Before Jai Rodriguez made a name for himself as the culture vulture on Bravo’s "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," he was singing his heart and soul out onstage in New York City as the title character in the popular musical, ZANNA, DON’T! For anyone who enjoyed the play, seeing "Queer Eye" meant that our beloved Zanna was on television. Now, he, the rest of the cast, and the entire selection of infectious tunes from the stage play are available for general listening pleasure with the release of the world premiere recording.

Aside from being a positive experience in and of itself, for the recording is full of danceable numbers and genuinely upbeat philosophy, the songs themselves only enhance my memory of the play. Hearing the nineteen tunes on the ZANNA, DON’T! soundtrack, I was immediately transported back to the Houseman Theater, and to the production that I experienced onstage. I literally relived the experience, and that alone is testimony that this play is more than just fleeting fare, that the score is more than bubble gum sweetness, and that there is something permeable about the feel-good message behind this "fairy tale."

So, I say, check this recording out, even if you have not had the opportunity to experience ZANNA, DON’T! in live, living color. If you have seen the play, need I say more?

- Kessa De Santis -