There is an undeniable joy in listening to a Broadway cast album after seeing the show. The music brings back elements of the production that go far beyond the audio: the complexity and colors of the set pieces, the impossible height of the theatre ceiling, the magic of special effects, the subtle emotions expressed on every actor's face. In fact, I have the cast albums of nearly every show I've seen that offers one, whether produced in one of the 40 Broadway houses, on tour, off-Broadway, or abroad.
Obviously, my iPod runneth over with showtunes galore. According to iTunes, I could listen to cast albums for almost two weeks non-stop without ever repeating a song. And yet - and yet! - I continue to purchase more and more and more. I used to stick to the studio recordings of shows I'd seen, which means 10+ in a given Broadway season alone. But recently I haven't been satisfied sticking only to new shows and recent revivals... so I've found myself mining the depths of Broadway history, diving into popular shows from decades past as well as some that weren't quite so well received, and learning to savor the intricacies of recordings made long before the digital era.
I used to have a hard time getting into albums from shows I hadn't seen in living color. I found it difficult to become engaged when I didn't have the visual and visceral memories to go along with the music. Of course, I knew a lot of the individual songs - I grew up in a house filled with the melodies Gershwin, Sondheim, Cole Porter, and Rogers & Hart - but the stories were often unfamiliar, especially from the older and lesser-known shows.
It is only recently that I discovered the error of my ways, and found myself really appreciating the recordings of unfamiliar musicals. The solution, I've found, is simple: the answer itself is Simplicity. Remove distractions and concentrate. Allow the album to be as all-consuming as a show itself. Let the melodies and the words evoke the scent of new paint, the soaring proscenium, the elaborate costumes of the era of the production as well as the play.
More than ever we live in a world that demands multitasking. I volunteer myself as an example: I've been known to place an online ticket order, compose a series of tweets, write my weekly column, and listen to a mix of my favorite showtunes, all while browsing YouTube or keeping an eye on NY1 OnStage. The songs I keep on regular rotation are favorites that I can sing backward & forward in my sleep: "Defying Gravity". "Forget About the Girl". "Dance: Ten; Looks Three". "One Song Glory." "Hair".
These songs, and the shows from which they come, are so ingrained in my consciousness that I don't need to willfully conjure the story, the images and the characters that come with them. The same is not true with Broadway music that is new to me, from a show I haven't seen. With those, I've learned to turn off my multitasking tendency and focus all of my energy on discovering the show. I put on noise-canceling headphones, sit in a comfortable chair, and close my eyes. I turn off my phone, and allow myself to be transported to a theatre of my creation.
I encourage you to join me. Go online or to a music shop and browse until you find the cast album of a show you've always wanted to see, or one you've never even heard of. Splurge on the $9.99 or $15.00 and set aside about an hour and a half when nothing will interrupt you. Find a place to sit or lie down that will keep you comfortable but won't put you to sleep. Maybe even pour yourself a drink. Then throw on the headphones or turn up the speakers, press play, and breathe. Introduce yourself to a new piece of theatre through its music; let the sound inspire all of your other senses. You become not only the audience but also the director, the choreographer, and all of the designers combined.
There are currently 21 shows running on Broadway. But there are infinitely more that are available to play at a moment's notice in the theatre in your head. Enjoy.
