5 comments about A Chorus Line (1975 Original Broadway Cast).

1. "Chorus Line" has to be one of the greatest of Broadway Musicals. It is particularly apropos to people who either are in show business or are well-familiar with the ups and downs of that craft. This recording just magnifies this!



2. We have the album version--the purchase of the CD was overdue. This play was my first Broadway show and I'll never forget the experience. Listening to this CD makes you feel like you are in the theatre again and the songs are classics that will stand the test of time. "At the Ballet" never fails to bring tears to my eyes. Forget the movie soundtrack version--no comparison to the original Broadway cast. This is a "must have" addition to your collection.



3. I live in NYC and recently saw A Chorus Line on Broadway. I remember it being my favorite show when i first saw it in 1977. While not as great as the original, but still wonderful, I came home realizing that I had to have the CD from the original production. This is a great CD, very well priced. Buy it. And sing along to the fabulous score.



4. i ordered the soundtrack from the movie NOT the original cast recording. When I opened it and put it in the cd player I was sorely dissappointed upon listening to it.



5. The CD was unplayable and we received no response to our emails to the dealer.

5 comments about Rent (1996 Original Broadway Cast).

1. Rent is an important production, because it puts a face to the AIDS crisis and this was especially new when the production first came to Broadway. The music to Rent is wonderful and spans the breadth of the pop/rock genre. The Broadway soundtrack is as crisp of a recording as the motion picture soundtrack, but overall is a much better version. The Broadway version includes a number of humorous phone calls, additional songs and it seems have more feeling to them. All of the songs on the Rent soundtrack are great, but my favorites by far are Rent and La Vie Boheme. Both take a satirical approach to contemporary culture that is refreshing and needed when discussing the issue of "social outcasts". You can't go wrong with this recording of the Rent soundtrack.



2. Rent launched the careers of Daphne Rubin Vega, Anthony Rapp, Taye Diggs, and (perhaps most popularly) Jesse L. Martin, of Law & Order fame. Sure he's a tough cop, but when you hear him sing "I'll Cover You" you realize exactly why it is that so many actors and actresses say their first love is the theater. Martin is so much more than some cog in Dick Wolf's Law and Order machine. He has a voice that can bowl you over.
   
   The movie didn't bowl audiences over. (We won't blame that on the replacement of Vega with Rosario Dawson *cough* Idiots! *cough*) Seasons of Love, and Stevie Wonder, how can you go wrong there?
   
   Especially when one takes the time to read the story of Jonathan Larson, as told by brilliant writer David Lipsky. "525,600 minutes--how do you measure a year in the life?" Larson was a man so in love with his craft that he basically worked himself to death in order to leave the world this beautiful, amazing legacy of song, of love, of heart. It is a MUST-HAVE CD!



3. Announced today, June 1st will be the final show for this production. I have to tell you, this show, even after 12 years, still hits home and is as entertaining as ever. This album is amazing, but on stage it's mesmerizing. If you haven't seen it, make a trip to NY just to see. You can get great seats as the theater is small and even nose bleeds are good seats. I just brought my 29 year old friend and her 22 year old sister to see it last Sat (1/10/2008) and they fell in love with it.
   
   Seriously, don't miss it! There is no day but today people!



4. Wow. What a wonderfully unique show! The score is brilliant and the cast is equally brilliant. This musical stands out from the rest of them. It's gritty and edgy and it's not filled with cheesy dance numbers and special effects. It's real! People can relate to it. The plot itself is beautiful, but the music blows my mind! It's without a doubt my favorite musical. I've seen it 4 times now...twice on tour and twice on Broadway. If you only know the movie, you're missing out. This album brings so much more then the movie. It's actually the reason I changed my plans and decided to go into theatre. It's definatly a must-have for any musical fan out there! It is different from, it takes risks, but the effect is glorious. I'm still dazzled by it and I must have listened to it at least 100 times by now.



5. It is in my personal opinion that those who blasepheme this incredible work are simply not into moderne music and would prefer to listen to screeching sopranos and tenors verbrato their way through an opera in any language other than enligsh. But for my generation, this rock opera (if you didn't catch that before buying this fabulus cd, don't blame the fans) got us involved in theatre once again. Its powerful message called one us as a population to not ignore the AIDs epidemic any more. Jonathon Larson used his favorite medium, the stage, as a platform for his stance. If one believes that Broadway is the place for happy endings and large, meaningless outbursts of songs, stay away. But if you believe in a better tomorrow and that we can't ignore this anymore, cough up the money and buy the recording of the best artists singing amazing songs written by a musical genius.

