Customer Reviews

Ballroom (1979 Original Broadway Cast)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After the phenomenal success and acclaim of A CHORUS LINE (1975), the late director/choreographer Michael Bennett did what the true genius so often seems to: he switched tack entirely and came up with BALLROOM, a gentle, wistful musical from 1979 that has as its central characters two "ordinary" people in the autumn of their lives meeting by chance and falling in love. It's hard to imagine a world more removed from the glitzy grind portrayed in A CHORUS LINE. Sadly, the show never found much of an audience and closed after a little over 100 performances.

Based on a TV movie, BALLROOM was written for the stage by Jerome Kass, with music by Billy Goldenberg and lyrics from the famed team of Alan & Marilyn Bergman. The score has a couple of outstanding songs, with a few more-than-useful ones, though there is a curious stylistic division on the recording: some numbers, reflecting their place in the structure of the musical, are really only background, commentary, pieces. The dramatic numbers, on the other hand, in which characters "speak" are the real highlights - and a performer of Dorothy Loudon's class makes them truly memorable. The show produced a single standard: "Fifty Percent". When Miss Loudon, with a heartrending blend of smile and tears in her voice, sings it, insisting that she'd sooner have half a love than none at all, it's plain that this deeply-felt work delivers no easy answers. Choreography can't be preserved on a CD of course, but the sincerity and originality of Bennett's vision, I think, do infuse the recording.

A touching love story told by the incredible old-timers of theater in their golden years. Dorothy Loudon soars. Buy it for "Fifty Percent" if for anything. The song makes me wrench and it will make you sob too. Buy it for that. Buy it for her. Buy it for the music that makes you want to dance.

BALLROOM is a fantastic musical. It has a huge cult following by Michael Bennett fans and Broadway musical-lovers alike. The score is an exciting blend of old-fashioned waltzes combined with the pulsating rhythms of the 70's disco scene.

The story concerns Bea Asher (Dorothy Loudon - who also created the role of Miss Hannigan in the original cast of ANNIE), who, after losing her husband, discovers a new life at a dingy ballroom in the Bronx. There, she meets Alfred Rossi (Vincent Gardenia), a married man, whom she begins to have a love affair with. Bea knows that she will never truly 'have' Alfred for herself, but is more than willing to play second-fiddle even if her pride is what takes the fall.

The music is gorgeous; as with other "concept musicals", most of the songs have nothing to do with the plot, and most are sung by the singers at the ballroom (played by Lynn Roberts and Bernie Knee). Stand-outs in the score are "Dreams", "I Love to Dance", "A Terrific Band and a Real Nice Crowd", "Somebody Did All Right for Herself", and - the real show-stopper - "Fifty Percent", sung for all its worth by Dorothy Loudon.

A beautiful score and musical; ripe for rediscovery.

"Ballroom" was based on a T.V. movie, titled "The Queen of the Stardust Ballroom". The show was a flop, but an interesting idea none the less. Columbia, thankfully, perserved this fascinating score that needs to be rediscovered. If you have never heard of the authors, do not worry, neither had I. They were mainly Hollywood writers, but their material is 100% broadway gold. Loudon gives the great material her all, which makes songs such as "Fifty Percent" seem all the more charged with emotion. The opening number is excellent, and so is much of the dance material. All in all, a great score that needs a revival. It would put today's "Europop" musicals to shame.

A touching love story told by the incredible old-timers of theater in their golden years. Dorothy Loudon soars. Buy it for "Fifty Percent" if for anything. The song makes me wrench and it will make you sob too. Buy it for that. Buy it for her. Buy it for the music that makes you want to dance.

I first heard the music from this musical at my mother's house when I was just a kid and thought it was for dancing lessons or something. But recently while rumaging around the attic I found this music, and others, put them on and realised what I was missing out on all those years ago. The musical itself is a tad weak, the lyrics are a bit humdrum...but the music is sensational. With just one playing I was dancing around the floor, the beat seems to fill you and you must dance. Although as a musical it may be average but the music, for me, saves it...I could dance all night to this music!

Looking for a CD of Ballroom and it just 'POPPED' up

Haven't played it yet but I had heard it before as an LP

Hard to believe that this unengaging and listless-sounding show was choreographed by Michael Bennett. Maybe it plays better than it sounds. The music is, for the most part, banal--an average evening of ballroom dancing on TV has far more musical life to it--and the pedestrian orchestrations and lyrics don't help. Vincent Gardenia (Little Shop of Horrors OOBC) gets only one song, and Bernie Knee sounds like a lounge singer. What a shame that the classy and talented Loudon got stuck in so many bombs like this one.

So when I ordered this CD i didnt expect much from it. Its older, and about ballroom dancing. But the music is quite soothing, and not at all "old." The show is sweet and intamite with lots of duets. But the star voice is definitly Lynn Roberts. Wow has she got a sweet smooth voice. So in short, this is one for amature collectors, and up. Probably not the best for someone who likes Wicked, but thats the only show they know. Favorite Song: "I've Been Waiting All My Life"