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If you are a fan of musical theatre, then spending so much time at home over the past few months may have caused you to fall into a slump of listening to the same musical cast albums over and over again. At the same time, new fans of musical theatre are probably listening to the same classics on a loop, unaware of all the new and exciting scores out there. Either way, now is the time to shake up your usual Spotify routine and try listening to some new musicals that are definitely not your typical Cats, Hamilton, or Phantom of the Opera.
With hundreds of cast albums on Spotify, it is easy for new arrivals to get lost in the fray. Especially if the stage productions the cast albums are based on had short runs or received very little press. Despite the outstanding scores on dozens of albums, very few people listen to them due to them simply being unaware of their existence. Although quiet runs and unlucky circumstances have caused these shows to live in relative obscurity, the following five cast albums are worth listening to for their experimental scores and incredible stories.
Octet
Have you ever felt like you’re spending too much time on your phone, that it might be a problem? The characters of the musical Octet feel the same exact way. The entirety of this show, and consequently the musical cast album, takes place in a support group meeting for people addicted to technology. The score is made up of each person coming forward about their addiction, from Candy Crush to Tinder. This album takes you on a rollercoaster causing you to hate characters for one second for taking out their anger on the web, to feel almost hopeful about the future of the internet as a young girl sings about her love for a girl “from across the sea”.
Besides the intriguing characters, one of the main reasons why you should listen to this musical is the style in which it was recorded, acapella. In this musical cast album, the only instruments you will hear are drums (created by the cast banging drumsticks on chairs) and a pitch pipe. Don’t worry though, this cast album doesn’t sound like your typical college acapella group. Creator Dave Malloy fuses choral music, Tuvan throat singing, Appalachian-shaped note singing, and more to create the cast album’s unique sound that you won’t hear anywhere else (( Soloski, Alexis. “What Inspired a New Musical? Conspiracy Theories. And Yodeling.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 3 May 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/05/03/theater/octet-dave-malloy-signature-theater.html. )).
Since Octet premiered only a year ago at the Signature Theatre, and its album has only been out for a few months, this album has remained fairly unknown. Furthermore, there has been little news on whether or not this musical will be restaged in the future, helping the album to further fade into obscurity. However, with the recent shake-up in the theatre industry as a result of COVID-19, anything is possible. Give this album a listen before it becomes the next Tony Awards Best Musical.
Twisted
Jafar isn’t the real villain of Aladdin, and Team StarKid‘s Twisted will convince you why. Although Team StarKid is best known for its musical series parodying Harry Potter, A Very Potter Musical, Twisted stands out from the rest of their repertoire with its hilarious musical cast album that still has its fair share of heartfelt ballads. The musical essentially parodies Wicked and Aladdin in a show that includes both Jafar’s ultimate demise and a backstory that ultimately makes him out to be a sympathetic protagonist stuck in an awful situation.
The musical cast album emphasizes the ‘parody’ part of the show. Song titles include, “I Steal Everything” and “Take Off Your Clothes”. These songs are sure to make you laugh as Aladdin sings about his insane logic towards stealing and tries to get Jasmine to hook up with him on a flying carpet. At the same time, however, there are songs a true romantic would love, such as “A Thousand and One Nights”, a duet between Jafar and his wife Sharizard that has delicate harmonies and perfectly encapsulates their love. The album is definitely aimed towards being a comedy but at its heart, the album feels genuine and is a delight to listen to.
Since Twisted only had a short run in Chicago and is now only known through fans of Team StarKid, this cast album is forgotten when it comes to musical comedies. While there may never be a Broadway production of this show, listening to the cast album will make you wish that there were.
Twelfth Night
Twelfth Night is known to be one of Shakespeare’s greatest comedies, but did you know that it is also a musical? Based on the original play, Shaina Taub adapted the show as a musical in 2016. The show sets Twelfth Night in the twenty-first century and revolves around a young woman named Viola, who disguises herself as a man in order to get a job. As circumstance has it, along the way she gains female suitors while also falling in love with her boss Orsino. Throughout the show, Shaina Taub’s incredible compositions move the plot along while also putting Shakespeare’s soliloquies into song.
