CDs Now Available:

Black Manhattan, Vol. 3
(New World Records - new on CD)Conductor Rick Benjamin revives the work of Scott Joplin's contemporaries Sidney Perrin, Will H. Dixon, C. Luckeyth "Luckey" Roberts and many others, most performed and recorded for the first time, with The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra. Highlights include the premiere recording of the original orchestration of "Lift Every Voice and Sing," rescued music by Luckey Roberts, one of the pioneers of the stride piano style, and performances by the award-winning Met Opera soprano Janai Brugger. Also with soprano Andrea Jones, tenor Chauncey Packer, baritone Edward Pleasant, and Paul Draper on banjo. Composers include Eubie Blake, James Bland, Frederick M. Bryan, Augustus L. Davis, Will H. Dixon, J. Leubrie Hill, Al. Johns , James Weldon Johnson & , J. Rosamond Johnson Scott Joplin, J. Turner Layton , Tom Lemonier , Sidney Perrin, C. Luckeyth "Luckey" Roberts , Q. Roscoe Snowden, Clarence Cameron White, Spencer Williams, Clarence Williams, Clarence G. Wilson. 22 tracks. 48-page booklet. Earlier in the series are Volume 1 (Black Manhattan: Members of Legendary Clef Club) and Black Manhattan Volume 2.

Meredith Braun: When Love Is Gone
(Stage Door Records - new import CD/on mp3/at iTunes)
New solo album from West End performer Meredith Braun (Sunset Boulevard, The Secret Garden, Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera). "Real Emotional Girl," "There's Me," "That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be," "With So Little to Be Sure of," "The Rules," "If Love Were All," "Sandra," "Hold Me," "Try to Remember / No More," "When Love Is Gone," "Everything That's Me," "I'm Still Alive," "Old Friend," "Come the Wild, Wild Weather." Also at StageDoorRecords.com.

DIGITAL MUSIC Now Available:

Ben Vereen: "What a Wonderful World"
(Yellow Sound Label - new digital single on mp3/at iTunes)
New single by Ben Vereen. Produced by Dan Watt and Michael Croiter.

Natalie Dessay | Michel Legrand: Between Yesterday & Tomorrow digital
(Sony Masterworks - new on mp3/at iTunes)
Composer Michel Legrand's song cycle about one woman's life (written and partially recorded by Barbra Streisand) performed by operatic coloratura soprano Natalie Dessay. "Birth," "Mother and Child," "Mother and Child Interlude," "Where Does the Wind Come From?," "Where Does the Wind Come From Interlude," "Hold Me," "Can You Tell the Moment?," "Fairly Tales and Story Books," "An Unexpected Smile," "An Unexpected Smile Interlude," "With You," "You and I Plus One," "You and I Plus One Interlude," "Mother and Child Duo," "Wait," "Wait Interlude," "The More You Have," "Yesterday's Apples," "Between Yesterday and Tomorrow," "Last Breath." CD and vinyl versions to be released 1/5/18.

VINYL Now Available:

Hello, Dolly! vinyl
(Masterworks Broadway - new on single LP)
New Broadway revival cast recording of Jerry Herman score. Bette Midler, David Hyde Pierce, Gavin Creel, Kate Baldwin, Taylor Trensch, Beanie Feldstein, Will Burton, Melanie Moore, Jennifer Simard, Kevin Ligon. "Overture," "Call on Dolly," "I Put My Hand In," "It Takes a Woman," "Put on Your Sunday Clothes," "Ribbons Down My Back," "Motherhood," "Dancing," "Before the Parade Passes By," "Penny in My Pocket," "Elegance," "The Waiters' Gallop," "Hello, Dolly!," "It Only Takes a Moment," "So Long Dearie," "Finale." 180-Gram Vinyl, deluxe gatefold package with 20 page full color book featuring production photos, lyrics and liner notes. Recorded March 2017. Released on CD and digital 5/9/17.

DVD/BLU-RAYs Now Available:

Hamilton: One Shot to Broadway
(Vision Films - new on DVD)
2016 documentary about the Broadway show. "The remarkable story of how a group of inspired mavericks made an unlikely marriage of hip-hop and history the biggest musical show in America..." Starring the cast and crew of Hamilton: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tommy Kail Alex Lacamoire, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Leslie Odom Jr., Daveed Diggs and Jeffrey Seller. Directed by Elio España. Produced by Symettrica Entertainment Ltd. 90 minutes. Also streaming on Amazon and iTunes.

