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 enlarge | Creators: Faith Prince, Tom Wopat, Harvey Fierstein
Label: P.S. Classics
Category: Music
List Price: $19.98
Buy New: $12.05
You Save: $7.93 (40%)
New (32) Used (8) from $11.98
Avg. Customer Rating:  19 reviews
Sales Rank: 15007
Format: Cast Recording
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 4.9 x 0.4
MPN: 864
UPC: 803607086428
EAN: 0803607086428
ASIN: B00170LCOA
Release Date: May 27, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand new Item. CD, DVD, Book, VHS more than 400 000 titles to choose from. ALL days Low Price !
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| Customer Reviews:
 An Almost Perfect Musical July 5, 2008
I was lucky enough to be New York recently and was priviledged to attend a Saturday Matinee of "A Catered Affair." This is the stuff of legends! Granted the book added a rather trite sub-plot about the uncle, but the music, direction, sets, costumes, orchestrations and stellar performances made for a momentous performance. And the CD beautifully captures the magical, delicate and wholly original score by John Bucchino. I almost chose not to see this show because of Ben Brantley's scathing review in the New York Times. Thank God, my heart took over and told me that this might be another "Light in the Piazza."
But it wasn't a copy of anything. It was completely original. Broadway is willing and wanting and waiting for such lovely pieces. Not since "She Loves Me" has a show been so wrongly criticized and ignored by the Tony nominators, who, for God's knows what reason, embraced the sophomoric and cloying "In the Heights." (I attended a performance of the latter where many audience members left at the intermission.) Another musical that got short-changed was "Young Frankenstein" with a near comic operetta score and stellar performances by all involved.
But I digress. If you're even thinking about going to NYC this summer, go immediately before "A Catered Affair" closes. It's scheduled to close in late July.
DO YOUR PART TO KEEP IT GOING!!
 An Affair Not to Remember June 18, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
Though there are some nice melodies, the score lacks structure, and mostly, it sort of just sits there. The performances are solid, but I just think the music is sort of ho-hum.
It is what it is June 17, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is the OBC recording of A Catered Affair -- a show that many of us can either take or leave -- still, it is a faithful recording of the production -- from the nuanced and lovely Faith Prince, to the absolutely awful (on stage and on recording) Harvey Fierstein. But it is what it is. I don't expect the show to run very long in NYC, so it's important to preserve the score for future productions. It will make for a good study recording for the many college and community productions sure to follow. It's worth a listen, and a place in your musical theatre library -- but I doubt listening to the score itself is going to pull may people into wanting to see the production itself.
A Lovely Affair June 12, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Another gem that will probably go under-appreciatted, much like The Light In The Piazza, Parade and Floyd Collins. All beautifully written, intelligent and unconventional musicals, that have the audacity to expect the audience to have to think.
And this is absolutely uncoventional. No huge song and dance numbers, no big opening or finale. Basically a chamber musical, small orchestra, the score is almost recititive, it becomes an extension of the characters thoughts or conversation. And it is absolutely lovely. All about the trials amongst an ordinary middle class family, circa 1953, over a daughters impending wedding.
The performances are marvelous. Harvey Fierstein (despite what others have commented) gives a very understated and touching performance as the gay uncle. Faith Prince brings a quiet longing and sadness to the role of Aggie, the mother. And most impressive is Tom Wopat as the father, coping with all the stress and problems of the situation (as well as years of a stale marriage and loss of a son), until finally he explodes in desperation towards the end of the show. It is utterly heart breaking.
Most definetly worth getting if you're interested in thought provoking musical theater.
Sadly, it's already closed, not helped by the poor choice of scene televised on the Tony Awards. The scene and song simply did not work on TV, there were certainly more effective moments that should have been chosen.
Not Your Typical Score June 11, 2008
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
Given the pedigree of this show, I was anxious to see "A Catered Affair" last month in New York. The cast (led by Faith Prince, Tom Wopat, Harvey Fierstein, etc.) were excellent in this musical - a musical, however, l that felt much more like a interesting play with incidental music - similar to "Caroline or Change".
The score was beautiful, but simply did not have many (any?) songs that remained embedded in the brain afterwards. It plays better as a continuous story. And Mr. Fierstein's voice simply does not play as well here as it did in his Tony-winning role in "Hairspray".
Best Tracks:
Married
Vision
Don't Ever Stop Saying "I Love You"
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