I saw John Raitt live in a show in Long Beach. You may be jealous now.
Brigadoon
also Hair and The Music Man.
And, it’s not Broadway, and the concept of “original cast” didn’t apply to the “original cast” anyway (because it was all lip-synched), but… Buggsy Malone
Also, a note about “Anne” – where I am, they weren’t allowed to run children full time, so the cast included multiple versions of the stars. The (local) cast recording I have, I don’t like nearly as well as the version I saw live. I assume that the same situation would have applied to Broadway: the “original cast recording” would have been only one version of the original cast.
Finally, I haven’t got an original cast recording of Show Boat, but I definitely like the version I had on a 78 better than any of the subsequent cast recordings and soundtracks.
Stop the World, I want to get off!
How to Succeed in Business
Oliver!
Music Man
Porgy and Bess
Golden Boy
Anyone Can Whistle
I’m not gay, but I was raised by a mother who subjected me unrelentingly to her musical tastes until…I began to like it.
Les Mis and Phantom. Dancing at West Side Story was great but singing was so-so. The Glee cast did it far better.
I love Broadway musicals. Don’t like the Jukebox ones; I like original songs. Some of my favorites:
The Original Broadway Les Miserables.
The Jesus and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with Donnie Osmand from the 90s.
Chess. The Broadway version
Avenue Q is a lot of fun.
Rather than just agreeing with a bunch that have already been said, I’ll propose:
Spring Awakening
I will add this, however: I like different musicals for different reasons. But of my list above, there’s only one that can consistently make me cry: Miss Saigon.
And it’s the end, of course, when Kim dresses Tam in his little Mickey Mouse T-shirt because he’s going to the USA. And what follows.
Annie goes apeshit again: The OP did mention BROADWAY. Phantom of the Opera had no Broadway recording. Jesus Christ Superstar did, but it was a single record, and while it did have Ben Vereen as Judas, it was not as good as the original recording.
I’ll go with Avenue Q, CATS, Les Miserable and Chicago.
You’re right, although generally when I read ‘Broadway’ in that context I assume it’s intended to include London/West End cast recordings given the many successful Broadway shows that didn’t do a Broadway cast recording because the show debuted in the West End and the recording was released with that cast.
Indeed, when Phantom opened on Broadway in 1988, Michael Crawford, Sarah Brightman, and Steve all reprised their roles from the West End performance, so at least vocally, making a Broadway cast recording made little sense.
Still, your correction is absolutely right. So I guess I’d ask the OP: did you mean to literally limit the question to Broadway, or did you intend to include Broadway mega-hits that debuted elsewhere and don’t have Broadway-cast recordings?
Can I just heap a tiny bit of praise on “A Little Night Music?” Inspired by this thread, I’ve been re-listening to some of my favorites, and it just struck me again how musically brilliant this show is, as well as shining in the book department. Just clever touches, like “Every Day a Little Death,” sung by Charlotte and Anne, with the double entendre of “little death” as a euphemism for orgasm and a more literal read as the slow destruction of the bonds of marriage and affection.
How could I mention Ben Vereen and NOT include Pippin?
Free-association time. You mention Pippin, which makes me think of Irene Ryan, who famously portrayed Pippin’s grandmother (“Just No Time At All,”) and that in turn reminds me of Andrea Martin, who played the same role in the recent revival (and won a Tony!) And who did I just see in the most recently aired episode of Modern Family? Andrea Martin, playing a sourpuss unexpected houseguest and treating us to a beautiful “Silent Night” duet with Ariel Winter’s character at the end.
Since this thread has turned to talk of Pippin, did anyone here see the recent Broadway revival? I thought it was absolutely fabulous, probably the best actual theatrical production I’ve ever seen.
And I’m really enjoying the cast recording… not quite sure if I like it more than the OCR, very hard to compare.
Also, Bricker, listen to Spring Awakening, thank me later.
I’ve seen Youtube captures of the cast doing various numbers, but not the production itself. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to indulge my theatre junky side in recent years…
I was hesitant about this show because of the source material – specifically, the rape. (Although I admit I love Man of La Mancha which also arguably has a rape scene, but someone it feels different).
I saw “Fun Home” recently so I’ve been reliving that by listening to the soundtrack which includes a good bit of the dialogue. Wonderful score to a very emotionally resonant show. Highly recommended.
Also, seconded for “Spring Awakening”. Great music.
Godspell and Anything Goes.
Are you talking about the original German play? I’m not familiar with it, and I don’t know how closely the musical follows its plot. If you just get the OCR, the most disturbing song (which my wife doesn’t like listening to) is not about rape, but child abuse. There’s also a lot about suicide. It’s very powerful stuff, but absolutely gorgeous music.
Here are three songs:
Track 15- Totally Fucked - YouTubeSong of Purple Summer (current version) - YouTube
Melchior rapes Wendla at the end of Act I of the musical.
ETA:
Well, maybe not. I remembered this fact from a review but that was pre-Broadway. Wikipedia says:
Interesting. I’ve seen the show four times (twice the “official” touring company, once the Deaf West production in LA that has since moved to Broadway as a revival, once a student production at UC Davis) and that scene has never struck me as a violation. That is, to the extent that the show is making a point there, it’s not “Melchior is doing bad things to Wendla”, it’s that “Wendla is WAY more ignorant than she should be because society absolutely refuses to actually teach her basic biology, so she doesn’t really know what she’s getting into”. Obviously “doesn’t really know what she’s getting into” is tantamount to “can’t give informed consent” from a 21st century perspective, so I guess YMMV.
Camelot, South Pacific, Funny Girl, My Fair Lady, Sound of Music
All of the above received frequent play by my parents when I was growing up. I can still sing a great many of those songs by heart, even after all these years.