Rob pays tribute to the best of Broadway, London's West End, the Australian stage and the occasional European operetta in a 2 hour program on 96.5 Inner FM Melbourne celebrating significant anniversaries in the world of Musical Theatre.
Lady, Be Good! (George & Ira Gershwin) – 1992 U.S. studio cast recording + original recordings by Fred & Adele Astaire, George Gershwin & Cliff Edwards
Anything Goes (Cole Porter) – 1988 London studio cast recording + recordings by Cole Porter
The Wayward Way (Lorne Huycke & Bill Howe) – 1964 original London cast recording + introduction by Rex Bunnett + Maria Marten or, The Murder in the Red Barn – 1932 English cast recording starring Tod Slaughter & Company + A Fruity Melodrama – Only a Mill Girl (or, The Doings Up at the Hall) (John James Melluish) - 1938 original English cast recording + songs by Stanley Holloway & Gracie Fields
Fanny (Harold Rome) –1954 original Broadway cast recording + an interview with Walter Willison about Grand Hotel: The 35th Anniversary Original Broadway Cast Reunionat 54 Below, in New York City + private demo recordings of Robert Wright and George Forrest singing songs from their score for the 1989 musical, and recordings of additional songs written for their 1962 version entitled At the Grand.
The Only Girl (Victor Herbert & Henry Blossom) – 2015 Light Opera of New York revival cast recording + The Red Mill (Victor Herbert & Henry Blossom) – 1962 Reader's Digest New York studio cast "highlights" recording
The Hired Man (Howard Goodall) – 1992 "live" London concert cast recording (with members of the original 1984 West End production) + introduction by Rex Bunnett
Robert and Elizabeth (Ron Grainer & Ronald Millar) – 1964 original London cast recording + introduction by Rex Bunnett + selections from The Third Kiss (Fred G. Morritt) – 1963 New York demo recordings
Peter Pan (Mark Charlap & Carolyn Leigh; Jule Styne, Betty Comden & Adolph Green ) – 1954 original Broadway cast recording + an interview with original cast member Sondra Lee + song selections from alternate versions of Peter Pan (John Crook, Leonard Bernstein, Sammy Fain & Sammy Cahn)
Golden Boy (Charles Strouse & Lee Adams) – 1964 original Broadway cast recording + The Musicality of Strouse featuring songs from the musicals of Charles Strouse – 2005 CD compilation album
Mack & Mabel (Jerry Herman) – 1974 original Broadway cast recording + introduction by Peter Filichia (recorded in 2012) + highlights from Hello, Dolly! (Jerry Herman) – 1967 "new" Broadway cast recording starring Pearl Bailey & Cab Calloway
Fiddler on the Roof (Jerry Bock & Sheldon Harnick) – 1964 original Broadway cast recording + interview with Sheldon Harnick (recorded in 2014) + demo recordings of "cut" songs written for Fiddler performed by Jerry Bock & Sheldon Harnick
The Woman in White (Andrew Lloyd Webber & David Zippel) – 2004 original London cast recording + introduction by Rex Bunnett
Maggie May (Lionel Bart) – 1964 original London cast recording + introduction by Rex Bunnett + cover recordings by Judy Garland
Rose Marie (Rudolf Friml, Herbert Stothart, Otto Harbach & Oscar Hammerstein II) – 1958 London studio cast recording + orchestral and vocal selections from Rudolf Friml’s The Vagabond King, High Jinks and Katinka - 1986 U.S. recording
Life Begins at 8:40 (Harold Arlen, Ira Gershwin & E.Y. Harburg) – 2010 New York studio cast recording + introduction by Aaron Gandy
Song of Norway (Greig adapt. Robert Wright & George Forrest) – 1944 original Broadway cast recording + introduction by Walter Willison + selections of additional songs from the 1970 motion picture soundtrack recording of Song of Norway (Wright & Forrest)
Salad Days (Julian Slade & Dorothy Reynolds) – 1994 London studio cast recording + introduction by Rex Bunnett + selections from the 1980 album Looking For a Piano featuring composer-lyricist Julian Slade at the piano performing songs from his repertoire.
Donnybrook! (Johnny Burke) – 1961 original Broadway cast recording + an interview with leading lady Joan Fagan Marshall – (repeat broadcast from 18 May 2021.)
Instant Marriage (Laurie Holloway & Bob Grant) – 1964 original London cast recording + introduction by Rex Bunnett + selections from She Loves Me (Jerry Bock & Sheldon Harnick) – 1964 original London cast recording
The Frogs (Stephen Sondheim) – 2004 original Broadway cast recording + selections from Side By Side By Sondheim – 1977 original Australian cast recording
Bloomer Girl (Harold Arlen & E.Y. Harburg) – 1944 original Broadway cast recording + selections from A Star is Born (Harold Arlen & Ira Gershwin) – 1954 motion picture soundtrack recording
The Golden Apple (Jerome Moross & John Latouche) – 1954 original Broadway cast recording + selections from the 2001 CD album Windflowers – The Songs of Jerome Moross
The Good Companions (André Previn & Johnny Mercer) – 1974 original London cast recording + introduction by Rex Bunnett + recorded excerpt from the 1931 stage play by J.B. Priestly and Edward Knoblock + songs from the 1933 film version & the 1957 film remake
Copacabana (Barry Manilow, Bruce Sussman & Jack Feldman) – 1994 original London cast recording + introduction by Rex Bunnett + Barry Manilow sings selections from his score to the 1997 musical Harmony (lyrics by Bruce Sussman.)
