Kritzerland is proud to present the original Off-Broadway cast recording to:
 
SMILING, THE BOY FELL DEAD
 
Music by David Baker  Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick
 
Smiling, the Boy Fell Dead, with a book by Ira Wallach, music by David Baker, and lyrics by the great Sheldon Harnick, finally opened at the Cherry Lane Theater on April 19, 1961, postponed a week from its original opening date. Previews began on March 31 at midnight, and soon thereafter director Word Baker was out, and it was announced that Gerald Freedman would be taking over, only that never happened, and by opening night there was no director listed. Baker, of course, had just come off directing what would become the longest-running musical in history, The Fantasticks. But Smiling, the Boy Fell Dead was not to enjoy that kind of success – or any success – running only twenty-two performances. While the show may not have clicked, the score was a real off-Broadway delight. Baker’s music was tuneful and catchy, and Harnick’s lyrics are in a class by themselves, filled with invention and wit, as all his lyrics were.
 
At the time of the show, a cast recording was made, but only as a souvenir for the cast and people who worked on the show. But as those things go, many copies got out in the world and eventually it was released for sale some years later. And many years after that, the York Theater did the show as part of their Musicals in Mufti season, with that particular season honoring Sheldon Harnick. The limited five-performance engagement was praised by musical theatre historians and fans for unearthing a rare, witty gem from the collaboration of Harnick and Baker.
 
This CD release has been lovingly mastered by James Nelson and sounds great – there’s nothing quite like the off-Broadway sound of that era, usually a piano or two and percussion. You’ll definitely be humming some of the tunes, and Sheldon Harnick’s lyrics will tickle your ears and remind you that he will go down in musical theater history as one of the all-time greats.
 
Smiling, the Boy Fell Dead is limited to 500 copies only and priced at $19.98, plus shipping. This is a PRE-ORDER – CDs will ship by the third week of October at the latest but will probably ship well before then.

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