VIDEO: Go Behind the Scenes of the GOD BLESS YOU MR. ROSEWATER Cast Recording

Ghostlight Records celebrates the premiere cast recording of the musical Kurt Vonnegut's God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater - based on the recent production by The New York City Center's Encores! Off-Center musical theater series - with a special new "Making of the Cast Album" video featuring exclusive footage from the recording session and stage production, in addition to commentary from the cast and creative team. The video is available online here. The album is currently available on CD in stores and online, in addition to digital and streaming formats. For more information on the recording, please visit sh-k-boom.com/god-bless-you-mr-rosewater.

Adapted from Vonnegut's 1965 novel, this was the first musical written by the blockbuster team ofHoward Ashman and Alan Menken, before their theater success with Little Shop of Horrors and their animated Disney hits The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. The production was directed by Michael Mayer and choreographed by Lorin Latarro. Chris Fenwick served as Music Director. The CD's 28-page full-color booklet includes complete lyrics, production photography, a synopsis and essays from director Michael Mayer and Thomas Schumacher, President of Disney Theatrical Group. The album is produced by Alan Menken and Michael Kosarin, with Rick Kunisserving as executive producer.

The recent Encores! Off-Center production starred Skylar Astin, Derrick Baskin, Jeff Blumenkrantz, Nick Choksi, Eddie Cooper, Kevin Del Aguila, Santino Fontana,Clark Johnson, James Earl Jones, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Kevin Ligon, Marla Louissaint,Liz McCartney, Bonnie Milligan, Brynn O'Malley, and Kate Wetherhead.

The 1979 musical God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater tells the story of Eliot Rosewater (Santino Fontana), a millionaire who drunkenly decides to blow his fortune on the inhabitants of an impoverished town after being inspired by the utopian vision of novelist Kilgore Trout (James Earl Jones). But there are forces who want to put the kibosh on Eliot's philanthropy-like Norman Mushari (Skylar Astin), a lawyer plotting to have Eliot declared insane. With an irresistible crazy-quilt score that volleys between pop, ragtime, Gilbert & Sullivan, and proto-Disney ballads, the Encores! Off-Center production featured never-before heard orchestrations by Danny Troob.

When the show ran for five performances at City Center from July 27-30, 2016, The New York Times praised the score for its "melodic sweetness" and "boisterous wit." AM New York said "the songs are fresh, fun and occasionally heartfelt." Talkin' Broadway raved about "the sprightly book and the dazzling score. These are incredible, almost incomparable, compositions, that fuse Ashman's ultra-witty and affectionate lyrics with Alan Menken's golden-earworm melodies." According to BroadwayWorld.com, "Ashman's irreverent intelligence and Menken's attractive mix of musical styles - dominated by Americana-style folk and blues - makes this an excellent example of a lost musical that any fan of the genre needs to get to know."

Kurt Vonnegut's God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater features book and lyrics by Howard Ashman, music by Alan Menken, and additional lyrics by Dennis Green. It was originally presented by The WPA Theatre, where it was directed by Howard Ashman.

Alan Menken is also represented on Ghostlight Records with the cast recordings of A Bronx Tale, Newsies, Sister Act, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Leap of Faith and The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz. The label served as executive producer for Aladdin.

"GOD BLESS YOU, MR. ROSEWATER" TRACK LIST

ACT I

1. Overture

2. The Rosewater Foundation

3. The Rosewater Foundation (Reprise)

4. Dear Ophelia

5. Thank God for the Volunteer Fire Brigade

6. Mushari's Waltz (Magical Moment)

7. Thirty Miles from the Banks of the Ohio / Look Who's Here

8. Cheese Nips

9. The Rosewater Foundation (Reprise II)

10. Since You Came to This Town

ACT II

11. A Poem by William Blake

12. The Rhode Island Tango

13. Eliot / Sylvia

14. Plain Clean Average Americans

15. A Firestorm Consuming Indianapolis

16. Dear Ophelia (Reprise)

17. I, Eliot Rosewater

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