As fans of musical theater, we're used to offbeat projects, but this long-forgotten show takes the cake--and it's completely entrancing. The opening number alone makes nasty fun of the then-popular beatniks and is immediately followed by "New York," a list song enumerating all the awful things about the city. Rarely has so much bile been spilled on the New York stage--but perhaps that's because the show originated in St. Louis. Tommy Wolf's finger-snapping score and Fran Landesman's biting lyrics are very compelling, especially because it's hard to tell when they're serious and when they're drily sarcastic. The energetic cast, which includes Larry Hagman (best known as JR in Dallas), is backed by a jazz quartet, and the result often sounds strangely contemporary. And then you have some numbers, such as "Night People," that are almost Sondheimian. What a strange, wonderful little show this is
Tracklist
1. Overture/Man, We're Beat
2. New York
3. What's To Lose/Stars Have Blown My Way
4. Fun Life
5. How Do You Like Your Love?
6. Party Song
7. Night People
8. Overture - Act II
9. Party Song (Reprise)
10. I've Got A Lot To Learn About Life
11. The Ballad Of The Sad Young Man
12. A Country Gentleman
13. Max The Millionaire
14. Travel The Road Of Love
15. Laugh, I THought I'd Die
16. Fun Life (Reprise)
17. Bonus Track 1: Fun Life (By Jackie Cain & Roy Kral)
