear," "What More Do I Need," "I Remember," "Anyone Can Whistle," "It Wasn't Meant to Happen / Not a Day Goes By," "Move On," "I'm Calm," "Silly People," "What Can You Lose - Loving You," "More," "Could I Leave You," "Pleasant Little Kingdom - Too Many Mornings," "I Never Do Anything Twice," "So Many People," "No More - Children Will Listen," "With so Little to Be Sure Of," "Aaron Morishita." Clips, tracks and album at CD Baby.

Week of October 13, 2015

American Cinderellas on the Broadway Musical Stage: Imagining the Working Girl from Irene to Gypsy
(Palgrave MacMillan - Hardcover Book)
By Maya Cantu. Analyzes female lyricists and librettists who were significant in translating Perrault's heroine to the contexts and concerns of the American "working girl." In exploring how these and other writers (of both sexes) adapted the Cinderella myth to a twentieth-century urban landscape, this book challenges traditional assumptions about the American musical's relationship to both feminism and modernism—placing the Cinderella story into the Broadway musical canon. 288 pages.

Beggar's Holiday: A Duke Ellington Broadway Musical
(new digital album on mp3 and at iTunes)
John La Touche and Duke Ellington score from 1946 Broadway show. Baritone David Serero presents 2015 revival version, performed November 2012 in Paris. "In Between," "Time to Take a Holiday," "No One but You," "Rooster Man," "Take Love Easy," "In the Scrimmage of Life," "Tomorrow Mountain," "I Want a Hero," "Maybe I Should Change My Ways," "Quarrel for Three," "But He so Charmed Me," "Live for the Moment," "I've Got Me," "Maybe I Should Change My Ways (Reprise)," "No One but You (Reprise)," "Elegy to an Honest Crook," "In Between (Reprise)," "Tomorrow Mountain (Finale)."

Billy Elliot the Musical Live
(Universal - on Blu-ray/digital HD)
Live recording of West End production. The production stars Matteo Zecca, Mitchell Tobin, Bradley Perret, Elliott Hanna, Ruthie Henshall and Deka Walmsley. 160 minutes. Previously released in the UK and available at at Amazon UK.

Cynthia Erivo and Oliver Tompsett Sing Scott Alan
(Billy-Boo Records - new on CD/mp3/at iTunes )
Cynthia Erivo (new The Color Purple) and Oliver Tompsett (UK Wicked) perform a collection of songs by Scott Alan. "Sail," "Anything Worth Holding On To," "Darlin' (Without You)," "Take Me Away," "Stay," "Warm," "I've Already Won," "Breathe and Be Brave," "At All," "You're Not Alone," "Always / Goodnight."

David Benoit Trio (w/ Jane Monheit & the All American Boys Chorus): Believe
(Concord Records - new on CD/mp3/at itunes)
"Santa Claus is Coming to Town," "Believe," "Christmas Waltz," "Christmas Time is Here," "Guaraldi Medley," "My Favorite Things," "Just Like Me," "My Little Drum," "Christmas Song."

Hamilton OBC
(WMG/Atlantic Records - new on 2 CDs)
Lin-Manuel Miranda score. 2015 Broadway show. Cast includes Daveed Diggs, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Jonathan Groff, Christopher Jackson, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Javier Muñoz, Leslie Odom, Jr., Okieriete Onaodowan, Anthony Ramos, Phillipa Soo, and Carleigh Bettiol, Andrew Chappelle, Ariana DeBose, Alysha Deslorieux, Sydney James Harcourt, Neil Haskell. 46 tracks. Disc 1: "Alexander Hamilton," "Aaron Burr, Sir," "My Shot," "The Story of Tonight," "The Schuyler Sisters," "Farmer Refuted," "You'll Be Back," "Right Hand Man," "A Winter's Ball," "Helpless," "Satisfied," "The Story of Tonight (Reprise)," "Wait For It," "Stay Alive," "Ten Duel Commandments," "Meet Me Inside," "That Would Be Enough," "Guns and Ships," "History Has Its Eyes On You," "Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)," "What Comes Next," "Dear Theodosia," "Non-Stop"; Disc 2: "What'd I Miss," "Cabinet Battle #1," "Take a Break," "Say No To This," "The Room Where It Happens," "Schuyler Defeated," "Cabinet Battle #2," "Washington On Your Side," "One Last Time," "I Know Him," "The Adams Administration," "We Know," "Hurricane," "The Reynolds Pamphlet," "Burn," "Blow Us All Away," "Stay Alive (Reprise)," "It's Quiet Uptown," "Election Of 1800," "Your Obedient Servant," "Best of Wives and Best of Women," "The World Was Wide Enough," "Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story." Released earlier on mp3 and at iTunes

The Humans
(TCG - Paperback Book)
Play by Stephen Karam, currently at the Laura Pels Theatre. 112 pages.

At Long Last Love
(Varese Sarabande - on CD)
Soundtrack from 1975 Peter Bogdanovich musical film. Music by Cole Porter. Burt Reynolds, Cybill Shepherd, Madeline Kahn. "Twentieth Century-Fox Trademark," (Fanfare), "Overture," "Which," (Cybill Shepherd, Eileen Brennan), "Poor Young Millionaire," (Burt Reynolds, John Hillerman), "You're The Top," (Burt Reynolds, Madeline Kahn, Duilio Del Prete, Cybill Shepherd), "Find Me A Primitive Man," (Madeline Kahn), "Friendship," (Madeline Kahn, Cybill Shepherd, Burt Reynolds, Duilio Del Prete), "Musical Intro / But In The Morning, No," (Eileen Brennan, John Hillerman, Burt Reynolds, Cybill Shepherd), "At Long Last Love," (Duilio Del Prete, Madeline Kahn, Burt Reynolds, Cybill Shepherd), "Well, Did You Evah?," (Burt Reynolds, Madeline Kahn, Cybill Shepherd, Duilio Del Prete, Mildred Natwick), "From Alpha To Omega," (Duilio Del Prete, Madeline Kahn), "Medley," "Just One Of Those Things," (Burt Reynolds, Cybill Shepherd, Duilio Del Prete), "I Get A Kick Out Of You," (Cybill Shepherd), "Medley," "Medley."

Melissa Errico: What About Today? Live at 54 BELOW
(Broadway Records - mp3)
11 tracks which Melissa has never recorded before, including the title track by David Shire and Bacharach's "The April Fools" and performances of a pair of Michel Legrand classics. Why are actors so nuts?, "What About Today?," Do you like this hair flip?, "The Summer Knows," Those were seals..., "The April Fools," Let's stay at the movies a little longer..., "His Eyes, Her Eyes," How 'bout we do a little Broadway?, "It's An Art," One perfect storm of a song..., "Meadowlark," Where does that leave us?, "Getting Married Today," Time to regroup..., "No More," It doesn t get better than this..., "Small World," "Show Me," "The Heart Is Slow To Learn," I got the idea to write this..., "Gentle Child," I am really bananas about Eydie Gormé..., "What Did I Have That I Don't Have?," "Last Dance," I'm like Cher in Moonstruck!, "How Are Things In Glocca Morra?." CD to be released 10/23/15.

Welcome to My World
(Krizerland Records - new on CD)
New one-girl musical by Bruce Kimmel. Stars Sami Staitman. Musical direction by Alby Potts. "Welcome to My World," "I Want," "Snacks," "TMI," "He Was Grandpa," "Annie," "Fair-Weather Friends," "Note to Boys," "The Dissection of the Frog," "Let Me Sing," "Dancing With Me," "Prom," "Everything is Gonna Be All Right," "Welcome to My World (reprise)." Available at Kritzerland.com

Week of October 6, 2015

Airline Highway: A Play
(Northwestern Univ Press - Paperback Book)
Play by Lisa D'Amour. On Broadway during 2014-2015 season. 160 pages. Published 8/31/15.

Cry-Baby "Original Studio Cast"
(Broadway Records - new on CD/mp3)
Original studio cast recording of David Javerbaum and Adam Schlesinger's score with 88.4% of the original 2008 Broadway cast. James Snyder, Elizabeth Stanley, Alli Mauzey, Harriet Harris, Chester Gregory II, Christopher J. Hanke, Carly Jibson, Richard Poe, Nick Blaemire, Colin Cunliffe, Meg Buckley, Emily Bindiger, Ari Gold, Steven M. Gold, Adam Schlesinger. "Overture," "The Anti-Polio Picnic," "Watch Your Ass," "I'm Infected," "Squeaky Clean," "Nobody Gets Me," "Nobody Gets Me - Reprise," "Jukebox Jamboree," "A Whole Lot Worse," "Screw Loose," "Baby Baby Baby Baby Baby (Baby Baby)," "Girl, Can I Kiss You With Tongue?," "I'm Infected - Reprise," "You Can't Beat The System," "Act 1 Finale," "Entr'acte," "Misery, Agony, Helplessness, Hopelessness, Heartache and Woe," "Misery, Agony, Helplessness, Hopelessness, Heartache and Woe (Reprise)," "All In My Head," "Jailyard Jubilee," "A Little Upset," "I Did Something Wrong, Once," "Thanks For The Nifty Country," "This Amazing Offer," "Do That Again," "Nothing Bad's Ever Gonna Happen Again."

Grand Concourse: A Play
(Northwestern Univ Press - Paperback Book)
Play by Heidi Schreck. Performed Off-Broadway in 2014. 144 pages. Published 6/30/15.

The Hope of Christmas: Ann Hampton Callaway Sings the Lyrics of William Schermerhorn
(MCG Jazz - new on CD/at iTunes)
All new Christmas music with two new songs by Ann Hampton Callaway, including the title song. Additional new songs by Matthew Sklar and Michael Feinstein. All lyrics by William Schermerhorn. Features twenty-nine of the world's best jazz musicians, including Five Play, New York Voices, Hubert Laws, Claudio Roditi, Gerald Albright, The Ted Rosenthal Trio, and more. All proceeds from the sale of this album go directly to support Manchester Craftsmen's Guild and its mission to preserve, present and promote jazz. "On Union Street," "The Hope of Christmas," "One Star," "Discovery," "I Believe," "I Saw a Sparrow," "Santa Doesn't Like Me," "Christmas Isn't Christmas At All," "I Want to Play Santa," "What Good Is Being Cranky," "My Gift of Thanks," "Fly with the Angels."

If/Then OBC vinyl
(Masterworks Broadway - 2-disc vinyl album)
U.S. Tour commemorative vinyl edition. Limited manufacturing run. 2-LP gatefold set plus digital download card. Tom Kitt/Brian Yorkey score. Idina Menzel, James Snyder, Anthony Rapp, LaChanze, Jenn Colella, Jerry Dixon.

It Shoulda Been You OBC
(Ghostlight Records - new on CD)
Barbara Anselmi and Brian Hargrove score. Tyne Daly, Harriet Harris, Lisa Howard, Sierra Boggess, with David Burtka, Montego Glover, Chip Zien, Josh Grisetti, Adam Heller, Michael X. Martin, Anne L. Nathan, Nick Spangler, Farah Alvin, Gina Ferrall, Aaron C. Finley, Mitch Greenberg, Jillian Louis, and Edward Hibbert. "I Never Wanted This," "This Day (Opening)," "Who," "It Shoulda Been You," "Back In The Day," "Perfect," "Nice," "Albert's Turn," "Where Did I Go Wrong," "Beautiful," "A Perfect Ending," "Love You Till The Day," "Jenny's Blues," "Whatever," "A Little Bit Less Than," "What They Never Tell You," "Perfect/Whatever Reprise," "That's Family," "Finale." Also pre-ordering at Ghostlight website. Released earlier on iTunes and mp3.

The Light Princess OLC
(Universal - new on 2 CDs/ mp3/iTunes)Score by Tori Amos and Samuel Adamson. London cast plus exclusive bonus tracks sung by Tori Amos. Cast includes Rosalie Craig, Nick Hendrix, Amy Booth-Steel, Kane Oliver Parry, Hal Fowler and Clive Rowe. Disc 1: "Prologue: Once Upon a Time," "My Own Land," "My Fairy-Story," "Queen Material," "Sealand Supremacy," "Zephyrus Call & Levity," "Althea," "Scandal," "The Gauntlet," "Better Than Good," "The Solution," "Highness in the Sky," "Proverbs & Let the Bells Ring & God, the Horror," "No H2O," "Zephyrus Call Reprise & Althea Reprise," "Darkest Hour," "After Darkest Hour"; Disc 2: "Amphibiava," "Tinkle, Drizzle, Bubble and Gush," "Nothing More Than This, Part One," "Part Two: Queen of the Lake," "Drought," "The Whistleblower," "My Little Girl s Smile," "Bitter Fate," "The Wedding," "Crash in the Universe," "Tears," "Gravity and Epilogue: Once Upon a Time," "Coronation," "Gravity," "Highness in the Sky" (Tori Amos), "Darkest Hour" (Tori Amos). Produced by Amos. Martin Lowe conducting with orchestrations by John Philip Shenale, and vocal arrangements and additional orchestrations by Amos and Lowe. Musical played London's Lyttelton Theatre in 2013.

Naughty Mabel
(Simon & Schuster - Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
By Nathan Lane and Devlin Elliott, illustrated by Dan Krall. For young readers, children ages 4-8. 48 pages.

Playing God: The Bible on the Broadway Stage
(Univ of Michigan Press - Paperback Book/Kindle Edition)
By Henry Bial. Focuses on eleven successful productions, as well as a few notable flops, that highlight the difficulties in adapting the Old and New Testaments for the stage. Combining analysis of play scripts with archival research into the actual circumstances of production and reception. 247 pages.

Razzle Dazzle: The Battle for Broadway
(Simon & Schuster - Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
Michael Riedel's "provocative, no-holds-barred narrative account of the people and the money and the power that re-invented an iconic quarter of New York City, turning its gritty back alleys and sex-shops into the glitzy, dazzling Great White Way ... tells the stories of the Shubert Organization and the shows that re-built a city in grand style, revealing the backstage drama that often rivaled what transpired onstage, exposing bitter rivalries, unlikely alliances, and—of course—scintillating gossip. This is a great story, told with wit and passion." 352 pages.

Week of September 29, 2015

Ann Veronica London cast
(Stage Door Records - new import CD)
Cyril Ornadel/David Croft score. Original 1969 London cast album, first time on CD. Digitally remastered. Mary Millar, Hy Hazell, Arthur Lowe, Peter Reeves, Charles West, Ian Lavender and John Inman. "Overture / a Whole Person," "I Don't See What Else I Could Have Said," "Maternity," "Opportunity," "Sweep Me Off My Feet," "Ann Veronica," "One Man's Love," "Chemical Attraction," "I Couldn't Do a Thing Like That," "Why Can't I Go to Him," "They Can't Keep Us Down," "Stand In Line / Home Sweet Home / Glad to Have You Back," "If I Should Lose You," "You're a Good Man," "Too Much Meat," "Ann Veronica (Reprise)." Extensive booklet with rare production photographs and detailed sleeve notes. Also available directly from the U.K. at Stage Door Records in the U.K. (should appear on Amazon soon).

The Best of Cinerama
(Sepia Records - new on 2 CDs)
Released in 1963, a greatest hits package film featuring the finest moments from the Cinerama travelogues (Cinerama Holiday, Seven Wonders of the World, Search for Paradise, South Seas Adventure). Mixed in full stereo from 6 & 7 track Cinerama 35mm full coats and presented in Dolby Surround with music first time on CD. Bonus extras include alternate takes of music from the original 7-track 35mm coats.

The Best Plays of 2014
(Applause Books - Paperback Book)
Lawrence Harbison, editor. Six of the most original plays of the year selected by renowned editor Lawrence Harbison: The Country House (Donald Margulies), Dinner with the Boys (Dan Lauria), Mala Hierba (Tanya Saracho), Our Lady of Kibeho (Katori Hall), When January Feels Like Summer (Cori Thomas), Year of the Rooster (Eric Dufault). Full text of the plays and the production histories are included. 384 pages.

A Chorus Line FAQ: All That's Left to Know About Broadway's Singular Sensation
(Applause Books - Paperback Book)
Tom Rowan. History and fun facts, including: the unique workshop process through which the show was developed and written, the stories of its creators, the record-breaking Broadway run and numerous touring productions, and the captivating movie version. All-new chapters on the Broadway revival, the two London productions, and notable regional productions around the country. Guide to all the pop cultural references in the show the book with extensive photos and biographical information on the casts of the major productions. Chapters on recordings, previous books on the topic, and the show's influence on subsequent Broadway musicals and films. 512 pages.

Do You Know Me?: Tony Roberts
(paperback book/Audible edition)
Anecdotal memoir spanning Tony Roberts' fifty-five years as a professional actor: twenty-three Broadway shows, twenty-five films, three television series, and over fifty audio books and numerous voice-over commercials. Roberts explores the sources of his ambition and describes the ups and downs of a career in show business. 336 pages. Released 7/20/15.

Freedomland U.S.A.
(Sepia Records - new on CD)
Jule Styne and George Weiss were commissioned to produce a souvenir album for the New York theme park, performed by Johnny Horton, Jimmy Rushing, Jill Corey, Richard Hayes, Charlie Weaver and Earl Wrightson. First time on CD, re-mastered in stereo and combined with rare bonus tracks performed by stars such as Ethel Merman, Peter Lawford and Jule Styne himself. "Freedomland U.S.A Overture" (Frank De Vol And His Orchestra), "Little Old New York" (Richard Hayes), "Satellite City" (Earl Wrightson), "Danny the Dragon" (Charlie Weaver), "The Jalopy Song" (Jill Corey And Richard Hayes), "Pine Country" (Earl Wrightson), "Johnny Freedom" (Johnny Horton), "On the Showboat" (Jill Corey), "San Francisco Fran" (Richard Hayes), "The Chicago Fire" (Earl Wrightson), "So Long Ma" (Jimmy Rushing)"; "Bonus Tracks: "That's the Kind of Dame I Am" (Ethel Merman), "It's a Great Feeling" (Sammy Cahn), "I Feel Like Dancing" (Jule Styne And Leo Robin), "Temporary Arrangement" (Jule Styne), "Frightfully Nice" (Peter Lawford).

Interior Landmarks: Treasures of New York
(The Monacelli Press - Hardcover Book)
By Judith Gura, Kate Wood, and Larry Lederman (photographer). Tells the stories of 47 interior landmarks, including banks, theaters, office building lobbies, restaurants, libraries, and more, like Radio City Music Hall, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Grand Central Station, Tweed Courthouse, Rainbow Room, Ford Foundation Building. 240 pages.

Israfel (from Nevermore) Remix EP
(Broadway Records - new EP)
Three new versions of "Israfel" from Nevermore - The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe (Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording). "Israfel" (Single Version), "Israfel" (Julian Marsh Club Remix), "Israfel" (Julian Marsh Radio Remix). Music and lyrics by Jonathan Christenson. Released previously on mp3 and iTunes.

Thomas Bradshaw: Intimacy and Other Plays
(TCG - new Paperback book)
Collection of Thomas Bradshaw plays: Intimacy, Dawn, Fulfillment, Southern Promises, Job, Strom Thurmond Is Not a Racist, Lecture on the Blues and Purity. 240 pages.

The Time-Traveller's Guide to British Theatre: The First Four Hundred Years
(Oberon Books - Paperback book/Kindle Edition (already available)
By Aleks Sierz and Lia Ghilardi. A celebratory depiction of five centuries of British theatrical creativity from Elizabeth I to Elizabeth II, from Shakespeare to Sir Laurence Olivier. 272 pages.

Universal Musical 180-gram vinyl album reissues of Judy Garland albums: Judy at Carnegie Hall (double), Miss Show Business: Judy Garland , Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli Live at The London Palladium.

Week of September 22, 2015

Alex Rathgeber - Easy To Love
(new on CD)
Currently starring as Billy Crocker in Opera Australia & John Frost's national touring production of Anything Goes. "It All Fades Away," "Theres No Business Like Show Business," "Some Enchanted Evening," "Music of the Night," "Anything You Can Do," (I Can Do Better)," (with Caroline O'Connor), "Easy To Love," "All I Ask of You," (with Claire Lyon), "Sunset Boulevard," "Somewhere," (with Lucy Maunder), "If Ever I Would Leave You," "I Honestly Love You." Available at Australia's Middle Eight Music.

Cry-Baby "Original Studio Cast" digital
(Broadway Records - new digital on mp3/)
Original studio cast recording of David Javerbaum and Adam Schlesinger's score with 88.4% of the original 2008 Broadway cast. James Snyder, Elizabeth Stanley, Alli Mauzey, Harriet Harris, Chester Gregory II, Christopher J. Hanke, Carly Jibson, Richard Poe, Nick Blaemire, Colin Cunliffe, Meg Buckley, Emily Bindiger, Ari Gold, Steven M. Gold, Adam Schlesinger. "Overture," "The Anti-Polio Picnic," "Watch Your Ass," "I'm Infected," "Squeaky Clean," "Nobody Gets Me," "Nobody Gets Me - Reprise," "Jukebox Jamboree," "A Whole Lot Worse," "Screw Loose," "Baby Baby Baby Baby Baby (Baby Baby)," "Girl, Can I Kiss You With Tongue?," "I'm Infected - Reprise," "You Can't Beat The System," "Act 1 Finale," "Entr'acte," "Misery, Agony, Helplessness, Hopelessness, Heartache and Woe," "Misery, Agony, Helplessness, Hopelessness, Heartache and Woe (Reprise)," "All In My Head," "Jailyard Jubilee," "A Little Upset," "I Did Something Wrong, Once," "Thanks For The Nifty Country," "This Amazing Offer," "Do That Again," "Nothing Bad's Ever Gonna Happen Again." CD to be released October 9.

David Hobson and Friends: from Broadway to La Scala
(ABC Classics - new on CD)
David Hobson, Lisa McCune, Teddy Tahu Rhodes and Greta Bradman with a symphony orchestra. "Hallelujah," "The Music of the Night," "Largo al factotum," "Au fond du temple saint Duet," "Una voce poco fa," "Bring Him Home," "My Favourite Things," "Toreador's Song," "Tonight," "Una furtiva lagrima," "Some Enchanted Evening," "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'," "Nella fantasia," "You'll Never Walk Alone." Available at Australia's Middle Eight Music.

Hamilton OBC Digital
(WMG/Atlantic Records - new on mp3/at iTunes)
Lin-Manuel Miranda score. 2015 Broadway show. Cast includes Daveed Diggs, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Jonathan Groff, Christopher Jackson, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Javier Muñoz, Leslie Odom, Jr., Okieriete Onaodowan, Anthony Ramos, Phillipa Soo, and Carleigh Bettiol, Andrew Chappelle, Ariana DeBose, Alysha Deslorieux, Sydney James Harcourt, Neil Haskell. 46 tracks. Disc 1: "Alexander Hamilton," "Aaron Burr, Sir," "My Shot," "The Story of Tonight," "The Schuyler Sisters," "Farmer Refuted," "You'll Be Back," "Right Hand Man," "A Winter's Ball," "Helpless," "Satisfied," "The Story of Tonight (Reprise)," "Wait For It," "Stay Alive," "Ten Duel Commandments," "Meet Me Inside," "That Would Be Enough," "Guns and Ships," "History Has Its Eyes On You," "Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)," "What Comes Next," "Dear Theodosia," "Non-Stop"; Disc 2: "What'd I Miss," "Cabinet Battle #1," "Take a Break," "Say No To This," "The Room Where It Happens," "Schuyler Defeated," "Cabinet Battle #2," "Washington On Your Side," "One Last Time," "I Know Him," "The Adams Administration," "We Know," "Hurricane," "The Reynolds Pamphlet," "Burn," "Blow Us All Away," "Stay Alive (Reprise)," "It's Quiet Uptown," "Election Of 1800," "Your Obedient Servant," "Best of Wives and Best of Women," "The World Was Wide Enough," "Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story." CD to be released October 16.

Johnny Mathis: The Singles
(Sony - new on 4 CDs/mp3/iTunes)
For the first time in one anthology, every Johnny Mathis recording which was first issued for the singles market, as well as tracks released exclusively on compilations: 1958's "Johnny's Greatest Hits," 1959's "More Johnny's Greatest Hits," and 1981's "The First 25 Years--The Silver Anniversary Album." 31 of the 87 tracks are being released on CD for the very first time.

