Dirty Rotten Scoundrels to Give Away 50,000 CDs on April 27

THIS IS NOT A CON:

In an unprecedented move, the producers of the new hit Broadway musical comedy, DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, along with Ghostlight Records have announced that they will make a special limited edition version of the show's soon-to-be-released original cast recording available to the public on Wednesday, April 27 -absolutely free. The CD will not be available anywhere else until it hits stores on May 10.

The producers financed the album themselves and have partnered with Kurt Deutsch, President of the independent record labels Sh-K-Boom and Ghostlight Records, which will allow them to market the cast album in a unique and revolutionary way.

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS Producer Marty Bell explained, "I grew up with a Broadway where we all came into the theater humming the tunes. I've been searching for a method to recreate that. By getting 50,000 CDs into our audience's homes and cars, we hope to kickstart the process of familiarizing theatergoers with David Yazbek's uniquely funny, melodic songs. Successful theater is dependent on word of mouth - and what better way to spread it than to fill the marketplace with this terrific score."

Kurt Deutsch President of Ghostlight Records says, "The Cast Album is the most important marketing tool a show has. It has been my goal over the past few years to re-define how these albums are financed and marketed. By co-owning the master recording with the producers, we can work together to figure out how to market the show as well as sell the record. As a show tries to build an audience, they need too be able to use every tool they can. If we can help by doing something unique like this launch, fueling word-of-mouth, we will sell many records for many years to come."

From 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. on April 27, the show's composer and complete cast will be autographing free copies of the new CD in front of the Imperial Theatre for anyone who stops by.

The producers also announced that, in a Broadway first, 50,000 special limited edition copies of the cast recording will be handed out free to every audience member attending performances of DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, beginning at the matinee that Wednesday and continuing through May 31.

The DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS original cast recording will be available on the Ghostlight label (a division of Sh-K-Boom Records).

The recording is produced by David Yazbek and Billy Strauss; Kurt Deutsch, Album Executive Producer.

The track list is as follows:

1. Overture
2. Give Them What They Want
3. What Was A Woman To Do
4. Great Big Stuff
5. Chimp In A Suit
6. Oklahoma?
7. All About Ruprecht
8. Here I Am
9. Nothing Is Too Wonderful To Be True
10. The Miracle
11. Ruffhousin' mit Shuffhausen
12. Like Zis / Like Zat
13. The More We Dance
14. Love Is My Legs
15. Love Sneaks In
16. Son of Great Big Stuff
17. A Message From John Lithgow
18. The Reckoning
19. Dirty Rotten Number
20. Finale

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS features a book by Jeffrey Lane and music and lyrics by David Yazbek (The Full Monty) and stars John Lithgow, Norbert Leo Butz, Sherie Rene Scott, Joanna Gleason, Gregory Jbara and Sara Gettelfinger. The production, directed by two-time Tony Award winner Jack O'Brien and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, opened on Thursday, March 3.

The Imperial Theatre is located at 249 West 45th Street.