Original Off-Broadway Cast, 1996 (Nonesuch) 
(5 / 5) In telling this bleak, based-in-truth story of a Kentucky man trapped in a cave and the media circus that surrounds him and his family during the ordeal, composer Adam Guettel — the grandson of Richard Rodgers, and a poster boy for the new wave of American musical theater composers — married bluegrass and classical strains to create an utterly unique sound that echoes with Appalachian authenticity. Some “old school” enthusiasts may not appreciate Guettel’s musical audacity, whether it’s the yodeling in “The Call” or the meandering gorgeousness of “Daybreak.” But the title folk ballad, the rollicking “Riddle Song,” and Floyd’s intensely moving spiritual vision “How Glory Goes” have won over even some of the most hardened purists. As for Guettel’s lyrics, they’re colloquial and character-perfect. (Additional lyrics were contributed by Tina Landau, the author of the show’s book.) This excellent recording preserves the performances of an outstanding cast including Christopher Innvar in the title role, the clarion-voiced Jason Danieley as his brother Homer, and the incomparable Theresa McCarthy as their touched-in-the-head sister. Bruce Coughlin contributes excellent orchestrations that make use of acoustic guitar, banjo, and harmonica in concert with more traditional musical theater instrumentation. — Brooke Pierce
Broadway Cast, 2025 (Center Stage Records) (5 / 5) Floyd Collins features one of the most well-regarded musical theater scores of the late 20th century, so it certainly deserved at least one high-profile revival and a second recording as a follow up to the 1996 Off-Broadway originals. The show’s belated Broadway debut came in 2025 when it was presented by Lincoln Center Theater at the Vivian Beaumont. As heard on the cast album of that production, Jeremy Jordan brings everything one could ask for to the role of Floyd in terms of vocal beautify, range, and emotional expressiveness; the fact that the timbre of his voice is so different from that of Christopher Innvar as preserved on the first recording helps Jordan make the part his own and provides a wonderful alternative listening experience. Though this remains Floyd’s show in the sense that his music is the best in the score, it’s impressive and satisfying that LCT assembled such a strong cast in support of Jordan, including Jason Gotay as Homer, Lizzy McAlpine and Marc Kudisch as Nellie and Lee Collins, Jessica Molaskey as Miss Jane, Sean Allan Krill as H.T. Carmichael, and Taylor Trensch in the meaty role of Skeets Miller, a journalist who is on hand to cover Floyd’s plight but who eventually becomes a major part of the story himself. (Both Jordan and Trensch received Tony Award nominations for their performances.) The recording reflects some relatively minor changes that Adam Guettel and Tina Landau made for this production, including the addition of the sweetly heartbreaking “And She’d Have Blue Eyes” for the trapped Floyd to sing as he imagines the girlfriend he’ll never have. Listening to the score again after some time away from it, this reviewer had the feeling that it does contain a certain amount of uninspired material but also that its greatest moments seem as great as ever, most notably “How Glory Goes,” one of the most beautiful and profound contemplations of death and the afterlife that any human being has ever created. — Michael Portantiere