In one of the songs they ask “Why don’t you come to the Steel Pier?” and it’s a pity that the public didn’t went to see it on Broadway when it opened. But thank God someone decided to record it and the result is this terrific CD.
For me this is Kander & Ebb’s best work since CHICAGO. The score sounds like pure Broadway and has a theatrical feeling missing from most new musicals. Among the songs there are the delightful “Second Chance”, the riveting “Willing to the Ride”, the haunting “First You Dream” and the delicious “Leave the World Behind”. The orchestrations by Michael Gibson are a match made in heaven and the whole recording is simply wonderful!
The cast couldn’t be better. Karen Ziemba shines more than ever, Daniel McDonald has a flawless sweet voice, Debra Monk is in great shape and delivers the hilarious “Everybody’s Girl”, Gregory Harrison is in perfect command of his strong voice and Kristin Chenoweth shines in the funny “Two Little Words”.
If you never listened to this score, you don’t know what you’re missing. So, come to the Steel Pier and you’ll never be “gloomy or glum”.
When I first saw this number from Steel Pier on the Tony Awards broadcast, I was certain that the show would be a huge hit. I can't, for the life of me, figure out why it didn't catch on. I recently read a book called "Nothing Lake a Dame" which featured interviews with Broadway's greatest female performers in musicals. In it, both Karen Ziemba and Debra Monk predicted that this show would eventually be re-discovered, re-evaluated and better appreciated by a future audience. Clearly, they both thought this show was one of Kander and Ebb's best. I can't help but agree.
ReplyDeleteI fell in love with this score the first time I listened to it and I think it's one of Kander & Ebb best works. I'm sure, and hope, that one of these days it'll get the success it deserves.
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