[title of show] (2006 Original Off-Broadway Cast)

Jeff Bowen (Artist), Hunter Bell (Artist), Susan Blackwell (Artist), Heidi Blickenstaff (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 25, 2006)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Ghostlight
• ASIN: B000G5SI80
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #40,245 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #58 in Music > Broadway & Vocalists > Musicals > Contemporary Musicals

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The mysteriously monickered [title of show] turned into an unlikely—but well-deserved—Off-Broadway hit in 2006. A large part of the show's appeal is that it's a true Broadway geekfest. It tracks the songwriting team of Jeff and Hunter as they attempt to come up with a musical very, very quickly if they're going to make a festival's deadline—-kinda like the real authors of [title of show], Jeff Bowen (music and lyrics) and Hunter Bell (book), who also are part of the cast. We follow them as they race through various stock plots and characters, and then negotiate obstacle course such as finding backers, casting singers, and dealing with publicity. Bowen and Bell ingeniously integrate in-jokes about musical theater and its place in the culture at large ("Who wants to see Paris Hilton in The Apple Tree?") and set them to music so catchy it transcends the minimal arrangements (that'd be piano and...well, that's it). [title of show] shows what you can do with little money but lots of ideas and what seems like a bottomless reservoir of fun. Think of it as an update of the old MGM musicals in which Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney would put on a show in a barn. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This CD is so [title of show]!, September 1, 2006

By 

Robert W. Berg "Rob" (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: [title of show] (2006 Original Off-Broadway Cast) (Audio CD)

I saw [title of show] this past Wednesday in Union Square, and it was one of the best theatre experiences of my life. Sidesplittingly funny, self-referential and raunchy, yes, but also a bold and moving statement on and tribute to theatre and art, and the struggles one must go through in pursuit of artistic success in order to stay true to one's vision. The music and lyrics are clever and catchy, and some of the songs are absolutely beautiful. The cast (two of whom are the authors of the show) is top-notch, and the script is hilarious and, in the end, poignant. A truly wonderful piece of theatre, and a great cast album. The only caveat I would add is that, if you are not already a musical theatre fan, this show will completely go over your head.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for musical theatre lovers, April 23, 2007

By 

D. Goldberg (LA , Ca) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: [title of show] (2006 Original Off-Broadway Cast) (Audio CD)

The music is catchy and lyrics are irreverently witty. You will like the recording more if you are a musical theatre fan as much of the lyrics poke fun at past flops shows in Broadway History. Everytime you listen to the album, you find another flop show hidden in the lyrics. It's akin to counting the Ninas in the Hirschfeld drawings.If you know what I am talking about (the Ninas in the Hirschfeld drawings) run and buy this albu. If you are a musical theatre buff, run and buy this album. The rest, I'm afraid, might not get it. Super witty material for the Theatre Lover. Look forward to more shows by this duo.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It would be SO [title of show] of you to get this CD!, May 11, 2007

By 

M. Enders "OCR obsessive" (Front Royal, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: [title of show] (2006 Original Off-Broadway Cast) (Audio CD)

Wow! What can I say? This show is amazing!! Even though the set is minimal (four chairs), no big orchestrations (a piano) and the cast is sparse (four people), the music, acting and lyrics more than make up for it. The bond of the cast is extremely tight and it shows through their harmony. I have hundreds of shows in my collection, and usually I pick one or two songs to put on a mix on my ipod, but i think it speaks for itself when I put the entire last half of the show on my mix. Don't get me wrong, I love the first half as well, especially "Monkeys and Playbills!!" It's brilliant! When Susan and Heidi are meeting for the first time, it's very reminiscient of the meeting of cinderella and the baker's wife in "into the woods" right down to the line "i need your shoe!" I would love to fund for Hunter, Jeff, Heidi and Susan to come perform this show for my group of friends, since it's our favorite thing....and there are more than nine of us. :)