Mandy Patinkin--Recital disc "Oscar and Steve"

Like many musical theater fans, I first encountered Mandy Patinkin in his role in Evita, then later in Sunday in the Park with George. I've liked him in the stage work I've seen in him (although I've never seen him live). So I was curious about his recital disc Oscar and Steve from 1995 when I saw it at a used book and record sale this weekend. I thought "for three bucks, how bad could it be?"

The idea of of this album is wonderful--connecting the songs of Oscar Hammerstein and Stephen Sondheim. There are several pairings of songs that are also very interesting, although work more from a thematic standpoint than from a musical one. The pairing of "You've got to be Carefully Taught" from South Pacific and "Children will Listen" from Into the Woods is a prime example--thematically these songs fit together very well, but in the arrangement offered here it seems to play up the musical differences rather than combine their styles. The version of "An Ordinary Couple" from The Sound of Music with "When the Children are Asleep" from Carousel works better--probably because they are by the same composer.

There are some nice rarities offered here, too: a song from the 1935 film version of Show Boat; a song cut from Follies; and a couple of songs originally written for women.

Mr. Patinkin's musical mannerisms are the stuff of legend, and he doesn't leave you wanting here, I should say--every mannerism is on display in spades. As the joke goes--Mandy Patinkin sings "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" so beautifully he makes himself cry. Is the joke from a version of Forbidden Broadway? For me the only thing more tiresome than an overly precious performance is an overly broad performance.

These two types of performances are Mr. Patinkin's stock and trade.

Oscar and Steve

Music by Richard Rodgers, Stephen Sondheim, Jerome Kern, and others
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein and Stephen Sondheim

Performed by Mandy Patinkin

Released on Nonesuch Records in 1995

Victor/Victoria Broadway stage production on DVD

I was so glad when I saw that this taping of the Broadway version of Victor/Victoria was available. I knew that the stage version differed greatly from the 1982 film it was based on, but I didn't know in what ways it differed.

Ms. Andrews was 60 when her dream to return to Broadway in a stage version of the film she had starred in came true. Perhaps a little long in the tooth for the role, she none-the-less does not embarrass herself. In fact I was surprised how spry she was in this demanding role.

Vocally, Ms. Andrews was well past her peak at this point and the register she most often sings in here is husky drag queen, although she does pop out a couple of high notes (is an E-flat really a high note for someone who was the leading Broadway soprano of her day?). What is still firmly on display is Ms. Andrews performance charisma. She's a star and you can't take your eyes of her. I was pleased to see her dance in this show, in particular.

Fortunately, she also is surrounded for the most part by good talent. Rachel York made a name for herself as Norma Cassidy, the cupey doll-voiced gangster moll (played by Leslie Ann Warren in the film). Ms. York is hysterical, but does often go over the top. Her song "Paris Makes Me Horny" (also in the film, I believe) is very funny, but I wonder if the lyrics are really too smart to be believable coming out of this character's mouth. Michael Nouri is very sexy as King Marchan, and while he gets to singing something in the stage version (which James Garner didn't do in the film) it's not the best music of the show.

Actually, the music added for the stage version is not on par with the best numbers that remain from the film. "Le Jazz Hot" is a very likable song and good production number. "Chicago, Illinois" sung by Norma and her chorus-girls is also good in both film and stage incarnations.

I had an idea once that this show would be more interesting if the Julie Andrews role were played and sung by a man; so like original Shakespeare, it would be a man playing a woman who is pretending to be a man. Of course, the singing complicates that, but I thought with a good counter-tenor voice it could work. After having seen the stage version, I'm not so certain.

Victor/Victoria
Music by Henry Mancini
Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse
Book by Blake Edwards
Opened in 1995; DVD released in 2001
Cast: Julie Andrews, Michael Nouri, Tony Roberts, Rachel York, Gregory Jbara

Smokey Joe's Cafe Broadway production on DVD

With this production, we enter the world of the so-called "Jukebox shows"--with songs written not to be performed together, but for commercial release. Smokey Joe's Cafe offers the music of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, two anchors of the Brill Building group of songwriters.

I find the Brill Building very interesting. It housed some of the finest songwriters from the Big Band Era and Rock & Roll, including Carole King, Burt Bacharach, Neil Sedaka, and a slew of others. If ever there was a building that deserved a musical unto itself, the Brill is that building. Unfortunately, for me, Smokey Joe's isn't the musical the Brill deserves.

Leiber & Stoller wrote music in the 50s and 60s. While I like some of this music, putting it back to back to back doesn't give me the variety I want in either a musical or a concert. The musical arrangements don't help. I longed for a slow ballad with just piano and bass backing up the singer, to break the monotony. Too much of the music seems to be at the same tempo. Does every singer in the cast have to sound like they're squalling for American Idol? I'm all for the Phil Spector "wall of sound", but once in a while I'll like to bang my head against something else.

Well, according to the Internet Broadway Database, this show ran for 5 years and more than 2,000 performances, so clearly I'm in the minority in my response to Joe. It's not the first time I've been in the minority, nor will it be the last.

Smokey Joe's Cafe The Songs of Leiber and Stoller
Music by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Live Broadway production for release on DVD
Cast: Ken Ard, Adrian Bailey, Matt Bogart, Brenda Braxton, Victor Trent Cook, BJ Crosby, DeLee Lively, Deb Lyons, Frederick B. Owens,