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How was Rita Moreno in Sunset Blv.?
Betty Buckley - nailing the crazy since 1982!
I'm not sure if I want to get into a discussion on the specific merits of people who have played Norma, as I've only seen one onstage (Kathryn Evans - also nailed the crazy and the vocals!
), and the rest of my actual knowledge is based on cast recordings. But for what (little) it's worth, I do favour my Glenn Close recording over my Patti LuPone one.
... is it just coincidence, or is there something more sinister afoot that three Normas mentioned in this thread have all been in Oz? XD
Updated On: 1/28/10 at 04:47 PMI'm not sure if I want to get into a discussion on the specific merits of people who have played Norma, as I've only seen one onstage (Kathryn Evans - also nailed the crazy and the vocals!
), and the rest of my actual knowledge is based on cast recordings. But for what (little) it's worth, I do favour my Glenn Close recording over my Patti LuPone one.... is it just coincidence, or is there something more sinister afoot that three Normas mentioned in this thread have all been in Oz? XD
"The sexual energy between the mother and son really concerns me!"-random woman behind me at Next to Normal
"I want to meet him after and bang him!"-random woman who exposed her breasts at Rock of Ages, referring to James Carpinello
"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg."
-- Thomas Jefferson
I am a MAJOR fan of Sunset. I find it to be ALW's best score by far. It's highly underrated, and often looked over.
IMO, Elaine Paige's take on Norma was the best. She sang the songs beautifully, and actually delivered the character powerfully. She looked so much like Gloria Swanson it was uncanny! The only flaw was the fact she was so small in stature. The set literally swallowed her up.
Glenn Close's Norma was fantastic. The acting was so good that it masked the fact that she didn't quite have the pipes for the upper notes. She sang it really well, but her voice tended to go "fruity" on the higher notes. She owned this role. I'd kill to see her in it again.
Patti Lupone seemed sub par to me. She couldn't act the role, was too loud, too boisterous, too sing songy, too Ethel Mermany. I kept waiting for her to break out into "Some people can get a thrill..." and that was waaay before she ever played Mamma!
I hear Diahan Carroll (SP?) was mediocre in the roll. I didn't see her perform it, however know 2 people that did. I do own the cast recording and vocally she was sub-par. Many keys seem lowered to fit her register. BTW - Rex Smith - eeeyikes! He sounds as though he sings every song with his teeth clinched.
Linda Balgord (National Tour)sang the role well, and her acting was passable. However she lacked any sort of "presence" and star power. She too was swallowed by the set. That having been said, Ron Bohmer was by far the best Joe IMO.
Betty Buckley.... ick. It still amazes me that so many hold her in such high regard. I find her vibratto voice so off-putting that I avoid listening to her sing. There's times that her voice quivers as much as Cher's. Quite frankly I got the feeling Ms Buckley thought she was the savior of the show and far superior than it. When in fact, I just couldn't get past the idea that I was watching Abby Bradford in drag.
I skipped Petula's version. I was curious, but just couldn't bear to see it without the full scale mansion. After all, the true star of the show was the set.
I never saw Rita. (Heeeeey you guuuuys!) However didn't the show close in London after she took on the role? Enuff said.
Updated On: 1/29/10 at 10:28 AMIMO, Elaine Paige's take on Norma was the best. She sang the songs beautifully, and actually delivered the character powerfully. She looked so much like Gloria Swanson it was uncanny! The only flaw was the fact she was so small in stature. The set literally swallowed her up.
Glenn Close's Norma was fantastic. The acting was so good that it masked the fact that she didn't quite have the pipes for the upper notes. She sang it really well, but her voice tended to go "fruity" on the higher notes. She owned this role. I'd kill to see her in it again.
Patti Lupone seemed sub par to me. She couldn't act the role, was too loud, too boisterous, too sing songy, too Ethel Mermany. I kept waiting for her to break out into "Some people can get a thrill..." and that was waaay before she ever played Mamma!
I hear Diahan Carroll (SP?) was mediocre in the roll. I didn't see her perform it, however know 2 people that did. I do own the cast recording and vocally she was sub-par. Many keys seem lowered to fit her register. BTW - Rex Smith - eeeyikes! He sounds as though he sings every song with his teeth clinched.
Linda Balgord (National Tour)sang the role well, and her acting was passable. However she lacked any sort of "presence" and star power. She too was swallowed by the set. That having been said, Ron Bohmer was by far the best Joe IMO.
Betty Buckley.... ick. It still amazes me that so many hold her in such high regard. I find her vibratto voice so off-putting that I avoid listening to her sing. There's times that her voice quivers as much as Cher's. Quite frankly I got the feeling Ms Buckley thought she was the savior of the show and far superior than it. When in fact, I just couldn't get past the idea that I was watching Abby Bradford in drag.
I skipped Petula's version. I was curious, but just couldn't bear to see it without the full scale mansion. After all, the true star of the show was the set.
I never saw Rita. (Heeeeey you guuuuys!) However didn't the show close in London after she took on the role? Enuff said.
joined:11/24/06
joined:
11/24/06
Posted: 1/28/10 at 1:40pm