cd is free of scratches. Hardly used. May be some handling wear to the cd case.

The original 1950 production of this classic played the mythical Damon Runyon world of New York City gamblers a lot straighter than the 1992 Broadway revival did. In fact, 1950 reviewers called this the "South Pacific of crapshooters." Alas, Guys and Dolls plays a lot better as a cartoon-like "fable" in the 1990s--which is why the revival is probably the definitive recording while this one is more a historical artifact. Still, it's a gas to hear Robert Alda (Alan's dad!) and Sam Levene originate the roles of Sky Masterson and Nathan Detroit, while both Vivian Blaine and Stubby Kaye (who actually gets most of the showstoppers) would repeat their roles in the otherwise dreadful 1955 Brando/Sinatra film version. And the Frank Loesser music is always great. --Bill Holdship

Greenwillow is a little-known Frank Loesser gem in the Broadway bucolic mode, a genre that includes his own Most Happy Fella, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma, and Lerner and Loewe's Brigadoon. This recording has become something of a cult classic, perhaps because it stars Anthony Perkins (yes, the Psycho guy) in the lead role of Gideon Briggs. Perkins has a light but pleasant tenor that he uses to great effect, especially on his haunting solo "Never Will I Marry." Greenwillow has a lovely score with some particularly fine ensemble singing. This is a surprisingly subtle show that is sometimes dismissed by critics as a bit of pastoral fluff, but if you listen to it carefully you will discover that it is one of Loesser's finest works. --Michael Simmons