5 comments about The King and I (1956 Film Soundtrack).

1. I have always loved this musical. Yul Bryner as the "King" was wonderful. I have never been able to picture anyone but him in this roll. When I listen to the music I can picture him on the stage performing the songs and creating the role, since I had the opportunity to see him do so on the stage. This is one of my favorite CD's and I listen to it often.



2. If you loved the film like I did, you will want to buy the soundtrack. The audio quality is outstanding, and it will bring back fond memories!



3. I bought this CD as a Christmas gift for my mother who loves musicals. I looked all over the town where I live (Santa Maria, CA) and was unbale to find it anywhere. My search through Amazon brought up the product quickly and it was reasonably priced! It arrived within one week in excellent condition.



4. Bought this for my wife who loves musicals. The soundtrack is re-mastered beautifully, and if you love the musical, you can't go wrong with this soundtrack.



5. The music is absolutly wonderful. The voices are so clear. It is not muffled. It is a truly great CD. I am going to try to save mine for christmas. If I can wait that long. Since I was a kid, I always loved "The King and I" Now I have the music again. To me their is only one King. And thats "Yul Brynner" very talented. But so is Deborah Kerr. You will love it!

5 comments about Monty Python's Spamalot (2005 Original Broadway Cast).

1. Love it! If you are a fan of Monty Python's Holy Grail you will not be disappointed!



2. Both of my sons collect "everything" for Monty Python and they were thrilled to get these gifts from me. One good thing about "Amazon.com"
   is that you can always find what you need here when you can't find it anywhere else!!!



3. I recently saw the 2008 tour production of Spamalot with my family. I would have liked to obtained a CD/DVD of that, but the 2005 version is just as good. I purchased two CD's because I knew my kids would take it and I'd never be able to listen to it. Good thing I did.



4. We saw SPAMALOT twice in Vegas and wanted to hear some of the songs again. This CD brought back all the fond memories and is very well done!



5. Just saw it in Vegas! the show was excellent even though we got the understudy. The only thing i had a problem with was that we paid twice as much for the tickets to get these so-called VIP tickets that were incredibly lame. First we were suppose to get a grail souvener with a free drink in it. When we got there everyone had one and they were about 4 dollars. Plus the free drink was limited to soda or beer. We wished we bought regular tickets at this point. Then after the show we were suppose to be allowed backstage. the only person we got to meet was this twit of a dancer who called us retards because we were being so quiet. plus i really had to pee about midway thanks to the grail full of soda but i was stuck in the middle. Go but dont waste your money on VIP tickets

5 comments about Highlights From The Phantom Of The Opera: The Original London Cast Recording (1986 London Cast).

1. I really enjoy the music and singing of the original Phantom of the Opera. I have been looking for just the musical CD for sometime. I play it alot whil I am cooking, cleaning etc. The sound is great and so are the voices of Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford. The original soundtrack is the best and it gives me such a lift to hear such beautiful voices. I have recently bought a CD of Sarah Brightman just because I have the recording of the Phantom.



2. Very good condensed version of Phantom of the Opera. Transaction was speedy and quality excellent.



3. This is an excellent compilation of the best songs from this production performed by the original performers.



4. 
   I first got the whole phantom CD, and was bored by all the speaking and segways. The songs even sound different. Especially "Music of the Night" I thought they were two different singers till I got the highlights CD. SO much better! I never saw the musical, I think sitting through all that might be kindof boring after listening to the long version. THIS IS GREAT! Music of the night, and all of it sounds perfect. SO GLAD I got this CD!



5. 
   The highlights from Phantom are some of the most beautiful music of our time. Phantom is one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's finest moments. The performance is a joy. I love the bombastic orchestral effects and the tender vocal phrases. The popularity of this work speaks positively of the musical and artistic taste of our generation.

5 comments about Into the Woods (1987 Original Broadway Cast).

1. This is the kind of musical best experienced on stage, and I haven't yet. I'm sure that when I do, I'll be able to enjoy the music better.



2. If you love Sondheim, this is the best...amazing story, amazing music and wonderful cast. Fairy Tales aren't always happily ever after affairs...but then, neither is life in the real world. You just have to keep following the dream and venturing into the woods



3. This is one of my absolute favourite Musicals! Into the Woods combines wit and masterful dialogue to delight people of all ages. I love that the first Act is a Fairy Tale and that the second Act is more sinister and dark. Listen for yourself!



