Baby original cast album

This is the first Maltby and Shire musical in my Year, and I'm shocked that it has taken me this long to get to one. In the past, I've found their music fun and frothy, although I don't know that I've seen one of their shows live on stage. Baby may have been their biggest hit. At least its the show I most closely associate with them, without ever having heard a song from it. Actually, that's not true, I had heard Danny's song "I Chose Right" before, although I didn't know it was from Baby.

The ensemble songs are the best in this show--although none of the music is listenable. I particularly liked the women's trio "I Want it All." This would be very good in any kind of cabaret setting. The duet for the college-student couple has very clever lyrics. Liz Callaway (sorry, I've seem to have misspelled her name previously; I'll work to correct) sing her big Act I closer "The Story Goes On" very well. Also the song "Patterns" maybe the best song of the score--why was it cut from the Broadway incarnation of the show? It has the most poetic lyrics of the bunch.

One song that is in the show and I would cut if I were producing it is "The Ladies Sing their Songs." While I liked the a capella section of the song, the rest of it left me flat. And since it takes a chorus of women (okay 5) to sing it, why include it?

The opening sequence narrated by Kim Criswell sounds very funny; I wonder what it looked like on stage. I imagine the film-strip images from junior high sex education classes. I liked the voices of the six primary characters--particularly Martin Vidnovic.

Baby
Music by David Shire
Lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr.
Book by Sybille Pearson
Opened in 1983
Cast: Liz Callaway, Todd Graff, Beth Fowler, James Congdon, Martin Vidnovic, Catherine Cox

Disney's Beauty and the Beast Original Broadway Cast Recording

I think there is a special kind of alchemy that happens between certain composers and lyricists. When the pairing really clicks, the composer writes better music than s/he would otherwise, and the lyricist's words reach a higher level. I believe that Alan Menken and Howard Ashman were that type of songwriting team, and the Broadway incarnation of Beauty and the Beast helps me make my case.

As most know, this project started as an animated film for Disney with songs by Menken and Ashman released in 1991. In 1994, when the film was expanded to be a Broadway show, additional music was needed. But Howard Ashman had died in the intervening years, so Menken paired up with Tim Rice to add eight songs to the score. Well, no insult intended to Mr. Rice, but the songs he and Mr. Menken wrote don't hold a Lumiere to the original songs by Menken and Mr. Ashman. There is one new song from the stage version that I do love--"If I Can't Love Her". This is a beautiful ballad.

I also think there are some gay references in Mr. Ashman's lyrics. Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but 17 years ago to have a crowd with torches (in the Mob's Song) sing "We don't like what we don't understand, in fact it makes us scared" certainly could refer to reactions to the gay community. I also think that Gaston is given some gay lyrics: "Every last inch of me is covered in hair" (was Ashman a Bear?) and "I use antlers in all of my decorating" (decorating, why is Gaston decorating anything?). And the whole Lefou worship of Gaston is questionable.

I've chosen to picture Gary Beach, the original Lumiere, for today's entry. I have a beef with Mr. Beach's performance, at least as it is represented on the cast album. It feels way over the top. Actually, it feels like he's auditioning for his role in The Producers. I miss Jerry Orbach, who voiced Lumiere in the animated film. God rest the song and dance man's soul.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast
Music by Alan Menken
Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Time Rice
Book by Linda Woolverton
Original Broadway show opening in 1994 based on the 1991 animated film
Cast: Susan Egan, Terrance Mann, Tom Bosley, Kenny Raskin, Burke Moses, Heath Lamberts, Gary Beach, Beth Fowler