Cabaret TV performances

[bwayobsessed]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 12:49pm

Why does Cabaret always perform Willkommen on TV? I get that it's a great number with the ensemble and all, but they literally always do it. Money, Don't Tell Mama, or Mein Herr would all work just as well on T.V. as far as I'm concerned.

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 1:37pm

I wonder this too. I don't mean to complain, especially since any broadway-tv performance is nice, but i've gotten really bored of Alan doing Willkommen. I think 'Money' or 'Mein Heir" would make great tv performances.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 1:39pm

Michelle is not interested in doing these promotions, from what I know. Hence, no Michelle.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 1:41pm

For the 80s revival, Macys Parade did "If You Could See Her." I think the producers wanted to go cheap and just pay Joel Grey's salary. He danced with the bear, but I don't know whether the bear was someone from the show or an unpaid extra.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 2:01pm

Because, aside from the title song, Willkommen is the most recognizable song in the show, Cumming is recognizable to audiences via his television work, and it's an upbeat number with the ensemble rather than a park-and-bark solo.

[haterobics]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 2:08pm

Not to mention, the majority of people will probably only see them perform once, as opposed to people on a Broadway message board that links to every time it happens...

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 2:13pm

Which would be great if he didn't sleep walk through it every time.

[ShakinBaconGirl]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 2:20pm

^ This! It's great that he is back in the role but he just looks so bored and not into it. I felt nothing when I went to see him.

[HBP]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 2:32pm

I thought his performance was pretty electric when I saw it in early May.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 3:02pm

I gather from (the amazing) Andrea Goss being the ONLY understudy who performed at Stars in the Alley, Michelle Williams will only be playing Sally for paying audiences inside Studio 54.

And if Alan looks bored in TV performances, my guess is because it's always such a sanitized version of the number.

[brettarnett]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 5:00pm

As great as Michelle's performance is, I don't know if it would translate well on TV. I think that could possibly be said for almost any Sally in this production. Especially when the expectation is a Liza-fied performance.

[SFFrontRow]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 5:49pm

Funny, I thought that during this year's Tonys telecast, thought this when I saw the video link on BWW the other day and will continue to think this every time they sleep through this number on yet another show.

And I have not seen this year's production, but the number just seems tired or overplayed or something.

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 7:06pm

When I saw the show in May I didn't think it felt tired, but it sure does come across that way on tv. There's also something just kind of cringe-worthy about seeing people dance around in tattered underwear outside on summer morning. It works in the venue during performance, not on morning national news.

[AntV]

Posted: 7/3/14 at 8:56am

I think it just always looks bad and rushed since it's a heavily truncated version. On the recording it's seven and a half minutes.

[bwayobsessed]

Posted: 7/3/14 at 1:25pm

I feel like "Money" at least would be suitable to use as well because it doesn't need to be shortened to fit in a TV slot and it's also one of my favorite numbers in Cabaret.