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I have been listening to and attending Broadway shows in New York (I live on Long Island, New York) for more than fifty years and "cut for cut" the songs on the Cast Album of the Scarlet Pimpernel are collectively among the best of any Cast Album for any Broadway show I have ever heard or seen

The problem is the tremulous, vibrato voice of lead Christine Andreas. I cannot fathom why she was selected to play the lead female role. Her voice tone is sweet but very, very weak for female leads by late 1990 Broadway standards and her vibrato is absolutely horrific. Does anybody have any answers to why she was chosen? I don't recall hearing her in connection with any previous or subsequent Broadway show work. Who taught her to sing???

Hello, you have every right to your opinion, but I completely disagree. I'm aware of the tremolo effect you're talking about in her voice, but I still think she has a gorgeous voice. I think she was casted because she is great. If you don't like her, I would suggest you check out the ENCORE! recording with a few Rachel York tracks (never understood why they didn't rerecord ALL of her tracks).

I like Andreas as wlel on the recording. (Check out the song "If Only" from some new musical called "Poe" that's in production! Wonderful!)


You know that Christine Andreas is a .. two time Tony nominee I believe correct? She lost to LuPone in 1980 when she was doing Oklahoma and I believe the other was for My Fair Lady revival.

I always thought that's why she was chosen - Carolee Carmello was doing the NYC workshops that Linda Eder couldn't do, but I think the time frame wraps up perfectly for her doing pre-production work on Parade (and 1776 I believe).

Not to mention they casted a next-to-UNKNOWN in the title role in the show, so I'm sure they wanted someone to play opposite him with a name; Terrence Mann did some Jekyll & HYDE work, so I assume that's how he became affiliated - and he was also a Broadway name!