Auburn Jam Records and National Youth Music Theatre are excited to have released the Live Cast Recording of Billy The Kid: A New Musical by Ben Frost & Richard Hough. Commissioned and developed by NYMT, this premiere production performed at The Leicester Curve in August 2017 is now available to download via all major online retailers.
William Antrim is small for his age; he’s quiet and shy, which makes him an easy target for lazy bullies. But in his dreams, he’s Billy the Kid, a courageous cowboy, riding the range with the sun in his eyes. An all-American hero. Now, if only his dreams could become a reality… Billy the Kid is an adventure story, a magical, musical comedy set in a colourful world of cowboys and bandits, cactus trees and caballeros. A musical for all the family, smart enough for the most demanding young audience and silly enough for the grumpiest grown ups – saddle up for a journey back in time, to a land where the bravest heroes are only a whip-crack away!
Ben Frost (composer and arranger, worked on the original production of LOVE NEVER DIES, THE WIZARD OF OZ and the JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR Arena Tour) & Richard Hough (writer for Radio 4’s LOOSE ENDS, THE NEWS QUIZ and THE NOW SHOW) create musicals together, and are delighted to be releasing their first cast recording:
“The simple message of our show, that we get more done when we work together in peace, has never seemed so timely. Themes of immigration and inclusion are very much at the forefront of BILLY THE KID; heavy themes, but tempered with the lightest comedy. The songs range from a small John Denver-esque ballad right up to a full-sized Hollywood chase sequence via several big band jazz numbers. It’s no exaggeration to say that the full score would have been a challenge for a professional ensemble: for a youth band it was a rodeo-riding, whip-cracking adventure, but they proved themselves to be more than up to the task. What we developed in our rehearsal room last Easter, and then took to the stage of the Leicester Curve in August 2017, is a story we are uniquely proud of, the pinnacle of our professional lives so far.”
The original production at the Leicester Curve came together under the direction of Kate Golledge, with musical direction from Charlie Ingles and choreography by Darragh O’Leary, and received high praise from reviewers:
***** “Well, if this fine an’ dandy musical ain’t the hottest darn thang in ole Leicester town this summer’s evening, we’ll eat our Stetsons! A total joy!” – eastmidlandstheatre.com
“Incredibly inventive… funny, musical and energetic” – Western Park Gazette
The team are delighted to have joined forces with music producers Joe & Nikki Davison at Auburn Jam Music, to release the live cast recording on independent label Auburn Jam Records.
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