Last November I was lucky enough to see the new Broadway musical BONNIE & CLYDE. It didn't last incredibly long and in my opinion, it opened at the wrong time of year. I think if it had opened in the spring, it could have built an audience. But it opened in November and couldn't survive Broadway's traditionally brutal winter months of January and February. Composer Frank Wildhorn has had a checkered track record on Broadway. He had a commercial success several years ago with JEKYLL & HYDE but had huge critical and financial failures with THE CIVIL WAR and last season's disastrous WONDERLAND. So I entered BONNIE & CLYDE with very low expectations. But there was a lot to appreciate in BONNIE & CLYDE and one of it's virtues was an excellent score composed by Wildhorn with lyrics by Don Black. The Cast Album was recorded after the show closed and I am grateful that someone saw fit to capture this score with it's wonderful original cast. Laura Osnes and Jeremy Jordan play the title duo and they were both mighty impressive in the flesh performing these complex difficult roles. As good as they were in the theatre, they are equally brilliant on the recording. They both sound wonderful and sing the hell out of these country tinged songs. This is not only Wildhorn's best score since JEKYLL & HYDE, it might actually be his best ever. You need go no further than Track #3, THIS WORLD WILL REMEMBER ME, to know that there is something unique and special about this score. Highlights also include YOU LOVE WHO YOU LOVE, THIS WORLD WILL REMEMBER US, and Laura Osnes' finest moment with DYIN' AIN'T SO BAD. I think BONNIE & CLYDE will have a long regional life and with the assistance of this terrific recording, the audience it couldn't find on Broadway will discover this surprising and memorable score. It reminded me why I make a point of getting to NYC as often as possible. I would have hated to have heard this CD without having the pleasure of seeing the show that accompanied it.
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