Rufus Wainwright - John Cassavetes Opening Night Original West End [CD]

John Cassavetes' Opening Night is the first stage musical with music, lyrics, and orchestrations by Rufus Wainwright. It premiered in London at the Gielgud Theater in the spring of 2024. The book and direction were by Ivo van Hove and is based on the 1977 movie Opening Night by American avant-garde director John Cassavetes. It tells the story of an actress, Myrtle Gordon, who is premiering a play written for her that is about a woman coming to terms with aging. Myrtle does not come to terms with her own aging and rebels against the play and throws the entire production into jeopardy. A young female fan asking her for an autograph at the stage door gets killed by a car as she runs off onto the street. Myrtle is being haunted by the ghost of the young girl. On opening night, she arrives completely drunk but ultimately does what she does best: act and improvise. Part All About Eve, Opening Night is the story of an actress who risks madness for her truth. The live album features Wainwright's songs written for the original London West End production performed by the cast including Sheridan Smith, Nicola Hughes, and Benjamin Walker recorded over the last 4 performances of the play at London's Gielgud Theater.

Tracklist:

1. Overture (Live) - Sheridan Smith
2. One Shot (Live) - Sheridan Smith, Hadley Fraser, Amy Lennox,
3. Magic (Live) - Sheridan Smith
4. Talk to Me (Live) - Annie Lennox, Sheridan Smith, Hadley Fraser,
5. Trojan Woman (Live) - Benjamín Walker
6. A Change of Life (Live) - Sheridan Smith, Hadley Fraser, Amy Lennox,
7. I Forgive You (Live) - Shira Haas
8. Meet Me at the Start (Live)
9. Life Is Thin (Live) - Jos Slovick, Nicola Hughes, Jennifer Hepburn,
10. Makes One Wonder (Live) - Sheridan Smith, Nicola Hughes
11. Moths to a Flame (Live) - John Marquez
12. Married (Live) - Amy Lennox
13. This Isn't a Game Anymore (Live) - Amy Lennox, Jennifer Hepburn, Rebecca Thornhill,
14. The Pantomime (Live) - Hadley Fraser, Jennifer Hepburn, Daniel Forrester,
15. There Is Something to Be Said for Being Young (Live) - Shira Haas
16. Ready for Battle (Live)
17. Finale (Live - Sheridan Smith, Hadley Fraser, Amy Lennox,
18. Talk to Me (Demo) - Petra Haden
19. Moths to a Flame (Demo)

UPC: 195269367367
Label: CENTER STAGE RECORDS
Release Date: 9.26.25
Format: CD