REVIEW: Encores! PIPE DREAM Cast Recording with Laura Osnes and Will CHase

Encores! has truly been at it with cast recordings this season. The newest, the first full recording of Rodgers and Hammerstein's PIPE DREAM, is also Encores! first live recording. The album features the talents of Laura Osnes, Will Chase, Leslie Uggams, and Tom Wopat.

I was blown away by this recording. First. It's live. It sounds better than some studio recordings I have heard. Secondly, the talent is top notch. Laura Osnes and Will Chase can do no wrong in my book.

The score is classic Rodgers and Hammerstein, and as a show I had never heard anything from before, I think this album is a great second coming of a great show. Anyone who loves classic musical theatre will love this score.

All of the vocalists are perfection. Specifically Osnes though. Every time she sings it is gorgeous and her songs shine. "Everybody's Got a Home But Me" is going to be a classic because of her. Uggams is also great on her songs, and doesn't let the young stars steal the spotlight. "Sweet Thursday" is obviously a showstopper because of the finess she performs it with.

This is a must-have for any theatre lover. Or a lover of good music.

Encores! GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES Recording with Hilty Gets Release Date

City Center Encores! production of Jule Styne's GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES starring Megan Hilty (Smash) will recieve a cast recording, to be released on September 4th through Masterworks Broadway. The show also stars Rachel York who will star in the upcoming tour of Anything Goes.

The tracklisting for the album is:
1. Overture
2. It's High Time
3. Bye Bye Baby
4. A Little Girl from Little Rock
5. A Little Girl from Little Rock: Encore
6. I Love What I'm Doing
7. I Love What I'm Doing (Dance)
8. Just a Kiss Apart
9. Scherzo
10. It's Delightful Down In Chile
11. Sunshine
12. Park Scene
13. Pas De Deux
14. Sunshine: Reprise
15. I'm A' Tingle, I'm A' Glow
16. You Say You Care
17. Finale Act 1
18. Mamie is Mimi
19. Coquette
20. Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend
21. Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend: First Encore
22. Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend: Second Encore
23. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
24. Homesick Blues
25. Keeping Cool With Coolidge
26. Button Up With Esmond
27. Finale Act 2

I know I'm excited to hear Hilty belt out this score!!

Sh-K-Boom to Release Live Recording of Encores' PIPE DREAM

Sh-k-Boom has just announced that they will release a live recording of Encores' upcoming production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's PIPE DREAM starring Laura Osnes (Anything Goes) and Will Chase (Smash).

The album will be recorded live from March 28th through April 1st. This will be the first FULL recording of the entire score of this often overlooked show. No release date has been announced yet.

Encores is having a good week for cast recordings and this exciting news!

PS Classics to Release New MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Cast Recording

PS Classics has announced that it will release a new recording of the 2012 New York City Encores! cast of Stephen Sondheim's MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG. The new CD will be released on July 10th. The album features Lin-Manuel Miranda (In the Heights), Colin Donnell (Anything Goes) and Celia Keenan-Bolger (Peter and the Starcatcher).

The track listing is:

Disc One:
1. Overture
2. Merrily We Roll Along
3. That Frank
4. First Transition
5. Like It Was
6. Franklin Shepard, Inc.
7. Second Transition
8. Old Friends
9. Growing Up
10. Third Transition
11. Not a Day Goes By
12. Now You Know

Disc Two:
1. Entr' acte
2. Gussie’s Opening Number
3. It's a Hit!
4. Fourth Transition
5. The Blob Part I / Growing Up (Reprise)
6. Good Thing Going
7. The Blob Part II
8. Fifth Transition
9. Bobby and Jackie and Jack
10. Not a Day Goes By (Reprise)
11. Sixth Transition
12. Opening Doors
13. Seventh Transition
14. Our Time
I am so freaking excited for this and can happily say I've already pre-ordered it!!!

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Opening at Encores! Tomorrow Night

Stephen Sondheim's "flop" MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG will open in a concert form at NY City Encores! starring Colin Donnell (Anything Goes), Lin Manuel-Miranda (In the Heights), and Celia Keenan-Bolger (25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee). The production will run from Feb. 8-19th and will hopefully show the strength of Sondheim's work after a few updates to the script and score have been made. Check out a rehearsal clip below.