| PS Classics | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Founder | Tommy Krasker Philip Chaffin |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Musical theatre |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Location | Bronxville, NY |
| Official website | www |
PS Classics is arecord label that specializes inmusical theatre and standard vocals, founded in2000 byGrammy-nominated freelance producer Tommy Krasker and singer/actor Philip Chaffin.
Recent Broadway cast recordings from PS Classics includeXanadu,The Frogs, the revivals of110 in the Shade,Pacific Overtures,Fiddler On The Roof, andNine, as well as the premiere recordings ofGrey Gardens,A Year with Frog and Toad,My Life With Albertine,Zanna, Don't!,Through the Years,Striking 12,Only Heaven andFirst Lady Suite.
In May, 2006, PS Classics released their first London cast album, the London revival ofStephen Sondheim'sSunday in the Park with George. In an unprecedented move,[citation needed] it recordedGrey Gardens twice, replacing the off-Broadway recording with a complete Broadway recording. Having a long-standing association withStephen Sondheim, the label has released seven albums of work by the composer. They also have long-standing relationships with composersMaury Yeston andRicky Ian Gordon.
In addition to their Broadway cast albums, PS Classics has also released a slew of solo albums by Broadway and cabaret stars such asChristine Andreas, Tony Award nomineeRebecca Luker, Tony Award nomineeKerry Butler, Tony Award winnerVictoria Clark, Tony Award nomineeJason Danieley,Jackie Hoffman,Lauren Kennedy, Grammy nomineeMaureen McGovern,Jessica Molaskey,Jane Olivor, label co-owner Philip Chaffin, the bandGroovelily, and several others. They also issued the CD debut ofCharlotte Rae's 1955 solo album, "Songs I Taught My Mother"[1] as well as the songbook albums of composersMaury Yeston and Georgia Stitt.
PS Classics has also partnered with theLibrary of Congress on their acclaimed "Songwriter Series", in which musical theatre composers/lyricist sing their own work. Four composers have been released through PS Classics:Hugh Martin,Charles Strouse,Jonathan Larson andHoward Ashman. In 2008, PS Classics released its first soundtrack, for the critically acclaimed musical film,Were the World Mine. They also made their first foray intoopera, releasing Ricky Ian Gordon'sThe Grapes of Wrath, in a live recording of theMinnesota Opera production.
PS Classics also maintains a not-for-profit companion label, PS Classics, Inc., which is dedicated to the location and restoration of lost scores and musical theatre material.[2] Their first project was the restoration and all-star recording ofFine and Dandy, a 1930s musical byKay Swift, one of the firstfemale composers onBroadway. Their recent releases include two volumes of theSondheim Sings series, a collection of demo recordings by composerStephen Sondheim which highlight some of his early, lesser-known work.
The PS of PS Classics is named for Krasker and Chaffin's two dogs, Please (an Australian cattle dog) and Sumner (a bull terrier).[3] PS Classics is based inBronxville, New York.