When listening to the musical cast album, one of its shining moments by far is the song, “Viola’s Soliloquy.” This moment allows you to see into Viola’s internal struggle with her identity in a way that is still respectful and appreciative of Shakespeare’s original words. This song, as well as the heartbreaking ballad, “Is This Not Love” should be more than enough to convince a person to listen to the full cast album. The rest of the album continues to provide emotional moments and character development that will make listeners feel attached to the entire cast by the finale.
Due to Twelfth Night only having a few weeks run at the Delacorte Theatre as part of Shakespeare in the Park, its musical cast album release was not hyped up in the theatre world as much as it should have been. Luckily, the show’s Drama Desk nomination for Best Score has ensured its success as a critically acclaimed musical. Although the musical may not have many listeners right now, as its group of fans continues to grow it may just become a musical that everyone will have heard of.
Desperate Measures
Cowboys, sheriffs, and nuns, oh my! This list represents just a few of the character types featured in the musical Desperate Measures. Desperate Measures follows a cast of characters all trying to save one cowboy’s life, Johnny Blood. Johnny is set to be executed by Otto, the governor, in just a few days. Together, Sheriff Green, Mary Jo the Nun, and Bella Rose the Saloon Girl, band together to trick the governor and save Johnny. The musical cast album captures these shenanigans through upbeat group numbers and fast-paced duets, creating an overall entertaining experience.
That isn’t to say, however, that this musical doesn’t have heart. When listening to this cast album you’ll notice a few ballads and several monologues interspersed throughout the score. This creates an easy balance between songs meant to move the plot along in a humorous way and moments intended for character and relationship development. Listen to this musical album for a wonderful hour of catchy and well-scored music as well as to get attached to a wild ensemble of characters as they try to save the day and find their own happy endings.
Since Desperate Measures‘ closing in 2018, there has not been any news regarding future productions. Even though the musical won several awards, including a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music, due to the show’s small scale, performing at one of New York’s most popular Off-Broadway theaters, New World Stages, appeared to be its peak. Its Off-Broadway run was extremely successful, extending its performance calendar several times before closing. Sadly, however, Off-Broadway shows never receive as much attention as those on Broadway so the show has started to fade into obscurity since 2018. On the bright side, it looks like this musical cast album will stay on Spotify for a while, ready for any fan to enjoy this fantastic score.
Starry
Is it possible to capture the beauty of van Gogh’s artwork in song? With the recent release of the musical cast album Starry, it is. Starry tells the story of two brothers, Vincent and Theo van Gogh. One is a struggling artist trying to find his place in the art world, while the other is a successful art dealer. Together the two brothers work to discover new horizons and what it means to express one’s self. Other artists from the time period such as Gauguin and Degas also make appearances throughout the album.
What stands out the most in this musical cast album is the use of parallels between songs and van Gogh’s artwork. The best example of this is “Starry Night”. In this song, van Gogh describes his process of creating his most famous piece, while also reflecting on his legacy as both a painter and a man. As the music swells with powerful orchestrations listeners are brought back to the original artwork as the song’s rise and fall follow the same curvature of the sky in van Gogh’s art. This musical cast album is a great example of how different forms of media can intersect and create something wonderful.
The current iteration of Starry on streaming platforms is a concept album based on multiple limited run productions, concerts, and workshops. Due to the show’s lack of exposure, it has yet to hit mainstream media, although the quickly growing fan following has been allowing for the piece to catapult to the top of the charts. The musical is currently campaigning for a future professional run, as its creators and fans alike hope for a Broadway production. Listen to this album today, so you can say that you knew about it before it became a Broadway classic.
Have You Found Your Next Musical Cast Album Yet?
With this list, you will be fully equipped to venture outside of just Broadway’s greatest hits and discover new music that will keep you entertained in the weeks to come. As you listen to these five albums, don’t forget to keep on trying new works by different composers. A great resource for tracking new releases is Playbill’s Upcoming Cast Recordings page, so when a new musical cast album comes out you will be the first to know before the show gets lost in the vast abyss that is Spotify.
