Audra McDonald, Steve Kazee, John Cullum and company cut the cast recording April 23 at Legacy Studios. Steven Epstein (The Light in the Piazza, Grey Gardens) produced the album.
Lonny Price (A Class Act, "Master Harold"...and the boys) directs the Harvey Schmidt, Tom Jones and N. Richard Nash musical that began previews April 13 for the Roundabout Theatre Company at Broadway's Studio 54. The show officially opened May 9 for a limited run through July 15.
The 21-track CD will also include a 32-page full-color booklet with essay, synopsis, complete lyrics and production photographs.
The track listing follows:
"Gonna Be Another Hot Day"
"Lizzie's Comin' Home"
"Love, Don't Turn Away"
"Poker Polka"
"The Hungry Men"
"The Rain Song"
"You're Not Fooling Me"
"Cinderella"
"Raunchy"
"A Man and a Woman"
"She walked out on me..."
"Old Maid"
"Evenin' Star"
"Everything Beautiful"
"Stay and talk..."
"Melisande"
"Simple Little Things"
"Little Red Hat"
"Is It Really Me?"
"Wonderful Music"
"The Rain Song" (reprise)
For more information on the recording, visit psclassics.com. *
110 in the Shade is a musical take on Nash's play The Rainmaker by the team that created The Fantasticks. As production notes reveal, "The mercurial Starbuck (Kazee) promises rain for a drought-stricken town and passion for the stalwart but resigned Lizzie (McDonald)." Cullum plays the role of patriarch H. C. Curry.
The cast also features Broadway newcomer Chris Butler (Yellowman - L.A. Ovation Award), Carla Duren (Hairspray Las Vegas) and Broadway veterans Christopher Innvar (Les Misérables) and Bobby Steggert (Master Harold…and the boys).
The ensemble also includes Elisa Van Duyne, Colleen Fitzpatrick, Valisia Lekae Little, Darius Nichols, Mamie Parris, Devin Richards, Michael Scott, Will Swenson, Matt Wall and Betsy Wolfe.
Dan Knechtges provides choreography, and Paul Gemignani serves as musical director. Orchestrations are by Jonathan Tunick. The design team features Santo Loquasto (sets and costumes), Christopher Akerlind (lighting) and Dan Moses Schreier (sound).
The musical made its Broadway premiere Oct. 24, 1963, at the Broadhurst Theatre starring Inga Swenson and Will Geer under the direction of Joseph Anthony — all three were Tony Award-nominated for their work, as were co-creators Schmidt and Jones.
Tickets are on sale at the Studio 54 Box Office, 254 West 54th Street, by phone at (212) 719-1300 or online at roundabouttheatre.org.
