Follies (New Broadway Cast Recording) [Cast Recording]

Stephen Sondheim, Jan Maxwell, Ron Raines, Danny Burstein, Bernadette Peters, Elaine Paige | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 29, 2011)
• Original Release Date: 2011
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Cast Recording
• Label: P.S. Classics
• ASIN: B005IYGQGA
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (65 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,304 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Prologue

2. Overture

3. Welcome to our first - and last - reunion...

4. Beautiful Girls

5. You came; you're really here...

6. Don't Look at Me

7. I never get to talk...

8. Waiting for the Girls Upstairs

9. Rain on the Roof

10. Ah, Paris!

See all 16 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Follies, musical play: I had a Follies number once...

2. Follies, musical play: I'm Still Here

3. Follies, musical play: Too Many Mornings

4. I had a Follies number once...

5. I'm Still Here

6. Too Many Mornings

7. The Right Girl

8. Men are so sweet...

9. One More Kiss

10. According to statistics...

See all 27 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Composer-lyricist Stephen Sondheim and librettist James Goldman's landmark 1971 musical returns to Broadway in a production The New York Times raved '[makes] you realize anew just why Follies is one of the greatest musicals ever written.' A bittersweet look at the follies of youth seen through the eyes of age and experience, this new production stars two-time Tony Award-winner Bernadette Peters as Sally Durant Plummer, four-time Tony Award-nominee Jan Maxwell as Phyllis Rogers Stone, two-time Tony Award-nominee Danny Burstein as Buddy Plummer, three-time Emmy Award-nominee Ron Raines as Benjamin Stone and four-time Olivier Award-nominee Elaine Paige as Carlotta Campion, under the direction of Eric Schaeffer. The cast of 41 is backed up by a 28-piece orchestra, conducted by James Moore. The Tony Award-winning score -- 21 songs in all -- reveals the full range of Sondheim's brilliance, nimbly alternating between incisive, insightful book numbers ('Waiting for the Girls Upstairs,' 'The Road You Didn't Take,' 'Could I Leave You') and stunning pastiches of yesteryear ('Broadway Baby,' 'Beautiful Girls,' 'Losing My Mind'). Now, PS Classics and producer Tommy Krasker -- who has helmed over a dozen Sondheim cast recordings -- preserve this unparalleled work of genius in an expansive two-disc set.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

76 of 83 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The 2011 Revival CD is Amazing November 29, 2011

By Scott Chamberlain VINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

The CD of the 2011 Follies revival has been released! Short version of my review: buy this CD now. No, really. Buy it now.

And now the longer version. Before seeing the 2011 revival, I was only dimly aware of "Follies"--mostly that while Sondheim fans loved it, it was a difficult show to pull off. And I had only a fleeting knowledge of the songs themselves. But this production blew me away, and now there are 5-6 songs I can't imagine living without. There's one of the best showbiz anthems, the very best survival song, the best divorce song, and so on. Magnificent score! But several other renditions of the Broadway score exist... do we need a new one?

Yes.

For those unfamiliar with it, "Follies" is a show about aging showgirls and their spouses who come together for a reunion in their former theater the night before it's torn down. The story is one of nostalgia, lost dreams, survival and roads not taken.

One thing worth saying upfront is that "Follies" really is a show that has to be seen, especially when it was acted as strongly as this production. Many times, the music is subtext to what's happening on stage, or the stage action deeply colors the songs. The Mirror Number, "Who's That Woman," is a perfect example. Hearing it, it's a great song. But to get the full effect, you have to see all these veteran performers recalling their youth by dancing it one last time (it was one of their marquee songs from the good ol' days), and it becomes an overwhelming showstopper. But then you realize that their dance partners are the ghosts of their former selves, when they were young showgirls at the height of their glory, and it moves you to tears. I'm not sure if that gamut of emotions carries though just listening to it....

