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Broadway & Vocalists

Barnum (1980 Original Broadway Cast Recording)

Barnum (1980 Original Broadway Cast Recording)
- Barnum
- Broadway
- Cast
If ever there were a bigger-than-life American figure whose biography seemed custom-written for the Broadway musical stage, it was the legendary showman Phineas T. Barnum. That 1980 musical arrived during one of the Great White Way's most serious, pre-Webbermania doldrums, but its innovative circus-ring staging and buoyant songs helped point the way to the future, garnering 10 Tony Award nominations, winning star Jim Dale the Best Actor Tony for his riveting, tour-de-force performance in the title role and showcasing co-star Glenn Close on her way to Hollywood stardom.
The show's buoyant songs include romantic drama ("The Colors of My Life," "I Like Your Style"), shameless hucksterism (Dale's verbal gymnastics on "Museum Song," a tune whose brisk syllabic gymnastics one-ups even Gilbert and Sullivan), and infectious crowd-pleasers: "Come Follow the Band" and "Join the Circus." This last pair are also featured in previously unreleased demos by composers Cy Coleman and Michael Stewart. Among the other bonus tracks are Coleman's demos for "At Least I Tried" and "So Little Time," songs that were cut before the show's bow on Broadway. This edition includes new notes by star Jim Dale and reminiscences by Coleman. --Jerry McCulley

Country	USA
Brand	Masterworks Broadway
Manufacturer	Sony Classical / Columbia / Legacy
Binding	Audio CD
ItemPartNumber	1792889
Model	2111035
ReleaseDate	2002-05-28
UnitCount	1
Format	Cast Recording
UPCs	074643657624
EANs	0696998999923

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