Original Off-Broadway Cast, 2024 (Center Stage Records) 
(3 / 5) Written by Neil Berg and Cary Gitter, this musical tells the story of an unlikely love match between Angie (Marilyn Caserta), an Italian-American art gallery owner, and her Orthodox Jewish neighbor, Seth (Max Wolkowitz), who works at a knish shop run by his sister (Lauren Singerman). Their romance is affected by the pressure Seth receives from his sister not to marry outside the faith, as well as by Marilyn’s on-and-off relationship with a hot artist named Blake (Rory Max Kaplan) and the advice she receives from her grandmother (Diana DiMarzio), whom we eventually learn in the show (but not on the album) is actually the spirit of Marilyn’s deceased relative. Caserta and Wolkowitz are undoubtedly rising stars, and both of them give rich vocal performances that make the listener feel invested in their relationship from the start, but the score does not quite live up to the quality of its performers. While Berg unquestionably knows how to write a soaring love song, there’s very little differentiation in style and tone throughout the score, with most of it oscillating between power ballads and light comic numbers. Two highlights of the album are “Listen to Your Heart,” a climactic quartet that almost but doesn’t quite get lost in a sea of 11 o’clock turns, and “The Knish Song,” notable for its specificity and humor. The lyrics, by Berg and Gitter, are generally charming, although they often deal in false rhymes and are not always well-served by the tempo of the accompanying music. Sadly, this show doesn’t avoid the trap of portraying Jewish characters as inherently anxious and neurotic, and the song “Off the Roof,” in which Angie teaches Seth to discard his troubles, is questionable in its use of stereotypes. As the initially engaging story winds down, it seems to run out of new complications, and listeners may find themselves drifting off towards the end of the album’s comparatively short running time. While The Sabbath Girl is unlikely to make much of a splash beyond its initial Off-Broadway production and this recording, it does have its pleasures. — Charles Kirsch
(3.5 / 5) Parts of Scott Frankel’s score for this musical, based on the 2002 film of the same title, are uncommonly intricate. The beginning of the album is especially worthy of close listening, as Frankel slowly introduces melodies that will return throughout the score in inventive ways. However, the quality of the songs levels off somewhere in the middle of the piece, and the show’s sentimentality can begin to grate on listeners. Michael Korie’s lyrics are appropriate, if undistinguished. The book, by Richard Greenberg, adheres closely to the plot of the movie and revolves around the central character: Cathy Whitaker (Kelli O’Hara), a housewife in 1950s Connecticut whose husband is a closeted gay man, played by Steven Pasquale. This secret, along with an unexpected relationship between Cathy and her Black gardener, Raymond (Isaiah Johnson), are the show’s two main sources of drama. O’Hara and Pasquale are vocally exquisite throughout the recording, but they feel a little hemmed-in by their roles. One might say that O’Hara’s deft navigation of “Autumn in Connecticut” and “Once Upon a Time” is better than these songs deserved, and while Pasquale is not given many opportunities to show off his powerful voice, his performance of “If It Hadn’t Been” is noteworthy for his emotional delivery as well as the song’s fascinating melody. Johnson’s recorded performance is less memorable; he duets well with O’Hara while giving his philosophy on gardening in “Sun and Shade,” and his character bonds with hers over a shared love of art in “Miró,” but his acting seems stilted on the album. One other cast member of note: Nancy Anderson stands out in the role of Cathy’s ever vigilant best friend, Eleanor, for her perfectly petty characterization. Far From Heaven had a promising run off-Broadway in 2013, but seems to have been largely forgotten since that production closed. — Forrest Hutchinson
