From February 11 to 14, 1999, New York City Center’s Encores! series presented a limited-run revival of Babes in Arms under the direction of Kathleen Marshall. The cast, including David Campbell, Perry Laylon Ojeda, Erin Dilly, Melissa Rain Anderson, Matthew Ballinger, Kevin Cahoon, Christopher Fitzgerald, Scott Irby-Ranniar, Cartier Anthony Williams, Shaun Powell and Jessica Stone, recorded this album on August … Read More
1989 Concert Recording
On June 5, 1989, a pared-down concert presentation of Babes in Arms was performed at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall. With narration replacing most of the original dialogue, the concert featured a simplified song list. The cast for this special event included Judy Blazer, Gregg Edelman, Jason Graae, Donna Kane and Judy Kaye.
1952 Studio Cast Recording
Led by Mary Martin and Jack Cassidy, this studio recording of Rodgers and Hart’s Babes in Arms, released on March 21, 1952, features all the songs from the original Broadway hit. Fresh from her success in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific, Mary Martin was beloved by theatre audiences. Under the musical direction of Lehman Engel, she sang several of the … Read More
1994 Broadway Revival
Harold Prince’s watershed production of Show Boat received a cast recording after opening in Toronto in 1993. The album featured original orchestrations by Robert Russell Bennett, with new additions by William David Brohn, performed under the musical direction of Jeffrey Huard. Featured on this recording are the vocal talents of Michel Bell, Rebecca Luker, Lonette McKee, John McMartin, Elaine Stritch … Read More
1988 Studio Cast Recording
This 221-minute studio recording of Show Boat, performed by a cast headed by Karla Burns, David Garrison, Jerry Hadley, Bruce Hubbard, Paige O’Hara, Frederica von Stade, Teresa Stratas and the Ambrosian Chorus, featured the London Sinfonietta under the direction of John McGlinn. Digitally recorded in June, July and August 1987 in Studio No. 1, Abbey Road Studios, London, the album … Read More
1966 Lincoln Center Revival
Recorded on July 24, 1966 at Webster Hall, this cast recording of Show Boat preserves the sounds of a special, limited-engagement revival at Lincoln Center’s New York State Theatre. The critically acclaimed production boasted some of Broadway’s best talent, including Barbara Cook, Constance Towers, Stephen Douglass and David Wayne, under the music direction of Franz Allers.
1962 Studio Cast Recording
This 1962 studio recording features John Raitt as Ravenal, Barbara Cook as Magnolia and Anita Darian as Julie. William Warfield, reprising his role from the MGM film, sings the part of Joe. Conducted by Frank Allers and featuring the Merrill Station Choir, the original 1962 release included fourteen songs from the score; subsequent reissues added bonus tracks from Helen Morgan, … Read More
1959 Studio Cast Recording
Recorded in the summer of 1959 at the No.1 studio at Abbey Road in London, this studio recording of the Show Boat score featured Shirley Bassey performing two songs in the role of Julie LaVerne. Dora Bryan, Isabelle Lucas, Don McKay, Inia Te Wiata, Marlys Watters and Geoffrey Webb rounded out the cast. The album was originally issued in two … Read More
1951 Motion Picture
Released alongside the 1951 MGM Technicolor film, this soundtrack to Show Boat became available first in vinyl as a Long-Playing record with eight tracks, including “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man of Mine,” “Life Upon the Wicked Stage” and “Ol’ Man River.” The soundtrack features a colorful album cover with the film’s top-billed stars, Kathryn Grayson, Ava Gardner and Howard Keel. … Read More
1946 Broadway Revival
In 1927, when Show Boat premiered on Broadway, popular vocalists would occasionally record a single from a Broadway show, but cast albums were not regularly produced, in part due to technological restraints. Of course, that changed in 1943, when Oklahoma! debuted as a full cast album, just in time for Christmas. Three years later, Show Boat got its first official … Read More