Sweet CD's and a Big Week For Grease Guys

As expected, my weekend trip to Wisconsin last weekend was horribly dull, but hopefully I won't have to go for at least another year now, if not longer. The upside was that I got to stop at Barnes and Noble by my parents' and picked up the 1986 Sweet Charity Revival Cast recording. First of all, has anyone else noticed that track 9 is missing for the track listing on the back? It goes right from Track 8 to Track 10. Will this make it a collector's item in the next 50 years? The Sound Of Music had the same problem, it skipped track 12 on the back. Anyways, the Sweet Charity recording is far and away the best out of the 4 that I'm familiar with (the original Gwen Verdon version, which, as much as I like her, I find her vocals too grating, the Shirley MacLaine movie soundtrack, of which the less said the better, and the Christina Applegate revival recording, and again, as much as I love Christina, I was rather underwhelmed). Bebe of course is fantastic, and Debbie Allen is terrific, she's the only one that I don't cringe when she yells "Hey girls, it's me, Chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarity" at the end of "If They Could See Me Now." My only concern is that it was put out by the same label that did March of the Falsettos, DRG, and while it appeared to copy ok, no Music Match shutdowns, I still have to listen to the copied files to make sure the sound quality is still ok. Speaking of The Sound of Music, I also picked up the 1967 revival recording of South Pacific with Florence Henderson, and boy, what a career she could have had if a certain television show hadn't come along. She's good on the Oklahoma! CD, but her star power really shines through on SP. She sounds almost exactly like Julie Andrews on "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair." It's definitely again, the best out of the four major recordings available (the original BWay recording, the movie soundtrack, and thwe 1986 studio cast). That's the one that's staying on my mp3 player. The other CD that I'm finding myself pulling out more and more is the Side Show cast recording. I liked it to start with but it is really growing on me in a way I don't think any show has lately. The last I can remember like this is Les Miz, I loved it the first time I heard it and then after I saw it, I couldn't get enough of it. Side Show is just like that, I keep hearing more and more every time, it was definitely an overlooked gem. Hopefully it'll be ripe for revival in about 10 years, maybe with Lea Michelle as Violet?

Speaking of CD's, the Grease recording is going to be released sometime in October. I'm still debating about whether or not I'll buy it, but since that bitch isn't in it, and I said I would if she didn't make the cut, I probably will. Hopefully there'll be some nice pictures of Max in the booklet to at least make it worthwhile. Speaking of Max, he's got a brief interview on playbill.com, and if his answers don't scream Big Queen, then nothing does. I do have to admit, it takes one to know one--the most played track on his ipod is the same as the most played track on mine, enough said. Hopefully he'll be done with constant rehearsals the next time I'm in NY and I can get a personal meeting. However, it's been a big week for former YTOTIW contestants. Gorgeous Derek is taking over the role of Matthew in Altar Boyz in New York. Hopefully he'll stay long enough that I can get a personal meeting in with him too. He's just got to watch his pitch and make sure he doesn't get so winded doing the dances that he can't belt out the notes. Fortunately for him he's cute enough the audience should be forgiving. While he's bringing faith to the masses, Derek will be losing his head nightly in Florida in a hoped-to-be pre-Broadway productio nof a musical Tale of Two Cities. At least if he cracks any more notes, the audience can see its wish fulfilled at the end of the show.

Apparently cute guys are heading all over the country, Xanadu will be touring starting next year. A definite tour schedule has not yet been announced, but producers did announce this week that the show will be touring the US and going to London. Please, come to Chicago, we've got several smaller sized theatres that would perfectly replicate the Helen Hayes's ambience. I'll be there every week if the producers could see their way to making us the first stop. However, while Xanadu has been enjoying unexpected success, Idol: The Musical is the new Carrie. After completely replacing the cast during previews, the producers closed the show on opening night. Why pay New York prices to see an impersonation of Clay when you can hop on gay.com and get him in person?

And lastly, after a lackluster summer (except for The Most Happy Fella and Philip Glass), Ravinia is kicking it into high gear next week, with not one, not two, but three fabulous events: Heather Headley on Monday, Debbie Voigt on Thursday, and Patti and Audra on Sunday. Look for my reviews next week!