(2.5 / 5) It’s difficult to criticize the cast recording of a show that is so representative in its diversity and so bold in its subject matter. How to Dance in Ohio was powerful onstage, and also very meaningful to the autistic and neuro-divergent communities. It certainly deserves praise for its honest portrayal of a group of autistic young adults (played by autistic performers) who meet under the supervision of their counselor, Dr. Amigo. With a book and lyrics by Rebecca Greer Melocik, and music by Jacob Yandura, the show takes its title and general plot from a 2015 HBO documentary in which we see Dr. Amigo planning a formal dance to teach social skills to the group. Despite the obvious merits of the musical, the cast album rarely flows well, and unfortunately, the songs are musically undistinguished. “Today Is” proves to be a generic opening number, and though songs such as “Under Control,” “Unlikely Animals,” and “Waves and Wires” allow us to learn more about the inner minds of the characters, they don’t have memorable melodies. One thankful exception is a song performed by two mothers while preparing their daughters for the formal, “Getting Ready for the Dance.” (A heartbreaking sample of the lyrics: “So many things the other kids do, ours get ‘nevers,’ ‘nos,’ and ‘can’ts.’ I want a picture of my daughter getting ready for the dance.”) The ensemble cast members are universally laudable for their vulnerable performances on the album: Caesar Samayoa sounds uncannily similar to the real-life Dr. Amigo, Madison Kopec is just right as Marideth, and Liam Pierce as Drew highlights the recording with his 11 o’clock number, “Building Momentum.” — Forrest Hutchinson
(2 / 5) This recording reveals an uneven score for a musical with a rather complicated plot. The source material, Boris Pasternak’s 1957 novel of the same title, may be partially to blame; the story takes place during the Russian Revolution, and it surrounds protagonist Yuri Zhivago with numerous characters and a sprawling narrative. The short-lived Broadway production featured music by Lucy Simon, lyrics by Amy Powers and Michael Korie, and a book by Michael Weller. If one can listen beyond the muddled and unfocused opening number, “Two Worlds,” there are quite a few lovely songs in this score, primarily owing to Simon’s ability to craft beautiful duets; hear Zhivago (Tam Mutu) implore his wife (Lora Lee Gayer) to “Watch the Moon,” or listen to “Love Finds You,” a quintet that attempts to juggle all of the show’s prominent characters and their wandering hearts. There is charming vocal work done by Kelli Barrett, who’s given strong material as Zhivago’s lover, Lara, and Paul Alexander Nolan as Pasha Antipov/Strelnikov, who’s not so fortunate in that regard. The plot of Doctor Zhivago may be very difficult to follow, but when this recording reaches its climax with the conventional but effective duet “On the Edge of Time With You,” listeners may just be won over. — Forrest Hutchinson
(4 / 5) Hell’s Kitchen is one jukebox musical — in this case, celebrating the artistry of R&B singer-songwriter Alicia Keys through the semi-autobiographical story of teenage rebel Ali (Maleah Joi Moon) — that receives a significant upgrade in the translation from stage to cast recording. On the one hand, the misguided inclusion here of substantial portions of dialogue gives us too much of the show’s paper-thin story and near non-existent character development. (The most frustrating track in this regard is “You Play These Notes” featuring a wildly silly and unconvincing piano pedagogy.) But also showcased are the extraordinary vocals and rousing arrangements of Keys’ songs that a shorter version of the album could have offered with fewer distractions. Rather than simply recreating the sound of Keys’ original hit recordings, Hell’s Kitchen reimagines them: the sped-up, jazzy take on “Fallin’” and the impassioned mother-daughter duet recrafting of “No One” are two exemplars. Keys penned four new songs, including the lovely “The River,” for the musical, but the bulk of the score consists of items familiar from nearly 25 years of her albums. As jukebox musicals go, this one boasts unusual orchestral reinvention; Tom Kitt and Adam Blackstone engage in symphonic spread with rich scoring for strings that never overwhelms the piano-driven gold at the core of Keys’ compositional mines. And there’s a generosity of spirit in Keys’ willingness to spread the wealth of her solo songbook to other vocal artists, an unselfishness rewarded by the four central performances well represented by numerous tracks on the album: the deliciously melismatic rasp of newcomer Moon’s “The River” and “Kaleidoscope,” the seductive syrup of Brandon Victor Dixon’s “Not Even the King” and “Fallin’,” the rafters-raising electricity of Shoshana Bean’s “Pawn It All” and “No One,” and, best of all, the richness and warmth of Kecia Lewis’ “Perfect Way to Die,” “Authors of Forever,” and “Like Water.” — Dan Rubins
