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What's the story? Broadway cast recordings of the musicals West Side Story and The Story of My Life and stories of real people's lives set to music in a CD peopled with Broadway stars. The "story" this week ends with lighter fare with a debut vocal solo album.
There has been a rumbling of divided opinions about the new Broadway revival of the groundbreaking West Side Story, centered on changes and interpretations by the man who helped create it over half a century ago, its bookwriter, and now director, Arthur Laurents. This take on the classic musical brings out more of the tender side of its young lovers Tony and Maria—a rather breathy Matt Cavenaugh who clips some lines short but judiciously socks out some big notes and Josefina Scaglione with a light, unfussy soprano—seeming generally more callow, intimate and low-key in their performances. You'll find their singing more conversational: less soaring and less grand than that of others who've been heard in these roles, though there are moments when they unleash more vocal strength. Those looking for chills up the spine from the more operatic potential inherent in Leonard Bernstein's music will find their sacroiliacs fairly stationery, but the heart can still be touched by the endearing, awestruck committed characterizations of young love-at-first-sight—its joys and wonders and idealism. Missing too often, however, is the sense of urgency and risk in their clandestine meetings under developing storm clouds. On disc, as Jets' gang leader Riff, Cody Green's over-articulation of the final T consonant sound (a necessary compensation for clarity on stage but not with modern recording realities) makes for some labored, unnatural-sounding lines in "The Jet Song," making it seem like the gang, which doesn't sound so menacing this time around, has Professor Henry Higgins as a high school diction coach. (It's not a problem in "Cool," a much more successful track that works like gangbusters.) Karen Olivo, who just took home a Tony Award for her performance as Anita, makes a strong impression. She sings with passion and command that come through even if you don't speak Spanish, since her major vocal spotlight comes when she sings "A Boy Like That" in the translation provided by Lin-Manuel Miranda (In the Heights). West Side Story devotees who know the original Stephen Sondheim lyrics pretty much by heart will get much more than the gist of this, "I Feel Pretty" and the Sharks' lyrics in the "Tonight (Quintet)" production number that have been translated—but not literally, to allow for rhyming and scanning. Whatever "authenticity" this decision allows, it proves disconcerting in that five-part sometimes contrapuntal number with the Spanish lyrics seeming a distracting echo when the gang members are singing the same melody but different lyrics. (The exclusive Barnes & Noble version includes three bonus tracks: an English version of "I Feel Pretty," as well as instrumental tracks "Somewhere" and "Tonight (Balcony Scene)"; the iTunes album includes bonus tracks "A Boy Like That" in English and "Jump.") Another new idea for this production is to have most of "Somewhere" sung by a boy soprano (!) and it's disarming to hear ten-year-old Nicholas Barasch's pure, sweetly radiant voice as a beacon of hope. Throughout, on various tracks, there are differences in tempo and phrasing and interpretation (the comic relief number, "Gee, Officer Krupke" has a few fresh line readings but, gee, its sarcasm and shtick potential just aren't relished and have little wham or ham factor). What hasn't changed is the power of the super, detailed, drama-enhancing original orchestrations. How marvelous and rewarding to hear them in state-of-the-art sound where you can hear individual instruments and layers of musical lines, accents and the crucial underlying tension for this piece. Strongest congratulations go to the 29-piece orchestra and their music director-conductor Patrick Vaccariello who is credited for "arrangements" along with Garth Edwin Sunderland and Stephen Sondheim. The power, conflict, subtext and depth of emotion are sometimes provided mostly instrumentally when the cast performances feel lukewarm, and in some cases this works as compensation and balance. Each time we have yet another recorded version of any classic musical, we must realize it would have been redundant to have a step-by-step copy; we may lament the decision to re-invent the wheel that turned so well. This West Side Story, if nothing else, takes some real risks in the name of reality. But any lover of musical theatre magic will tell you that reality is overrated. This is a mixed blessing.
A small show with a small cast of two and big emotions can make a big impact when it rings true and real. And The Story of My Life has a great deal of integrity and beauty. Sometimes suggesting the warm and fuzzy recollections of childhood and sometimes very much a warts-and-all, uncompromising look at human imperfection, it tackles the tough subjects like values, hard life choices, guilt, rationalizations, and reactions to death. The play takes on the theatrical device of the deceased being very present and interactive with the person still living, and then we learn about their history of friendship that began in first grade. Neil Bartram's lyrics and music feel organic, and they flow naturally from plot and characters, though they are far more than merely "serviceable." In fact, there's a high level of craft, the lyrics being literate and full of detail, and the music often appropriately intense and always rich in emotion. Occasionally things seem a little overstated or simply repeated when the impact was instantly strong and points and emotions felt complete and clear, not needing restatement. Perhaps that would be less the case in the hands of lesser actors, but the two are strong with clear approaches to presenting these characters: Malcolm Gets plays the marches-to-his-own-drummer sensitive, caring kid who grows up surrounded by the books in his father's bookstore; and Will Chase is his more cautious and emotionally closed-off friend who becomes a writer. Throughout the story, the two friends are often challenged by life—and challenge each other's motives and choices as only truly caring friends can. The joy of—and appreciation for—literature is exuberantly championed (and sung) in "1876" about a world enriched by the presence of Mark Twain's "Tom Sawyer" having been published the year before. Songs with a message of carpe diem are a major element, and if things feel a little preachy, it's because the feelings are strong, with pleading or the anguish felt when one is trying to convince oneself or another of something and maybe (for the character) it isn't working. Spoken sections (book by Brian Hill) flow easily in and out of songs. Memories are well delineated in song, sung with nostalgic warmth and bittersweet renditions by both actors. There's also plenty of angst, which both carry off convincingly. Especially touching and beautifully written is the second track, "Mrs. Remington," about the understanding schoolteacher who provided comfort and played matchmaker to make two kids great friends. This warm tale with touches of humor strikes a chord for anyone with a memorable advocate in elementary school or the school of hard knocks. This self-contained piece is, in fact, one of the strongest and most touching theatre story-songs of recent years. Sensitive pianist David Holcenberg is also the conductor, leading eight other players with Jonathan Tunick's brilliant and enriching orchestrations. The work by strings (violin, cello and viola) greatly enhances moods, but it's heartstrings of listeners that are reached here. The Story of My Life, with its story of friendship forged and frayed and fragmented, makes one think and feel deeply. End of story.
