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- Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Stephen Sondheim's "Road Show" Receives Regional Theatre Premiere in Houston
Stephen Sondheim's latest musical, Road Show, begins a six-week run at the Stages Repertory Theatre in Houston, Texas, tonight, marking its first regional theatre production. The Guardian has described Road Show as "an intimate epic that, while giving enormous pleasure, aspires to be nothing less than a state-of-the-nation musical." Variety calls it "an alluring odyssey ... [N]obody who cares about musical theater should miss it." Nonesuch Records and PS Classics released the original cast recording of Road Show in 2009.
- Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Stephen Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd” Opens in London’s West End: “An Absolute Bleedin' Triumph” (Times, Five Stars)
Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd opened at London's Adelphi Theatre last night, a West End transfer of the acclaimed Chichester Festival production, directed by Jonathan Kent. The production, starring Imelda Staunton and Michael Ball, opened to rave reviews, earning five stars from the Guardian, which calls it "a superb achievement," and the Times of London, which calls it "an absolute bleedin' triumph." The Daily Telegraph says Sweeney Todd is "Stephen Sondheim’s best show and one of the greatest musicals of all time." Earlier this month in London, Sondheim was awarded the Critics' Circle Award for Distinguished Services to the Arts.
About this Album
In October 2001, Nonesuch Records released the first-ever recording of Stephen Sondheim’s The Frogs, partnered on the same CD with a new recording of the composer/lyricist’s 1966 score, Evening Primrose. The Frogs, adapted from Aristophenes’ comedy, originally staged in the Yale University swimming pool as part as the Yale Repertory Theatre’s 1974 season, featured a cast of future stars including Christopher Durang, Sigourney Weaver, and Meryl Streep. This world premiere recording features Tony Award winners Nathan Lane (The Producers) and Brian Stokes Mitchell (Kiss Me Kate), as well as Davis Gaines (The Phantom of the Opera). Featuring the poignant “Fear No More” and the brilliantly funny “Invocation and Instructions to the Audience,” this release marks the first time that The Frogs will be available in its entirety.
Based on a short story by John Collier, Evening Primrose, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and teleplay by James Goldman, was originally produced in 1966 for the television series ABC Stage 67 and starred Anthony Perkins. This new recording featuring Neil Patrick Harris (New York Philharmonic’s Sweeney Todd: Live In Concert) and Theresa McCarthy (Floyd Collins, Titanic), is the first recording of the show under Sondheim’s supervision.
Credits
MUSICIANS
Casts (in order of appearance):
The Frogs
Dionysos: Nathan Lane
Xanthias, Pluto: Brian Stokes Mitchell
Shakespeare: Davis Gaines
Evening Primrose
Charles Snell: Neil Patrick Harris
Ella Harkins: Theresa McCarthy
Orchestra:
The American Theatre Orchestra
Violin: Suzanne Ornstein, concertmistress for The Frogs; Erica Kiesewetter, concertmistress for Evening Primrose; Martin Agee, Eric DeGioia, Christoph Franzgrote, Suzanne Gilman, Katherine Hannauer, Lisa Matricardi, Joel Pitchon, Marilyn Reynolds, Richard Rood, Victor Schultz, Laura Seaton, Belinda Whitney-Barrat, Mineko Yajima, Xin Zhao, Robert Zubrycki
Viola: David Blinn, Richard Brice, Kenneth Burward-Hoy, Rick Dolan, Karen Dreyfus, Masako Yanagita
Cello: Deborah Assael, David Bakamjian, Eugene Moye, Clay Ruede, Igor Scedrov
Bass: John Beal
Woodwind: Dennis Anderson, clarinet, flute; John Campo, bassoon, bass clarinet; Melanie Feld, oboe, English horn; Mark Goldberg, bassoon; John Moses, clarinet; Les Scott, clarinet, flute, piccolo; Mark Thrasher, bassoon
Trumpet: Dominic Derasse, Lawrence Lunetta
Trombone: Lisa Albrecht, Bruce Eidem, Dean Plank, James Pugh
French Horn: Jeffrey Lang, Lawrence Dibello
Percussion/Drums: Roxan Jurkevich, Joseph Passaro, Paul Pizzuti, James Saporito, Thad Wheeler
Harp: Jennifer Hoult, Beth Robinson
Piano/Celeste: Paul Ford
Chorus:
Soprano: Marion Beckenstein, Mary Sue Berry, Patti Dunham, Melissa Kelley, Karen Patton Hall, Susan Pfau, Deborah Stephens
Alto: Yvonne Anderson, September Bigelow, Michele Hemmings, Nedra Neal, Rosa Pascarella
Jacqueline Pierce (contractor)
Tenor: James Bassi, Rodne Brown, John Demler, Drew Martin, Frank Ream
Bass: Roderick Gomez, Michael McCoy, Joseph Neal, Christopher Renquist, Charles Sprawls, Mark Sullivan, Peter Van Derick, Benjamin Whiteley
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Tommy Krasker
The Frogs
Recorded June 2000 at The Hit Factory, New York City
Engineered by Paul Zinman
Assistant Engineers: Michael McCoy, Kevin Myers
Davis Gaines appears courtesy of LAP Records.
Evening Primrose
Recorded June 2001 at The Hit Factory, New York City
Engineered by Joel Moss
Assistant Engineers: Claudius Mittendorfer, Jaime Duncan
Edited and Mixed by Joel Moss
Assistant Engineer: Claudius Mittendorfer
Mastered by Ric Wilson, Digisonics, Northridge, CA
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
The Frogs: Book by Burt Shevelove, adapted from the comedy by Aristophanes; original text abridged by Stephen Sondheim and Tommy Krasker. Evening Primrose: Based on a story by John Collier; book by James Goldman.
Orchestrations: Jonathan Tunick
Musical Director: Paul Gemignani
Music Preparation: Peggy Serra, Hal Serra; Katharine Edmonds (Emily Grishman Music Preparation)
Orchestral Contractor: Ronald Sell
Design by John Gall
Booklet interior design by Gabriele Wilson
Cover: Ristisaari, Finland 1974 by Pentti Sammallahti
Executive Producer: Robert Hurwitz
Also From Stephen Sondheim
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Sweeney Todd (2007 Film Soundtrack) (Highlights)
December 17, 2007 -
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Sweeney Todd (2006 Broadway Cast Recording)
January 31, 2006 -
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