Lady, Be Good Encores! cast Digital
(Ghostlight - new on mp3/iTunes)
George and Ira Gershwin score. Charissa Bertels, Colin Donnell, Danny Gardner, Joe Grandy, Tiffany Haas, Jeff Hiller, Drew Humphrey, Erin Mackey, Jason Mills, Patti Murin, Nicolas Dávila, Douglas Sills, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Tommy Tune and Kirsten Wyatt. "Overture," "Hang On To Me," "A Wonderful Party," "End of a String," "We're Here Because," "Fascinating Rhythm," "So Am I," "Oh, Lady, Be Good!," "Piano Specialty," "Finale (Act One)," "Entr'acte," "Linger in the Lobby," "The Half of it, Dearie, Blues," "Juanita," "I'd Rather Charleston," "So Am I (Reprise)," "Oh, Lady, Be Good! (Reprise)," "Little Jazz Bird," "Carnival Time," "Swiss Miss," "Finale." [missed listing this on release date.] CD to be released November 13.

Liaisons: Re-Imagining Sondheim from the Piano
(ECM Records - new CD set/mp3/iTunes)
Conceived by concert pianist Anthony de Mare. Commissioning of 36 writers to re-imagine a Stephen Sondheim song as a solo piano piece. Andy Akiho "Into the Woods," Mason Bates "Very Put Together" (after "Putting It Together")," Eve Beglarian "Perpetual Happiness (after "Happiness")," Derek Bermel "Sorry-Grateful," Jherek Bischoff "Ballad of Guiteau," William Bolcom "A Little Night Fughetta" (after "Send in the Clowns/Anyone Can Whistle")," Jason Robert Brown "Birds of Victorian England" (after "Green Finch and Linnet Bird")," Kenji Bunch "The Demon Barber" (after "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd")," Mary Ellen Childs "Now" (Now/Later/Soon")," Michael Daugherty "Everybody's Got the Right," Peter Golub "A Child" (of "Children and Art)" Ricky Ian Gordon "Every Day a Little Death," Annie Gosfield "A Bowler Hat," Jake Heggie "I'm Excited. No, You're Not." (after "A Weekend in the Country")," Fred Hersch "No One is Alone," Ethan Iverson "Send in the Clowns," Gabriel Kahane "Being Alive," Phil Kline Paraphrase of "Someone in a Tree," Tania Leon "going… gone" (after "Good Thing Going")," Ricardo Lorenz "The Worst [Empanadas] in London" (after "The Worst Pies in London/A Little Priest")," Wynton Marsalis "That Old Piano Roll," Paul Moravec "I Think About You" (after "Losing My Mind")," Nico Muhly "Color and Light," John Musto "Epiphany," Thomas Newman "Not While I'm Around," David Rakowski "The Ladies Who Lunch," Steve Reich "Finishing the Hat —Two Pianos," Eric Rockwell "You Could Drive a Person Crazy," Daniel Bernard Roumain "Another Hundred People," Frederic Rzewski "I'm Still Here," Rodney Sharman "Notes on Beautiful" (after "Beautiful")," Duncan Sheik "Johanna… in Space," David Shire "Love is In the Air," Bernadette Speach "In and Out of Love" (after "Liaisons/ Send in the Clowns")," Mark-Anthony Turnage "Pretty Women," Nils Vigeland "Alma Mater/Merrily We Roll Along." Producer Judy Sherman. Recording has begun at American Academy of Arts & Letters. Produced by Rachel Colbert. Crowd-source funded.

Micky Dolenz: A Little Bit Broadway, A Little Bit Rock & Roll
(Broadway Records - new on CD)
Live at 54 Below series. "Hey Micky," D.W. Washburn," A Little Bit Broadway, A Little Bit Rock & Roll, "Last Train to Clarksville," My party piece, "Don't Be The Bunny," To see or not to see, "Mister Cellophane," Russian clouds, "But Not For Me," Brilliant Brill Building, "As We Go Along," Hey Monkee Man..., "Oh! Darling," I'm told I had a great time, "Randy Scouse Git," You should be so lucky...., "Some Enchanted Evening," Shrek schmek, "I'm A Believer," Run Silent, Run Monkee, "Pleasant Valley Sunday," Don't sing along; it puts me off, "Daydream Believer," One foot on the dock, one on the boat...., "One of the Good Guys," These guys are really good, too, "Goin' Down," Pure Imagination." Also at BroadwayRecords.com at a special price.

Miracle City 2014 Australian Cast
(new on CD)
Music by Max Lambert and lyrics by Nick Enright. Mike McLeish, Blazey Best, Hilary Cole, Cameron Holmes, Jason Kos, Peter Kowitz, Esther Hannaford, Marika Aubrey and Josie Lane. Includes bonus track "Angel At My Gate." Available at Australia's Middle Eight Music.

Rita Moreno: Una Vez Mas
(Sony Latin - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Moreno's first all-Spanish album. "Preciosa," "Cuando Despierto," "Punto de Referencia," "Brazil," "Monte Adentro," "Volverás," "Tu Regalito," "En Aranjuez Con Tu Amor," "Somewhere (Un Lugar)," "El Mar Que Llevo Dentro," "Somewhere (in English)." Produced by Emilio Estefan and Nicholas Tovar.

A Rockin' Midsummer Night's Dream (World Premiere Recording)
Broadway Records - new on 2 CDs)
2 CD set with special edition photo booklet from the 2014 world premiere production. Marla Mindelle (Cinderella), Clarke Thorell (Hairspray), Saum Eskandani (Disaster!), joined by several dozen children and teen performers from Newtown, CT. Features a new rock score by Eric Svejcar with lyrics by William Shakespeare, Eric Svejcar and Michael Unger. "Puck's Prologue," "Four Days," "The Course of True Love," "How Happy Some Can Be," "I Can Play That Too," "Over Hill, Over Dale," "Merry Wanderer," "The Forgeries of Jealousy," "Fetch Me That Flower," "Spaniel," "I Know a Bank," "Fairies' Lullaby," "Run Through Fire," "What a Dream," "Donkey-Angel," "Be Kind and Courteous," "Pas De Quatre," "Overcast the Night," "Up and Down," "Come Sit Thee Down," "Be As Thou Wast Wont to Be," "Swifter Than the Wandering Moon," "I Just Had the Strangest Dream," "More Strange Than True," "Philostrate," "Pyramus And Thisbe," "So Are You To My Thoughts-Sonnet 75," "Midnight," "If We Shadows Have Offended." Also at Broadway Records - order there and you will receive a digital copy as a free gift prior to the CD release.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show 40th Anniversary Collector's Edition
(Fox - Blu-ray/DVD)
Includes both the U.S. and UK versions of the film; "Rocky-oke: Sing It!"; commentary By Richard O'Brien and Patricia Quinn (Magenta); Don't Dream It, Be It: The Search for the 35th Anniversary Shadowcast, Part I; An-tic-i-pation: The Search for the 35th Anniversary Shadowcast, Part II; Mick Rock (a photographer); Mick Rock's Picture Show (a gallery); A Few From The Vault; deleted musical scenes "Once In A While," Super Heroes"; outtakes; alternate B&W opening; alternate credit & misprint ending; "Rocky Horror Double Feature Video Show" (1995); Beacon Theater, New York City (10th Anniversary); "Time Warp" music video; The Midnight Experience; pressbook & poster gallery; and more (apparently including collectible fishnet stockings, pink rubber gloves, and the original movie soundtrack cd).

Simon Gleeson: Elements
(new on CD)
Debut album from Australian music theatre star currently playing Jean Valjean in the Australian touring production of Les Misérables. "A Bit of Earth," "Anthem," "She's Got a Way / Something," "End of the World," "Being Alive," "Bring Him Home," "And the Rain Keeps Falling Down," "Stay with Me," "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" (with Natalie O'Donnell), "If I Loved You," "The Day You Went Away." Available at Australia's Middle Eight Music.

Tony Bennett & Bill Charlap: The Silver Lining - The Songs of Jerome Kern
(Columbia - new on CD/mp3/at iTunes)
"All The Things You Are," "Pick Yourself Up," "The Last Time I Saw Paris," "I Won't Dance," "Long Ago and Far Away," "Dearly Beloved," "The Song Is You," "The Didn't Believe Me," "I'm Old Fashioned," "The Way You Look Tonight," "Yesterdays," "Make Believe," "Nobody Else But Me," "Look For The Silver Lining." Renee Rosnes (on the piano duet pieces), Peter Washington (bass) and Kenny Washington (drums).

What a Time It Was!: Leonard Lyons and the Golden Age of New York Nightlife
(Abbeville Press - Hardcover Book)
By Jeffrey Lyons. Collection of stories, hand-picked from the archive of legendary New York Post columnist Leonard Lyons by his son. Of the time when notables of every sort—film producers and stars, writers, politicians, comedians, athletes, and artists—gathered nightly at such famed restaurants and nightclubs as Sardi's, the Stork Club, and the Copacabana. Illustrated with snapshots and glamour shots. 480 pages.

Week of September 15, 2015

The Complete Book of 1970s Broadway Musicals
(Rowman & Littlefield - Hardcover Book)
By Dan Dietz. Examines in detail every musical that opened on Broadway during the 1970s. Opening and closing dates; Plot summaries; Cast members; Number of performances; Names of all important personnel including writers, composers, directors, choreographers, producers, and musical directors; Musical numbers and the names of performers who introduced the songs; Production data, including information about tryouts; Source material; Critical commentary; Tony awards and nominations; Details about London and other foreign productions. Appendices include a discography, filmography, published scripts, and lists of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, Black-themed shows, and Jewish-themed productions. 496 pages. Complements Dietz' books on 1940s Broadway Musicals, 1950s Broadway Musicals, and 1960s Broadway Musicals].

The Death of Natalie Wood A New Play
(Spider Web Press - new digital book Kindle Edition)
Had been listed as a new play by Rex Marin. Now it's a new play by Jackie O. Speares.

Jack and the Beanstalk TV Special
(Warner Archive - DVD-R)
1967 Hanna-Barbera film with blend of live action and animation. Songs by James Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn. Gene Kelly, Bobby Riha, Ted Cassidy plus vocal talents including Marni Nixon. 59 minutes.

Joy Ride: Show People and Their Shows
(W.W. Norton & Co - new hardcover book/Kindle edition)
A collection of John Lahr's New Yorker profiles and reviews. 592 pages.

Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy Collection Volume 1
(Warner Archive - 4 DVD-R discs)
Naughty Marietta, Rose-Marie, Maytime, and The Girl of the Golden West. 467 minutes.

Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy Collection Volume 2
(Warner Archive - 4 DVD-R discs)
Sweethearts, New Moon, Bitter Sweet, and I Married an Angel. 396 minutes.

Many a New Day: Karrin Allyson Sings Rodgers & Hammerstein
(Motéma - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Four-time Grammy winner singer/pianist Karrin Allyson album of Rodgers & Hammerstein songs. "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning," "Many a New Day," "Happy Talk," "I Cain't Say No," "I Have Dreamed," "Out Of My Dreams," "Bali H'ai," "When I Think Of Tom/Hello Young Lovers," "We Kiss In a Shadow," "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught," "Something Wonderful," "Surrey With a Fringe on Top," "Something Good," "Edelweiss." iTunes Bonus track: This Nearly Was Mine." Kenny Barron on piano and John Patitucci on bass. Recorded at Sear Sound in New York City on May 1st & 2nd, 2015. Arranged by Allyson, executive produced by Jana Herzen and produced by Allyson in association with Michael Leonhart.

Patti LuPone: Matters of the Heart
(Broadway Records - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Originally released in 1999, reissued with all new packaging and photos. Studio recording of Patti LuPone's cabaret show, which originated on Broadway at the Vivian Beaumont Theater in 2000 and toured. "Storybook/Love Makes the World Go 'Round," "A Cock-Eyed Optimist," "The Boy Next Door," "It's For You/A Wonderful Guy," "Where Love Resides," "Shattered Illusions," "Unexpressed," "Not a Day Goes By," "Playbill," "Air That I Breathe," "Sand and Water," "When the World Was Young/I Never Do Anything Twice," "I Regret Everything," "This Moment," "Real Emotional Girl," "My Father/Look Mummy, No Hands," "My Son," "Back to Before," "Hello, Young Lovers," "My Best to You."

A View of the River: 7 Songs by Will Van Dyke and Jeff Talbott
(new EP on mp3 and at iTunes)
Music by Van Dyke; lyrics are by Jeff Talbott and Van Dyke. "Pop-infused theatre standalone songs." Performed by Billy Porter, Kate Baldwin, Jonathan Groff, and Broadway and Off-Broadway stars Abby Mueller, Matt Doyle, Tamika Sonja Lawrence and Preston Sadleir. Produced by Van Dyke, Talbott, Brian Usifer and Derik Lee, and co-produced by Candy Gold. Orchestrations by Usifer. Recorded and mixed by Lee. "When You Smile," "September," "Wait," "Three Minutes," "The Girl Who Ran Away," "Prayer," "Begin & End."

Week of September 8, 2015

Chip Deffaa's Irving Berlin Ragtime Revue: Original Cast Album
(Garret Mountain Records - digital album mp3/iTunes)
44 tracks. CD available at CDBaby.com. Released 8/20/15.

I Could Go On Singing: Susan Hodgdon Sings the Songs of Judy Garland
(new on CD)
Recorded live at Don't Tell Mama on March 5th, 2015."If You Feel Like Singing, Sing," "When You're Smiling," "Children's Medley: Snowflakes / Liza /Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe / Lorna," "I Concentrate On You," "Send My Baby Back to Me," "Heartbroken," "What Now My Love," "I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues," "I'd Like to Hate Myself in the Morning," "But Not for Me," "Judy Singing to Her Father: Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart," "Be a Clown," "Medley: Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart / Johnny One Note / You Made Me Love You ( I Didn't Want to Do It) / I Don't Care / Swanee / Get Happy / The Trolley Song / The Boy Next Door / I'm Always Chasing Rainbows / The Man That Got Away / The Pur," "Alone Together," "I Could Go On Singing," "Little Drops of Rain," "Finale: I'm Always Chasing Rainbows / Over the Rainbow." Clips and CD available at CDBaby.

John Pizzarelli: Midnight McCartney
(Concord Records - new on CD)
"Silly Love Songs," "My Love," "Heart of the Country," "Coming Up," "No More Lonely Nights," "Warm and Beautiful," "Hi, Hi, Hi," "Junk," "My Valentine," "Let 'Em In," "Some People Never Know," "Maybe I m Amazed," "Wonderful Christmastime." Jessica Molaskey co-producer and providing background vocals. Bucky Pizzarelli providing rhythm guitar on several tracks and a solo on "Junk." Martin Pizzarelli on bass throughout. Madeline Pizzarelli transcribed "Warm and Beautiful" for her father to sing in a different key.

Judy Norton: Reflections
(Jn Production - digital albumon mp3/at iTunes)
Live performance by TV and stage performer Judy Norton ("The Waltons"). "Feeling Good," "Accentuate the Positive," "Big Time," "Gypsy in My Soul," "Stuff Like That There," "I'll Be Seeing You," "Smile," "My Heart Belongs to Daddy," "Holding Out for a Hero," "Someone to Watch Over Me," "The Way We Were / Where Do You Start?," "Adelaide's Lament," "Stand By Your Man," "Stompin' At the Savoy." Released 8/31/15.

Julie Budd: Remembering Mr Sinatra
(Emerald Music - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
"I've Got The World On a String," "All the Way," "The Best Is yet to Come," "Medley: More Than You Know / The Very Thought of You / The Nearness of You," "In the Wee Small Hours," "Come Rain or Come Shine," "I'm a Fool to Want You," "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," "How About You." Released 9/1/15.

Offstage Voices: Life in Twin Cities Theater
(Minnesota Historical Society Press - Paperback Book)
By Peg Guilfoyle. Foreword by Sally Wingert. Behind the scenes look at a wide range of Minneapolis/St. Paul theaters, including the Guthrie, the Playwrights' Center, Ten Thousand Things, Mixed Blood, Penumbra, Theater Latté Da, Mu Performing Arts, the Minnesota Fringe Festival, and many more. Interviews with actors, artistic directors, designers, and playwrights. 224 pages.

To Do. To Be.: The Music of Tim Prottey-Jones
(new digital album on mp3/iTunes)
New music from musical theatre, short films and feature length films, performed by Tim Prottey-Jones and other West End singers. "Have You Ever?" (with Amy Lennox), "Sunshine" (with Joe Tracini), "Keep Your Distance" (with Alistair Brammer & Emma Hatton), "I'll Be With You Always" (with Jacqueline Hughes), "The Song of Sin" (with Paul Ayres), "Regret Me" (with Ambra Caserotti), "Kiss Till You Can't Kiss Anymore" (with Declan Bennett), "I Tried to Save You" (with Tyrone Huntley), "I for One" (with Zrinka Cvitesic), "You" (with Evelyn Hoskins & Brian Gilligan), "Robert Louis Stevenson" (with The Paper Hearts), "Leaving for You" (with Arthur Darvill), "Blame It On Me" (with Andrew Bateup), "Have You Again" (with Cameron Sharp), "Nothing" (with Laura Pitt-Pulford)."

Walt Disney Records The Legacy Collection: Aristocats
(Disney - new on 2 CDs)
Over 40 tracks from the 1970 animated musical film. Maurice Chevalier, Liz English, Robie Lester, Dean Clark, Gary Dubin, Phil Harris, Scatman Crothers, Thurl Ravenscroft, Ruth Buzzi. Featuring the complete soundtrack (35 tracks) available for the first time ever, plus eight Lost Chords and five bonus songs. Songs by Richard and Robert Sherman, Floyd Huddleston, Al Rinker, Terry Gilkyson. Bonus tracks: "How Much You Mean to Me/Court Me Slowly Demo" (Richard M and Robert B Sherman), "How Much You Mean to Me/Court Me Slowly" (Corey Burton and Kate Higgins), "Pourquois? Demo" (Richard M Sherman), "Pourquois?" (Kate Higgins), "My Way's the Highway Demo" (Richard M Sherman), "My Way's the Highway" (Randy Crenshaw), "Le Jazz Hot Demo" (Richard M Sherman), "Le Jazz Hot" (Ty Taylor), "The Aristocats Album Version" (The Mike Sammes Singers), "Scales and Arpeggios Album Version" (Susan Novack, Gregory Novack, Victor Sweler and The Mike Sammes Singers), "She Never Felt Alone Album Version" (Robie Lester), "Thomas O Malley Cat Album Version" (Phil Harris), "Ev'rybody Wants to Be a Cat Album Version" (Phil Harris and The Mike Sammes Singers). Released 8/21/15.

Year of the Fat Knight: The Falstaff Diaries
(Nick Hern Books - Hardcover Book)
By Antony Sher. Follow-up to Sher's 1985 Year of the King. Resulting from Sher's researching, rehearsing, and performing Falstaff for a 2014 Royal Shakespeare Company production. Supplemented by Sher's own paintings and sketches. 208 pages.

Week of September 1, 2015

The 101 Greatest Plays: From Antiquity to the Present
(Guardian Faber Publishing - Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
Michael Billington (The Guardian) offers his highly personal selection of the 100 greatest plays ranging from the Greeks to the present-day, justifying them in extended essays, and occasional dialogues, that put the plays in context, explain their significance and trace their performance history. 464 pages.

Bessie
(HBO Studios - new on Blu-ray/DVD)
2015 HBO film based on the life of Bessie Smith. Starring Queen Latifah.

Bucky Pizzarelli: Renaissance: A Journey From Classical to Jazz
(Arbors - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Legendary jazz guitarist performs a classical concerto and several American Songbook tunes. "TEDESCO: Concerto No1 in D, Op99," "Send In The Clowns," "Have You Met Miss Jones," "Laura," "The Bad and The Beautiful," "Street of Dreams/Two Funky People Medley," "Stardust," "Satin Doll," "I'm Through With Love/I'll Never Be The Same Medley," "Robbins Nest," "It's Easy To Remember/This Nearly Was Mine," "Goodbye."

How to Write About Theatre: A Manual for Critics, Students and Bloggers
(Bloomsbury Methuen Drama - Hardcover/Paperback/Kindle Edition)
By Mark Fisher (Scottish theatre critic for The Guardia, contributor to Variety). Foreword by Chris Jones (Chicago Tribune). Lessons from history's leading critics and examples from around the world; practical advice about how to celebrate, analyse and discuss the art form. 296 pages.

Pageant new Off-Broadway cast
(Jay Records - new on CD)
Albert Evans/Bill Russell/Frank Kelly score. Nick Cearley, Nic Cory, Alex Ringler, Marty Thomas, Seth Tucker, Curtis Wiley and John Bolton."Overture / Natural Born Females," "Hair Aware," "Texas Tap," "A Salute To Dixie," "A Classical Fantasia," "Banking On Jesus," "Snappin' Fresh," "Girl Power," "Something Extra (Reprise)," "Goodbye," "Miss Glamouresse," "She's the One," "Exit Music," "It's Gotta Be Venus." Released on iTunes 6/2/15.

Peter Pan (1955 and 1956) Collector's Edition
(VAI - new Blu-ray/DVD)
Mary Martin as Peter Pan in the live 1956 telecast, with Cyril Ritchard, Kathy Nolan, Sondra Lee, and Heller Halliday. From the original kinescopes. Produced for television by Jerome Robbins. Bonus feature: the 1955 telecast. Black and white, 235 minutes total. Also available directly from VAI. Also available, the 1956 on DVD alone.

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
(JAY Records - new on CD)
Studio album inspired by Regent's Park open air theatre production in 2015. Gene De Paul and Johnny Mercer score, with new songs by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn. Laura Pitt-Pulford, Alex Gaumond, Sam O'Rourke. National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Martin Yates. "Overture," "Bless Your Beautiful Hide," "Wonderful, Wonderful Day," "One Man," "Goin' Courtin'," "Challenge Dance," "Love Never Goes Away," "Sobbin' Women," "We Gotta Make It Through the Winter," "A Woman Ought To Know Her Place," "Lonesome Polecat," "Spring, Spring, Spring," "Glad That You Were Born," "Wedding Dance," "Finale," "Bless Your Beautiful Hide" (Bonus Track). Released digitally earlier at iTunes.

Victor Herbert: The Only Girl
(Albany Records - new on CD)
Victor Herbert's three-act 1914 score, with Henry Blossom's lyrics. Light Opera of New York cast: Kyle Erdos-Knapp, Antoni Mendezona, Natalie Ballenger, Sarah Best, Sarah Mossman, Ian McEuen, Adam Cunnedy, Cameron Smith. "The clash between a young female composer and an egotistical Broadway librettist." Based on a play by Frank Mandel. New performance edition by Michael Phillips. Gerald Steichen, conductor. All music is presented, with a truncated version of Phillips' book.

Woman of the Year OBC
(Masterworks/ArkivMusic - new on CD-R/mp3 on 9/11/15)
Original 1981 Broadway cast recording. Score by John Kander and Fred Ebb (book by Peter Stone). Lauren Bacall, Harry Guardino, Marilyn Cooper, Eivind Harum, Grace Keagy, Roderick Cook, Rex Everhart, Daren Kelly. Pre-ordering at ArkivMusic.com. At Masterworks on August 14, ArkivMusic and digital outlets September 11.

Week of August 18, 2015

It Shoulda Been You OBC
(Ghostlight Records - new on mp3/at itunes)
Barbara Anselmi and Brian Hargrove score. Tyne Daly, Harriet Harris, Lisa Howard, Sierra Boggess, with David Burtka, Montego Glover, Chip Zien, Josh Grisetti, Adam Heller, Michael X. Martin, Anne L. Nathan, Nick Spangler, Farah Alvin, Gina Ferrall, Aaron C. Finley, Mitch Greenberg, Jillian Louis, and Edward Hibbert. "I Never Wanted This," "This Day (Opening)," "Who," "It Shoulda Been You," "Back In The Day," "Perfect," "Nice," "Albert's Turn," "Where Did I Go Wrong," "Beautiful," "A Perfect Ending," "Love You Till The Day," "Jenny's Blues," "Whatever," "A Little Bit Less Than," "What They Never Tell You," "Perfect/Whatever Reprise," "That's Family," "Finale." CD to be released 10/13/15.

