Robert W. Berg | New York, NY United States | 09/01/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I saw [title of show] this past Wednesday in Union Square, and it was one of the best theatre experiences of my life. Sidesplittingly funny, self-referential and raunchy, yes, but also a bold and moving statement on and tribute to theatre and art, and the struggles one must go through in pursuit of artistic success in order to stay true to one's vision. The music and lyrics are clever and catchy, and some of the songs are absolutely beautiful. The cast (two of whom are the authors of the show) is top-notch, and the script is hilarious and, in the end, poignant. A truly wonderful piece of theatre, and a great cast album. The only caveat I would add is that, if you are not already a musical theatre fan, this show will completely go over your head."
A must for musical theatre lovers
D. Goldberg | LA , Ca | 04/23/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The music is catchy and lyrics are irreverently witty. You will like the recording more if you are a musical theatre fan as much of the lyrics poke fun at past flops shows in Broadway History. Everytime you listen to the album, you find another flop show hidden in the lyrics. It's akin to counting the Ninas in the Hirschfeld drawings.If you know what I am talking about (the Ninas in the Hirschfeld drawings) run and buy this albu. If you are a musical theatre buff, run and buy this album. The rest, I'm afraid, might not get it. Super witty material for the Theatre Lover. Look forward to more shows by this duo."
It would be SO [title of show] of you to get this CD!
M. Enders | Front Royal, VA | 05/11/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Wow! What can I say? This show is amazing!! Even though the set is minimal (four chairs), no big orchestrations (a piano) and the cast is sparse (four people), the music, acting and lyrics more than make up for it. The bond of the cast is extremely tight and it shows through their harmony. I have hundreds of shows in my collection, and usually I pick one or two songs to put on a mix on my ipod, but i think it speaks for itself when I put the entire last half of the show on my mix. Don't get me wrong, I love the first half as well, especially "Monkeys and Playbills!!" It's brilliant! When Susan and Heidi are meeting for the first time, it's very reminiscient of the meeting of cinderella and the baker's wife in "into the woods" right down to the line "i need your shoe!" I would love to fund for Hunter, Jeff, Heidi and Susan to come perform this show for my group of friends, since it's our favorite thing....and there are more than nine of us. :)"
That's Original...and I Like That!
David W. Kincannon II | Denver, CO, USA | 02/11/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"What a funny, original musical this is. The simple story of two guys writing a musical about two guys writing a musical about two guys writing a musical is written by two guys, stars those same two guys, and co-stars two girls. The writing is a mix of poignancy, biting sarcasm, parody and just plain old wit. The song that convinced me to buy the recording was "Die Vampire, Die" which is an exhortation to ignore those things in our life that threaten to derail our dreams and artistic endeavors. However, after a few listens, my favorite song became "An Original Musical." Which is an extremely funny parody of "I'm Just a Bill" from Schoolhouse Rock. The song pokes fun at the lack of originality on Broadway these days, but doesn't do it in a mean way. Some of the lines in the song are laugh out loud funny.
If you've ever done anything artistic, or dreamed of doing anything artistic, then get this cast recording today."
This Musical is so [title of show]
Amira Resch | PA | 06/17/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I fell in love with [title of show] as soon as the first track was over and by the time I had listened to the whole soundtrack, I didn't want it to be over and I had to play it again. It's unique and new and unlike anything else I have ever listened to. It truly is an original musical. I have listened to this musical over and over and over again since I purchased it and I still am not sick of it.
Jeff Bowen does an excellent job of portraying the difficulty of creating a new musical, putting the show they worked so hard on out there to be scrutinized and the ups and downs of the theatre world. He shows the difficulties of creating something truly new in a seemingly rather closed-minded theatre community. He shows the development of friendships and the realization of dreams from childhood. He shows the defeat of the dissenting thoughts and people that try and hold you back. And he does all this with a healthy helping of satire and sarcasm that keeps you laughing all the way through.
If you are looking for something new and different, this is the show for you. If you looking for a good laugh and maybe even a few tears here and there, this show is for you. If you are looking for a musical you won't be able to stop listening to, this is the show for you. Be prepared to be amazed!"