Revolting Children: Broadway Records Expands "Matilda: The Musical" for Vinyl Premiere

BUY NOW FROM BROADWAY RECORDS

When Matilda: The Musical opened at Broadway's Shubert Theatre in April 2013, it was greeted by ecstatic reviews. The New York Times' Ben Brantley proclaimed it "the most satisfying and subversive musical ever to come out of Britain." Variety's Gordon Cox called it "an explosion of joy," and Elisabeth Vincentelli in the New York Post admonished readers that "for once, you can believe the hype." Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin's musical based on Roald Dahl's 1988 novel ran on Broadway for almost four years, closing on January 1, 2017 after 1,555 performances. In London, where it opened at the Cambridge Theatre in November 2011, Matilda was still running until the outbreak of COVID-19. Now, on December 4, Broadway Records will reissue the Original Broadway Cast Recording in its vinyl debut, resequencing the songs into show order and adding two bonus tracks.

Director Matthew Warchus' Broadway production starred Bertie Carvel and Lauren Ward (as Mrs. Trunchbull and Miss Honey, respectively) repeating their roles from London, Gabriel Ebert as Mr. Wormwood, and four girls alternating as the extraordinary Matilda whose telekinetic powers turn her life upside down: Sophia Gennusa, Oona Laurence, Bailey Ryon, and Milly Shapiro. Months after its opening, in October 2013, Matilda broke the Shubert's house record for sales. When it came time for the American Theater Wing to dole out its annual Tony Awards, the musical picked up four statuettes: Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical for Ebert plus Dennis Kelly for Best Book of a Musical; Rob Howell for Best Scenic Design of a Musical; and Hugh Vanstone for Best Lighting Design of a Musical. (Kinky Boots beat out Matilda for the top trophy, however.)

The Original Broadway Cast Recording was the second cast album for the show, following a 2011 album reflecting the show during its Stratford-upon-Avon tryout at the Royal Shakespeare Company's Courtyard Theatre. Broadway Records will reissue the 2013 Broadway album as a 2-LP set, pressed on blue vinyl. Whereas the CD release had Matilda's three stories about the Acrobat and the Escapologist placed as bonus tracks, all three will now be heard in their proper show sequence. Additionally, the two digital-only bonuses "Perhaps a Child" (a cut song performed by Chris Hoch as Sergei) and "Naughty" (sung not as a solo, but rather by all four original Broadway Matildas) will make their debut in a physical format.

The vinyl version of Matilda: The Musical is available for pre-order now directly from Broadway Records with a release date of December 4. It's limited to 1,500 units, and the label promises that the title is the "first vinyl release of a series" with "more titles to be announced soon." In the meantime, you'll find the track listing and pre-order link for the 2-LP set below!

Matilda: The Musical - Original Broadway Cast Recording (Broadway Records/Yellow Sound BRYSLCD-01, 2013 - reissued Broadway Records, 2020)

Tracks include (not in vinyl running order):

Overture
Miracle, Part 1
Miracle, Part 2
Miracle, Part 3
Naughty
School Song
Pathetic
The Hammer
The Chokey Chant
Loud
This Little Girl
Bruce
Telly
When I Grow Up
I'm Here (Story 4)
The Smell of Rebellion
Quiet
My House
Chalk Writing
Revolting Children
When I Grow Up (Reprise)/Naughty (Reprise)
Once Upon a Time... (Story 1)
The Great Day Arrived... (Story 2)
The Trick Started Well... (Story 3)
Perhaps a Child (Bonus Track)
Naughty (Bonus Track)

Joe Marchese

JOE MARCHESE (Editor) joined The Second Disc shortly after its launch in early 2010, and has since penned daily news and reviews about classic music of all genres. In 2015, Joe formed the Second Disc Records label. Celebrating the great songwriters, producers and artists who created the sound of American popular song, Second Disc Records, in conjunction with Real Gone Music, has released newly-curated collections produced by Joe from iconic artists such as Johnny Mathis, Bobby Darin, Laura Nyro, Melissa Manchester, Chet Atkins, and many others. He has contributed liner notes to reissues from a diverse array of artists, among them Nat "King" Cole, Paul Williams, Lesley Gore, Dusty Springfield, B.J. Thomas, The 5th Dimension, Burt Bacharach, The Mamas and the Papas, Carpenters, Perry Como, Rod McKuen, Doris Day, Jackie DeShannon, and Andy Williams, and has compiled releases for talents including Robert Goulet and Keith Allison of Paul Revere and the Raiders. Over the past two decades, Joe has also worked in a variety of capacities on and off Broadway as well as at some of the premier theatres in the U.S., including Lincoln Center Theater, George Street Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, and the York Theatre Company. He has felt privileged to work on productions alongside artists such as the late Jack Klugman, Eli Wallach, Arthur Laurents, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. In 2009, Joe began contributing theatre and music reviews to the print publication The Sondheim Review, and in 2012, he joined the staff of The Digital Bits as a regular contributor writing about film and television on DVD and Blu-ray. Joe currently resides in the suburbs of New York City.