New and Upcoming Releases For the Week of May 25 - FRANKIE! THE MUSICAL, ROYALTIES, Robbie Rozelle, and More!

Need something new to listen to, read, or watch? Check out this week's list of new and upcoming releases, including Frankie! The Musical (Caitlin Kinnunen), Royalties (Darren Criss), The Perfect Fit: The Musical (Laura Benanti), Robbie Rozelle and more!

---

Books Now Available

Hansard

by Simon Woods

A new play. Synopsis: It's a summer's morning in 1988 and Tory politician Robin Hesketh has returned home to the idyllic Cotswold house he shares with his wife of 30 years, Diana. But all is not as blissful as it seems. Diana has a stinking hangover, a fox is destroying the garden, and secrets are being dug up all over the place. As the day draws on, what starts as gentle ribbing and the familiar rhythms of marital sparring quickly turns to blood-sport.

Purchase on Amazon here.

Upcoming Music Releases

Frankie! The Musical

This is a concept album for the new musical by 16-year-old Elise Marra. The cast includes Caitlin Kinnunen (The Prom), Jason Gotay (Evita, Between the Lines), Jason SweetTooth Williams (Be More Chill), Autumn Hurlbert (Legally Blonde), Allie Trimm (13), and Delphi Borich (Cinderella). Ashley Kate Adams of AKA Studio Productions and Mitchell Walker are producing the album, with Joe Barros directing and Benjamin Weiss music directing.

Release Date: May 29

Petula Clark: On Air 1951-1961

This is a landmark collection representing a unique archival discovery of recordings made by Petula Clark for various BBC Radio programs between 1951 and 1961. Selections from the long running "Calling All Forces," where Petula appeared and broadcast on a weekly basis as the resident featured artist. Almost all of the performances featured on this collection have gone unheard since their original transmission.

Purchase on Amazon here.

Selections From Zip Goes A Million & Happy Holiday

This is an album of selections from two George Posford and Eric Maschwitz London musicals. The 1951 Zip Goes a Million was based on the 1902 novel "Brewster's Millions" and written as a vehicle for variety entertainer George Formby, with co-stars Sara Gregory and Warde Donovan. Six songs from the London production were recorded with the original cast and issued across three 78rpm records on the HMV label. The 1954 Happy Holiday was an adaptation of the Arnold Ridley play The Ghost Train. Reg Dixon played the lead role of Charlie Purseglove in a cast that also included Janet Brown, Marie Burke and Austin Melford. Reg Dixon recorded four songs from the London production which were subsequently issued across two 78rpm records on the HMV label.

This collection compiles the original London cast recordings, along with a number of pop covers and instrumentals from each score performed by such artists as Pearl Carr, Ronnie Harris, Leslie A. Hutchinson and the Frank Barber Orchestra. As a special bonus, the disc includes selections from a live radio broadcast of Zip Goes A Million on the the BBC radio programme "Henry Hall's Guest Night."

Purchase on Amazon here.

Royalties

This is the soundtrack from new Quibi series starring Darren Criss, which features original songs and ten music videos by Darren Criss, featuring performances by Jordan Fisher, Julianne Hough, Jackie Tohn, Bonnie McKee, Jennifer Coolidge, Lil Rel Howery, Mark Hamill, Rufus Wainwright, and Sabrina Carpenter, and Criss.

Release Date: June 12

The Perfect Fit: The Musical

This is a remote recording of new musical by 13-year-old Joshua Turchin (Forbidden Broadway: The Next Generation). Featuring Laura Benanti, Nikki Renee Daniels, Joshua Turchin, Carly Gendell, Grace DeAmicis, Ellie Kim, Swayam Bhatia, Lily Brooks O'Briant, Luke Islam, Audrey Bennett, and Fabi Aguirre. Music supervision, arrangements and orchestrations, mixing and mastering by Dan Garmon and vocal direction by Joshua Turchin. Musicals Dan Garmon (keys 1/drums), Joshua Turchin (keys 2), Tomoko Akaboshi (violins, viola), Ansel Cohen (cello), David Kawamura (guitars), and Julia Adamy (upright/electric bass).

Release Date: June 26

Robbie Rozelle: Songs from Inside My Locker

Rozelle's concert was recorded February 23 and March 1, 2019 at Feinstein's/54 Below. Written by Robbie Rozelle. Musical direction and arrangements by Josh D. Smith. Special guests include Bonnie Milligan (Head Over Heels) and Maya Days (Aida). Produced by Michael J Moritz Jr.

Release Date: June 26

Upcoming Video Releases

Romance on the High Seas

This is a new Blu-Ray of the 1948 musical film starring Doris Day, Jack Carson, Janis Paige, Don DeFore. Songs by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn.

Elvira Kent (Janis Paige) and her husband Michael (Don DeFore) suspect each other of cheating. For their wedding anniversary, Elvira books an ocean cruise to Rio de Janeiro but her husband claims that unexpected business will prevent him from going. Seeing an opportunity, Elvira pretends to take the trip alone, but in fact sends singer Georgia Garrett (Doris Day), a woman she'd met at the travel agency, in her place and under her name. By secretly staying behind, Elvira hopes to find out if Michael is indeed sneaking around behind her back. Michael, however, is suspicious over Elvira's supposed willingness to go on the trip alone, and so hires private detective Peter Virgil (Jack Carson) to see if she is sneaking around behind his back.

Release Date: June 16
Preorder on Amazon here!

Strike Up the Band

This is a new Blu-Ray of the 1940 musical film from MGM starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland.

Teenage drummer Jimmy Connors (Mickey Rooney) dreams of winning the contest for school bands hosted by popular band leader Paul Whiteman (himself). In order to enter, Jimmy and his pals, including charming vocalist Mary Holden (Judy Garland), must accumulate $200 for the train ride to Chicago, where the contest will be held. Jimmy and his friends decide to put on an epic student play to raise the funds they need, but a sudden illness threatens to cost the band their chance.

Release Date: June 23
Preorder on Amazon here!

Hans Christian Andersen

This is a new Blu-Ray of the 1952 musical film starring Danny Kaye. Music and lyrics by Frank Loesser. Directed by Charles Vidor.

Imaginative cobbler Hans Christian Andersen (Danny Kaye) is asked to leave his hometown because his frequent stories are distracting the children from school. From there he moves to Copenhagen, Denmark, where he sees and falls in love with Doro (Jeanmaire), a ballerina. He writes "The Little Mermaid" for her, and it becomes the ballet's latest work. However, Doro is already married to Niels (Farley Granger), meaning Hans must content himself with producing popular children's stories.

Release Date: June 23