That caveat aside, in nearly every other sense the CD is remarkable. The key figures are the two unhappily married couples at the core of the story--if they can't carry their weight, the whole show falls flat. And boy do they shine is this recording. Take Jan Maxwell, particularly in "Could I Leave You?" She starts out with drenching sweetness before building to simmering resentment and ending in a thundering cry of rage and lost dreams. Bernadette Peters is riveting as the desperately miserable housewife on the verge of a nervous breakdown--her fractured portrayal is genius. Relative to her live performance, her "Losing my Mind" is somewhat restrained. When performing live, her delivery was shattered and shattering; the presentation here is still heartbreaking, but with a little less rawness that serves the CD better.

And the men are absolute revelations. Ron Raines has a rich, authoritative baritone--but has a hollowed out quality that serves Ben wonderfully, and his singing brings us on an emotional roller coaster that has to be heard to be believed. Danny Burstein is hands-down the best Buddy to date. He performs with wonderfully musicality, but just below the surface is a world of self-hatred, desperate loneliness and unrequited love for his wife who, sadly, loves someone else. In his hands, Buddy finally makes sense.

The secondary parts are bits of luxury casting that thoroughly delight. Terri White's take on "Who's That Woman?" is a force of nature. Elaine Paige's knowing rendition of "I'm Still Here" is a milestone. Surprisingly (or not), one of the most heart-wrenching songs is "One More Kiss" by 82-year-old opera veteran Rosalind Elias. Her poignancy, emotional power, and flawless technique are stunning, in this her Broadway debut. And at the end of Jane Houdyshell's big-hearted "Broadway Baby" I wanted to cheer.

A final thing. I was blown away by PS Classics presentation of this incredible CD. Not only did they record all the songs of the show, but a significant number of the lead-in dialogue, so it's possible to follow the narrative of the entire show and understand the context of the various numbers. These bits have their own tracks and can all be skipped, but I think many people will find they add immeasurably to the proceedings. The notes also contain several short essays, and all in all the booklet has more photos than the souvenir program available at the theater. This was clearly a work of love by all involved.

Some purists might quibble with this or that detail--other CD's have additional songs that were used in other productions or cut before the show opened. And Bernadette really plays against type here... I loved her performance but I suspect others might not feel the same.

But I digress. This is a FANTASTIC performance of a FANTASTIC score and if you have any interest in Broadway, you need to get this CD. Read more ›

44 of 49 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars "Never Look Back"... November 30, 2011

