The last Broadway production of Flower Drum Song indicated that the show isn't very "revivable," but the cast recording gave me a new appreciation for the R&H score. The orchestrations were terrific, and I felt like I was hearing some of the songs -- like the normally disposable "Fan Tan Fannie" -- for the first time.
I second the person who mentioned Aspects of Love. The score is absolutely gorgeous, but ack...that book! Who's sleeping with who
I've never really followed these awards before so this is probably my ignorance showing, but these nominations seem pretty meaningless to me. It's like if you opened this year you got nominated.
These responses have all been fascinating, thanks! I was pleasantly surprised to find so many people on these boards who saw the original Broadway production. The article I was reading was about what a great year the 1993 Oscars were for Best Actress. Holly Hunter dominated all of the awards that year for The Piano (rightly so), but any one of the Best Actress nominees would have been a deserving winner in a different year. I've not seen the film version of Six Degrees of Separation, but
I was reading something about the 1993 Academy Awards when Stockard Channing was nominated for recreating her role in Six Degrees of Separation. The article referred to her stage performance in that play as "the stuff of legend." I'm wondering if anyone saw her in that play or has more insight into how accurate that statement is. Is it an exaggeration or was she really that good? I like her as an actress but I've never heard that particular role or her performance mentioned
I somehow completely missed that Celebrity Autobiography was even opening, let alone at the same theater as The Illusionists. How do they handle the marquee and signage at the Marquis to account for two different shows playing at the same time? I assume it's an LCD marquee that can change easily. But if you're just strolling through Times Square during the middle of the day, which show appears as the one playing? Does it somehow
Thanks for the reply. I do have to say that Total Eclipse of the Heart seemed completely incongruous given everything happening around it, yet at the same time, as a child of the 80s, it was weirdly satisfying to hear it being belted out by Mandy Gonzalez. Michael Crawford, on the other hand, sounded ridiculous.
I watched Roman Polanski's "The Fearless Vampire Killers" last night and thought it was dreadful (that's for another message board). But it led me to some clips of the original Broadway production of "Dance of the Vampires," and I have to say I'm sort of....uh....fascinated. I know it was a notorious flop, but for those who saw it I'm wondering....was the audience laughing at the production or with it? The very first scene seems to establish a campy tone, b
Not sure if it technically counts as a curtain call since it happens before the cast bows, but loved the little dance number in "Urinetown" immediately following "I See a River," after we're told everyone dies of drought. It was a great way for the show to make a serious point but still send everyone out on a high.
The Servants’ Chorus is indeed in the production, just not on the album.
Thanks! Wonder why that song almost never gets recorded. The only recording of My Fair Lady I can think of that does include it is the expanded film soundtrack, and overall I just don't find that version of the score very satisfying to listen to. Would be nice to have an alternative that's as comprehensive.
So I'm looking at the track listing and see that the Servants' Chorus (not sure if that's actually what it's called) isn't on the album. I'm thinking of the scene where the servants sing "Poor Professor Higgins" over and over while he's teaching Eliza. For those who've seen the show, did they just leave it off, or is that song not part of this production?
I mentioned this once in a different thread as well, but there's a two-disc studio recording of Sweet Charity that's pretty terrible. The tempos are glacial and there's far too much incidental music on it that kills the momentum.
And I saw another thread about Tracy Letts and his new play at Steppenwolf and thought it worth mentioning that he's in "Lady Bird" and gives a wonderful performance, as does Laurie Metcalf.
Not sure if it counts as a cast recording, but there was a two-disc studio recording of Sweet Charity that included the entire score, incidental music as well as the actual numbers. All of the tempos are taken at a glacial pace, and though the idea of the complete score might sound appealing, when actually listening to it, the large amount of incidental music grinds the recording to a halt. I didn't even know it was possible to make the experience of listening to Sweet Charity simila
Anyone see the film "Lady Bird" yet? For Sondheim fans, part of the story revolves around a high school production of "Merrily We Roll Along," complete with some brief scenes of the kids' performance. And it happens to be a terrific movie too.
Tried to watch it. Made it about 30 minutes in and then my wife and I decided to just watch the Bing Crosby/Fred Astaire movie instead. The musical was bland, bloated, and padded to within an inch of its life. It had no narrative momentum because of the way unnecessary musical numbers were shoe-horned in. And the cast couldn't land a joke if their collective lives depended on it. I would have been sorely disappointed if I had spent $100+ on a ticket to see this on Broadway.
