Future Little Thespians, Broadway Kids, Sing Broadway
Parents who make a point of working the Great White Way into their kids' cultural repertoire are bound to give The Broadway Kids Sing Broadway, the first release by the troupe of minors with major-league singing voices, more than a few encore spins. Here, the ever-expanding circle of 8- to 17-year-old musical-theater veterans belt their way through a medley of classics in their preternaturally big, sweet voices; represented are tunes from Annie, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Les Mis rables, Oliver., Peter Pan, The Sound of Music, The Music Man, The King and I, and a handful of others. It's far more than an introductory course to the sounds of the stage. Through its clear-voiced interpreters and thoughtful liner notes detailing each number's origin and pertinent story line, Sing Broadway tells the tales that percolate in kids' minds, helping to shape later perspectives (exasperated parents may be predisposed to hitting the Repeat button on " Tomorrow" --with its melodious " only a day away" message--around birthdays and Christmas). Beyond the Broadway connection, lots of these songs are first-rate fodder for fanciful imaginations. " Why Am I Me?" from Shenandoah will really set the gears of a 10-year-old's mind spinning, as will " I Won't Grow Up" from Peter Pan. Guest Petula Clark works her vocal magic on " Getting to Know You" from The King and I.