The Pajama Game (Richard Adler & Jerry Ross) – 1954 original Broadway cast recording + introduction by Peter Filichia (recorded in 2014) + Little Women (Richard Adler) – 1958 original U.S. TV cast recording
After the Ball (Noël Coward) – 1954 original London cast recording + introduction by Rex Bunnett + Ace of Clubs (Noël Coward) – 1950 original London cast medley recordings
Phantom of the Opera (Ken Hill & various composers) – 1992 London cast recording + introduction by Rex Bunnett + operatic parodies by Spike Jones and Victor Borge
Fade Out – Fade In (Jule Styne, Betty Comden & Adolph Green) – 1964 original Broadway cast recording + introduction by Peter Filichia (recorded in 2014) + selections the 1962 “live” concert album Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall starring Julie Andrews and Carol Burnett
Passion (Stephen Sondheim) – 1994 original Broadway cast recording + song selections from Unsung Sondheim – 1993 CD album
Sunday in the Parkwith George (Stephen Sondheim) – 1984 original Broadway cast recording + song selections from Bernadette Peters’ 1996 Carnegie Hall “live” concert album Sondheim, Etc.
Billy (John Barry & Don Black) – 1974 original London cast recording + introduction by Rex Bunnett + song selections from Michael Crawford - A Touch of Music in the Night- 1993 CD album
Beauty and the Beast (Alan Menken, Howard Ashman & Tim Rice) – 1994 original Broadway cast recording + interview with original cast member Beth Fowler
Peg (David Henecker) – 2084 original London cast recording + introduction by Rex Bunnett + song selections from the musicals of David Heneker
Bullets Over Broadway (various) – 2014 original Broadway cast recording + song medleys from popular Broadway musicals of the 1920s, including No, No, Nanette, Dearest Enemy, Sunny,Merry-Merry, The Cocoanuts, Oh, Kay!, Peggy-Ann, Rio Rita and Hold Everything, recorded between 1925 – ‘29
High Spirits (Hugh Martin & Timothy Gray) – 1964 original Broadway cast recording + interview with original cast member Adrienne Angel + Love From Judy (Hugh Martin & Timothy Gray) – 1952 original London cast highlights recording
Anyone Can Whistle (Stephen Sondheim) – 1964 original Broadway cast recording + demo recordings of additional and cut songs performed by Sondheim + selections from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way tothe Forum (Stephen Sondheim) – 1963 original London cast recording
Napoleon (Timothy Williams & Andrew Sabiston) – 1994 Canadian cast highlights recording + introduction by Andrew Sabiston and Timothy Williams + additional numbers from the 2023 Seoul cast recording
Starlight Express (Andrew Lloyd Webber & Richard Stilgoe) – 1984 original London cast recording + introduction by Rex Bunnett
Funny Girl (Jule Styne & Bob Merrill) – 1964 original Broadway cast recording + introduction by Peter Filichia (recorded in 2014) + a tribute to Fanny Brice performing songs & sketches from The Ziegfeld Follies, and on film and U.S. radio from the 1920s to the 1940s
Over Here! (Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman) – 1974 original Broadway cast recording + a selection of songs by the Sherman brothers written for Walter Disney motion pictures from the original soundtrack recordings (including archival interviews)
What Makes Sammy Run? (Ervin Drake) – 1964 original Broadway cast recording + an archival interview with Steve Lawrence (from 2010) + selections from Golden Rainbow (Walter Marks) – 1968 original Broadway cast recording
The Girl in Pink Tights (Sigmund Romberg & Leop Robin) – 1954 original Broadway cast recording + an interview with Walter Willison about Grand Hotel: The 35th Anniversary Original Broadway Cast Reunion Honoring Tommy Tune’s 85th Birthday at 54 Below, in New York City + private demo recordings of Robert Wright and George Forrest singing songs from their score for the 1989 musical, and recordings of additional songs written for their 1958 version entitled At the Grand.
Conversation Piece (Noël Coward) – 1951 U.S. Columbia studio cast recording + introduction by Rex Bunnett
The Rink (John Kander & Fred Ebb) – 1984 original Broadway cast recording + an archival interview with Chita Rivera from 2020
Lorelei (Jule Styne, Leo Robin, Betty Comden & Adolph Green) – 1973-74 original cast recording + an interview with original cast member Lee Roy Reams + selections from Carol Channing's 2009 solo album For Heaven's Sake
Sweet Little Devil (George Gershwin & B.G. DeSylva) – 2012 New York studio cast recording + Blue Monday (George Gershwin & B.G. DeSylva) – 1954 U.S. radio cast recording
Hello, Dolly! (Jerry Herman) – 1964 original Broadway cast recording + an interview with original cast member Sondra Lee + a tribute to Hello, Dolly! performed by Jerry Herman, Karen Morrow & Lee Roy Reams – 1989 "live" New York cabaret recording + additional songs added to the score performed by Ethel Merman and David Hyde Pierce.
Princess Ida (W.S. Gilbert & Arthur Sullivan) – 1932 HMV recording featuring members of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Co. + introduction by Rex Bunnett
Putting It Together (Stephen Sondheim) – 1993 original off-Broadway cast recording + selections from Side By Side By Sondheim – 1977 original Australian cast recording
The Tap Dance Kid (Henry Krieger & Robert Lorick) – 1983 original Broadway cast recording + Dreamgirls (Henry Krieger & Tom Eyen) – selections from 2006 motion picture soundtrack recording.