The Two New OBCRs You Need to Hear

A couple of amazing new OBCRs, or Original Broadway Cast Recordings, are what my summer has been all about so far.

Because a few weeks ago, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical released an absolutely phenomenal cast recording that I have not been able to stop listening to. It's about an hour in length, which makes sense since the show itself was shorter since it was for a younger audience. Even though The Lightning Thief was *technically* an off-Broadway production, let's be honest here: this show was way more fun and rewarding than many of the productions I've actually seen on the Broadway stage.

listening to the Lightning Thief OBCR as told by percy/chris mccarrell

The first time I went, I arrived skeptical only to be completely and totally converted to this show's cause. The second time I saw The Lightning Thief, it was closing week and I just had to see this insanely fun show once more. It was a non-negotiable.

as an accurate depiction of listening to this album just saying

The great news is that the OBCR is the next best thing you can get besides seeing the show itself, and a lot of the humor and fun is preserved in the songs. I'm still praying that The Lightning Thief really will be "back next summer" on the Broadway stage, even though this is only what Percy's character promises to his fellow campers in the soundtrack. Let's all pray, shall we?

And then there's the other show that has been equally occupying my earbuds: the gorgeous OBCR of the new production of Anastasia.

This moment.... the dress... THE DRESSSSSSS.

This is a show I have been waiting a long (looooonnnnngggg) time to see hit the Broadway stage, so the cast album is a Godsend. It's everything I want in a musical... just enough haunting memories and romance and fairy tale to be the perfect Broadway production.

i will never be tired of listening to Once Upon a December

And what's even better is that the Anastasia recording includes Ramin Karimloo singing as devoted Russian soldier Gleb. Can we just talk about Ramin for a second? Every time I've seen Anastasia so far, whether in preview or after the official opening, Ramin has gotten an enthusiastic ovation every time he makes his entrance onto stage for the first time. Doesn't that say enough? Do I even have to remind you about his involvement with Phantom of the Opera and Les Miz's anniversary concerts and stage productions? Must we even say more than just "for God's sake, if you can, listen to this man sing"????

Since both of these wonderful musicals have blessed us with OBCR's, we have a unique situation on our hands. I'll be listening to a song about minotaurs from The Lightning Thief and then I'm singing about the Russian revolution with the Anastasia soundtrack. And I couldn't be happier.

I'm especially thrilled that The Lightning Thief got their own cast album (which, by the way, sort of dominated iTunes when it was released. For a while, it was the top selling album on the day of its release.... what whaaaaaat). The fact that this stellar cast got to do an OBCR is even more proof that this needs to come back onto stage - and fast!

In conclusion: if you have any way to at all, go listen to either - or both! - of these albums. You won't regret it.

_

Thanks, Broadway Box, for The Lightning Thief gifs!