Do Re Mi Encores! Concert Cast Recording Arrives Sept. 21 | Playbill

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News Do Re Mi Encores! Concert Cast Recording Arrives Sept. 21 The 1999 Encores! concert cast album of the musical comedy, Do Re Mi, will make someone happy when it appears on store shelves Sept. 21.
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The 1999 Encores! concert cast album of the musical comedy, Do Re Mi, will make someone happy when it appears on store shelves Sept. 21.

The DRG release features Nathan Lane, Randy Graff, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Heather Headley in the concert revival of the 1960 musical by Betty Comden and Adolph Green (lyrics), Jule Styne (music) and Garson Kanin (book). The show begat at one standard, "Make Someone Happy," but aimed for a triple play with the lesser-known love ballads, "I Know About Love" and "Asking For You."

Producer Hugh Fordin's disc includes sections of the score not on the original cast album. "Make Someone Happy," a solo for John Reardon on the original, is now restored as a duet between Headley and Mitchell, who play a singer and a recording executive, respectively.

Also new to listeners are sequences called "Investigation: Who is Mr. Big?" and "Investigation: He's a V.I.P.," plus a reprise of "Adventure." There is also a bonus track of an interview conducted during the 1961 recording of the original album, featuring Comden, Green, Styne and interviewer producer George Marek.

Liner notes include information about orchestrator Luther Henderson, notes from Comden and Green, a history of the show and a synopsis. Lyrics are not included. *

The star-filled cast sang about fortunes, fleeting fame and fireworks at City Center's popular musical theatre concert series May 6-9.

Lane played Hubie Cram, the petty schemer whose show business dreams - involving the mob, a naive soprano and the jukebox industry -- threaten his marriage, leading to a rare 11-o'clock number for a male character in a musical, "All of My Life."

Phil Silvers originated the Hubie role, opposite Nancy Walker. Both were nominated for Tony Awards but lost out to Richard Burton and Tammy Grimes.

Graff (City of Angels) had the Walker role of harried wife, Kay, who just wants Hubie to go into her father's dry cleaning and pressing business.

Mitchell, who played Coalhouse in Ragtime, and Headley, an alum of The Lion King and intended for Aida, played secondary love interests John Wheeler and singer Tilda Mullen.

The revival also starred Lewis J. Stadlen, Stephen DeRosa, Lee Wilkof, Michael Mulheren.

John Rando directed Do Re Mi, Randy Skinner (Ain't Broadway Grand) choreographed and Paul Gemignani guest conducted (and is musical director on the disc) the Coffee Club Orchestra.

David Ives is credited with the Do Re Mi concert script adaptation.

The 20-track disc includes:

Overture
"Waiting"
"Take a Job"
"All You Need is a Quarter"
"It's Legitimate"
"I Know About Love"
"Cry Like the Wind"
"Ambition"
"Fireworks"
"What's New at the Zoo"
"Asking For You"
"The Late, Late Show"
"Adventure"
"Adventure" (reprise)
"Make Someone Happy"
"Investigation: Who is Mr. Big?"
"Investigation: He's a V.I.P."
"All of My Life"
"Finale"
Bonus Track: Interview With Styne, Comden and Green

The popular series at City Center in New York City -- officially called Encores! Great American Musicals in Concert -- revisits neglected or seldom-revived musical theatre scores and scripts in a conceptual concert form, often with big-name stage talent. The current Broadway revival of Chicago began as an "Encores!" presentation.

Forthcoming recordings of Encores! shows are Ziegfeld Follies of 1936 and Babes in Arms. Past concert disc include Pal Joey, Out of This World and St. Louis Woman.

-- By Kenneth Jones
and Robert Simonson

 
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