Tonight at BROADWAY & BEYOND! with Honoree Ann- Margret, and presenter Liza Minnelli.

[CukorLover]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 12:36am

Tonight at BROADWAY & BEYOND! At City Center with star Ann -Margret, and presenter Liza Minnelli.

Let me preface this by saying that I know this is a benefit for the wonderful organization, Career Transitions For Dancers, and that many of these folks volunteer their time and talent. Why then, does the evening have to be so lackluster and devoid of cohesive and creative entertainment? This is New York City, and there are scores of very talented people that unfortunately were not sought out for this event.

The show began with a poorly conceived opening number with hip hop and acrobatics that went nowhere, followed by Rosie and her Broadway kids singing “Heart” from Damn Yankees. And believe it or not, Rosie was one of the highlights of this surprisingly dull evening.

Then we have:

At The Ballet: Kelly Bishop, the original Shelia, unfortunately singing flat between what seemed to be two opera singers playing Bebe and Maggie.

Josh Prince’s Broadway Dance Lab performing a number called Doggy In The Window, which was pedestrian at best and an offense to any gay man present in the audience. And trust me, there were a few. This is the guy that’s choreographing the upcoming musical, Beautiful. His other Broadway credit is Shrek, the musical. Enough said.

Begin the Beguine: Tap danced winningly by Broadway choreographer Randy Skinner and partner Sara Brians.

Subway Ride/Dream Coney Island from On the Town: This piece was recently done for the Barrington Stage’s production of On The Town by SMASH choreographer Josh Bergasse. It was clichéd and amateur work at best. Some nice dancers in search of a choreographer. Perhaps TV is his medium?

Dresden De La Danse: one awful and awfully long contemporary Ballet piece.

Danny Daniels Tribute: Jason Samuels Smith , Jimmy Tate and Dule Hill, tap danced their hearts out and were fantastic.

Last Time I Cry: Song beautifully by Orfeh, while she was being upstaged by one of the ugliest and oddest ballet/contemporary duets I’ve ever seen. She should speak with her Agent.

Hip Hop Segment: Words cannot express.

Parallel Exit: A Barbershop Quartet that was as uninspired, not very tuneful and as predictable as they come.

Tomorrow: Sung by Andrea McArdle, which was preceded by some off kilter, 80’s type of lounge song. WHY ?

AND THEN…..

Liza Minnelli practically stumbles onto the stage, forgets her notes, and gives Ann-Margret one of the shortest and shoddiest intros that was an embarrassment and an insult to our star of the evening.

A black scrim flies up and there’s our Queen standing front and center, wearing black and pink, coiffed red hair flowing and bouncing to the Orchestra’s beat of Bye Bye Birdie. She then has to walk, which seemed like a mile, to the podium, unescorted.

Liza makes some inaudible banter, presents her with her ROLEX watch Award , and then just slithers offstage as if she had her car waiting for her.

Ann speaks softly. She forgot her notes and glasses as well, but gave a very sweet speech making special mention of four of her former back up dancers in the audience. She had them stand up ( they were in the mezzanine) and she announced them one by one. It was a very sweet gesture, but why weren’t they included onstage where they could have easily escorted her on? Again, another misspent opportunity to make this show classy.

Her speech was short and lovely and she also acknowledged her husband Roger in the audience. She bowed and gracefully left the stage ( again, unescorted).

Finale:

Broadway hoofer Noah Racey and his New York Song & Dance Company tore up the stage with a percussive and rhythmic tap dance called Drum Crazy.

In short, the live Jubilee Orchestra led by Jim Morgan, was the highlight of the evening, with tap dance taking a close second. They both ruled a mixed bag of an evening that was shoddily strung together by producer/director Ann Marie DeAngelo. How hard could it have been to even show a few pictures of the Honoree, let alone a film clip or two? Or even a production number ( Gotta Lot Of Livin’ to Do anyone ?) with some of those great dancers ( that were underutilized) for Ann-Marget’s entrance?

I heard afterwards that Ms. DeAngelo has been doing this for some time now. Perhaps they need some new blood. Those donors pay big bucks to this organization and they deserve better.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 7:52am

Bitch much?

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 10/9/13 at 8:16am

That does sound pretty dire.