It is the height of the roaring twenties, a time of prohibition, show girls and fortune hunters when Lorelei Lee (Megan Hilty), a ‘dumb blond’ sets sail for a madcap adventure with her friend and fellow show girl Dorothy Shaw (Rachel York) as they set sail for the bright lights of Europe. Lorelei is engaged to Gus Esmond, the Button King (Clarke Thorell) although she is not above engaging in innocent flirting with Josephus Gage, the Zipper King (Stephen Buntrock). Along for the ride is Mrs. Ella Spofford (Deborah Rush), the richest woman in Philadelphia, her son Henry (Aaron Lazar) and a ship chock full of colourful characters...

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - Encores! Cast Recording, already tells you that this is not the soundtrack to the famous 1953 film, nor, the short lived and truncated version from Carol Channing. The show is based on Anita Loos’ bestselling novel and made a star of Carol Channing in 1949 on the stage, running for 740 performances and is held as one of Marilyn Monroe’s and Jane Russell’s most popular romantic comedies. The show deliberate upbeat musical tone was created by Jule Styne (Gypsy, Funny Girl) and Leo Robin. This latest incarnation of the show ran from 09 May to 13 May 2012 at New York’s City Centre. The recording is being released on the Sony Masterworks label.

The show stared Megan Hilty, who occasionally sounds like she’s channelling her own personal Monroe, as Lorelei Lee, the naïve showgirl, who appears to be seeking wealth, when she is really seeking romance. The rest of the cast is ably filled in with Rachel York as Dorothy, Clark Thorell as Gus, Aaron Lazar as Henry plus Simon Jones, Stephen R. Buntrock, Phillip Attmore and Jared Grimes

The opening overture is a rich stringed affair which introduces many of the musical themes from the main body of the work. Even from this opening you can tell the combination of horns and strings does not stray away from the familiar territory of Broadway music. That is not to say that the show does not have its stand out moment in 'Bye Bye Baby', 'A Little Girl from Little Rock' and the sublime 'Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend'.

The full track listing is:

Overture (5:18) - Orchestra
It's High Time (2:41) - Rachel York and Ensemble
Bye Bye Baby (3:44) - Clark Thorell and Megan Hilty
A Little Girl from Little Rock (2:30) - Megan Hilty
A Little Girl from Little Rock (Encore) (1:41) - Megan Hilty
I Love What I'm Doing (2:24) - Rachel York
I Love What I'm Doing (Dance) (3:19) - Orchestra
Just a Kiss Apart (2:43) - Aaron Lazar
Scherzo (1:36) - Orchestra
It's Delightful Down in Chile (4:12) - Simon Jones, Megan Hilty and Ensemble
Sunshine (2:49) - Aaron Lazar and Rachel York
Park Scene (2:46) - Ensemble
Pas de Deux (4:01) - Orchestra
Sunshine (Reprise) (1:29) - Ensemble
I'm a-Tingle, I'm a-Glow (2:28) - Stephen R. Buntrock, Rachel York Megan Hilty and Deborah Rush
You Say You Care (2:36) - Rachel York and Aaron Lazar
Act 1 Finale (1:02) - Megan Hilty and Ensemble
Mamie Is Mimi (6:35) - Phillip Attmore, Jared Grimes, Megan Sikora and Ensemble
Coquette (1:40) - Michael Marcotte
Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend (3:16) - Megan Hilty
Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend (First Encore) (1:44) - Megan Hilty
Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend (Second Encore) (0:53) - Megan Hilty
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1:07) - Megan Hilty and Clarke Thorell
Homesick Blues (3:18) - Megan Hilty, Rachel York, Clarke Thorell, Aaron Lazar, Deborah Rush and Stephen R. Buntrock
Keeping Up with Coolidge (3:41) - Rachel York, Deborah Rush and Ensemble
Button Up with Esmond (1:44) - Megan Hilty and Ensemble
Act 2 Finale (0:59) - Megan Hilty, Clarke Thorell and Ensemble

The cast attack the material with real gusto and the inherently jolly nature of the show shines through the recording. There is a reason why songs like ‘Bye Bye Baby’ stand out as audiences favourites, it’s because the rest of the songs, whilst being perfectly serviceable and uplifting, are none the less only slightly better than the normal Broadway musical fodder of strings and horns. The highlight of the show has to be Megan Hilty, who took on a song made iconic by Monroe and more than held her own.

It’s an interesting take on the show and well worth adding to your collection, especially if you already have the recordings by Monroe and Channing.

8

Charles Packer