Love Birds Original Edinburgh Cast
(SimG Records - new on CD)
Score by Robert J. Sherman. New musical currently playing at Edinburgh Fringe. Ruth Betteridge, Greg Castiglioni, John Guerrasio, George Knapper, Jonny Purchase, Joanna Sawyer, Anna Stolli, Rafe Watts, Ryan Willis. "Prologue," "Mary Poppins," "Tinpanorama," "Sadie Macaw (Part 1)," "The Bird With The Broken Heart (Nobody Knows)," "Valentine," "Sadie Macaw (Part 2)," "Old Fashioned Guy," "The Flipper Flap," "Old Fashioned Guy (Reprise)," "The Sharpest SmilE," "Paint A Rainbow," "Crunchy Crackers," "On Cloudy Days," "Love Birds," "Today Is Yesterday's Tomorrow," "Love Birds (Finale)." At Dress Circle.

Week of August 11, 2015

Barbara Dickson: In Concert at the Royal Albert Hall
(Music Video Distributors - new CD/DVD set)
Scottish singer and actress Barbara Dickson (Blood Brothers, Spend Spend Spend) live performance at the Royal Albert Hall in 1987. Selections include "Caravans," "I Think It'S Going To Rain Today," "It's Money That I Love," "Maccrimmon's Lament," "As Time Goes By," "Another Suitcase In Another Hall," "I Heard It Through The Grapevine," "Pride (In The Name Of Love)," "I Know Him So Well," "For All We Know," "Don'T Think Twice, It'S Alright," "I Know Him So Well [with Elaine Paige]."

The Carol Burnett Show: The Lost Episodes Ultimate Collection
(Time-Life - on 22 DVDs)
"No one has seen the first five seasons of ‘The Carol Burnett Show' since they were first aired." Features 45 episodes plus over 20 hours of bonus material on 22 DVDs, all housed in a deluxe collector's box. Exclusive bonus features include: backstage tour of Studio 33 where the show was filmed; exclusive interviews with Alan Alda, Julie Andrews, Tony Bennett, Steve Carell, Tina Fey, and many more; rare Carol TV specials; newly produced featurettes ; bonus sketches; never-before-seen bloopers and outtakes. Also includes a 40-page guest book with autographs from Carol's guests, friends, and fans, production photos, and notes from Carol herself. Order at https://timelife.com.

Dee Dee Bridgewater: Dee Dee's Feathers
(Sony Masterworks/Okeh - on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Collaboration of Dee Dee Bridgewater and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, founded by artistic director and trumpeter Irvin Mayfield. A modern vision of New Orleans with traditional songs.

The Front Page Blu-ray
(Kino - new on Blu-ray)
1931 film version of 1928 play by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur. Mastered in HD from 35mm elements preserved by LOC. Adolphe Menjou, Pat O'Brien, Mary Brian, George E. Stone, Matt Moore, and Edward Everett Horton. Directed by Lewis Milestone. 100 minutes. short documentary on the film preservation efforts of the Library of Congress; audio commentary by film historian Bret Wood; 1937 radio adaptation starring Walter Winchell, presented by Cecil B. DeMille (60 min.); 1946 radio adaptation starring Adolphe Menjou and Pat O Brien (30 min.).

Pinocchio TV Cast
(Masterworks Broadway/ArkivMusic - new on CD-R/mp3/iTunes)
1957 television musical starring Mickey Rooney, Fran Allison, Stubby Kaye, Martyn Green. Songs by Alec Wilder and William Engvick. "Opening / Listen to Your Heart," "Happy News," "Pinocchio's Song," "Lullaby," "The Fox's Pitch," "Listen to Your Heart," "The Jolly Coachman," "Listen to Your Heart [Reprise 1]," "Lullaby," "Listen to Your Heart [Reprise 2]," "The Birthday Song," "Listen to Your Heart [Reprise 3]," "Happy News [Reprise]." Pre-ordering at ArkivMusic. Earlier at Masterworks.com.

Week of August 4, 2015

The Bodyguard The Musical
(First Night Records - new import CD/iTunes)
World premiere cast recording. Featuring Alexandra Burke, Rachel Marron, Melissa James, Nicki Marron. "Rachel Marron Entrance," "Queen Of The Night," "How Will I Know," "Greatest Love Of All," "Saving All My Love For You," "Mayan Medley (Million Dollar Bill, I Wanna Dance With Somebody, So Emotional)," "Run To You," "I Have Nothing / End Of Act One," "All The Man That I Need," "I'm Every Woman," "Fletcher," "All At Once," "Run To You Reprise / Going Home," "Jesus Loves Me / Phone Call," "Nicki's Death," "Jesus Loves Me Reprise," "One Moment In Time," "He's My Bodyguard," "I Will Always Love You," "I Wanna Dance With Somebody." CD available directly from the U.K. at Dress Circle UK and Amazon UK.

Descendants
(Disney - new on DVD)
New Disney live-action musical for TV. Cast includes Kristin Chenoweth (Maleficent) and Kathy Najimy (The Evil Queen). Bonuses: Backstage Dance Rehearsals - Dance Till You Drop! exclusive cast rehearsals with director Kenny Ortega. 112 minutes.

Doctor Zhivago OBC recording
(Broadway Records - new on CD)
Score by Music by Lucy Simon, Michael Korie and Amy Powers. Cast includes Tam Mutu, Kelli Barrett, Tom Hewitt. "Two Worlds," "Komarovsky's Toast," "Who Is She?," "It's a Godsend," "When the Music Played," "Watch the Moon," "Forward!," "Somewhere My Love," "Now," "Forward! (Reprise) / Blood on the Snow," "Komarovsky's Lament," "Yurii's Decision," "In This House," "Women and Little Children / He's There," "No Mercy at All," "In This House (Reprise)," "Love Finds You," "Nowhere to Hide," "It Comes as No Surprise," "Ashes and Tears," "On the Edge of Time," "Now (Reprise)," "Blood on the Snow (Reprise)," "Finale / On The Edge of Time (Reprise)," "He's There (piano rendition performed by Emily Bear)," "When The Music Played (performed by Sharon Azrieli Perez)," "Only You're There (cabaret version performed by Kelli Barrett) - Digital bonus.

Descendants Soundtrack
(Disney - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
From Disney's new live-action musical. "Rotten to the Core" (Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Cameron Boyce and Booboo Stewart), "Evil Like Me" (Kristin Chenoweth and Dove Cameron; written by Andrew Lippa), "Did I Mention" (Jeff Lewis, Mitchell Hope), "If Only" (Dove Cameron), "Be Our Guest" (Mitchell Hope,Spencer Lee, Kala Balch, Marco Marinangeli), "If Only" (Reprise)" (Dove Cameron), "Set It Off" (Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Cameron Boyce, Booboo Stewart, Mitchell Hope, Sarah Jeffrey and Jeff Lewis), "Believe" (Shawn Mendes), "Rotten to the Core" (Sofia Carson), "Night Is Young" (China Anne McClain), "Good Is the New Bad" (Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson and China Anne McClain), "I'm Your Girl" (Felicia Barton), "Descendants Score Suite" (David Lawrence). Digital versions already available.

Donna McKechnie: Same Place: Another Time
(Jay Records - new on CD)
Live recording from September 18 and 19, 2013, concert performances at London's Angel Studios. "Hustle/Where or When/Native New Yorker," Thank you so much I see some old friends, "Uptown-Downtown," Also ironically, "What More Do I Need?," "The Morning After," As I remember, "I Never Know When," Ah Yes, They were becoming interchangeable, "You're Moving Out Today," "Where Do You Start," Marvin Hamlisch was one of the, "At the Ballet," "Astaire," So there I am in the Shubert Theatre, You know in the beginning, "Better Luck Next Time," Of course he was right, "I Got Lost in His Arms," Oh so i'm a late bloomer, "Hate / Love New York," Thank you, "Time in A Bottle," Thank you, wow, what a, "With So Little to Be Sure Of." Arrangements and music direction by John McDaniel. Digital version released earlier at iTunes.

The Metropolitan Opera 2016 Wall Calendar
(Universe Publishing - Wall Calendar)
Features color photographs of scenes, stars, and performances from such operas as Rigoletto, Le Nozze di Figaro, Die Fledermaus, La Boheme, and II Barbiere di Siviglia.

The Scottsboro Boys OLC
(JAY Records - new on CD)
Kander & Ebb score. West End transfer cast includes Brandon Victor Dixon, Colman Domingo, Forrest McClendon and James T. Lane. Also in the cast are British actors Julian Glover, Dawn Hope, Dex Lee, Rohan Pinnock-Hamilton, Richard Pitt, Emile Ruddock and Carl Spencer. "Minstrel March," "Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey!," "Commencing In Chattanooga," "Alabama Ladies," "Nothin'," "Electric Chair," "Go Back Home," "Shout," "Make Friends With the Truth," "That's Not the Way We Do Things," "Never Too Late," "Financial Advice," "Southern Days," "Alabama Ladies" (Reprise), "Zat So?," "You Can't Do Me," "The Scottsboro Boys," "Minstrel March (Reprise)," "Last Scene," "Exit Music," "Go Back Home" (Bonus Track). Recorded at Abbey Road's Studio Two. Produced by John Yap. Executive producer Paula Marie Black. Digital version released at iTunes earlier.

Week of July 28, 2015

2016 On Broadway Wall Calendar
(Time Factory - new wall calendar)
Features Alladin, Beautiful, Cinderella, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, If/Then, Lady Day, Les Miserables, Matilda, Motown the Musical, Newsies, Violet.

Alix Korey / A Live Concert for BC/EFA
(new digital album)
Live concert recorded in 1995 for BC/EFA. "Everything Is Possible," "I Dreamed a Dream," "Meadowlark," "Glitter and Be Gay," "The Music That Makes Me Dance," "Rainbow High Rehearsal," "Rainbow High," "Tell Me On a Sunday," "There but for You Go I," "We Can Be Kind." Clips and digital album available at CD Baby.

The Book of Broadway: The 150 Definitive Plays and Musicals
(Voyageur Press - Hardcover Book)
By Eric Grode. Profiles 150 of the best, biggest, most influential, and most fascinating Broadway musicals and plays ever produced, spanning the mid-nineteenth century to the twenty-first century. 320 pages.

Cool Rider
(new on CD)
London studio recording. Ashleigh Gray,Aaron Sidwell,Reece Shearsmith, Mark Anderson, Bronte Barbe, Daniel Buckley, Joshua Dowen,Lucinda Lawrence, Hannah Levane, Niall Sheehy. "Overture," "Back to School," "Who's that Girl?," "Score Tonight," "Mr Sandman," "Cool Rider," "Who's that Guy?," "Reproduction," "Do It for Our Country," "Charades," "Prowlin'," "Brad," "Girl for All Seasons," "(Love Will) Turn Back the Hands of Time," "Rock-a-Hula-Luau (Summer Is Coming)," "We'll Be Together." Available at Dress Circle.

Crime Wave (The Jimmy McSwain Files Book 2)
(MLR Press - Paperback book/Kindle Edition)
By Adam Carpenter (pseudonym for Broadway ticket-taker Joseph Pittman.

Cris Groenendaal: Mostly Live
(new on CD/mp3)
Live and studio recorded Broadway and cabaret music by singer/actor Cris Groenendaal. "Invocation and Instructions to the Audience," "Spring," "Mrs. Worthington," "Blackbird/in My Life," "Co-Dependent With You," "Her Face," "Land Where the Good Songs Go/Over the Rainbow," "April in Fairbanks," "Easier to Love," "Bring Him Home," "Music of the Night," "Entering Marion," "Send in the Clowns," "For Good," "I'll Be Seeing You." Clips, tracks, and album available at CD Baby.

Lost West End
(Stage Door Records - new on import CD)
Brings together over 20 "lost" West End productions, from 1976 to 2009. "Call Me Robin Hood" —Peter Howarth (Robin Prince Of Sherwood), "The World Was Changed this Morning" —Alexander Hanson (Valentines Day), "Beautiful Colours" —Angela Richards (Liza Of Lambeth), "Only One Rose" —Andrew C Wadsworth (Troubadour), "The Four Dames" —Michael Mears, Nicola Kimber, David Rappaport (I) , "Illusions" —Arturo Brachetti (Y) , "Like a Child" —Miriam Stockley (Bernadette), "Eternally" —Dollie de Luxe (Which Witch), "I Never Told Him I Love Him" —Simone Dee (Prisoner Cell Block H), "Don't Look Back" —Graham Bickley, Summer Rognlie (Maddie), "The Souvenirs Of Second Best - Mary Carewe, Company (Lautrec)", "Being a Woman" —Susannah Fellows (Beautiful and Damned), "Touch Me" —Robert Fardell (Behind the Iron Mask), "Say Goodbye - Julie-Alanah Brighten (La Cava), "She Lives with Me" —Simon Burke (Leonardo), "Only Believe" —Meredith Braun (Out Of The Blue), "One Night" —Gayatri Iyer (The Far Pavilions), "Gone with the Wind - Janene Lovullo (Gone with the Wind), "Poor Little Silly Young Me" —Tammy Joelle (Too Close To The Sun), "I'll Go No More A-Roving" —David Essex (Mutiny!), "I Have Your Love" —Philippa Healey (Tess of the D'Urbervilles). Available directly from the U.K. at StageDoorRecords.com.

The Sound Of Music Anniversary Soundtrack: Vinyl/Hybrid SACD - DSD
(Analog Spark/Razor & Tie - new on 2-LP vinyl/vinyl-SACD)
Newly remastered and expanded two disc version on 180-gram vinyl. And the original 16-track RCA Victor soundtrack album on 180-gram vinyl and super audio CD (SACD).

A Spoonful of Sherman Original London Cast
(SimG Records - new on 2 CDs)
2014 London cabaret show produced, written, and hosted by Robert J. Sherman (also served as a book launch for Moose: Chapters From My Life. With Robert B. Sherman's autobiography). Greg Castiglioni, Stuart Matthew Price, Charlotte Wakefield, Emma Williams. Track list and CD available at Dress Circle.

Stella and Charlie, Friends Forever
(Blue Apple Books - Hardcover Book)
By Bernadette Peters, illustrated by Liz Murphy. Children 3-7 years. 40 pages.

Week of July 21, 2015

Paris in Springtime
(VAI - new on DVD)
Dan Dailey, Gale Sherwood, Helen Gallagher, Jack Whiting, Carleton Carpenter, and Geneviève. 1956 original TV musical. Book by William Friedberg and Neil Simon. Irwin Kostal, musical direction. Songs include "Sunshine" from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Jule Styne and Leo Robin), "Mademoiselle de Paris" (Paul Durand, Henri Contet, Eric Maschwitz), "Did You Ever Get Stung?" from I Married an Angel (Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart), "Back in the Old Routine" (Wilson Stone), "From Another World" from Higher and Higher (Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart), "Nobody's Chasing Me" from Out of This World (Cole Porter), "Il Est un Coin de France" (Francisco Jean Lopez and Raymond Vincy), "Paris canaille" (Léo Albert C.A. Ferré), "Down With Love" from Hooray for What! (Harold Arlen and E.Y. "Yip" Harburg), "Delicado" (Valdir Azevedo and Jack Lawrence), "I Can't Be Bothered Now" from the film A Damsel in Distress (George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin), "I'll Never Be the Same" (Gus Kahn, Matt Malneck, Frank Signorelli, Trine Von Stolzenau), "That's What Makes Paris, Paree" (Vernon Duke and Sammy Cahn), "La jardinière du Roi" (attrib. Marie Antoinette), "Happy Mood" (Irwin Kostal and Max Liebman).

Lea DeLaria: House of David: DeLaria + Bowie = Jazz
(Razor & Tie/Ghostlight - new on CD)
Lea DeLaria "swinging the hell out of" 12 David Bowie songs. "Fame," "Space Oddity," "Golden Years," "Suffragette City" (duet with Janis Siegel), "Starman," "Boys Keep Swinging," "Rebel Rebel," "Let's Dance," "Life on Mars," "Jean Genie," "Modern Love," "Young Americans." Digital version released earlier on on mp3 and at iTunes

Week of July 14, 2015

Ages of Man
(Masterworks/ArkivMusic - new on CD-R/mp3/iTunes)
1959 recording of Broadway production. Starring John Gielgud in role that won him Tony, Emmy and Grammy awards. Scenes and sonnets by William Shakespeare that dramatize the arc of human experience, from life to death. As You Like It: Act II, Scene 7, The Merchant of Venice: Act V, Scene 1, The Tempest: Act III, Scene 2, Romeo and Juliet: Act I, Scene 4, Sonnets: 18, 116, 130, Measure for Measure: Act II, Scene 2, Henry IV, Part 1: Act I, Scene 3, Richard II: Act II, Scene 3; Act IV, Scene 1, Sonnets: 138, 73, Henry IV, Part 2: Act III, Scene 1, Richard III: Act I, Scene 4, Measure for Measure: Act III, Scene 1, Julius Caesar: Act II, Scene 2, Hamlet: Act II, Scene 2; Act III, Scene 1; Act V, Scene 2, King Lear: Act V, Scene 3, The Tempest: Act IV, Scene 1; Act V, Scene 1; Epilogue. Digital albums include digital booklet.

Carousel 2015 Stratford Festival Cast
(Stratford Festival - new on CD & digital)
"Prologue (The Carousel Waltz)," "Mister Snow," "If I Loved You," "June Is Bustin' Out All Over," "Mister Snow (Reprise)," "When the Children Are Asleep," "Blow High, Blow Low," "Soliloquy," "A Real Nice Clambake," "Geraniums in the Winder / Stonecutters Cut It On Snow," "What's the Use of Wond'rin'," "You'll Never Walk Alone," "The Highest Judge of All," "The Ballet," "If I Loved You (Reprise)," "You'll Never Walk Alone (Reprise)". Cast includes Jonathan Winsby, Alexis Gordon and Alana Hibbert. Available at CDBaby.com and the Stratford Festival website.

Finding Neverland OBC
(Republic - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Score by Gary Barlow and Eliot Kennedy. Matthew Morrison, Kelsey Grammer, Laura Michelle Kelly, Carolee Carmello, Teal Wicks. Produced by Eliot Kennedy and David Chase. Mary-Mitchell Campbell, musical director. Recorded May 4.

Laurette Taylor: Peg O' My Heart
(Bearmanor - Peg O' My Heart - Laurette Taylor)
"The only surviving recording of America's Legendary Actress. With full cast, music, and sound effects!" "Overture," "Peg Arrives," "Montgomery Reveals the Will," "Peg's Aunt Is Shocked," "Peg Meets Jerry," "Peg's Quick Tongue Crosses With Her Aunt," "Peg's Spiteful Cousin Hides a Secret," "Jerry Invites Peg to a Dance," "Peg Struggles to Save Her Cousin," "The Truth Is Finally Revealed," "Jerry Proposes a Happy Ending." Released 7/2/15.

The Richard Wesley Play Anthology
(Applause Books - new paperback book)
Five full-length plays that collectively outline a cultural history of black America in the post Civil Rights era: Black Terror, The Sirens, The Mighty Gents, The Talented Tenth, Autumn

Something Rotten! OBC
(Ghostlight - new on CD)
Wayne Kirkpatrick/Karey Kirkpatrick score. Cast includes Christian Borle, Brian d'Arcy James, Brooks Ashmanskas, Peter Bartlett, Heidi Blickenstaff, John Cariani, Brad Oscar, Kate Reinders. "Welcome to the Renaissance," "God, I Hate Shakespeare," "Right Hand Man," "God, I Hate Shakespeare (Reprise)," "A Musical," "The Black Death," "I Love the Way," "Will Power," "Bottom's Gonna Be on Top," "Welcome to the Renaissance (Reprise)," "Hard to Be the Bard," "It's Eggs!," "We See the Light," "To Thine Own Self," "Right Hand Man (Reprise)," "Something Rotten! / Make an Omelette," "To Thine Own Self (Reprise)," "Finale." Digital version released earlier on on mp3 and iTunes. CD shipped early at Sh-K-Boom.com.

Week of July 7, 2015

Becky Kilgore and Nicki Parrott: Two Songbirds of a Feather
(Arbors - new on CD)
Jazz artists perform songs from the American Songbook, and others. "Two Songbirds of a Feather," "A Woman's Prerogative," "Bluemoon/Moonglow," "El Cajon," "Life Is So Peculiar," "Two Little Girls from Little Rock," "Them There Eyes," "Theme from Valley of The Dolls," "They Say It's Spring," "S Wonderful," "When I Grow Too Old To Dream," "When Love Goes Wrong," "The Very Thought of You/Why Stars Come Out At Night."

The Best American Short Plays 2013-2014
(Applause Books - Paperback Book)
Edited by William W. Demastes. Includes Daniel Gallant's Nine Signs of the Times, as well as short plays by Neil LaBute, John Guare, Laura Shaine Cunningham, Daniel F. Levin, Quincy Long, Halley Feiffer, Caridad Svich, and Clay McLeod Chapman.

Collabro: Act Two
(Sony Masterworks - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
British boy band, winners of Britain's Got Talent, sing songs from Broadway and the West End. Michael Auger, Richard Hadfield, Jamie Lambert, Matt Pagan, Thomas J Redgrave. "All I Want," "I Won't Give Up," "A Thousand Years," "I'll Be There for You," "I Dreamed a Dream," "Memory," "Who Wants to Live Forever," "Music of the Night," "No Matter What," "Circle of Life ."

Dick Hyman: House of Pianos
(Arbors Records - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Jazz piano legend Dick Hyman performs live on a vintage 1914 piano at Farley's House of Pianos in Madison, Wisconsin. "Send In the Clowns," "Sweet Georgia Brown," "Yesterdays," "Blue Monk," "Ugly Beauty," "Beat the Clock Theme," "All the Things You Are," "Theme from The Purple Rose of Cairo," "Misterioso," "Take the A Train."

The Hirschfeld Century: Portrait of an Artist and His Age
(Knopf - new hardcover book/Kindle Edition)
More than 360 of Al Hirschfeld's iconic black-and-white and color drawings, illustrations, and photographs. With a biographical text by David Leopold, Hirschfeld authority and archivist. 336 pages.

The Realistic Joneses
(TCG - Paperback Book)
Broadway play by Will Eno.

Shake It Up: Fun and Games with Shakespeare
(Kindle Edition)
By Bob Fenster. A mix of original puzzles and "a brave new world of entertainments" based on the plays and life of the Bard. Samples and physical book available at bobfenster.wordpress.com.

The Sound of Music (BFI Film Classics)
(BFI - Paperback Book)
By Caryl Finn. Covers the iconic musical numbers, arguing for their central role in the film's longevity and mass appeal, the unique emotional bond audiences establish with the film, the film's prehistories, its place amongst the tumultuous political, social and cultural events of the 1960s, and its spirited afterlife among fans around the world.

Tin Pan Alley: An Encyclopedia of the Golden Age of American Song
(Routledge - Paperback Book)
By David A. Jasen. Resource tool to identify Tin Pan Alley's major publishers, composers, lyricists, singers, dances, and bands. Entries arranged alphabetically and include names, birth & death dates, brief biographies, and bibliographical listings. 384 pages.

The Visit OBC
(Broadway Records/Yellow Sound Label - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Kander and Ebb score. Chita Rivera, Roger Rees, Jason Danieley, David Garrison, Mary Beth Peil, George Abud, Matthew Deming, Diana Dimarzio, Rick Holmes, Tom Nelis, Christ Newcomer, Aaron Ramey, John Riddle, Elena Shaddow, Timothy Shew, and Michelle Veintimilla. "Prelude," "Out of the Darkness," "At Last," "I Walk Away," "I Know Claire," "A Happy Ending," "You, You, You," "I Must Have Been Something," "Look at Me," "A Masque," "Eunuch's Testimony," "Winter," "Yellow Shoes," "A Confession," "I Would Never Leave You," "Back and Forth," "The Only One," "Fear," "A Car Ride," "Love and Love Alone," "In The Forest Again," "Finale." Produced by Michael Croiter. Recording date 4/27/15.

