Boy George Reveals his Taboo

DRG Records announced that the highly anticipated original Broadway Cast Recording of TABOO featuring Boy George will be released in stores on Tuesday, May 25, 2004. There will be a CD signing and live performance from the show on Thursday, May 27th, 2004 at the Virgin Megastore Times Square at 5PM.

TABOO, produced by Rosie O’Donnell and Adam Kenwright in association with Daniel MacDonald, Lori E. Seid and Michael Fuchs, began performances at Broadway’s Plymouth Theatre on October 28, 2003 and opened on November 13, 2003. The show played its final performance on February 8, 2004. TABOO had its world premiere at the Venue in London, produced by Mr. Kenwright and Michael Fuchs. The London production of TABOO opened on January 11, 2002 and had its final performance on Saturday, April 26, 2003.

TABOO featured critically-acclaimed music and lyrics by Boy George. When the musical opened, Richard Zoglin of Time Magazine called TABOO “Vivid, uncompromising and often funny. Boy George’s music and lyrics are a triumph, among the best I’ve heard on Broadway in the past few seasons. Ten years from now, I can see a cult developing around the music for TABOO . . . Count me a charter member. One of the Year’s Ten Best!” Hilton Als of the The New Yorker said “Boy George has a canny understanding of the needs, hopes, and dreams of his audience. In TABOO, one can hear how his songwriting talent has deepened, and one can see that his feel for the business of show hasn’t faltered. It’s astonishing, really, that the young man who made the world bop to “Karma Chameleon,” in 1983 could have written the haunting aria “Talk Amongst Yourselves” or the structurally complex quintet “Out of Fashion,” but there they are — songs that break your heart with their bravado and quivering self-awareness.” Nationally-syndicated columnist Liz Smith said “The heart and soul of TABOO are Boy George’s thrilling, witty and powerfully moving lyrics. It’s the greatest original score for a musical in years.”

The cast of the Broadway production of TABOO featured Sarah Uriarte Berry (as Nicola), Jeffrey Carlson (Drama Desk Award nominee for the role of Marilyn), Raúl Esparza (Tony, Drama Desk and Drama League Award nominations for the role of Philip Sallon), Liz McCartney (as Big Sue), Euan Morton (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Drama League Award nominations as well as a Theatre World Award for the role of Boy George), George O’Dowd a.k.a. Boy George (as Leigh Bowery) and Cary Shields (as Marcus).

TABOO was recently nominated for 4 Tony Awards (including Best Original Score for Boy George), 5 Drama Desk Awards (including 2 for Boy George — Best Music and Best Lyrics), 2 Outer Critics Circle Awards and 3 Drama League Awards (including Best Musical).