Complete information on all known upcoming releases of theatre related audio and video recordings can be found on our Upcoming Releases page. Recordings released last week and earlier can be viewed here. This recap is available by email. Join the e-blast list on the front page of Talkin' Broadway, below the menu (on phones, at the bottom of the front page) to receive the recaps each week.
Digital Music Now Available:
Sister Act
(new digital album)
2024 West End cast recording. Score by Alan Menken (music) and Glenn Slater (lyrics). Beverley Knight, Ruth Jones, Lesley Joseph, Lemar, Clive Rowe, Lizzie Bea, Alison Jiear, and Carl Mullaney. "Overture," "Fabulous, Baby!," "Here Within These Walls," "When I Find My Baby," "It's Good To Be A Nun," "I Could Be That Guy," "Raise Your Voice," "Take Me To Heaven (Act 1 Finale), Pt. 1," "Take Me To Heaven (Act 1 Finale), Pt. 2," "Entr'Acte," "Sunday Morning Fever," "Lady In The Long Black Dress," "I Haven't Got A Prayer," "Bless Our Show," "The Life I Never Led," "Fabulous, Baby! (Reprise)," "Sister Act," "The Life I Never Led (Reprise)," "Sister Act (Reprise)," "Spread The Love Around," "Bows / Raise Your Voice." Released 12/23/24.
Books Now Available:
A Boy Like That: Hits, Misses, Messes, and Miracles as I Danced Across the Stages of Broadway and Hollywood
(Red Socks Press - Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
By Grover Dale. Foreword by Carol Lawrence. Actor/dancer/choreographer/director Grover Dale (West Side Story, Billy, The Unsinkable Molly Brown) takes us behind the scenes of seven decades of entertainment history, providing intimate insights into industry movers and shakers like Jerome Robbins, Noël Coward, and Gene Kelly, all while sharing his own inspiring life lessons. 336 pages. Released 7/8/24.
Newly Listed Recordings:
January 19:
Manuel vs. The Statue of Liberty
(new album)
Concept album for a musical comedy with a score by David Davila and Noemi de la Puente. Gabrielle Ruiz, Julia Estrada, Florencia Cuenca, Kevin Gwinn, Martin Ramirez Jr, and Haley Guerra. Kennedy on acoustic and electric guitar, Tony Mastroberti on electric bass, Jaxson Rives on drums, and Jeremy Gussin on piano. Musical arrangements and orchestrations by Karl Hedrick with additional arrangements by Gussin, Aaqil Abdullah, Mark Galinovsky, Angela Ortiz, and Jaime Ramirez. Produced and music directed by Jeremy Gussin. Also features four karaoke tracks of popular audition songs from the show. Recorded at Airtime Studios in Bloomington IL.
February 4:
Wicked
(Studio Dist Services - new Blu-ray/DVD/4k)
2024 musical film based on the Broadway musical. Score by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman. Screenplay by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox. Directed by Jon M. Chu. Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum. Two hours, forty minutes. Extras: sing along - alternate feature-length version; deleted and extended scenes; "Making Wicked"; "Welcome to Shiz"; "A Wicked Legacy"; "The Wonderful Wizard"; feature commentary with Jon M. Chu; feature commentary with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
March 21:
Liaisons II
(Avie Records - new on CD)
Part two of Anthony de Mare's commissioning project of "Re-Imagining Sondheim from the Piano." Fourteen tracks by contemporary composers from the worlds of classical, jazz, film, indie, pop and musical theatre, including Jon Batiste, Stephen Hough, Meredith Monk, Max Richter, Conrad Tao, with the soloist himself contributing the title track "All Things Bright and Beautiful". Digital version expected in February 2025.
June 2025:
Alan Harris: The Poetry of Jazz
(new album)
Singer/musician/writer Alan Harris. From his live show in which he performs through music and recitation, literary masterpieces. With John Di Martino (piano), Jay White (bass), Sylvia Cuenca (drums), and Alan Grubner (violin). Recorded live at Blue Llama Jazz Club, Ann Arbor MI. AllanHarris.com
No released date:
The Fitzgeralds of St. Paul
(Brainstorm Live Entertainment - new album)
Concept album for score by Christie Baugher. Heidi Blickenstaff, Jewell Wilson Bridges, Jessica and Santino Fontana, Grace McLean, Shannon O'Boyle, Tiffany Topol, Alysha Umphress, and others. Kickstarter.com.
Newly Listed Books:
April 15:
The In-Between: Intimate and Candid Moments of Broadway Stars
(Applause - Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
By Jenny Anderson. Foreword by Ariana DeBose. Anderson's personal ode to the theatre community, including more than 100 of her photographs taken behind the scenes of the most iconic shows of the last decade: Hamilton, Wicked, The Lion King, Kinky Boots, Sweeney Todd, Waitress, Hadestown, Phantom of the Opera, and many, many more. Rare photography of performers like Glenn Close, Patti LuPone, Hugh Jackman, Chita Rivera, Jonathan Groff, and Gavin Creel. A privileged glance behind the curtains of the world's most prestigious theaters and the stars who grace their stages. 144 pages.
May 6:
Theater Kid: A Broadway Memoir
(Simon & Schuster - Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
A coming-of-age tale by theatrical producer Jeffrey Seller. From Detroit to New York City, finding his voice through musical theatre and making a name for himself. Through the 1980s, from working as an office assistant to Rent, Avenue Q, In the Heights and Hamilton. 368 pages.
Compiled by Talkin' Broadway Staff.
Corrections and questions may be directed to SoundAdvice@talkinbroadway.com