"SCARFACE, The AL CAPONE Musical" Cast Album Recording is released: Featuring Standards re-arranged.
"SCARFACE, The AL CAPONE Musical" Cast Album Recording is released: Featuring Standards re-arranged in Hip-Hop, Jazz, and Opera, by David Serero.
In 2014, opera singer & producer David Serero recorded the original demos of "Scarface, The Al Capone Musical." He always believed that American gangster Al Capone and his lavish lifestyle could be an excellent subject for a musical. However, he was looking for an innovative modern way to bring Al Capone's life (1899-1947), the Chicago gangsters, the Prohibition-era music, and the speakeasies to illustrate the gangster style to today's audience musically. When studying Al Capone, David Serero immediately referred to Hip-Hop music, Gangsta rap, and what he calls "inverted arrangements," adapting pop standards into Jazz and Jazz standards into hip-hop.
In "SCARFACE, The AL CAPONE Musical," David Serero (starring as Capone) used Prohibition-era standards and re-arranged them in a Hip-Hop style, adding his operatic vocals, Musical Theatre, Jazz, and bringing a cast of diverse cultures. Al Capone's life loosely inspires the story. However, David Serero, who wrote the musical, took liberties and added fictional characters such as Capone's right arm: Franky, an African-American rapper ("in the style of Notorious B.I.G."), Lolita, Minnie, and more. "Gangsta rap is what Capone would be listening today, mixed with Jazz and Opera, as it reflects what Capone says: If we can reach the top, the world will give in," added Serero, who always combines genres and styles, which established his signature over the last 20 years performing his theatrical adaptations of classics (theater, opera, and musicals) and recordings (his discography includes nearly 50 albums, and more than 100 for music artists on his record label).
The first two singles of the musical, released in 2020, received critical acclaim. Serero later won the Palm Beach International Music Awards for Best Arranger and Producer for his adaptation of "Thriller" in a Jazz Big Band style. "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" (opening of the musical) and "Minnie, the Moocher," which David Serero has entirely re-arranged in a Hip-Hop style with background vocals, written additional rap lyrics, used the verses as monologues, and connected the songs to the context of the story (i.e.," They called me 'Al,' it was 'Al' all the time").
David Serero brought a splendid cast album recording with versatile talents from various musical origins and genres, composed of Award-winner singer Malou Beauvoir, rock singer Lisa Bouchelle, Burlesque opera singer Marcy Richardson (aka Opera Gaga), singer/actress Lisa Monde, and Frank L. Humphrey III.
Standards such as Beyonce's Crazy in Love, Michael Jackson's Thriller, 50 Cents' P.I.M.P., Bon Jovi's You Give Love A Bad Name, and Survivor's Eye of a Tiger are re-arranged in a Jazz style. The following, Brother Can You Spare a Dime, Minnie The Moocher, and My Heart Belongs to Daddy, are re-arranged with a hip-hop style, a tour de force of "inverted arrangements" performed and produced by David Serero.
While the Cast Album Recording is now released, David Serero plans the stage production for Fall 2022 as an Off-Broadway production. This new concept brings us an exciting combo of "Moulin Rouge" and "Hamilton," We can not wait to see the staged version.
MEET THE CAST:
DAVID SERERO - Writer, Arranger, Producer, AL CAPONE
David Serero is a critically acclaimed and awards-winner opera singer, actor, director, and producer. He has performed more than 2,500 performances in more than 45 countries, directed and produced nearly 100 theatrical productions, starred in over 100 films and T.V. series, recorded and produced over 100 albums, and played more than 50 lead and title roles (in several languages) from the opera, theatre, and musical repertoire. In New York, he starred Off-Broadway in iconic roles such as Shylock, Cyrano, Othello, Barabas, Yiddish King Lear, Don Giovanni, Figaro, Romeo, Nabucco, as well as new works such as Napoleon by Kubrick, Queen Esther, Anne Frank a Musical, among others. In his native Paris, he starred as Don Quixote (Man of La Mancha) and Happy Mac (Beggar's Holiday by Duke Ellington). He entered the prestigious Who's Who America for demonstrating outstanding achievements in the entertainment world and for the betterment of contemporary society. In 2019, he received the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award, the Morocco Day Distinguished Achievement Award, and the Trophy of the Culture of Morocco. Morocco's airline, Royal Air Maroc, named him among the fifteen most influential Moroccans worldwide. David is a Recording Academy and Television Academy member and a voting member of the Grammys and Emmys. In 2020, David Serero received the UNESCO Award for Diversity in Paris and became an Honorary Member of the United Nations of Arts and Science. In 2021, he won 4 BroadwayWorld Awards for Best Performer of the Decade, Best Producer of a Musical, Best Producer of a Play of the Decade, and Best Opera Singer of the Year. He was awarded the Certificate of Recognition by the Mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, for his contribution to the City's dynamic cultural landscape, enriching the vibrant performing arts sector, and uplifting and inspiring diverse New Yorkers. Among his most recently produced musicals: "Scarface, The Al Capone Musical," he received the Best Arranger & Producer Award at the Palm Beach International Music Awards. As an Arranger and Producer, he has signed several international talents and released their albums on his Record Label. As a filmmaker, David Serero recently won the Best Director award at the Berlin Indie Film Festival for his feature documentary about Elie Tahari (actually touring in Film Festivals), Best Music Video at the Cairo Short Film Festival, The Rome Music Video Awards, The Hollywood Golden Age Festival, The Istanbul Film Awards, among others. www.davidserero.com
MALOU BEAUVOIR - QUEEN M.
