Recommendations

Are you ready for a CABINET MEETING?

Opinions. Correct opinions!

These are just a few of my absolute favorite audios and videos, some of the ones I listen to over and over (and hopefully you will, too!).

In English: Audios

Hamilton - First National Tour (Angelica) - August 4, 2017

MP3 (tracked)

CAST: Michael Luwoye, Solea Pfeiffer, Ryan Vasquez, Raven Thomas, Isaiah Johnson, Jordan Donica, Mathenee Treco, Ruben J Carbajal, Amber Iman, Rory O’Malley, Desmond Newson, Desmond Nunn, Jacob Guzman, Willie Smith III

Hamilton - Third National Tour (and Peggy) - January 26, 2019 (Matinee) (FetchHappened's master)

M4A (untracked) - trades as limited, 2:1

CAST: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Julia K Harriman, Donald Webber Jr, Sabrina Sloan, Darnell Abraham, Simon Longnight, Brandon Louis Armstrong, Ruben J Carbajal, Darilyn Castillo, Rick Negron, Vincent J Hooper, Andrew Wojtal, Christopher Campbell, Brendon Chan

NOTES: LMM joins the tour company in Puerto Rico. Audience is here. for. it.

Les Misérables - West End - August 5, 2006

MP3 (tracked)

CAST: John Owen-Jones (Jean Valjean), Hans Peter Janssens (Javert), Sophia Ragavelas (Fantine), Gina Beck (Cosette), Jon Lee (Marius), Laura Brydon (u/s Éponine), Simon Bailey (Enjolras), Chris Vincent (Thénardier), Tracie Bennett (Madame Thénardier)

NOTES: My personal favorite JOJ audio. I think. Also love Asia Tour - November 12, 2016 and West End - December 21, 2005 (Matinee) (StrangeAngel77's master).

Les Misérables - West End - April 11, 2016 (Haunts&Hurts's master)

M4A (tracked)

CAST: Peter Lockyer (Jean Valjean), Jeremy Secomb (Javert), Patrice Tipoki (Fantine), Zoe Doano (Cosette), Craig Mather (Marius), Eva Noblezada (Éponine), Bradley Jaden (Enjolras), Adam Pearce (u/s Thénardier), Katy Hannah (u/s Madame Thénardier)

NOTES: Incomplete, but holy heck is this a gorgeous audio and give me more Jeremy Secomb, please.

Les Miserables - The Ramin Karimloo Edit (whenwecall’s edit)

MP3 (tracked)

CAST: Ramin Karimloo (Valjean), Philip Quast (Javert), Ramin Karimloo (Fantine), Genevieve Leclerc (also Fantine), Samantha Hill (Cosette), Ramin Karimloo (Marius), Brittney Johnson (Eponine), Ramin Karimloo (Enjolras), Cliff Saunders (Thénardier), Lisa Horner (Madame Thénardier), Madison Oldroyd (Little Cosette), Colm Wilkinson (Bishop), Ramin Karimloo (Feuilly)

NOTES: I make no apologies for putting this on this list.

RENT – Benny Tour - March 30th 2000 (Long Beach, CA)

MP3 (tracked)

CAST: Josh Greene (Mark u/s), Cary Shields (Roger), Saycon Sengbloh (Mimi), Horace Rogers (Collins), Shaun Earl (Angel), Courtney Corey (Maureen), Jacqueline Arnold (Joanne), Brian M. Love (Benny), Haven Burton (Mrs. Cohen), Maia Nkenge Wilson (Mrs. Jefferson/Soloist #1), Marcus Chaney (Mr. Jefferson/Soloist #2), Marcus Mitchell (Gordon u/s), Enrico Rodriguez (Paul), Joshua Kobak (Steve u/s), Tricia Young (Alexi)

NOTES: A high-quality early RENT audio with Saycon Sengbloh.

RENT - 20th Anniversary UK Tour - March 2, 2017

M4A (untracked)

CAST: Billy Cullum, Ross Hunter, Philippa Stefani, Layton Williams, Kevin Yates, Lucie Jones, Jenny O'Leary, Javar La'Trail Parker

NOTES: Quickly ascending my list of favorites. Tip-top quality audio; mostly great cast; even a few bloopers! Philippa Stefani (Mimi) has an *amazing* and powerful voice. The most energetic and *fun* LVB-B I have ever heard--I want to be at that party!

