Search - Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, Donna Murphy :: Wonderful Town (2003 Broadway Revival Cast)

Phil L. from HURST, TX
Reviewed on 10/1/2009...

Love the CD. In good condition as well as great music.
Phil

0 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

A truly wonderful show

I. Sondel | Tallahassee, FL United States | 03/09/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Wonderful Town" is the 'original' musical adaptation of the play "My Sister Eileen" and features a great musical-comedy score by Betty Comden, Adolph Green and Leonard Bernstein. Now, with this first ever Broadway revival, the fifty year old musical is being rediscovered. Donna Murphy is fast becoming one of Broadway's greatest stars. Her performance on this CD (and on the stage of the Al Hirschfeld Theatre) is one of the most accomplished I've ever heard or seen. Under the musical direction of Rob Fisher, Bernstein's score sounds fresh and vital. The lyrics by the great Comden and Green are among their most inventive. The opening number - "Christopher Street" - is every bit the equal of (and some would say companion to) "New York, New York" from this team's earlier collaboration "On the Town." Whimsical and full of good intentioned high jinks, the score is populated with one character driven number after another. Among the highlights are "Ohio," "A Hundred Easy Ways," "A Little Bit in Love," "My Darlin' Eileen," "It's Love," "Wrong Note Rag" and the crazy-wonderful first act finale "Conga!" (which is terrific on this disc - but all the more memorable if you've seen the show - Murphy brings down the house). If you love musical comedy, don't skip this CD or this show."

'S Wonderful

I. Sondel | 03/10/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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 most 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.""