Douglas Mayo reviews the Prince Of Broadway Original Broadway Cast Recording which pays tribute to Harold Prince on Ghostlight Records.
Prince Of Broadway
Original Broadway Cast Album
Ghostlight Records
5 Stars
If anyone deserved a show payting tribute to his theatrical career it's Harold Prince. The recipient of no less than 21 Tony Awards he has had a show running on Broadway almost every night since 1954. He's worked in stage mnanagement, directing and producing, and been responsible for some of the most ground-breaking musicals.
Prince Of Broadway was presented by an ensemble of eight of the theatre's best at the Manhattan Theatre Club under the direction of Susan Stroman and the musical supervision of Jason Robert Brown and thankfully Kumiko Yoshii ensured that this incredible cast was preserved on this recording.
Selecting songs for an evening's entertainment would have been no easy feat. Twenty songs from a selection of shows are featured on this recording and each of them is a real treat, for not only do we have the songs themselves but an ensemble that includes stellar performers that really put life into these songs that span several decades of iconic musicals.
Highlights include Brandon Uranowitz performing Tonight at Eight (She Loves Me), and Dressing Them Up (Kiss Of The Spider Woman), Emily Skinner's The Lady Who Lunch (Company) and Now You Know (Merrily We Roll Along), Chuck Cooper's If I Were A Rich Man (Fiddler On The Roof), Tony Yazbeck's This Is Not Over Yet (Parade), Karen Ziemba's The Worst Pies In London (Sweeney Todd), Janet Dacal and Michael Xavier performing You've Got Possibilities (It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's Superman), Bryonha Marie Parham performing Will He Like Me? (She Loves Me) and Michael Xavier's Being Alive (Company) amongst others. The show has a thumping Broadway overture arranged by Jason Robert Brown and a new song Do The Work also by Robert Brown beautifully bookends the evening.
If you are a fan of Broadway then the Prince Of Broadway cast album is a must for your collection. It's a fitting tribute for a man who has given his life and soul and more than any other person deserves the title The Prince Of Broadway.
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Douglas Mayo has had a life long love affair with musical theatre. He has authored several books on publicity and marketing for amateur theatre groups. He is in the process of developing a musical based on his original story concept.
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