We Will Rock You - West End - November 1, 2012 (Soireé’s master)

MP3 (untracked)

CAST: Oliver Tompsett (Galileo), Emma Hatton (u/s Scaramouche), Katie Paine (u/s Killer Queen), Alasdair Harvey (Khashoggi), Wayne Robinson (Brit), Rachel John (Meat), Jon McLarnon (u/s Pop), Mark Dugdale (u/s Rebel Leader)

Wicked - Broadway - May 29, 2004

MP3 (tracked)

CAST: Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz, Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Michelle Federer, Christopher Fitzgerald, William Youmans,

NOTES: Hilarious blooper in Popular.

Wicked - West End - March 25, 2017

MP3 (untracked)

CAST: Willemijn Verkaik, Suzie Mathers, Oliver Savile, Mark Curry, Sue Kelvin, Rosa O'Reilly, Idriss Kargbo, Martin Ball

NOTES: The one with the cosmically mind-blowing Defying Gravity.

In English: Videos

Aida - Broadway - August 27, 2002

VOB (with smalls)

CAST: Maya Days, Adam Pascal, Felicia Finley, John Hickok, Damian Perkins

American Idiot - Berkeley - October 4, 2009 (SunsetBlvd79's master)

VOB (with smalls)

CAST: John Gallagher, Jr. (Johnny), Michael Esper (Will), Matt Caplan (Tunny), Tony Vincent (St. Jimmy), Rebecca Naomi Jones (Whatsername), Mary Faber (Heather), Christina Sajous (Extraordinary Girl)

NOTES: Photosensitivy seizure warning

The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Papermill Playhouse, NJ - April 2, 2015

VOB (with smalls) (SD)

CAST: Michael Arden, Ciara Renée, Patrick Page, Andrew Samonsky, Erik Liberman, Neal Mayer, Jeremy Stolle, Anise Ritchie, Beth Kirkpatrick, Dashaun Young, Ian Patrick Gibb, Joseph J Simeone, Julian Decker, Neal Mayer, Nora Menken, Richard Ruiz, Samantha Massell, Vincent Rodriguez III, William Michals

Les Misérables - Third UK (25th Anniversary) Tour - September 25, 2010 (thewho's master)

VOB (with smalls) (SD)

CAST: John Owen-Jones, Earl Carpenter, Madalena Alberto, Katie Hall, Gareth Gates, Rosalind James, Jon Robyns, Ashley Artus, Lynne Wilmott, Max Griesbach, David Lawrence

NOTES: This has just about got to be the best LM video in terms of cast+video+sound quality.

Les Misérables - Dallas - August 2, 2014 (SJ Bernly's master)

MP4

CAST: Nehal Joshi, Edward Watts, Allison Blackwell, Dorcas Leung, Justin Keyes, Elizabeth Judd, John Campione, Steven Michael Walters, Christia Mantzke

NOTE: Non-replica show, with something new and important to say through the staging. (And an awesome cast.)

RENT - Broadway - February 21, 2008

VOB (with smalls) (SD)

CAST: Harley Jay (Mark), Jay Wilkison (u/s Roger), Tamyra Gray (Mimi), Justin Johnston (Angel), Michael McElroy (Collins), Nicolette Hart (Maureen), Kenna J Ramsey (Joanne), Rodney Hicks (Benny), Caren Lyn Manuel, Peter Matthew Smith, Marcus Paul James, Maia Nkenge Wilson, Shaun Earl, Andy Señor Jr.

Wicked - Broadway - September 23, 2006 (SunsetBlvd79's master)

VOB (with smalls) (SD)

CAST: Saycon Sengbloh, Kate Reinders, Derrick Williams, David Garrison, Carol Kane, Jenna Leigh Green, Logan Lipton, Anthony Galde

Wicked - Broadway - May 12, 2013 (Lanelle's master)

VOB (with smalls) (SD)

CAST: Willemijn Verkaik (Elphaba), Katie Rose Clarke (Glinda), Kyle Dean Massey (Fiyero), Adam Grupper (The Wizard), Randy Danson (Madame Morrible), Catherine Charlebois (Nessarose), F Michael Haynie (Boq), John Schiappa (Doctor Dillamond)

NOTES: The best English video with Willemijn. VOB version. There are also MP4 (rip) and MTS (24gb!) versions floating around.

