Cast Albums Blog

New Release: Illya, Darling


1967 Broadway flop Illya, Darling is getting a new lease on life on May 8, courtesy of DRG Records. This is particularly interesting because it will mark the first time DRG (or any label with an active, established reissue program) has licensed an MGM/UA cast album for reissue, and it therefore raises the question of whether others will follow.

Notable MGM/UA cast albums include Anya, the House of Flowers off-Broadway revival, and the London cast album of Promises, Promises (featuring Betty Buckley).

Update: Eagle-eyed reader Ian Ewing correctly points out that DRG previously issued A Family Affair, also an MGM/UA recording. Please forgive the error; we've recently had to lay off our entire fact-checking department.


ON THE RECORD: Flaherty's Loving Repeating, Coward's Conversation Piece and Drowsy on LP


ON THE RECORD: Flaherty's Loving Repeating, Coward's Conversation Piece and Drowsy on LP (Steve Suskin).


Footlight Records to close


A few years after closing its brick and mortar location on 12th St in NYC, Footlight Records will reportedly be closing its online presence (according to news posted on CASTRECL). Sad, sad, sad.


Remastered Sondheim Releases


On March 20, Sony BMG Broadway Masterworks will be releasing remastered versions of four Sondheim musicals, with the following bonus material:

CoverInto the Woods - Original Broadway Cast Bonus Material: "Giants In The Sky" - John Cameron Mitchell, "Back To The Palace" - Kim Crosby, "Boom Crunch" - Maureen Moore (all three selections from the soundtrack of an unreleased 1991 "making of..." documentary)

CoverSweeney Todd - Original Broadway Cast Bonus Material: "Symphonic Sondheim: Sweeney Todd" - the American Theatre Orchestra, conducted by Paul Gemignani; "Green Finch And Linnet Bird" - Harolyn Blackwell (both from Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall).

CoverSunday in the Park with George - Original Broadway Cast Bonus Material: "Putting It Together" - Stephen Collins, Rachel York, Michael Rupert, Julie Andrews, & Christopher Durang (from Putting It Together); "Sunday" - Bernadette Peters (from Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall).

CoverMerrily We Roll Along - Original Broadway Cast Bonus Material: "Not a Day Goes By" - Bernadette Peters (from Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall); "It's a Hit!" - Stephen Sondheim (from Sondheim's personal archive).


Happy End - American Conservatory Theater Cast Recording


"The musical Happy End is a glorious mess." (John Simon).