CAST RECORDINGS OF 2023: A PERSONAL LOOK

This year I decided to take some liberties with my choice for best song, so it’s not really from a musical, but from a “song-only” recording with which I fell in love, “Start with a Bang”. I also decided to create a new award, “Best Discovery”, which is attributed to a score that has been released in a previous year but I only discovered it later, or a score that I rediscovered; THE VIOLET HOUR is the first winner of that award.

For my joy, in 2023 a few happy new scores in the traditional Broadway style were released, and it was about time for that to happen. The world is becoming too gloomy with wars happening everywhere, people seeing their rights revoked, corruption/dictator politicians in high places and denialists trying to erase so many important things from the History of the World. So, we all need happy musicals like SOME LIKE IT HOT, THE BIG TIME or the delicious second season of SCHIMAGADOON!

And now my choices among the 79 (more or less) new Musical recordings released in 2023 that I listened to. In order to get an idea of my Musical tastes take a look at my 20 FAVORITE SCORES of all time.

First, the “Jorge’s Place Awards”; then my “Top Twelve” new recordings of 2023, in alphabetical order and not including reissues.

If you like this, take a look at my choices of 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013 and 2012.

MY TOP TWELVE RECORDINGS OF 2022 (in alphabetical order)

BROADWAY SEASON 2022-2023 – THE MUSICALS

Here you’ll find images from all the musicals, new ones and revivals, which opened on Broadway during the 2022-2023; plus the City Center Encores! series. Some became hits, others closed in a few weeks, but I believe all of them are worthy of celebration. 

PS.: To see larger images just click on them.

BROADWAY MUSICALS 2021-2022

CITY CENTER ENCORES! 2022

CITY CENTER GALA PRESENTATION - 2022

THE LITTLE MERMAID – Broadway 2009

Now that Disney gave us the live action remake of their animated classic THE LITTLE MERMIAD, it seems a good time to go back to my Broadway trip of 2009 when I saw their stage adaption of that movie. 

Yes, I saw it 14 years ago and, at the time, I wrote this little review, that now I share it with you, plus images of the Broadway show brochure:

"The most childish of Disney’s stage musicals, this corny musical is more suitable for a Disneyworld performance than for a Broadway stage. There are some good scenic ideas, the cast was convincing, the score sounds great, but that’s it. The choreography is appalling and the “Under the Sea” number resembles a Las Vegas show, the costumes are strikingly terrible and, after a while, the “roller tennis” gimmick stops working. The Ursula (a terrific Heidi Blickenstaff) numbers are the best thing about the show, but they don’t save it."

Cast: Sierra Boggess, Sean Palmer, Heidi Blickenstaff, Norm Lewis, Rogelio Douglas Jr., Eddie Korbich, Jonathan Freeman, Trevor Braun, Eric LaJuan Summer, Joe Abraham 

Creative Team: Music by Alan Menken • Lyrics by Howard Ashman & Glenn Slater • Book by Dough Wright • Choreography by Stephen Mear • Directed by Francesca Zambello

My Rate: 4 (from 1 to 10) / Photos: Joan Marcus