Haitian-American performing artist Malou Beauvoir is a singer/songwriter/actor. Beauvoir's acting career has included Stephen Frears' Oscar-winning The Queen, Élisabeth Rappeneau's Paul et ses Femmes, Christian Carion's Farewell, and the hit ABC TV series Perception. Her diverse recording career ranges from a featured artist for Universal to songwriting collaborations with hip-hop, jazz, and pop artists and includes five jazz albums and recordings. Beauvoir has performed at clubs and festivals internationally, sharing the stage with renowned musicians. Her debut U.S. Jazz album, Is This Love (2016), rose to the top 50 on the Jazz Week charts within a few weeks. World music album Spiritwalker (2018). Her sixth recording is a tribute to her Haitian culture and roots. "Papa Damballah" from the Spiritwalker album was featured in the end credits of Suzan Beraza's poignant documentary "Massacre River: Woman without a Country." "Nwaye," co-written with Paul Beaubrun, was among the winners of the International Songwriting Competition in 2019. Malou collaborated with award-winning baritone David Serrero to record a jazz version of Beyonce's hit Crazy in Love for the Cast album recording of his upcoming musical, "SCARFACE: The Al Capone Musical." Beauvoir's latest release, "Kenbem" (Peer Music/Universal), is the official Creole adaptation of the Brendan Graham/ Rolf Lovland classic You Raise Me. In her lyrics, she alludes to the relationship between Vaudou and the Christian faith in Haiti, offering a healing balm for both. Malou has donated her performances and support to the "TIBET FUND" Gala in N.Y., the "Fonkoze Gala" in L.A., the "Back Country Jazz" fundraiser, "Roots for Development" Fundraiser and other non-profit organizations who are working to make this world a better place.
MARCY RICHARDSON - LOLITA (Capone's Mistress and Chief of the Club)
Marcy Richardson is a staple of the N.Y.C. nightlife and burlesque scene, most known for her work as an opera-singing pole dancer and aerialist with Company XIV, Duane Park, and Susanne Bartsch's shows at the McKittrick Hotel and Sony Hall. Equally, at home in traditional opera and theater. She is a 2018 Dora Award winner for best female performance in an opera. She has performed solo in many of New York's most acclaimed concert halls, including Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center. Originally from Grosse Pointe, MI, she earned her B.M. and M.M. in voice from Indiana University.
LISA BOUCHELLE - M.A.E (Capone's wife).
Lisa Bouchelle has sung backup for Bruce Springsteen, dueted in concert with Jon Bon Jovi, appeared in several off-Broadway productions, and done several national tours. She has a new album scheduled for release this Summer through Sony Music's The Orchard (formerly Sony/R.E.D.). She also hosts the regional hit T.V. show "Rock Star Kitchen," the top-rated original content show on The Comcast Network in the Philadelphia region. She has been called "The incomparable Lisa Bouchelle" by the Asbury Park Sun and "A star of the future, and the not-to-distant future at that" by The Aquarian Weekly. For more about Lisa, check out www.lisabouchelle.com.
LISA MONDE - THE MOTHER P.I.M.P.:
Lisa Monde– is an award-winning actress, singer, director, playwright, and composer who began her career in Europe. After touring various shows and working with renowned European theater companies, she moved to N.Y.C. to continue her pursuits. Lisa graduated from the Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute and the New York Film Academy. Since then, she has worked off-Broadway in various plays and musicals. Recent credits include Dali's Dream (Coco Chanel); Arsene Lupin VS Sherlock Holmes (AJ Raffles Holmes); The Elizabeth Taylor Story (Elizabeth Taylor); Ghost Writers (Mary Shelley); Strangers in the Night, a Tribute to Frank Sinatra (Gale Storm); A Midsummer Night's Dream (Hippolyta); Of Mice and Men (Curley's Wife); La Cage Aux Folles (Jacqueline); Dracula. Finding of a Shadow (Mina Murray); Teach Me How to Die (Poet); True Confessions of a Straight Man (Rebecca); Romeo and Juliet by David Serero (Lady Capulet); Anne Frank, a musical the Off-Broadway original cast (Edith Frank). There are eight CDs with original songs in Lisa's portfolio, many concerts, performances, and radio/T.V. broadcasts. In addition, she has produced, written, and directed eight staged musicals and nine plays.
FRANK L. HUMPHREY III - The Emcee at Al Capone's club
Frank L. Humphrey, III is a classically trained tenor and actor. This Summer, you will catch him on the new B.E.T. + series entitled ALL THE QUEEN'S M.E.N. portraying the role of Gabriel-Recurring (Co-Star), Directed and Produced by Tyler Perry. Humphrey has been nominated for a BroadwayWorld Award (Leading Actor in Musical-Regional Professional). Mr. Humphrey received his vocal training at New York's Manhattan School of Music.
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