For those of us who enjoy listening to musicals, there are always many options. I’m truly of the generation to collect multiple CDs for one musical…because there are so many shows that have multiple choices. So in this post, I’d like to talk about why I collected all those CDs (and later, spent tons of money for the soundtracks on iTunes). Different versions of the same musical are so much fun to listen to…and can change from mood to mood. Do I feel like listening to Angela Lansbury, Patti LuPone, or Helena Bonham Carter?
Off-Broadway Cast Recordings
These are relatively rare in my adventures with soundtracks, but they will pop up from time to time. Some turn into very notable shows, such as Hedwig and the Angry Inch and tick, tick…BOOM! Some sort of flicker and die like The Wild Party (Andrew Lippa version). But that doesn’t take away from how wonderful these recordings are. It’s so enjoyable to hear things from their start, especially listening to later recordings. Things change, and that can be very exciting!
Original Broadway Cast Recordings
OBC recordings are the most common to come across. Pretty much every musical that’s been through Broadway has had an original recording made. Something I love about OBCs is the history there. Obviously I never got the chance to see shows from before I was born, but with OBCs, I can still listen to iconic actors performing iconic roles. It’s not necessarily the same as getting to see them, but sometimes that’s just how it is.
The other thing about OBCs is that it gives me the chance to experience shows that I can’t see. If you’re reading this, then you probably know how expensive Hamilton tickets are. It was one of those shows that I had no idea when I’d get to see it…if I would get to see it (this is before Disney+ put up the recording). Even if I’m not seeing a show, I’m still getting to enjoy the music, and the original Broadway cast members.
There are still many shows that I want to see someday. Until then, I have good quality audio recordings of the shows, and I can enjoy that.
Original London Cast Recordings
Up there with OBC recordings are OLC recordings. These are the cast recordings from West End shows. They’re primarily the same as OBCs, but with the West End cast. For the most part, I don’t listen to a ton of OLC recordings. But I do really like the Les Miserables one, and my first Hair CD was the London cast.
I sort of hate to admit this, but I think I can be a bit of an actor snob, and I think that’s why I prefer Broadway recordings. I tend to know a lot more of their names than London cast names. Of course, that didn’t stop me from becoming super involved about the London Spring Awakening cast (though that was without a proper recording. We’ll get there in a bit.) It also leads quite nicely into the next type of recording…
Revival Cast Recordings
I gravitate towards revivals for a lot of the older shows I listen to, when there is a revival recording. I think part of that is me being an actor snob…I think that the most important one for me is Hair. Hair is one of the first musicals I saw and one of the first I fell in love with. I listened to the OBC and OLC recordings like crazy. In 2008, it had a limited run in Central Park (which was incredible), and a year later, reopened on Broadway. I saw it twice there.
Obviously this recording is much clearer than the old ones, which is just a technical thing. But I fell in love with those actors when I got to see them…some of them multiple times. But everything they edited for the revival makes the album more fun to listen to for me.
Neil Patrick Harris crushed Hedwig and the Angry Inch in the revival. And there are a lot of modern musicals I love that will get a revival recording someday. I honestly look forward to them.
Movie Cast Recordings
When I was younger and not as fine tuned to the glory of OBCs, I would often buy movie cast recordings before I got my hands on Broadway recordings. Chicago is the one that sticks out the most to me. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the Chicago movie cast, but it’s so different from the show recording, and I wish I had gone that route first.
Of course, sometimes movie recordings blow me away. I know I’ve mentioned in a previous post how much I loved the tick, tick…BOOM! movie, and the movie recording is mostly there, too. I did have to edit some song orders and such, but I definitely enjoy it much more than the Off Broadway cast recording.
There is something to be said for movie cast recordings, such as getting to watch the show, especially if it’s one that might be hard to see, but sometimes, the changes just aren’t worth it, even listening.
Bootleg Recordings
This is a really controversial form of recordings. Some people have mastered the art of recording a show while sitting right in the audience. It results in a live recording, of varying degrees of quality. When I was at the height of my Spring Awakening obsession, I had a different bootleg for each of my favorite understudies. I had a bootleg of the London cast. I loved rotating through those.
I don’t have many bootlegs any longer, but the few I have are super precious. It takes me to a whole different world. I even love hearing the clapping between songs…it’s like being in the audience again. However, I don’t go hunting for bootlegs any longer. I respect that it’s not necessarily good theatre etiquette, as much as I enjoy it.
Having a little bit of everything is a great way to enjoy theatre. I love my musical recording collection in all the shapes and sizes it comes in.
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