June 30, 2015

The Business of Broadway: An Insider's Guide to Working, Producing, and Investing in the World's Greatest Theatre Community
(Allworth Press - Paperback Book)
By Mitch Weiss and Perri Gaffney. In-depth analysis of the infrastructure at the core of successful theatre. Manager/producer Mitch Weiss and actor/writer Perri Gaffney take readers behind the scenes to reveal what many don't know about how Broadway works, describing more than 200 jobs that become available for every show. 256 pages.

Walt Disney Records The Legacy Collection: Cinderella
(Disney - on 2 CDs/mp3/iTunes)
Disc One contains the full soundtrack of the film and Disc Two contains 7 Lost Chords (demos and recreations) and 9 bonus tracks. Disc two: "I'm in the Middle of a Muddle" (Demo), "I'm in the Middle of a Muddle," "I Lost My Heart at the Ball" (Demo), "I Lost My Heart at the Ball," "The Mouse Song" (Demo), "The Mouse Song," "Sing a Little, Dream a Little" (Demo), "Sing a Little, Dream a Little," "Dancing on a Cloud" (Demo), "Dancing on a Cloud," "The Dress That My Mother Wore" (Demo), "The Dress That My Mother Wore," "The Face That I See in the Night" (Demo), "The Face That I See in the Night," "Cinderella: Prologue," "Cat and Mice/The King's Plans," "Entanglements/Dress Building," "The Palace at Evening/ A Dress for the Ball," "Royal Fanfare and Reception at the Palace," "So This is Love: Waltz," "Midnight Chase," "A Perfect Fit," "Cinderella: Finale." Released 6/16/15.

Scott Hamilton Plays Jule Styne
(Blue Duchess Records - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)Tenor sax musician Scott Hamilton. "You Say You Care," "The Partys Over," "Time After Time," "All the Way," "Sunday," "Just in Time," "People," "It's You or No One," "Bye Bye Baby." Tim Ray on piano, Dave Zinno on bass, and Jim Gwin on drums. Clips, tracks, digital album and CD available at CDBaby. Also (more expensive) on CD/mp3 at Amazon. Released 5/9/15.

Show Boat San Francisco Opera
(EuroArts - new on Blu-ray/DVD)
Oscar Hammerstein/Jerome Kern musical based on Edna Ferber novel. 2013 San Francisco Opera production at War Memorial Opera House directed by Francesca Zambello' (currently in limited release in theaters). John DeMain, conductor. Heidi Stober, Michael Todd Simpson, Bill Irwin, Patricia Racette, Morris Robinson, Angela Renee Simpson, Harriet Harris, Kirsten Wyatt, John Bolton. 177 minutes. Also available to be ordered directly at sfopera.com.

The Visit OBC Digital
(Broadway Records/Yellow Sound Label - new on mp3 at BroadwayRecords.com)
Kander and Ebb score. Chita Rivera, Roger Rees, Jason Danieley, David Garrison, Mary Beth Peil, George Abud, Matthew Deming, Diana Dimarzio, Rick Holmes, Tom Nelis, Newcomer, Aaron Ramey, John Riddle, Elena Shaddow, Timothy Shew, and Michelle Veintimilla. "Prelude," "Out of the Darkness," "At Last," "I Walk Away," "I Know Claire," "A Happy Ending," "You, You, You," "I Must Have Been Something," "Look at Me," "A Masque," "Eunuch's Testimony," "Winter," "Yellow Shoes," "A Confession," "I Would Never Leave You," "Back and Forth," "The Only One," "Fear," "A Car Ride," "Love and Love Alone," "In The Forest Again," "Finale." Produced by Michael Croiter. Includes digital booklet. Recording date 4/27/15. Wide release July 10.

June 23, 2015

Danielle Hope: Bring the Future Faster: Live at 54 Below
(Broadway Records - new on CD)
Solo album from West End actress (The Wizard of Oz, Les Miserables and The Sound of Music tour). "Today," Intro: Welcome to New York, "Manhattan," "The five year plan," "Bring The Future Faster," "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," Intro: Three men, one song, "The Music Of The Night," "Mambo Italiano," "I Have Confidence," Intro: My love for the mouse, "My Disney Medley," Intro: A very proper English response, "Invention," "Ne Me Quitte Pas," Intro: So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen and thank you, "Feed the Birds."

Father Comes Home From the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3)
(TCG - new Paperback book)
Play by Suzan-Lori Parks. 192 pages.

Funny Girl OBC on vinyl
(Capitol - on vinyl)
Bob Merrill/Jule Styne score. 1964 musical starring Barbra Streisand. "Overture," "If a Girl Isn't Pretty" (Jean Stapleton, Kay Medford, Danny Meehan and Ensemble), "I'm the Greatest Star" (Barbra Streisand), "Cornet Man" (Streisand), "Who Taught Her Everything?" (Medford and Meehan), "His Love Makes Me Beautiful" (John Lankston, Streisand and Ensemble), "I Want to Be Seen With You Tonight" (Sydney Chaplin and Streisand), "Henry Street" (Ensemble), "People" (Streisand), "You Are Woman" (Sydney Chaplin and Streisand), "Don't Rain on My Parade" (Streisand), "Sadie, Sadie" (Streisand and Ensemble), "Find Yourself a Man" (Meehan, Medford and Jean Stapleton), "Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat" (Meehan, Streisand and Ensemble), "Who Are You Now?" (Streisand), "The Music That Makes Me Dance" (Streisand), "Don't Rain on My Parade (Reprise)" (Streisand). [Looking for further details.]

Kevin Gray: Forever Always digital
(mp3/iTunes: Volume 1 mp3/volume iTunes, Volume 2 mp3/iTunes and Volume 3 mp3/volume 3)
Double CD available at KevinGrayfoundation.org

Lea DeLaria: House of David: DeLaria + Bowie = Jazz - Digital
(Razor & Tie/Ghostlight - new on mp3/iTunes)
Lea DeLaria "swinging the hell out of" 12 David Bowie songs. "Fame," "Space Oddity," "Golden Years," "Suffragette City" (duet with Janis Siegel), "Starman," "Boys Keep Swinging," "Rebel Rebel," "Let's Dance," "Life on Mars," "Jean Genie," "Modern Love," "Young Americans." CD format to be released July 24.

My First Hundred Years in Show Business: A Memoir
(Overlook Books - Hardcover Book)
By Broadway & Off-Broadway (Grey Gardens, Full Gallop, film and television actress, and university professor Mary Louise Wilson. "Raised in New Orleans with a social climbing, alcoholic mother, Mary Louise moved to New York City in the late 1950s; lived with her gay brother in the Village; entered the nightclub scene in a legendary review; and rubbed shoulders with every famous person of that era and since." Her life story and story of a working actor. 304 pages.

The Rise and Fall of a Theater Geek
(Random House for Young Readers - Paperback Book/Kindle Edition)
By Seth Rudetsky. Grade level 7 and up.

The Scottsboro Boys OLC digital
(JAY Records - new at iTunes)
Kander & Ebb score. West End transfer cast includes Brandon Victor Dixon, Colman Domingo, Forrest McClendon and James T. Lane. Also in the cast are British actors Julian Glover, Dawn Hope, Dex Lee, Rohan Pinnock-Hamilton, Richard Pitt, Emile Ruddock and Carl Spencer. "Minstrel March," "Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey!," "Commencing In Chattanooga," "Alabama Ladies," "Nothin'," "Electric Chair," "Go Back Home," "Shout," "Make Friends With the Truth," "That's Not the Way We Do Things," "Never Too Late," "Financial Advice," "Southern Days," "Alabama Ladies" (Reprise), "Zat So?," "You Can't Do Me," "The Scottsboro Boys," "Minstrel March (Reprise)," "Last Scene," "Exit Music," "Go Back Home" (Bonus Track). Recorded at Abbey Road's Studio Two. Produced by John Yap. Executive producer Paula Marie Black.

Terrence McNally Selected Works: A Memoir in Plays
(Grove Press - Hardcover Book)
Terrence McNally has selected eight plays that he considers the most important of his oeuvre, including Mothers and Sons and And Away We Go, neither of which have been previously published. Also included are Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune, The Lisbon Traviata, Lips Together, Teeth Apart, A Perfect Ganesh, Love! Valour! Compassion!, Master Class.. McNally introduces each play with a personal essay that recounts an anecdote or discusses an aspect of the play that proceeds it, framing his own life in the theater. A memoir in plays from one of America's most highly regarded and best-loved playwrights. 704 pages.

June 16, 2015

2 In Love: David Benoit
(Concord Records - new on CD/mp3/at iTunes)
Pianist/composer/arranger David Benoit. Featuring vocalist Jane Monheit. "Barcelona Nights," "This Dance," "Too in Love," "Dragonfly," "Love Will Light the Way," "Love in Hyde Park," "The Songs We Sang," "Fly Away," "Something's Gotta Give," "Love Theme from Candide / Send in the Clowns."

The Boys In The Band
(Kino - new on Blu-ray)
1970 film based on Mart Crowley play. Directed by William Friedkin. Cast includes Kenneth Nelson, Frederick Combs, Cliff Gorman, Laurence Luckinbill, Keith Prentice, Peter White , Reuben Greene, Robert La Tourneaux, Leonard Frey. 118 minutes.

Bronies!: For anyone who ever felt a little bit weird Original L.A. cast
(Oddbird Productions - on CD/mp3)
"An original musical that explores - through the lens of pony fandom - the passion, the awkwardness, the creativity, and the community that fandom can inspire. Score by Joe Greene, Heidi Powers and Tom Moore. Clips, tracks, digital album and CD available at CDBaby.com.

Donna McKechnie: Same Place: Another Time
(Jay Records - digital format at iTunes)
Live recording from September 18 and 19, 2013, concert performances at London's Angel Studios. "Hustle/Where or When/Native New Yorker," Thank you so much I see some old friends, "Uptown-Downtown," Also ironically, "What More Do I Need?," "The Morning After," As I remember, "I Never Know When," Ah Yes, They were becoming interchangeable, "You're Moving Out Today," "Where Do You Start," Marvin Hamlisch was one of the, "At the Ballet," "Astaire," So there I am in the Shubert Theatre, You know in the beginning, "Better Luck Next Time," Of course he was right, "I Got Lost in His Arms," Oh so i'm a late bloomer, "Hate / Love New York," Thank you, "Time in A Bottle," Thank you, wow, what a, "With So Little to Be Sure Of." Arrangements and music direction by John McDaniel. CD format to be released 8/7/15.

Fetch Clay, Make Man
(Overlook TP - Paperback Book)
Play by Will Power.

John & Jen
(Broadway Records - new on CD/mp3)
Keen Company cast recording of Andrew Lippa/Tom Greenwald score. Kate Baldwin and Conor Ryan. Will include the premiere of the new song, "Trouble with Men," as well as new orchestrations and two songs from the score never before recorded. To be recorded April 6. Produced by Michael Croiter.

Misia
(P.S. Classics - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Studio album of score featuring lyrics by Barry Singer and music by Vernon Duke, with more than 25 never-before-heard Duke melodies, a number of less-well-known classical compositions, and one full-length Duke ballet originally written for the Ballet Russes. The show's plot centers on Misia Sert, legendary muse and patroness of fin de siecle Paris, the subject of many paintings by a number of extraordinary artists, including Toulouse-Lautrec, Renoir, Pierre Bonnard and Edouard Vuillard, each of whom appears as a character in the show. Studio cast includes Marin Mazzie, Bobby Steggert, Jonathan Freeman, Marc Kudisch, Jason Danieley, Lauren Worsham, Telly Leung, Philip Chaffin, Stephen DeRosa, Eddie Korbich, Darcy Dunn and Graham Rowat. "Prelude," "Well, How Nice!," "Carnaval," "Painted, Promised Land," "You Will Know Me," "Arrange Everything," "Coronation," "What I Do," "How I Love to Kick the Can-Can," "Agreement," "My Heart and I," "No Talent at All," "Nijinsky Dance," "To Bed," "Nursery," "Bow Your Head," "Eros and Art," "A Child," "Washerwoman's Ball," "Lies," "We Could Never Kick the Can-Can," "My Gifts." Music direction by Scott Dunn. All-new orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick. Produced by Tommy Krasker.

Nevermore —The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe
(Broadway Records - new 2-CD set/)
Original Off-Broadway cast album of Jonathan Christenson score. Gaelan Beatty, Shannon Blanchet, Beth Graham, Ryan Parker, Garett Ross, Scott Shpeley, and Lindsie VanWinkle.To be recorded March 24 at Avatar Studios. Produced by Michael Croiter.

Nicholas Rodriguez: The First Time...
(P.S. Classics - new on CD)
Debut solo album. "I've Never Been in Love Before /," "Amor, Amor, Amor," "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?," "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'," "Sooner or Later," "Waters of March," "Leaving on a Jet Plane," "Sometimes," "He Comes For Conversation," "That's All," "Brave," "Jolene," "You'll Be in My Heart," "A Case of You."Released earlier on mp3 and at iTunes

Pageant new Off-Broadway cast - Digital
(Jay Records - new on iTunes)
Albert Evans/Bill Russell/Frank Kelly score. Nick Cearley, Nic Cory, Alex Ringler, Marty Thomas, Seth Tucker, Curtis Wiley and John Bolton."Overture / Natural Born Females," "Hair Aware," "Texas Tap," "A Salute To Dixie," "A Classical Fantasia," "Banking On Jesus," "Snappin' Fresh," "Girl Power," "Something Extra (Reprise)," "Goodbye," "Miss Glamouresse," "She's the One," "Exit Music," "It's Gotta Be Venus."

A Public Reading of An Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney
(Overlook TP - Paperback Book)
Play by Lucas Hnath. Presented at Soho Rep in 2013.

Punchdrunk's The Drowned Man: A Hollywood Fable
(new Hardcover Book)
Coffee table collection of previously unseen images by photographer Julian Abrams capturing the world of The Drowned Man: A Hollywood Fable and its inhabitants. Punchdrunk's largest show to date. 130 full-color photographs. Limited first edition. Expected to be released in June 2015. Availableat www.tdmbook.bigcartel.com.

June 9, 2015

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The New Musical Songbook
(Hal Leonard - new paperback book)
Songs from Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman score. "Almost Nearly Perfect," "Don'cha Pinch Me Charlie," "If Your Mother Were Here," "It Must Be Believed to Be Seen," "A Letter from Charlie Bucket," "A Little Me," "More of Him to Love," "Pure Imagination," "Simply Second Nature," "Strike That, Reverse It," "When Veruca Says."

Date With Eydie Gorme
(Sepia Records - new on CD)
26 songs recorded in the early 1960s digitally remastered. "My Heart," "You'll Never Know," "I'll Never Smile Again," "Come Sing with Me," "The Nearness of You," "I Don't Know Why," "Granada," "Yours Tonight," "Frenesi," "I Feel So Spanish," "What Happened to Our Love," "Mem'ries And Souvenirs," "Te Quiero Asi," "Besame Mucho," "Come Closer to Me ," "Un Telegrama," "Adios," "La Puerta," "Quien Sera (Sway)," "Perfidia," "I Love to Dance (But Never On Sunday)," "Yes My Darling Daughter," "Sonny Boy," "Before Your Time," "Where Is Love," "Guess I Should Have Loved Him More."

Fiddler on the Roof London cast
(Allegro - on CD)
Re-release of 2007 London revival cast recording. Henry Goodman, Beverley Klein. "Fiddler on the Roof," "Prologue Tradition," "Matchmaker," "If I Were a Rich Man," "Sabbath Prayer," "To Life," "Tevye s Monologue," "Miracle of Miracles," "The Dream," "Sunrise, Sunset," "Wedding Dance," "Now I Have Everything," "Tevye s Monologue" (reprise), "Do You Love Me?," "Far From the Home I Love," "Chavaleh," "Anatevka," "To Life" (Instrumental). Released previously on mp3 and at iTunes.

Fly By Night Original Cast
(Yellow Sound Label - new on CD and mp3)
Original Off-Broadway cast; premiered in 2014 at Playwrights Horizons. Written by Will Connolly, Michael Mitnick, Kim Rosenstock. Allison Case, Adam Chanler-Berat, Peter Friedman, Michael McCormick, Patti Murin, Bryce Ryness, Henry Stram. "Fly By Night," "Circles in The Sand," "Daphne Dreams," "More Than Just A Friend," "Stars I Trust," "Breakfast All Day," "What You Do To Me," "The Prophecy," "The Prophecy Part 2," "Pulled Apart," "Eternity," "I Need More," "The Rut," "At Least I'll Know I Tried," "Me With You," "Cecily Smith," "November Stars," "Cecily Smith" (bonus track, featuring Will Connolly).

Gigi Broadway cast recording
(DMI Records - new on CD)
Lerner and Loewe score. Vanessa Hudgens, Victoria Clark, Corey Cott, Dee Hoty, Howard McGillin, Steffanie Leigh. "Overture," "Opening," "It's a Bore," "The Parisians," "A Toujours," "The Gossips," "She Is Not Thinking of Me," "Thank Heaven For Little Girls," "Paris Is Paris Again," "I Remember It Well," "The Night They Invented Champagne," "I Never Want To Go Home Again," "Gaston's Soliloquy," "Gigi," "The Contract," "I'm Glad I'm Not Young Anymore," "The Letter," "Say a Prayer," "In This Wide, Wide World," "Finale." Previously released on mp3 and /iTunes

Honeymoon in Vegas Musical Selections
(Hal Leonard - Paperback Book)
Songs from the Jason Robert Brown score presented in vocal lines with piano accompaniment. "Anywhere but Here," "Betsy's Getting Married," "Come to an Agreement," "Forever Starts Tonight," "Friki-Friki," "Higher Love," "I Love Betsy," "Isn't That Enough?," "A Little Luck," "Never Get Married," "Out of the Sun," "When You Say Vegas."

The King and I new Broadway revival cast
(Decca/Broadway - new on CD)
Lincoln Center cast recording of Rodgers and Hammerstein score. Kelli O'Hara, Ken Watanabe, Ruthie Ann Miles, Ashley Park, Conrad Ricamora. "Overture," "I Whistle A Happy Tune," "My Lord And Master," "Hello Young Lovers," "The March Of The Siamese Children," "A Puzzlement," "The Royal Bangkok Academy," "Getting To Know You," "We Kiss In A Shadow," "A Puzzlement (Reprise)," "Shall I Tell You What I Think Of You," "Something Wonderful," "Western People Funny," "I Have Dreamed," "The Small House Of Uncle Thomas (Ballet)," "Song Of The King," "Shall We Dance?," "Finale Ultimo." Recorded April 19 & 20, 2015. Music Director/conductor Ted Sperling leads the 29-pieces orchestra. Previously released on mp3 and at iTunes

Finding Neverland: The Album
(Republic - new on CD/mp3/at iTunes)
Score by Gary Barlow and Eliot Kennedy. Companion concept album with songs performed by pop singers. "Neverland" (Zendaya), "Stronger" (Kiesza), "Believe" (Nick Jonas), "When Your Feet Don't Touch The Ground" (Ellie Goulding), "Circus Of Your Mind" (Paloma Faith), "What You Mean To Me" (Jennifer Lopez & Trey Songz), "Are We Gonna Play?" (Rita Ora & Sage The Gemini), "Anywhere But Here" (Christina Aguilera), "Beautiful Day" (Jon Bon Jovi), "Stars" (Pentatonix), "My Imagination" (John Legend), "Something About This Night" (Gary Barlow), "We Own The Night" (Matthew Morrison), "All That Matters" (Christina Perri), "If The World Turned Upside" (Goo Goo Dolls).

Two's Company OBC
(Masterworks/ArkivMusic - new CD-R/mp3)
1952 revue with songs by Vernon Duke/Ogden Nash/Sammy Cahn. Bette Davis, David Burns, Ellen Hanley, Sue Hight, Peter Kelley, Deborah Remsen, Hiram Sherman. Songs include "Theatre Is a Lady" "Turn Me Loose On Broadway" "It Just Occured to Me" "A Man's Home" "Roundabout" "Roll Along, Sadie" "Out Of The Clear Blue Sky" "Esther" "Haunted Hot Spot" "Purple Rose" "Just Like a Man." This is the release date for ArkivMusic CD-R and digital. Available earlier at Masterworks.com.

Ziegfeld and His Follies: A Biography of Broadway's Greatest Producer
(Univ Press of Kentucky - Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
By Cynthia Brideson and Sara Brideson. The life and legacy of the great theatre producer. Sources include previously unpublished letters to his second wife, Billie Burke and to his daughter Patricia. Illustrated with over seventy-five images. 600 pages.

June 2, 2015

An Actor's Companion: 99 Bits of Craft
(TCG - Paperback Book)
By Seth Barrish ( actor, director, composer and musical director, co-founder and co-Artistic Director of The Barrow Group). Preface by Anne Hathaway. Collection of practical acting tips, tools, and exercises. 160 pages.

1776 Director's Cut Blu-ray
(Sony Home Entertainment - new Blu-ray)
Director's cut, restored from the original camera negative, of the 1972 film adaptation of the Sherman Edwards and Peter Stone musical. William Daniels, Howard Da Silva, Ken Howard, Donald Madden, John Cullum, David Ford, Roy Poole, Ron Holgate, Ray Middleton, William Hansen, Blythe Danner, Virginia Vestoff, William Duell. Newly restored and remixed 5.1 soundtrack. Blu-ray bonus features include all-new commentary with director Peter H. Hunt, William Daniels and Ken Howard; extended cut of the film; deleted and alternate scenes with commentary (alternate versions of some scenes, lines from the Broadway script dropped from the film, and "Cool, Cool, Considerate Men"); four never-before-seen screen tests including William Daniels and Howard Da Silva; original theatrical teaser & trailer; commentary with Peter H. Hunt & Peter Stone; archival screen test.

An American in Paris OBC
(Sony Masterworks - new on CD/mp3/at iTunes)
Original Broadway cast. Gershwin score. Adapted, arranged and supervised by Rob Fisher with orchestrations by Christopher Austin and musical direction by Brad Haak. Recording April 20, 2015.

Bessie (Music from the HBO Film)
(Legacy - new on CD/mp3/at iTunes)
Songs from the HBO film on Bessie Smith starring Queen Latifah. "Young Woman Blues" (Queen Latifah), "Hot Time In The Old Town" (Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks), "Prove It On Me" (Carmen Twillie), "Weary Blues" (Louis Armstrong & His Hot Seven), "Weepin' Woman Blues" (Pat Bass & Queen Latifah), "See See Rider" (Tamar-Kali), "Ballin' The Jack" (Kid Ory's Creole Orchestra), "Down Hearted Blues" (Queen Latifah), "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" (Fats Waller & His Rhythm), "Preachin' The Blues" (Queen Latifah), "I've Got What It Takes" (But It Breaks My Heart To Give It Away)" (Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks), "Work House Blues" (Queen Latifah), "I'm a Mighty Tight Woman" (Sippie Wallace), "(What Did I Do to Be So) Black and Blue" (Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra), "Laugh, Clown, Laugh" (Cécile McLorin Salvant), "Long Old Road" (Queen Latifah), "Gimme A Pigfoot and A Bottle of Beer" (2015 Remix: Bessie Smith featuring Queen Latifah). Released previously on mp3 and iTunes

Cinderella: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack
(Hal Leonard - Paperback Book)
13 easy piano selections from the soundtrack to the 2015 live-action Disney feature inspired by the classic fairy tale. Some music by Patrick Doyle. Songs include "Strong," "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo (The Magic Song)," "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes," "The First Branch," "A Golden Childhood," "La Valse Champagne," "Rich Beyond Reason," "The Slipper," "Valse Royale," "Who Is She."

