Tortoise

Jeff Flaster | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 3, 2003)
• Original Release Date: November 3, 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Melodic Music
• ASIN: B0000WU3AU
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,683,921 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Refreshing musical that lingers after the initial fizz, February 9, 2004

By 

Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Tortoise (Audio CD)

Jeff Flaster has found a means to communicate the timeless tales of Aesop's fables with a little dash of help from Shakespeare and a lot of background from the current computer-driven dialogue we all find ourselves using daily. This is a well structured, wise, and very lovely musical with charming lyrics and insightful musicality. The accompaniment is merely a piano, very well played by Michael Larson. The assembled cast is not only well attuned to the musical comedy (read Gilbert and Sullivan) idiom, but they also have individually excellent voices. Not that comparisons are necessary, but for those who have always loved the small scaled shows like THE FANTASTICKS then TORTOISE is bound to please. A well devised and performed show that would benefit from live performances - easy to stage, not with tremendous challenge to voices at the high school or college or community theater level. This is a fine work that sparkles and fizzes and gets dreamy and leaves you humming gentle melodies. A terrific disc to put into you car CD system - just to make your ride to your (probably similar) work a joy.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A musical fable about time and software imperatives, February 20, 2004

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Dennis Littrell (SoCal) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Tortoise (Audio CD)

Once upon a time (on one side of the stage) there was this monster software company called Nanogiant. They believed that the customer is always right and they wrote a program called "Officeware--The Office You Can Wear." On the other side of the stage there was this little software company called Tortoise. They believed that employees should have a life away from the office, and they too were working on a program. Theirs was called "Shellware--Leave the Office At Home."

So we have our conflict, our differing workplace styles and philosophies.

In the middle of the stage is a restaurant called Aesop's Tables where the programmers and other employees of the companies hang out. Aesop's Tables is also the place where the Billy Awards for software will be presented. Obviously either Nanogiant or Tortoise will win.

Being interviewed for a programming position is Laura Stone who is the heroine of this Gilbert & Sullivan/Broadway show sort of musical production. She is a recent and gifted IT graduate who is offered a top position at Nanogiant, but only a beginning position at Tortoise. She is the fox that the Tortoise (in person of Tortoise's Ed Stone) wants to snare for his own. He assures her she will "have a life" when she's working at Tortoise.

Well, Laura makes her decision and therein lies a kind of familiar moral tale--but never mind. The real question here is, Is the musical any good? I mean, does the music sparkle and soar? Do the lyrics delight and tease? Are the characters intriguing, compelling, beguiling? Is the tale itself inspiring?

I wonder. Only time will tell. This CD is not the full production. It is like a demo production that one might shop to producers. There is only a piano accompaniment to the voices and the dialogue has been omitted. (But composer Jeff Flaster has posted the libretto on his Website.) The standout voice belongs to Joan Bissell who plays Laura.

I will say there is a certain vitality in the story that may resonate with those who work in dot com cubicles. And Flaster has certainly captured the form and essence of the London/Broadway stage musical in this composition. Tortoise reminds me most specifically of a time before there were rock operas and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

For producers looking for material (or a full-fledged production) to produce, and for those of you who would like to catch a musical in its adolescence, this CD might make for some fascinating listening.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reboot it Dude, May 21, 2004

By 

Rebecca Johnson "The Rebecca Review" (Washington State) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Tortoise (Audio CD)

"Tortoise is an adaptation of Aesop's timeless fable to the time-starved present." ~Jeff Flaster

The first time I listened to this musical I enjoyed the unique "computer theme" and enjoyed the mix of modern technology with old-fashioned romance and values. Some of the lines reminded me of my own computer experiences. "Reboot it Dude, Reboot it Darling" had me laughing and sets the mood for the entire CD. There is a good helping of humor and if you love computers or the dot.com lifestyle you will be highly amused.

The snappy interview was impressive and many of the songs give you deep moments of contemplation about life and work. Is your job your life or is your job a way to enhance your lifestyle? Laura Shore (Joan Bissell) is the star of this show and must decide between two jobs. Will she take the job that must become her life or take a job that will fit into her life?

Craig Hanson and the charming Joan Bissell sing a duet that is almost a love song/ballad. This steps into the entire territory of the boss dating an employee. In "Tortoise and the Fox" Craig Hanson sings about the Aesop fable and Joan Bissell responds with her own wisdom and when their voices mingle it gives you shivers. I love every track where they sing together.

Dennis Littrell's review helped me to understand the entire context of this work. It truly does need more details in a booklet. My enjoyment of this CD would have been enhanced had I read Dennis' review before listening.

For some reason I kept thinking: Madame Butterfly flies into a computer screen. There is a beauty to the lyrics that almost causes you to feel nostalgic. It is unexpected because we are talking about computer companies here. Yet for anyone who is madly in love with the computer world, this musical will make complete sense.

Jeff Flaster's musical was recorded at Wellspring Sound, Cambridge Center for Adult Education and Rear Window Studio. "Only Me" is a comedy number that seems to have been recorded in front of a live audience and Matt Walton gets a few good laughs from the audience. I'd like to see a video to understand the physical comedy that is definitely present in this work.

Tortoise is an intriguing work that I'd love to see on Video/DVD or watch in person. It has all the elements needed to intrigue the mind and capture the heart.

~The Rebecca Review