BOOKs Now Available:

Balancing Acts: Behind the Scenes at London's National Theatre
(Knopf - Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition/Audiobook on CD/Audible Edition)
By Nicholas Hytner (Artistic Director of London's National Theatre from 2003-2015). Detailed behind-the-scenes look at Hytner's creative process ... he writes insightfully about the actors and playwrights he's worked with: Derek Jacobi, Richard Griffiths, Helen Mirren, Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Harold Pinter, and Tom Stoppard among them. Not only a memoir but a gathering of illuminating notes on the art of directing and a thoughtful meditation on the purpose of theater. 352 pages. Audiobook readers are by Nicholas Hytner, Simon Russell Beale, Samuel Barnett, and Deborah Findlay. Audible release is May 4, 2017. Audible free 30-day trial with two free audiobooks, plus one more after the trial.

Cabaret FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Broadway and Cinema Classic
(Applause Books - Paperback Book)
By June Sawyers. Features chapters on Jean Ross and Christopher Isherwood ... includes background information on the original source material, the first time Sally Bowles, as portrayed by Julie Harris, appeared onstage and on the big screen in John Van Druten's I Am a Camera. The stories behind the Emcee and actors who played him, from Joel Grey to Alan Cumming. Studies the musical score by John Kander and Fred Ebb and looks into the burlesque roots of director Bob Fosse in his native Chicago. Includes such diverse topics as the first cabarets in Paris, Cabaret Voltaire and Dada, early Berlin cabarets during the Weimar Republic, German expressionism, the Bauhaus, Marlene Dietrich and The Blue Angel , David Bowie's many German influences, and the present and future of modern cabaret. 400 pages.

Keeping On Keeping On
(Farrar, Straus and Giroux - Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
Collection of Alan Bennett's diaries and essays, 2005-2015, reflecting on a decade that saw four major theater premieres and the films of The History Boys and The Lady in the Van. Preceded by Rolling Home and Untold Stories. 736 pages. Released 11/7/17.

A Kiss Goodnight
(Disney Editions - Hardcover Book/CD)
Children's book by Richard Sherman and Brittany Rubiano. Illustrations by Floyd Norman. A story about what inspired Richard Sherman to write "A Kiss Goodnight." Included is a CD with the song sung by Broadway star Ashley Brown. 48 pages. Released 8/22/17.

Seth's Broadway Diary, Volume 3
(Dress Circle Publishing - Paperback Book)
By Seth Rudetsky. Compilation of Seth Rudetsky's "Onstage and Backstage" columns for Playbill.com chronicling his life performing/hanging out with Broadway stars and cajoling/forcing them to reveal the highs (and lows) of their careers. Find out what Patti LuPone said when Seth suggested she sing her Evita songs in a lower key, what it's like Skyping with Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and why Audra McDonald's dog wakes up covered in her bras. Plus other stories from stars like Laura Benanti, Megan Mullally, Gavin Creel, Sarah Silverman, Carol Burnett, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and more. 258 pages. Released 10/7/17.

Significant Other
(Overlook Press - Paperback Book)
2017 Broadway play by Joshua Harmon.

Recordings RECENTLY MADE AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER:

A Christmas Carol
(Universal Music - on 2 CDs)
Simon Callow's self-written solo version of Charles Dickens tale. With the national brass band champions The Brighouse and Rastrick Band performing traditional Christmas carols. Produced by Island Records. Currently at Amazon UK.

Books RECENTLY MADE AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER:

Agnes Moorehead on Radio, Stage and Television
(McFarland - Paperback Book)
By Axel Nissen. Focuses on 25 of her most representative performances, this retrospective analyzes her work on radio serials like Mayor of the Town (1942-1949) and Suspense (1942-1962), her stage productions of Don Juan in Hell and Gigi, her television appearances on Bewitched and The Twilight Zone and her Emmy-winning appearance on The Wild Wild West - in the context of her personal life, discussing her relationship with directors, producers and other performers and providing little known facts about the productions. 277 pages.

All That Jazz: The Life and Times of the Musical Chicago
(Oxford Univ Press - Hardcover Book)
By Ethan Mordden. A look back at Chicago's various moving parts—including the original 1926 play that started it all, a sexy silent film directed by Cecil B. DeMille, a talkie remake with Ginger Rogers, the musical itself, and at last the movie of the musical. 272 pages.

