Plain and Fancy (1955 Original Broadway Cast) [CAST RECORDING] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Richard Derr, Barbara Cook, David Daniels, Albert Hague, Arnold B. Horwitt

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 11, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Cast Recording, Original recording remastered
• Label: Drg
• ASIN: B000087DSA
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #152,105 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars lovely vintage musical, September 26, 2003

By	Byron Kolln (the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

PLAIN AND FANCY is a lovely vintage Broadway musical that's now largely forgotten, sadly. It opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on January 7, 1955, and closed a mere twelve days before MY FAIR LADY moved into theatre, more than a year later. PLAIN AND FANCY ran a modest 461 performances.

The plot concerns the humorous clash between city people (Shirl Conway and Richard Derr) and the Amish folk they meet when they want to sell an old farm. The musical is best-remembered for the lovely ballad "Young and Foolish", and for being the leading-role debut of Barbara Cook (who would go on to further greatness in CANDIDE and THE MUSIC MAN).

The score is a delight, featuring the good character-piece "It's a Helluva Way to Run a Love Affair". Barbara Cook's 11 o'clock number "I'll Show Him" exhibits some questionable lyrics but is belted in her best style. The score was written by Albert Hague and Arnold B. Horwitt.

This new CD reissue from DRG includes liner notes from Barbara Cook, whilst the sound quality is very impressive from a cast album of this age. Highly-recommended for Broadway and Barbara Cook fans!

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed, March 30, 2003

By	D. Clancy (Portland, Or USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I think this would have been more enjoyable if the sound had been improved. With a few exceptions it sounds like one is listening to the LP of this show that was issued in 1955. The sound is uneven and makes the singers voices very unattractive.
Albert Hague's music and lyrics are very uninteresting. One popular song from the 50's came out of this show "Young and Foolish". David Daniels and Gloria Marlowe acquit themselves admirably in this number.
The saving grace is the fact that Barbara Cook was in the show. It's always a joy to listen to her even if the recording makes her voice seem a bit shrill and uneven. What a pity.
I am puzzled as to why DRG reissued this. There are a few photos and some liner notes that were penned by Barbara Cook this year.
Too bad they didn't improve the sound quality.
Oh well

3.0 out of 5 stars More plain than fancy, November 18, 2008

By	tenor fanatic (Florida) - See all my reviews

The fancy--
The story; I believe it is the intriguing story line that made the show what one New York critic called "a moderate success."
Barbara Cook, David Daniels, Barbara Cook, and Barbara Cook
The choral work in "It Wonders Me" and "How Do You Raise a Barn?"
The plain--
Gloria Marlowe's wide vibrato; my voice teacher called it a "wobble."
Richard Derr; would he recognize a tune if he found one?
Douglas Fletcher Rodgers' non-musical recitation of words in "Why Not Katie?" The approach works for Stefan Schnabel in "Plain We Live;" but it misses here.
Less than plain--
The lyrics. "He's full of cheese." "With her face you get a mustache." "Monkeys throwing coconuts." The catalog of vegetable seeds in "Plenty of Pennsylvania."
Exempt "City Mouse, Country Mouse" from this last comment. Although these lyrics are equally banal, the encompass the basic premise of the entire show.