I know I’ve said it before, but there isn’t another record label around at the moment in the Theatre field, with an output close to Broadway Records, both in terms of the number of releases, and the quality of those releases. No sooner have they passed the magic 100 release mark, and they are busy releasing another 4 - yes 4 - count ‘em - recordings. A long awaited film soundtrack, and three vocal albums - all unique.

The first of these on the digital turntable is the first solo album by one of Broadway’s newest stars. Kate Rockwell is currently bleaching out her brain cells in Tina Fey’s hit Broadway musical Mean Girls, originating the role of pretty-but-dim Karen Smith. For her performance, Rockwell has garnered a Drama Desk Award nomination, and for the initial Washington DC run, a prestigious Helen Hayes Award nomination. Receiving terrific reviews across the board, Rockwell’s Karen Smith has been called an “absolute scene-stealer” by The New Yorker and “the funniest character onstage” by The Wrap. Her previous Broadway credits include originating the role of Skylar in Bring It On: The Musical, Sherrie in Rock of Ages, Margot in Legally Blonde, and Hair. Some of her favourite regional credits include Mabel Normand in the world premiere of Hollywood at La Jolla Playhouse, Carrie Pipperidge in Carousel at Arena Stage (for which she received a Helen Hayes nomination), and Belle in Beauty and the Beast at The Muny. Her TV/Film credits include High Maintenance, Deadbeat, and Sex and the City: The Movie.

Her debut studio album, Back To My Roots, takes her back on a journey through what she’s calling the ‘second Golden-Age’ of Broadway musicals, and shows that inspired her to leave the sane, stable world of “normal” professions behind and follow her passion to the Great White (Blonde) Way. This covers the period from the 1970s to the 1990s, and is probably the reason I have a soft spot for this album, and Ms Rockwell, as it’s the period that houses some of my favourite musicals too.

This is such a great album, and reminds me so much of the albums we used to get in the '90s. I remember going to Dress Circle in London, or Footlight in New York, and coming out with piles of CDs by singers I idolised, in the way other people idolised film stars or the latest pop stars. And this album matches up to any of those, both in the quality of product, and the selection of songs to include. Also, great to have a vocal album with a proper band backing it, and some lovely orchestrations.

There are some very clever ‘mashups’ (as the youth of today would call them) - in particular 2 numbers from Into The Woods and Merrily We Roll Along - a first surely ? Plus also a great Lloyd Webber & Schonberg medley, featuring perhaps some of the biggest numbers from the period, My favourite tracks on the album are a couple of numbers from the wonderful William Finn musical Falsettos - her rendition of ‘The Games I Play’ is worth the price of the album alone. It was great to hear something from perhaps my favourite musical of all time, City Of Angels, and on this she’s joined by the current Broadway Donna Summer (yes, I know….) Ariana DeBose, who between them do a great job of a tricky number.

I loved listening to this, and the sassy liner notes by Kate (put into an excellent booklet, by the non-less sassy Robbie Rozelle) are perfect. As is the inclusion, perhaps, of a hidden bonus track. Somewhere. Buy it and see.

9

Ian Gude