Auf Deutsch: Audios

Aida - Tecklenburg - September 5, 2009 (Closing Night)

MP3 (untracked)

CAST: Zodwa Selele, Patrick Stanke, Willemijn Verkaik, Mario Mariano, Marc Clear, Ansgar Schäfer, Milica Jovanovic, Thada Suanduanchai (Mereb)

NOTES: Closing night. A+ recording--beautiful sound! A personal favorite, unquestionably. If you want the Tecklenburg production without the deciduous trees, here ya go. ;)

Bat Out of Hell - Oberhausen - March 22, 2019

MP3 (untracked)

CAST: Robin Reitsma (Strat), Maureen Mac Gillavry (u/s Raven), Alex Melcher (Falco), Willemijn Verkaik (Sloane), Masengu Kanyinda (u/s Zahara), Benet Monteiro (Jagwire), Michael Moore (Ledoux), Gonzalo Campos (u/s Blake), Tom van der Ven (Tink)

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Disney) - German Revival Tour - April 23, 2017 (Matinee)

WMA (untracked)

CAST: Milan van Waardenburg, Kristina Love, Felix Martin, Maximilian Mann, Jens Janke (Clopin Trouillefou)

NOTES: Felix's Feuer der Hölle gets more applause than some entire shows do.

Les Misérables - Berlin - December 28, 2004

MP3 (tracked)

CAST: Olegg Vynnyk (Jean Valjean), Uwe Kröger (Javert), Ann Christin Elverum (Fantine), Mirjam Zipf (Cosette), Tillmann Schnieders (Marius), Jana Stelley (u/s Éponine), Martin Pasching (Enjolras)

RENT – Rock am Ring – 1999 (Soundboard’s master)

MP3 (tracked)

CAST: Alex Melcher (Mark), John Partridge (Roger), Peti van der Velde (Mimi), DMJ (Collins), Irina Alex (Maureen), Anna Tanja Horn (Joanne)

NOTES: A completely spectacular concert-style performance at Rock am Ring. "Plot" songs and bits are cut (z.B. no T4U or "Could never be a theatre person")

Auf Deutsch: Videos

Aida - Tecklenburg - July 25, 2009

VOB (with smalls) (SD)

CAST: Zodwa Selele, Patrick Stanke, Willemijn Verkaik, Mario Mariano, Marc Clear, Ansgar Schäfer, Milica Jovanovic, Thada Suanduanchai

NOTES: The pro-shot of the Tecklenburg production is almost/just as awesome.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame - German Revival Tour - 2017 (Rumpel's master)

VOB (with smalls)

CAST: David Jakobs, Sarah Bowden, Felix Martin, Maximilian Mann, Alexander Zamponi, Romeo Salazar, Johannes Kiesler, Oliver Mülich, Kristina Love, Kevin Köhler, Jonas Hein, Wiebke Wötzel

NOTES: Follows the US staging. Far stage right is partially obstructed in full-stage shots, but it doesn't block any of the actual action. BEAUTIFUL video and audio.

Urinetown - Berlin (Germany) - April 30, 2005 (Pro-Shot's master)

VOB (with smalls) (SD)

CAST: Aris Sas (Bobby), Sara Fonseca (Hope), Thorsten Tinney (Officer Lockstock), Katharine Mehrling (Little Sally), Gabriele Ramm (Ms. Pennywise), Ilja Richter (Caldwell B. Cladwell)

NOTES: Honest-to-goodness, this is my most-requested boot. Y'all's taste is as weird as mine.

Wicked - Stuttgart - February 20, 2009

VOB (with smalls) (SD)

CAST: Willemijn Verkaik, Lucy Scherer, Mathias Edenborn, Stefan Poslovski, Barbara Raunegger, Nicole Radeschnig, Robert Knorr, Michael Günther

NOTES: Missing most of Wicked Witch of the East. Another *killer* Defying Gravity. If you don't want to take over the world after listening/watching it. Lucy Scherer is also brilliant as ever. Yes, I rank a lot of videos as "must-see." Put this one near the top.