The Golden Apple
(P.S. Classics - new on 2 CDs/mp3/at iTunes)
First-ever full-length cast album featuring nearly 90 minutes of previously unrecorded material. John Latouche / Jerome Moross score (1954). Includes the 135-minute sung-through musical in its entirety. Produced by Tommy Krasker. Susanna Moross Tarjan, executive producer. Orchestra of 38 plays the original Moross / Hershy Kay orchestrations. 43-member Lyric Stage (Irving, TX) cast recorded live at the last four performances in 2014. "Overture," "Nothing Ever Happens in Angel's Roost," "Angel's Roost Has Its Situation," "Mother Hare's Seance," "My Love Is on the Way," "The Heroes Come Home," "It Was a Glad Adventure," "Come Along Boys," "It's the Going Home Together," "Mother Hare's Prophecy," "Good Is a Word That Fools Believe," "It's the Going Home Together (Continuation)," "Helen Is Always Willing," "The Arrival of Paris," "Let's Pay a Visit," "The Picnic Table," "Mother Hare's Return," "An Impartial Judge," "The Judgment of Paris," "If You Select My Angel Food," "I'll Teach You," "The Loveliest Things in Life," "It's a Fraud," "Paris Visits Helen," "Lazy Afternoon," "The Departure for Rhododendron." Featuring nearly 90 minutes of previously unrecorded music and the complete libretto.

Heisenberg
(Bloomberg Methuen - Paperback Book/Kindle Edition for download June 8)
Play by Simon Stephens (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time), currently being presented by Manhattan Theatre Club featuring Mary-Louise Parker.

Jeanne-The Musical
(Stage Door Records - new import CD)
Previously unreleased 1981 studio cast recording of Shirlie Roden score for the musical about Joan of Arc. Eventually produced twice in the 1980s in England. Recording features Shirlie Roden as Jeanne, with Richard Barnes, Peter Straker and Carl Wayne. "Fille De Dieu / Child of God / Now Is the Time," "Born to Be Fool," "Has Our Flower Been Deflower'd?," "A Highly Irregular Game," "Lionheart," "Orleans," "Shine on," "Burn Her Bridges," "Silver Lining," "Act of Accusation," "The Trial," "Carte Blanche," "Bittersweet," "The Burning." Available directly from the U.K. at StageDoorRecords.com and Dress Circle.

Judy Kuhn: Rodgers, Rodgers & Guettel
(P.S. Classics - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Based on based on Kuhn's February 4 American Songbook concert. Music direction and arrangements by Todd Almond. "Oh, What Beautiful Mornin'"/"The Call," "Am I?," "This Can't Be Love," "Dividing Day," "If I Loved You," "We're Gonna Be All Right," "Nobody's Heart"/"Hey, Love"/"Love to Me," "If You Ask Me," "Hello, Young Lovers," "Hero and Leander," "Song of Love"/"A Wonderful Guy," "Daybreak," "Through the Mountain," "The Sweetest Sounds," "Migratory V." Album produced by Tommy Krasker. Philip Chaffin and Elizabeth Armstrong, executive producers.

Judy & Liza & Robert & Freddie & David & Sue & Me... a memoir
(St. Martin's Press - Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
By Hollywood agent Stevie Phillips. Represented Liza Minnelli, Robert Redford, Paul Newman, Henry Fonda, George Roy Hill, Bob Fosse, Cat Stevens, and David Bowie. Film and Broadway producer as well. 288 pages.

The King and I new Broadway revival cast - Digital
(Decca/Broadway - on mp3/at iTunes)
Lincoln Center cast recording of Rodgers and Hammerstein score. Kelli O'Hara, Ken Watanabe, Ruthie Ann Miles, Ashley Park, Conrad Ricamora. "Overture," "I Whistle A Happy Tune," "My Lord And Master," "Hello Young Lovers," "The March Of The Siamese Children," "A Puzzlement," "The Royal Bangkok Academy," "Getting To Know You," "We Kiss In A Shadow," "A Puzzlement (Reprise)," "Shall I Tell You What I Think Of You," "Something Wonderful," "Western People Funny," "I Have Dreamed," "The Small House Of Uncle Thomas (Ballet)," "Song Of The King," "Shall We Dance?," "Finale Ultimo." Recorded April 19 & 20, 2015. Digital booklet included with album download. Music Director/conductor Ted Sperling leads the 29-pieces orchestra. CD to be released following week.

Nicholas Rodriguez: The First Time... Digital
(P.S. Classics - on mp3/at iTunes)
Debut solo album. "I've Never Been in Love Before /," "Amor, Amor, Amor," "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?," "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'," "Sooner or Later," "Waters of March," "Leaving on a Jet Plane," "Sometimes," "He Comes For Conversation," "That's All," "Brave," "Jolene," "You'll Be in My Heart," "A Case of You."

Something Rotten! OBC digital
(Ghostlight - new digital album on mp3/iTunes)
Wayne Kirkpatrick/Karey Kirkpatrick score. Cast includes Christian Borle, Brian d'Arcy James, Brooks Ashmanskas, Peter Bartlett, Heidi Blickenstaff, John Cariani, Brad Oscar, Kate Reinders. "Welcome to the Renaissance," "God, I Hate Shakespeare," "Right Hand Man," "God, I Hate Shakespeare (Reprise)," "A Musical," "The Black Death," "I Love the Way," "Will Power," "Bottom's Gonna Be on Top," "Welcome to the Renaissance (Reprise)," "Hard to Be the Bard," "It's Eggs!," "We See the Light," "To Thine Own Self," "Right Hand Man (Reprise)," "Something Rotten! / Make an Omelette," "To Thine Own Self (Reprise)," "Finale." CD to be released July 17.

May 26, 2015

Bryden & Clark: Lives in the Theatre
(Oberon Books - Paperback Book)
By British director Bill Bryden and photographer Nobby Clark. Memories of some of the twentieth century's biggest stars, including Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, Laurence Olivier, and Helen Mirren, accompanied by previously unseen photographs. 112 pages.

Cy Coleman: You Fascinate Me So
(Harbinger Records - new on CD)
Cy Coleman performs 28 songs from Broadway, Off-Broadway and even those that never opened, for the first time. Part of the Songwriter Showcase Series. "Why Try to Change Me Now?," "The Lady Is Indisposed," "Little What If, Little What Could Be," "Hey, Look Me Over!," "Far Away from Home/Angelina" (Cut from Wildcat), "Real Live Girl," "I've Got Your Number," "On the Other Side of the Tracks," "Here's to Us," "I'll Be Coming Back," "The Laarge Daark Aardvark Song," "I'm the Bravest Individual," "The Rhythm of Life," "Pink Taffeta Sample Size 10" (Unused from Sweet Charity), "Poor Everybody Else" (Cut from Sweet Charity), "I'll Take Any Man" (Unused from Sweet Charity), "I'm Serving Out A Heavy Sentence Loving You," "If There Were More People Like You," "Lovable Lunatic," "We've Got It," "Nobody Does It Like Me," "On the Day You Leave Me," "Some Kind of Music," "America Is Bathed in Sunlight," "The Way I See It," "The Colors of My Life," "Southern Comfort," "At My Side." Liner notes by Andy Propst. Companion piece to Propst's new book You Fascinate Me So: The Life and Times of Cy Coleman from Applause Books. Also available at MusicalTheatreProject.org.

Leslie Odom Jr.
(Borderlight Entertainment - newish on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Debut solo album for Odom Jr. (Hamilton, Venice, Leap of Faith). "Look for the Silver Lining," "Joey, Joey, Joey," "Cheer Up Charlie," "Love Look Away," "The Guilty Ones," "I Know That You Know (with Elew)," "Sarah," "Song for the Asking" (with Nicolette Robinson), "Wild Is the Wind." Released 8/12/14.

The Mountaintop (Modern Classics)
(Bloomsbury - Kindle Edition)
Play by Katori Hall.

May 19, 2015

An American in Paris (BFI Film Classics)
(BFI - new Paperback Book)
By Sue Harris. Draws on archival material to trace the film's development from conception to screen. Offering new insights into the design process ... 112 pages.

Fun Home (A New Broadway Musical)
(P.S. Classics - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Updated and expanded from the Off-Broadway recording. Additional material, some written for the Broadway version and other musical passages not included on the original recording. Cast includes Beth Malone, Michael Cerveris, Judy Kuhn, Sydney Lucas, Emily Skeggs, Roberto Colindrez, Joe Perez. More than half the tracks are new. "It All Comes Back (Opening)", Sometimes my father appeared to enjoy having children..., "Welcome to Our House on Maple Avenue", "Not Too Bad", Just had a good talk with Dad..., "Come to the Fun Home", "Helen's Etude", Thanks for the care package..., "Party Dress", "Changing My Major", I leapt out of the closet..., "Maps", Read a book..., "Raincoat of Love", Clueless in New York…, "Pony Girl", A flair for the dramatic…, "Ring of Keys", Let me introduce you to my gay dad..., Shortly after we were married..., "Days and Days", You ready to go for that drive?..., "Telephone Wire", It was great to have you home..., "Edges of the World", This is what I have of you..., "Flying Away (Finale)." Can also be ordered for early shipping at PSClassics.com.

Glee - The Complete Series
(20th Century Fox - on 34 DVD discs)
All episodes and bonus content from the musical TV show's six-year run.

Gloria Reuben: Perchance to Dream
(MCG Jazz - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Jazz album from actress-singer Gloria Reuben and band. "Change Partners," "Poor Girl," "Close Enough For Love," "Pure Imagination," "When I Close My Eyes," "How Am I To Know," "Save Your Love For Me," "You Better Love Me," "Sharing The Night With The Blues," "Here's To Life." Released 4/14/15.

Hedwig & The Angry Inch Vinyl
(Atlantic - new vinyl album)
2014 Broadway cast recording of Stephen Trask musical. Neil Patrick Harris, Lena Hall and Justin Craig (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Matt Duncan (bass, vocals), Tim Mislock (guitar, vocals), and Peter Yanowitz (drums, vocals).

Melissa Errico: More Lullabies and Wildflowers (digital)
(Ghostlight - new digital singles on mp3/iTunes)
Unreleased tracks recorded for her "Lullabies and Wildflowers" album: "How Are Things in Glocca Morra?" (Burton Lane/Yip Harburg) and "Maybe Someone Dreamed Us" (Michel Legrand/Alan & Marilyn Bergman).

Music from the Hit Web Series Submissions Only EP
(Yellow Sound Label on mp3 and at iTunes )
Web series created by Kate Wetherhead and Andrew Keenan-Bolger. "Kind of Crazy" (written by Brad Alexander and Jill Abramovitz and performed by Rachel Potter); "Where I'm S'posed to Be" (written and performed by Kate Wetherhead and Julie Foldesi); "Is It Too Late?" and "Uh-Oh" (written and performed by Julie Foldesi); "Locked Away" (written by Julie Foldesi and performed by Jack Scott). Produced and mixed by Michael Croiter.

The Rose - Blu-ray Special Edition
(Criterion Collection - new on Blu-ray)
1979 musical film with Bette Midler, Alan Bates, Frederic Forrest, Harry Dean Stanton. Directed by Mark Rydell. Special Edition Features: new 4K digital restoration, supervised by director of photography Vilmos Zsigmond, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD master audio soundtrack; audio commentary featuring director Mark Rydell; new interviews with Rydell, Zsigmond, and Bette Midler; archival interviews with Midler and Rydell, with on-set footage; essay by music critic Paula Mejia. 134 minutes.

Side Show: Added Attractions - Live at 54 BELOW
(Broadway Records - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Recorded live at 54 Below on 3/9/15. Concert included never-before-heard material such as cut songs, extended versions of familiar hits, and additional surprises. Erin Davie, Emily Padgett, David St. Louis, Blair Ross, Javier Ignacio, Ryan Silverman, Matthew Hydzik, Henry Krieger, and others. Also available at BroadwayRecords.com.

Theatre in Passing 2: Searching for New Amsterdam
(Intellect Ltd - Paperback Book)
By (E)lena K. Siemens. Discusses spaces of performance around the world. Indoor theaters, outdoor theatrical spaces and street theater. 216 pages with 100 halftones.

Thank Your Lucky Stars Blu-ray
(Warner Archive - new Blu-ray)
1943 musical film. Eddie Cantor, Joan Leslie, Dennis Morgan, Edward Everett Horton, and a host of movie star cameos"Thank Your Lucky Stars" sung by Dinah Shore, "Ridin' For a Fall" sung by Dennis Morgan and Joan Leslie (dubbed by Sally Sweetland), "Hotcha Cornia" performed by Spike Jones & His City Slickers, "We're Staying Home Tonight" sung by Eddie Cantor, "Goin' North" sung by Jack Carson and Alan Hale, Sr., "Love Isn't Born (It's Made)" sung by Ann Sheridan, "No You, No Me" sung by Dennis Morgan and Joan Leslie (dubbed by Sally Sweetland), "The Dreamer" sung by Dinah Shore, "Ice Cold Katie" performed by Hattie McDaniel and Willie Best, "How Sweet You Are" sung by Dinah Shore, "That's What You Jolly Well Get" sung by Errol Flynn, "They're Either Too Young, Or Too Old" sung by Bette Davis, including a brief jitterbug performance by Davis and dancecontest winner Conrad Weidel. Written by Frank Loesser and Arthur Schwartz[1], "The Dreamer" reprise sung by Olivia de Havilland, Ida Lupino and George Tobias (Olivia de Havilland dubbed by Lynn Martin)[1], "Good Night, Good Neighbor" sung by Dennis Morgan with an accompanying dance by Alexis Smith, Final Medley with brief reprises of "We're Staying Home Tonight" (Eddie Cantor), "How Sweet You Are" (chorus girls), "Goin' North" (Jack Carson and Alan Hale, Sr.), "The Dreamer" (Dinah Shore and Olivia de Havilland, Ida Lupino and George Tobias), "Ridin' For a Fall" (Dennis Morgan and Joan Leslie), "Love Isn't Born (It's Made)" (Ann Sheridan), "That's What You Jolly Well Get" (Errol Flynn), "Good Night, Good Neighbor" (Dennis Morgan), "They're Either Too Young, Or Too Old" (Bette Davis), "Ice Cold Katie" (Hattie McDaniel and Eddie Cantor), "Thank Your Lucky Stars" (ensemble).

Tokio Confidential: A New Musical
(Broadway Records - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Studio cast recording of Eric Schorr musical with Jill Paice (original cast), Jose Llana, Jeff Kready (original cast), Telly Leung, Bruce Warren and Manna Nichols. Appeared at Atlantic Theater for Scandal Productions in 2012. "Prologue," "Restless Spirits," "Journey With Me," "If We Had Never Met," "The Power of Suggestion," "Are You Prepared For That?," "Indelible: Dialogue Introduction," "Indelible," "Tale of the Yoshiwara," "Shifting Ground: Dialogue Introduction," "Shifting Ground," "Magic Needles," "Hototogisu," "The Jurisdiction of Affection / Looking-Back Willow," "At Sea: Dialogue Introduction," "At Sea," "Ukiyo," "The Spider," "Beautiful Brevity: Introduction," "Beautiful Brevity," "Finale."

On the Twentieth Century
(P.S. Classics - new on 2 CDs/mp3/iTunes)
Score by Cy Coleman, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Cast includes Kristin Chenoweth, Peter Gallagher, Andy Karl, Mark Linn-Baker, Michael McGrath, Mary Louise Wilson. Disc One: "Overture," "Stranded," "Saddle Up the Horse / On the Twentieth Century," Where's the high priest of the theatre?..., "I Rise Again," An angel of deliverance..., "Oscar Jaffee / Lily Garland," My little accompanist is late..., "Indian Maiden's Lament," What is your name, child?..., "Veronique," "Veronique Playoff," "I Have Written a Play," "Together," "Never," Oscar Jaffee meant nothing to me..., "Our Private World," "Repent," Boys, I've got the play..., "Mine," "I've Got It All." Disc Two: "Entr'acte," "Life Is Like a Train," I have my checkbook right here..., "I Have Written a Play," "Five Zeros," "I Have Written a Play," An anthology of womankind..., "Sign Lily Sign," "She's a Nut," "Max Jacobs," First class all the way..., "Babette," "Because of Her," "Lily / Oscar," I had to do it to save you..., "Finale Ultimo." Recorded March 23, 2015. Also available at PSClassics.com.

Whose Life Is It Anyway
(Warner Archive - on DVD-R)
1981 film. Originally a 1972 television play by Brian Clark. Richard Dreyfuss, John Cassavetes, and Christine Lahti. Directed by John Badham. 119 minutes.

May 12, 2015

Gigi Broadway cast recording Digital
(DMI Records - new on mp3/iTunes)
Lerner and Loewe score. Vanessa Hudgens, Victoria Clark, Corey Cott, Dee Hoty, Howard McGillin, Steffanie Leigh. "Overture," "Opening," "It's a Bore," "The Parisians," "A Toujours," "The Gossips," "She Is Not Thinking of Me," "Thank Heaven For Little Girls," "Paris Is Paris Again," "I Remember It Well," "The Night They Invented Champagne," "I Never Want To Go Home Again," "Gaston's Soliloquy," "Gigi," "The Contract," "I'm Glad I'm Not Young Anymore," "The Letter," "Say a Prayer," "In This Wide, Wide World," "Finale." CD version to be released 5/26/15. Please note: CD and vinyl links on the Amazon mp3 page are not the new Broadway cast recroding.

Marin Mazzie: Make Your Own Kind of Music - Live at 54 Below
(Broadway Records - new on CD at Amazon/mp3/iTunes)
Live recording. "Come on-a My House," "That's All," "Tenderly," "Begin the Beguine," ""Boilvin Bedroom"," "I Think I Love You," ""1972"," "Make Your Own Kind of Music," ""My Music"," "Anyone Who Had a Heart," "Midnight at the Oasis," "That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be," "Son of a Preacher Man," "Evergreen," ""National Ave."," "Weekend In New England," "Our House," "I'm a Believer." produced by Aaron Ankrum and Executive Produced by Van Dean.

They Told Me Not to Take that Job: Tumult, Betrayal, Heroics, and the Transformation of Lincoln Center
(PublicAffairs - new Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
B Reynold Levy. Reveals the real story behind the 1.2 billion dollar reinvention of Lincoln Center, and all the trials and triumphs along the way. 384 pages.

May 5, 2015

An Act of God: Previously Published as The Last Testament: A Memoir by God
(Simon & Schuster - Paperback Book)
Book by David Javerbaum which is the basis for the upcoming Broadway play An Act of God starring Jim Parsons.

Ballyturk
(TCG - Paperback Book)
Play by Enda Walsh (Once). Premiered at the 2014 Galway Arts Festival. 72 pages.

Dames at Sea 1968 Original London Cast
(Masterworks Broadway/ArkivMusic - new on CD-R/mp3/at iTunes)
Previously unavailable on CD. Jim Wise, George Haimsohn and Robin Miller score. Joyce Blair, Rita Burton, Kevin Scott, Sheila White, Blayne Barrington, William Ellis, Kevin Scott. "Overture," "Wall Street," "It's You," "Broadway Baby," "That Mister Man of Mine," "Choo-Choo Honeymoon," "The Sailor of My Dreams," "Singapore Sue," "Good Times Are Here to Stay," "Dames at Sea," "The Beguine," "Raining in My Heart," "There's Something About You," "The Echo Waltz," "Star Tar," "Let's Have a Simple Wedding." Available in April at MasterworksBroadway.com.

Dancing on the Edge [Blu-ray]
(PBS - new Blu-ray)
2013 British television drama written and directed by Stephen Poliakoff and produced by the BBC. About a black jazz band in London in the early 1930s. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Matthew Goode, Angel Coulby, John Goodman, Anthony Head, Jacqueline Bisset. 300 minutes.

Fish in the Dark: A Play
(Grove Press - Paperback Book/Kindle Edition)
Play by Larry David. Currently on Broadway at the Cort Theatre. 112 pages.

Frank Sinatra 5-Film Collection Blu-ray
(Warner Home Video - new Blu-ray)
As a set, or available individually: Anchors Aweigh, On The Town, Guys and Dolls, Ocean's 11, and Robin And The 7 Hoods.

Gypsy 2015 London cast
(First Night U.K. - new on CD)
New U.K. cast recording of Jule Styne/Stephen Sondheim score. Chichester to the West End transfer cast plus some new members. Imelda Staunton Lara Pulver, Gemma Sutton, Peter Davison, Dan Burton, Jack Chissick, Anita Louise Combe, Harry Dickman, Roger Dipper, Louise Gold, Clare Halse, Tom Hodgkins, Kieran Jae, Julie Legrand, Danielle Morris, Damien Poole, Natalie Woods, Billy Hartman, Lucinda Shaw and Luke Street. Show to begin March 28 at the Savoy Theatre. CDs expected in theater for the April 15 opening. Available in the U.K. now: Amazon UK and Dress Circle.

Hansel & Gretel: A Wickedly Delicious Musical Treat Original Cast Recording
(Carpet Square - new on CD)
Music and lyrics by Grammy-nominated "family music" writer/performer Justin Roberts. The show debuted at the Broadway Playhouse in Chicago in 2014. Alissa Walker, Danny Taylor, Jack Ball, Jennifer Grubb, Brenton Abram-Copenhaver. "This Place," "We Gotta Run," "There's Always Me and You," "There Will Be Magic," "Together," "Crumb by Crumb," "You've Got to Do It Alone," "I Am Always Near," "Sugar Is the Perfect Food," "Incantation," "Lend a Hand," "Lend a Hand (Reprise)," "It's Not Over (It's Over)," "I Would Have Been Lost," "There's Always Me and You (Bonus Alternate Version)." Released earlier on mp3 and iTunes

The Last 5 Years Blu-ray
(Anchor Bay - new Blu-ray/DVD)
Big screen adaptation of Jason Robert Brown musical. Jeremy Jordan and Anna Kendrick. Adapted and directed by Richard LaGravenese. Bonuses (not sure if they are Blu-ray only) include: sing-along version; conversation" with Jason Robert Brown.

Liberty: A Monumental New Musical Original Off-Broadway Cast
(Broadway Records - new on CD)
Book and lyrics by Dana Leslie Goldstein with music by Jon Goldstein. Ran at Theater 80 St. Marks in 2014. Abigail Shapiro, Emma Rosenthal, Ben McHugh, Cheryl Stern, Tom Souhrada, Ryan Duncan, C. Mingo Long, Andrew DiTusa. "Take Yourself Back," "Horizon," "The Other Half," "The Charity Tango," "Gift For Words," "We Had It Worse," "More Like Home," "Possible," "More," "America For The Americans," "Making History," "Huddled Masses."

Madeline Kahn: Being the Music, A Life
(Univ Press of Mississippi - Hardcover Book)
By William V. Madison. Examines Kahn's career and her personal life. Drawing on new interviews with family, friends, and such colleagues as Bill Cosby, Lily Tomlin, Carol Burnett, Gene Wilder, Harold Prince, and Eileen Brennan, as well as archival press and private writings. 336 pages.

What Do I Know?: People, Politics and the Arts
(Nick Hern Books - Hardcover Book)
Over fifty short pieces written by Richard Eyre (National Theatre) about art and politics, including Arthur Miller recounting the events of the first night of Death of a Salesman and other anecdotes and opinion pieces about involving Alan Bennett, Kate Winslet, Margaret Thatcher, John Mortimer and Marlon Brando; also some on Alzheimer's Disease, his love of climbing, and the relationship between music and sexuality. 288 pages.

April 28, 2015

Josh Groban: Stages (Deluxe Version)
(Reprise - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
"Pure Imagination," "What I Did For Love," "Bring Him Home," "Le Temps Des Cathédrales," "All I Ask Of You" (Kelly Clarkson), "Try To Remember," "Over The Rainbow," "Children Will Listen / Not While I'm Around," "You'll Never Walk Alone," "Old Devil Moon" (with Chris Botti), "Finishing The Hat," "If I Loved You" (with Audra McDonald), "Anthem," "Gold Can Turn To Sand" [bonus track], "Empty Chairs At Empty Tables" [bonus track]. Produced Humberto Gatica and Bernie Herms. Target and other outlets may offer different track lists.

