Moose Charlap, Jule Styne - Peter Pan: Original Broadway Cast Recording (1954 New York Cast)

Damaged Case

The jewel case arrived damaged,it appeared the case was in poor condition prior to shipment. This was not mentioned in description The CD played well so I did not return the item November 29, 2008

Never-never grow old

This is not the most believable story ever to be set as a Broadway musical. But it is clearly one of the most fun. Among the many settings of "Peter Pan" we have the Leonard Bernstein version, Walt Disney's take, and this one. In my opinion, this is the standout of the three.
Show-wise, it features two of the "sweetest" go-to-sleep songs ever written, "Tender Shepherd" and "Once Upon a Time and Far Away."
Cast-wise, Mary Martin is not the most musical performer in Broadway musicals; but she has a great ability to present any character she portrays, from an army nurse on a south Pacific island, to a naive novice nun who grows to maturity, to a little boy who never grows up. Cyril Ritchard is a far more menacing Captain Hook that Bernstein's Boris Karloff.
Recording-wise, not the technology to which we have become accustomed, but a good and true keepsake of a wonderful musical comedy experience. October 27, 2008

Never, Never, Never Grow Old

When I think of "Peter Pan," Mary Martin is always the Peter I remember. And when I hear the soundtrack, with Mary and Cyril Ritchard, I am drawn back to my childhood in East Liverpool, Ohio. My cousin Bill Smith owned, or managed "Smith & Phillips," which was the premier furniture store in our town. They also sold musical instruments. Charlotte and Bill lived across the street from us, in a house that is still painted blue, with their children, Carolyn (b.1950), Joanne (b. 1952), and Martha (b. 1954). When NBC announced that it was going to broadcast "Peter Pan" in COLOR, my cousin Bill was inspired. He sent invitations to all the children on the street to see the production IN COLOR at his house. Even though Charlotte and Bill had the first Amana Radarange on our street (but that's another story) they didn't own--nor could they afford--a color TV. But Smith & Phillips sold them.

Bill brought a color TV home from the store and set it up with his TV antenna to receive NBC's broadcast of "Peter Pan." All the children from Elson Street came, and brought their chairs to watch. Carolyn and Joey, Sherri and Gary Woods, Sherri Miller, Beth and Valerie Wolfe, Georgie Turkel and I all converged on the Smith home to watch "Peter Pan" in color.

We will never see that production again: the 1960 re-creation of it is the earliest recording that's available. But I can tell you that on that night in 1954 (or was it -5?), each of us, tears streaming down our faces, clapped our hands until they hurt, because we believed in fairies.

Television, like movies and like the theatre, had the power to move us then. No medium may ever have that power again. Ask me about "Winky Dink and You." June 3, 2008

different CD cover?

My CD case cover does not look like the photo above. I'm not sure if that's because the product photo is the LP or if there are simply different looks to various CDs out there, some apparently designed to 'disney it up' a bit. Presumably it's all the same music, which for some reason isn't as awesome as I'd remembered it. It's a little cute sometimes, but still a classic. April 6, 2008

Mary Martin - Unforgettable

Mary Martin was a Broadway star when performers had real talent. No electronic wizards helping! Peter Pan is classic Martin and let's not forget the wonderful Cyril Richard as Captain Hook. This original cast recording has been remastered so we can now enjoy these talented actors in this classic show. This show was performed on tv in the 1950's and was available on VHS. Worth a look. January 12, 2008

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