Enchanted Evenings:The Broadway Musical from 'Show Boat' to Sondheim and Lloyd Webber by Block, Geoffrey (good story books to read .TXT) 📕

Mitzi Gaynor, Phil Harris, Jeanmarie. Screenplay by Sidney Sheldon. Produced by Robert Emmett Dolan, Directed by Robert M. Lewis. Choreography by Nick Castle. Songs by Porter: “I Get a Kick Out of You,” “Anything Goes,” “You’re the Top,” “Blow, Gabriel, Blow,” “It’s De-Lovely” (from 1962 Revival), “All through the Night.” [106 minutes]

Carousel

Original cast (1945): John Raitt, Jan Clayton, Jean Darling, Christine Johnson, Joseph Littau (conductor). Decca DLP-8003; reissue. MCA 2033. Missing: “Geraniums in the Winder” and some dance numbers.

Film cast (1956): Gordon MacRae, Shirley Jones, Barbara Ruick, Robert Rounseville, Cameron Mitchell, Alfred Newman (conductor). Capitol SW 694. Missing: “Geraniums in the Winder,” “The Highest Judge of All,” and some dance numbers.

Studio cast (1988): Barbara Cook, Samuel Ramey, Sarah Brightman, David Rendall, Maureen Forrester, and Paul Gemignani (conductor). MCA Classics MCAD 6209.

FILM (2Oth Century-Fox 1956): Cast: Gordon MacRae, Shirley Jones, Cameron Mitchell, Barbara Ruick, Claramae Turner, and Robert Rounseville. Screenplay by Henry and Phoebe Ephron. Produced by Henry Ephron. Directed by Henry King. Choreography by Rod Alexander and Agnes de Mille. Not included: “Geraniums in the Winder” and “The Highest Judge of All.” [128 minutes]

The Cradle Will Rock

Composer and original cast (1938): Olive Stanton, Charles Niemeyer, Bert Weston, Edward Fuller, Jules Schmidt, John Adair, Ralph MacBane, Peggy Coudray, Maynard Holmes, Dulce Fox, George Fairchild, Blanche Collins, Howard da Silva, Marc Blitzstein (narration and piano). Musicraft Records No. 18; reissued American Legacy T 1001 and “Marc Blitzstein Musical Theatre Premières,” Pearl Gems 0009, 2 CDs (1998). Nearly complete.*

Composer and studio cast (1957): Marc Blitzstein Discusses His Theater Compositions. Evelyn Lear, Roddy McDowall, Jane Connell, Alvin Epstein, Marc Blitzstein (piano). Spoken Arts 717. Spoken historical introduction by Blitzstein, “Nickel under the Foot,” and Hotel Lobby Scene.

Revival cast (1964): Jerry Orbach, Lauri Peters, Clifford David, Rita Gardner, Micki Grant, Hal Buckley, Nancy Andrews, Gershon Kingsley (musical director and pianist). MGM SE 4289–2 OC (complete on two records).

London cast (1985): Patti Lupone, Randle Mell, Michael Barrett (musical director and pianist). That’s Entertainment Records ZC TED 1105 (complete).

Film Soundtrack (1999): BMG/RCA 0902700. Songs (with selective singers): “Nickel under the Foot,” “Moll’s Song” (Steven Tyler, Emily Watson), “Croon Spoon” (Eddie Vedder, Susan Sarandon), “Joe Worker” (Audra McDonald), “Honolulu,” “Reverend Salvation,” Freedom of the Press,” “The Cradle Will Rock.”

FILM (Touchstone 1999): Cast: Hank Azaria, Rubén Blades, Joan Cusack, John Cusack, Cary Elwes, Angus MacFadyen, Bill Murray, Vanessa Redgrave, Susan Sarandon, John Turturro, and Emily Watson. Screenplay by Tim Robbins. Produced by Lydia Dean-Pilcher, Jon Kilik, and Robbins. Directed by Robbins. Songs: See Film Soundtrack (1999). [134 minutes]

Follies

Original cast (1971): Alexis Smith, Gene Nelson, John McMartin, Yvonne DeCarlo, Dorothy Collins, Mary McCarty, Ethel Shutta, Victoria Mallory, Fifi D’Orsay, Harold Hastings (conductor). Capitol SO 761.

Concert cast (1985): Barbara Cook, Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Lee Remick, Mandy Patinkin, Licia Albanese, George Hearn, Phyllis Newman, Carol Burnett, Elaine Stritch, Paul Gemignani (conductor). RCA HBC2–7128.

