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

cast), Arthur Siegel, Chita Rivera, Jo Sullivan. Painted Smiles PS 1375; reissued 1989 on Painted Smiles PSCD 108. Contents: “One Touch of Venus,” “How Much I Love You,” “Dr. Crippen,” “Very, Very, Very,” “Vive la différence” (cut), and “Love in a Mist” (cut).

FILM (Republic Pictures 1948): Cast: Robert Walker, Ava Gardner (dubbed by Eileen Wilson), Olga San Juan, Eve Arden. Produced and directed by William A. Seiter. Songs: “Speak Low,” “That’s Him,” “Foolish Heart” (retitled “Don’t Look Now but My Heart Is Showing”). [82 minutes]

Pal Joey

Original cast, revival cast, and studio cast (1950): Vivienne Segal, Harold Lang, Barbara Ashley, Beverly Fite, Kenneth Remo, Jo Hurt, Lehman Engel (conductor) (1940s lyrics and orchestrations). Columbia ML 54364; reissued on Columbia Special Products COL 4364. Missing: “Chicago” and “The Flower Garden of My Heart.”

Original revival cast, studio cast (1952): Helen Gallagher, Patricia Northrop, Elaine Stritch, Lewis Bolyard, Jane Froman, Dick Beavers, Max Meth (conductor) (1952 lyrics and orchestrations). Missing: Ballet (“Chez Joey”). Angel ZDM 0777–7-646962–2-1.

Film cast (1957): Frank Sinatra, Rita Hayworth (sung by Jo Ann Greer), Kim Novak (sung by Trudi Erwin), Morris Stoloff (conductor). Songs (from Pal Joey): “Zip,” “Chicago,” “That Terrific Rainbow,” “Pal Joey,” and “Bewitched.” Songs interpolated from other Rodgers and Hart shows: “There’s a Small Hotel” (On Your Toes, 1936), “My Funny Valentine” and “The Lady Is a Tramp” (Babes In Arms, 1937), and “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” (Too Many Girls,” 939). Capitol W-912.

Encore! Concert Cast (1995): Patti Lupone, Peter Gallagher, Bebe Neuwirth, Rob Fisher (conductor). DRG 94763. With original orchestrations by Hans Spialek. Restored song: “I’m Talkin’ to My Pal.”

FILM (Columbia 1957): Cast: Rita Hayworth, Frank Sinatra, Kim Novak. Screenplay by Dorothy Kingsley. Produced by Fred Kohlmar. Directed by George Sidney. Choreography by Hermes Pan. Songs (from Pal Joey): “Zip,” “Chicago,” “That Terrific Rainbow,” “Pal Joey,” and “Bewitched.” Songs interpolated from other Rodgers and Hart shows: “There’s a Small Hotel” (On Your Toes, 1936), “My Funny Valentine” and “The Lady Is a Tramp” (Babes In Arms, 1937), and “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” (Too Many Girls,” 1939). RCA/Columbia Classics [listed time 109 minutes; actual time app. 87 minutes]

The Phantom of the Opera

Original London cast (1986): Michael Crawford, Sarah Brightman, Steven Barton, Michael Reed (conductor). Polydor 831 273–2 Y-2.

FILM (Warner Bros. 2004): Cast: Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossum, Patrick Wilson, Miranda Richardson, Minnie Driver, Simon Callow, Ciarán Hinds, Jennifer Ellison. Screenplay by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Joel Schumacher. Produced by Lloyd Webber. Directed by Schumacher. Added song: “Learn to Be Lonely” [143 minutes]

Porgy and Bess

Original cast (1935): Gershwin Performs Gershwin Rare Recordings 1931–1935. Musicmasters 5062–2 C (CD). Porgy and Bess rehearsal performance, July 19, 1935, conducted by Gershwin. Contents: “Introduction,” “Summertime” (Abbie Mitchell), “A Woman Is a Sometime Thing” (Edward Matthews), Act I, scene 1: Finale, “My Man’s Gone Now” (Ruby Elzy), and “Bess, You Is My Woman Now” (Todd Duncan, Anne Brown).