By Alexander G. Barone

Format:Audio CD

Suffice to say, "Follies" is one of the most legendary musicals. This is for a number of reasons: its creation was one of exhaustion and trial-and-elimination. The Original Broadway Production was curiously received (obtaining either smashing or devastating or, even worse, ambiguously indifferent reviews), and was a box office disaster. Finally, the cast recording infamously cut or short-changed a large portion of the score. Despite the quality of the performers and the production, the recording itself has never felt more than adequate. It's since been revived, albeit infrequently, by notable companies over time. First, there was the recording with the New York Philharmonic in the 1980's, which featured the full, glorious score, as well as several noticeable stars, such as Lee Remick, Mandy Patinkin, George Hearn, Barbara Cook (despite what anyone ever says, I find both her Sally and delivery of "Losing My Mind" exceptionally underwhelming), and Carol Burnett. Then there's the London Cast from the late 80's. Although not perfect, it makes a good listen. Julia McKenzie and Dianna Rigg headed the cast, and made for strong leads (McKenzie's "Losing My Mind" is a force to be reckoned with), although the changes to the book and score detrimentally affected the show as a whole ("Country House" is a enjoyable number, but in no way replaces "the Road You Didn't Take", and the upbeat finale was disgraceful). Dolores Gray excelled with "I'm Still Here", though. The Papermill Playhouse recording in the 90's was acceptable but unremarkable; Donna McKechnie and Dee Hoty made for a lively, but not outstanding Sally and Phyllis. The inclusion of previously cut numbers on the recording made the album a must have though.... Though not recorded, its return to Broadway in the 2001 revival was a misfire for all intents and purposes; the leads came across as too old, all too under-sung, and the production too scaled-back, orchestra included (absolutely criminal for a "Follies" production). And the 2007 Encores! production was only semi-staged, but quite well-done considering, despite the miscasting of Victoria Clark (whose Sally was disastrous, though this is forgivable given Donna Murphy's phenomenal Phyllis.)
Then, after a brief but eagerly-anticipated run at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., this lush, full-scale, epic revival transferred to the Great White Way. And, THANK GOODNESS it did.
And NOW, to THIS 2011 CAST RECORDING:
I shall start out by stating (that's correct: stating) this is THE definitive recording of the masterwork that is "Follies".
First off, the orchestrations are absolutely exceptional; filled with TWENTY-EIGHT pieces (in 2011? Unheard of!), Sondheim's original orchestral intentions are brought to life like never before.
Now, to the cast...I, among many, consider Bernadette Peters (aka the Goddess of American Musical Theatre) to be the prime interpreter and muse of Stephen Sondheim. Her performances in "Sunday In The Park With George, Into The Woods, Anyone Can Whistle" [yes, I count it], "Gypsy" and "A Little Night Music" succeeded each other in both brilliance, depth and quality. And her performance as Sally Durant Plummer, the former showgirl-turned-depressed Phoenix housewife is, to put it mildly, a revelation. Fragile but naive, she captures Sally's giddy ambivalence from the Prologue absolutely stunningly. Her on-stage nuances are nearly all captured on this recording as Peters clearly "gets" Sally in a way that no one since Dorothy Collins has. "In Buddy's Eyes" becomes even more tragically beautiful than ever; Peters conveys Sally's ill-attempt at a lie exquisitely, making the balled nearly disturbing in its self-delusion and lack of truth. Of course, none of this compares to her truly shattering rendition of "Losing My Mind" (in my opinion, the greatest number in the show.) In Peters' hands, the number becomes an existential piece of devastation and wrenching truth. Her delivery of the climax will tear your heart and soul apart. It truly transcends magnificence. In short, you'll see a tiny, sad woman fall apart in five short minutes; it's breathtaking, Tony-winning work if it's ever existed. Some will declare she's miscast in the part, as the idiosyncratic performance will undoubtedly rub a couple folks the wrong way, however, Peters is playing against type in a part she's clearly pouring her heart and soul into; she's not miscast, not at all, just don't go in expecting a 'scene-stealing, adorable' Peters role as many have come to expect. Be prepared to see a brittle, frail but hopeful and silly woman on the verge of a breakdown...you must see it to believe.
Usually, "Follies" succeeds on the shoulders of Sally and Phyllis; while that's not untrue here, the heart of the show belongs to Peters' Sally and her on-stage husband, Buddy Plummer, played to *true* perfection by Danny Burstein. Apart from maybe Sally, Buddy is quite possibly the most difficult role in the show, yet Burstein pulls it off so exceptionally, and seemingly so effortlessly, it seems impossible no one has before. Burstein isn't showy, he's not over the top, he's just real. He'll put a lump in your throat. His tour-de-force work here delivers 100% of the time...and then some. His "the Right Girl" is simply wonderful. And "The God-Why-Don't-You-Love-Me-Blues" (or "Buddy's Blues") is nothing short of incredible.
As the evening's other couple, we have Jan Maxwell and Ron Raines, as Phyllis and Ben Stone, respectively.
The flashier of the two leads, Phyllis has an easier role, as hers is equipped with one liners and sass to spare. That said, this takes nothing away from the spectacular work done by Maxwell, who infuses Phyllis's lines with sardonic wit with that never comes across as self-indulgent or aware. Her "Could I Leave You?" is a mad, rage-filled, passionate spectacle that believably conveys thirty years of bottled up marital stress (though Donna Murphy's "Leave You" still holds the golden trophy for this song.) "The Story Of Lucy and Jessie" is delivered powerfully, but it's a dance number, so reviewing the recording of it does little justice to seeing it live. As for Ron Raines, well, he's not bad. Not at all. He's just the weakest of the bunch. Granted, he keeps getting better (I've seen him twice live), and he clearly cares very much about the material. He just seems to have some trouble connecting to Ben's insecurities, though his performance on the recording is nearly the opposite: he seems totally at ease in Ben's skin. "The Road You Didn't Take" is powerful both vocally and emotionally in his hands.

