Nine (Original Broadway Cast)

Nine was Maury Yeston's first musical produced on Broadway, and it was a smash hit upon its initial 1982 production. Based on the legendary Federico Fellini film 8½, the show follows Guido Contini (played by the masterful Raul Julia in this recording), a famous and successful Italian film director who, upon reaching his 40th birthday, falls victim to a midlife crisis, in which he must balance the many women in his life: his wife, his mistress, his protege, his producer, and even his deceased mother! Nine is something of a miracle--in film circles, 8½ is sacred ground, yet Maury Yeston, Tommy Tune, and Arthur Kopit manage to prove that the craziest ideas come out beautifully. Upon being produced in 1982, Nine won five Tony Awards, including the much coveted Best Musical, as well as a Tony for Best Original Score, the first of two (so far) in Yeston's career--he would obtain his second Tony for Best Original Score for 1997's Titanic. Nine is currently being produced into a film, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman, Sophia Loren, Kate Hudson, Dame Judi Dench, and Marion Cotillard.

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NINE was first produced for the stage in 1982, with a score by Maury Yeston and a book by Arthur Kopit, and has since been produced in the West End in 1992 and 1996, as well as being revived on Broadway in 2003. It is currently being produced for a film adaptation, set for release in November 2009.

Kiss Me, Kate (Broadway Revival Cast)

Kiss Me, Kate is often considered Cole Porter's masterpiece. A tried and true classic and staple in musical theatre, the show has been legendary since its initial production in 1948. The show follows actors in an out-of-town tryout of a musical adaptation of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. As the storyline progresses, the on-and-off romance among the actors begins to eerily mimic those of the Bard's play. With a timeless score chock full of instantly recognizable songs such as Too Darn Hot, Always True to You (In My Fashion), and of course Another Op'nin', Another Show. The recording offered in this post is the cast recording produced for the 1999 Broadway revival with Brian Stokes Mitchell (Ragtime, Man of La Mancha) and Marin Mazzie (Passion, Ragtime). In its initial 1948 production, Kiss Me, Kate won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

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KISS ME, KATE was first produced for the stage in 1948 with a score by Cole Porter and a book by Samuel Spewack and Bella Spewack. It has since been produced in the West End in 1951 and 2001, on Broadway in 1999, and in Italy in 2007. It has also been produced into a feature film in 1956.

Baby (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

Baby is an often overlooked musical that premiered on Broadway in 1983. Like the title would suggest, the show focuses on three couples, all expecting a new baby. One couple (Liz and Danny) are university juniors, another is an athletic couple (Pam and Nick), and the final couple is an experienced mother-father team (Arlene and Alan), who are on both sides of the spectrum: while Alan is thrilled about a fourth child, Arlene is contemplating abortion. All couples go through emotional high and lows, as they sing their way through one of the finest, simplest scores caught in the middle of an era when Broadway was conquered by the British Supermusical.

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BABY was first produced for the stage in 1983 with music by David Shire, lyrics by Richard Maltby, jr., and a book by Sybille Pearson. It has since been produced in Manila in 2004 and Antwerp in 2005.

Sunday in the Park With George (Original Broadway Cast)

Sunday in the Park With George is an amazing musical, which should be expected whenever somebody sees the names Stephen Sondheim, Mandy Patinkin, and Bernadette Peters on the same poster. The show begins in 1884 as painter Georges Seurat is working on his painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, and has some humorous banter with his model and mistress Dot. As the second act starts, however, the time switches to 1984, where Seurat's great-grandson, also named George, is a struggling artist, and his interaction with those around him. It should be noted that Georges and George are played by the same actor, as well as Dot and Marie. This is indefinitely one of Sondheim's finest scores.

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SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE was first produced for the stage in 1984, with a score by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Lapine. It has since been produced in the West End in 1990, Broadway in 1994, London in 2006, and Broadway in 2008.

Ragtime (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

Ragtime is the musical based on the award-winning novel by E.L. Doctorow of the same name. Both the musical and novel masterfully intertwine the journeys of historical figures (such as Emma Goldman, Henry Ford, J.P. Morgan, Evelyn Nesbit, and Harry Houdini) as well as the journeys of fictional characters, and how they interact. This was the second Broadway musical written by the composing team of Ahrens and Flaherty (their previous creation was Once On This Island) and shortly after Ragtime, they would go on to write Seussical. With a cast of Brian Stokes Mitchell (Man of La Mancha, Kiss Me Kate), Audra McDonald (Carousel, Allegro), and Marin Mazzie (Passion, Kiss Me Kate), this show was very critically acclaimed. Despite winning several Tony Awards in 1998, Ragtime was beat out for the Tony for Best Musical by The Lion King.

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RAGTIME was first produced for the stage in 1996 in Toronto, and then moved to Broadway in 1998, with music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and a book by Terrence McNally. It has since been produced in the West End in 2003.

tick, tick...BOOM! (Original Cast Recording)

tick, tick...BOOM! is the only other musical written by the long-deceased composer Jonathan Larson (Rent). Although its not as famous as its younger brother, this show can still hold its own among other musical theatre titles. As a posthumous production, and an early creation, the show doesn't quite have the magic Rent has, but this is still worth checking out. With only three roles in the show and a minimal set, the show still gives off an edgy, urban vibe. Starring Raul Esparza (Company, Rocky Horror Show), Jerry Dixon, and Amy Spanger (The Wedding Singer), the autobiographical musical describes the events leading up to John's 30th birthday.

