The second volume of Yellow Sound Label's Sondheim Unplugged: The NYC Sessions series will release in streaming, digital purchase, and physical CD formats on what would have been the late musical theatre icon's 92nd birthday March 22. The two-disc album will feature performances from Danielle Ferland, Telly Leung, Manu Narayan, and more.
Ferland, Into the Woods' original Little Red, is among several Sondheim original cast members represented on the album, a group that also includes A Little Night Music's George Lee Andrews, Passion's George Dvorsky, Company and A Little Night Music's Teri Ralston, Sweeney Todd's Sarah Rice, Sunday in the Park With George's Melanie Vaughan, and Merrily We Roll Along's Jim Walton. They're joined by current Company Broadway revival stars Jeff Kready, Narayan, Nicholas Rodriguez, and Tally Sessions; 2009 A Little Night Music revival alum Hunter Ryan Herdlicka; The Frogs cast member Eric Michael Gillett, and 2004 Pacific Overtures revival cast member Leung.
Also featured on the album are Tony nominees Dee Hoty, Sally Mayes, and Emily Skinner; Karen Mason, Christina Bianco, Kelli Rabke, Stearns Matthews, Kristy Cates, Lucia Spina, Jacob Hoffman, Ereni Sevasti, Courter Simmons, Lisa Sabin, Rob Maitner, Natalie Arneson, Donna Vivino, T. Oliver Reid, Natalie Douglas, Victoria Cook, Erica Spyres, Julie Reyburn, Leenya Rideout, Evan Harrington, Alexa Green, and Gabrielle Straveli. Also performing is vocal quintet Marquee Five.
The series, based on the popular concert series, aims to present songs from the Tony-winning composer-lyricist's canon with simple and essential piano-only arrangements, letting the listener focus more on the words and music. The second volume includes some of Sondheim's most beloved songs, along with lesser-heard numbers from Evening Primrose, Reds, and an unproduced movie musical titled Singing Out Loud. Listeners can also expect songs cut from Sondheim's scores, including Gypsy's "Smile, Girls," A Little Night Music's "Silly People," and Anyone Can Whistle's "There Won't Be Trumpets."
Sondheim Unplugged is created and hosted by Phil Geoffrey Bond, who produces this album. Music director Joseph Goodrich is featured on the piano.
The first volume of Sondheim Unplugged released December 1, 2021, and the third volume in the series is set to follow later this year, releasing June 1.
To pre-order Sondheim Unplugged: The NYC Sessions - Volume Two and get a preview of Rodriguez's "Marry Me a Little," visit SondheimUnplugged.com.
Take a look at the full track listing:
Disc One
1. Marry Me a Little – Nicholas Rodriguez
2. Can That Boy Foxtrot! – Sally Mayes
3. Anyone Can Whistle – Telly Leung
4. Smile, Girls – Lucia Spina
5. Our Time – Jim Walton
6. You Could Drive a Person Crazy – Jacob Hoffman
7. Could I Leave You? – Dee Hoty
8. Happiness – Ereni Sevasti
9. If You Can Find Me, I’m Here – Courter Simmons
10. Dawn – Lisa Sabin
11. Buddy’s Blues – Rob Maitner
12. Green Finch & Linnet Bird – Sarah Rice
13. There’s Always a Woman – Natalie Arneson & Donna Vivino
14. With So Little to Be Sure Of – T. Oliver Reid
15. Some People – Teri Ralston
16. Losing My Mind – Natalie Douglas
17. Lovely – Natalie Arneson
18. Every Day a Little Death – Victoria Cook & Erica Spyres
19. Giants in the Sky – Hunter Ryan Herdlicka
20. Everybody Loves Louis – Julie Reyburn
21. Sand – Leenya Rideout
22. Finishing the Hat – Evan Harrington
23. Being Alive – Karen Mason
Disc Two
1. Sunday in the Park with George – Christina Bianco
2. More – Courter Simmons
3. Little Lamb – Alexa Green
4. Johanna – Evan Harrington
5. Agony II – Jeff Kready & Tally Sessions
6. Not a Day Goes By – Leenya Rideout
7. Pirelli’s Miracle Elixir – Jacob Hoffman
8. Too Many Mornings / All Things Bright and Beautiful – Eric Michael Gillett & Melanie Vaughan
9. Pretty Lady – Rob Maitner, Julie Reyburn & Lucia Spina
10. Franklin Shepard, Inc. – Manu Narayan
11. Children Will Listen – Emily Skinner
12. Hello, Little Girl – Danielle Ferland
13. Another Hundred People – Marquee Five
14. I Wish I Could Forget You – George Dvorsky
15. Silly People – George Lee Andrews
16. Moments in the Woods – Kelli Rabke
17. It Wasn’t Meant to Happen – Stearns Matthews
18. The Last Midnight – Kristy Cates
19. The Miller’s Son – Gabrielle Stravelli
20. Take Me to the World – Julie Reyburn
21. Goodbye For Now – Sarah Rice
