Broadway Blog - Elaine Paige Lights Up Atlantic City

Elaine Paige, who is justifiably referred to as the first lady of British musical theatre is not seen remotely often enough on our shores so when it was announced that she'd be playing one night at the Borgata in Atlantic City in late September -- off we went!

The fact that she was performing in Atlantic City, and not somewhere in the Big Apple is a mind-boggling question for which I have no answer. Needless to say that Paige lit up the stage for a dazzling 90 minutes that featured her performing many of her biggest hits and other notable tunes including Memory, I Know Him So Well, As If We Never Said Goodbye, With One Look, Yesterday, By the Sea, If You Love Me, Broadway Baby, Don't Cry for Me Argentina and more. 

The crowd was on its feet multiple times throughout the show as Paige showed off her unequaled voice that's perfectly suited to the many songs which have been written for, debuted by or made her own over her 40 year career. 

My only complaint? I could have stayed for another hour. If you haven't had the opportunity to feast on Paige's vocal and performing skills, I can recommend the purchase of her new live concert DVD as well, available here. 

If this blog sounds like it was written by a gushing fan, then that's alright because I unabashedly am and if you have the opportunity to see Paige perform live -- do it. As Andrew Gans writes on Playbill.com as well - if any smart producers are reading, let's indeed get her to a NYC concert venue, and soon!

Elaine has starred in numerous musical productions on the West End and Broadway and in concerts across the globe, first sweeping to fame when she created her award winning performance as 'Eva Peron' in Evita in 1968. Shortly afterwards she created the role of 'Grizabella' in the original production of Cats and the classic song "Memory" became the first of Elaine's many hit records. Elaine has performed in concert worldwide from The White House to The Great Hall of the People in Beijing, from the Bolshoi to Sydney Opera House. She has appeared in many television roles including her own TV specials and Royal Variety Shows. She has recorded 20 solo albums (4 multi Platinum and 8 consecutive Gold) and 6 cast albums and has been honored with a number of awards, including the HMV Lifetime Achievement Award (1996) and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Operatic and Dramatic Association (1999).

This year marks the 6th anniversary of her hugely successful weekly BBC Radio 2 program Elaine Paige on Sunday. The program, devoted to musical theatre and film music, continues to delight audiences of over 2-million listeners each week in the UK alone with its mix of music, competitions and interviews. In 2009, a live DVD recording from Elaine's 40th Anniversary Tour, titled Elaine Paige Live - Celebrating A Life On Stage, was released including the songs "Don't Cry for Me Argentina," "Tomorrow," "Memory," "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien," "As If We Never Said Goodbye," "I Get A Kick Out Of You" and "Broadway Baby."

Elaine is currently in the US recording an exciting new duets album for Warner Bros Records, produced by the legendary record producer Phil Ramone, which is titled Elaine Paige and Friends. The album is to be released in the UK in November of this year and in the US early in 2011.