By Steven Suskin
22 Jun 2008

In the Heights [Ghostlight 8-4428] features songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda starring in his own, first-time musical. This is not the traditional Broadway sound, as has been noted; Miranda brought something altogether different to Times Square, garnering a considerable amount of acclaim while more-or-less charming the customers. Passing Strange [Ghostlight] features songwriter Stew starring in his own, first-time musical. This is not the traditional Broadway sound, as has been noted; Stew brought something altogether different to Times Square, too, garnering a considerable amount of acclaim while he more-or-less charmed the customers.

Songwriter Miranda spreads the wealth around, offering solo spots to Mandy Gonzalez, Christopher Jackson, Carlos Gomez, Olga Merediz, Eliseo Román, Karen Olivo, Priscilla Lopez and Andréa Burns. Stew, similarly, offers spots to many of his supporting players (including Daniel Breaker, De'adre Aziza and Eisa Davis) as well as his merry band, headed by co-composer Heidi Rodewald; still, he dominates the proceedings. The many fans of these two, new-styled musicals will no doubt be entranced by the opportunity to hear these scores repeatedly. (In a sign of the passing times, Passing Strange has been issued as a "Digital Exclusive Release," which is to say it can only be gotten at present on iTunes; the CD version will be available in July.) These scores are not a new direction for Broadway, exactly, following closely upon Spring Awakening; but they are a different direction, and both shows — with their charismatic songwriter-stars — are expanding the definition of the Broadway musical and widening the traditional audience, two very welcome developments.

The Broadway season began with Xanadu [PS Classics PS-858], based on the cult movie musical of the same title. Kerry Butler and Cheyenne Jackson head the cast of this spoof on wheels, with Tony Roberts — who first starred in a Broadway musical a full forty years ago — joining in for the fun. Mary Testa and Jackie Hoffman contribute their own eccentric styles, and then some, to the mix. Cry Baby, the fourth nominated musical, has not yet issued a cast album and at this juncture appears unlikely to do so.

And that's not all; there are no less than three additional new Broadway musicals on CD.

John Bucchino's A Catered Affair [PS Classics PS-864] received something of a checkered reception, but it seems to be attracting some vehement supporters. Bucchino — like Miranda and Stew, making his Broadway debut — has built a significant fan base over the years with his intelligent and entertaining cabaret songs. The CD, with Faith Prince, Tom Wopat, Leslie Kritzer and Matt Cavenaugh, is bound to gain friends for this unconventional chamber musical and for Mr. Bucchino. Also on the record stack are Disney's The Little Mermaid [Disney D000103302] and Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein [Decca Broadway B0010374], two big-budget musical adaptations of popular movies from a generation back. Mermaid supplements the Alan Menken-Howard Ashman score from the 1989 film with ten new songs by Menken and lyricist Glenn Slater. Sierra Boggess heads the cast as the title character, with Sherie Rene Scott, Sean Palmer and Norm Lewis sharing the honors. Composer-lyricist Brooks' second Broadway musical features a host of respected theatre performers, namely Roger Bart, Sutton Foster, Andrea Martin, Shuler Hensley, Megan Mullally and Christopher Fitzgerald. If it's a roll in the hay you want, Mr. Brooks boisterously beckons.

(Steven Suskin is author of "Second Act Trouble," "Show Tunes" and the "Opening Night on Broadway" books. He can be reached at Ssuskin@aol.com)

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