It doesn't get much more intense than the relentlessly heart-tugging collection of heavy-duty life challenges set to music, Everyone Has a Story. It features eight Broadway stars, each with one solo. (There are only nine tracks in all, making this a CD of very, very short playing time, clocking in at under 27 minutes!) Following her work writing for musical theatre, this is a project of Kathie Lee Gifford's. On NBC TV's daily morning "Today Show," she had viewers submit their own inspirational real-life stories. With composer–pianist David Friedman, her musical theatre collaborator (no stranger to heart-on-the-sleeve, positive-toned songs of high emotion), they turned the stories into songs. She sings the title song, also included on her own solo album My Way Home, reviewed here last week. It's tenderly sung and quite touching, a lovely set-up for the project, almost giving permission for the avalanche of drama to come. What follows are those tales from viewers about coping with death and disease plus a few about adoption and troubled children (the CD's profits go to a children's charity project). Unavoidably heavy and dramatic, the steady stream of sorrow and sickness, stories of stoicism and steadfastness fast becomes exhausting, even though it is also inspiring at times. In the writing, subtlety is in short supply. There's a tendency to hammer the points home and paint heroes or lonely, hurting figures, often with a lack of economy in the lyrics and arrangements and lyrics that build and build and modulate and repeat. And repeat. And repeat. Certainly there are effective lyric lines and ideas and attractive melodic ideas, and I admire the idea and the challenge of turning the details submitted into coherent songs. Fans of today's Broadway stars will take much pleasure in the presence of the singers who give it their all—and then some. Restraint is shown in not over-milking what is already on the melodramatic side and tempering the heavy emotion when possible, using shading and not starting so high and strong that there's "nowhere to go." These top-notch musical theatre stars all are in great voice, and great to hear. The first two tracks are about coping with serious diseases: Norm Lewis sings commandingly of a man's appreciation for his selfless father-caretaker in "My Hero," and Carolee Carmello's throbbing voice brings dignity in the fighting back of tears in "No One Is Promised Tomorrow" (wailing bleak lines like "where is it written that life will be fair?") Christine Ebersole and Julia Murney each gets a fervently pleading (not quite plodding) song advocating adoption while Rebecca Luker sings of a lonely, troubled, hurt child who grows up to be an adult with a heavy, unshared heart. Cheyenne Jackson and Aaron Lazar each nobly takes on a song about death—and Chuck Cooper gets both death and adoption in one song: "The End of Heaven's Rope." Approach with caution if you resist murky, tear-soaked tales of woe—or the other aspect of many of these: the underlying message that one must soldier on and persevere and/or God will provide. That's very much here, too. Some will undoubtedly find catharsis and some will find perspective here, while others will find platitudes. Nobody said real life would be easy. UNDER THE RADAR Another CD, also from LML Music, comes from a woman who divides her time among film-making, acting ... and singing.
Though she is in her early 30s, there's something very young and kittenish/girlish in the singing and attitude of Tamela D'Amico. She seems best suited to kicking up her heels—those silver high heels in the photos on the CD. Yes, Got a Little Story is best when it remains light-hearted and fun, such as in the breezy English-language version of the Mexican song "Perfidia" (bouncy despite its subject of faithless love—it's a long story). Rodgers & Hammerstein's "The Gentleman Is a Dope" (from Allegro) has, in the show and embedded in its lyric, elements of anger, self-pity and despair. Again, Tamela and her musical cohorts seem unconcerned about that and just have a romp with a high-energy, brassy, busy big band-style arrangement. Truer to standard intent, she does a nifty job with the playful and sly "He's a Tramp" from Disney's Lady and the Tramp and she has some plucky fun with the Gershwins' "They All Laughed." The singer, who can have a nasal or purring approach to singing, glides over deeper emotions needed in the saloon song lonely lament with a haunting Harold Arlen melody "One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)." It's one of three songs with lyrics by the great songwriter whose centenary is being celebrated by many singers: Johnny Mercer. His movie title song for Charade with a melancholy lyric matched by a wistful, fragile melody by Henry Mancini gets a madly misguided up-tempo, frantic slam-bam cacophonous band arrangement (I'm generally all for trying something new and refreshing, but this is just bizarre). Her other Mercer lyric, "When October Goes" (set posthumously by Barry Manilow), is more respectful and shows potential for balladeering: interwoven is the melody of another song Mercer wrote the (English) lyrics for (not heard here, but suggested: "Autumn Leaves"). A rather nice ending comes with the refreshing choice of Ann Hampton Callaway's excellent song, "Perfect." Again, with this, there's a glimpse of the more thoughtful singer Tamela may grow into if she's willing to drop some of the cutes and posturing and sing more purely. Chris Walden is the arranger and conductor, with some worthy, well-played charts. Mostly on the smiley side, Got a Little Story is little in playing time, too: just about 32 minutes. Perhaps recording and releasing more than 10 tracks would show more aspects of the vocalist and make it a better bang for the buck. But there's plenty of bang and zip with this big band.
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WEST SIDE STORY
THE STORY OF MY LIFE
KATHIE LEE GIFFORD & FRIENDS
TAMELA D'AMICO
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