Not a show that is lacking for attention around here, but felt compelled to mention it :-) I count it in my top five fave musicals of all time. It was an unusual journey for me. I was too young to appreciate the original Broadway production, but was taken to see the original tour---also too young!---and I vividly remember the opening of each act but slept through a lot of it. Bless my grandparents for trying! (better luck a few years later with Joel Grey in the tour of the Cabaret revivlal! Lucky me!)
I came of age with the mega musicals and Sondheim, with a heavy dose of all the classics one sees produced regionally. West Side, South Pacific, Grease, Gypsy, etc. I was also never a big fan of pop music. So I really really struggled with the OBCR. I understand now it was a big deal to have it produced by Motown and that they wanted to make it more like a pop album. But for me, it just wasn't giving me the musical theatre experience I longed for. What really turned the tide was the 2001 complete recording! I had NO idea it was wall to wall music, extended musical sequences, recitative. My mind was blown. What I would GIVE to have a recording like this with the original cast. My god.
Shortly after I actually bought a plane ticket to Atlanta to see Jennifer Holliday do the show, and well, that was pretty special :-) I just adore it and I am so grateful for it. Happy Birthday! |
