Singing Queens

If you saw "Priscilla Queen Of The Desert" on Broadway and loved it, then I have no doubt you will love its cast recording. I did, and find myself grooving.  The vocals on it can be a little tepid  - Will Swenson seems uninterested, and Nick Adams has never been known to be a vocal powerhouse - but if you listen and imagine the costumes and sets which are the real stars of the show, it becomes an extremely satisfying aural experience. Listening to it out of context, though, I wonder if an ordinary listener would be able to "get" the whole thing. Like - what is with the different tempos of "Don't Leave Me This Way"? The countrified "I Love The Night Life" doesn't make much sense on record. And the inclusion of "Follie! delirio vano e quest?" from La Traviata? Don't even try. All the pop songs sound like one interminable one after a while. Perhaps because those songs are shoehorned into scenes as opposed to creating music to move the scenes forward. The cast recording, unfortunately, showcases the weakness of the production as a musical. But as a "souvenir" for an enjoyable night of theater, this recording succeeds. Choose your experience.