I recently played through the concept recording of Paul Scott Goodman’s Bright Lights, Big City, based on the novel by Jay McInerny. I still knew every single word. It was totally weird.
Circa 2006, I found myself with a copy of the star-filled concept recording and after listening to it once, I was obsessed. When I learned that the Prince Music Theater in Philadelphia was producing it (for the first time since it’d been at NYTW in 1999), I found a friend and we made a day (and night) of it (we literally got back at 2am and headed over to Marie’s Crisis until closing – of course).
Truth be told: Brights Lights, Big City doesn’t really work as a musical, if we’re being honest. It’s based on a book that is written in a really odd narrative. But the score? Holy shit. One of my top three favorite scores ever (after Hair and High Fidelity, probably).
And if you love Patrick Wilson, or say, Sherie Rene Scott, or Jesse L. Martin, or Eden Espinoza… well, you’ll love it too.
That Girl Allison 