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A CurtainUpFeature
Boo! (but not for the performance)
By Miriam Colin
Perhaps this year you won't dress up as Harry Potter or Dumbledore, but maybe you still want to explore your inner-wizard this Halloween. For some PG-fun, Stage Stars Records has released The Wizard of Oz karaoke CD. Invite your friends over and sing your favorite part (OK — we know it's Dorothy.)
Given the 70th anniversary of the movie, the recent concert with Jennifer Hudson in Central Park, and the launch of the British reality show to find a Dorothy and Toto for the upcoming Lloyd Webber production; this is a great year to celebrate one of the favorite movies of all-time. Musical theatre fans will also appreciate that the album includes songs from the 1939 movie as well as songs included in the original score which were cut from the movie: "The Jitterbug, ""Over the Rainbow (Reprise)"" and "Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead (Reprise)."
For those with a darker side, Stage Stars is coming out with songs fromSpring Awakening and Little Shop of Horrors on karaoke CDs. While previously only songs from the movie musical could be found for karaoke, this Little Shop CD will also feature songs from the stage musical. Having listened to an advance copy, I can tell you their vocalists, particularly the principals, are stellar. This is no surprise given the talent in the New York theatre community. This wealth of New York talent was utilized to record the guide vocals.
Wicked, Phantom, and the ghoulish Sweeney Todd are already in the Stage catalog. You could thus combine all the CDs and have a Monster Mash of your own. My favorite villainess, however, will always be from one of their less-scary shows, the otherwise sweet and earnest The Little Mermaid. Theoctopus, Ursula, sung by the very-talented Tony-nominee Sharon McNight, is not-to-be missed.
Even scarier than Halloween is the dreaded audition for the school musical. These albums are a great way to prepare for a role. Just sing along with the guide vocals to learn the song, then practice with the accompaniment tracks and there's nothing to dread.
With Glee-fever, many new singers may try their luck auditioning this year. So don't frighten your music director, come prepared. While new to me, the based in New York City, Stage Stars Records is the leading producer of Broadway Accompaniment CDs. Recorded in the original show key and fully-orchestrated, their tracks are widely used for auditions, rehearsals, and events.
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South Pacific
In the Heights
Playbill 2007-08 Yearbook
Leonard Maltin's 2008 Movie Guide