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TICK, TICK...BOOM! was first produced for the stage in 1990 off-off-Broadway, and again in 2001 off-Broadway, with a score and book by Jonathan Larson. It has since been produced in London in 2005.

The Maury Yeston Songbook

The Maury Yeston Songbook is a compilation CD of several of Broadway's hottest performers covering songs from the musicals written by Maury Yeston, including Nine, Titanic, Grand Hotel, Phantom, and December Songs. The performing roster is quite a star-studded one, with such performers as Brian d'Arcy James (Titanic, Lippa's Wild Party), Howard McGillin (The Phantom of the Opera, The Mystery of Edwin Drood), Alice Ripley (Next to Normal, Side Show), Sutton Foster (Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Drowsy Chaperone), Laura Benanti (Nine, Gypsy), Christine Ebersole (Grey Gardens, 42nd Street), and Eden Espinosa (Wicked, Rent), all singing some of Yeston's most beautiful tunes, including Nine's Simple, Unusual Way, A Call from the Vatican, and Only With You, Grand Hotel's I Want to Go to Hollywood, Phantom's Home and My True Love, Titanic's No Moon, and December Song's I Had a Dream About You, Please Let's Not Even Say Hello, My Grandmother's Love Letters, and By the River, and several original songs, such as Danglin' and Now and Then. This is a compilation that should not be ignored--it showcases all of the right songs from this fantastic and underrated composer.

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THE MAURY YESTON SONGBOOK was released in 2003 with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and the following performers: Christine Andreas, Brent Barrett, Laura Benanti, Betty Buckley, Liz Callaway, Philip Chaffin, Robert Cuccioli, Christine Ebersole, Eden Espinosa, Christopher Fitzgerald, Sutton Foster, Michael Holland, Brian d'Arcy James, Howard McGillin, Alice Ripley, and Johnny Rodgers. Conducted by John McDaniels.

South Pacific (Original Broadway Cast)

South Pacific is one of the most beloved musicals ever written. After opening on Broadway in 1949, the show has shown to be one of the most enduring shows in the history of musical theatre, despite never having an actual Broadway revival until 2008. Mary Martin (The Sound of Music, Peter Pan) and Ezio Pinza sing their way through the fantastic score written by the classic composing team Rodgers and Hammerstein (Oklahoma!, Carousel, The Sound of Music). This is definitely worth a listen, and while you're at it, make your way to see the revival, which is currently on Broadway and will begin touring very soon.

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SOUTH PACIFIC was first produced for the stage in 1949 with music written by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan. It has since been revived on Broadway in 2008, and a live concert version starring Reba McEntire in 2001.

Grey Gardens (Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording)

Grey Gardens was certainly an odd idea for a musical--I mean, a musical based on a documentary? Not to mention the bizarre plot--two eccentric recluses that were once at the zenith of the social ladder? It's certainly a laughable concept at the very least. The result was nothing less than perfect, though, with two powerhouse leading ladies, Christine Ebersole and Mary Louise Wilson as Little Edie and Big Edie respectively. This recording is the prototype Off-Broadway incarnation, which, to say the least, is a little lacking in comparison to the official Broadway recording, but a large number of tracks off of this recording were recycled for the Broadway recording. There are several differences, though, including a completely different Little Edie in the first act, as well as several cut songs.

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GREY GARDENS was first produced for the stage in 2006 with music by Scott Frankel, lyrics by Michael Korie, and a book by Doug Wright.

Pacific Overtures (Original Broadway Cast)

Pacific Overtures is another musical to come from the genius that is Sondheim. With a score ranging from traditional Japanese music with lyrics consisting of haikus to music styles typical of other areas of the world, including England, the Netherlands, France, Russia, and the United States of America, this score has proven to be one of the master composer's finest. Like most other Sondheim musicals, this show has an interesting, out-of-the-ordinary plot detailing Japan's transition from a small mysterious island to a bustling international powerhouse.

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PACIFIC OVERTURES was first produced for the stage in 1976 with a score by Stephen Sondheim and a book by John Weidman and Hugh Wheeler. It has since been revived off-Broadway in 1984 and revived on Broadway in 2005.

Titanic (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

Titanic is an often overlooked masterpiece, despite raking in dozens of awards in its initial run on Broadway in 1997, including the coveted Tony Award for Best Musical. Originally starring Brian d'Arcy James (Lippa's The Wild Party, Shrek the Musical), Victoria Clark (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, The Light in the Piazza), and Michael Cerveris (Assassins, Sweeney Todd) and with a score penned by the wonderful Maury Yeston (who also composed the scores for Nine and Phantom, as well as additional music for Grand Hotel), Titanic did anything but sink. Very highly reccomended. Also remember, this is NOT BASED ON THE FILM.

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TITANIC was first produced for the stage in 1997 with a score composed by Maury Yeston and a book by Peter Stone. It has since been translated into five languages, including German, Dutch, and Japanese.

Anyone Can Whistle (Original Broadway Cast)

Anyone Can Whistle is the infamous flop by the almighty Sondheim. It is one of the composer's earliest scores, and at times one can tell it's an early creation, but it's most definitely worth a listen. Angela Lansbury (Mame, Sweeney Todd) and Lee Remick star in this oddball satire. From the catchy and comedic opening number to the title song to the touching love duet near the end of Act II, this is one musical you should look into.

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ANYONE CAN WHISTLE was first produced for stage in 1964, with a score by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Arthur Laurents. It has since been performed as a concert in 1995 at Carnegie Hall with Madeline Kahn, Angela Lansbury, and Bernadette Peters.