Search - Original Cast :: Vanities- A New Musical

The next best thing to witnessing the play in person

Midwest Book Review | Oregon, WI USA | 02/11/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Vanities: A New Musical is the original cast recording, based on the Obie Award-winning play, and includes liner notes, a synopsis, all the lyrics by songwriter David Kirshenbaum, and full-color photos from the off-Broadway show. Vanities: A New Musical is centered around the relationship of three friends, Mary, Joanne, and Kathy, from their girlhood in small town Texas to their college studies to their lives as grown women with careers, marriages, children to take care of, and dilemmas as they juggle all their responsibilities. An extraordinary production touching upon the heart and soul of American life, Vanities: A New Musical is the next best thing to witnessing the play in person, and an enthusiastically recommended addition to public library music CD shelves."

Fantastic Album!!!

Broadwaymusicfan | 12/18/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I had the opportunity to see "Vanities" this summer in New York and the show was great! This CD is a complete joy to listen to! Every song is wonderful and the three talented women sound absolutely terrific. David Kirshenbaum used a variety of beautiful musical textures throughout the entire album with his vibrant, clever, and moving music and lyrics. Kirshenbaum's music and lyrics compliment Jack Heifner's extraordinary book perfectly. Lauren Kennedy, Sarah Stiles, and Anneliese van der Pol all have gorgeous voices and make this CD complete perfection. Their group numbers as well as their solo songs are amazing. This album is a must-have!"

Musical Overproduction Nearly Kills This Album

AnnelieseWorld.com | Seattle, WA | 12/29/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"For the most part, all of the songs are pretty good. My favorites are definitely "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" and "Fly Into The Future" the latter showcasing perfectly the amazing and unrivaled talents of Lauren Kennedy. The only songs I'm not to keen on are "Cute Boys With Short Haircuts" & "Lookin Good" While I feel that Anneliese van der Pol is a strong vocalist and being a fan of hers, the musical overproduction on "Cute Boys" severely diminishes what could have otherwise been a very powerful and moving experience.





For me "Lookin Good" just is simply too sappy of a song for my personal tastes. I personally don't like sappy endings in movies/musicals/books as they don't bring any sense of real life to the story and thus cause me to lose any interest in them. This song is unfortunately no exception. Simplistic lyricism by David Kirshenbaum and poor musical choices cause this song to sink like a rocket, unfortunate given that this album was graced by the immense and unmatchable vocal talents of Lauren Kennedy as well as vocals from Anneliese van der Pol & Sarah Stiles."