Julie Andrews Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight / Broadway's Fair Julie
(import CD)
Two 1962 Columbia albums: Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight of music hall and vaudeville songs; Broadway's Fair Julie with showtunes, accompanied by Henri René & His Orchestra; plus three songs from The Boyfriend; and "Wouldn't IT Be Loverly?" "I Don't Care," "The Honeysuckle and the Bee," "Mother Was a Lady and If Jack Were Only Here," "Who Threw the Overalls in Mistress Murphy's Chowder," "Everybody's Doin' It Now," "Waiting At the Church," "Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight," "Burlington Bertie from Bow," "Alexander's Ragtime Band," "By the Light of the Silvery Moon," "Smarty," "She Is More To Be Pitied Than Censured," "Looking For a Boy," "How Long Has This Been Going On," "I Feel Pretty," "A Sleepin' Bee," "Baubles, Bangles and Beads," "How Are Things in Glocca Morra," "A Little Bit in Love," "This Is New," "A Fellow Needs a Girl," "How Can I Wait," "I Didn't Know What Time It Was," "If Love Were All," "The Boyfriend," "I Could Be Happy with You," "A Room in Bloomsbury," "Wouldn't It Be Loverly?."

Life of an Actress Soundtrack
(Broadway Records - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Soundtrack from 2014 film. Orfeh, Taylor Louderman, Allison Case, Bart Shatto, Xavier Cano, Richard H. Blake. Score by Paul Chau. "Go On," "American Dream," "He Wants to be An Accountant," "One Place," "I Wish I Was SAG," "When I am Dancing (Part 1)," "When I am Dancing (Part 2)," "Not Six Foot Tall (Part 1)," "Not Six Foot Tall (Part 2)," "Talent and Determination," "They Love Me," "Can You See Me," "Trying Again (Part 1)," "Trying Again (Part 2)," "Talk to Me," "Can You See Me (Part 2)," "Go On (Reprise)," "Can You See Me (Hannah's Reprise)," "Can You See Me (Charlie's Reprise)," "The Life of an Actress," "Coming Back To You."

Masterpiece: Wolf Hall
(PBS - new on 3 DVDs)
Mark Rylance and Damian Lewis star in the six-hour miniseries adapted from Hilary Mantel's fictionalised biography documenting the rapid rise to power of Thomas Cromwell "Wolf Hall" and its sequel "Bring Up the Bodies." With Claire Foy, Bernard Hill, Anton Lesser, Mark Gatiss, Joanne Whalley, and Jonathan Pryce. To air Sundays, April 5 - May 10, 2015. 360 minutes.

Music Direction for the Stage: A View from the Podium
(Oxford Univ Press - Paperback Book/Kindle Edition)
By Joseph Church. Practical discussion of a music director's methods of analyzing, learning, and practicing a score, thoroughly illustrated by examples from the repertoire. Describes how a music director can effectively approach dramatic and choreographic rehearsals, including key tips on cueing music to dialogue and staging, determining incidental music and underscoring, making musical adjustments and revisions in rehearsal, and adjusting style and tempo to performers' needs. A key theme is effective collaboration with other professionals. Includes a look at music direction as a career. Released February 2015.

Romeo and Juliet
(Inception Media Group - new on DVD)
2014 film adaptation of 2013 Broadway production. Orlando Bloom and Condola Rashad, Brent Carver, Chuck Cooper, Justin Guarini, Jayne Houdyshell, Christian Camargo. Directed by David Leveaux. 135 minutes.

Once in My Life: Annette Yeo
(digital album on mp3/iTunes)
Debut album from West End performer (Mamma Mia, City of Angels, Passion). With Ian McLarnon and Luisa Bradshaw-White. "Blue Skies," "With Every Breath I Take," "How Deep Is The Ocean/So In Love," "No More / Children Will Listen," "Slipping Through My Fingers," "Loving You," "Losing My Mind," "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?," "Walking on Broken Glass," "For Once In My Life."

You Fascinate Me So: The Life and Times of Cy Coleman
(Applause Books - Hardcover Book)
By Andy Propst. Takes readers into the world and work of Tony, Grammy, and Emmy Award-winning composer/performer Cy Coleman: his days as a child prodigy in the 1930s, his time as a hot jazz pianist and early television celebrity in the 1950s, and his life as one of Broadway's preeminent composers. This first-time biography of Coleman has been written with the full cooperation of his estate, and it is filled with previously unknown details about his body of work. Interviews with colleagues and friends, including Marilyn and Alan Bergman, Ken Howard, Michele Lee, James Naughton, Bebe Neuwirth, Hal Prince, Chita Rivera, and Tommy Tune, provide insight into Coleman's personality and career. 400 pages.

April 21, 2015

42nd Street
(Warner Archive - new Blu-ray)
1933 musical film, new restoration. Bonuses include: From Book to Screen to Stage 2006 retrospective documentary; Hollywood Newsreel (vintage WB short subject), A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio vintage WB short subject; Harry Warren-America's Foremost Composer vintage WB short subject; The 42nd Street Special vintage WB promotional newsreel; Young and Healthy vintage WB 1933 cartoon; Shuffle Off to Buffalo vintage WB 1933 cartoon. Original Theatrical Trailer.

"Advice to a Young Firefly" digital single
(new digital single mp3 and iTunes)
Song by Sam Carner and Derek Gregor (Unlock'd) from the musical Toast sung by Tituss Burgess.

Best Monologues from The Best American Short Plays, Volume Three (The Applause Acting Series)
(Applause - Paperback Book)
William W. Demastes, editor.

I Am Sophie Tucker
(Prospecta Press - new Hardcover Book)
By Susan and Lloyd Ecker. The first in a trilogy about Sophie Tucker's life. 416 pages. Released November 2014.

Ultimate Sinatra (100 Songs Celebrating 100 Years - 4CD)
(Capitol - on 4 CDs/mp3 of 26 tracks/vinyl double-LP/iTunes)
Sinatra's recordings for Columbia, Capitol and Reprise, together for the first time. Chronological, from "All Or Nothing At All," recorded with Harry James and his Orchestra on August 31, 1939 during Sinatra's first studio session. 100 tracks celebrating 100 years, plus a never before released bonus track, "The Surrey With the Fringe on Top" (rehearsal). 80-page booklet with a new essay by Sinatra historian and author Charles Pignone, rare photos and quotes from Frank Sinatra and his children, Nancy, Tina and Frank Jr., as well as Nelson Riddle, Billy May, Quincy Jones, and others.

April 14, 2015

All That Glittered: The Golden Age of Drama on Broadway, 1919-1959
(St. Martin's Press - Kindle Edition)
Ethan Mordden's 2007 book, previously available in Hardcover. Other Mordden books being released in Kindle Editions: Open a New Window: The Broadway Musical in the 1960s , The Happiest Corpse I've Ever Seen: The Last Twenty-Five Years of the Broadway Musical , Sing for Your Supper: The Broadway Musical in the 1930s (Golden Age of the Broadway Musical)

Double Feature: Love Songs From the Movies
(LML Music - new on CD)
Collection of rare and well known love songs from the movies. Singer B.J. Ward and jazz pianist Donn Trenner. "I'll Take Romance," "Moonlight Serenade," "Drifting," "Tulip or Turnip," "Do You Know Why?," "I Love Being Here With You," "It Happens," "I Remember You," "Young and Foolish," "Rosemary s Baby," "Whistling Away the Dark," "Tomorrow is Another Day."

Hansel & Gretel: A Wickedly Delicious Musical Treat Original Cast Recording digital
(Carpet Square - new on mp3/iTunes)
Music and lyrics by Grammy-nominated "family music" writer/performer Justin Roberts. The show debuted at the Broadway Playhouse in Chicago in 2014. Alissa Walker, Danny Taylor, Jack Ball, Jennifer Grubb, Brenton Abram-Copenhaver. "This Place," "We Gotta Run," "There's Always Me and You," "There Will Be Magic," "Together," "Crumb by Crumb," "You've Got to Do It Alone," "I Am Always Near," "Sugar Is the Perfect Food," "Incantation," "Lend a Hand," "Lend a Hand (Reprise)," "It's Not Over (It's Over)," "I Would Have Been Lost," "There's Always Me and You (Bonus Alternate Version)." CD version to be released May 5.

Sammy Davis, Jr. Sammy Swings / Sammy Awards
(Sepia Records - new on CD)
Sammy Davis, Jr. album twofer. "Temptation," "the Lady's in Love with You," "Comes Love," "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," "That Old Black Magic," "Oo-Shoo-Be-Doo-Be," "Begin the Beguine," "By Myself," "the Gypsy in My Soul," "Will You Still Be Mine," "Don'cha Go 'way Mad," "Perdido ," "Blues in the Night," "It's Magic," "I've Heard That Song Before," "Love Letters," "Change Partners," "For Every Man There's A Woman," "the Man That Got Away," "Lovely To Look At," "Too Late Now," "I Fall in Love Too Easily," "Pennies from Heaven," "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To."

Stephen Sondheim Collection
(Image Entertainment - new 6-disc DVD set)
[verifying] Into The Woods: 1990 televised version with Bernadette Peters, Chip Zien, Joanna Gleason, Tom Aldredge, Robert Westenberg, Kim Crosby, Danielle Ferland, Ben Wright, Barbara Bryne, Merle Louise, Chuck Wagner, Pamela Winslow, Philip Hoffman, Lauren Mitchell, Kay McClelland, Edmund Lyndeck, Joy Franz, Cindy Robinson, Maureen Davis; Company: 2011 Avery Fisher Hall concert with Neil Patrick Harris, Patti LuPone, Martha Plimpton, Anika Noni Rose, Stephen Colbert, Jim Walton, Jon Cryer, Craig Bierko, Katie Finneran, Christina Hendricks, Aaron Lazar, Jill Paice, Jennifer Laura Thompson and Chryssie Whitehead; Sunday In The Park With George: 1986 televised version with Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters; Follies in Concert: 1985 Avery Fisher Hall concert with Barbara Cook, George Hear, Mandy Patinkin, Lee Remick, Carol Burnett, Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Liliane Montevecchi, Elaine Stritch, Phyllis Newman, Jim Walton, Howard McGillin, Liz Callaway, Daisy Prince; Sweeney Todd: In Concert: 2001 concert with the San Francisco Symphony conducted by Rob Fisher and George Hearn, Patti LuPone, Neil Patrick Harris, John Aler, Stanford Olsen, Victoria Clark, Lisa Vroman and Timothy Nole; Sondheim: The Birthday: 2010 Avery Fisher Hall concert, Great Performances telecast, with host David Hyde Pierce, Paul Gemignani conducting, Laura Benanti , Michael Cerveris, Victoria Clark, Jenn Colella, Jason Danieley, Joanna Gleason, Nathan Gunn, George Hearn, Blaine Hoven, Patti LuPone, Marin Mazzie, Audra McDonald and others.

Stormy Weather soundtrack
(Kritzerland Records - new on CD)
Soundtrack for 1943 Twentieth Century Fox film musical. Lena Horne, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Cab Calloway, "Fats" Waller, Ada Brown, Dooley Wilson, The Nicholas Brothers, Babe Wallace, Mae Johnson, Katherine Dunham, and others. Includes all the songs (full length as recorded), all the incidental music (save for one seven-second bit of scoring for which an overlay couldn't be found), previously found additional material, plus four more songs that were recorded for but not used in the film. CD 1 contains the complete film soundtrack, around 78 minutes. CD 2 contains all the bonus material. The sound is excellent mono. Limited release of 1,000 copies. Order at Kritzerland.com.

April 7, 2015

Cassandra Wilson: Coming Forth By Day
(Sony Legacy - new on CD/mp3/iTunes/2-LP vinyl)
Musical homage to Billie Holiday. "Don't Explain," "Billie s Blues," "Crazy He Calls Me," "You Go to My Head," "All Of Me," "The Way You Look Tonight," "Good Morning Heartache," "What a Little Moonlight Can Do," "These Foolish Things," "Strange Fruit," "I'll Be Seeing You," "Last Song (For Lester).

Doris Day: The Essential Collection
(Warner Home Video - new on DVD)
Romance on the High Seas, My Dream Is Yours, It's a Great Feeling, Tea for Two, Lullaby of Broadway, On Moonlight Bay, April in Paris, By the Light of the Silvery Moon, Calamity Jane, Lucky Me, Love Me or Leave Me, The Pajama Game, Please Don't Eat the Daisies, Billy Rose's Jumbo, The Glass Bottom Boat.

The Great Parade: Broadway's Astonishing, Never-to-Be-Forgotten 1963-1964 Season
(St. Martin's Press - Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
By Peter Filichia. 304 pages.

Jack The Ripper OLC
(Stage Door Records - new import CD)
Original London cast recording of Ron Pember/Denis De Marne score. Previously unreleased, and digitally remastered from the master tapes. Terese Stevens, Eleanor McCready, Roy Stone, Charles West, Linda Rusby, Elaine Holland, Peter Spraggon, Christine Edmonds, Charles West. "Saturday Night," "Sing, Sing," "Generally Nice," "God Bless Us," "Goodbye Day," "What A Life - The Gang, The Girls," "Love," "Ripper's Going To Get You," "Charlie And Queenie," "Half A Dozen Pints," "There's A Boat Coming In," "Look At Them," "Suspects," "Policeman's Chorus," "Step Across The River," "Montage," "Saturday Night (Reprise)."

A Little Night Music framed poster
(Dress Circle - framed poster)
Poster for Garrick Theatre production, framed. Available at Dress Circle

My Favorite Things
(digital single)
The Rodgers & Hammerstein song, performed by Australian-Vietnamese concert pianist Van-Anh Nguyen and American-Vietnamese singer Bich-Van Nguyen. In anticipation of their Seasons Of Love Album, releasing May 19. Arranged by Van-Anh, it highlights the classical crossover genre. Sample clip and single track available at CD Baby.

March 31, 2015

The Algonquin Kid - Adventures Growing Up at New York's Legendary Hotel
(BearManor Media - Hardcover/Paperback book)
Memoir by Michael Elihu Colby. Illustrated by Hannah Chusid and Dennis Porter. "... weaves a vivid tapestry of encounters with glittering Broadway and Hollywood celebrities in a kaleidoscopic memoir of illustrious figures-some on a meteoric rise, some in tragic decline-while he found his own place in the topsy turvy world of the Broadway theatre and musicals." Nearly 200 rare photographs and illustrations.

Billie Holiday: The Centennial Collection
(Sony Legacy - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Newly curated anthology of recordings released 1935-1945, to commemorate Holiday's 100th birthday. "What a Little Moonlight Can Do," "These Foolish Things," "Summertime," "Billie's Blues," "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm," "Why Was I Born?," "I Must Have That Man," "I'll Get By (As Long As I Have You)," "Mean To Me," "When a Woman Loves a Man," "You Go To My Head," "The Very Thought of You," "I Can't Get Started," "Them There Eyes," "All of Me," "God Bless the Child," "Gloomy Sunday," "Strange Fruit," "Fine And Mellow," "Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be)."

A Brief Guide to the Sound of Music
(Running Press - Paperback book)
By Paul Simpson. Tells the real story of the Von Trapps, and explores the stage show, the differences that were incorporated into the fictionalization of the tale, and how that story was brought to the big screen. 228 pages.

Chance Magazine: Issue 4: Unbound
(Magazine)
Chance is a photography magazine and serialized art book that looks at the world through the lens of theater and design; and produces an original photo shoot of nearly every production they cover. Issue 4 theme "new spaces mean new ideas, and the reactivation of theatre as a literary contact sport": Kathryn Hamilton's Sister Sylvester; the Comedie-Française and Virginie Gervaise; The Chekhov Project at Lake Lucille; Rita Ryack's Casa Valentina; Tim Etchells' and Hugo Glendinning's Empty Stages; James Thompson's work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Sandrine Philippe's stage-ready couture; design legend Eugene Lee's library; the Toneelgroep's scenographer Jan Versweyveld and video designer Tal Yarden; Hugh Hardy's new buildings for LCT3 and TFANA; Kristen Robinson's broken space for Nora; and Jeff Hinchee's paper theatre kit. 232 pages.

Prospect High: Brooklyn
(Smith & Kraus - Paperback Book)
Workshop edition of new play by Daniel Robert Sullivan and a team of New York City teenagers, developed in partnership withEducation at Roundabout and the Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellowships. Contains variations for five, twelve, or eighteen actors, though just about any other combination is possible. The small-cast version plays like a traditional story with a through-line for each character; the large-cast version plays as a series of connected vignettes.

Showtime! The Biggest Hits from the Musicals
(new 3 CD import set)
60-track collection of the biggest hits from the best loved musicals of stage and screen. Song list at DressCircle.com.

Woyzeck
(Overlook TP - Paperback Book)
Adaptation by Neil LaBute of Georg Büchner's play.

March 24, 2015

The Fortress of Solitude
(Ghostlight Records - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Original cast album. Music and lyrics by Michael Friedman. Cast includes Ken Barnett, Kyle Beltran, Adam Chanler-Berat, André De Shields, Carla Duren, Stephane Duret, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Jahi Kearse, Kevin Mambo, Malaiyka Reid, David Rossmer, Conor Ryan, Kristen Sieh, Britton Smith, Brian Tyree Henry, Akron Watson, Alison Whitehurst, and Juson Williams. "Superman," "One I Remember," "Time Keeps Changing," "Grab Something," "White Boy," "Ballad of Barrett Rude, Sr.," "Painting," "This Little World," "Take Me To The Bridge," "High High High School/Fuck You Up/I'm Busy Now," "Act 2 Prologue," "If I Had Known Then," "Bothered Blue," "Take It Baby," "Who's Calling Me?," "Something," "Back on the Block," "Ballad of Mingus Rude," "Sidekick," "Superman (Reprise)," "The Gift," "Middle Spaces." Recorded 11/18-19.

Into the Woods Blu-ray
(Walt Disney Studios - new Blu-ray/DVD set/single DVD)
2014 film version of Stephen Sondheim/James Lapine musical. Anna Kendrick, Daniel Huttlestone, James Corden, Emily Blunt, Christine Baranski, Tammy Blanchard, Lucy Punch, Tracey Ullman, Lilla Crawford, Meryl Streep, Simon Russell Beale, Joanna Riding, Johnny Depp, Billy Magnussen, Mackenzie Mauzy, Chris Pine, Frances de la Tour. Bonus features expected to include: Streep Sings "She'll Be Back" (4:35); There's Something About the Woods; The Cast as Good as Gold (9:42); Deeper Into the Woods —From Stage to Screen (8:10); The Magic of the Woods (7:03); esigning of the Woods (6:48); The Costumes of the Woods (6:35); "Meryl Climbs" (:21), "Witch Riser" (:46), "Sneakers" (:12); "Jack and the Bean Stalk Rehearsal" (1:30); "Bird Attack" (:19); Into the Woods audio commentary with director Rob Marshall and producer John Deluca. Release date may change.

The Memory Show
(Yellow Sound Label - new on CD)
Cast recording of Transport Group show featuring Leslie Kritzer and Catherine Cox. Score by Zach Redler and Sara Cooper. Album produced by Michael Croiter. "Who's The President of The United States," "Single Jewish Female Seeks Man," "Memory Like an Elephant," "Yom Kippur," "You and Me Toilet," "I'm Onto Her Now," "Me and My Mother," "What's Inside," "David's Smile," "When My Mother Dies," "I'm Her Apple," "Unlovable," "Apple and Tree," "Lullaby." Digital release on mp3 and iTunes 3/10/15.

Terry Barber Sings The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber: Your Favorite Hits from 10 Years Digital Album
(Revolv Music - new on mp3/iTunes)
"Fine-art, chamber version of Lloyd Webber with harpsichord, wind, and violin. Terry Barber, Stephen James Neale, Cat Cantrell and Timothy Nicholas. "The Music of the Night," "As If We Never Said Goodbye," "(Too Much) Heaven On Their Minds," "Pie Jesu," "All I Ask of You," "I Don't Know How to Love Him," "Seeing Is Believing," "High Flying Adored," "Memory," "There's Me," "With One Look," "Tell Me On a Sunday," "Unexpected Song."

March 17, 2015

Annie
(Blu-ray+DVD/DVD)
2014 musical film. Charles Strouse/Martin Charnin score. Quvenzhané Wallis, Jamie Foxx, Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale, Cameron Diaz. Special Features: director's commentary; The Making-of Annie; "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile Music" video. Blu-ray Exclusives: bloopers; "Something Was Missing" deleted song with Jamie Foxx; sing-alongs; new featurettes It's a Hard Knock Camp, Fun with Sandy the Dog, A Day on Set with Quvenzhané, & Moonquake Lake On Set!; "Tomorrow Around the World"; photo gallery; trivia track.

Constellations: A Play
(Faber & Faber - Paperback Book/Kindle Edition)
Play by Nick Payne. London Evening Standard Best Play, now on Broadway. Released December 2014.

How I Did It: Establishing a Playwriting Career
(Applause Books - Paperback Book)
By Lawrence Harbison (Samuel French, editor). From interviews with successful playwrights who have developed relationships with theaters that regularly produce their plays, have had at least one major New York production, have their plays published by a licensor, have received commissions, and have an agent. Harbison asks each of them the same question: How did you do it? Interviews with Bruce Norris, Lynn Nottage, J. T. Rogers, Stephen Belber, Adam Bock, John Cariani, Rinne Groff, Sheila Callaghan, Cori Thomas, Rajiv Joseph, Greg Kotis, Gina Gionfriddo, Itamar Moses, Eric Coble, Jessica Dickey, Lloyd Suh, Sharr White, Kirsten Greenidge, David Auburn, and Bekah Brunstetter, and an introduction by Theresa Rebeck. 256 pages.

On the Town 2014 revival cast
(P.S. Classics - new on 2 CDs ]mp3 & iTunes earlier])
Score by Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Leonard Bernstein. 30-member cast, led by Tony Yazbeck, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Clyde Alves, Megan Fairchild, Elizabeth Stanley and Alysha Umphress; and 28-piece orchestra. Disc One: "The Star-Spangled Banner," "I Feel Like I'm Not Out of Bed Yet," "New York, New York," "Gabey's Comin'," "Presentation of Miss Turnstiles," "Come Up to My Place," "Carried Away," "Carried Away (Encore)," "Chase Music," "Lonely Town," "High School Girls," "Lonely Town Pas de Deux," "Lonely Town Choral," "Carnegie Hall Pavane," "I Understand," "I Can Cook Too," "I Can Cook Too (Encore)," "Lucky to Be Me," "Times Square Ballet." Disc Two: "Overture," "So Long, Baby," "I Wish I Was Dead," "Conga Cabana," "I Wish I Was Dead (Spanish)," "Ya Got Me," "Ya Got Me (Encore)," "Slam Bang Blues," "I Understand (Pitkin's Song)," "Subway Ride & Imaginary Coney Island," "The Great Lover Displays Himself," "Pas de Deux," "Some Other Time," "The Real Coney Island," "Finale," "Exit Music." Recorded 11/3/14. Produced by Robert Sher. Early shipping if ordered directly from www.psclassics.com.

Stormy Weather Blu-ray
(Twilight Time - new Blu-ray)
1943 musical film featuring Lena Horne, Bill (Bojangles) Robinson, Cab Calloway and His Band, Katherine Dunham, Fats Waller. Features: isolated score track; audio commentary with Dr. Todd Boyd, Professor of Critical Studies, USC. Limited edition of 3,000 units. Available at ScreenArchives.com.

Violet: Vocal Selections
(Hal Leonard - Paperback Book)
12 vocal selections from the 2014 Broadway production starring Sutton Foster. "All to Pieces," "Bring Me to Light," "Hard to Say Goodbye," "Last Time I Came to Memphis," "Lay down Your Head," "Let It Sing," "Look at Me," "On My Way," "Promise Me, Violet," "Surprised," "That's What I Could Do," "You're Different."

March 10, 2015

A Billie Holiday Songbook: Lara Downes
(Steinway & Sons - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Concert arrangements by pianist-composer Jed Distler performed by Steinway artist Lara Downes. "Roberta: Yesterdays," "God Bless the Child," "Blue Moon," "Willow Weep for Me," "Don't Explain," "Body and Soul," "I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You," "I Wished on the Moon," "Them Three Eyes," "Billie's Blues," "Good Morning Heartache," "The End of a Love Affair," "What a Little Moonlight Can Do," "Ain't Nobody's Business," "Strange Fruit," "I'll Be Seeing You," "Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)," "I'm a Fool to Want You," "I'll Be Around," "I Cover the Waterfront," "Solitude," "Road to Rio: But Beautiful." Also available (and on sale, at the time of posting) at ArkivMusic.com.

