David Clarke

A STRANGE LOOP is a refreshing Black, queer fantasia on the artistry of creating modern musical theater. It’s similar to [TITLE OF SHOW], but with more to say.

Released on what would have been Stephen Sondheim's 92nd birthday - March 22, 2022 - Yellow Sound Label’s SONDHEIM UNPLUGGED: THE NYC SESSIONS - VOLUME TWO is the glorious middle chapter of an epic trilogy of beloved Sondheim showtunes sung by musical theater luminaries. Like the previous entry, this collection is chock full of talented artists skillfully performing hits from Sondheim’s complex yet accessible catalog with glorious dexterity.

Earlier this spring, Broadway Records released ASSASSINS (The 2022 Off-Broadway Cast Recording), giving fans of Stephen Sondheim our third English language commercially released recording of this brilliant score. Closed early because of Omicron, Broadway Records preserved this cast's wonderfully nuanced performances.

Marking the passing of legendary composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim and just ahead of the anniversary of his birth, Tony Award winner Betty Buckley released BETTY BUCKLEY SINGS STEPHEN SONDHEIM. Each rendition from Sondheim’s catalog sparkles with Buckley’s grace and heart, making the album a beautiful love letter to one of musical theater’s greatest artists.

FLYING OVER SUNSET had the kind of pedigree that made it a must-see show. Yet, many of us missed it. Masterworks Broadway offers theatre lovers a window into the production with FLYING OVER SUNSET (Original Broadway Cast Recording). Despite its beauty, the album exposes why the show shuttered so quickly.

As presented by Sony Masterworks Broadway on WITNESS UGANDA (AN AMERICAN MUSICAL), the musical surprised me with its catchy musical hooks and rhythms, gorgeous vocal performances, and the universality of its story despite its Biblical references.

Recently released from Take The Cakeable Records, ONCE UPON A TIME STEP (Songs from the Ron Lytle Musical Fairy Tales) is a fun exercise in family-friendly, schmaltzy showtunes. There’s not a single track on the album that really sticks with you, but I imagine anyone who programs children’s theater who gives ONCE UPON A TIME STEP a listen will be reaching out to Lylte to license a show or two.

Christmas came early when Broadway Records released CAROLINE, OR CHANGE (The New Broadway Cast Recording) on digital platforms. The stunning two-disc recording captures every marvelous moment of the mostly sung-through score, gifting fans of Broadway a truly remarkable way to access this show no matter where they are.

Hollywood Records has released WEST SIDE STORY (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). The new soundtrack soars, fully highlighting the brilliance of Leonard Bernstein’s unforgettable jazz and latin infused musical score.

Just in time for the Christmas season, Ghostlight Records released Todd Almond’s debut holiday album A PONY FOR CHRISTMAS. The record is an unconventional, folk-pop holiday album that blends Almond’s original compositions with renditions of traditional carols and a few pop surprises. Often more wistful and melancholic than ebullient, A PONY FOR CHRISTMAS reminds listeners that joyfulness in the holiday season isn’t always sugar dusted or bright lights.

Written by Jonathan Larson, the theater composer and lyricist made infamous with RENT, the film adaptation of TICK, TICK… BOOM! is sure to garner a lot of attention. The stage version is a rollicking, urgent three-person chamber musical that flies by in a tight 90 minutes. The film is expanded to 115 minutes and suffers a bit under the weight of that bloat. The emotional peaks and valleys all work, but there are moments where the plot drags.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s scores have remained among the most beloved and most commercially successful music to emanate from the depths of orchestra pits across the world. In a new love letter to the celebrated composer and his enduring music, Decca recently released ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER: SYMPHONIC SUITES. The lush album features an 81-piece orchestra conducted by Simon Lee, and is a true treat for any fan of Lloyd Webber.

During the pandemic, Daniel Mitura wrote and took part in the filming of his latest short film, LAUNCH AT PARADISE. The new science-fiction short explores the costs of creating a unified perspective for all humankind that has the potential to end racism, violence, and insurrection. We sat down with Mitura, his cast, and a producer for an inside look at the soon-to-be-released film.

Ghostlight Records released UNKNOWN SOLDIER (Original Cast Recording), one of composer Michael Friedman’s last scores, on Friday, September 24, 2021. Every lush and elegiac note and melody has been pristinely preserved with this truly gorgeous and evocative album.

Seeing the film with other critics and fans, every one seemed to be searching for an answer to the same question: Is the film really as bad as the first wave of reviews indicated? The silver lining: it’s not the worst stage to screen film adaptation I’ve sat through. However, DEAR EVAN HANSEN is definitely not a great movie.

On September 10, 2021, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of September 11, 2001, Apple TV+ is debuting a stunning stage capture of Broadway’s COME FROM AWAY. Filmed live at Broadway’s Gerald Schoenfeld Theater in May 2021, the film is both a celebration of humanity’s penchant for kindness in the face of adversity and Broadway’s attempt to make a post-pandemic related lockdown return to vibrancy.

Earlier this month, Ben Platt dropped REVERIE, his second studio album. The irresistible pop project includes the highly lauded and much played singles “Happy to Be Sad” and “Imagine” while further cementing Platt as a legitimate pop musician.

Getting to experience the energy that new arrangements and new voices brings to the beloved material is a delight from beginning to end. Even if the movie’s reduced tracklist feels more like a “highlights” album, the record clips along with mirth and will easily have listeners dancing and singing along.

Laura Bell Bundy has returned to us with the poignant album WOMEN OF TOMORROW, which keenly mixes the vintage aural soundscapes of The Andrew Sisters, Doris Day, Peggy Lee, and classic MGM movie musicals with many of the contemporary issues facing women, including equal pay, the psychological aspects of motherhood, unrealistic beauty standards, ownership over women's bodies, and more.

It’s been a long road since March 2020, but the world is healing and Mandie Rapoza’s performance art piece, FRAGMENTS, A LIVE AUDIO STORY, is a welcomed and much needed breath of fresh air in a world where in-person art has been almost completely dormant.