Elaine Stritch at Town Hall

[lizabombs]

Posted: 10/22/11 at 1:14pm

Anyone know if this is going to be recorded? It's a shame none of her Sondheim shows have been.
Updated On: 10/22/11 at 01:14 PM

[madbrian]

Posted: 10/22/11 at 4:57pm

When she performed at the White House, it took masterful editing to cover up her struggles with the lyrics. I am a huge fan, but I don't want my recollections of her to be of her struggling.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 10/22/11 at 7:38pm

At the show right now. There are signs on the door stating that the performance is going to be filmed for a documentary film. There is one camera onstage, one in the bac of the orchestra, and one upstairs. I'll post a picture of the sign when I get home.

[ljay889]

Posted: 10/22/11 at 10:56pm

WOW. What a trooper and amazing performer. She needed prompting throughout the night, but she is honest about it, and it's very important to her that she gets through each song.

She got through Send in the Clowns, Broadway Baby, and Ladies Who Lunch without a hitch. I Feel Pretty and Rose's Turn were nearly perfect. She tends to struggles with the patter numbers that are newer to her act.

I do wish she would cave in and use a monitor, because sometimes she only needs one word as a prompt, and she's fine.

At 86-years-old, it's pretty amazing what she's doing up there. I give her so much credit, and it's clear that she's never going to stop performing!

Updated On: 10/22/11 at 10:56 PM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 10/22/11 at 11:34pm

Just got back! What a show! It was vintage Elaine Stritch, and I'm not sure what the few people in the audience were expecting who seemed disappointed (one couple left halfway through). This was Stritch to a "t"- trademark white button down and black leggings, long-winded (but hilarious) stories, missed/forgotten lyrics, and a damn fine entertainer.

As ljay mentioned, Clowns, Broadway Baby, and Ladies Who Lunch were perfect. And with all due respect to Patti and the other women who've done that song, Stritch still blows them all out of the water. Rose's Turn was nearly there, and it just seems like such a missed opportunity that she never got to play that role. That's the one thing she seemed most disappointed about- reminiscing about how badly she wanted that role, but never got the chance.

The patter numbers like Everyone Says Don't and The Road You Didn't Take gave her some trouble. In fact, she gave up on The Road You Didn't Take and just moved on- but it was really funny how she handled it.

She seemed incredibly appreciative of the audience (who was very supportive throughout- clearly the audience was made up of mostly her fans). Of course, she acknowledged (as she always does) that she was "nervous as sh*t".

Her between song stories were meandering and hilarious, and she still has a real sharp wit. During one interlude, she was drinking from her water glass, and stopped and looked at the audience, a few of whom were nervously laughing. She looks around and goes, "I know what you're thinking...and NO, it's not that." Pause. "But you have no idea how badly I wish it was."

Yes, she seemed to randomly forget dates and has the timelines of things all wrong. For instance, she claimed she auditioned for Anyone Can Whistle when she was 17 and "almost got cast," then went to talk about how different her career would have been if she had been (I guess she thought she'd have had Angie's career?). She also said she went into Night Music 14 years after seeing the original with her husband. Another humorous moment was when she claimed that Sondheim was going to be opening Road Show (which she still referred to as Bounce) in NY soon. It seemed to get the Sondheim fans in the audience quite excited. That announcement seemed to come as news to Rob Bowman, who sort of dismissively shook his head.

Despite the memory lapses, she put on a hell of a show. This was my first time seeing her in a concert type setting, and I'm so glad I could finally hear her sing Ladies Who Lunch live.

Here was the sign that was on the doors:

[SondheimFan5]

Posted: 10/23/11 at 2:24am

Amazing "this is how it's done, kids" show tonight!! Loved her rendition of Parade In Town (much slower - beautiful) and Send in the Clowns. Rob Bowman's the hardest working man in musical theatre/cabaret. Multiple standing O's throughout the night.

Anyone know what the name of the 2nd to last song she did was?? I tried to write it all down afterward but I think I missed some stuff...this was the order i had.
1) I Feel Pretty
2) Rose’s Turn
3) Send in the Clowns
4) Love is In the Air
5) The Little Things You Do Together
6) Everybody Says Don’t
7) Broadway Baby
Every Day a Little Death (spoken as a monologue)
9) Road You Didn’t Take
10) Parade in Town
11) Ladies Who Lunch
12) __________no clue__________
13) Company opening Reprise
14) Best Thing that Ever Happened to Me

Anyone know if she's done more of the "obscure" ones before in her other acts?

[SondheimFan5]

Posted: 10/23/11 at 2:29am

Also realized that Angela Lansbury 'took' 2 roles from her - 1 that she really wanted (Gypsy revival) and then Anyone Can Whistle (well she said they wanted her for it but I don't know how much truth is in that). Interesting but I know they get along well.

[Rudy2]

Posted: 10/23/11 at 2:41am

I don't know the name of that song, but that's the exact same set list I saw her do at the Carlyle just a few weeks ago. The same banter, too.

It's just sinking in that I dressed up nicely and paid more than 2 x as much to see the exact same show.

Damnit to hell!

[Rudy2]

Posted: 10/23/11 at 2:46am

Was the show reasonably sold out?

[SondheimFan5]

Posted: 10/23/11 at 3:17am

Orch appeared to be mostly sold out, don't know about the balcony. I know there were tix still available at the door at least for balcony. What's the capacity at Town Hall?

""It's just sinking in that I dressed up nicely and paid more than 2 x as much to see the exact same show.""
Yup...thats why I went to this one. Less intimate but the price was so much better


Anyone see any celebs there tonight?? Updated On: 10/23/11 at 03:17 AM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 10/23/11 at 10:44am

No "celebrities," but I did see Broadway performers Kyle Dean Massey and Hunter Ryan Herdlicka in attendance.

That last song was either "Thank You for Coming" which is a cut song from Merrily or "Thank You So Much" from Do I Hear a Waltz. I forget exactly which one she performed.

[SondheimFan5]

Posted: 10/23/11 at 1:09pm

Thought that was Hunter Ryan bbut I couldn't tell.

[MamasDoin'Fine]

Posted: 10/23/11 at 7:50pm

Uncomfortably brilliant!