Even Steven

Broadway performer STEVEN PASQUALE is best known for his role as Sean Garrity on Rescue Me.  

He is also an amazing singer.  His debut solo cd SOMETHIN' LIKE LOVE is coming out April 21.  It was released digitally on itunes today!  I started to sample and was really impressed and downloaded today.  Produced by husband and wife "jazz couple" John Pizzarelli and Jessica Molaskey,  the album has really nice renditions of jazz standards AND there's also a wonderful cover of MAYBE from ANNIE!

Here he is singing MY FUNNY VALENTINE.

Steven originated the role of Fabrizio in the show LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, but could not appear in the Broadway production due to Rescue Me.  Currently on Broadway in Neil Labute's REASONS TO BE PRETTY,  he's married to stage actress Laura Benanti whom he met during a concert version of THE SECRET GARDEN.

Aren't they a cute couple?

Check out his cd.  



Here's the link to itunes.

Ode to BILLY JOE(L)

A very "compelling" look at the characters in Billy Joel's "Piano Man" from the world of Comedy Central's "Robot Chicken."

**warning - explicit language**

Billy Joel's voice is none other than HSM "it boy" Zac Efron.

...and now on to some Billy Joel covers.  The first is by a vocal jazz group from Germany called BERLIN VOICES.  They released a whole album of his covers entitled "States of Mind."  

This is a very interesting album.  I don't "love" every track, but they do some very interesting things with his music....

... I do LOVE their swingin' version of "ALLENTOWN!"  This is the "must download track" from the album.

Stage and screen vixen Bernadette Peters put out a lovely version of "HE'S GOT A WAY" (pronoun obviously changed) on her 1996 release "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight."

Also, you must check out this stunning version of "AND SO IT GOES" by Jazz siren Sara Gazarek.  I featured this in a previous post, but it's SO good that I couldn't resist another mention. 

Finally, the recently cancelled ELI STONE (don't even get me started) featured a lovely cover on it's last aired episode.  Here's the lovely Laura Benanti (recently seen as Gypsy Rose Lee on Broadway) singing (and playing) a lovely version of "THIS NIGHT."  The song starts at 0:57.

R.I.P. Eli Stone.

Gypsy, Tramps, and Thieves

It was a good "New Release Tuesday."  So much that I have to report my musical/movie findings in 2 posts.

I will entitle this one "GYPSY, TRAMPS, and THIEVES!" *

*(this post has nothing to do with Cher... but I still thought this was a great picture!)

First... GYPSY...

The 2008 cast recording of GYPSY came out today, or as the cd says 

"PATTI LUPONE - GYPSY."

I saw this production in previews in March and as I already reported was not crazy about Ms. Lupone's performance.  I think there is something wrong with me because everyone (reviewers, crazy theatre fans...  "Maddy for Patti" -- I just made group up) are going crazy over her performance.  I just felt she was too self aware.  Rather than her becoming Mama Rose, it was Mama Rose as played by Broadway Legend Patti Lupone.  

What makes the show, and the reason why you should buy the recording is the performances of all the supporting actresses (the ones whose names are not bigger than the title of the musical.)

Laura Benanti (Gypsy Rose Lee) and Leigh Ann Larkin (Dainty June) are a revelation.  Their numbers on the cd are wonderful.  Leigh Ann Larkin MADE the show for me.  Her "Dainty June and Her Farmboys/Broadway" number is hilarious (even on the recording!) "If Momma Was Married" (my favorite number in this production) is WONDERFUL!  It feels totally reinvented to me.

Here are the two of them performing at a Tony preview concert.  (The video keeps annoyingly skipping, but it still is great footage.  Also check out an audio version.

I also loved "You Gotta Get A Gimmick" although I don't feel it totally transferred on cd (Miss Electra's scene stealing turn is very visual.)

Here's a HILARIOUS (and pretty darn accurate) imitation of Patti!

I don't mean to totally trash the very talented Ms. Lupone (love a lot of her recordings.)  She does have some nice moments... and a great thing about this recording is that she and costar Boyd Gaines (and Baby June and Louise) have recorded a handful of numbers cut from the original 1959 production.  Barnes and Noble also offers an additional disc of some incidental instrumental reprises and bits of dialogue.

TRAMPS...

Okay... so this came out last week, but I'm going with a theme here!  Season 1 of "Gossip Girl" is out on DVD and Season 2 begins on the CW next Monday!  This is DEFINITELY a guilty pleasure.  I only started watching this show at the end of the season, but I was hooked and caught up with all the drama during summer re-runs.

