Musicals you must listen to: Ghost The Musical

Following the recent announcement that Ghost the musical would be headed our way in August 2013, I thought it fitting to talk about the music and a bit about the show itself, to better prepare our audiences for the thrill in store!

 Following the recent announcement that Ghost the musical would be headed our way in August 2013, I thought it fitting to talk about the music and a bit about the show itself, to better prepare our audiences for the thrill in store! Having spent the better part of the last 10 years in the U.K. myself I was lucky enough to actually see some of the musical in its early development through staged workshops and reading in Manchester. Can I say, from the very beginning it was clear that this show definitely was going to go somewhere. Besides the fact that the show is based on the highly popular movie of the same name starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore it was clear that the show was breathing a new life and a new energy into the story.  Unfortunately I left the U.K. before I could see and listen to the finished product but thanks to the wonders of the internet I have now been able to see the show and listen to the completed score. All I can say is: look out Australia boy are we in for a treat! The show uses some very technical elements including LED technology (which we recently saw in the Australian tour of Hairspray). This technology, along with the illusions and lights are used so incredibly well to create some of the most believable scenic situations I think I have ever seen on any stage anywhere, and it assists in the storytelling so well. Of course the actors do a brilliant job in helping this along as well but really on my viewing of just a video of the show I can say that the scenery and the score really steal every aspect of the show!  Anyway back to the score… This is probably one of the most beautifully written emotionally charged and driven modern scores I have heard in a long time. I have noted in ‘new’ music theatre lately that, while the scores can be good and very detailed, they often lack the drive or emotion needed and in some parts will clunk their way through certain parts of the show. I have to say Ghost itself flows rather well. The only part of the show that really didn’t gel with me personally was “ball of wax”. However in saying that, it does lead into “I can’t breathe”, and that whole section (while really just a throw away number on the soundtrack) becomes absolutely gut wrenching with the music and the soul destroying actions happening on stage. The London cast do an absolutely amazing job in the show and are the cast you can hear on the soundtrack, Richard Fleeshman plays the role of Sam, with such an amazingly powerful pop rock voice that has such drive behind it, which really helps his character. He is a great story teller and (I think) absolutely perfect for this role. Perhaps better known to London audiences as Craig from Coronation Street (a popular soap opera similar to the like of Home and Away and Neighbours), up until now most of his credits have been in television despite having a record deal with universal music. Richard made his musical theatre and west end debut in 2010 in the hit musical Legally Blonde playing the role of Warner. Richard’s leading lady in Ghost is the absolutely phenomenally talented Caissie Levy (pictured). Caissie gives the role of Molly such an emotionally charged journey both on stage and vocally on the soundtrack. What a voice. No stranger to musical theatre, she has performed in Hair, Wicked in which she played Elphaba in Los Angeles, Hairspray in the role of Penny Pingleton on Broadway and the US touring cast. Caissie’s name should be familiar to those of you who have been reading my articles regularly as she appears on the album 13 stories down, the Jonathon Reid Gealt album I spoke about recently. She also features on Scott Alan’s first album Keys: the music of Scott Alan. And of course I couldn’t complete the cast talks without mentioning Sharon D Clarke who plays the role of fortune teller and spiritual medium Oda Mae Brown. This woman adds just the right amount of soul and comedy the show. She carries an amazing voice and has an awesome chance to shine in the song “I’m outta here”, and boy, she does the song justice. Another musical theatre veteran having played in Chicago ( Mamma Morton), Killer Queen in We Will Rock You (for which she received an Olivier award nomination) and Rafiki in The Lion King to name a few. This whole cast really breathes life into what is an amazing show and an amazing new score and I really can not wait for it to hit Australian shores! Before actually seeing or hearing anything about the show I wondered how they were going to incorporate the theme song from the show “unchained melody” or whether they were going to leave it out completely. Happily, it appears in the show twice, and (very cleverly) not in the original format. On the first occasion it’s used as a flirty acoustic number and the second becomes such an emotionally charged duet between leading characters, Sam and Molly. I really cannot express how amazing I think this score is and how extremely clever the composers Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard are and I think when you get a chance to see the show and indeed listen to the show you will all join with me in saying one big DITTO to everything I have said. CAST RECORDING  – Ghost the musical original cast recording is available on iTunes (downloadable via the link below) 
Ghost – The Musical (Original Cast Recording) – Cast of Ghost – The Musical

  Website: The official website for ghost the musical isghostthemusical.com Sheet Music:  Unfortunately from what I have been able to find is that sheet music is currently unavailable for the musical but I am told it is not far off so hold on it shouldn’t be too far off. Official YouTube Trailer:   

RELATED VIDEOSRichard Fleeshman and Caissie Levy Perform “With You” on morning television in U.K.  The cast in the studio recording “Here with You”
Preview of the show with workshop and show footage
The Audience review the show “Ghost the Musical” outside London’s Piccadilly theatre
Sharon D Clarke (Oda Mae Brown) performs her number “I’m Outta Here” at the West End Live Concert The Stars of the show talk on camera about the show after opening night in London