Studio cast (1936): George Gershwin Plays George Gershwin. Pearl Gemm CDS 9483 (CD). Lawrence Tibbett, Helen Jepson, Alexander Smallens (conductor). Selections from Porgy and Bess, November 1935 (originally issued on Victor 11878/81). Contents: “It Ain’t Necessarily So,” “The Buzzard Song,” “Scene: Summertime/ Crapgame/A Woman Is a Sometime Thing,” “Bess, You Is My Woman Now,” “I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin,’” “Where Is My Bess?,” “Summertime,” and “My Man’s Gone Now.” Lawrence Tibbett’s “I Got Plenty o’ Nuttin’” (October 23, 1935) appears on Showstoppers: Historic Victor Recordings. BMG 9590–2 R (CD).

Original cast (1940–1942): Todd Duncan, Anne Brown, Edward Matthews, Eva Jessye Choir, Alexander Smallens (conductor). Decca DL 9024; reissued on MCA 2035. Fourteen selections.*

Studio cast (1951): Lawrence Winters, Camilla Williams, Inez Matthews, Warren Coleman, Avon Long, J. Rosamond Johnson Chorus, Lehman Engel (conductor). Columbia OSL 163; reissued on Odyssey 32 36 0018 (nearly complete on three LPs).

Jazz recording (1957): Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong. Verve VE 2–2507.

Jazz recording (1958): Miles Davis, Gil Evans. Columbia PC 8085.

Film cast (1959): Cab Calloway (replacing the film’s Sammy Davis Jr. for contractual reasons), Pearl Bailey, Brock Peters, André Previn (conductor). Columbia OS 2016.

Studio cast (1963): Leontyne Price, William Warfield, McHenry Boatwright, John Bubbles, Skitch Henderson (conductor). RCA LSC 2679. Twelve selections.

Studio cast (1976): Willard White, Leona Mitchell, McHenry Boatwright, Florence Quivar, Barbara Hendricks, Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus, Lorin Maazel (conductor). London OSA 13116.

Opera production (1977): Clamma Dale, Donnie Ray Albert, Larry Marshall, Houston Opera Company. John DeMain (conductor). RCA ARL 3–2109.

Opera production (1989): Cynthia Haymon, Willard White, Damon Evans, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Simon Rattle (conductor). EMI/Angel CDCC 49568.

FILM (Samuel Goldwyn film released by Columbia 1959): Cast: Sidney Poitier, Dorothy Dandridge, Sammy Davis Jr., Pearl Bailey, Brock Peters, Diahann Carroll. Screenplay by N. Richard Nash. Directed by Otto Preminger. Choreography by Hermes Pan. Deleted?: “My Man’s Gone Now” (included on the soundtrack but not in the film copy available to me). [listed at 139 minutes; actual time of film copy available to me app. 115 minutes]

FILM (EMI Classics 1993): Cast: Willard White, Cynthia Haymon, Gregg Baker, Cynthia Clarey, Marietta Simpson, Damon Evans, Paula Ingram (sung by Harolyn Blackwell), Gordon Hawkins (sung by Bruce Hubbard). Produced by Richard Price (Primetime) and Dennis Marks (BBC). Adapted for the screen and directed by Trevor Nunn. Simon Rattle (conductor). [184 minutes]

Show Boat

Original London cast (1928): “Make Believe” (Edith Day and Howett Worster), “Ol’ Man River” (Paul Robeson), “Ol’ Man River” (Jules (Bledsoe), “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man” (Marie Burke), “You Are Love” (Day and Worster), “Why Do I Love You?” (Day and Worster), “Bill” (Marie Burke), and “Dance Away the Night” (Day). Pearl Gemm CD 9105.

Original London cast (1928): Showstoppers: Historic Victor Recordings. BMG 9590–2 R (CD). Contents: “Ol’ Man River” (Paul Robeson, March 1, 1928) and “Bill” (Helen Morgan, February 14, 1928).†

Original revival cast (1932): “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man” and “Bill” (Helen Morgan), “Ol’ Man River” (Paul Robeson), “Make Believe” (James Melton), “You Are Love” (Countess Olga Albani and Frank Munn). Victor Young (conductor). Columbia-CBS/ASV-Living Era.

Original revival cast (1946): Jan Clayton, Carol Bruce, Charles Fredericks, Kenneth Spencer, Helen Dowdy, Edwin McArthur (conductor).‡

Film cast (1951): Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, William