Customer Reviews

13 the Broadway Musical Piano Vocal Selections

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

 

 

I was very excited when I found out Jason Robert Brown was writing a new musical. I loved all of his works Songs For a New World, The Last Five Years, and most of all PARADE. Except that this show was going to be made up completely of teenagers. I was intrigued. I followed the show since it's inception. I got the CD as soon as it was released. I loved it. I was excited for the music to come out and transcribed a lot by ear while waiting. The book was finally released and I ordered it (on playbillstore.com) and I received it today (four days later).

I Sat down at my piano and played through the book. It was great! They are great arrangements including full choral and harmony parts...WITH the piano accompaniment! That is very important to me. Though I expected it becuase of Mr. Brown's other books that are published.

The binding of this book was amazing I sat it on my stand and it just fell open...in a good way...it's not a book I will have to take to Kinko's to get spiral bound.

I couldn't ask for more it's great.

Jason Robert Brown has nothing to prove. He spent one year at Eastman to perfect his orchestration skills and then went to New York. Before he had any wrinkles on his face he was working with Harold Prince and Alfred Uhry at Lincoln Center on the biggest, most brilliant musical since "Sweeney Todd." ("Parade", 1999; Tony Award for best score) He is beloved by actors for his small pieces-"Songs For A New World", which he did with Hal Prince's daughter, the esteemed Daisy Prince and then "The Last 5 Years" which played with time the way that ABC's "LOST" does, with two actors a small band and almost no set. His music is honest, brilliant and he himself is one talented performer.

13 is a musical that he wrote for and about Middle School kids. It's not stupid or silly; he addresses real issues but in such a way that within two years every middle school theatre program in the Western World will be doing this show. The Broadway production used many characters and many ensemble numbers, which one needs with educational theatre for the young and even the very tight orchestra was filled with thirteen year olds. The muysic is sharp and witty; his lyrics are wise and honest and they easily fit into the musical lines so that no thirteen year old boy is holding a high A on an "e" vowel. The music is difficult and the only accomodations he made were for the Cambiata voice. If Disney were wise, they'd option this and film it well and then Music Theatre International can take it from there.

In the meantime, every single person who teaches middle school theatre needs to learn this show because you'll be doing it soon enough.

I can't wait to see what Mr. Brown does next.