Studio cast (1985): A Collector’s Sondheim. Craig Lucas, Suzanne Henry, E. Martin Perry (conductor). Contents (dropped songs only): “All Things Bright and Beautiful,” “Uptown, Downtown,” “Who Could Be Blue?,” “Little White House,” “It Wasn’t Meant to Happen,” and “Can That Boy Fox-trot!” RCA CRL4–5359. With the exception of “Can That Boy Foxtrot!” all songs above appear in Marry Me a Little (1981) RCA ABL1–4159.

London cast (1987): Diana Rigg, Julia McKenzie, Daniel Massey, David Healy, Dolores Gray, Martin Koch (conductor). Geffen 24183–4. Includes “Ah, but Underneath” (replacing “The Story of Lucy and Jessie”), “Country House” (replacing “The Road You Didn’t Take”), “Make the Most of Your Music” (replacing “Live, Laugh, Love”)

Paper Mill Playhouse Cast, “The Complete Recording” (1998). Kaye Ballard (“Broadway Baby”), Eddie Bracken, Laurence Guittard, Dee Hoty, Donna McKechnie, Ann Miller (“I’m Still Here”), Lilane Montevecchi, Phyllis Newman, Tony Roberts, and Donald Sadler, and Jonathan Tunick (conductor). TVT Soundtrax TVT 1030–2.

Guys and Dolls

Composer and studio cast (c. 1950–1955): An Evening with Frank Loesser: Frank Loesser Performs Songs from His Hit Shows. DRG 5169 (CD). Contents: “Fugue for Tinhorns” (with Milton Delugg and Sue Bennett), “I’ll Know,” “Luck Be a Lady,” “I’ve Never Been in Love Before,” “Sit Down You’re Rockin’ The Boat,” “Sue Me,” “Traveling Light” (unused), and “Adelaide” (from 1955 MGM film).

Original cast (1950): Robert Alda, Vivian Blaine, Sam Levene, Isabel Bigley, Pat Rooney Sr., Stubby Kaye, Irving Actman (conductor). Decca 8036; reissue MCA 2034. Missing: “Havana” and “Crapshooter” dances.

Film cast (1955): Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, Jean Simmons, Jay Blackton (conductor). Decca ED 2332. Added: “Pet Me, Poppa,” “A Woman in Love,” and “Adelaide.”

Studio Cast (1986): Emily Loesser, Gregg Edelman, Kim Criswell, John Owen Edwards (conductor). JAY 1356.

Revival cast (1992): Peter Gallagher, Nathan Lane, Josie de Guzman, Faith Prince, Edward Strauss (conductor). RCA 09026–61317–2.

FILM (Samuel Goldwyn [released by MGM] 1955): Cast: Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra, Vivian Blaine, and Stubby Kaye. Screenplay by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Produced by Samuel Goldwyn. Choreography by Michael Kidd: Deleted songs: “A Bushel and a Peck,” “More I Cannot Wish You,” “I’ve Never Been in Love Before,” and “Marry the Man Today.” Added songs: “Pet Me, Poppa,” “A Woman in Love,” and “Adelaide.” [149 minutes]

Into the Woods

Original Cast (1987): Bernadette Peters, Joanna Gleason, Chip Zien, Tom Aldredge, Robert Westenberg, Kim Crosby, Ben Wright, Danielle Ferland, Kay McClelland, and Lauren Mitchell, Paul Gemignani (conductor). RCA 6796–2-RC.

London Cast (1991): Julia McKenzie, Imelda Staunton, Patsy Rowlands, Clive Carter, Jonathan Tunick (conductor). New song (for the Witch and Rapunzel): “Our Little World.” BMG/RCA 0902700.

FILM (Image Entertainment (1991): Cast: Bernadette Peters, Joanna Gleason, Chip Zien, Tom Aldredge, Robert Westenberg, Kim Crosby, Ben Wright, Danielle Ferland, Kay McClelland, and Lauren Mitchell, Paul Gemignani (conductor). Produced by Iris Merlis and Michael Brandman. Directed by James Lapine. [153 minutes]

Kiss Me, Kate

Original cast (1949): Alfred Drake, Patricia Morison, Lisa Kirk, Harold Lang, Lorenzo Fuller, Harry Clark, and Jack Diamond, Pembroke Davenport (conductor). Columbia S 32609; reissued on Time-Life P 15602 (S), set STL AM02 with Anything Goes and Can-Can (set title, Cole Porter). Missing: “I Sing of Love,” “Act I Finale,” and some dance numbers.

Film cast (1953): Howard Keel, Kathryn Grayson, Ann Miller, Bobby Van,