They're Playing our Song--OBC album on CD

I've heard the title song from this show so many times, but didn't really know what the show was all about. Turns out its about songwriters, pop songwriters, which explains the variety of pop genres that the score covers. I suppose the variety makes sense given the world of the show, but They're Playing our Song didn't keep me humming along. Pop songs don't have much of a shape or a climax often, where in the theater we're all about building toward that big moment; perhaps that is why this score just left me lying there.

This is basically a two-person show, although the male and female leads each have a back-up group that functions as a sort of Greek Chorus, or The Chorus of Inner Thoughts. I hear voices in my head sometimes, too.

For a two-person show, I wanted some better singing. Lucie Arnaz (in her Broadway debut) has a pleasant voice, but it is rather characterless--neither a pop voice nor a musical theater voice. Robert Klein has a pop voice with a decent range, but he does sound a bit like an aging heavy metal band singer, all rasp and cigarettes.

Music by Marvin Hamlisch
Lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager
Book by Neil Simon

Opened 1979 and ran for more than 1,000 performances, so some one must have liked it.
Cast: Robert Klein, Lucie Arnaz

Sweeney Todd in Concert--PBS broadcast on DVD

There are so many versions of this show that I could have chosen from, perhaps more than any other musical theatre piece. There are opera versions, Broadway versions, concert versions, a film version, and studio cast versions. What is it about Sweeney Todd that elicits such a desire to produce and record it?

Well, the strength and variety of the music in the show may be the first reason. There are many memorable songs and musical moments in Sweeney, but I was struck in watching this concert version how much music between the big numbers I didn't remember, and how good and interesting is that connective music. This version may make more of the music than many others as the score is played by a top-notch symphony orchestra. Vocally, this version is also strong across the board, as you might suspect from an orchestral production. However, most of the performers do not come from the opera house or the concert stage, they come from the Broadway tradition.

George Hearn and Patti Lupone are particularly well matched vocally. Both are firmly from the Broadway tradition and are willing to let "vocal beauty" be subordinate--when appropriate--to characterization. I was particularly struck with the ability of George Hearn to stand on equal vocal footing with Timothy Nolen, an operatic baritone who portrays Judge Turpin. I've seen Mr. Nolen live on stage in this role, at the Lyric Opera where Sweeney was sung by Bryn Terfel. Nolen can hold his own with anyone and I believe it is the strength of both Messrs Nolen and Hearn that they can morph their vocal style to match not only the character and the moment, but also their colleagues.

Props must be given to the production team for this concert version, too. This is an ambition take from a production standpoint for an orchestra in a orchestra hall. The staging is detailed, the script and music memorized by the performers, there are costumes, furniture, some props, many light and sound cues. It must have really pushed the limits of the capability of Davies Hall.

Sweeney Todd
In Concert with the San Francisco Symphony and Chorus
Conducted by Rob Fisher
Directed by Lonny Price
Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Aired on PBS in 2001, released on DVD in 2002
Cast: George Hearn, Patti Lupone, Neil Patrick Harris, Timothy Nolen, Davis Gaines, Lisa Vroman, John Aler, Stanford Olsen, Victoria Clark

Evita film on DVD

Out of respect for the recent announcement concerning the future of Mr. and Mrs. Guy Ritchie, I offer what may be Mrs. Ritchie's only appearance in my Year. Of course, I mean Madonna's portrayal of that other powerful and over-reaching 20th Century icon in Evita. Oddly, this is Antonio Banderas's second appearance in my Year, previously having been discussed in the cast of the revival of Nine.

This film feels very much like an MTV music video, with much of the singing covered by visuals of other action, presented in quick-cut shots. With non-singers playing the two lead singing roles, that may not be surprising. Both leads are very visually satisfying, though, with Madonna wearing very attractive 40's era dresses on her petite frame and Mr. Banderas just being angry and hot.

Jonathan Pryce, as Juan Peron, out-acts and out-sings both of his cast mates, offering subtleties in both acting and singing, even if his is not a traditional baritone voice.

The song written for the film, "You Must Love Me" doesn't really offer anything new and isn't a pretty enough tune to warrant its inclusion.Does someone have a cabaret show of all song cuts from out-of-town tryouts, or songs added for films or revivals? An interesting idea.

One very nice addition to the film that I don't recall from the stage version (which I saw years ago) is the inclusion of dance, particularly tangos, expecially the "dream tango" that Banderas and Madonna dance during their only duet, "High Flying Adored".

Evita
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Book and Lyrics by Tim Rice
Film released in 1996
Directed by Alan Parker
Cast: Madonna, Antonio Banderas, Jonathan Pryce