Grey Gardens: Original Broadway Cast Recording
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Free Music Notes for Grey Gardens: Original Broadway Cast Recording
Free Music Review: consistently charming ... a few stellar tunes
Hit: 5 Stars
what more can we ask of a cast recording? we all have had the feeling of encountering time tested favorites .. for example, i grew up with many including the cast recordings of MY FAIR LADY and FUNNY GIRL ..and with stellar live recordings such as (sob) JUDY AT CARNEGIE HALL .. all on vinyl. we knew which the 'big tunes' were and we went to them immediately.
as an adolescent i had the privilege of seeing my first broadway musicals, including A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC .. and my heart skipped a beat when i first heard that score and the soon to be done, redone, overdone 'send in the clowns' .. what a joy to hear such a tune for the first time. and CITY OF ANGELS some years later .. 'with every breath i take'? call them torch songs, call them whatever .. in the true, old fashioned broadway tradition, the best musicals give us great ballads.
this stunning recording gives us several. i loudly nominate one immediately. i received this recording in yesterday's mail .. and today i cannot stop listening to the fabulous Act I concluding masterpiece .. "Will You?" .. this song stands independent of the story's book .. and could become what these other tunes have become. part of the family of American Popular Song.
wow.
for this alone .. get this recording. now.
Free Music Review: Brava, Brava, Brava!
Hit: 5 Stars
Simply stated: this is a masterwork. Unimaginably good. Composer Scott Frankel and lyricist Michael Korie should have long careers in the musical theatre. Christine Ebersole is a revelation - what an incredible voice - and a great character actress. This is a performance for the ages, certain to be remembered for generations, one that sets a standard - her readings of "Another Winter in a Summer Town," "Will You" and most especially "Around the World" can't be beat on any stage by any actress. Mary Louise Wilson is equally good. These two women are a like a great train wreck. Their story is in the Grand Guignol tradition. Imagine a musical of "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" as written by Tennessee Williams - that's "Grey Gardens." John McMartin has two wonderful numbers (maybe he'll finally win a Tony!).
Seeing this show at The Walter Kerr Theatre on Broadway will long remain a highlight of theatre-going career. The entire show - I can't quite explain it - it's that magical feeling you get when you realize you're in the presence of greatness. The book is by Pulitzer Prize winner Doug Wright ("I Am My Own Wife"). Unquestionably last seasons best score.
Free Music Review: Why didn't this beat Spring Awakening?
Hit: 5 Stars
I am sorry to fans of the aforementioned show, but I thoroughly fail to see why the American Theatre Wing chose Spring Awakening as Best Musical and thought it deserved the Tony for Best Score. Spring Awakening isn't a Broadway score - its '90s pop/punk with profanity-laced lyrics. Grey Gardens, with its hummable melodies, quirky lyrics, and history-making performances by Christine Ebersole and Mary Louise Wilson is an infinitely better show - I challenge any listener to successfully get "The Five-Fifteen" or "The Revolutionary Costume For Today" out of their heads. Like many good shows, however, it was above many NYC tourists' and young theatre-goers heads, but happily, the critics "got" it. It reminds me of Sunday in the Park With George in that way: both lost the Tony to musicals that were popular, yes, good even, but not better. Both shows also have two chronologically different acts and both originated off-Broadway at Playwright's Horizons. Anyway, this show is suberb, with a thought-provoking and somewhat tragic story about a mother and daughter's relationship and why we make the decisions that we do. Listen and be taken in by Grey Gardens!Free Music Review: A Tour-de-Force from Ebersole
Hit: 5 Stars
I was fortunate enough to see "Grey Gardens" three times before it closes on Sunday, June 29th. Christine Ebersole's dual performance as Edith "Big Edie" Bouvier Beale and her former debutante daughter, Edie "Little Edie" Bouvier Beale, was a masterpiece. She and co-star Mary Louise Wilson deservedly won Tony awards for their roles of Jackie Kennedy Onassis's aunt and cousin.
I agree with some of the other reviews that Act II is certainly the stronger, more diverse part of the musical although "Will You" which closes Act I is truly beautiful. Act II is much more clever with it's mix of broad comedy as seen in "The Revolutionary Costume For Today", "The Cake I Had" and "Jerry Likes My Corn to the absolute heartbreaking poignancy of "Around the World" and "Another Winter in a Summer Town".
If you haven't seen this show - RUN don't walk to the Walter Kerr Theater and see it before it closes. If not, the soundtrack is all we will have to remember what will go down as another classic Broadway tour-de-force.
Free Music Review: Brilliant songs; Brilliant performances
Hit: 5 Stars
This musical is magic. Christine Ebersole has out-done herself with her brilliant portrayal of Little Edie Beale, and the songs written for the musical version of "Grey Gardens" are priceless - especially those written for Act 2.
Songs like "Revolutionary Costume for Today" and "Jerry Likes My Corn" will stay with you for a long time, especially if you have seen the wonderful documentary "Grey Gardens," which the musical is based upon. I highly recommend that everyone see this documentary. It will enhance the experience of the musical and you will be glad you saw this documentary. It is a cult classic, but more than that, it is just plain fascinating for its study of the mother-daughter relationship, questions about life, and concerns about lost opportunities.
When Christine belts out "Around the World" I deft anyone to remain dry-eyed. It packs a huge emotional wallop.