The Christmas season is in full show tune swing now that the 19th volume of the popular Broadway's Carols for a Cure album has arrived.
The latest compilation from the beloved series continues Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS' tradition of pairing the casts from award-winning Broadway musicals with seasonal songs that are both classic and new. Once again, the result is pure magic and is sure to help make the 2017 holiday season shine brighter than ever before.
"These are all new, original recordings, creatively arranged and performed by the incredibly talented performers and musicians from the 2017 Broadway season," explains producer Lynn Pinto who, once again, collaborates with engineer Andros Rodriguez on the album. Pinto allows each company a great deal of freedom in choosing the material and the style of the arrangement.
She adds, "We record the musicians and singers in layers, utilizing isolation booths for a higher quality recording. It gives the album a unique sound from most cast albums and allows us to showcase some of the best voices and instrumentalists in the world."
The first Broadway's Carols for a Cure album debuted in 1999, making this year's album the 19th in the annual series.
Fans of Broadway will be overjoyed to hear recordings from Tony Award winning casts of Dear Evan Hansen, Hamilton, Come From Away and many more:
ALADDIN - O Come All Ye Faithful
ANASTASIA - All Those Christmas Cliches
AVENUE Q - The 12 Days of Christmas
BEAUTIFUL - Love at Christmas Time
A BRONX TALE - I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
CATS - Joy to the World
CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY - Do You Hear What I Hear?
CHICAGO - This Is The Night
COME FROM AWAY - It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
DEAR EVAN HANSEN - Down In Yon Forest
GROUNDHOG DAY - Oh Little Town of Punx, PA
HAMILTON - Chester
JERSEY BOYS (National) - Let's Have an Old Fashioned Jersey Christmas
KINKY BOOTS - Hark! The Herald Angel Sing
THE LION KING - Everyone's a Kid at Christmas
PHANTOM OF THE OPERA - Old Fashioned Christmas
SCHOOL OF ROCK - Yule of Rock
WAITRESS - I Wonder What You Got For Me
WAR PAINT - I Can't Wait For Christmas
WICKED - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Highlights are copious but include Billy Porter and the cast of Kinky Boots singing an all-new, rockin' version of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and the cast of A Bronx Tale performing "I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day" in a New Yawker-style that will have listeners humming for days.
Additionally, Meghan Toohey (Sara Barielles' long-time guitarist) serves up a lovely 1960s-style original song, "Wonder What You Got For Me," featuring the talented Anastacia McCleskey and the rest of the company and band from Waitress; and Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, the composer/lyricist team behind Anastasia perform their original carol, "All Those Christmas Cliches," along with their award-winning cast.
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is a nonprofit organization that helps individuals with serious illnesses including AIDS receive the health care and support they need. In addition, they provide financial support in the form of grants to AIDS and family service organizations throughout the country.
"The 19th volume of Broadway's Carols for a Cure is the best yet," promises Lynn Pinto. "It exudes such warmth, like a cozy blanket on a snowy Winter's day."
"Broadway's Carols for a Cure" can be purchased at the participating shows during the Gypsy of the Year fundraising season (10.20-12.4). The 2-CD set is also in the web store at BroadwayCares.org or by calling Broadway Cares at 212-840-0770.
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