Kiss of the Spider Woman is the one I’m specifically thinking about. During the same run it released two cast recordings: the first was with the original cast (headed by Chita Rivera) and the second with their replacements, Vanessa Williams and (the dreamy) Brian Stokes Mitchell. I’m familiar with lots of revival cast recordings and the like, but I’m curious if any other shows have had two different (very different in this case- Chita was good but Vanessa was awesome) recordings during the same run?
I’m still hoping one day they’ll release some video on YouTube at very least of Harvey Fierstein in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, because I’d love to see that. The only recording they released of that revival was the lackluster Alfred Molina original cast; nice for some musical moments not released before and a new song (Topsy Turvy- total book number) but Molina didn’t make Topol or the shade of Zero Mostel lose sleep).
Actually, they did. Channing had left the show after a couple of years and was replaced with people like Ginger Rogers, Betty Grable, and Martha Raye (Ethel Merman and Phyllis Diller came later). The show was starting to lose business, so David Merrick recast it with an all-black cast; it revivified the show and helped it to become the longest running musical at that time.
I’m not understanding what you mean by “same run”. The Chita Rivera recording is the original West End cast in London. Then she and most of the cast came over to Broadway and opened it here, so yeah, they didn’t do another recording. They waited until the replacements came in (Vanessa Williams and Brian Stokes Mitchell, as you mentioned) because they were just as big, name-wise. But you can hardly call the West End and Broadway runs the “same”, can you? Basically what you’ve got here is a London recording and a Broadway recording.
But you do pose a good question, and I’ll see if I can come up with any examples of what you’re asking for.
Sorry- I misread the CD cover. The Vanessa Williams CD has a sticker that says “The Amazing London West End Musical”, but it’s Broadway. I’d thought it was the same run/different cast.
That being the case, allow me to change the question:
What revival recordings are the most different from the original cast recordings? For example, the original CABARET (the Bert Convy recording), the Broadway revival (Joel Grey reprising the emcee in the late 1980s) and the Alan Cumming version from the 1990s are three extremely different recordings, not just because of the actors of course but- more importantly- each had a different selection of songs and songs unique to that particular cut and songs that were cut from the last version or re-added, etc. What are other musicals that have changed majorly?
I have an early recording of MARTIN GUERRE (the Bloubil musical) that is nothing like the later version released. The one I have is highly forgettable save for a couple of numbers (Bethlehem and Tell Me To Go are pretty good) but neither of these was on the next version of the musical recording. IIRC the musical tanked even with the LES MIS/MISS SAIGON fanbase.
Another example: CHESS. The original Murray Head concept recording was very different from the Broadway recording. Many songs were cut, some were added, some were compiled. ONE NIGHT IN BANGKOK, which of course had become a huge hit before the musical opened, was hopelessly overblown.
Any others that have had essentially two different cast recordings in terms of the songs and arrangements and the like?
The Wildhorn/Bricusse Jekyll & Hyde changed pretty thoroughly from concept album to original Broadway run to the current “licensed version.” The concept album had the beautiful “Love Has Come Of Age,” number which was inexplicably cut before Broadway, and the Broadway album has Linda Eder’s sultry “Good and Evil” which was inexplicably cut in the rewrite.
What I heard from people who were in that show, was that the reason it never opened on Broadway wasn’t that it did poorly (it toured the US for 7 months) but that there was no empty theatre available at that time for it to go into. I think the revised 1999 album is much superior to the 1996 original.
As to your second question, the shows I was thinking of have already been said. There is also Sondheim’s Road Show from last year, first released in 2003 as Bounce (and originally written in 1999 as Wise Guys, though that version was not recorded.)
No, it played Off-Broadway at the Public Theatre. I really enjoyed it, though the music sounded *very *much like Assassins. I think there was talk about moving it to Broadway but so far that hasn’t happened yet.
Speaking of Assassins, while the Broadway recording was pretty much the same as the off-Broadway recording in terms of content I thought the original off-Broadway was world’s better. I liked Neil Patrick Harris in the Broadway but the rest of the cast was mediocre and Victor Garber owned the role of Booth.
Assassins was actually to open on Broadway shortly after September 11, but was cancelled for obvious reasons; not a great time to open a show about killing presidents or hijacking planes (the Sam Byck plotline).
Okay, still a good question. I’ll contribute Company, in which the actors played their own instruments in the revival. The new recording has a completely different sound (not saying better or worse, just different) because of it. And strangely enough, I actually prefer that version of Martin Guerre you mentioned, and really wish it had made it to Broadway. Don’t get me started on Chess, though. It wasn’t just the music; the Broadway book was horrible as well.
Probably not, but at least we have the revival of A Little Night Music to look forward to!
The Cerveris-Lupone revival of SWEENEY TODD did the same thing. (Tonys clip and Johanna with Cerveris on various instruments, though it’s available in its entirety on YouTube as of this typing.) Not sure how much it added to me, but in fairness S-T has never been my favorite Sondheim and certainly not in my top 10 musicals.
Does anybody know anything about the revival of HAIR? I’ve wondered how self conscious it is since it’s such a period piece.
Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida(the concept album) is very different from the Aida 2000 Original Broadway Cast Recording (or any other cast recording of that musical). In particular, some of the songs on the concept album were recorded as duets with Elton himself. Personally, I skip those duets every time I listen and focus on the wonder that is “Easy as Life” with Tina Turner and Angelique Kidjo.
