 [Larger view] | Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden and more - Wonderful Town (2003 Broadway Revival Cast)
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Average user rating:  | |
 A Wonderful | |
| This recording of the new Broadway revival is a must-have for anyone interested in the state of old Broadway. During the last few seasons, Broadway has been awash with mediocre revivals of mediocre musicals, most of which added nothing to the originals and failed at the boxoffice. While the current "Wonderful Town" isn't a smash with ticketbuyers, it deserves to find an audience and this CD shows why. The score is simply one of the quirkiest, funniest and energetic delights in the annals of American musicals, and the current cast lights up the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (and this recording) with boundless razzmataz. At the center of this juggernaut is the euphoric Donna Murphy, who brings her own distinctive stamp and vocal finesse to a role that once seemed impossible to imagine without the incomparable Rosalind Russell. Well, Murphy has achieved the impossible, for she has made the familiar seem brand new and exhilirating. Just listen to "One Hundred Easy Ways...", "Swing" and, most especially, "Conga" to hear how much fun she's having. It's infectious. Murphy hits just the right notes, literally and figuratively, with the tough but tender character of Ruth. She's given fine support by a cast of mostly unknowns. The gentle Jennifer Westfeldt may not have the vocal heft of previous "Eileens" but she's right for the part and balances Ruth's cynicism with a lighthearted wistfulness. The always reliable Greg Edelman is a perfect foil for these ladies and adds a touch of whimsy to a part that could be, let's face it, just a wee bit boring. While the orchestrations are a bit thin on this recording (Broadway's current tendency is to run with fewer musicians), this is the most complete version of the score yet recorded and the production is absolutely pristine. It's a great addition to the revival mania that has overtaken the Great White Way. Buy the CD, then trek on down to the Hirschfeld Theatre for the wonderful "Wonderful Town." | |
| What a Blast! | |
| Saw the show in New York and have to say it put my faith back in Broadway. Got the CD, now a mainstay in my car. Instead of all these rock group musicals (Mamma Mia --hmph!), and any long-awaited complicated Sondheim piece, Wonderful Town is what a Broadway musical is all about. If Bernstein makes you only think of West Side Story, try this nostalgic and comical jazzy music that is truly timeless. The score is hopping and fun! Donna Murphy is hilarious as Ruth Sherwood and remains the toast of Broadway. It is so refreshing and true. | |
 Unfortunately, I see and hear ghosts . . . | |
| While I agree with most of the other reviewers, Donna Murphy's interpretation of Ruth does not erase my memory of Rosalind Russel in the role. Although this is really dating me, her performance in the 1958 CBS television production remains indelible in my mind even to this day. On this recording, at least, Miss Murphy is but a mere ghost of the late, great Miss Russell. I get the impression that she is trying so hard to not be a Rosiland Russell clone that her performance on the CD comes across as forced and unnatural by comparison to Miss Russell's on both the Decca original cast recording and on the Sony TV cast recordings. Both Edith (Edie) Adams and Jacquelyn McKeever are vocally more at home as Eileen than is Jennifer Westfeldt (listen to them as they sing "A Little Bit in Love"), and the huge contrast between their lyric sopranos and Miss Russell's basso profundo make the end of "Ohio" a memorable moment in the theatre. And getting back to Miss Russell. Her delivery of "It's about this . . . whale" is priceless. I'll treasure the revival album for its completeness and modern sound, but it will never replace the others with Rosiland Russell. She IS "Ruth," in the same way that Carol Channing IS "Dolly," Ethal Merman IS "Mama Rose" and Barbra Streisand IS "Funny Girl" Fanny Brice. |