4. We listen to this soundtrack a lot and certainly enjoy it, but we've also seen the musical. I'm not sure I'd like it as much if I hadn't seen the piece.



5. The great thing about Stephen Sondheim is this: the more you listen to and explore his scores, the more impressed you are by his genius.
   
   Nowhere is that genius more apparent than in this musical. Sondheim and James Lapine stir together a stage full of fairy tale characters, give them each a burning, insatiable wish, and formulate happy endings for most.
   
   Then the fun begins. At the start of Act 2, the audience learns what messes are left when one must have one's wish at any cost. Happily ever after melts into battles and infidelities and untimely deaths and heartbreaks.
   
   Sondheim and Lapine explore the human condition with wisdom and insight. Listen to "Your Fault," where characters shoot and are shot at with finger pointing accusations and deflections. How like real life.
   
   This recording is the one to buy, where the performances of Bernadette Peters and the marvelous Chip Zien lift the words and situations straight to our hearts.

5 comments about West Side Story.

1. It was indeed a pleasure to hear the entire original score. Although there may be better versions of the music, hearing the original score brings to life the vivid images of the motion picture.



2. If you, like me, love musicals, then you will definitely enjoy this Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim re-working of the Shakespeare tragedy "Romeo and Juliet". The movie is wonderful, which prompted me to purchase the soundtrack. If you enjoy high-energy numbers with wonderful, on-the-mark vocals, then this is the CD soundtrack for you. And I still get chills when I hear the song "A Boy Like That/I Love Him", a heartbreaking yet beautiful declaration of love, no matter what the obstacles or personal cost.
   
   Suffice it to say that I am satisfied with this purchase, which stays as close as possible to the movie version.



3. I ordered the West Side Story cd and it came in excellent condition. it was sealed and everything and if i find anything else to buy from this seller, i will.



4. C.D. in excellent condition, arrived soon after order. OH! Played at full volume--made me long to see the movie again. May just do that. The other reviewers complimented the movie orchestration and sound track--they were right.Nothing like Leonard Bernstein, Marnie Nixon, et.al.



5. Great music. Just like I remembered it... but even better. Very lively, great instrumentals, and wonderful voices.

5 comments about Young Frankenstein: The New Mel Brooks Musical.

1. Don't believe what you read in the New York Times, especially those caustic reviews by Ben Brantley. He needs to go! Get Clive Barnes back! "Young Frankenstein" is a wonderful, hilarious romp parodying the musicals of Cole Porter and Friml and Youmans. It takes you back to when musicals were fun and frolicsome. There are great performances from everyone. Only Roger Bart doesn't match the mayhem and I think that is more of a directorial matter. I would love to see someone like Bill Irwin or even Robin Williams takeover the role.
   
   The audience simply adored the show when I saw it. And the CD is well worth the price. If you're in New York take in "YF" and another Brantley reject "A Catered Affair." Take a pass on "In the Heights" which is over-hyped and a Latino rip-off of "Rent" and "West Side Story." I just heard that "In the Heights" has already recalled all future discount tickets even though they were purchased before the show won the Tony.
   
   I guess the inhabitants of the Heights won't get to see their own story now.



2. Having been to and enjoyed the musical whilst on holiday in New York I decided to buy the soundtrack when back in the UK. From the first song to the last I loved the soundtrack and, if nothing else, can remind me of the time I spent in New York and the show in particular.
   The tunes are great, the lyrics highly amusing and very much in keeping with the original film.
   I can't wait to go back to NY to see the show again. Thank you Mel Brooks.



3. I purchased the CD with the hopes of clever and catchy tunes as we have come to expect from Mr. Brooks. I was sadly disappointed. Too much crudeness and not enough cleverness. I could barely make myself finish it once thru, much listen to it a second time. Yuk. and that's my professional opinion!



4. I just got back today from seeing Young Frankenstein, and I had to order the CD immediately! I'd heard such terrible reviews, yet within 30 seconds I was laughing and tapping my foot to the music, and I never stopped. Not since I saw "Mamma Mia" have I enjoyed a play so much. I can't imagine what could make anyone dislike this play and music. No, it is not Shakespeare; it's not meant to be. It does what a musical is supposed to do: entertain and leave you singing the tunes. It is non-stop laughter, great dancing, and wonderful, vintage Mel Brooks. I could see it over and over again and never get tired of it or the music. A great soundtrack!



5. I,ve worn out three vhs and one dvd copy of this already. so what if it was not so great on broadway, who wants to dress up and go out when you can watch this ad home and laugh til the beer spurts out you nose?

