All stories by Rob Lester on BroadwayStars

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Relevant Octogenarians at 92nd Street Y by Rob Lester

"Retirement." It's not even a thought for performers Barbara Cook and Joel Grey or writers Sheldon Harnick and Sherman Yellen.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 09:40PM
Thursday, January 17, 2013

Sound Advice: Top Ten Vocal Albums of 2012 by Rob Lester

Beyond the usual Top Ten Vocals, there are a couple of other special honorees.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 02:36PM
Thursday, January 10, 2013

Sound Advice: The Top Ten Cast Albums of 2012 by Rob Lester

These are the ones that make me want to press "repeat play" repeatedly and think will hold up and I'll hold closer over the coming years.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 09:27AM
Thursday, January 3, 2013

Sound Advice: Two New Scores: Preachy, But Packing a Punch by Rob Lester

Let's leap into the new year with looks at two new cast recordings, both courtesy of the invaluable Ghostlight Records label.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 01:41PM
Friday, December 28, 2012

Maurice Hines at 54 Below by Rob Lester

This is a feel-good fest. Lively and upbeat, the 69-year-old is as bubbly as the soon-to-be-corked New Year's Eve champagne.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 11:39AM
Thursday, December 27, 2012

Marta Sanders "Panache" and Grace Cosgrove SIngs Laura Nyro by Rob Lester

Recommended listening comes from vocalists who've perked up my ears and piqued my interest.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 11:35AM
Thursday, December 20, 2012

Sound Advice: In the Studio: Solo CDs from Stars of Broadway by Rob Lester

Brian Stokes Mitchell, Telly Leung, Robert Cuccioli and Natalie Toro.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 01:39PM
Thursday, December 13, 2012

Hooray for Herbert: Victor Herbert: "Collected Songs" by Rob Lester

It's a wonderful feeling, finding an eye-opening, ear-opening dazzling treasure-chest of songs with melodies by a master, many of which have never (or rarely) been recorded.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 09:15AM
Thursday, December 6, 2012

Sound Advice: Holiday guys and gal by Rob Lester

Tell the stage manager to cue the snow as we welcome two Broadway veterans teaming up and joined by a small instrumental group. Then, two other albums: both vocalists from the Washington, DC…

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 08:51AM
Thursday, November 29, 2012

Sound Advice: Holiday CDs Part One by Rob Lester

There are three things certain in life: death, taxes, and that every year there will be a bunch of new Christmas recordings on the market. "Haul out the holly" and have a look at this year's…

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 12:55PM
Thursday, November 15, 2012

Sound Advice: "Last Song," "Singin'" and a "Smile" by Rob Lester

Anthony Newley "The Last Song: The Final Recordings," "Top Hat" 2012 London Cast, and Andrea Marcovicci's "Smile" reviewed.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 12:04PM
Friday, November 9, 2012

Talkin' Broadway Sound Advice: "Lost" with two special singers by Rob Lester

What a pleasure to find these two Lost-titled albums and welcome back to two female singers whose latest work brings intelligent, artful interpretations: Deborah Shulman and Deanna Kirk.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 04:07PM
Thursday, November 1, 2012

Sound Advice: Nice work! by Rob Lester

There's nice work on all three of this week's musical entries. We begin with Nice Work If You Can Get It, the cast album that's a glut of Gershwin & Gershwin from the golden age. A starkly m…

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 12:55PM
Thursday, October 25, 2012

Sound Advice: A spirited Irving Berlin selection plus pre-election " American Spirit" by Rob Lester

We've got three discs on the CD player, and the name of composer-lyricist Irving Berlin is very much around. There's a London cast album of a production adding various Berlin songs to the sc…

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 01:34PM
Thursday, October 11, 2012

Sound Advice: "Carrie," "Jekyll & Hyde" and "The Hills Are Alive!" - 10/11/12 by Rob Lester

Journey from eerie (Carrie, Jekyll & Hyde, two musicals we first heard from at the end of the 1980s) to spiffy, smirking supposed "sequel" to the ultimate in musical theatre cheery (The Soun…

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 09:21AM
Friday, October 5, 2012

Sound Advice: The Encores! CD of Pipe Dream ... and its leading ladies' CDs by Rob Lester

One of the lesser-known musicals of one of the best-known musical theatre writing teams gets its only recording since the original and the two female stars of the new production have their o…

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 11:43AM
Wednesday, September 26, 2012

"Ann Hampton Callaway Presents The Streisand Songbook" at 54 Below by Rob Lester

Taking on the legend's songbook, Ann has her own landmark bookmark in it, having been a contributor on a couple of occasions, which helps uniquely anchor the show.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 04:03PM
Thursday, September 20, 2012