Dress Circle collectable lapel pins: Les Misérables, Sunset Boulevard, Hair, Hair London, Hair New York, The Color Purple, Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Mamma Mia!, Wicked.

Jason Robert Brown in Concert with Anika Noni Rose (Live)
(new digital recording at iTunes)
Concert aired earlier on NY channel 13. Recorded in 2011 at Abrons Art Center, Jason Robert Brown, Anika Noni Rose and a band of some of Broadway's greatest musicians perform selections from The Last Five Years, Parade, Songs for a New World, 13, Wearing Someone Else's Clothes and Honeymoon In Vegas, plus the world premiere of four new songs from Brown's forthcoming second solo CD."Moving Too Fast," "I Could Be in Love With Someone Like You," "King of the World," "Still Hurting," "I Can Do Better Than That," "I'd Give It All for You," "The Old Red Hills of Home," "When You Say Vegas," "Nothing in Common," "One More Thing Than I Can Handle," "There With You," "All Things in Time," "Caravan of Angels," "Someone to Fall Back on," "Brand New You." Video available at Vimeo.com.

John Owen-Jones: Rise
(new import CD/mp3/iTunes)
Welsh musical theatre actor and singer (Les Misérables, Phantom of the Opera). "Rise Like a Phoenix," "Corner of the Sky," "Kiss the Air," "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables," "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again," "Bui Doi," "For Good," "Bread of Heaven," "How Great Thou Art," "You Are So Beautiful ," "Motherless Child," "Falling Slowly," "O Holy Night," "Anthem Fawr Y Nos ," "Adre'n Ol."

The Memory Show Digital
(Yellow Sound Label - new mp3)
Cast recording of Transport Group show featuring Leslie Kritzer and Catherine Cox. Score by Zach Redler and Sara Cooper. Album produced by Michael Croiter. "Who's The President of The United States," "Single Jewish Female Seeks Man," "Memory Like an Elephant," "Yom Kippur," "You and Me Toilet," "I'm Onto Her Now," "Me and My Mother," "What's Inside," "David's Smile," "When My Mother Dies," "I'm Her Apple," "Unlovable," "Apple and Tree," "Lullaby." CD to be released March 24.

Peggy Lee: At Last, the Lost Radio Recordings
(Real Gone Music - new on 2 CDs/mp3)
Songs Peggy never recorded commercially, ranging from popular standards to novelty numbers to songs popularized her peers, with musical direction by Sonny Burke in Los Angeles and Russ Case in New York. Most haven't been heard since they were originally broadcast. Licensed directly from the Peggy Lee estate, with remastering by Mike Milchner at SonicVision "Let's Get Away From It All," "I ll See You In My Dreams," "A Most Unusual Day," "Cry," "Night & Day," "It Takes Two To Tango," "Solitaire," "Did Anyone Call?," "Please Mr. Sun," "The Wheel of Fortune," "Ev'ry Time," "Somewhere Along The Way," "And So To Sleep Again," "Undecided," "Everything Happens To Me," "A Kiss To Build A Dream On," "That Great Come And Get It Day," "My Darling, My Darling," "Just One More Chance," "Since My Love Has Gone," "Jump Through The Ring," "I Got Rhythm," "Pretty Eyed Baby," "Ol Buttermilk Sky," "Oh Look At Me Now," "When I Fall In Love," "Come What May," "Johnny One-Note," "I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)," "Come On-A My House," "Here In My Heart," "Danny Boy," "Half As Much," "Go, Go, Go," "I'll Never Smile Again," "Once In Awhile," "Trust In Me," "Blacksmith Blues," "Domino," "Heigh Ho (It s Off to Work We Go)," "Oh Dear, What Can The Matter Be," "I'm Gonna Live Till I Die," "Skylark." Booklet includes rarely-seen photos, and liner notes by David Torrensen, long-time editor of PeggyLee.com, her official website.

Perry Como Live on Tour
(Real Gone Music - new on CD)
CD debut reissue of live album recorded in Chicago in 1980. "Overture: Till the End of Time/Round and Round/Catch a Falling Star/Prisoner of Love/Temptation/Hot Diggity Dog (Dog Ziggity Boom)/It's Impossible," "Where or When," "Beautiful Noise," "You Needed Me," "Temptation," "Bing Crosby Medley: Blue Skies/But Beautiful/Dear Hearts and Gentle People/Sweet Leilani/Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive/Swingin on a Star/Pennies from Heaven;/Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ra/White Christmas/In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening," "If I Could Almost Read Your Mind," "Perry Como Medley: Till the End of Time/Catch a Falling Star/Round and Round/Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes," "You ll Never Walk Alone," "You Are Never Far Away from Me (Theme)," "Oh Marie," "It Could Happen to You," "And I Love Him So," "It s Impossible," "Send in the Clowns." Includes some extended bits of crowd interaction. Nick Perito provides the accompaniment, and Ray Charles directs the choir and provided the arrangements. Liner notes by Matthew Long and photos from the Sony archive featuring images taken on this very tour. Remastering by Sean Brennan at Battery Studios in New York.

The Sound of Music Soundtrack (50th Anniversary Edition)
(Legacy - new on CD/mp3)
Soundtrack from the 1965 film. Rodgers & Hammerstein score. Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker, Richard Haydn, Peggy Wood, Charmian Carr. Remastered and expanded to feature previously unreleased score cues and all vocal performances for the first time in one release. Booklet includes new introductory notes from Julie Andrews and Ted Chapin, rare photos and illustrations from the film, and liner notes by Laurence Malson. "Prelude" and "The Sound Of Music," "Overture / Praeludium / Dixit Dominus / Morning Hymn / Alleluia," "Maria," "I Have Confidence," "Sixteen Going on Seventeen," "My Favorite Things / Salzburg Montage," "Do-Re-Mi," "The Sound of Music," "The Lonely Goatherd," "Edelweiss," "Grand Waltz," "Laendler," "So Long, Farewell," "Processional Waltz," "Goodbye Maria / How Can Love/Survive Waltz," "Edelweiss Waltz," "Entr'acte," "Climb Ev'ry Mountain," "My Favorite Things" (reprise), "Something Good," "Processional" and "Maria" (The Wedding), "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" (reprise), "Do-Re-Mi" (reprise), "Edelweiss" (reprise), "So Long, Farewell" (reprise), "Nuns" and "Nazis / Escape / Climb Ev'ry Mountain" (reprise) / Finale *," "End Titles."

Sound of Music 50th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition Blu-ray
(Fox - new on 5 discs)
Special release of 1965 film. Rodgers & Hammerstein score. Blu-ray Disc 1: feature film remastered in 1080p hi-def with 7.1 DTS-HD sound; Your Favorite Things: An Interactive Celebration — all-new immersive viewing experience with behind-the-scenes images, on-screen lyrics, trivia track and location quiz; music machine sing-along; audio commentaries with Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer and Director Robert Wise. Blu-ray Disc 2: Musical Stages: Creating The Sound of Music - all-new interactive "Backlot Tour" with in-depth featurettes on the songs, the stage show and movie, the film and sound restoration and the real-life von Trapp family; A City of Song — virtual map of filming locations in Salzburg, Austria; vintage Rodgers & Hammerstein and The Sound of Music programs; screen tests, rare treasures, interviews, photo galleries and more. Blu-ray Disc 3: new hour-long documentary The Sound of a City: Julie Andrews Returns to Salzburg. DVD Disc 4: feature film in standard definition; newly remastered picture and sound; optional sing-along track; music machine sing-along; The Sound of Music Tour —a living story. Disc 5: exclusive 50th anniversary soundtrack (featuring a selection of international performances of SOM musical favorites); DHD. Single DVD release coming the same day with feature film in standard definition; newly remastered picture and sound; optional sing-along track; music machine sing-along; The Sound of Music Tour —a living story.

Swing Your Lady
(Warner Archive - new on DVD-R)
1938 musical comedy film directed by Ray Enright. Humphrey Bogart, Frank McHugh, Louise Fazenda, Ronald Reagan, Nat Pengleton, Penny Singleton, Allen Jenkins. 77 minutes.

March 3, 2015

27 - An Opera in Five Acts
(Albany Records - new on CD/iTunes)
Music by Ricky Ian Gordon, libretto by Royce Vavrek. Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. Recorded in performance. Stephanie Blythe, Elizabeth Futral, Theo Lebow, Tobias Greenhalgh, Daniel Brevik. "The tale of Gertrude Stein, her partner Alice B. Toklas, and a host of other characters who figured in the story of their lives at 27 rue de Fleurus in Paris, from Ernest Hemingway to Henri Matisse."

The Country House
(TCG - Paperback Book)
Play by Donald Margulies (Time Stands Still, Dinner with Friends). Premiered at Geffen Playhouse and opened on Broadway (Blythe Danner) in 2014.

Follies of God: Tennessee Williams and the Women of the Fog
(Knopf - Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
By James Grissom. "... almost magically makes clear how Tennessee Williams wrote; how he came to his visions of Amanda Wingfield, his Blanche DuBois, Stella Kowalski, Alma Winemiller, Lady Torrance, and the other characters of his plays ... from the inside, the almost impossible—revealing the heart and soul of artistic inspiration and the unwitting collaboration between playwright and actress, playwright and director." 416 pages.

Galavant
(Hollywood Records - new on CD-R)
Songs by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater. Joshua Sasse, Mallory Jensen, Timothy Omundson. "Galavant," "She'll Be Mine," "Maybe You're Not the Worst Thing Ever," "Oy! What a Knight" (Faith Prince), "Jackass in a Can," "Togetherness," "Comedy Gold," "Lords of the Sea" (Hugh Bonneville), "No One But You," "Hey, Hey, We re the Monks" (Weird Al Yankovic), "If I Could Share My Life With You," "A Day in Richard's Life" (Ricky Gervais), "Love Is Strange," "Goodnight My Friend." Produced by Michael Kosarin, Christopher Lennertz and Alan Menken. Released on mp3
and iTunes earlier.

Hugh Maynard: Something Inside So Strong
(new on CD)
Debut solo album by West End performer (Miss Saigon). "Something Inside So Strong," "Let's Get It On," "Bring Him Home," "You're the Voice," "Kiss from a Rose," "I Who Have Nothing," "When a Man Loves a Woman," "Get Here," "Creep," "Back at One," "Bui Doi," "Love Is On the Way." Availablesat Dress Circle.

I'll Eat You Last: A Chat with Sue Mengers
(Dramatist's Play Service - Paperback Book)
Play by John Logan. Performed on Broadway by Bette Midler. 34 pages.

Remembering Cats The Musical
(Motif - new import CD)
Stars of the West End perform songs from Cats. "The Old Gumbie Cat" (Peter Skellern), "Grizabella the Glamour Cat" (Stephanie Lawrence), "Old Deuteronomy" (Paul Jones), "Memory" (Fiona Hendley), "Gus the Theatre Cat" (Paul Jones), "Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat" (John Dulieu), "Macavity the Mystery Cat" (Stephanie Lawrence), "Mr Mistoffelees" (Paul Jones), "Memory (Reprise)" (Fiona Hendley), "Suite" (Royal Philharmonic Orchestra).

Remembering Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
(Motif - new import CD)
Stars of the West End perform songs from Joseph.... "Prologue" (The West End Orchestra and Singers), "Any Dream Will Do," "Jacob and Sons," "Joseph's Coat," "Joseph's Dreams," "One More Angel in Heaven," "Potiphar," "Close Every Door" (Dave Willets), "Go, Go, Go Joseph," "Pharaoh Story" (The West End Orchestra and Singers), "Poor, Poor Pharaoh," "Song of the King," "Those Canaan Days," "The Brothers Come to Egypt/Grovel, Grovel" (The West End Orchestra and Singers), "Benjamin Calypso," "Any Dream Will Do (Reprise), "Joseph's Megamix" (The West End Orchestra and Singers), "Suite" (Royal Philharmonic Orchestra).

The Sound of Music Companion
(Universe - Hardcover Book)
Republishing of Laurence Masion's 2007 book, marking the fiftieth anniversary of the release of the film version, now with a foreword by Julie Andrews. From the previous listing: Includes the entire libretto and 150 color photos and stills from the original film, the original Broadway and upcoming West End productions, and the now world-famous Sing-a-long-a Sound of Musics. Also, images from the U.K. reality TV series, How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria, whose winner will be Maria in the first casting of the new London production. 192 pages.

On the Town 2014 revival
(PS Classics - mp3/at iTunes)
Score by Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Leonard Bernstein. 30-member cast, led by Tony Yazbeck, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Clyde Alves, Megan Fairchild, Elizabeth Stanley and Alysha Umphress; and 28-piece orchestra. Disc One: "The Star-Spangled Banner," "I Feel Like I'm Not Out of Bed Yet," "New York, New York," "Gabey's Comin'," "Presentation of Miss Turnstiles," "Come Up to My Place," "Carried Away," "Carried Away (Encore)," "Chase Music," "Lonely Town," "High School Girls," "Lonely Town Pas de Deux," "Lonely Town Choral," "Carnegie Hall Pavane," "I Understand," "I Can Cook Too," "I Can Cook Too (Encore)," "Lucky to Be Me," "Times Square Ballet." Disc Two: "Overture," "So Long, Baby," "I Wish I Was Dead," "Conga Cabana," "I Wish I Was Dead (Spanish)," "Ya Got Me," "Ya Got Me (Encore)," "Slam Bang Blues," "I Understand (Pitkin's Song)," "Subway Ride & Imaginary Coney Island," "The Great Lover Displays Himself," "Pas de Deux," "Some Other Time," "The Real Coney Island," "Finale," "Exit Music." Recorded 11/3/14. Produced by Robert Sher. CD now available if ordered directly from www.psclassics.com, and can be purchased at the Lyric Theatre. Shipping from Amazon March 17.

Serial Killer Barbie: The Musical
(Take a Hike Productions - new digital album on mp3/and at iTunes)
Theatre 68, Los Angeles, cast album. Written by Colette Freedman and Nickella Moschetti. Kelley Dorney, Alex Robert Holmes, Marti Maley, Kacey Coppola Morreale, Katy Jacoby, Cy Creamer. "What Do I Wear," "Crying Song," "People Like Us," "Paperbag Lunch," "Perfect," "American Gal," "Middle School Sucks," "Jeezify Me," "People Like Us Reprise," "Give Me a Chance," "I Don't Want to Be a Debbie," "Different," "21 Ways to Kill a Debbie," "Remember Me," "Look Up," "Price of Popularity."

Something Beautiful: Bob Mundy
(new digital album on mp3/and at iTunes)
"East of the Sun," "Diamonds Are Forever," "Something Beautiful / Do I Love You Becuase Your Beautiful," "Laura," "Lovesong," "Voler La Nuit," "Ordinary People," "Isn't This Better," "Besame Mucho," "Two for the Road," "I'll Be Seeing You," "Pure Imagination."

Warner Musical Collection on Blu-ray
(Warner - new Blu-rays w/ 3D versions on 4 discs)
Four musicals on Blu-ray: First time on Blu-ray for Kiss Me, Kate (3D version included), The Band Wagon, Calamity Jane, plus Singin' in the Rain. Also being released individually: Kiss Me, Kate, The Band Wagon and Calamity Jane. Set includes collectible art cards.

February 24, 2015

August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand (American Masters)
(PBS - new on DVD)
Life and legacy of playwright August Wilson (April 27, 1945 October 2, 2005). Contributors include Viola Davis, Charles Dutton, Laurence Fishburne, James Earl Jones, Suzan-Lori Parks, and Phylicia Rashad, and family, friends, colleagues, and scholars. Release may be delayed. Currently available for free streaming at PBS.org.

Broadway - Lafayette (Ravel, Lasser, Gershwin)
(Sony Classical - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Classical pianist Simone Dinnerstein celebrates the time-honored transatlantic link between France and America through three different composers Maurice Ravel, George Gershwin and Philip Lasser. "Piano Concerto in G Major: I. Allegramente," "Piano Concerto in G Major: II. Adagio assai," "Piano Concerto in G Major: III. Presto," "The Circle and the Child - Concerto for Piano and Orchestra: I. Poco Allegro," "The Circle and the Child - Concerto for Piano and Orchestra: II. Chorale and Child," "The Circle and the Child - Concerto for Piano and Orchestra: III. Circles," "Rhapsody in Blue."

Maxine Linehan: Beautiful Songs - Digital
(new on mp3/at iTunes)
Musical theatre actress-singer. "Walk Through The World," "Love Can't Happen," "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," "There Won't Be Trumpets / It's a Quiet Thing," "I Love Paris," "Hyme Á L'amour," "I Think of You," "Sway," "God Only Knows / What'll I Do?," "One," "Danny Boy," "End of the World," "Never Never Land."

The Night They Raided Minsky's (Sometimes Being a Nice Girl Is Too Much to Bare)
(Olive Films - new Blu-ray)
1968 musical comedy film. Directed by William Friedkin, written by Arnold Schulman, Sidney Michaels and Norman Lear from novel by Rowland Barber. Jason Robards, Britt Ekland, Norman Wisdom, and Bert Lahr. Songs by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams. 99 minutes.

Shakespeare Uncovered: The Stories Behind the Bard's Greatest Plays, Series 2
(PBS Direct - new DVD)
The series continues with Taming of the Shrew with Morgan Freeman, Romeo and Juliet with Joseph Fiennes, Othello with David Harewood, A Midsummer Night's Dream with Hugh Bonneville, Antony and Cleopatra with Kim Cattrall, King Lear with Christopher Plummer - to explore and reveal the world and works of William Shakespeare and the impact they have today. To air on PBS from 1/30/15. 360 minutes.

Side Show Broadway revival cast
(Broadway Records - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Broadway revival cast recording. Erin Davie, Emily Padgett, Matthew Hydzik, Robert Joy, David St. Louis. "Come Look at the Freaks," "I'm Daisy, I'm Violet," "Like Everyone Else," "Very Well-Connected," "What Brought Him Here?," "The Devil You Know," "A Private Exclusive Show," "Typical Girls Next Door," "You Should Thank Me Every Day," "Cut Them Apart," "All in the Mind," "Come See a New Land," "Feelings You've Got To Hide," "Say Goodbye to the Sideshow," "Ready to Play," "The Interview," "Buddy Kissed Me," "Who Will Love Me As I Am?," "Stuck With You/Leave Me Alone," "Private Conversation," "One Plus One Equals Three," "You Should Be Loved," "Great Wedding Show," "I Will Never Leave You," "Finale," "Side Show" (Bonus Track, cut song).

The Sound of Music FAQ: All Thats Left to Know about Maria, the von Trapps, and Our Favorite Things (FAQ Series)
(Applause Books - Paperback Book)
By Barry Monush. Comprehensive, encyclopedia-like reference focusing on the the 1965 Oscar-winning film in relation to its source, including the true von Trapp family story and the Broadway musical from which it was derived. 400 pages.

Wolf Hall & Bring Up the Bodies: The Stage Adaptation
(Picador - Paperback Book/Kindle Edition)
Mike Poulton's two-part stage adaptation of Hilary Mantel's acclaimed novels Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies. Includes substantial set of notes by Hilary Mantel on each of the principal characters, offering a unique insight into the plays and an invaluable resource to any theater companies wishing to stage them. 272 pages.

February 17, 2015

The Complete Book of 1940s Broadway Musicals
(Rowman & Littlefield - Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
By Dan Dietz (The Complete Book of 1950s Broadway Musicals). Examines examines every musical and revue that opened on Broadway during the 1940s - every hit and flop, revivals and one-man and one-woman shows. Each entry contains: Opening and closing dates; plot summary; cast members; number of performances; names of all important personnel, including writers, composers, directors, choreographers, producers, and musical directors; musical numbers and the names of performers who introduced the songs; production data, including information about tryouts; source material; critical commentary; details about london and other foreign productions.

Kiss Me Stupid Blu-ray
(Olive Films - new Blu-ray)
1964 Billy Wilder film based on Anna Bonacci's play L'Ora della Fantasia (The Dazzling Hour). Dean Martin, Kim Novak, and Ray Walston. Songs "Sophia," "I'm a Poached Egg," and "All the Livelong Day" by Ira Gershwin, using some of George Gershwin's unpublished melodies, and music by André Previn.

Memphis the Musical OLC
(First Night - new import CD/mp3)
Original London cast recording of David Bryan/Joe DiPietro score. Killian Donnelly, Beverley Knight, Rolan Bell, Tyrone Huntley, Claire Machin, Jason Pennycooke and Mark Roper. "Underground," "The Music Of My Soul," "Scratch My Itch," "Ain't Nothin' But A Kiss," "That's Not Possible," "Everybody Wants To Be Black On A Saturday Night," "Make Me Stronger," "Colored Woman," "Someday," "She's My Sister," "Radio," "Say A Prayer," "Crazy Little Huey," "Big Love," "Love Will Stand When All Else Falls," "Stand Up," "Change Don't Come Easy," "Tear Down The House," "Memphis Lives In Me," "Steal Your Rock ‘N' Roll," "Memphis Lives In Me" (bonus track, David Bryan). Recorded December 2014. Digital version released 1/26/15.

Neil Simon on Screen: Adaptations and Original Scripts for Film and Television
(McFarland and Co - Paperback Book)
By Peter Shelley. Catalogue of Simon's screen work with cast and crew information, synopses, release dates, reviews, awards and DVD availability. Notes on each film cover his narrative subjects and themes as well as adaptation, direction and performance.

The Sound of Music Story: How A Beguiling Young Novice, A Handsome Austrian Captain, and Ten Singing Von Trapp Children Inspired the Most Beloved Film of All Time
(St. Martin's Press - Hardcover Book)
By Tom Santopietro. "Fan book with all the inside dope from behind the scenes stories of the filming in Austria and Hollywood to new interviews with Johannes von Trapp and others." The real life story of Maria von Trapp, the success of the Broadway musical, the story of the near cancellation of the film ... a historian's critical analysis of the careers of director Robert Wise and screenwriter Ernest Lehman, a look at the critical controversy which greeted the movie, the film's relationship to the turbulent 1960s, and the super stardom which engulfed Julie Andrews. 336 pages.

Strange Magic
(Disney - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
2015 animated film from Lucasfilm Ltd., a fairy tale musical inspired by A Midsummer Night's Dream. Popular songs from the past six decades help tell the tale. "Can't Help Falling in Love" (Evan Rachel Wood), "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" (Evan Rachel Wood), "Three Little Birds" (Meredith Anne Bull), "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" (Marius De Vries), "C'mon Marianne / Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" (Evan Rachel Wood), "Trouble" (Alan Cumming), "Love Is Strange" (Kristin Chenoweth), "Say Hey" (Elijah Kelley), "Mistreated" (Alan Cumming), "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" (Meredith Anne Bull), "Straight On" (Evan Rachel Wood), "Strange Magic" (Evan Rachel Wood), "Tell Him / Wild Thing" (Evan Rachel Wood).

We'll Have Manhattan: The Early Work of Rodgers & Hart (Broadway Legacies)
(Oxford Univ Press - Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
By Dominic Symonds. Explores the first, formative period of Rodgers and Hart's collaboration and their work from their first meeting in 1919 to the early 1930s as they left the theater to explore sound film. During this time, their output was prodigious, progressive, and experimental. Also covered: the theme of identity that runs throughout Rodgers and Hart's work; how the business side of the theater affected their artistic output; and their continued experimentation with a song's dramatic role within a narrative.

February 10, 2015

Home Street Home: Original Songs from the Shit Musical
(Fat Wreck Records - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Concept album in advance of the theatrical production. Tells a story of survival and love among runaway teenagers living on the streets. All music written by Fat Mike and performed by NOFX and members of Descendents, Lagwagon, No Use for a Name, Alkaline Trio, Mad Caddies, Frank Turner, The Living End, Old Man Markley, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, Dropkick Murphys, Bad Cop/Bad Cop, Dance Hall Crashers, The Aggrolites, Limp, The Real McKenzies, Mariachi El Bronx, R.K.L. and Hedwig & the Angry Inch. All Lyrics written by Fat Mike. Additional Lyrics by Soma Snakeoil and Jeff Marx. "Monsters," "Three String Guitar," "Urban Campers," "Fecal Alcohol Syndrome," "Three Against Me," "High Achievers," "Gutter Tarts," "Bad Decision," "Missing Child," "I'm Suicide," "Let's Get Hurt," "Safe Words," "Another Bad Decision," "Seeping Beauty (Reprise)," "Bearly Legal," "Because I Want To," "Life… Oh What a Drag," "The Agony of Victory." To be presented at ZSpace Theatre/San Francisco directed by Richard Israel. Vinyl version to be released 3/24/15.

