Floyd Collins Original Cast (1997)

The melodies soar, the work is unified, and one need not have seen this dramatic Off Broadway musical (inspired by the media circus surrounding a man trapped in a cave in 1925) to feel its impact. The cast of skilled singers in Floyd Collins Original Cast lacks star personalities. But savor the breathtaking felicity with which Adam Guettel (Richard Rodgers' grandson) manipulates both words and notes on ''Is That Remarkable.'' A vital new musical-theater writer has emerged. B+