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[[image - a top hat]] passing stages by Louis Botto MUSICAL LOVERS' TREASURE Musical theatre lovers will flip over a three-volume encyclopedia set called A chronology of American Musical Theater, edited by Richard C. Norton. The three huge books cover every single musical show on the major New York stage from 1850 to present. Each production is listed with its full cast, composers, lyricists, choreographers, producers, directors and much more. readers can look up shows by either date or title, with variant titles included. Also included are the opening and closing dates of the show, number of performances and the theatre where it played. An introductory chapter discusses some of the very earliest productions in the city's history, making these three volumes the most complete record of Broadway musicals ever published (Oxford University Press, $395,00 hardcover). BRIGHTMAN BONANZA The crystalline soprano of Sarah Brightman is memorably heard in a new CD, Encore, produced and arranged by her former husband, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. The recording includes both well-known show tunes and some obscure numbers from Broadway and London's West End musicals. Among the rarely heard songs is the charming "One More Walk round the Garden," by Burton Lane and Alan Jay Lerner, from their musical, Carmelina. Another rarity is "In the Mandarin's Orchid Garden," by George and Ira Gershwin, from their unproduced musical, east is West. Two of Webber's greatest hits are sung in Italian: Sunset Boulevard's "With One Look" becomes "Piano." There are 15 songs on the CD, and every one of them is a gem (Decca Broadway). DYNAMIC DUO Nonesuch records has just released a magnificent CD called Mandy Patinkin Sings Sondheim, recorded live in February 2002 during a concert in Philadelphia. Mr. Patinkin, who is currently touring the U.S. with this concert, has said that "rather than an overview of Sondheim's 50-year career, it is figuratively journey of how Sondheim's lyrics and music speak to me." With Paul Ford on piano, Mandy Patinkin Sings Sondheim contains over 30 Sondheim songs, all written for Broadway musicals, with two exceptions: "Live Alone and Like it," with music by Richard Rodgers, from Do I Hear A Waltz? The CD also features Patinkin's dynamic, frenzied renditions of such complex Sondheim songs as "Another Hundred People" and "You Could Drive A Person Crazy," both from Company. A beautiful sketch drawn by Patinkin while he was starring as George Seurat in Sunday in the Park with George graces the cover of many Patinkin Sings Sondheim and is yet another example of this artists major talent. WWW.PLAYBILL.COM PURE THEATRE ONLINE [[advertisement]] fragrance for all by Jennifer Lanter His, hers, theirs- fragrance is a family affair! HOMME, SWEET HOMME Lancôme's spicy and fresh Miracle Homme is, in a word, yum! Notes of coffee, cedar, red pepper and maple lend warmth and freshness to this sensual potion. HER FALL SCENTS Estée Lauder's ultra floral Pleasures Intense- a deeper, more exotic version of the original- is lush, voluptuous and as feminine as a fragrance can be. Cabaret by Parfums Grès Paris brings out her seductive charms with a top note of fresh and feminine flowers and a base note that's ambery, sensual and exotically woody. Chanel's young and edgy Chance features unpredictable evolve and stir. PETITE COUTURE Start them off in the style with Burberry's delightfully gentle Baby Touch fragrance and toiletries. Soft and tender, it's babyhood in a bottle. [[images - photographs, a collection of Lancôme products]] [[caption]] Clockwise fr. top right: Lancôme's Miracle Homme, Burberry's Baby Touch fragrance and toiletries, Chance from Chanel, Cabaret by Parfumes Grès and Estée Lauder's Pleasures Intense [[/caption]] [[/advertisement]] WWW.PLAYBILL.COM PURE THEATRE ONLINE 45