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BLU-RAY/DVDs Now Available:

Romance on the High Seas
(Warner Archive - new blu-ray)
1948 musical film starring Doris Day, Jack Carson, Janis Paige, Don DeFore. Songs by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn.

Books Now Available:

Macbeth in Harlem: Black Theater in America from the Beginning to Raisin in the Sun
(Rutgers Univ Press - Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
By Clifford Mason. Tells the story of black actors and their fellow black theatrical artists, from the early nineteenth century to the dawn of the civil rights era. How they fought to carve out a space for authentic black voices onstage at a time when blockbuster plays like Uncle Tom's Cabin and The Octoroon trafficked in cheap stereotypes. A testament to black artistry thriving in the face of adversity, chronicling how even as the endemic racism in American society and its theatrical establishment forced black performers to abase themselves for white audiences’ amusement, African Americans overcame those obstacles to enrich the nation’s theater in countless ways. 246 pages.

The New One: Painfully True Stories from a Reluctant Dad
(Grand Central Publishing - Hardcover/Kindle Edition/Audiobook on CD)
By Mike Birbiglia, with poems by J. Hope Stein. Basis for Mike Birbiglia's Drama Desk-winning 2018 Broadway show The New One. Sharing some of his darkest and funniest thoughts about the decision to have a child, his wife's pregnancy, and that first year with their child. 256 pages.

Tarell Alvin McCraney: Theater, Performance, and Collaboration
(Northwestern Univ Press - Paperback Book/Kindle Edition)
Edited by Sharrell Luckett, David Román, and Isaiah Wooden. first book to dedicate scholarly attention to the work of Tarell Alvin McCraney (Choir Boy, Head of Passes, The Brother/Sister Plays). Featuring essays, interviews, and commentaries by scholars and artists, who consider McCraney's innovations as a playwright, adapter, director, performer, teacher, and collaborator, bringing fresh and diverse perspectives to their observations and analyses. 264 pages.

MUSIC to be released this Friday, June 19:

American Morning
(new digital album)
Studio cast recording of score by Timothy Huang. Tells the story of two immigrant cab drivers taking opposite shifts off the same medallion. Josh Dela Cruz, Raymond J. Lee, and Arielle Jacobs, Andrew Cristi, Troy Iwata, Will Roland, Allie Trim, Thom Sesma, Jason Sweettooth Williams, and Isabel Santiago. Orchestrations by Alexander Sage Oyen. Released by Kate Hall & Gary Lynch and The Lisa Cleff Kurtz and Michael Kurtz Foundation, in association with Less Than Rent Theatre. Produced by Alexander Sage Oyen and Timothy Huang.

Lauren Turner: Play On
(Broadway Records - new EP)
New York cabaret singer album. "I Have Nothing," "I’ll Be There," "If It Makes You Happy," "Fire and Rain," "The Heart of the Matter." A portion of proceeds from the album will go to charities benefiting doctors fighting the pandemic. Produced by Mitchell Walker and features Michael Isaacs on piano, Daniel Muniz on guitar and background vocals by Tara Martinez.

Ultimate Peggy Lee
(Capitol - new on CD/vinyl)
Salute to music legend Peggy Lee, and celebrating her landmark 100th birthday. New, career-spanning collection featuring hits and signature songs. "I Love Being Here With You," "Fever," "Things Are Swingin'," "I Don't Know Enough About You," "I'm A Woman," "Just In Time," "Hallelujah, I Love Him So," "Sweet Happy Life," "Alright, Okay, You Win," "Too Close For Comfort," "Why Don't You Do Right (Get Me Some Money Too)," "It's A Good Day," "You Deserve," "Heart," "Big Spender," "He's A Tramp," "I Wanna Be Around," "Black Coffee," "I've Got The World On A String," "The Folks Who Live On The Hill," "Is That All There Is?," "Try A Little Tenderness" (previously unreleased). Released earlier on mp3 and at iTunes.

Recordings RECENTLY MADE AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER:

Hans Christian Andersen
(Warner Archive - new blu-ray)
1952 musical film starring Danny Kaye. Music and lyrics by Frank Loesser. Directed by Charles Vidor.

The King and I
(Mill Creek - new Blu-ray)
1999 animated feature film based on the musical with score by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Vocal cast includes Miranda Richardson, Martin Vidnovic, Ian Richardson, Darrell Hammond. I don't know why, either.

Books/Plays RECENTLY MADE AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER:

The Complete Book of 2010s Broadway Musicals
(Rowman & Littlefield - Hardcover Book)
New volume in Dan Dietz' series of books (which previously covered the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s). Includes detailed information about every musical that opened on Broadway from 2010 through the end of 2019. Discusses the decade's major successes, notorious failures, and musicals that closed during their pre-Broadway tryouts, and also highlights revivals and personal-appearance revues. Plot summaries; cast members; names of all important personnel, including writers, composers, directors, choreographers, producers, and musical directors; opening and closing dates; number of performances; critical commentary; musical numbers and the performers who introduced the songs; production data, including information about tryouts; source material; Tony awards and nominations; information about London and other foreign productions. 656 pages.

The Understudy
(Hansen Pub Group - Paperback Book/Kindle Edition)
New novel by stage actress Ellen Tovatt Leary about the life of a Broadway actress in the 1970s. 255 pages.

OTHER NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Appears to be rescheduled for 1/22/21:

Sing Street OBC
(Masterworks Broadway - new on CD)
Score by Gary Clark and John Carney. Cast includes Max Bartos, Brendan C. Callahan, Billy Carter, Zara Devlin, Gus Halper, Jakeim Hart, Martin Moran, Anne L. Nathan, Johnny Newcomb, Brenock O'Connor, Gian Perez, Sam Poon, Skyler Volpe, Amy Warren, Anthony Genovesi. "Just Can't Get Enough," "Riddle of the Model," "Up," "A Beautiful Sea," "Girls," "Faith of Our Fathers," "Dream for You," "Drive It Like You Stole It," "Up (Down Version)," "Brown Shoes," "To Find You," "Go Now." Previously released on mp3 and at Itunes

Compiled by Talkin' Broadway Staff.