Do You Mind If I Smoke?
(Peter Owen Publishers - Hardcover Book)
Memoir by British actress Fenella Fielding. The story of her remarkable 65-year career in theatre (Hedda Gabler and Colette), radio, TV and film. Spiced with star-studded anecdotes and personalized with moving stories about innocence and experience. 208 pages.

Ivo van Hove Onstage
(Routledge - Paperback Book)
By David Willinger. Comprehensive, multifaceted account of van Hove's extraordinary work, including key productions, design innovations, revolutionary approach to text and ambience, and relationships with specific theatres and companies. 360 pages.

The Kite Runner play script
(Riverhead Books - Paperback Book/Kindle Edition)
Play by Matthew Spangler based on the novel by Khaled Hosseini. The play debuted at Wyndham's Theatre, London, in December 2016. 144 pages.

A Thousand Splendid Suns play script
(Riverhead Books - Paperback Book/Kindle Edition)
Play by Ursula Rani Sarma based on the novel by Khaled Hosseini. The play debuted at American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco in February 2017. 128 pages.

OTHER NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Added to December 8:

Melissa Errico: "Hurry Home"
(Ghostlight Records - digital single)
Newly recorded song originally written for Jerry Lewis' last movie Max Rose, with lyrics by Marilyn and Alan Bergman.

Added to February 2018:

Escape to Margaritaville
(Mailboat Records - new on CD/digital)
Original Broadway cast recording. The score features original songs along with many of Jimmy Buffett's classics. Cast includes Paul Alexander Nolan, Alison Luff, Lisa Howard, Eric Petersen, Rema Webb, Don Sparks, Andre Ward, Matt Allen, Tessa Alves, Sara Andreas, Tiffany Adeline Cole, Marjorie Failoni, Samantha Farrow, Steven Good, Angela Grovey, Albert Guerzon, Autumn Guzzardi, Keely Hutton, Justin Keats, Mike Millan, Justin Mortelliti, Ryann Redmond, Julius Anthony Rubio, Nick Sanchez, Ian Michael Stuart, and Brett Thiele. Album produced by Mailboat Records, Mike Utley, Mac McAnally, and Christopher Jahnke.

Amazon pre-order links now active:

Elaine Paige Presents Showstoppers from the Musicals
(Union Square - 3-disc import boxed set)
Collection of songs from stage and screen. 60 of the best loved and most memorable songs ever by performers including Michael Ball, Alfie Boe, Elaine Paige, Michael Crawford, Idina Menzel, Liza Minnelli, Il Divo, Sarah Brightman, John Barrowman, Julie Covington and many more. See track list here. Also available at Amazon UK a week earlier.

Sunday in the Park with George 2017 revival cast
(Warner Music Group/Arts Music - new on 2 CDs)
2017 Broadway revival cast recording of Stephen Sondheim score. Jake Gyllenhaal, Annaleigh Ashford, Brooks Ashmanskas, Jenni Barber, Tony Award nominee Phillip Boykin, Mattea Conforti, Erin Davie, Claybourne Elder, Tony Award nominee Penny Fuller, Jordan Gelber, Tony Award winner Robert Sean Leonard, Liz McCartney, Tony Award winner Ruthie Ann Miles, Ashley Park, Jennifer Sanchez, David Turner, Max Chernin, MaryAnn Hu, Tony Award nominee Michael McElroy, Jaime Rosenstein, Laura Irion, Julie Foldesi, and Andrew Kober. Disc One: "Opening," "Sunday in the Park with George," "No Life," "Color and Light," "Gossip," "The Dog Song," "The Day Off," "Everybody Loves Louis," "Finishing the Hat," "We Do Not Belong Together," "Beautiful," "Sunday." Disc Two: "It's Hot Up Here," "Chromolume #7," "Putting It Together," "Children and Art," "Lesson #8," "Move On," "Sunday (Finale)." Produced and mixed by Bart Migal. Released digitally on mp3 and at iTunes 9/19/17.

Track list added:

Blue Jupiter: Twisted Broadway, Volume One
(Broadway Records - new on CD/on mp3)
New York based a capella group. "I Got the Sun in the Mornin'," "Magic to Do," "My Favorite Things," "Over the Rainbow," "Summertime," "Defying Gravity," "Close Every Door," "All That Jazz," "Whatever Lola Wants," "Put on a Happy Face," "Let It Go," "Over the Rainbow (Reprise)." Also at BroadwayRecords.com.

Compiled by Talkin' Broadway Staff.