(1.5 / 5) This musical based on the real-life story of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, those infamous outlaws of the 1930s, has a book by Ivan Menchell, music by Frank Wildhorn, and lyrics by Don Black. The show opened on Broadway on December 1, 2011 and closed after only 36 performances. The cast recording starts out pleasantly by introducing us to Laura Osnes as Bonnie and Jeremy Jordan as Clyde. Jordan’s first song is a strong ballad, “The World Will Remember Me,” while Osnes croons a sweet-sounding ballad of her own, with the score’s catchiest tune: “How ’Bout a Dance.” Wildhorn has composed some praiseworthy music using jazz, blues, and gospel elements, but the score also includes several songs written in a nebulous pop style that makes no attempt to represent the time period. On the rare occasion when Wildhorn avoids the first-person ballad, we get misfires such as “God’s Arms Are Always Open,” a tonal mess in which the couple’s villainous deeds are underscored by a preacher’s fiery sermon. The song “Made in America” does delve into some of the deeper themes of the story and motivations of the characters, but it’s quickly followed and counteracted by multiple anemic ballads. Making matters worse, Black’s lyrics are bland and rarely more than skin-deep, resulting in stagnant songs that don’t push the story forward. Certain individual numbers might be enjoyable when extracted from the show; for example, Clyde’s love song, “Bonnie,” and Bonnie’s 11 o’clock number, “Dyin’ Ain’t So Bad” are particularly memorable and could perhaps serve as fine cabaret material. But listening to this album from start to finish may well prove to be an unsatisfying experience for those expecting a cohesive musical theatre score. The recording’s major recommendations are the performances of Osnes, Jordan, and Melissa Van Der Schyff a s Clyde’s long-suffering sister-in-law. All three are given ample opportunity to show off their vocal dexterity. — Forrest Hutchinson
(4.5 / 5) Michael R. Jackson has quickly become the prince of telling unlikely stories on stage, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that his unlikeliest project yet is highly successful. Teeth, based on the cult classic film of the same title, is all about Dawn O’Keefe, stepdaughter of an ultra-religious pastor and leader of the virginal “Promise Keeper Girls.” Only her geeky stepbrother, Brad, knows her secret: Dawn has a set of teeth inside her vagina that will bite off the extremities of men who violate her. Brad found this out when he put his finger in as a child, but soon, Dawn’s boyfriend and an evil gynecologist discover her power the hard way — no pun intended. After those two involuntary attacks, Dawn learns that she has a condition known as “vagina dentata.” She also learns to use her power against her friend Ryan, who non-consensually tapes their sexual encounter; against her pastor stepfather; and finally, in a Little Shop-esque finale, against all evil men in the world. That the plot is so unusual makes it all the more impressive how smoothly and intelligently Jackson’s lyrics tell the tale. Some of his turns of phrase are extremely clever: “To keep from getting routine and banal with girls like you / I just go spelunking in the birth canal with girls like you” is a particular gem. Anna K. Jacobs’ music is expressive and appropriately lurid, even if the orchestrations here are overblown. At the center of the show, Alyse Alan Louis as Dawn is that rare phenomenon, a supernova talent with a truly unique vocal quality and presence. If there’s a more achingly real expression of desire than her performance of “Shame in My Body,” this reviewer has yet to hear it. Steven Pasquale, in the dual role of the pastor and the gynecologist, has a field day with the delightfully vulgar pastiche “Girls Like You,” and Jason Gotay as Tobey runs the gamut from nicely restrained in “Modest is Hottest” to downright threatening in “When She Gave Birth” (a musical highlight). If Teeth is a difficult show to pitch in an elevator, it’s a remarkably easy one to be amused, thrilled, and challenged by. — Charles Kirsch