The "high school students" are nothing like I remember high school being like, and hopefully are not a representation of what school is like today.  Drugs, sex, rock and roll should be AFTER you take you SAT's!  Yet, it's a wonderful blend of over the top drama between pretty boys, "trampy" girls trying to change their ways, and other girls wanting to climb the social ladder to enter into "Tramp-dom." 

THIEVES...

The 15th Anniversay Edition of Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" came out on DVD and Blu-ray today as well!  This is the wonderful tale of Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, who "finds Christmas" and steals it.  Actually he tries to take over the duties of Santa, but the two holidays don't quite blend.

This edition has Tim's first stop-motion short "Vincent," the live action short (uncut) "Frankenweenie" and tons of extra features about the making of the film.  It also includes a digital version of the film for your ipod!  

Best of all you can watch it on Halloween AND Christmas!

EXTRA NOTE - 2 years ago they came out with a Special Edition Soundtrack with covers by Fall Out Boy, Fiona Apple, Panic! At the Disco, and even Marilyn Manson!  These are GREAT renditions!

and ANOTHER cover album "Nightmare Revisited" is coming out Sept. 30th with such artists as Flyleaf, The Polyphonic Spree, and Plain White T's.

Some Enchanted Evening

The Tony's are this Sunday... very excited!  Growing up in South Dakota this was always my chance to get a glimpse of what was happening on the Great White Way.  In my room I would listen to cast recordings, follow the plot with the linear notes, and imagine the staging and choreography.  (Sometimes I would lock the door and do my own choreography!)  For one "Enchanted Evening" each year in June I actually got a chance to see musical numbers come to life during the Tony Broadcast. 

The last couple of years I have been extremely blessed to visit NY and see many shows.   This year we actually stayed for a week with some great friends and saw 4 shows!!!!  By the way - a great way to get deals on tickets in advance is to sign up for emails from playbill.com.  We saw 3 of the shows for at least 40% off the ticket price.  You can get 50% from the TKTS booth, but this way you have your seats in advance and pick your seats.

In honor of TONY'S this weekend,  I want to post my thoughts on a few of the shows this year throughout the week.

First up are 2 revivals from Broadway's Golden Age.  GYSPY and SOUTH PACIFIC.

GYPSY

We got a chance to Gypsy during previews.  This version of the show was first presented as an Encores production last summer for a limited run.  With almost the entire cast intact, it transferred to Broadway this year.  Patti Lupone as Mama Rose has gotten rave reviews.  Personally there have been so many Mega Stars doing this role (Ethel Merman, Angela Lansbury, the Divine Miss M, Bernadette Peters) that I thought the was really good (she made some cool different choices.)  But I wasn't blown away like many NY theatre critics.  I didn't see Ms. Peters' version, but one thing I did really like was the chemistry between her and Herbie.  There was definitely romance and sexual desire between them which makes you understand why Herbie would stay with her.

I WAS absolutely blown away with portrayals of her two daughters.  Laura Benanti as Louise and Leigh Ann Larkin as Dainty June.  Both were wonderful!  I saw Laura in The Wedding Singer a couple years ago.  She has a wonderful career ahead of her.  

Now on to Leigh Ann Larkin.  She was a revelation as Dainty June.... by far my favorite performance of the show.  She brought great depth and a dark sarcasm which I have never before seen in this role.  Her and Laura's version of "If Momma Was Married" was wonderful.  You could see them bonding as sisters for the first time.  

Here's a little preview of the show.

The cast recording comes out in August.  As a bonus the current cast recorded songs that were cut from the original production!!!  

Here is an audio version of "If Momma Was Married" that I found online.

I also LOVED "You Gotta Get A Gimmick."  Loved the brilliant interpretation of Marilyn Caskey as Miss Electra.  She played Electra as so feeble she could barely walk let alone "shake it."  At her age she NEEDS her gimmick of fancy lighting.

SOUTH PACIFIC

Did not get a chance to see this.  But South Pacific has gotten amazing reviews and is the predicted favorite to win best revival.  It's amazing that this masterpiece has never gotten a full revival until now.  The cast recording is out now and is wonderful.  Love Matthew Morrison's voice.  If you purchase it at Barnes and Noble there are extra tracks (B&N plug!)

Also check out the concert version on DVD or CD (it appeared on PBS about a year ago.)  It features wonderful vocal performances by Brian Stokes Mitchell and a wonderfully cast Reba McEntire.

Here's a little Reba with Alec Baldwin shakin' what his momma gave him!