We thought it was a pretty great 2 hours of Raul singing nothing but Sondheim, which is always a good match (and no, not a peep of that annoying Leap of Faith score). Gorgeous piano accompaniment by his lovely musical director throughout (sorry--her name escapes me). If you're a huge Raul fan you probably loved the night; if you're not a great fan (like my husband), all of his vocal weaknesses were on full display too (some scratchy vocals at times, and an overabundance of passion!!!).
Best of all was his honest and revealing chitchat between numbers, tracing his connections to Sondheim over the years, and his repeated auditions for Sondheim roles he never got to play (Henrik in ALNM, and Zangara in Roundabout's ASSASSINS revival. And he does a great Steve imitation-- who knew?
A partial song list from memory-- SOMETHING'S COMING NOT WHILE I'M AROUND NO MORE TALENT LESSON #8 TAKE ME TO THE WORLD WITH SO LITTLE TO BE SURE OF FRANKLIN SHEPHERD INC. EVERYBODY SAYS DON'T I REMEMBER SKY MARRY ME A LITTLE MULTITUDES OF AMYS HAPPILY EVER AFTER BEING ALIVE and for an encore, FINISHING THE HAT
His music director is Mary-Mitchell Campbell, whom he met on COMPANY, and who taught him to play the piano for BEING ALIVE. She has a pretty impressive list of Broadway and Off-Broadway credits as a music director and is also the founder and executive director of a wonderful charity called ASTEP (Artists Striving To End Poverty).
I was there! I thought it was a good concert, my favorite was his stories. I couldn't stop laughing when Mary-Mitchell was talking about Raul's sweaty hands.
Raul's Sondheim impression is one of my favorite Raul things ever.
I hope this wasn't the last time he'll do an all-Sondheim concert, though I'd like to see some more stuff that's new for him on the set list next time. Like songs from those roles he's never played.
Mary-Mitchell has done her share of Sondheim, especially of late, too. She not only arranged all of the '06 Company revival, but she worked on Doyle's Sweeney, as well, then went on to do Road Show with him and Merrily in Cincinnati this year. Smart, kind, amazingly talented lady. It's always great to see them perform together.
Thanks. luv, I stand corrected -- just fixed the list.
I wonder if Raul and Mary-Mitchell are taking their show around the country. Not sure how many sondheimaniacs are out there for them to attract, but the audience in Northridge was in the palm of their hands.
Did he audition for the recent NIGHT MUSIC revival? I remember there were rumours..
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000