(0.5 / 5) As F. Scott Fitzgerald’s famous and revered novel The Great Gatsby lapsed into the public domain, it was perhaps inevitable that stage adaptations would begin to appear. This musical version had the good fortune of employing two extremely talented vocalists, Jeremy Jordan (Newsies, Bonnie and Clyde, etc. ) as Jay Gatsby and Eva Noblezada (Miss Saigon, Hadestown) as Daisy Buchanan. Noblezada was cast against type for this role, yet she comes across better than Jordan on the recording, finding genuine emotion in songs such as “For Better or Worse” and “Beautiful Little Fool.” Though Jordan’s singing voice is distinctive in ballads including “For Her,” his accent in his spoken dialogue sounds out of place. And while John Zdrojeski and Sara Chase are well cast as Tom Buchanan and Myrtle, respectively, Noah Ricketts struggles in the role of Nick. The story of Gatsby’s pursuit of the married Daisy is narrated in the novel and the musical by Nick, who has just returned home from serving in World War I, and who also plays a key role in the unfolding drama as he carries on a romance with professional golfer Jordan Baker (Samantha Pauly). Nick is the audience’s reporter on the show’s primary subjects and themes: the tragedy hidden behind the decadence of the Roaring ’20s in America, the life of the mysterious Gatsby, and the everlasting hope or the unreachable dream represented by a single green light in the distance. But narration is much more difficult to execute in a stage show than in a novel, and Nick’s lines often feel shoehorned into the musical. The score for this adaptation was written by Jason Howland (music) and Nathan Tysen (lyrics), and the book by Kait Kerrigan. Howland is not untalented; his melodies for the songs “For Her,” “Only Tea,” and “Past is Catching Up to Me” are enjoyable, and “My Green Light” plays well as the obligatory, highly-anticipated duet between the two leads. But some of Tysen’s lyrics are of shockingly poor quality. For example, in the song “One-Way Road,” a pregnant Myrtle sings “Though I’m not showing, a baby’s growing,” along with “He’s mine, and this baby here is genuine.” Lyrics like these prevent the recording from gaining any real momentum, and further, the score as a whole is structured so generically that some listeners may be able to predict the type and style of each successive song before it plays. Although the standout visuals of this show’s physical production and the presence of two bankable musical theater notables may keep the party moving well enough on stage, this Great Gatsby‘s lack of nuance is clear from the cast album, especially in comparison to the source material. — Forrest Hutchinson
(1 / 5) Fans hailed Eden Espinosa’s return to Broadway in Lempicka and fawned over pre-released songs from the score, such as “Woman Is,”’ that showed off her powerful vocal instrument. Unfortunately, the show was a dud — an unfocused and unpleasant musical that appeared to be far more interested in the soap opera aspects of the title character’s life than her art. First-time listeners to this cast recording might be taken aback by the techno music and harsh orchestrations used in the overture, especially if they have any background knowledge about the show’s subject: Polish painter Tamara de Lempicka, whose most notable works were completed in the 1920s and ’30s in the Art Deco style, of which she was a pioneer. Composer Matt Gould seems to have written electronic music with rhythmic, focused beats for this score as a way of reflecting the hard-edged style of Lempicka’s art. Perhaps this is justifiable for the numbers in which Lempicka is learning to paint and developing her style, but as the show’s plot proceeds, and both her marriage and her extra-marital affair begin to fall apart, the emotional turmoil is accompanied by jarringly upbeat music more fit for a dance club. Espinosa impressively belts her way through the mediocre material, and two other pluses of the album are the textured, beautiful voices of Amber Iman and Andrew Samonsky as, respectively, Lempicka’s muse/lover and her husband, the latter doing his best with the show’s most poorly written character. These three share a love triangle that takes up most of the focus in the overstuffed plot and score. Lempicka closed very quickly on Broadway, and this recording seems unlikely to become a treasured cast album of a flop. A final note: Beth Leavel in the role of The Baroness gets one song here — the show’s 11 o’clock number, “Just This Way” — and she makes the most of it. — Forrest Hutchinson
