ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
ON STAGE
LISTENING IN THE DARK By Lori Zelenko
ith Broadway dark, we thought we would re-live some of our favorite recent shows. What better way than binge-listening to the cast albums? So, until the lights shine once again, enjoy these cast albums of hits that barely opened in NYC from this past season. Just for good measure, we have added in the ultimate Broadway fix, Hamilton, a must-have this July when patriotic spirit runs high. So, pump up the volume! And get ready to dance if not in the aisles then at least in your living room. AMERICAN UTOPIA
You may ask yourself, “How did I get here?” to quote a line from the Talking Heads “Once In A Lifetime” hit tune, as you find yourself dancing to “Burning Down The House”. Bet you will find yourself compelled to get on your feet—dance, scream, shout, and yes, maybe even applaud—the moment the first number in David Byrne’s American Utopia ends. At once bringing back and updating the avant-garde music scene of CBGBs and the Mudd Club, the album mixes the familiar—hits from David Byrne’s band, The Talking Heads—with music created just for the Broadway show.
PERCY JACKSON AND THE LIGHTNING THIEF Teenagers in the house? Then this cast album is a necessity. The action-packed story revolves around Percy Jackson, who has newly discovered powers he cannot control. Big dilemma! Plus, there are monsters on his trail, and he is on a quest to find Zeus’s lightning bolt, not to mention prevent a war between the Greek gods. Big plan for anyone, much less a teen. But normal is a myth when you are a demigod. Based on the bestselling Disney-Hyperion novel by Rick Riordan, this thrilling original rock score will engage parents and teens alike. There are superpowers inside all of us, here’s a score to unleash them!
SING STREET
Celebrating the thrill of first love and the power of music, Sing Street embraces the new wave sounds of the 80s. Set in Dublin, Ireland, in 1982, when unemployment is raging, and thousands seek bluer skies across the Irish Sea, the show brings us sixteen-year-old Conor and his schoolmates as they turn to music to escape troubles at home and impress a mysterious girl. The critically acclaimed score is recognized as one of the most compulsively listenable cast recordings in recent memory. It is not all ‘80s-rock style catchy up-tunes; the authentic and affecting cast album has beautiful ballads.
TINA: THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL
In a word: Electrifying! Tina’s sass, unbelievable energy, tough girl/ tender heart attitude, and vulnerability are belied by a powerhouse voice and a will to survive. Listening to Adrienne Warren, who embodies this adored superstar on Broadway and in the London recording of this bio-musical, you just can’t get enough of her renditions of Tina’s hits: “River Deep, Mountain High,” “Let’s Stay Together,” “Proud Mary,” “We Don’t Need Another Hero,” and of course, the mega chart-topper “What’s Love Got To Do With It” – among 20 other unforgettable Tina Turner tunes. Pick a hit, listen even casually, guarantee you will be hooked. 58 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JULY/AUGUST 2020
