She Loves Me--Original Broadway Cast Album

This show has had a bit of a cult following, I believe, although I've not been part of it up to now. I may need to give in and drink the kool-aid, though, because I found much of the cast album of She Love Me to be delightful.

This is really a chamber musical, or perhaps chamber operetta, with 7 or 8 primary roles and a few actors who float through the show as various other characters. I'd like to see it on stage as I think it could be cleverly staged in a space with cabaret tables, since one key scene of the show takes place in a restaurant.

On display again is the lovely voice of Barbara Cook, who I have talked about enough for two Years. But its interesting to listen to Ms. Cook right after listening to Julie Andrews in The Boy Friend. The two singers are within 6 or 7 years of each other, and both came to Broadway prominence in the early 1950s. While we think of Ms. Andrews being a soprano, she's a very different type of soprano that Barbara Cook. I've referred to Andrews being a soubrette, but I don't know if I'm using that term correctly; I think of a soubrette having a lower singing register than a true soprano and only occasionally reaching into the upper notes. Well, maybe that's over-Thinking things. I like the singing of both performers, so let's leave it at that.

Also in the cast of She Loves Me is Jack Cassidy--husband of Shirley Jones, father of David, Shaun and Patrick--all of whom have been on Broadway, I believe. The senior Mr. Cassidy had been in 8 Broadway musicals or revues by the time he starred in She Loves Me, and I can hear why. He has a lovely lyric voice, which doesn't strain too much in the upper reaches.

Barbara Baxley, the so-called "other Barbara" from this cast, is also a delightful find. While she is more of a character singer than possessing a traditional type of voice, her number "I Resolve" is funny and she is a nice contract to the more legit style of Barbara #1.

Music by Jerry Bock
Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick
Book by Joe Masteroff
Opened in 1963
Cast: Barbara Cook, Barbara Baxley, Daniel Massey, Jack Cassidy, Nathaniel Frey, Ludwig Donath,

The Apple Tree original Broadway cast recording

I've conquered the library system and checked this cast album out from the Evanston Public Library. I had never heard of The Apple Tree, and chose it because it featured Alan Alda and Barbara Harris. Neither are wonderful singers, but are clearly charming performers. The singing of Alda the younger reminds me of the singing of his father, Robert Alda, who was in the original cast of Guys and Dolls--each has a likable voice with enough legato to let the music survive. Ms. Harris has a light soubrettish voice.

This is really three musicals, each one act telling different stories that are really only connected by having the same cast, and loosely the theme of temptation. Much of the music is very witty, particularly "It's A Fish", from the Adam and Eve act of the show.

The second act is set in Roman times and the world of fighting in the lion's den. Harris really sells it in the funny, vampy "I've Got What You Want" although I don't quite understand how it fits into the story.

The third story is a Cinderella variation with Passionella (Harris) dreaming of being a movie star. Harris is the real treat of all three acts. She had her roots in comedy in Chicago 's Second City, and this show made her a star. But perhaps from the short-form of the storytelling, I don't feel any real connection to the characters. This is musical comedy at it's fluffiest.

The Apple Tree

Music by Jerry Bock

Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick

Book by Harnick and Bock

Based on stories by Mark Twain, Frank R. Stockton, and Jules Feiffer

Directed by Mike Nichols

Cast: Alan Alda, Barbara Harris, Larry Blyden, Robert Klein, Marc Jordan

Fiorello! Original cast album on CD

This is my fourth "!" musical so far this Year. First there was Oklahoma! living up to it's punctuation, then Oliver! and Mama Mia! which didn't deliver for me (at least in their film versions). Now we have Fiorello! which I'm happy to report lives up to its billing.

There is something for everyone in this first major hit for songwriting team of Bock and Harnick. There is a lot of work for the chorus, backing up many of the lead performers. The male chorus gets the wonderful politician scenes with songs like "Politics and Poker", "The Bum Won", and the wryly funny "Little Tin Box". The women's chorus gets the pastiche flapper song, "Gentleman Jimmy".

Four female roles have significant songs and this must be some kind of record. The best of the bunch is "When Did I Fall in Love" (well-sung here by Ellen Hanley), but "The Very Next Man" is also good, and none of the others are bad.

Surprisingly the titular character has little music to perform. The very good liner notes for this CD reissue of the 1959 cast album explains that La Guardia had a lot of dialogue, but little music. And the fact that Tom Bosley won his Tony for this role in the featured actor category, bears that out. The notes also give a wonderful account of the history of Howard da Silva's career, from working actor, to black-list bust, to triumphant return in this show. I'd previously talked a bit about da Silva when discussing 1776.

Fiorello!
Music by Jerry Bock
Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick
Book by Jerome Weidman and George Abbott
Cast: Tom Bosley, Patricia Wilson, Ellen Hanley, Howard da Silva, Eileen Rodgers, Pat Stanley