All stories by Rob Lester on BroadwayStars

Monday, December 21, 2015

SOUND ADVICE: IRVING BERLIN, THE EARLY SONGS by Rob Lester

Two new releases concentrate on [the early] period—with gusto. Several titles appear on both albums, but with quite different stylings.

SOURCE: talkinbroadway.com at 12:43PM
Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Sound Advice: "Lady, Be Good," Annaleigh Ashford and Barbara Fasano by Rob Lester

A new recorded version of a score by George and Ira Gershwin is always good news ... [Annaleigh Ashford] bubbles over with excitement, a party gal eager to have you join her party ... [Barba…

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 08:49AM
Friday, October 23, 2015

Sound Advice: "A Chorus Line" 40th Anniversary Remastered OBC recording + bonus tracks by Rob Lester

This CD release marks the 40th anniversary of the original LP of the original cast, produced by Goddard Lieberson, a kind of "encore" task for the Columbia Records giant figure.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 10:30AM
Friday, September 4, 2015

Sound Advice: "Doctor Zhivago" and Nicholas Rodriguez by Rob Lester

The case of the musical Doctor Zhivago is hardly the first time that a Broadway show shuttered quickly, despite a storied road of being a celebrated novel, movie, and having a globe-trotting…

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 09:18AM
Friday, August 28, 2015

Hysterical, Atypical, Non-Biblical Popesical Is a Smash!! by Rob Lester

Wanna make a bet? The Fringe Festival’s deliciously ridiculous musical about the selection of a new Pope, Popesical, like the actual Pope’s upcoming visit, will attract big crowds. But i…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 06:44PM

Two Musicals About Female Scientists in Love by Rob Lester

I just caught two new musicals about red-headed female scientists and their partners. One is in town for a brief stay in its world premiere in the Fringe Festival. One was never seen before …

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 06:44PM

A Show By and For Kids That Works!! by Rob Lester

It’s rare to find a kids’ show that’s this good. Here are 2 that are new, written by Jamey Hood. She scores with both, tho’ it’s her first time. And, in fact, non-distractingly, s…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 06:43PM
Friday, July 31, 2015

Sound Advice: "Fly by Night" and "Night People" by Rob Lester

A 2014 Off-Broadway musical called Fly by Night has key moments with its people seeking solace in the stars of the nighttime sky and being plunged into darkness because of a power failure. N…

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 09:52AM
Saturday, July 18, 2015

Summer Valley Fair (NYMF) by Rob Lester

Summer means the annual summer musical theatre festival, and this summer, Summer Valley Fair is one of the highlights and a uniquely creative style and approach make it compelling. It’s p…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 11:40PM

The Calico Buffalo at NYMF by Rob Lester

Fellow outsiders, come inside PTC Performance Space and hug a buffalo who’s feeling low. For those of us who like musicals, the annual NYMF series of new ones for three weeks in July feels…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 11:40PM

Theatre for “Real Men” (NYMF) by Rob Lester

In the swirling whirlwind of musical offerings busy invading Manhattan through July 27 comes that increasingly endangered species: the old-fashioned revue. A mix of songs and skits and bits …

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 11:40PM
Friday, July 17, 2015

Sound Advice "The Visit" and "Gigi" New Cast Albums by Rob Lester

Their roads to the Broadway season were long, but their runs were short. Here are two recently closed musicals whose action takes place in Europe, with scores written by major league songwri…

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 09:35AM
Thursday, July 2, 2015

Sound Advice: "Misia" and Mazzie by Rob Lester

Musical theatre's Marin Mazzie does double duty in this spring's CD releases: serving in the title role of a long-gestating/morphing musical's premiere recording with Misia featuring melodie…

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 09:27AM
Friday, June 19, 2015

PS Classics' "The Golden Apple" 2-CD Set by Rob Lester

The missing slices from the juicy score to 1954's The Golden Apple are on disc at last. So there is reason to rejoice for lovers of adventurous musical theatre scores ...

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 10:20AM
Friday, June 12, 2015

Sound Advice: "Fun Home," "Tokio Confidential" and Andrew Heller by Rob Lester

Our mix this time contains the high-profile big Broadway hit, a low-profile 2012 show, and a fellow profiling some Sinatra standbys.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 10:00AM
Friday, May 29, 2015

Sound Advice: Cy by Cy: Creative Composer Colmean by Rob Lester

It's a treat to listen to these recordings, made from the 1950s to the 1980s, either with the hindsight of history or wondering how it must have been to perform them or hear them fresh, with…

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 08:48AM
Monday, May 25, 2015

BUT THE CAT CAME BACK… 1965 BROADWAY MUSICAL DRAT! THE CAT by Rob Lester

Sluths and private detectives seeking long-lost gems from Broadway's past, stolen away by time and the fates and proven-wrong theories and assumptions that befall shows that failed on Broadw…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 05:58PM

A Little More Sondheim Music by Rob Lester

Well, 2010 isn't quite over yet--and that means that the celebration of Stephen Sondheim's·80th birthday isn't quite over yet either.· With many tributes, such as the one just released to …

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 05:58PM

All that Chat

2023-2024 BROADWAY SEASON
May 30, 2023: Grey House - Lyceum Theatre
Jun 26, 2023: Just For Us - Hudson Theatre
Jul 24, 2023: The Cottage - Hayes Theater
Nov 16, 2023: Spamalot - St. James Theatre
Dec 18, 2023: Appropriate - Hayes Theater
Mar 07, 2024: Doubt - Todd Haimes Theatre
Apr 14, 2024: Lempicka - Longacre Theatre
Apr 17, 2024: The Wiz - Marquis Theatre
Apr 18, 2024: Suffs - Music Box Theatre
Apr 25, 2024: Mother Play - Hayes Theater
Jun 10, 2024: The Drama Desk Awards