Jennie (1963 Original Broadway Cast) [Cast Recording]

George Wallace, Robin Bailey, Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz, Mary Martin | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 11, 1993)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Cast Recording
• Label: RCA Victor Broadway
• ASIN: B000003F4Z
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #170,976 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars cute musical, September 27, 2002

By 

Byron Kolln (the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Jennie (1963 Original Broadway Cast) (Audio CD)

JENNIE is one of those wonderful musical rarities that are treasured by Broadway-lovers. Despite only running 2 months on Broadway (82 performances), it's cast recording remains, showcasing the otherwise-brilliant score written by Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz.

Mary Martin turned down the starring roles in HELLO DOLLY! and FUNNY GIRL to star in this musical, a loose biographical version of the early life of actress Laurette Taylor, (re-named Jennie Malone for the musical).

Ms Martin shared the stage with veteran Broadway actress Ethel Shutta, who came out of retirement, as Jennie's mother. George Wallace played Jennie's philandering, barnstorming husband James O'Conner, and Robin Bailey played Christopher Lawrence Cromwell, the caring playwright who takes Jennie under his wing (and later marries her).

The score features a particularly-thrilling Overture, as well as "Before I Kiss The World Goodbye", "I Still Look at You That Way", "The Light May Be Dark", "Lonely Nights" and "High is Better than Low".

Highly recommended.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MARY MARTIN SHINES., October 14, 1999

By 

Boz - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jennie (1963 Original Broadway Cast) (Audio CD)

Well, the show was a flop and the music is merely pleasant, but Mary Martin is magnificent. She can sing the phone directory and make it special! Just because of Mary's magic I give it 5 stars.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly a gem, January 3, 2009

By 

Daniel Lowenstein (Los Angeles, California United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Jennie (1963 Original Broadway Cast) (Audio CD)

Arthur Schwartz may be the best American songwriter who is not a household name. "Jennie" is a gem, filled with wonders. I am mystified by the reviewer who (while giving the CD five stars) calls the music "merely pleasant." With the possible exception of "Lonely Nights"--amusing the first time through, but it gets on one's nerves--the least song in this show is pleasant, without the "merely." Among the best in the show, I would place "I Still Look at You that Way," "Over Here" ("In fact the more we British get to know of you / The more we wonder why our king let go of you"), "Before I Kiss the World Goodbye," "See Seattle," "High Is Better than Low," and "The Night May Be Dark." These songs are among Schwartz' best, which is to say that they are very good indeed. Mary Martin is at the top of her superb form and John Lesko is a revelation. By the evidence of this CD, at least, he could give Robert Preston a run for his money.