Sound Advice: "Next Thing You Know," "Sympathy Jones," "Follies" Remastered by Rob Lester

Here are two studio cast albums of enjoyable musicals which saw limited-run New York productions: Next Thing You Know and Sympathy Jones. And a new issue of the original (1971) Follies Broad…

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 11:22AM
Thursday, September 13, 2012

Sound Advice: Lorelei Lee & a Peggy Lee tribute by Rob Lester

Two legendary ladies surnamed Lee�one fictional and one real�get new looks in recordings released this month. Lorelei Lee is the gold-digging heroine ... and cabaret singer Stacy Sullivan ta…

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 02:10PM
Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Michael Hughes in "Mickey & Judy" at The Duplex by Rob Lester

Here's a look at the theatrical cabaret act of a bright talent with a fun and funny autobiographical act, with a thoughtful core ...

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 10:43AM
Friday, September 7, 2012

Sound Advice: Betty Buckley's "Ah, Men!" and Christopher Sanders' "Curtain Call" - 9/7/12 by Rob Lester

old and brave, or balladeering and besotted with love, bathed in bravery or just bravado, musical theatre's long line of leading male roles is rich with juicy material.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 10:45AM
Thursday, August 30, 2012

Sound Advice: Lost Broadway 4, Only a Kingdom, Scott Alan Live by Rob Lester

Another edition of the Original Cast Records series of Lost Broadway and More brings more than a treasure chest full of recovered gems ... Only a Kingdom revels in its just-right tone ... […

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 11:10AM
Saturday, August 25, 2012

The Prince and the Showboy: Faith Prince & Jason Graae at 54 Below by Rob Lester

The pair of pros on stage and in full command are musical theatre darlings Faith Prince and Jason Graae.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 10:23AM
Thursday, August 23, 2012

Sound Advice: Raissa Katona Bennett and Tommy Cecil & Billy Mays Sondheim Duos by Rob Lester

This time: one vocal album from someone currently lighting up one of NYC's most elegant nightclubs and another kind of Sondheim set - this time instrumental.

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 12:31PM
Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Zombies Invade the Theatre at The Fringe by Rob Lester

So, what is it about zombies that makes them want to bring crazed drama to the stage or even sing and dance, determined to eat musical and non-musical theatre alive, seeking fresh blood, mak…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 04:05AM

Fringe’s Few Fill Many Roles by Rob Lester

Sometimes it’s all about being impressed and/or amused that very few actors plays many roles in the play, switching gears (meaning accents, voices, costumes, energies, walks) in a flash, d…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 04:03AM

On the Fringe of the Arts (Theatre Reviews from the Festival) by Rob Lester

If you are a Fringe Festival Fanatic, things can get dramatic, traipsing from venue to venue, when you see what’s on the theatrical menu. The annual glut of shows to which one goes in down…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 04:02AM

Family-Friendly Fringe Festival Features? by Rob Lester

Each year in the summer marathon of theatre known as the New York International Fringe Festival of theatre pieces downtown (or Fringe Frenzy, as I have come to call it), there are shows that…

SOURCE: NiteLifeExchange at 04:00AM
Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Michael Arden at 54 Below by Rob Lester

When Michael Arden is in the driver's seat, you want to fasten your seat belt and go along for the ride ...

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 09:35AM
Thursday, August 9, 2012

Sound Advice: "Seven Little Foys" and Josh Young by Rob Lester

The tale of a real-life show biz family troupe from the old days brings kids and kidding around back around for vaudeville cheer in a new cast album ... osh Young, a strong-voiced current B…

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 01:21PM
Thursday, July 19, 2012

Sound Advice: Nikki Renée Daniels, Ramin Karimloo and Halie Loren by Rob Lester

Her current Broadway role finds the captivating Nikki Renée Daniels singing the classic "Summertime" as the latest Clara ... The heart is on the sleeve, pounding and apparently resilient de…

SOURCE: TalkinBroadway at 12:50PM

All that Chat

2024-2025 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 05, 2024: Home - Todd Haimes Theatre
Jul 11, 2024: Oh, Mary! - Lyceum Theatre
Jul 30, 2024: Job - Hayes Theater
Sep 12, 2024: The Roommate - Booth Theatre
Nov 14, 2024: Tammy Faye - Palace Theatre
Nov 17, 2024: Elf - Marquis Theatre
Dec 12, 2024: Cult of Love - Hayes Theater
Dec 19, 2024: Gypsy - Majestic Theatre
Mar 17, 2025: Purpose - Hayes Theater
Apr 10, 2025: Smash - Imperial Theatre