The Last Five Years Soundtrack
(Ghostlight Records - new on CD/mp3/at iTunes)
Jason Robert Brown score. Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan (also listed in the cast are Sherie Rene Scott and Betsy Wolfe). "Still Hurting," "Shiksa Goddess," "See I'm Smiling," "Moving Too Fast," "A Part of That," "The Schmuel Song," "A Summer in Ohio," "The Next Ten Minutes," "A Miracle Would Happen / When You Come Home to Me," "Climbing Uphill," "If I Didn't Believe in You," "I Can Do Better Than That," "Nobody Needs to Know," "Goodbye Until Tomorrow / I Could Never Rescue You." Album produced by Kurt Deutsch, Lawrence Manchester and Richard LaGravenese, executive produced by Steve Norman, Lauren Versel and Janet Brenner, with new orchestrations by Jason Robert Brown.

Stage Kiss
(TCG - Paperback Book)
Play by Sarah Ruhl.

Steve Tyrell: That Lovin' Feeling
(Concord Records - new on CD/iTunes)
Based on Café Carlyle show. "Stand By Me," "Up On The Roof," "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" (with Bill Medley), "Jazzman" (with Dave Koz on sax), "Laughter in the Rain" (with Neil Sedaka), "Rock and Roll Lullaby" (with B.J. Thomas), and "On Broadway" (with Barry Mann), "Good, Good Lovin'" ( with Judith Hill).

Walt Disney Records Legacy Collection: Pinocchio
(Disney - new on 2CDs)
1940 animated musical film. Songs and score from the restored original motion picture soundtrack; The Lost Chords of Pinocchio —three new recordings as they would have sounded in 1940; five bonus tracks performed by Jiminy Cricket (Cliff Edwards) from the original "Mickey Mouse Club." Disc 1: "When You Wish Upon A Star," "Little Wooden Head," "Clock Sequence," "Kitten Theme," "The Blue Fairy," "Give a Little Whistle," "Old Geppetto," "Off To School," "Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee (An Actor's Life for Me)," "So Sorry," "I've Got No Strings," "Sinister Stromboli," "Sad Reunion," "Lesson in Lies," "Turn on the Old Music Box," "Coach to Pleasure Island," "Angry Cricket," "Transformation," "Message from the Blue Fairy," "To the Rescue," "Deep Ripples," "Desolation Theme," "Monstro Awakens," "Whale Chase," "A Real Boy," "Disc 2: "No Strings," "As I Was Sayin' to the Duchess," "Rolling Along to Pleasure Island," "You (Are a Human Animal)," "Mickey Mouse Club Book Song," "I'm No Fool (On a Bike)," "Safety First/I'm No Fool (In Water)," "Stop, Look and Listen/I'm No Fool (As a Pedestrian)." The CD cover and 24-page booklet feature newly created artwork inspired by "Pinocchio" from Lorelay Bove; 12 pages of visual development art from the film; notes by Dave of Walt Disney Animation Studios; liner notes by Jim Fanning, Disney historian, writer and editor; overview by Russell Schroeder of The Lost Chords project as well as background on each song.

February 3, 2015

Anthony Newley Sings The Good Old Bad Old Days
(Stage Door Records - new import CD/at iTunes)
Songs from Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse musical which ran for 309 performances at London's Prince of Wales Theatre in 1971-72. Featuring several songs that were later cut from the final West End production. Previously unreleased recordings restored from Newley's own private archive. "The Good Old Bad Old Days," "The Fool Who Dared to Dream," "The Wisdom of the World," "A Cotton Pickin' Moon," "We've Got a Cure For Everything on Broadway," "And Women Must Wait," "Today," "Tomorrow," "Yesterday," "Thanksgiving Day," "I Do Not Love You," "The Good Things in Life," "The People Tree," "It's a Musical World," "The Wisdom of the World" (Alternate Version), "Hell of a Night," "It's a Funny Old World," "Mustn't Grumble Can't Complain," "What's the Matter God?" (Live), "Mister Sniffles" (Bonus Track). Also in the UK at Dress Circle
.

Black Broadway: African Americans on the Great White Way
(Square One Pub - Hardcover Book)
By Stewart F. Lane. "An Illustrated History of African-American Struggles & Triumphs on the Theatrical Stage." Foreword by Kenny Leon.

Classical Broadway: Music by Cy Coleman, John Kander, Harvey Schmidt and Charles Strouse
(Kritzerland Records - new on CD)
Remastered album originally released on Bay Cities in 1992 and out of print for over twenty years. At the time of the recording, all these pieces were world premiere recordings and they remain the only commercial recordings of these pieces. For Cy Coleman: New York Sketches, three delightful Gershwinesque preludes for piano. For John Kander: settings of Three Poems by Lucile Adler. For Harvey Schmidt: Monteargentario: Seven Dances for Solo Piano. For Charles Strouse: String Quartet No. 1 and Sonata for Two Pianos. Featuring soprano Carol Vaness, pianists Seth Rudetsky, Scot Woolley, Emily Witt, Warren Jones and Harvey Schmidt, and the Korngold Quartet. Produced by Bruce Kimmel, with liner notes by award-winning journalist Jon Burlingame. Limited edition of 1,000. Available at Kritzerland.com

Croon: Todd Murray
(new digital album)
"Lover / I Wanna Be Loved," "Nearness of You," "Learn to Croon," "You Are Too Beautiful," "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," "You'll Never Know," "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps," "I've Got You Under My Skin," "Love Me Tender / I Can't Help Falling in Love With You," "If Ever I Would Leave You," "This Guy's in Love With You," "You'll Never Find (Another Love Like Mine)," "I'm Your Man," "And I'm Leaving Today," "Whispering," "How Deep Is the Ocean / I Wish You Love," "The Crooner Boys Playoff." Sample clips, individual tracks, and digital album available at CD Baby.

The Divine Julie Andrews: Our Fair Lady
(Memory Lane - 3-disc import set)
Disc one: "So In Love," "Cheek To Cheek," "It Might As Well Be Spring," "Come To Me, Bend To Me," "Falling In Love With Love," "I'm Old Fashioned," "My Ship," "He Loves And She Loves," "Pedro The Fisherman," "Matelot," "We'll Gather Lilacs," "In My Own Little Corner," "Impossible! It's Possible!," "Ten Minutes Ago," "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful," "When You're Driving Through The Moonlight," "A Lovely Night," "Julie Andrews & Bing Crosby - Sad Is The Life Of A Sailor's Wife," "When You're In Love," "Julie Andrews & Bing Crosby - Once Upon A Long Ago"; Disc two: "London Pride," "The Lass With A Delicate Air," "If My Songs Were Only Winged," "The Floral Dance," "As I Went A-Roaming," "Where'er You Walk," "To A Wild Rose," "The Kerry Dance," "Little Old Lady," "Canterbury Fair," "These Precious Things," "You're A Builder Upper," "Tally Ho!," "Songs Of Fun And Nonsense," "The Animal World," "Bedtime Songs And Lullabies"; Disc three: "Wouldn't It Be Loverly?," "Just You Wait," "The Rain In Spain," "I Could Have Danced All Night," "Show Me," "Without You," "The Boy Friend," "I Could Be Happy With You," "A Room In Bloomsbury," "Poor Little Pierrette," "Finale," "Lak Jeem," "Indian Love Call," "Pretty Things," "Finale, Act I," "Finaletto, Act II," "Minuet Of The Minute," "Door Of My Dreams," "Finale Ultimo."

Kristin Chenoweth: Coming Home
(Concord - new on DVD)
Live performance at the Kristin Chenoweth Theatre in the Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center in her hometown of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Premiered on PBS in November 2014. Includes the PBS, track list: Opening," "I Could Have Danced All Night," "Goin' to the Dance With You, " "My Coloring Book, " "Bring Him Home, " "Maybe This Time, " "Fathers and Daughters, " "Upon This Rock," "Over the Rainbow," "Popular," "For Good, " "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again," "All the Things You Are," "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)," "I Was Here." plus bonuses: behind the scenes, "Hard Times Come Again No More," "Little Sparrow," "Heart of the Matter," "I Will Always Love You," "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and a "My Father's Day video."

January 27, 2015

Beautiful Chaos: A Life in the Theater
(City Lights Foundation Books - Paperback Book)
By Casey Perloff (playwright, theater director, professor and Artistic Director of the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco). Her personal and professional journey, how theater gets made, from a behind-the-scenes perspective, including accounts of working experiences with well-known actors, directors, and writers, including Tom Stoppard, Harold Pinter, Robert Wilson, David Strathairn, and Olympia Dukakis. 232 pages.

Galavant Digital
(Hollywood Records - new on mp3/iTunes)
Songs by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater. Joshua Sasse, Mallory Jensen, Timothy Omundson. "Galavant," "She'll Be Mine," "Maybe You're Not the Worst Thing Ever," "Oy! What a Knight" (Faith Prince), "Jackass in a Can," "Togetherness," "Comedy Gold," "Lords of the Sea" (Hugh Bonneville), "No One But You," "Hey, Hey, We re the Monks" (Weird Al Yankovic), "If I Could Share My Life With You," "A Day in Richard's Life" (Ricky Gervais), "Love Is Strange," "Goodnight My Friend." Produced by Michael Kosarin, Christopher Lennertz and Alan Menken. CD was announced for February, but is currently listed with a false date. (It's possible this album will be digital only).

Hole in the Head Blu-ray
(Olive Films - new Blu-ray)
1959 comedy film directed by Frank Capra. Adapted by Arnold Schulman from his own (1957 Broadway) play. Frank Sinatra, Eddie Hodges, Edward G. Robinson, Eleanor Parker, Keenan Wynn, Carolyn Jones, Thelma Ritter, Dub Taylor, Ruby Dandridge, Joi Lansing. Score by Nelson Riddle. In color, 120 minutes.

Jamie Cullum: Interlude
(Blue Note - new on CD/mp3/iTunes/Vinyl)
From the American songbook along with a couple modern surprises. U.S. version includes three bonus tracks. "Interlude," "Don't You Know," "The Seer's Tower," "Walkin'," "Good Morning Heartache" (with Laura Mvula), "Sack O' Woe," "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" (with Gregory Porter), "My One And Only Love," "Lovesick Blues," "Losing You," "Out Of This World," "Make Someone Happy," "Come And Get Me," "Lullaby Of The Leaves," "Come Rain Or Come Shine."

Memphis the Musical OLC Digital
(First Night - mp3)
Original London cast recording of David Bryan/Joe DiPietro score. Killian Donnelly, Beverley Knight, Rolan Bell, Tyrone Huntley, Claire Machin, Jason Pennycooke and Mark Roper. "Underground," "The Music Of My Soul," "Scratch My Itch," "Ain't Nothin' But A Kiss," "That's Not Possible," "Everybody Wants To Be Black On A Saturday Night," "Make Me Stronger," "Colored Woman," "Someday," "She's My Sister," "Radio," "Say A Prayer," "Crazy Little Huey," "Big Love," "Love Will Stand When All Else Falls," "Stand Up," "Change Don't Come Easy," "Tear Down The House," "Memphis Lives In Me," "Steal Your Rock ‘N' Roll," "Memphis Lives In Me" (bonus track). Recorded December 2014. CD to be released 2/17/15.

January 20, 2015

Deep in My Heart
(Warner Archive Collection - new DVD-R)
1954 musical biographical film about Sigmund Romberg. Directed by Stanley Donen. José Ferrer, Merle Oberon, Helen Traubel. Cameos by Cyd Charisse, Rosemary Clooney , Vic Damone, Howard Keel, Gene Kelly, Fred Kelly, Tony Martin, Ann Miller, James Mitchell, Jane Powell, Joan Weldon, Tamara Toumanova, Robert Easton, Russ Tamblyn, Susan Luckey, and Ludwig Stössel. "Overture," "One Kiss," "Desert Song," "Deep in My Heart, Dear," "You Will Remember Vienna," "You Will Remember Vienna," "Leg of Mutton," "Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise," "Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise," "Mr. & Mrs.," "I Love to Go Swimmin' with Wimmen," "Road to Paradise"/"Will You Remember (Sweetheart)," "Girls Goodbye," "Fat Fat Fatima," "Jazza-Dada-Doo," "It," "Serenade," "One Alone," "Your Land and My Land," "Auf Wiedersehn," "Lover, Come Back to Me," "Stout-Hearted Men," "When I Grow Too Old to Dream." 132 minutes. Released 12/3/14.

Bette Midler in Divine Madness: A National Treasure Chest
(Warner Archive Collection - new DVD-R)
1980 Bette Midler concert film. Released 12/2/14. 86 minutes.

Gay Purr-ee
(Warner Archive Collection - new DVD-R)
1962 animated musical. Voices include Judy Garland, Robert Goulet, Red Buttons, Hermione Gingold, Paul Frees, Mel Blanc. Score by Mort Lindsey and songs by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg (including "Mewsette," "Little Drops of Rain," "The Money Cat," "Portrait of Mewsette," "Take My Hand, Paree," "Paris is a Lonely Town," "Bubbles," "Roses Red, Violets Blue," "Little Drops of Rain," "The Horse Won't Talk"). Released 12/3/14.

King of Burlesque
(Fox - new DVD)
1936 musical film. Warner Baxter, Alice Faye, Jack Oakie. Oscar nominated for Best Dance Direction. Relesed 12/9/14.

Into the Woods Soundtrack: Instrumental songs version
(Disney - digital album in mp3 and at iTunes
"Prologue: Into the Woods," "Cinderella at the Grave," "Hello, Little Girl," "I Know Things Now," "A Very Nice Prince," "Giants in the Sky," "Agony," "It Takes Two," "Stay With Me," "On the Steps of the Palace," "Careful My Toe," "Witch's Lament," "Any Moment," "Moments in the Woods," "Your Fault," "Last Midnight," "No One Is Alone," "Finale/Children Will Listen (Part 1)," "Finale/Children Will Listen (Part 2)."

Lucky Me
(Warner Archive Collection - new DVD-R)
1954 Broadway-set musical comedy film. Doris Day, Robert Cummings, Phil Silver, Eddy Foy, Jr., Nancy Walker. Score by Sammy Fain and Paul Franics Webster. Songs include "The Superstition Song," "I Speak to the Stars," "I Wanna Sing Like an Angel" and "Love You, Dearly." 100 minutes. Released 12/3/14.

Small Engine Repair
(Overlook TP - Paperback Book)
Play by John Pollono. Premiered at MCC/Lucille Lortel in 2013.

January 13, 2015

Donny Osmond: The Soundtrack of My Life
(Sony/Verve - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
"My Cherie Amour (with Stevie Wonder), "Ben," "Peg," "The Gift Of Love," "Could She Be Mine," "I've Got You Under My Skin," "Baby Love," "Moon River," "Your Song," "The Long And Winding Road," "Don't Give Up (with Laura Wright), "Survivor," "Broken Wings," "I Who Have Nothing," "Nothing Compares 2 U."

George M. Cohan: In His Own Words
(42nd Street Records - new digital album)
Highlights of ASCAP award-winner Chip Deffaa's musical production George M. Cohan: In his Own Words. Featuring Johnny Petersen. "You're a Grand Old Flag," "The Man Who Owns Broadway," "I Guess I'll Have to Telegraph My Baby," "I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy," "I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy (Reprise)," "Give My Regards to Broadway," "I Want to Hear a Yankee Doodle Tune," "Harrigan," "Popularity (A Ragtime March)," "Life's a Very Funny Proposition," "Over There." Sample clips, individual tracks and digital album available at CD Baby.

The George M. Cohan Revue
(Uptown Studio - new digital album)
Cast album of biographical musical by Chip Deffaa. 46 tracks. Sample clips, individual tracks and digital album available at CD Baby.

Honeymoon in Vegas OBC recording
(Ume - new on CD - mp3 and iTunes released earlier)
Jason Robert Brown score. Cast includes Tony Danza, Rob McClure, Brynn O'Malley, David Josefsberg, Nancy Opel, Matthew Saldivar. "Overture," "I Love Betsy," "Never Get Married," "Anywhere But Here," "When You Say Vegas," "Out of the Sun," "The Invitation/Forever Starts Tonight," "Betsy's Getting Married/The Game," "Coming To An Agreement," "Do Something," "Entr'acte," "Hawaii/Waiting For You," "Ev'ryday Is Happy In Hawaii," "Friki-Friki," "You Made the Wait Worthwhile," "A Little Luck," "The Garden of Disappointed Mothers," "Isn't That Enough?," "Airport Song," "Higher Love," "I've Been Thinking," "Elvii In Flight," "Honeymoon In Vegas/Finale." Recorded week of 10/17.

Hopelessly Hollywood: My Dreamland Diary, from Small Town Extra to Musical Theatre King for a Day
(Big Dipper Pres - Paperback Book)
Memoir by David H. Lewis, former contributor to Variety and author of nine books on the performing arts.

The Money Shot
(Overlook TP - Paperback Book)
Neil LaBute play that ran in fall of 2014 at Lucille Lortel Theatre. Published 10/14.

Sondheim: Jazz Play-Along Volume 183
(Hal Leonard - Paperback Book + CD)
For use with all B-flat, E-flat, Bass Clef, and C instruments. For Study: each tune includes a split track with:," "Melody cue with proper style and inflection," "Professional rhythm tracks," "Choruses for soloing," "Removable bass part," "Removable piano part. For Performance: each tune also has:," "An additional full stereo accompaniment track (no melody)," "Additional choruses for soloing. "Another Hundred People," "Being Alive," "Good Thing Going," "The Ladies Who Lunch," "Losing My Mind," "No One Is Alone - Part I," "Not While I'm Around," "Pretty Women," "Send in the Clowns," "Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man)."

Presenting Fanny Brice: The Original Funny Girl
(Astoria Records - new digital album)
Chip Deffaa's musical play cast album. Cast includes Em Bordonaro, Michael Wright, K. F. Greenberg, Keith Anderson, T. D. DuBoys, Alex Tocco, Gregory Wagner, Allie S. McKay. "Rose of Washington Square ," "The Band Played On ," "I'm Sorry I Made You Cry ," "Will You Love Me in December as You Do in May? ," "The Curse of an Aching Heart ," "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows," "When You Know You're Not Forgotten By the Girl You Can't Forget," "Be My Little Baby Bumble Bee ," "Grizzly Bear," "Becky's Got a Job in a Musical Show ," "Be My Little Baby Bumble Bee (Reprise)," "Second-Hand Rose ," "Ballin' the Jack ," "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows (Reprise) ," "You Made Me Love You ," "Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight ," "Sadie Salome Go Home! ," "The Sheik of Araby ," "The Sheik of Avenue B ," "My Musical Comedy Maiden," "Singin' the Blues," "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody ," "Ja-Da," "My Man ," "Won't You Come Back to Me? ," "My Man (Reprise) ," "Rose of Washington Square (Reprise)." Sample clips, individual tracks and digital album available at CD Baby.

Tamra Hayden: Love Is...
(new digital album)
Broadway/Off Broadway/tour performer sings "But Beautiful," "Every Step of the Way," "I Got Your Number," "Something's Gotta Give," "Alright, Ok, You Win," "Song for an Accident (Acoustic Version)," "Temporarily Lost," "Lucky (Acoustic Version)," "Fever," "When You Are Old and Gray," "It All Fades Away," "Love Is..." Sample clips, individual tracks and digital album available at CD Baby and iTunes.

January 6, 2015

The 100th Night Show
(digital album/at iTunes)
The class of 2014's version of West Point's annual musical comedy, An Unexpected Journeyline. "Overture," "Accepted," "Camp Fun Fun," "A Plebe Does What He's Told," "The Thayer Method," "Every Cadet Can Agree," "Love Song," "My Life Is Gray," "Cynicism," "Attention All Cadets," "Change of Command," "Highland Falls," "Love Is Like a Ring," "Sami," "Camp Fun Fun, PtII," "Forever One Team." Sample clips and digital album available at CD Baby (priced at $2.99). 100% of the proceeds from this album will be donated to the Class of 2014's AOG gift fund.

The Apple Family: Scenes from Life in the Country
(Theatre Communications Group - Paperback Book/Kindle Edition/)
Richard Nelson play cycle (That Hopey Changey Thing, (Sweet and Sad, Sorry, Regular Singing). 330 pages.

The Assembled Parties
(TCG - Paperback Book/Kindle Edition)Play by Richard Greenberg (Take Me Out, The Dazzle, Three Days of Rain).

Dramatist's Play Service recent releases include Nicky Silver's Too Much Sun, The Velocity of Autumn by Eric Coble, Choir Boy by Tarell Alvin Mccraney, Fucking Men by Joe Dipietro, User's Guide to Hell by by Lee Blessing, Grasses of a Thousand Colors by Shawn Wallace, From White Plains by Michael Perlman, Small Engine Repair by by John Pollono.

Into the Woods Movie Vocal Selections
(Hal Leonard - Paperback Book)
"Agony," "Any Moment - Part I," "Children Will Listen," "Giants in the Sky," "Hello Little Girl," "I Know Things Now," "Into the Woods," "It Takes Two," "Last Midnight," "Moments in the Woods," "No One Is Alone - Part II," "On the Steps of the Palace," "She'll Be Back," "Stay with Me."

I've Been Played: Alysha Umphress Swings Jeff Blumenkrantz
(Yellow Sound Label - new on CD/mp3/iTunes)
Alysha Umphress (On the Town) sings original jazz songs and arrangements by Jeff Blumenkrantz. "Two Cents," "Why Can't I Kiss You?," "I Don't Need Anything But You," "I've Been Played," "Mayday! M'Aider!," "Time Does Not Bring Relief," "Celebrate," "Steal Away," "Spring Is Here/Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most," "Man in the Moon," "You Are Never Away/Ten Minutes Ago," "Giving Thanks," "You Smell So Good."

The Partnership: Brecht, Weill, Three Women, and Germany on the Brink
(Nan A. Talese - Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
By Pamela Katz. Tells the story of Brecht and Weill's impulsive, combustible partnership (The Threepenny Opera and The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny) ... and the three women (Lotte Lenya, Helene Weigel and Elizabeth Hauptmann) whose creative gifts contributed enormously to their masterworks. 480 pages.

Skidoo Blu-ray
(Olive Films - new Blu-ray)
1968 film with Jackie Gleason, Carol Channing, Frankie Avalon, Fred Clark, Michael Constantine, Frank Gorshin, John Phillip Law, Peter Lawford, Burgess Meredith, George Raft, Cesar Romero, Mickey Rooney and Groucho Marx. Score by Harry Nilsson. 98 minutes.

The Songs of Goldrich and Heisler
(Hal Leonard - Paperback Book)
Nearly 40 songs from Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich, the first women ever honored as recipients of the Fred Ebb Award for Musical Theatre Songwriting. "Alto's Lament," "Amazing (What a Little Faith Can Do)," "Apathetic Man," "Baltimore," "Beautiful You," "Boom Boom," "Compromise," "Fifteen Pounds," "Funny How the Love Gets in the Way," "Gabriel's List," "Hola, Lola!," "How I Love You," "I Want Them... (Bald)," "The Last Song," "Let Me Grow Old," "Los Pinguinos **female key**," "Love like Breathing," "Make Your Own Party," "Menemsha Moon," "The Morning After," "Music of Your Life," "Now That I Know," "Oh, How I Loved You," "Oh, How My Heart Is an Ocean," "Oh My Soul," "Out of Love," "Over the Moon," "Sing Your Own Song," "Taking Flight," "Taylor, the Latte Boy," "That's All," "There's Nothing I Wouldn't Do," "The Things I Know of Love," "This Lonely Road," "A Thousand Stars," "True Believer," "We Remember Love," "Welcome the Rain," "Women Want What." Also includes black-and-white photos.