What I Like

I figured that, since I'm just starting out and odds are y'all who're reading aren't terribly familiar with my theatre taste, I should give a brief (hah. No. It's huge and intimidating) rundown of some of the theatre albums on my iTunes that I listen to the most. Away we go!

Barbara Cook: She gets one entry, because I have quite a bit by her. All I Ask Of You, The Broadway Years, Sings Mostly Sondheim, No One Is Alone, The Disney Album and Live at the Met. I'm sure you're aware that she's a legend, and her voice never fails to give me a thrill.

Assassins: I find myself listening to the '04 album more than the original cast. I like NPH a lot, and Kendra Kassebaum's tiny part (she's chiefly heard in Somethign Just Broke) is nifty.

Avenue Q: Well, why not? It's fun. There's some genuinely beautiful songs too. Lots of talent for young composers.

Bat Boy: Primarily I listen to the original off-Broadway album. I have a huge Talent Crush on Kerry Butler, you see.

Bernadette Peters: I have Sings Rodgers & Hammerstein, Sondheim Etc. (And Etc., Etc.), and I'll Be Your Baby Tonight. Another theatre legend, and one of the first actresses I fell in love with.

Cabaret: The 1998 cast. This has been eating up a ton of my music listening lately. I'm in rapture over Natasha Richardson's Sally. She makes the character so human.

Cleo Sings Sondheim: A little obscure, perhaps. But Dame Cleo Laine is fabulous, and her interpretations of these songs are some of the best I've heard.

Company: OBC and revival. Elaine Stritch will never be defeated as the quintessential Joanne, but the revival has a fine cast. Angel Desai is a marvellous Marta, for just one example. And of course there's Raul Esparza.

Elaine Stritch At Liberty: Speaking of Stritchie, her autobiographical show is marvellous, alternately hilarious and touching.

Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust: We've mentioned the Butler-crush. This is her take on Disney songs. Mostly wonderful, but a couple tracks miss for me (her 'Colours of the Wind' is kind of whiny). Still love her.

Fifteen Seconds of Grace: Victoria Clark is another one of my Talent Crushes. Follies, The Light in the Piazza, now Juno. The woman is a wonder and an incredible actress. And that voice! This is a beatiful album.

Follies: I have quite a few versions of this. I really thoroughly enjoy them all, but I think first place goes to the Papermill production's album, largely because of "Ah, But Underneath" and the marvellous Dee Hoty in general.

Grey Gardens: Christine Ebersole and Mary Louise Wilson are wonderful. The music is wonderful. The source material is wonderful.

Gypsy: Peters and Lansbury casts. I'm on the lookout for OBC, Daly, and Midler. ANd of course I'll be buying the LuPone the MOMENT it comes out.

In His Eyes: Ellen Greene's album. I used to hate her voice, but this album's been growing on me.

In Your Dreams: One of Christine Ebersole's CDs with Billy Stritch. I also have the other, Sunday In New York. Both are wonderful.

Into the Woods: My grandmother's VHS of the PBS broadcast got me into musical theatre in the first place, so this definitely earns a place on my all-time favourites. The revival also isn't bad, but with the exception of Laura Benanti (say it with me: Talent Crush!), I largely prefer the OBC.

The Lady With The Torch: One of two LuPone albums I have. The other is Patti LuPone Live. I love her.

The Last Five Years: I haven't been familiar with Jason Robert Brown for long, but I really like his stuff.

The Light in the Piazza: Beautiful. Rapturous. Vicki Clark and Kelli O'Hara.

A Little Night Music: Four different recordings. I enjoy them all, but bonus points to the original for Len Cariou (Winnipeg actor! I've seen him live!) and Glynis Johns

Little Shop of Horrors: 2003 revival. It's Butler-tastic. I'm still looking for the original cast album.

Nine: Another one I have like five recordings of. My favourite is, I think, the revival. Chita Rivera! Jane Krakowski! Laura Benanti! All marvellous. I'm so mad I missed this show here in Winnipeg last year.

The Supremes Sing Rodgers & Hart: Now this is just marvellous. Truly. You should try and find it.

Songs of Jason Robert Brown: By Lauren Kennedy. Great voice, great music, great album.

South Pacific: The revival. Old but good.

Sunday In The Park With George: Both OBC and Revival cast albums. Surely one of the best musicals Sondheim's written. I don't care what you say, the second act is fantastic too.

Susan Egan Live: This is just fun.

Sweeney Todd: 2005 revival. I'm on the hunt for more, but this one is wonderful. I have the two available DVDs also (oops. Two of the three. I don't have the movie.)

[title of show]: So. Much. Fun. I'm going to see this this summer on Broadway. Tres exciting. Again, like with Avenue Q, extremely talented batch of young people (remember that comment? Way up near the top?)

The Wedding Singer: Mindless fun. But reasonably adeptly composed mindless fun that also served as my introduction to Laura Benanti!

Wicked Stuttgart Cast: Oh, I have the original too, of course. But I think I like this one better.

Wonder In The World: Kelli O'Hara's solo. Lovely light jazz/easy-listening.

Xanadu: Absurdly campy fun. And Butler-tastic, yet again!

You Can Call Me Miss Kitty: 48 songs by the...interesting miss Eartha Kitt. No, I love her, she's just odd.


That's not all I have, but those are the favourites. If I were to list everything, it would take like a year.