I Hear Singing and There’s No One There
Cast Recordings with the Absence of Opening Night Cast Members
For general audiences, the cast recording is one of the most accessible ways to introduce and consume musical theatre. To many, the cast recording is the definitive representation of a production. An issue arises then, when a cast album does not feature an ensemble that represents the opening night cast. In many cases, audiences visualize a show that not only never existed, but does not meet the intentions of its creators. In short, these productions have not been preserved in a way that is accessible at large. To explore this, I look at three musicals with cast recordings that do not reflect their opening night casts. Kiss of the Spider Woman, Pal Joey, and Call Me Madam each produced cast recordings that fit this criteria, and each serve a unique function for the listener.
