Tuneful, humorous and upbeat
author: John Kenrick for Musicals101.com
Pretty Faces – Original Cast Records
Nurtured by the Actors Cabaret of Eugene, this musical comedy about a beauty pageant for "large & lovely" ladies won acclaim at the 2004 New York Musical Theatre Festival. Tuneful, humorous and upbeat, the weight-friendly attitude of this show is reflected in songs like "42-32-42," "Too Plump for Prom Night" and Midnight Munchies." Theatre groups looking for a new musical that showcases female performers will want to consider this off-beat charmer (2 men, 6 women required)
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comedy, innocent, bawdy and snide. There's cleverness here.
author: Rob Lester of SOUND ADVICE
In this cast album of Pretty Faces, writer Robert W. Cabell seems to reject the idea that "less is more" and opts for "more is more." I'm not referring to the size of the cast (8) or the size of the cast, meaning the dimensions of the plus-size women who are the focus of this show. It's that there are 27 tracks and that's a lot!....Cabell wrote book, music and lyrics. He's also the album producer. I think his strong suit is comedy, innocent, bawdy and snide. There's cleverness here....The musical is set at a beauty pageant for overweight women, and the constestants are madly rehearsing for the high-pressure event. Among the character song highlights are the Southern gal practicing with her baton that she is "Twirling for Jesus," and "Too Plump for Prom Night" for a character named Pleasure....The cast works well in the ensemble numbers, and their songs about getting ready for a show have fun, frantic energy that people used to putting on any kind of show will appreciate. Despite the subject of scale-tipping ladies, this is a lightweight show that is most entertaining when it stays entertainingly so. Like its main characters, it has potential to be a winner. (See Website for full review)
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warm and energetic cross between A Chorus Line and The Full Monty
author: Andy Propst for American Theater Web
From the 2004 New York Musical Theatre Festival comes the recording of Pretty Faces. This show takes audiences from the start to finish of the "Miss Global Glamour Girl Beauty Pageant" – a beauty contest for "plus-size" women. The show, which boasts book, music and lyrics by Robert W. Cabell, comes across on the recording as warm and energetic cross between A Chorus Line and The Full Monty, a blend of "the I hope I get it" sentiment of the former show with the "overcoming stereotypes" throughline of the latter. Cabell's written a pop-infused score which often can be a true charmer. Some highlights on the disc include the poignant ballad "What's Missing in My Life," delivered smokily by Erica Jean, the comic, if slightly obvious, "Twirling for Jesus" (one of the talent numbers from the second act pageant) that Amanda Fackerell puts over with charming brashness, and the final triumphant "This Moment is Mine" which is delivered by all of the contestants. Although there's no synopsis for "Faces" in the sharp color booklet that accompanies the disc, listeners will have no problem grasping who's who and what's what in this show, which sounds like it might be come a very popular attraction in the country's regional theaters.
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An infectious score
author: Elias Stimac - BACKSTAGE
"Pretty Faces“ offers solid performances, smooth direction, an involving plot line, and an infectious score. It appears to be poised to become a theatrical staple on the regional circuit, a la “Nunsenses.”
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