In the cameo-ish roles, we have Jayne Houdyshell as Hattie Walker, Mary Beth Peil as Solange Lafette, Terri White as Stella Deems, and Elaine Paige as Carlotta Campion. Houdyshell knocks the iconic "Broadway Baby" out of the park with a sturdy gusto Linda Lavin (who played the role in D.C.) severely lacked. Peil plays Lafette as a slinky yet quirky seductress, and her "Ah, Paris!" only confirms this (a monumental improvement over Regine, who essayed the part, poorly, in D.C.). Terri White tears it up as she leads the ladies in "Who's That Woman". And finally, as Carlotta, the most notable role aside from the lead quartet, Paige takes the standard, intimidating "I'm Still Here" and gives it both a dramatic and vocal heft only equaled by a few of her superiors. Her command of the music, lyrics and character prove that she's still a force to be reckoned with. Her thunderous climax reminds audiences that not only is the song still as prevalent as ever, so is Paige.

In addition to the musical numbers, this recording has gone full-out and recording nearly all of the dialogue from the show. This, in addition to the amazing song recordings, make this album a must-have. The entire plot is comprehensible and now goes hand in hand with the music, whether you're in the theater or listening at home.

Do yourself a favor, PLEASE, it will be for YOU. BUY this recording...for yourself, and anyone else. It is the be and end all of "Follies" recordings. The performances here, especially Bernadette Peters', are NOT to be missed. If you're a fan of Peters, if you're a fan of Sondheim, if you're a fan of Musical Theatre, or Theatre in general....get this album now. You will not have a single regret, nor will you look back. Read more ›

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A play to Behold! November 30, 2011

By M. Skwiat

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

My journey to discovering Follies happened largely by accident. Looking to see a show on Broadway with a friend we both decided on Follies. My previous knowledge of the play was minimal at best, knowing only of Stephen Sondheim and his reputation as a genius. Everything seemed to be going against us that day. Our train was late, we didn't buy tickets in advance, and on top of all that Hurricane Irene was preparing to hit us the next day! And yet everything went even better than planned. Thanks to our neighbor sitting next to us in the theater we got a background about the play. It was originally brought to the stage in 1971, included Yvonne De Carolo(of Munsters fame), and according to him was the best play he'd ever seen. To make a long story short I can't speak for the 1971 play since I've never seen it, but 2011 Follies was one of the best plays I'd ever seen. It's so unlike anything I'd seen on Broadway. It was a play for grown ups about aging, marriage, regrets, and everything in between.
The cd I am happy to report was able to hold on to the spirit of the musical. Bernadette Peters is amazing seemlessly capturing the broken and shattered Sally. Elaine Paige is magnificent and show stopping, but the real revelation for me at least was Jan Maxwell who sings with real passion especially on the number "Could I Leave You?" Do yourself a favor and buy this cd. It's magical and gets deeper and better with each listen.

20 of 24 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars The aural equivalent of an airbrushed photograph January 30, 2012

By Joey D

Format:Audio CD

The Real problem with this recording as it is with many B'way recordings of the last decade is the micro-managing sculpturing of the sound. The voices play at the same level whether whispering or projecting. And when they belt, like Elaine Paige does at the end of "I'm Still Here", the sound becomes pinched, thinning out as if only certain frequencies were allowed to be recorded. And then there's the air around them: I guess the engineers are judging everything by their readouts instead of their ears because the singers sound like they're in an acoustically dead room, there are no harmonics floating in the air, the voices seem to have less than twelve inches before they hit an invisible dead wall. This doesn't sound like live music, this sounds like a museum recording, which is a shame because this could have been a real keepsake recording. Digital seems to be the bane of Broadway Cast albums. I wish someone would do something about it.