5 comments about Chicago.

1. The soundtrack arrived within about a week. (I never opt for faster delivery.) It was exactly what I wanted and, as far as I can tell, plays flawlessly.



2. This music is so faithfully performed by the very talented ensemble that it brings back the 1920's vividly. Each song reflects a specific style of the music popular at the time. After listening to this CD I had to see the movie (which was also terrific) and then I had to buy the sheet music. Usually I simply enjoy a CD and move on. This one reached me.



3. The cd is very good. There are only songs, no speaking parts really, even ones that precede certain songs. There are a couple of songs that are not in the movie or that were inspired by the movie. The first time you listen to it if you haven't read the fine print it kind of throws you for a loop. I highly recommend it for all who love the movie!



4. I truly loved the music with the movie is excellent. I was very impressed of the singing of the movie stars.



5. Rob Marshall and company got it exactly right in transferring Chicago to the screen. Though I was not a Renee Zellweiger fan, she changed my opinion with her total tartiness here (and she was terrific in Cold Mountain), she dances competently, and sings the role wonderfully. Katherine Zeta Jones was perfect as Velma Kelly. The rest of the cast are marvelous too....Queen Latifah coudn't have been better cast. Though I have never been conviced of Richard Gere's acting ability, he pulls off the role of Billy Flynn admirably, even his singing and dancing work effectively. They brilliantly wrote a screenplay to encompass most of the stage show, where songs were cut, they needed to be. A well deserved Oscar winner for effectively bringing a musical back to the screen!!

5 comments about Mary Poppins (2005 Original London Cast).

1. If you did not see that musical yet...do it as soon as possible...we saw it 5 months ago and we are still singing.



2. I never grow tired of hearing this music. It is always so uplifting. I find my self singing the tunes all day.



3. In an era of so many Disney feature film crossovers to the stage, we all knew "Mary Poppins" would have to make its way to Broadway eventually. There is a story that the Sherman brothers wrote an ending song for the film that Walt Disney did not like. He said that it was a fine way to end a Broadway show but not his movie. Little did Walt know what was to come!
   
   The original (and beloved) score by the Sherman brothers remains substantially intact among several new songs by the British song-writing team of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. Their contributions are very much in the style of the originals but never, to my ears, blend seamlessly. Each original song has been re-arranged and re-orchestrated for this show, making them a little more "theatrical" in nature and more connected to the expanded plot of the show. (I enjoy the way "Jolly Holiday" is made into a partner song, for example.) But where are strings? In typical modern West End fashion, the pit is almost totally devoid of stringed instruments, much to the detriment of the production, I feel. Still, the cast is enthusiastic and the score has most of the innocence and charm you would want from a remake of the classic film. There are some very nice moments on this recording that cause me to keep this CD close by, though not at the top of the pile.
   
   This is a much more legitimate and satisfying effort than was the staging of the Sherman brothers "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang." I recommend this CD to people who loved the theatrical version and to Broadway collectors in general. If you simply love the film, this CD, while good, may not be for you.



4. I'm a fan of the original movie. Not the obsessive fan that buys all that's Poppins, but a fan nonetheless.
   
   It's surprising that when Disney started producing for Broadway, they didn't see this among the first obvious choices. Of course, considering that Disney didn't have the stage rights to Mary Poppins, it's understandable why it may have taken so long. Fortunately, they were able to do a partnership to finally bring this to the stage.
   
   Unfortunately, I have yet to see this on the stage. I can't wait until the day that I do, though.
   
   The new songs were done in the Sherman Brothers style enough that the old songs flow very nicely, as if they had always been there. "Brimstone and Treacle" is quite possibly the highlight of all the new songs -- a rather cruel song, but you just won't be able to get it out of your head!
   
   I have heard complaints that the musical is a bit too dark due to its reliance on the books a bit more than the movie -- but the original movie wasn't all that bright and cheerful through the entire movie. "Chim Chim Cheree" got downright creepy at points in the song -- some lines still give me some chills running down my spine!
   
   I've yet to read the books... that's next on my list to do before I see it on stage.



5. I recently saw Mary Poppins on Broadway and was blow away by the show. The songs are still in my head weeks later, which is a good thing. I bought this recording of the musical, but also have XM radio, which has access to a recording of the Broadway cast. I have to say that the Broadway cast is better. While the company is great in both, the stars shine better in the Broadway recording. Ashley Brown interpreted the songs better than her London counterpart. I can only hope that Disney will decide to release the Broadway recording.