Titanic fever continues. If Playbill On-Line members are an indication, the original cast album of the Tony-winning Maury Yeston musical should win the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show album at the Grammy ceremony Feb. 25.
The voting was close this year, with Titanic taking 94 of 405 votes cast. The album "Songs from Ragtime" was a close second with 87 votes.
Five albums are eligible in that category of the 40th Grammy Awards, which are scheduled to be announced in a televised ceremony 8-11 PM (ET) on CBS-TV.
Playbill On-Line asked users of this service to pick their own choice for winner in this category. Polling began Feb. 18 and ended at noon Feb. 24. Playbill On-Line thanks all those who took part.
Here is a list of the nominees and how many votes they received: * Titanic: A New Musical -- Tommy Krasker & Maury Yeston, producers; Maury Yeston, composer and lyricist. Released by RCA Victor. 94 votes
* (Songs From) Ragtime The Musical -- Jay David Saks, producer; Lynn Ahrens, lyricist; Stephen Flaherty,composer. Released by RCA Victor. 87 votes
* Chicago, The Musical -- Jay David Saks, producer. Fred Ebb, lyricist; John Kander, composer. Released by RCA Victor. 81 votes
* Jekyll & Hyde -- Karl Richardson & Frank Wildhorn, producers. Leslie Bricusse, lyricist; Frank Wildhorn, composer. Released by Atlantic Theatre. 78 votes
* The Life -- Mike Berniker & Cy Coleman, producers. Ira Gasman, lyricist; Cy Coleman, composer. Released by Sony Classical. 65 votes
Downloadable clips from all the Grammy-nominated cast albums are available on the Playbill On-Line website, in the Audio Clips area.
For a complete list of nominated theatre folk in other categories, please see the story Titanic, Chicago, J&H Among Nominees for Feb. 25 Grammys in U.S. Theatre News.
This is the fourth year that Playbill On-Line has surveyed members about the Grammys. The Grammy voters agreed with members by giving the Grammy to Passion in 1995, but diverged in 1996 and 1997. In 1996 they gave the Grammy to Smokey Joe's Cafe, when PBOL members had voted their preference for the cast album of the Matthew Broderick How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying revival. In 1997 the NARAS gave the Grammy to Riverdance when PBOL members had overwhelmingly favored Rent.
-- By Robert Viagas
